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Chapter 13. Sweet After Bitter
Some say there’s no reason to risk one’s life for a record that amounts to nothing special.
Before the strange structure called Veritas Tower appeared, Mount Everest, the highest mountain on Earth above sea level, had long stimulated humanity’s instinct for challenge. This was because they knew that conquering places untouched by human feet and placing the magnificent forces of nature beneath their feet was never an easy task.
If one could overcome the countless crises encountered while directly climbing treacherous paths and finally taste the achievement accomplished, they would never again be able to call it “nothing special.”
Just as professional mountaineers don’t climb mountains seeking understanding from others, hunters didn’t seek others’ understanding either. Because towers exist, they attempt conquest. Like breathing because air exists, it was a perfectly natural principle for hunters.
Each had different purposes. Some wanted to earn big money by selling magic stones harvested from magical beast corpses, or to enjoy the honor and popularity that came secondarily with occupying the top of the leaderboard that stirred competitive psychology.
But regardless of different purposes, once awakened as hunters, they developed a desire for “conquest.” As if they had been brainwashed to think that’s how it should be.
Research being conducted on hunters was countless, but meaningful research results were still insufficient. Three years since Veritas Tower naturally occurred. The problems derived from this structure, whether disaster or miracle, were too vast.
It was still insufficient to interpret phenomena that seemed to mock modern civilization that humanity had developed over long ages.
Hunters are drawn to towers like moths drawn to flame. They wielded powers that couldn’t be explained by science and risked their lives toward higher places. The number of tower floors humanity had conquered so far was only 59. Though the US was exploring the 60th floor, how many floors were at the top of Veritas Tower still remained unknown.
Some claimed all of this was a tutorial stage going through a period of adaptation for the next evolution, while others passionately argued it was an alien civilization’s invasion of Earth.
One thing was certain: existing humanity couldn’t fully understand those called hunters, who were close to being a new human species. Unless they awakened as hunters themselves.
* * *
After Samin delivered the final blow to the floor boss, his arm was restored to normal, and the group that had thoroughly finished harvesting magic stones quickly disbanded, promising a light after-party. This was because everyone was experiencing various side effects from excessive potion consumption, making drinking gatherings too much.
‘The 55th floor, we finally conquered it among ourselves.’
Samin decided to enjoy the joy of successful conquest while temporarily burying his complicated feelings. He had achieved the goal he desperately wanted to accomplish while contacting Doun and meeting him.
Though the alliance of three guilds had conquered the 55th floor first, what Samin wanted was the first conquest by a single guild without casualties.
While Doun, who placed weight on the word “first,” might have felt sorry about losing the first conquest of the 55th floor, Samin considered the “single guild” first more important.
They hadn’t even lost a single life and had discovered a new conquest method. It was a successful conquest by anyone’s standards.
‘But why is the atmosphere like this?’
Samin glanced at Doun sitting beside him. Doun, who had shared mana with him and helped kill the floor boss, was lost in thought with a calmly subdued expression.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah.”
“What should we eat when we get home?”
“Let’s eat what you want to eat.”
“……Okay.”
When spoken to, he answered with a peaceful voice. However, Samin was just watching Doun’s mood more.
‘If I had known you’d use your skill that way, I wouldn’t have shared mana with you……’
This was because one remark Doun had casually made among everyone who came running in shock after the conquest ended with the floor boss’s death continued to make his heart uncomfortable. He was the one who shared mana, yet what was the meaning of speaking as if he regretted it?
It was true that Samin had recklessly stacked skills and poured out attacks. But his arm that had been mushy from healers’ treatment and potions had long since returned to normal. Though the pain was certainly terrible, he had never thought he could conquer without getting hurt.
This was because the saying that injuries were daily life for hunters was never an exaggeration.
‘Lee Doun, what are you thinking about that makes your eyes so blue……’
Though his expression, attitude, and voice might seem peaceful, Doun’s mind was surely tangled in complexity. His two eyes, which immediately showed when he had many thoughts, were proof of that.
Samin speculated that Doun’s eyes might regain their original color when his heart became comfortable or when he was happy. This was also why he handed Doun food he liked while carefully watching his eyes.
Samin would check the name of the apple juice Doun drank, write down the recipe for the kimchi fried rice he ate deliciously, and remember the name of hamburger set menus. This behavior stemmed from the thought that remembering the moments when Doun’s left eye color, which he considered a “flaw,” returned to normal might someday help Doun.
Samin, who had parked his car in the parking lot after passing through the apartment entrance that had now become their shared home, glanced at the strangely subdued Doun. Until the moment they rode the elevator together and entered the front door, Doun didn’t properly look at Samin.
‘Ah. I really hate this kind of atmosphere.’
Finally, Samin slightly frowned. He blocked Doun, who had taken off his shoes and was about to head straight to the bedroom, with his arm.
“Doun hyung.”
“Why?”
“Are you perhaps angry at me?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Doun slowly raised his eyes. It was the first moment their gazes met after leaving the tower.
“……Am I angry at you?”
“Yes. Your attitude right now seems like that. Did I perhaps misunderstand?”
Samin hated beating around the bush. He knew that appropriate consideration was necessary. But he also knew that if he spoke indirectly even at truly important moments under the guise of consideration, it could lead to misunderstandings. Therefore, Samin chose to ask Doun directly.
‘I’m angry at Samin?’
Doun looked at Samin, whose face had become somewhat stiff, and moved his lips.
To Samin’s question about whether he was angry at him, Doun could answer with certainty that he wasn’t. He wasn’t angry at Samin but just angry at himself.
“I’m not angry.”
“……You’re not angry?”
“Yeah. Why would I be angry at you.”
If anything, he felt sorry for making him worry. Doun tried to pass by Samin while smiling awkwardly.
His body, with tension released, was a bit heavier than usual, and he felt slightly dizzy from excessive potion consumption. After washing up, he wanted to have a light meal and sleep early.
But Samin, still blocking his way, had a face that seemed dissatisfied with something.
“Wait a moment.”
“What now.”
“But why are your eyes still blue?”
“……Eyes?”
Doun habitually touched around his eyes. It seemed his eyeballs had caused problems again. Since no one could check their own eye color without looking in a mirror, Doun didn’t properly know what state his eyes were in.
“Maybe they malfunctioned again because I’m a bit tired? It could be potion side effects……”
As Doun trailed off muttering, displeasure appeared on Samin’s face.
“What malfunction? Are you some kind of object, hyung?”
“It’s just a figure of speech.”
“Are you really not angry?”
“If you keep asking, I might get angry……”
Doun looked at Samin with a chuckle. Only then did Samin step aside with relief.
“You said that earlier, so I got scared for nothing.”
“Said what?”
“You spoke as if you regretted sharing mana with me. Right after the conquest ended.”
“Ah……”
So that’s why he asked such a question. Doun found Samin, who had been watching his mood until they came home, adorable to the point of being lovable.
“……Samin.”
“Yes.”
“Honestly, I’d like it if you didn’t use skills so recklessly from next time.”
“Next time…… Wait, there’s a next time? Are you saying you’ll share mana again?”
To think he was considering next time after making remarks that seemed regretful. Samin looked flustered. His eyes, which were close to sanpaku due to being wide open, looked almost like they had white showing on all four sides.
“I was honestly shocked seeing you move like that even without mana.”
Doun casually spoke words that seemed to poke at Samin’s sore spot.
‘Still, since I shared when he had no mana, he must have said that……?’
It was when Samin was mulling over thoughts to rationalize himself.
“With such a small basic mana capacity, it must have been hard to distribute……”
Even though Samin was a hunter who didn’t mainly use magic skills that required a lot of mana, he had more mana than other people. Yet it seemed pathetic to Doun. Samin muttered while newly feeling the gap between him and Doun.
“I really have nothing to say about that…… Didn’t you ever think that hyung’s mana is insanely tremendous?”
“I have thought about it. I’ve used mana link several times.”
Doun walked straight past Samin to the bathroom. Samin followed alongside Doun while pouting his lips.
“Still, I have more mana than that Timer bastard, right?”
“Who are you comparing yourself to? Why are you bringing up that guy with yourself?”
Perhaps just thinking about it was annoying, as Doun’s tone suddenly became sharp. Though it was similar to a whining puppy level, Doun was properly annoyed. It was his usual appearance that Samin knew.
‘Hey, what. Our hyung really wasn’t angry at me. He was just expressionless because he was thinking? That’s a relief……’
Thinking that way, tension suddenly released completely. Restraining a sigh that was about to come out naturally, Samin quickly followed behind Doun, who had opened the bathroom door.
“Wait, how far are you coming in? You go wash up too and come out. We need to eat. You said we’d eat what you want to eat.”
It was when Doun looked up at Samin with round eyes. Samin, who had quickly returned to a sly expression, twisted his body and grinned.
“Hyuuung.”
“……What.”
“Can’t I wash with hyung?”
It was blatant mischief. Doun was momentarily at a loss for words. Where did the guy who had smashed the floor boss’s head and stood in a pool of blood just dozens of minutes ago go?
“Huh? Honey. Let’s wash together. Okay?”
At the whining full of aegyo, Doun’s laughter finally burst out.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
