77
* * *
A crimson space with an ominous atmosphere.
The 52nd floor of Veritas Tower had pools of sticky blood that had started to dry, puddled in various hollows across the floor. These blood pools had been created by the Yeoun Guild members who had returned with much stronger power than when they’d previously set foot in this place.
Crack!
Kicking off the hard floor and rushing forward quickly, Samin swung his fist. The back muscles under his taut clothing were clearly visible.
A large hole was punched straight through the skull of the last breathing magical beast among those that had swarmed together.
The black figure lost its vitality and slumped down. Several rings fitted on the hand that had pierced what used to be its head glinted. They were heirloom engagement rings passed down through generations of the Kyung family.
“Done! Minhyeok, harvest!”
“Yes!”
At Samin’s shout announcing the end of the situation, Kim Minhyeok, who had been waiting in the back with Seong Suyeon, drew his weapon.
Doun organized his mana recovery potions while sending an appreciative look to Samin walking toward him. Samin, who was wiping the magical beast’s bodily fluids flowing between his fingers, grinned.
“The 52nd floor wasn’t much either, right?”
“It was easier than expected, but my eyes hurt a bit.”
“Are you injured?”
With an expression asking why he was only mentioning this now, Samin approached and tried to look into Doun’s eyes. Doun was startled by the suddenly shortened distance and hastily added.
“I meant my eyes are tired because everything’s so red.”
“Ah, this place is a bit like that.”
Samin, who understood the meaning belatedly, looked around. The 52nd floor terrain, surrounded entirely by crimson fog, wasn’t a place to stay long.
“How’s your mana?”
“Fine.”
Doun smiled, saying he was perfectly okay. Though he had an overwhelming amount of mana compared to other hunters, the skills he favored required so much mana that time like this to recover mana was absolutely necessary.
Unlike games, drinking a mana recovery potion didn’t make mana suddenly gush forth all at once—it recovered slowly.
Doun hadn’t always recovered mana so leisurely from the beginning. Even after drinking recovery potions, he would join attacks and use skills.
‘Hyung. Is it okay to move right after taking a mana recovery potion?’
‘Huh?’
Doun usually lived on 2nd-grade mana recovery potions like water. Those expensive potions that everyone complained had vicious pricing.
Even after dividing and settling the magical stone sales proceeds, there probably wouldn’t be much left after subtracting the cost of mana recovery potions used in conquest. Moreover, from what Samin knew, 3rd-grade mana recovery potions and above could cause nausea, vomiting, and dizziness if you moved immediately after taking them. But Doun would casually drink potions and immediately rejoin to use skills.
‘I do get dizzy but it’s fine. I’m used to it. This kind of thing.’
‘I knew this would happen. Hyung, like last time, you say you have plenty of mana left. If you habitually drink mana potions, you’re just wasting money. Think about mana distribution again. It’ll be hard since it’s a habit. And don’t try to take on too much by yourself. Trust Samin a bit.’
After Samin repeatedly emphasized trusting him, whenever he saw Doun drinking mana recovery potions, he would devastate the magical beasts around them, eliminating any need for Doun to step in.
“After changing my habits a bit, combat efficiency seems to have improved.”
Doun said while glancing at Minhyeok, who was busy mining magical stones.
“From now on we’ll only get better coordinated, so the next floor will be no problem either.”
“That’s right! I’m perfectly prepared to support the next floor too!”
Hong Chan suddenly butted in and offered candy. The shiny candy wrapper rustled. Doun nodded and put the candy in his mouth. It was a refreshing lemon flavor that perfectly matched his current mood.
* * *
The 52nd floor conquest also ended with a record-breaking time. It was an overwhelming time reduction that now felt natural.
“I’m hungry, should we eat and then go to the next floor?”
“Agreed. I’m craving chicken galbi today. Let’s eat chicken galbi.”
“I’m drawn to malatang right now.”
“I want jjamppong.”
While everyone’s desired menus were running rampant, the guild members’ gazes focused on Doun.
“What do you want to eat, hyung?”
“Huh, me?”
At Hong Chan’s question, Doun fell into brief contemplation. The foods the guild members wanted were all spicy types.
‘Looking at Samin sweating while eating tteokbokki, he probably can’t eat all of that.’
Doun recited a menu very much with Samin in mind.
“How about pizza or something?”
Since there were many people, they’d order several types, so he chose a menu that Samin, who was weak with spicy food, could comfortably eat.
It was a rare opinion from Doun, who usually just listened from one step back. The guild members quickly changed their words, saying pizza sounded good too.
And so they arrived at a pizza place near the tower. It was a shop the Yeoun Guild members said they frequented. The pizza shop manager, who recognized Samin from the entrance, smiled brightly and immediately guided them to a private room.
“Samin, it’s been a really long time since you came?”
“Have you been well?”
Samin familiarly asked after the manager’s well-being. Doun became curious about exactly how many people Samin knew.
Samin gathered opinions from Doun and the guild members to choose the menu, and the manager who confirmed the order gave a friendly nod to Doun sitting next to Samin and smiled warmly.
“Magnetic-nim, please come to our shop often. We’ll give you lots of service.”
“Yes? Ah, me?”
Doun opened his eyes wide in surprise at the manager’s attitude of recognizing him. It was just ordinary business talk, but strangely his heart beat fast and he felt anxious.
“Our shop is famous as a restaurant for hunters. That guy Samin really benefited from it.”
“…Yes. I’ll come often.”
“Starting today I should put up a sign saying it’s a Magnetic-approved restaurant. You know there’s no backing out, right?”
When Doun’s expression became strangely clouded at the manager’s joking words, Samin quickly jumped in.
“No, why are you suddenly pressuring our hyung who was just sitting quietly? If it tastes bad, we’ll cut ties immediately, you know?”
“You brat. As if it would taste bad. It’s been upgraded even more while you weren’t coming, you know? Look forward to it. I’ll give you tons of new menu service.”
Fortunately, the manager didn’t notice anything particularly strange about Doun and disappeared after chatting.
Confirming the sound of his footsteps fading, Samin glanced at Doun. He seemed to be trying to look fine, but his anxiety was nakedly revealed in his fingertips.
“That hyung originally acts friendly and talks to just anyone.”
Samin said while pouring water into Doun’s glass.
“He seemed really close with you though?”
“Close? We just chat a bit because he takes care of service and looks after us. I only know that hyung’s name and phone number.”
Doun tilted his head. That seemed close enough to him. Still, fortunately, his anxious feelings had somewhat subsided after exchanging a few words with Samin.
To think he’d feel such comfort from a guy who always used to only make people’s hearts restless. Doun thought he shouldn’t judge people easily.
While listening to Kim Siwon’s short European travel story, the food they’d ordered began coming out one by one. Just when he got to the part about a seemingly drugged foreigner asking Park Sangyeon if he was a Chinese gang member, the food came out, making him even more curious about what happened next.
Various pizzas, pasta, salads, and fried foods were lined up on the table, looking filling just from sight.
“Enjoy your meal! This and this are service. They’re new menu items, so we’d appreciate it if you could try them and give us your evaluation.”
The manager consistently looked at Doun throughout, not hiding his obvious intention to capitalize on Magnetic’s reputation. Doun nodded appropriately and subtly avoided the burdensome gaze.
After the manager left, Doun let out a small breath at the clinking sound of tableware.
‘It was nothing special, so why was I nervous and watching a shop employee’s mood? So stupid…’
The habit of watching people’s moods while moving between relatives’ houses until age twenty had worsened since the 44th floor incident. He reacted excessively sensitively to others’ gazes, breaking into cold sweats with his heart racing.
Though S-class hunters supposedly didn’t get hurt easily from most attacks, mental issues were a different case. There were potions to heal injured bodies, but no potions to heal injured hearts. It meant he had to rely solely on strong mental fortitude or medication and counseling.
“Here. The fire chicken chili pizza hyung ordered. The color is so threatening, but they say this is the best menu item. The manager seems to have committed fraud on the menu.”
Samin served a delicious-looking pizza slice onto Doun’s plate. Doun appreciated Samin’s thoughtfulness in taking care of him first before his own portion, but wondered if he was being too obviously favored in front of others.
“Hyeonwoo hyung. Take some of my pasta. There’s too much. I don’t think I can finish it alone.”
“Chansol. Give me some fries here.”
However, not just Samin but all the guild members seemed busy serving and taking care of each other’s food. Thinking that his self-consciousness had swelled unnecessarily, making him overreact alone when everyone was just looking out for each other, blood rushed to his face.
“…I’ll eat well.”
Doun quickly took a bite of pizza. His eyes naturally opened wide at the spicy taste that made his tongue tingle. It was perfectly suited to his taste.
“Is it good?”
“…Yeah.”
“You’re not lying, are you?”
“Why would I lie about what I’m eating?”
Just as Samin couldn’t hide his amazement watching Doun polish off a pizza slice, text appeared on Samin’s phone screen placed on the table.
[Dad]
“Why would dad call? Um, hello?”
Samin cleared his throat and answered his father’s call. Sitting next to him, Doun suddenly imagined what kind of person Samin’s father might be. Since he was free-spirited yet affectionate, maybe his parents were similar.
‘I used to hear a lot that I resembled mom and dad too…’
The moment his thoughts branched out, Doun’s face stiffened rigidly.
‘How could I have forgotten this?’
Doun checked the date on his phone. Though he hadn’t even saved it in his calendar, a date he absolutely must not forget was right around the corner. July 15th. The day Lee Doun lost his beloved parents and younger sibling.
‘Mom and dad, Dohyeon’s death anniversary…’
Doun’s breath caught.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
