#70
“I think, you know, the person who invented cake is a genius. I often buy and eat them by myself. A whole cake.”
“Al. Are you serious?”
When James asked in horror, Alberto laughed playfully.
“Everyone else knows, Jimmy. You were the only one who didn’t know. You heartless guy.”
“What? Everyone knows except me? Don’t tell me you’re excluding me?”
Listening to their conversation, Seo Yi-young picked up a fork and slowly cut the edge of the cake, putting it in his mouth. The rich chocolate taste spread smoothly over his tongue. After the sweetness came a slightly bitter taste.
“How is it?”
“It’s good.”
“Right? It’s the taste of life.”
Alberto laughed heartily.
“Don’t you think so? That you want to eat it again next time. Life isn’t much. Even without a grand purpose, thinking ‘when this is over, I want to eat a delicious dessert’—that’s how we continue on.”
Seo Yi-young caught Alberto’s meaning. He seemed to have noticed what was confusing Seo Yi-young. The term “experience” exists for a reason. Seo Yi-young nodded and said:
“I really think so.”
“Right?”
Looking at Alberto, who spoke with gentle eyes, Seo Yi-young ate another piece of cake. Seo Yi-young also offered some to James, who was watching him with his chin resting on his hand.
“I’ll treat you next time.”
“Hmm?”
“So whenever you want dessert, just tell me.”
Even if it was just a casual remark, it was appreciated. But considering James’s personality, if Seo Yi-young agreed here, James would likely fly over from America without hesitation, so he just responded with an ambiguous smile.
“Well then. You probably need to prepare for entering the dungeon, so let’s get going.”
At Alberto’s words, Seo Yi-young scraped up all the remaining cake and put it in his mouth.
Just as he was about to get up and leave following Alberto, James grabbed Seo Yi-young’s hand. Wondering if he had something to say, Seo Yi-young looked up and met James’s serious gaze. Alberto had already left, leaving only James and Seo Yi-young. He was about to say they should quickly follow.
“Have you thought about it?”
“About what?”
Seo Yi-young couldn’t understand what James was suddenly saying. It wasn’t that he had no idea, but he thought, “Surely not.”
“About coming to our side.”
“…Ah, that.”
He had kept thinking “surely not,” but it really was that. Since Seo Yi-young hadn’t expected James to bring up that topic again, his reaction was a bit slow.
“I’ll really take good care of you. It’s not just that I’m confident—I have the ability to do so.”
James recited lines like those a male lead would say in a romantic drama. Doesn’t he feel any embarrassment? Even though he was hearing it through a translator, it made his skin crawl. Honestly, if he didn’t feel at all flattered when someone spoke like this, it would be a lie, but it was such an outlandish proposition that he could let it slide.
Seo Yi-young noticed James trying to take his hand and subtly pulled his arm back. Rather than getting serious about it, it seemed better to just let it pass.
“Okay. Thank you.”
“I’m serious.”
“…Yeah.”
The smile disappeared completely from James’s face. Confusion began to creep in. Seo Yi-young had taken it as a casual joke, but with this response, it was difficult to know how to answer. While he was in this confused state, Alberto returned.
“Jimmy. Enough. Didn’t I tell you that the basics of a confession is not to burden the other person? Look at Mr. Seo’s face. He’s uncomfortable.”
“Ah!”
Alberto smacked James’s back hard with his large hand. It made a terrifying sound. But James didn’t seem to be in much pain.
Besides that, confession? Alberto was also choosing words that could be misunderstood if others heard. Though they were speaking English, not everyone would be as poor at it as Seo Yi-young, so some people might understand. Even though this place was divided by partitions, it wasn’t soundproofed.
“Let’s go out first.”
“Let’s do that.”
James was almost pushed out by Alberto.
But of course, they couldn’t have a proper conversation. The area in front of the restaurant was packed. It seemed someone had posted on social media that Seo Yi-young and the American S-Class hunters were there. Fortunately, no one was causing a disturbance or trying to cling to them. But they couldn’t stop people from taking photos with their phones.
Probably the same reaction would be seen anywhere in the world. And the three of them were already accustomed to such situations.
James looked around, frowned once, and then looked at Seo Yi-young. His shrug seemed to say that the atmosphere wasn’t conducive to continuing their earlier conversation.
“Well then, I’ll contact you again later. Don’t avoid it—you have to answer.”
Seo Yi-young nodded at the words that sounded like extracting a promise. The other person was an American S-Class hunter, and there was no particular reason to avoid contact. After speaking, James stared at Seo Yi-young for a moment, making him feel like he was looking at a large puppy.
Seo Yi-young reached out to hug James and patted his back.
“Why would I avoid your call? I got it.”
“When you come to America, make sure to contact me. I’ll come to meet you no matter what I’m doing.”
Seo Yi-young pleasantly exchanged goodbyes at the casual promise of a next time, and they parted.
Seo Yi-young headed straight for the dungeon. While checking the list of hunters who would enter with him today, he discovered a familiar name.
It was Joo-in.
Before feeling glad, his first thought was concern. He thought it was quite quick for someone who had awakened not too long ago to be deployed. Dungeons are never pleasant places and not good to enter.
Of course, becoming a hunter meant inevitably having to enter them.
What was Joo-in’s ability again? He hadn’t heard the explanation when they met. Thinking he should ask today when they meet, he hoped for a successful dungeon conquest.
“My ability? Ah. I guess I didn’t tell you that day. I can know what will happen 30 seconds in the future. It’s only 30 seconds, so I’m not sure how helpful it will be.”
Joo-in concluded with embarrassment. Future prediction ability.
Seo Yi-young’s eyes widened. Moreover, being able to see 30 seconds into the future was not an ability to be taken lightly. In dungeons, you never know what will happen in the next few seconds. Thirty seconds could be the difference between life and death. Any hunter who had conquered dungeons would agree.
“That’s amazing.”
When Seo Yi-young expressed his honest admiration, this time it was Joo-in who looked surprised.
“Is it? I’ve been told, ‘Are you entering a dungeon with just that kind of ability?'”
“Not at all. It will be extremely helpful, so I’m counting on you in the dungeon.”
He spoke with conviction. Seo Yi-young didn’t know who had said such things to Joo-in, but it was clearly jealousy.
“…Yes. Yes, Hunter Seo! I’m still inexperienced, but I’ll work hard not to be a burden.”
With a brightened expression, Joo-in bid farewell to Seo Yi-young and ran to where he was being called. It seemed they were conducting a special briefing for Joo-in, who was entering a dungeon for the first time.
Today’s dungeon was a New-type dungeon.
Seo Yi-young recalled the unidentified object from the New-type dungeon in America. Would there ever come a day when they’d know what it was? Was it just one of the items that came along when the dungeon was created? But if that were the case, he had only seen that one object, and its condition was too intact.
After a short time, Seo Yi-young entered the dungeon, having completed preparations based on information obtained from the return of the preliminary investigation team 2. The interior was cave-like, and while dampness could be felt, there was no moss. That was because the cave wasn’t made of ordinary rocks but transparent ice fragments.
The humidity made the cold more noticeable. A thin layer of ice formed over their clothes. Breaths turned into white mist and dispersed with each “haah.”
The other hunters, including Joo-in to whom Seo Yi-young had lent items, all seemed fine. In this dungeon, cold-resistant and corresponding heat-resistant items were essential, but not all hunters possessed such items.
Just before entering the dungeon, the expected dungeon rank was raised from A to AA. It was a rank given because there were subtle aspects that made it difficult to classify as S-rank. Despite the sudden increase in dungeon rank, there was no change in the list of hunters assigned to the conquest.
Two A-Class combat hunters. Three B-Class combat hunters. Ten B~C-Class support hunters. And Seo Yi-young, an S-Class healer. This was the composition of hunters being deployed for this dungeon conquest.
It’s true that hunters earn good money, but that’s only for the higher-ranking ones. As hunters earn more, the prices of items they use also rise. So, not all hunters can afford the necessary grade of items—that’s the reality. Especially for Joo-in, who had just become a hunter, there was no need to elaborate.
Due to the nature of the items, there are also no places that rent them out. Seo Yi-young contacted Butler Choi and asked him to bring additional items from his collection. With the cold-resistant and heat-resistant items Seo Yi-young had, though not abundant, there were enough to lend to hunters who lacked them.
He gave items in the form of loans to hunters entering the dungeon who didn’t have sufficient items. Everyone didn’t hide their amazement at Seo Yi-young’s generosity. Joo-in was no exception.
In particular, what he lent to Joo-in were ring and earring-type items, but they were the best at cold and heat resistance, so all damages from those properties would be reduced.
“Thank you, Hunter Seo.”
“It’s nothing. But you have to return them when we exit.”
“O-Of course!”
Joo-in straightened his posture and answered Seo Yi-young’s playful remark. Perhaps due to nervousness, he didn’t seem to take Seo Yi-young’s joke entirely as a joke. Feeling sorry, Seo Yi-young added that it was a joke and moved on.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
