#127
“Phew, thank goodness! We can finally breathe a little easier.”
“Yeah… huh?”
After escaping before the seawater filled the cave, we were surprised to find the surface looking more desolate than before.
“Oof, just a moment…!”
I was about to put Han Nari down, but instead lifted her again and flew upwards with my wings.
Soon after, there was a rumbling sound from below as seawater rushed up. I had been hearing ominous noises for a while.
“We don’t need to keep flying now, so it’s probably better to ride something else.”
After briefly recalling the items in my inventory, I took out a small boat and set it on the water.
“It’s better if we move on this.”
I helped Han Nari onto the boat. She looked around nervously, afraid it might rock. She seemed a bit disappointed by how ordinary the boat appeared.
“The seawater keeps rising… will this boat be okay?”
If you didn’t know this boat’s capabilities, it was understandable to feel that way looking at its shabby exterior. However, this boat… had the incredible ability to ignore all attacks.
This boat, named ‘Master Angler’s Skiff’, was a beginner fishing boat that could be obtained when first learning the fishing skill.
The true value of this plain wooden boat, often disregarded and discarded, was revealed when a novice user was attacked by a malicious player.
No one knew because there were no stat values in the description, but users on this boat took no damage from others’ attacks. Attacks would disappear like magic as soon as they neared the boat, leaving it completely unscathed.
Impervious to close-range and long-range attacks alike, people realized this boat ignored all damage instantly upon boarding, to protect novice users.
This damage negation included damage from rough seas. It never capsized, whether fishing in a small pond or in stormy ocean waters.
‘However, it also prevents attacks from the boat…’
It would break the game balance if people on the boat could attack their surroundings. So, people on the boat couldn’t engage in combat either.
I brought out this boat to protect Han Nari. We still needed to kill other monsters in the dungeon and defeat the boss monster, and I’d have to constantly worry about protecting Han Nari from dungeon anomalies. We had already encountered a dungeon anomaly and kept getting caught up in it, but we needed to clear the dungeon quickly to get out as soon as possible.
But if I could keep Han Nari safe on this boat while I flew around with wings killing monsters alone, it would be much easier than before.
“This boat blocks all attacks. No matter how big the waves get, it will never capsize, so don’t worry.”
“Ugh… I understand! I came to help clear the dungeon too, so I can’t keep whining! It’s frustrating, but since there’s nothing I can do right now, I’ll be careful not to be a burden!”
Han Nari said with a determined face. She seemed to fully understand that an exhausted healing Esper couldn’t do much in a dungeon.
Moreover, she had originally entered as backup in case I got hurt in the dungeon, so just cooperating with the situation to prevent injuries was enough to fulfill her role. After all, they hadn’t recruited someone to save me in case of emergency.
After making thorough preparations, I controlled the boat’s movement and flew into the air.
***
The rest of the dungeon clearing went smoothly. Fortunately, no more dungeon anomalies occurred, and with Han Nari’s safety assured, I could act much more boldly. Apart from a small cut on my finger from careless use of the bow, nothing else happened.
Vowing to ride something like a spaceship next time, I exited through the portal to hear people shouting excitedly.
“They’re finally out!”
“Guide Lee Jaeha, how do you feel about clearing the dungeon?”
Reporters were shouting for us to look their way while taking pictures from a distance. I glanced at them briefly before turning and approaching the trailer where Hyun Dowoon and Shin Haejun were.
“Was the clearing… okay?”
As I approached, Hyun Dowoon stood up abruptly and grabbed my hand, asking. Han Nari came along, trying to manage her expression, but I could see in her eyes that she had been worried about me the whole time.
“Yes! It was amazing! Guide Lee Jaeha used so many incredible items! It felt like observing top-tier Espers clearing a dungeon up close!”
Though the question seemed clearly directed at me, Han Nari shouted in a spirited voice. I found it somewhat amusing and held back a laugh.
“We encountered a dungeon anomaly… Ms. Nari had a really-”
“A dungeon anomaly? Are you alright, Jaeha?”
“Nari? Since when are you on first-name basis, hyung?”
As I tried to explain how Han Nari had struggled, Hyun Dowoon and Shin Haejun cut me off, asking with surprised faces. I blinked, then ignored them and continued speaking.
“She had a really hard time. I think it would be good if she could get a few days off…”
“Oh! That’s not necessary…! But if you offer, I’ll gratefully accept!”
Han Nari chirped brightly, quick to catch on. When I looked up at Hyun Dowoon with pleading eyes, he nodded as if it didn’t matter.
“Jaeha, you say there was a dungeon anomaly, were you really okay? You’re not hurt anywhere?”
“I was fine. Han Nari… Esper nearly got seriously injured.”
Though I clearly mentioned Han Nari, Hyun Dowoon still looked at me with a face that showed he was only worried about me. Feeling slightly embarrassed, I emphasized how much Han Nari had struggled.
“But Guide Lee Jaeha saved me in amazing ways every time! I’m totally fine!”
Han Nari said energetically, but I still felt uneasy.
Once we escaped the dungeon, the sense of dissonance I had felt earlier became much clearer. Thinking about it now, it felt like the difficulty within the same dungeon had been quite inconsistent. Above all, I wondered if this was really a B-rank dungeon.
‘If I hadn’t played the game before, I would have been lost for a long time.’
If it had been an ordinary Esper, they would have taken major damage from the fall alone. I know the system calculates difficulty based on the energy contained in the dungeon, but I really wondered if this was truly B-rank.
“Oh right! Center Director, please heal Guide Lee Jaeha’s hand! I used up all my energy in the dungeon…”
“Hand? What happened to his hand… Are you hurt?”
“You really are injured!”
At Han Nari’s words, Hyun Dowoon and Shin Haejun each grabbed one of my hands and examined them closely. They made a fuss upon discovering the small wound where blood had coagulated.
“It’s just a small injury…”
Honestly, it was such a minor scratch that I didn’t even feel the need to use a potion, so I just left it. I didn’t expect this reaction.
I looked at the two with bleary eyes. They were making a scene as if I had suffered a terrible injury, and soon Hyun Dowoon used his healing ability on my hand. Naturally, the tiny wound on my hand disappeared instantly, leaving only smooth skin.
“To think Jaeha got hurt… Esper Han Nari, was there something in the dungeon that required you to use your abilities to the point of depletion? Did Jaeha sustain a more serious injury?”
“No, that wasn’t the case!”
“Write a detailed report about what happened and submit it to the Esper Management Team Leader as soon as possible. Edit the video footage too.”
Of course, it was natural to submit a dungeon clearing report, but Han Nari, who suddenly had to finish editing the video as quickly as possible, made a slightly tearful face.
Given that this was an order from the Center Director at the top of the organizational pyramid, she would have to scramble to meet the “as soon as possible” deadline. Seeing this, I placed my hand on Hyun Dowoon’s arm and gently appeased him.
“Esper Han Nari needs some time to rest too. I’ll meet with her later to write and submit the report together.”
“Jaeha, you don’t need to do anything. Writing these reports is part of Esper Han Nari’s job.”
“Even so…”
“Jaeha, you just need to focus on clearing dungeons comfortably. That’s why we assigned Esper Han Nari to you.”
I glanced at Han Nari. However, she seemed unexpectedly unbothered, as if agreeing with his words.
If that’s the case, then it’s fine… As I was nodding obediently, a sudden bombshell dropped.
“Oh, I almost forgot to return this!”
Turning to look at Han Nari, I saw her taking the ‘Love-Love Earphones’ out of her ears and handing them to me. Come to think of it, I had forgotten to retrieve those. I instinctively glanced at Shin Haejun and Hyun Dowoon’s reactions as I took the earphones.
“Is that an item too?”
Shin Haejun asked with curious eyes. He seemed to assume it was an item due to the large hearts decorating the earphones.
‘I shouldn’t make them curious about this.’
I hesitated slightly before nodding. I thought it would be better to speak quickly and change the subject if I couldn’t hide it.
“Oh right, it’s really amazing how it tickles. It really feels like someone whispering in your ear. I guess that’s to be expected with a name like Love-Love Earphones… Ah! I’ll go report the clearing process briefly to the Team Leader now!”
Just as I was thinking that… Han Nari casually dropped the bomb and left.
“Love-Love… Earphones?”
Then Shin Haejun and Hyun Dowoon simultaneously uttered the same words in demonic voices.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
