Chapter 42

If the rewards of a Quest-type dungeon really influenced skills—whether through granting a new one, boosting stats, or some other method—then it only made sense to bring Do Yehyun along. The kid hadn’t experienced a proper dungeon even once yet. As long as safety was guaranteed, there was no better environment for his skill awakening.

I looked at him quietly, then spoke gently.

“This time was really unexpected. But hey, it all worked out in the end.”

“Please... take care of yourself, hyungnim.”

“Isn’t that your job?”

After all, he was the healer. I tossed it out half-joking, and Yehyun frowned, giving me a dissatisfied look.

“You’re not going to take care of me?”

“...I’ll take care of you.”

Knew it. I patted my precious healer on the shoulder before getting to the point.

“Then get ready. We’ve got somewhere to go.”

“Where?”

“A dungeon. I told you next time, we’d go together.”

Last time, when Sokcho Dungeon came up, he’d said he wanted to join. Time to follow through. Of course, even if he refused, I was going to drag him in anyway.

“...Together? Then you’re entering a dungeon today?”

“No choice. Circumstances pushed it this way.”

As I was explaining to Yehyun, Joo Seowon—who’d been silent until now—cut into the conversation.

“What? What the hell are you talking about? Why a dungeon?”

“There’s one I have to go to today. The rewards are pretty damn good.”

“Rewards? How the fuck would you know that? ...Oh, right, that foresight skill of yours.”

“Exactly. So today’s the day.”

“...Hey, I’m not really in a position to worry about you, but don’t you think today’s a little much?”

Seowon lounged on the sofa as he said it, giving me this lazy look for someone supposedly so concerned.

Well, that was enough back-and-forth. I gave Yehyun a smile, then headed upstairs to sleep it off first.

***

Part of me wanted to flop straight into bed, but if I did, I’d probably have to wash the mattress first. Instead, I stripped down and went into the en suite bathroom, turning on the water.

After a quick shower, I stepped out with only a towel loosely tied at my waist—just in time to hear knocking. I was about to throw on some clothes before opening the door when it suddenly opened on its own.

“Hey, I’m just coming in for a sec—”

“......”

“......”

Oh for fuck’s sake. Seowon.

“...Get in and shut the door.”

“Shit, I didn’t know you were changing! I’ll come back after you’re dressed.”

“Shut up and close it.”

“...Yessir.”

What a comedian. He shut the door and meekly sat on the chair by the bed. I ignored him, pulling a T-shirt and pants from the closet.

“...Hey. Shouldn’t you ask Do Yehyun to heal the rest too?”

“He can’t handle that much yet. I’ll go to the hospital later.”

“You’re seriously gonna dive a dungeon like that?”

“Seowon. Just because I said you could come in doesn’t mean I asked you to stare.”

“What? It’s in front of me, what do you want me to do?”

Unbelievable.

“I’m dropping the towel now. Turn your head.”

I warned him, then slipped into underwear and pants before sitting on the bed. Only then did he turn his gaze back.

“...What’s that on your back?”

...Goddammit. Seowon’s mouth was going to get him into real trouble one of these days. The troublemaker being me, obviously.

“A burn scar. Accident when I was a kid.”

“When you were a kid?”

“Yeah. Eleven? Twelve maybe.”

“Christ, you were living wild from grade school already. Doesn’t it hurt?”

“Not anymore.”

Truth was, I didn’t even remember the incident clearly. Just some vague fragments. Never thought it was worth bothering with.

“You ever think of covering it with a tattoo?”

“Seowon, if you’ve got a point, get to it.”

“Like a cover-up tattoo, you know?”

“I don’t care about tattoos. Do it yourself if you want one.”

“Eh, doesn’t really suit me. Plus, they say hunters can’t even get tattoos.”

Funny how the first thing he thinks about with tattoos is running away. Figures, given how he lives.

After more pointless chatter, he must’ve noticed I was losing patience, because he finally came out with his actual reason.

“You told me to look into the issue between SH and Haeseong.”

Ah. Already?

I’d asked him to dig around, but SH and Haeseong weren’t exactly small fries. I’d expected it to take longer. His competence was better than I’d thought.

“I had a chat with Guildmaster Song Hwayoung.”

“How’d you get close to her?”

“...Anyway, there’s definitely something between her and Im Haekyung.”

So it wasn’t strictly guild vs. guild—it was personal between Song and Im. I’d half-guessed that after seeing her expression during Im Haekyung’s Sokcho interview.

Guild disputes could be swept under the rug, but personal conflicts were harder to interfere in.

Seowon wasn’t someone who slacked on an assignment, though. I gestured for him to continue.

“They apparently grew up together.”

“Brother and sister? Different last names, though.”

“Close enough. Their family situation was unusual.”

What the hell did “close enough” mean? I tried to recall anything about Im Haekyung’s background from the novel. Nothing. His family history had never been touched on.

In the original, Im Haekyung was more of a decoy villain—a false suspect so no one would point at Seo Jehyun, the real mastermind.

His smooth yet unsettling way of speaking made him easy to suspect, but eventually, an episode flipped him into an ally role. Not that he and Kwon Taehan ever became particularly friendly.

So Im Haekyung wasn’t minor by any means, but his past was never dug into. No need to, when his present insanity was already enough.

Seowon paused, then went on.

“They were both adopted into the same home as teenagers. Don’t know about before that.”

“Adopted?”

Im Haekyung? That word stopped me in my tracks.

“And the adopter was... Kwon Sehwa.”

“Oh...”

Seowon’s eyes shone with anticipation. Im Haekyung adopted by Kwon Sehwa, huh.

“...Who’s that?”

Seriously, who? I racked my brain. No such name in the novel. Seowon froze at my cluelessness.

“...You don’t know Kwon Sehwa?”

“Nope. Why would I?”

“She’s the one who said, ‘President, I waited all night to see you!’ That Kwon Sehwa.”

“President, chairman, whatever. Who the hell is Kwon Sehwa?”

“......”

His slack face turned to shocked disbelief, with a trace of contempt. What’s with that look?

“...Are you that much older ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) than me? She was a national actress, starred in a hit sitcom. Retired years ago.”

“Gates started opening. Who had time for TV dramas?”

“She was famous before the Gates.”

“Could happen. Why are you making such a big deal of it?”

Apparently, Kwon Sehwa married a businessman. Instead of having kids, she chose adoption. Following her husband’s wishes, she took in Song Hwayoung and Im Haekyung. To protect their privacy, she shut out the media and raised them quietly.

“So why are the two of them at odds? Sibling rivalry?”

“Didn’t say exactly. But from the way she talked, sounded like the problem was on Im Haekyung’s side. Said there were differences in opinion.”

“Differences of opinion, huh.”

“I even tried to approach Kwon Sehwa and her husband. But contact was impossible, and even info was scarce. Heard the husband’s company went under, and now the two of them live secluded in the countryside. Some rumors say overseas.”

“And Haekyung’s still in the same family registry as Hwayoung?”

“...Actually, no. He was officially disowned in high school. On paper, they’re unrelated.”

“Got it.”

“Didn’t even know teenage adoptions could work that way.”

“As long as you’re under eighteen, yeah. If both sides agree and the financials check out, it’s possible.”

“...Why do you know that?”

I fell silent, thinking. Honestly, Haekyung’s family history wasn’t much use. All it told me was that he and Hwayoung had ties, but not why those ties had soured. Practically worthless intel.

Still, it did confirm something: outwardly they might collaborate, but underneath there was friction.

I’d asked Seowon to investigate in case there was danger, and all I got was family drama. Lost interest, I said flatly:

“Looks like you’ve gotten real close to SH’s guildmaster. For her to spill that much.”

“...Maybe.”

That pause was odd. I fixed him with a look, then spoke with certainty.

“You used a skill, didn’t you? Or an item?”

“I used both, but that’s not how I got it. Song Hwayoung’s an A-rank hunter. Like that would work on her!”

“Then why do you look like that?”

“...If I tell you, you’ll get pissed.”

“Depends. If it pisses me off, of course I’ll get pissed.”

“......”

I waited three more seconds. He just rolled his eyes and clamped his mouth shut. So I grabbed him by the collar, ready to toss him out. He yelped.

“Argh!”

“Shut up.”

“Fuck, just talk it out!”

“You don’t talk, so why should I?”

“Fine! Fine! I’ll tell you!”

He grabbed my wrist to stop me, eyes darting, then finally confessed.

“I... sold you.”

...What?