Chapter 94

After that, Do Yehyun really did work hard. Once he was able to fully use his skills inside quest-type dungeons, he pushed his training even further.

After all, he had to live up to the expectations of someone who had boasted about long-term investments. And besides, what Seo Jehyun had given him wasn’t just some casual investment money.

All that effort finally led to a day like today.

After clearing the crisis in the dungeon, a surge of endless exhilaration welled up from somewhere deep inside.

It wasn’t an emotion that could be summed up with something as simple as “I did it!” or “It’s done!” He wasn’t satisfied with everything yet, but for the first time in his life, Do Yehyun felt something close to conviction. Conviction in his own usefulness.

And as Seo Jehyun had said, the reason he helped him wasn’t just to have someone tagging along to spam healing.

But the problem was, whenever he talked with Seo Jehyun, that conviction slowly twisted into unease.

'...What if he keeps coming back hurt?'

Seo Jehyun was the kind of guy who was always getting dragged into things. Worse, he wasn’t just dragged in—he threw himself into trouble.

By his own words, he was nothing more than an F-rank hunter.

Getting involved in those kinds of incidents, it was obvious he could lose his life at the slightest slip. Yet Seo Jehyun acted like someone absolutely certain he wouldn’t die.

'He said he could see the future. Is that why he can... have that kind of certainty?'

Do Yehyun couldn’t know.

But whether Seo Jehyun knew he wouldn’t die, or had some sharp method to steer events, or whether it was just dumb luck... Do Yehyun just didn’t want to see him get hurt.

'I’m worried.'

The thoughts circled endlessly, always returning to the same point.

The more skilled he became with his abilities, the more Seo Jehyun would find him useful... but at the same time, the more likely he’d throw himself into something dangerous.

But if Seo Jehyun was going to keep doing reckless things anyway, then Do Yehyun had no choice but to learn to handle his skills more proficiently than anyone.

...For all kinds of reasons, his head throbbed.

'I just want to lock him up somewhere...'

***

Since the day I got back from that trip to Busan, I’d basically been working non-stop until year’s end.

Not that I was the only busy one. Joo Seowon was run ragged between the jobs I gave him and his SH Guild duties, and Do Yehyun had started running dungeons in earnest.

Of course, he wasn’t the only one entering dungeons.

D-rank Gate – Land of Immortality

Clear Complete

“Boss, did you grab the loot?”

I smiled faintly at Do Yehyun.

“About to.”

I said that and collected the item the dungeon boss had spat out upon death.

'Am I basically entering a dungeon every damn day now?'

Sometimes I followed SH hunters in, sometimes it was just me and Do Yehyun, and sometimes I dragged Seowon along into F-rank Gates.

I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I was basically clearing Gates all day. At least one a day, sometimes two.

Obviously, with this loser body of mine, it was a schedule I shouldn’t have been able to endure. But now I had something reliable to lean on.

I rubbed at my shoulder under the guise of massaging it, fingers brushing against the Preservation Patch firmly stuck there.

This Preservation Patch Sung Uijae had handed over turned out to be far more useful than I’d imagined.

My biggest problem had always been that when I used Mimic to copy higher-ranked skills, the activation time was heavily restricted. Worse, once the activation ended, my mana would be almost entirely drained, leaving me completely useless in the fight.

I’d tried all sorts of fixes—lowering the grade of the skill by adjusting my mana, chugging mana recovery potions to keep casting—but each method had its limits.

Lower the grade, and the power dropped to pathetic levels. Potions took time to pack, time to drink.

But after using the Preservation Patch, the game changed entirely.

My mana depletion slowed to less than half its usual rate, which meant the duration of Mimic doubled. With that, even in C-rank or lower Gates, the abilities I mimicked were effective ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) enough to make a real impact.

I could even take down a D-rank dungeon boss pretty easily.

'That’s insane progress.'

As soon as the fight ended, Do Yehyun smoothly cast his skill again, healing even the minor scratches lingering on my body.

“Shall we head out?”

At my words, he nodded. We left the Gate, debriefed the waiting SH hunters outside, gave a quick report, then climbed into the car.

“Before heading home, let’s swing by the SH building.”

“Yes.”

I unstrapped the gear fixed to my thigh and tossed it onto the backseat.

'Fucking uncomfortable.'

At first I’d gone in wearing regular clothes, but with how often I was entering dungeons, I eventually started wearing the same combat suit as other guild members.

Good in battle, sure, but the damn thing was skintight and a nightmare to wear outside of combat. The worst part? No pockets.

From the passenger seat, Do Yehyun kept staring at me like he was hypnotized.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing...”

I turned my head, expecting something, but his response was bland. What the hell?

“If you’ve got something to say, spit it out.”

I pressed while pulling out of the lot. After a long pause, a small voice came.

“No... it’s nothing.”

“What is it?”

“...You just look good in the combat suit, so I was staring.”

What the hell. I let out a disbelieving laugh.

“...Thanks?”

“......”

It was just a black, skin-tight suit—what’s there to say looks good or not? I threw the compliment back at him.

“You look good in yours too.”

“...I know.”

...Right. It’s the age of self-PR, after all.

I chuckled seeing him accept the compliment so shamelessly. Come to think of it, he really did look more solid than when I first met him. Had his specs changed?

“Been working out? You look bulkier.”

“Yes. I’ve been exercising on purpose...”

“Yeah, you’ve put on muscle. Keep it steady, or add a little more—you won’t get sluggish at your build.”

“......”

At a red light, I quickly sized up his frame, estimating his weight.

'Looks like he’s in the 70s. Maybe around 75 kilos?'

Without me saying anything, he suddenly whipped his head toward the window and muttered.

“If you’re going to stare like that, please don’t...”

“Alright.”

No idea what I did to set him off, but whatever. I just drove us the rest of the way to the SH building.

Come to think of it, shouldn’t he be learning to drive soon? I’d already planned to make him get his license eventually—New Year’s seemed as good a time as any.

As I pulled into the SH underground parking, I asked,

“Thinking about getting a license?”

“...A license?”

“Yeah. It’s about time we start sharing driving duty, don’t you think?”

“Wouldn’t that be hard?”

“You’ll get it with practice. Just need to know where the gas and brake are.”

“...I don’t think that’s all.”

“True. That’s not all.”

I quickly agreed. There’s a lot to watch out for when you’re first learning.

Curious, Do Yehyun asked,

“When did you first start driving?”

“Nineteen.”

“Is that even allowed?”

“Birthday had just passed. I bought a car right away. Got my license after the college entrance exam, started driving immediately.”

“Why’d you start so young?”

Why? Simple.

“My dad didn’t like me going to see my mom. I just wanted to slip by him fast.”

“Your parents... didn’t get along?”

“Yeah. My mom passed away a while ago, though.”

“...What?”

Do Yehyun’s expression stiffened faintly at the unexpected answer. Not that it was anything serious.

Now that I thought about it, almost no one I’d met here had both parents alive. Actually... aside from Sung Uijae, maybe no one at all.

'Do Yehyun himself’s an orphan, too.'

I jerked my chin toward his car door.

“Getting out?”

He stayed quiet, clearly lost in whatever dumb thoughts he was having. Based on experience, I was sure they were useless.

“When did she pass away?”

We were waiting for the elevator when he suddenly asked.

“Eleven... maybe twelve? Don’t really remember. Somewhere around then.”

“Do you commemorate her death day?”

“There isn’t an exact date.”

And even if there were, I wouldn’t bother. Not that I could even if I wanted to, dropped into some damn novel like this.

I’d checked the columbarium where her remains had originally been enshrined, but there hadn’t been any trace. My dad and the other woman? They’d be easy to track down even now.

'Not that I’d ever bother.'

After that, Do Yehyun didn’t ask me anything else. Whatever guesses he made on his own weren’t my problem, so I didn’t say more either.

“You heading home with Seowon? Or waiting for me?”

“I’ll wait.”

“Alright.”

I went upstairs to handle some personal work, while Do Yehyun killed time by heading to the training room again.

'Hardworking. I like it.'

After grinding through the mountain of overdue reports like they were boring homework, I checked the pile of missed messages.

S-rank hunters... seems like they’ve got way too much free time.

'Wouldn’t it be nice if a dungeon just popped up right now?'

[Message from Sung Uijae (166)]

[Message from Im Haekyung (2)]

With a tired expression, I opened the one from the person it would be riskier to keep ignoring.