LONG CHAPTER AHEAD
“That’s not the issue. Our party level isn’t 50; what’s with level 7?”
“Thanks to her, we found the dungeon. Who knows how much longer we would’ve been wandering around without this lady?”
“That’s true, but…”
“Enough.”
The hero interrupted Dain’s dominance and stared at me.
“Let’s form a party first.”
[Kelian Ail has invited you to join a party. Do you accept?]
[Yes/No]
Seeing the notification pop up in front of me, I muttered without realizing it.
“Kelian Ail…?”
“…That’s my name.”
I felt a bit dazed by the hero’s words. Ah, right. No matter how much of a hero he is, he wouldn’t have ‘Hero’ as his name. Still, the name Kelian Ail seemed to scream, “I am a hero” right from the start.
“You didn’t even know his name? I’ve never seen someone who doesn’t know the name of a hero before. Look, Dain. There’s no need to doubt the lady. If she didn’t even know the name, why would she be targeting a hero?”
“She could be pretending not to know. Is there anyone on the continent who doesn’t know the name Kelian Ail? Does that even make sense?”
“Geez, you’re so picky.”
“Picky? Who’s being picky?”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t an act; I really didn’t know. It was such a famous name… I had only heard of him as a hero, and this was the first time I had heard his real name. No, I think Mali might have mentioned that name once. But I probably didn’t pay attention, thinking it was just a story from another world…
With a slightly calmer mind, I accepted the party invitation.
“Well then, I’ll rely on you until we leave the dungeon.”
“Rely on us? The lady is the one who found this dungeon.”
Jenin said with a hearty laugh, while Dain only frowned slightly but didn’t add anything more. Barkrud and Seiris seemed indifferent, looking in different directions. And the hero…
“Aine Kruger… Can I call you Aine?”
He asked as he checked the party members and saw my name. I felt a bit flustered by the sudden question about calling me by my name, but there was no reason to refuse since the hero was offering to use it.
“Yes.”
Having received my permission, the hero, Kelian, nodded and started walking. As he took the lead, the rest of the party quickly followed suit. Their expressions seemed a bit strange, but… that was probably just my imagination. I stuck close to Jenin and followed them.
This was my first time in a dungeon. I had never even heard proper rumors about a rare dungeon, so it felt even more unfamiliar. The dark, damp cave was so obscured that I couldn’t see anything ahead, making Kelian’s confident strides forward all the more fascinating. I guess they’re not afraid of dungeons like this…
“What a beautiful name, Aine. Is it okay if I call you that?”
“Ah, yes. Of course.”
“I can call you Jenin too, right?”
“Yes, Jenin.”
Among them, Jenin, who was the kindest to me, kept trying to ease my nerves by talking. Taking the opportunity, I decided to ask something I was curious about.
“Um, earlier you mentioned that you could clear a dungeon like this on your own…”
“Yes. S-rank is a bit tricky, but A-rank is manageable.”
I see… So that means if they can overcome the difficulties, they could clear an S-rank dungeon alone? In these trivial conversations, I felt the gap between us so profoundly that I almost felt like I wasn’t even human.
“Ah, of course, that’s just me. Kelian and Seiris can easily clear S-rank dungeons.”
“I can clear them easily too.”
“I can clear them easily as well.”
“Dain, Barkrud, you take too long.”
At that moment, I couldn’t help but be curious about Kelian and Seiris’s levels… but I decided to stop listening to the increasingly confusing talk about high levels and continued with what I really wanted to ask.
“Then why did you come together? You could clear it alone.”
Is it because they’re such a close-knit party that they stick together regardless of difficulty?
High levels felt like a different world, but parties were also a story from another world for me. When I was younger, Mali would form a party with me, but that ended when she started her inn business, and I didn’t have any other companions, so I was always stuck hunting in beginner areas alone.
“Ah, that’s because we all need to qualify to enter the dungeon.”
“Qualification to enter the dungeon…?”
“Yes. It’s a rare SSS-rank dungeon, so qualifications are required…”
“Jenin, how much are you planning to reveal?”
Dain seemed to be trying to stop Jenin from speaking, but I had already heard the important part. Ah, so to access an SSS-rank rare dungeon, certain qualifications are needed, and everyone going there must clear an A-rank rare dungeon. Hmm… it truly is a different world.
“Don’t go around spreading what you hear or see in here.”
“I won’t spread it.”
As Dain glared with narrowed eyes and warned me, I shot back playfully and pressed closer to Jenin. Dain’s expression grew even more fierce at my somewhat annoying behavior, but Jenin protected me from that.
“Something’s coming.”
Barkrud suddenly muttered. Coming? What is?
Before I could wonder, it seemed he pulled a weapon from his inventory, and a large spear appeared in his hand. The spear stabbed sharply into the air.
Screech!
I thought he had stabbed the air, but it turned out he had attacked a monster; from where the spear had retracted, a bat-like monster dropped to the ground with a thud. It was a bloody creature with small, black eyes.
[Your level has increased.]
And right before my eyes, a notification popped up saying my level had increased.
What…?
“I think Kukus are really cute every time I see them.”
“With so many eyes, you think it’s cute? Jenin, you really have a unique taste.”
As Jenin and Dain conversed, they killed the approaching monsters with their swords and staffs. This marked the beginning, as identical monsters with thin wings appeared countless times, attacking the group. As for me, I should have been scared and hiding… but I couldn’t muster the mental energy for that.
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
.
.
.
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
It felt like something was wrong as notifications for level-ups were popping up like crazy. My eyes were flashing so much that they started to hurt. I wondered if this phenomenon was only happening to me, but the calm voices of the heroes still engaged in conversation occasionally reached my ears.
“It seems this dungeon is going to rely on numbers.”
“Having a lot of Kukus is just boring.”
“But Barkrud likes this kind of thing.”
“I do.”
At the same time, the screams of the monsters called Kukus echoed repeatedly from various places. In the swirling chaos, I could barely manage to speak.
“Th-that’s enough… please…”
But my voice was so faint that it seemed to go unheard by them. Jenin and Dain continued to chatter away.
[Your level has increased.]
The level-up notifications showed no signs of stopping. My body lost its balance and swayed to the side. Thanks to the heroes killing the approaching monsters before they could attack, I felt extremely fatigued despite not taking a single hit. Meanwhile, my stamina was higher than ever, making the difference even more exhausting and frightening.
Thud, something wrapped around my waist to support me. Blinking slowly, I found Kelian right in front of me.
“Aine. What’s wrong?”
His soft voice calling my name resonated with me. Even while I was staggering and unable to stand, I savored the hero’s voice. Before long, it seemed the onslaught of Kukus had ended, and Jenin approached us.
“Aine? Are you okay?”
“Y-yes….”
As the Kukus’ attacks ceased, or more precisely, as the heroes stopped their actions of killing the Kukus, the violent level-ups quieted down, and I was slowly able to regain my composure.
“I suddenly leveled up…”
As I explained this, I suddenly noticed the hero’s arm still wrapped around my waist, causing me to flinch and quickly escape from his embrace. I stumbled again, but this time Jenin caught me.
“You’re already leveling up? We haven’t even killed the boss yet?”
Jenin asked brightly, seemingly puzzled. Indeed… This was my first time in a dungeon, let alone an A-rank rare dungeon, so I had no idea what was going on. But more importantly, it wasn’t just that I had leveled up once.
With a trembling heart, I checked my information. In the information window visible only to me, I saw that my level, which should have been 7, was now 17.
“Ah!”
I shouted suddenly, catching the attention of Seiris, who had barely glanced my way before.
“My level… it’s 17.”
“Huh? Didn’t you say it was 7?”
“I did just level up a lot… a little while ago…”
I couldn’t believe I was level 17! I had just joined the heroes in their party, and they had only killed monsters in this A-rank rare dungeon, yet my level had shot up by 10. Dain remarked with a knowing look.
“Well, you were at such a low level.”
“Wow, being at such a low level means you level up really quickly. Congratulations, Aine.”
Jenin cheerfully offered her congratulations, and I responded with a somewhat dazed “thank you.”
“Can you walk?”
Even in my daze, I couldn’t hide my excitement, but Kelian’s question brought me back to my senses.
“Yes, yes. I can walk. I just leveled up all at once, so I felt a bit dizzy for a moment. This is my first time experiencing something like this.”
“Then let’s keep going.”
He turned away nonchalantly, as if he had no interest in my level 17, and resumed walking. My excitement gradually quieted down. I felt a bit awkward for making a fuss over being just 17 in front of people over level 70. After all, my level increase was all thanks to them.
However, as I walked along with them, my lips kept wanting to curl up into a smile, which was quite troublesome.
I couldn’t believe I was level 17.
Considering that my last level-up was five years ago and the one before that was three years prior, it felt unreal. I thought I would never surpass level 10 in my lifetime, or that I would only manage to do so just before I died. At this moment, even the fact that I was cursed with an S-rank rare curse couldn’t dampen my spirits.
With that feeling, trying to impress the heroes, I found myself speaking more freely than usual. I carelessly complimented Seiris on the staff she held protectively at her side.
“That staff is beautiful.”
To be honest, it did seem a bit overly extravagant. Usually, people carried staffs that were solemn and simple in appearance, but Seiris’s staff was splashed with vibrant colors, sprinkled with something resembling star dust, and had blue flowers blooming at the handle. It certainly looked chaotic, but now that I was in a good mood, I thought it was somewhat pretty.
At my lighthearted flattery, Seiris abruptly stopped walking. The other party members turned to look at me as well. Why, why are they reacting like this…?
“……”
Seiris’s expression had been icy since the first time I saw her yesterday, making it impossible to read her feelings.
“Aine. About that staff…?”
Jenin pointed at Seiris’s staff, seemingly in disbelief. Seiris shot her a warning glare.
“Jenin. Be careful with that finger.”
“Oh, sorry.”
As Jenin quickly curled her finger back, Seiris finally turned her gaze back to me. Her deep, dark blue eyes glimmered with an unusual light.
“What part of it is so beautiful?”
“…Huh?”
“My staff. What part of it is so beautiful?”
I just said it was pretty… But when I met her gaze, which seemed to expect an answer from me, I felt compelled to respond as long and detailed as possible.
“Well, the colors are vibrant… and the blooming flowers are pretty, ah, no, beautiful…”
“You have a good eye.”
When the silver-haired beauty smiled at me, I felt as if the dark cave had suddenly transformed into a garden. It seemed like the other party members were equally taken aback by Seiris’s smile. Even Kelian stopped walking to watch us.
“So, what did you say your name was?”
“Aine… it’s Aine.”
I had mentioned it earlier. Jenin had been calling my name. If they checked the party member information, my name would come up. I had those questions in my mind but didn’t show it outwardly.
“That’s nice.”
After saying that, Seiris looked at the hero as if questioning why we weren’t moving.
What does she mean by nice…? It was a situation I couldn’t quite understand, but since Kelian also stopped watching and started walking again, we all had no choice but to continue in this strange atmosphere.
“You are quite the flatterer. Calling that eyesore pretty.”
Dain, who had come up beside me, made a small jab, but when Seiris, who had been walking right behind Kelian, seemed to turn this way, he quickly pretended he hadn’t said anything.
At that moment, a screech echoed through the cave.
Screeeech!
Screeeech!
Screeeech!
It seemed like there was more than one. Was Kuku coming in a swarm like before? But no matter how much I waited, tense, Kuku did not fly in.
“It’s a mutated pattern.”
Dain got annoyed at Barkrud’s words.
“They’re already disgusting creatures, and now they’re mutated…”
“Dain, you have a weak stomach.”
“You’re the weird one, Jenin.”
As we walked, the sound of Kuku grew louder. It seemed like something was visible up ahead.
“Shall we try roasting it with fire?”
As Dain lifted the staff embedded with red jewels, a fireball the size of a person shot up from there and flew forward in an instant. It was still too far to see clearly, but something screamed as it was hit by the fireball.
Kyaaaak!
Kyaaaak!
Kyaaaak!
The sound was so unbearable that it felt like my ears would split open if I kept listening. As I walked a bit further, the shape finally came into view. It was, as expected, several, no, dozens, even hundreds of Kuku, but for some reason, they were gathered together, making it look like a single massive Kuku.
“Mutated pattern…”
I muttered the same words Barkrud had said. So that’s what they call a mutated pattern… It sent chills down my spine, as it was a sight one would never see in a beginner’s hunting ground, even over a lifetime.
The Kuku, which were already grotesque in appearance due to their many eyes, were now spinning together in a mass, making it almost impossible to see anything but eyes, which was horrifying. Because of Dain’s fireball a moment ago, it seemed that some of the outer ones had died and fallen, as black Kuku corpses were visible on the ground.
Kyaaaak!
As we exited the somewhat cramped cave into the wide space where the giant Kuku was, it seemed to sense us and began to stir its massive body.
“Can I kill it?”
“Sure.”
As soon as Barkrud received the hero’s permission, he grabbed his spear and charged forward.
Puhhh!
Kyaaaak!
Barkrud’s spear pierced the Kuku’s abdomen, but the Kuku didn’t stay still and immediately retaliated. Countless spikes erupted from its wings, aiming to stab Barkrud. Barely ducking to avoid them, Barkrud pulled out his spear and swung it wildly.
“Barkrud. Don’t waste time today, just kill it quickly!”
Dain shouted at Barkrud, sounding bored. Even though their companion was fighting that enormous monster alone, they showed no signs of agitation.
“I want to play more!”
Even Barkrud, who was in the middle of battling the giant Kuku, casually shouted such things. It seemed like I was the only one holding my breath and watching.
“You don’t have to be too surprised; it’s always like this.”
Jenin said kindly, but my astonishment didn’t fade. Every time the giant Kuku swung its spiky wings, my heart sank, while Barkrud, the one actually being attacked, dodged and even swung his thick arms to block the attacks.
The giant Kuku, realizing that none of its attacks were effective, seemed frustrated and began to tremble in place while covering its body with its two wings.
What is happening?
Kyaaaak!
With a sound that never became familiar no matter how many times I heard it, the giant Kuku spread its wings wide. At the same time, countless spikes shot out from it, with some flying toward me. I hastily tried to pull out my club to deflect the spikes, but they were already too close. Instead of swinging the club, I squeezed my eyes shut.
“You can open your eyes now, Aine.”
Hearing Jenin’s gentle voice, I cautiously opened my eyes again.
I had expected that Jenin would be the one protecting me, but the scene before me was a bit different from what I imagined.
Yes, Jenin was indeed protecting me, but it seemed a bit late; Kelianhad already stepped in front of me. Moreover, there was also an inexplicable blue light surrounding my body…
“Seiris?”
As Kelianunexpectedly called out Seiris’s name, the soft light that had been illuminating my body suddenly vanished.
“What’s up with Seiris? She doesn’t usually cast shields for us.”
Jenin asked, unable to hide her curiosity. Ah, that blue light earlier was a shield spell… I looked around, searching for the light that had already disappeared.
“You all can manage without a shield.”
“That’s just mean…”
Jenin flicked her sword, causing the giant Kuku’s spikes to fall to the ground in a clatter. Countless spikes were scattered in front of Kelyan, who had protected me. The spikes were larger than my palm and extremely sharp; without them, I would have been full of holes.
“Wow, seriously!”
Dain suddenly made a strange remark.
“What’s going on? What the hell is this!”
He snorted angrily and pointed his finger at each of his comrades one by one.
“Jenin’s always had a thing for that woman, so fine, I’ll let that slide! But Seiris, what’s wrong with you? Are you really acting like this just because she praised your staff earlier?”
“Take your finger away. Dain.”
The deadly tone made Dain retract his finger just like Jenin did earlier, but it seemed like he was still far from done, continuing to rant with fiery words.
“And Kelian! What’s wrong with you? You’ve been acting strange since earlier!”
Once the sharp words stopped flying, Kelian took a step back from me. Meanwhile, Barkrud was still ‘playing’ with the giant cuckoo.
“What’s with you always trying to protect that woman? Seriously, you’re strange!”
“Hmm. It’s definitely a little different than usual,” Jenin added.
I wasn’t close enough to the hero to fully understand the ‘strangeness’ they were referring to, so I could only remain silent. But even the hero seemed to be slightly frowning, as though he couldn’t quite grasp what they were talking about either.
“Strange?”
Kelian looked as if he was thinking, Is it really that strange for someone at their level to protect a lower-level person who fell into a dungeon with them…? To me, it didn’t seem all that strange, and in fact, Dain, who was pointing it out, seemed more unusual. Maybe Jenin thought the same way because he quickly changed his stance.
“Kelian’s always been well-mannered… so it’s not that strange, I guess.”
“Well, yes, but… still, something about it feels off!”
Kelian spoke to Dain, who still hadn’t given up, in a neutral tone.
“Tell me exactly what’s so strange, Dain.”
He seemed genuinely curious about Dain’s answer, but when he asked, Dain couldn’t respond. It was clear he had just blurted out whatever was on his mind without sorting it through.
“I’m telling you, it’s really strange.”
After muttering that under his breath, Dain shot me a glare before snorting in frustration and turning his head away.
Kyaaaaaaaaaah!
Startled by a scream louder than before, I shifted my gaze to see Barkrud on top of the fallen giant cuckoo, pulling a spear out from inside it. The giant cuckoo’s form rapidly crumbled, and countless smaller cuckoos fell to the ground.
“He killed it.”
It seemed Barkrud’s game was finally over. And I…
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
I had the rare experience of leveling up twice at once.
“Ugh…”
The familiar flash of light appeared before my eyes again, but this time it was bearable. However, when I checked my stats and saw the number 19, I couldn’t suppress the surge of excitement, and a sound of pleasure escaped my lips without me realizing it.
“If you’re tired, it’s okay to rest.”
Seeing me like this, maybe thinking I was struggling, Kelian offered a kind suggestion in a flat tone. His manners were certainly impressive.
Although there was still a strangely cold air around him, he was the hero everyone admired, to the point that women even threw themselves at him under the pretext of a fake curse. So, it made sense that he would have some emotional distance.
After all, with a face like that, if he were too kind, people might start misunderstanding it as an invitation for marriage.
My long thoughts were interrupted by Dain’s irritation.
“Why is she acting tired? What did she even do?”
He’s right. I finally pulled out my only weapon, a wooden club, but it was essentially just for show at this point. I hadn’t had the chance—or the courage—to actually use it to kill any of the monsters in this rare dungeon. I’d never even swung it properly.
Even so, compared to me, who had just been following along like a shadow, they looked much livelier after killing all those monsters… Anyway, I hadn’t done anything.
“It might still be tiring.”
Jenin stood up for me, and Seiris didn’t seem to have any objections. By the time Barkrud had approached, it seemed like he was disappointed he couldn’t continue playing and started swinging his spear a few times in the empty space. I hurriedly decided to make an excuse, worried that they might actually rest because of me.
“No, I’m fine. I just followed along.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, yes…”
Kelian asked once more, perhaps out of courtesy, and only after I gave him a definitive answer did he nod. Dain, on the other hand, simply punched his chest a few times in frustration. He seemed to have hurt himself, as he quickly stopped.
“…Now we’re at the boss room.”
After passing through the Cuckoo spiders and the transformed Cuckoo trio, we were finally right in front of the boss room. The Cuckoo spiders were dealt with as Jenin showed off his swordsmanship, and the transformed Cuckoo trio was played with by Barkrud, who eventually got impatient and, just like before, Dain used magic to burn them down.
That, too, was a blessing for me. If we had dragged it out until night, the pain from the curse would have started in front of the heroes, and at that point, I couldn’t know if they would help me or become even more wary and refuse to assist.
“This is the boss room…”
At first glance, it didn’t look too different from the numerous cave rooms we had passed through, but what stood out was the translucent barrier blocking the entrance, which ominously glowed red. The red light looked almost like blood.
“The boss is probably a Cuckoo, right?”
“Of course, it’s called the ‘Cave of the Great King Cuckoo’ after all.”
“Can I kill the Great King Cuckoo?”
“Barkrud, you can’t. You always take too long.”
“Then, how about me and Dain…?”
One thing I’d noticed from traveling through the dungeon with them was that the conversations in this party mostly revolved around Jenin, Dain, and Barkrud. Kelian only occasionally chimed in or answered when asked, and Seiris barely spoke at all. I was just a temporary party member, so I didn’t count.
As per usual, Jenin, Dain, and Barkrud were chatting leisurely when, unexpectedly, Kelian spoke up.
“Should I take care of the boss?”
“Kelian…?” Jenin raised an eyebrow.
“Were you going to let us have the kill again?”
Jenin asked, looking surprised but not particularly concerned, while Kelian turned to me and answered.
“I think it’s better if we leave quickly.”
Seeing him look at me while saying that, it seemed like the reason had something to do with me… Could it be that he wants to leave quickly because he wants to part ways with me as soon as possible? Maybe, as the hero and a high-level fighter, he felt obliged to help me out while we were in the dungeon, but was it really something that had been bothering him all along?
While it was indeed better for me to leave quickly, as the pain from the curse would start soon, I realized I’d become a little too relaxed with the kindness of the party and the hero’s manners. Suddenly, it felt like I had snapped out of a dream, and reality hit me.
Kelian stepped into the red barrier without hesitation. He walked in confidently, with no sign of uncertainty. Seiris, Dain, Barkrud, and finally Jenin followed behind, with me bringing up the rear as we entered the boss room.
—It’s a human! A human has intruded!
I was startled by the voice of someone unfamiliar as soon as we entered. I flinched, and Jenin quickly explained.
“Sometimes, you’ll encounter talking monsters while roaming dungeons. They can speak like humans, and they have intelligence… Occasionally, there are even human-shaped monsters that look just like humans.”
—Legion of the great King Cuckoo! Repel the intruders!
Kyaaaaaaaaaah!
Kyaaaaaaaaaah!
At the command of someone, the Cuckoos came charging without mercy.
At the forefront of our group, Kelian drew his longsword and slashed through the air lightly. In an instant, the aggressive cries of the Cuckoos, “Kyaaaaaaak!” fell into complete silence. The blue blade aura that left his sword cleaved through the mass of Cuckoos, killing them all at once.
It was a scene so hard to believe that even the armored commander Cuckoo seemed as startled as I was. It babbled angrily, but…
—T-this is impossible. How could a human be this strong… Kyaaaaaak!
Kelian, who had already leapt forward, sliced the commander’s neck off with his sword. It all happened in the blink of an eye.
“Ah, the ground…!”
At the same time, the ground shook. The dungeon floor trembled as if there had been an earthquake, and once again, I was the only one panicking. The rest of the party, however, looked indifferent.
[Defeat the boss, the Great King Cuckoo.]
[Difficulty: A rank (rare)]
[Reward 1: Great King Cuckoo’s Wings
Reward 2: ?????]
What appeared, cutting through the air, was a bat-like monster smaller than any Cuckoo we’d seen before. This must have been the Great King Cuckoo, and as it appeared, the shaking of the dungeon floor gradually stopped.
Given that the dungeon was A-rank difficulty with a rare form, it wasn’t surprising that the boss was also an A-rank rare. However, I couldn’t understand the question mark in Reward 2. I had never seen an alert with “?????” before.
—I’ve never seen a human as strong as you.
The Great King Cuckoo seemed to be able to speak, as it marveled at Kelian. Its voice was harsh, as if scraping its throat to force the words out, but its pronunciation was no different from that of a human.
—I dislike humans, but if you are this strong, I could accept you as a subordinate. Become one of my kingdom’s citizens and fight for me. Then… Wait!
As the Great King Cuckoo rambled, it froze when it saw Kelian stride forward confidently. There was no sense of royalty in the small, winged creature flapping around.
—Stop! W-wait, if you want, I can make you a commander! Stop, don’t come any closer!
Despite the rushed and desperate words, they became the last words of the Great King Cuckoo. Its body was ripped apart mid-air and fell to the ground in pieces. This time, it didn’t even have a chance to see the movement of the sword.
[Dungeon completion successful.]
[You have defeated the Great King Cuckoo and received your rewards.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
The notification windows appeared one after another. My vision flashed, and my level increased. Now, my level was 24.
This is impossible…
Level 24. In just one day. No, not even a full day. And the rewards…
When I checked my inventory, I saw that Reward 2, which had been marked as ‘?????’ before defeating the boss, had now been identified as Key to the Trap of the Tail Snake 1 (Bound). It didn’t take much to realize that this key was for entry into an SSS-grade rare dungeon, which was the goal of the hero’s party.
Though I was now part of their group, it was clear that this item was of no use to me. Since it was bound to me, I couldn’t give it away or sell it.
It was a bit disappointing that I couldn’t use or sell the rare dungeon item I had obtained, but just reaching level 24 was already a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck.
Of course, it would all be meaningless if I couldn’t endure the pain of the curse and died…
Lost in these thoughts, I found myself unconsciously looking at Kelian. As luck would have it, he was also looking at me. Our eyes met, and before I could look away in surprise, he handed me something.
[You have obtained the Great King Cuckoo’s Wings.]
[Item Grade: A rank (Rare)]
“This is…?”
The Great King Cuckoo’s Wings, which had been Reward 1…
“Why are you giving this to me…?”
Seeing that Kelian had it in his possession, it seemed like the reward for defeating the boss should have gone to him alone. After all, it was something he had earned, so I couldn’t help but wonder why he was giving it to me.
“This is an item I don’t need.”
Ah, that makes sense… If anyone else had said it, I might have had trouble believing it, but hearing it from the hero made it sound reasonable. Considering he had defeated the boss of a rare dungeon in a single strike, any items obtained from it might seem like trivial things to him.
So, maybe I shouldn’t refuse his kindness…
“Thank you. I’ll accept it gratefully.”
I couldn’t help but imagine how much I could sell it for. The thought made my heart feel lighter and warmer, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“…”
A slight flicker of surprise crossed Kelian’s previously emotionless face, but given that there was no real reason for him to be caught off guard, I quickly realized it must have been my own misunderstanding.
More than that, I became acutely aware that I couldn’t just keep accepting things from the hero’s party. Though I had technically helped them find the rare dungeon, it was through clearing it with them that I had leveled up from 7 to 24, obtained items from the dungeon, and—most importantly—was in a position where I needed to stay in the hero’s good graces to be freed from the pain of the curse. So, I hastily rummaged through my pockets.
“Hero.”
As I called out to him, his beautiful eyes, framed by long lashes, turned to meet mine. The hero truly was ridiculously handsome.
“I also want to give you this.”
I made sure not to touch any gold, fearing he might think I was offering him money again. Thankfully, what came from my pocket was a handkerchief. While it was hardly a fair trade for an A-grade rare item, it was one of the few cherished items I had used since childhood. It had a white base, with a few scattered flowers embroidered on it… Hmm, maybe it’s too childish…
“You’re giving this… to me?”
Kelian’s voice dropped even lower. Perhaps he didn’t like it after all… Given how he treated even A-grade rare items like they were junk, I naturally thought he wouldn’t appreciate this, and a bit of hesitation crept over me.
“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to take it…”
“No, that’s not it.”
He took the childish handkerchief from me. As he did, our fingers brushed lightly, and I couldn’t help but feel a strange sensation. No, maybe it was just my own impression—Kelian remained indifferent as he took the handkerchief and pressed it to his lips.
…Did he just kiss it?
“Thank you.”
I was so stunned that I couldn’t even respond properly. What did I just see?
Should I be admiring the hero’s manners for not showing disdain when receiving such a trivial item, or should I be overwhelmed by the way he kissed it so casually, as if he were naturally seducing the other person without thinking? I couldn’t decide.
Of course, he probably didn’t mean to seduce me… But still, the hero was a dangerous presence in so many ways. Even if it weren’t for the curse tormenting me, having someone like him so close would have felt like I was constantly being tested.
“…Ughhh.”
The sound of Dain shuddering beside me snapped me back to my senses.
“Isn’t this weird? This is way too weird!”
He started pointing at us again, loudly disturbing the otherwise quiet cave.
“So, what’s weird about it?”
Kelian asked nonchalantly,
“Dain, are you starting again?”
Jenin snapped at him,
“Not this again, Dain.”
Barkrud, on the other hand, spoke up with a different tone,
“Let’s go, I’m hungry.”
Seiris ignored it all, and the situation quickly died down. Dain, looking slightly hurt by his comrades not understanding his feelings, huffed and puffed, but as usual, it ended with him glaring at me. What did I even do…
We exited the dungeon through a magic circle that had appeared in a corner of the boss’s room. If we had been told to find the magic circle we came through when we first entered, it might have been a hassle, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case.
We emerged from the cave’s darkness and returned to a beginner’s hunting ground, where the sun was still shining brightly. It seemed like we had come back to the exact spot we had started from, as I noticed the middle-aged man who had been pestering me earlier. He was still collapsed in the same spot, looking like he had been severely affected by his confrontation with Kelian.
I wasn’t planning to do anything about the collapsed man, thinking it was better to just leave him be. However, following Dain’s suggestion that we should handle the situation, Barkrud swiftly lifted the man and threw him onto the magic circle, the very same one that had led us to the rare dungeon. The fact that Kelian and the others didn’t stop him seemed to confirm that the hero’s party didn’t have any hesitation in handling things like this.
The magic circle glowed brightly, and the man’s body was consumed by the light. As for his chances of survival… I’d say there were none.
Since there was only one way out of the hunting grounds back to the village, the hero’s party and I walked together, naturally after exiting the dungeon. I, of course, wanted to stay close to the hero as much as possible, but it was a bit surprising that they didn’t make any comments about it.
The people who had gathered to see the famous hero’s party had likely dispersed while we were clearing the rare dungeon, and the path out of the hunting grounds was eerily quiet. Occasionally, low-level monsters would pop up, but they were swiftly dispatched with a swipe of a sword, vanishing uselessly as they brushed against the bodies of the heroes. It was in that stillness that I finally spoke up.
“…Did you all come to this village because of the dungeon?”
Jenin answered with a bright smile, “Yes,” while Dain shot her a warning look, as though telling her not to talk about personal matters, but it didn’t seem like his message got through.
“Then, I suppose you’ll be leaving the village now?”
I already had a feeling of what the answer would be, but I couldn’t help asking. Perhaps sensing the melancholy in my voice, Jenin didn’t respond with her usual cheerful tone.
“Well, yes, it seems…,” she said, trailing off.
“We’ll be leaving,” Kelian added firmly.
Jenin’s cheerful response was cut off as Dain interrupted her, his voice sharp.
“Have you decided exactly when you’ll be leaving?”
“Why does that concern you?”
The thought almost escaped my lips—because I need the hero. Because I don’t want him to leave me. Because I need to know if he’ll spit on me, as the priest said, to relieve the curse’s pain, even if just a little.
But those words never made it past my throat. Instead, Jenin, interpreting my silence differently, scolded Dain once again.
“Don’t speak to Aine like that.”
“What’s with all this ‘Aine, Aine’?”
Dain muttered under his breath.
His grumbling wasn’t what mattered to me. While it was important to gain the favor of the hero’s party, Dain wasn’t the priority. What truly mattered was earning the hero’s favor.
I glanced at Kelian, but he was walking ahead, focused on the path and showing no signs of intending to speak to me. After all, as a polite hero and a high-level warrior, he was obligated to protect a lower-level adventurer in the dungeon—but this wasn’t the dungeon.
We had already left the hunting grounds and entered the village. The hero’s party, who I thought had disappeared, suddenly appeared at the entrance of the beginner’s hunting grounds, and in an instant, the villagers rushed toward them. Truly, they were popular.
“Shouldn’t we be going our separate ways now?”
Dain said, looking at me as if suggesting it was time to part ways. While the words were phrased as a question, the underlying meaning was unmistakable: “Stop following us and leave.”
“Yes…”
Was this really the moment to say goodbye? Was I really going to lose the hero like this?
But what could I do to keep him with me? If I rejected Dain’s words and insisted on following them, even the little favor they had for me might disappear.
I forced a smile, trying to mask my unease.
“It was really… nice meeting you. Jenin, Seiris, Barkrud, Dain, and… Hero.”
I hid my trembling hands behind my back, barely managing to maintain my smile as I said my goodbyes. I sincerely hoped they didn’t sense the desperation in my voice, but part of me wished they could at least feel the sorrow beneath it.
It was as if I were a new friend who had just been rejected but tried my best not to show my sadness, smiling despite it all. Although our relationship was far from that of true friends—just a brief encounter where I followed them into the dungeon and they protected me—it didn’t matter. What mattered was that I appeared pitiful, even if only on the surface.
At least someone like Jenin, who had seemed to feel some favor toward me, might pity me and say something more… I clung to that hope as I slowly turned my back on them. Please, call out to me. Don’t let me go. Hold on to me. I silently prayed, my heart aching with the desire for them to stop me.
“Aine.”
My name was called.
It was even Kelian’s voice. As I slowly turned back around, I saw his turquoise eyes staring directly at me.
“Would you care to have a meal with us?”
It was the invitation I had desperately wished for, but before joy could settle in, I was filled with an odd sense of confusion. I had assumed that if anyone among them were to ask such a thing, it would be Jenin.
“What…?”
Looking back at our earlier conversation, it was obviously an expected offer. But, perhaps it hadn’t been discussed among them, as Dain’s mouth hung open in surprise. Thankfully, none of them, other than Dain, showed a negative reaction. Most importantly, Jenin clapped her hands in approval.
“Aine?”
When I didn’t respond right away, Kelian called my name again. I hurried to answer. Of course, my response was a yes.
“Yes. I’d like that.”
“I don’t want to!”
Dain immediately protested.
Although Dain hadn’t been asked, he answered along with the others. When Kelian shifted his usual indifferent gaze to Dain, he flinched slightly.
“Dain. You don’t want to?”
At first, it sounded like a simple question, but somehow, with Kelian asking, it felt more significant.
“…No, it’s not that I don’t want to.”
Perhaps feeling a similar discomfort to mine, Dain quickly backed down. Kelian, with a “Well, then,” gave Dain’s shoulder a light pat. Meanwhile, Jenin continued chattering excitedly beside me. She mentioned that they had already decided on a restaurant for the day, one that the innkeeper had recommended as the best and most popular spot in town. At that, Dain, now back to his usual grumbling, spoke up again.
“That woman from this village would probably know better than all of you what’s considered a good place to eat.”
“Ah, you’re right. Aine, is it really a good restaurant?”
Jenin asked me, and I found myself feeling a bit awkward. After all, I had only been in this village for two days, so I probably knew less about it than they did. If I admitted that, it might make them suspicious… But if I lied, that could cause problems too. I couldn’t answer confidently about the village, so I decided to be honest.
“I’m not sure. This is my first time in this village too.”
“First time here?”
As expected, Dain’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. I did my best to appear casual and nodded.
“Yeah. I used to live in the village next to this one, but things have been tough lately, so I came here to try something new.”
“Really? Things have been tough lately?”
Unlike Dain, Jenin seemed genuinely concerned, her eyes softening with sympathy. I couldn’t quite tell if she was just naturally kind-hearted or if she genuinely liked me—or maybe it was both. Either way, she nodded thoughtfully and smiled gently.
“Still, thanks to the hero giving me that item earlier… I think I can sell it and it will help a lot. Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. We really don’t need that kind of stuff.”
As we walked toward the restaurant, I expressed my gratitude once again, but this time it was Jenin who responded, not Kelian. She referred to the rare dungeon boss reward as “that kind of stuff.” It struck me once again—people from a completely different world from mine.
The restaurant was a large two-story place with open spaces both inside and outside. The owner greeted the hero’s party with a look of deep respect, firmly stopping the village people who had been following us from entering. Thanks to that, we had a spacious second-floor table to ourselves, where we could relax and look out the window while browsing the menu without worry.
“Aine. Have you decided?” Jenin asked.
“Uh, no, not yet.”
“It’s simpler than I expected, huh?” she said, as if she knew.
But no matter how I looked at it, “simpler” didn’t quite fit. The menu was so extensive. To someone like me, who only knew Malri’s kitchen, it seemed quite varied. I couldn’t decide what to order, so I picked something familiar to me.
“I’ll have the stone bread and cream soup.”
“Is that enough for you? You eat so little, Aine.”
“Yes…”
It seemed like it might not be enough, but the unfamiliar menu items on the list, along with their hefty prices, made me hesitate. How could a single meal cost so many gold coins?
I watched the hero’s party order without a second thought, even ordering quite a lot of food, and after a brief moment, I placed my own order. Even though I only ordered stone bread and cream soup, the total came to over 80 silver. The inn I had stayed at the night before had only charged me 50 silver for a whole night’s stay, yet a simple meal of bread and soup cost me more than that!
“It would have been nice if they had some seafood dishes,” Jenin said wistfully.
“Seafood?” I asked, surprised.
“Yes. I love seafood. It’s such a shame that there’s no sea in this area.”
“I’ve never seen the sea… What’s it like? Is it really that beautiful?”
“You’ve never seen the sea?” Jenin’s eyes softened as if she felt pity for me. Was the sea really that amazing? Was it so beautiful that not having seen it made me pitiable?
“It’s blue, refreshing, and the seafood from areas with a sea is so delicious. The hunting grounds and dungeons by the sea are also so much fun. You should go with me sometime, Aine.”
Although I wasn’t so sure about the hunting grounds and dungeons Jenin visited, I was curious about the sea she was so proud of. Just then, Dain, who I thought had been ignoring our conversation, glanced at Jenin and muttered.
“I still don’t get why you love the sea so much. The smell, the damp air… I hate it.”
“What’s wrong with that? Dain, you’re the weird one,” Jenin replied, clearly irritated.
“It’s not me who’s weird, it’s you!” Dain shot back.
They started bickering over something so trivial. From my perspective, neither of them seemed particularly strange… so I decided to speak up.
“You two aren’t weird… It’s just that you have different tastes. I don’t like everything that Malri likes either.”
At my words, both Dain and Jenin fell silent. The pointless, meaningless argument was put to an end, but Jenin, perhaps sensing something interesting in my response, asked.
“Malri?”
“Ah, she’s my friend.”
I didn’t add that Malri was my only friend and very much a tightwad, as it didn’t seem like the best thing to mention. It wouldn’t reflect well on either of us.
I couldn’t help but wonder what Malri was doing right now. Was she having a warm meal with her family? If she knew I was having a meal with the hero’s party and that my level was 24, she might be so shocked she’d fall over. Though, to be honest, she probably wouldn’t believe it at all.
“Ah, a friend? You must be really close,” Jenin said, looking curious.
“Yes. We grew up together.”
“I have hometown friends too, but with all the traveling, I rarely get to see them.”
Jenin said wistfully, talking about her own friends back home. Just then, the owner of the restaurant appeared and began setting the food down on the table. One by one, plates were placed in front of Jenin, me, Kelian, Dain, and Seiris. Then, a group of staff appeared, bringing dozens of plates and placing them in front of Barkrud. Considering his size, it seemed like he had to eat that much, but still, he looked like quite the big eater.
Jenin seemed to notice it too, and with a playful grin, she said, “Barkrud eats a lot.”
“Does he?” I asked.
“Yeah, he does,” she replied.
But Barkrud didn’t seem to acknowledge Jenin’s words much, remaining quiet.
Kelian and Seiris, the two silent ones, began wiping their hands with the napkins and preparing for their meal. In front of Kelian, there was a meat dish and a soup. Seiris, on the other hand, had three different dishes in front of him, none of which were meat, soup, or bread. They looked oddly shaped, and I couldn’t help but feel curious about what they were.
“What kind of dish is that?” I asked.
Seiris hesitated and lifted her head, as if she hadn’t expected a question to come her way. Had I acted too familiar when I asked…? Just as I was starting to regret speaking up, she fortunately gave me an honest answer. No, it was actually quite a detailed explanation.
“It’s titi meat seasoned with spices from the Garimen region. This one is served with an item that drops when you kill a Fufu in Maxellacanio, and this is yellow salrago.”
