Chapter 31
✦
“…Then, since it’s something Noah gave me, I’ll cherish and use it well.”
To him, who had no information about it, it must look like just an old fang sword, yet he’s so happy.
I, who usually live without knowing gratitude, felt embarrassed.
“Yes, well…”
[(Messenger) Indra says in a solemn tone that those who know how to be grateful will find heaven…]
“Shall we head back then?”
I said, casually ignoring the supreme god’s preachy message.
“Sehun must be waiting.”
✦
“Are you okay, Noona? Hyung?”
Sehun, who had been waiting vigilantly in the camper, jumped up and ran towards us.
Am I okay?
I awkwardly glanced at Baek Yi-heon.
His hair and clothes were drooping, soaked with seawater.
I must look just as much like a drowned rat.
But probably more than his body, it’s his heart that’s more exhausted.
“What’s wrong, Hyung? Are you cold?”
Sehun was particularly sensitive to others’ feelings.
The child keenly noticed that Baek Yi-heon was different from usual and asked.
“Yeah, I guess so. The seawater was really cold in April.”
I deflected with a pointless smile, answering on his behalf.
Baek Yi-heon immediately raised his head to look at me and urged:
“Noah. Were you cold? Quickly go wash with warm water.”
The camper only has one shower, and the hot water is limited.
I tried to yield for his sake, but it was futile.
In the end, I was pushed into the camper’s shower, unable to resist his stubbornness.
“You might catch a cold, so you need to warm up your body sufficiently in hot water.”
Baek Yi-heon added, carefully handing me dry towels and other necessities.
“Don’t come out too quickly, count to at least thirty before you do.”
“Come on. Am I your little sister or something…”
I grumbled playfully at his words, but then quickly shut my mouth, realizing my mistake.
What he saw in the illusion was surely the family murder incident by the mysterious man.
‘Even in the novel, the culprit’s identity was never revealed.’
From what I read, he also had a little sister.
Is that why he could always take such meticulous care of Sehun and me?
Seeing me close my mouth with a “hup,” Baek Yi-heon smiled faintly.
It was a smile full of unavoidable loneliness, even as he tried to pretend he was fine.
“It’s an old story. I’m alright, so don’t worry about it.”
He seemed to have guessed that I had glimpsed a bit of his illusion in the dungeon.
Then he finally pushed me into the shower.
✦
It took exactly three days to get from Mangsang Beach to Busan.
Although marine monsters occasionally appeared on the coastal road, they were no match for Baek Yi-heon with his new weapon.
“…This weapon. It fits my hand surprisingly well.”
That wasn’t all.
I soon realized that marine monsters only appeared near the sea where the beach had been.
After that, by driving skillfully only on roads where people hadn’t been:
We were finally able to reach Busan.
✦
05. Deceptive Truths
Busan, the second largest city in South Korea.
The only metropolis with a population over 3 million, excluding Seoul.
Because dungeons and monsters appear where humans are concentrated, it was also the city with the second most damage after Seoul.
We were driving towards downtown Busan after driving along the east coast.
“We’ve finally reached Busan. …Where should we go now?”
At Baek Yi-heon’s question, Sehun, who had been playing in the back of the camper, also looked at me with shining eyes.
Somehow, I had become responsible for decision-making in this group.
As I drove, I pondered.
‘…Where should we go to find Choi Yudam?’
The purpose of coming here.
To find the healer and item creator who contracted with the Gandharva, a companion of the male lead.
I tried to recall what I had read in the novel.
Actually, Baek Yi-heon meets him in Seoul.
I think the content was roughly like this,
“Yes. As you might have guessed from my accent, I’m from Busan. …I grew up looking at the sea all my life.”
Choi Yudam answered while polishing a mana stone.
His tone was quite calm, but there was a strange loneliness on that expressionless face.
“Then how did you come all the way to Seoul?”
Oh Neulbom, who was watching him polish the mana stone, asked cheerfully.
“…I came up to Seoul after the 9.24 Incident.”
With that one sentence, Choi Yudam closed his mouth again.
For the usually taciturn him, even this much conversation was surprising.
Even Neulbom, who was always bright and energetic like sunshine, bringing vitality to her companions, couldn’t say anything in response this time.
(…)
The September 24th Incident, which sacrificed a third of Busan’s population, happens 4 years after the Gate Break.
‘Since it’s still before the September 24th Incident, Choi Yudam should be in Busan…’
The only information I know is that he’s quite handsome, his name is Yudam, and he contracted with the Gandharva.
Since his face wasn’t shown in the novel.
‘Well, it should be easier to find Yudam in Busan than to find Mr. Kim in Seoul.’
“Let’s go to a crowded place first.”
After a moment’s contemplation, I spoke.
“Hmm. Indeed, the chances of finding someone who knows about ‘that man’ would be higher there.”
“Huh? …Oh. Yes, yes.”
Baek Yi-heon was talking about Yoo Hyun-min.
After all, he had come chasing after that man and that suspicious woman.
As my conscience started to prick again slightly, I quickly added,
“That’s right, that was exactly my intention.”
“A crowded place… I’m from Seoul, so I don’t know Busan well.”
He was from Seoul, and due to his job, he often traveled abroad.
“Oh, same here.”
Of course, I was equally unfamiliar with Busan.
It’s not like I would have ever come to Busan on a family trip or with friends.
There was no point in asking young Sehun either.
“A crowded place in Busan… would it be Haeundae?”
“Then shall we go to Haeundae first?”
“Let’s do that.”
It was only later that we learned how shocking this conversation would be to Busan locals.
So, we headed towards Haeundae.
✦
Screech—
I suddenly stopped the car as we were driving on a deserted, broken road.
“There’s an outlet mall next to that amusement park.”
I glanced around the inside of the camper and added.
“Should we replenish our food supplies before going?”
“Would there be any food left in the outlet mall?”
A shopping mall of that size near downtown was likely to have been looted long ago.
“Hmm. We might as well check just in case…”
As I put my hand on my forehead and surveyed the exterior of the outlet mall, at that moment.
A man suddenly burst out of the building.
“Huh?”
He was clutching a bag that looked like it was full of food supplies and ran frantically.
Before I could say anything, three more people sprang out from the outlet mall.
They were all wearing black clothes and had dangling ornaments on their waists, making it easy to tell they were a team.
Soon, a chase began.
The three pursuing the man were all holding weapons.
“We should help for now.”
Baek Yi-heon jumped out of the car before I could stop him.
“Sehun-ah! Try Evil Detection!”
[(Messenger) Avatar ‘Lee Sehun’ casts ‘Evil Detection Lv2.’]
[Skill activation failed due to the target being too far away.]
“Waaah! I failed!”
“It’s okay, it’s okay.”
While comforting the disappointed and self-blaming Sehun, I watched the situation through the window.
Surprisingly, all four people, both the chaser and the chasers, had faint mana swirling around their legs.
I shouted in astonishment.
“Those people, they’re all awakened…?!”
✦
Thank you for reading! ♡
You can also check my Patreon for more chapters!
