Chapter 82
“Well then, Noah, Let’s…”
With a mysterious power, their figures soon vanished into the maze.
[(Messenger) Indra shivers at your merciless treatment of your companions.]
Left alone, I muttered while looking at the massive tree in the distance.
“I’m already a munchkin, so I can’t get any stronger…”
Of course, if my synchronization rate with Indra increases, I could use stronger powers, but that’s not something that skill books like these can influence.
“Well, this dungeon will probably give me the information I need anyway.”
Muttering that, I stepped into the maze.
💎
Pushed into the maze…
“Huh? Where is this…?”
Left alone, Sehun mumbled anxiously.
As soon as he stepped into the maze, the surrounding scenery changed.
The maze made of green bushes was gone, and he was standing in a dark, narrow concrete corridor.
“Noona said there wouldn’t be any danger…”
Although Sehun didn’t know it, Noah had missed something.
[*Caution! The dungeon’s difficulty may vary depending on the subject.]
‘The information most needed by me’ varied in importance depending on the person.
For some, information about tomorrow’s lunch menu might be most necessary, while for others, information about the world’s secrets might be more needed.
Due to causality, the maze’s difficulty was set differently according to the importance of the information desired by the person who stepped into it.
The more advanced the needed information, and the stronger the person entering the maze, the higher the maze’s difficulty was set.
With great power comes great responsibility.
Causality was fair and applied to this dungeon as well.
After trembling in fear for a moment, Sehun finally made up his mind and took a step.
“For now, let’s go…”
What Sehun desired most.
It was to be helpful to Noah.
The child who had realized the harshness of the world early on had been feeling the pressure to do his part among the companions for some time now.
“Ah, this is…”
Walking bravely through the dark corridor, Sehun soon realized.
This was an air-raid shelter.
Sehun’s steps froze in place.
Suddenly, a fallen figure appeared before his eyes.
Smooth black hair spread on the floor.
It was Noah.
“Oh, no…”
Bad men with weapons began approaching the fallen woman.
For Sehun, humans were still the most frightening thing in this ruined world.
More than any monster.
The child’s face turned pale as he faced his trauma head-on.
“N-Noona, I’ll protect you…”
He won’t be weak and just cry helplessly like with his mother, letting a precious person die again.
Sehun quickly ran to the fallen Noah.
A yellow light flowed from him, enveloping the fallen Noah and Sehun in a dome-like barrier.
The men with monstrous faces began pounding on the barrier with their weapons.
Sehun gritted his teeth, holding Noah’s body.
He would endure.
Although he had been safe staying with his companions, he hadn’t had the chance to grow yet.
An intensity unfit for his age began to frost over Sehun’s eyes.
💎
“Am I the first one out?”
I muttered, looking at the empty building after leaving the dungeon.
The maze was just an ordinary bush maze.
Although a bit complex, it didn’t take long to pass through.
After reaching the tree and obtaining a book, the dungeon’s exit appeared.
When I exited through it, the quiet building was empty.
‘Maybe I’ll read a book while waiting.’
As I was killing time browsing the library, the dungeon entrance shone brightly.
The first to emerge from the maze was Baek Yi-heon.
‘As expected of the protagonist…! No, I decided not to call him that anymore.’
I quickly approached to check on him.
He was holding a thin book.
“What did you get? A skill book?”
But when I saw the title of the book he handed me, I couldn’t help but laugh.
<101 Ways to Love Humans>
“What is this?”
He stared blankly at me for a moment before answering belatedly.
“…When I thought of what I wanted most, this came up.”
Then he carefully handed me the book.
So he wanted the information needed for me, not for himself.
“What? In this dungeon, you can only get one piece of information.”
To bring out something for others instead of himself.
How typical of Baek Yi-heon.
“…Are you not pleased with it?”
Seeing him ask cautiously, I smiled.
“I love it. Thank you.”
At that, the corners of his eyes, usually stern despite his handsome face, softened a bit.
And somehow, his ears seemed to turn a little red?
Looking at him, I hesitated before finally pulling out a book I had hidden behind my back.
“Here.”
“This is…?”
As I expected, the Tree of Wisdom didn’t give me a skill book.
Instead, what I obtained at the end of the maze was…
“‘Combat Methods Without Getting Hurt’.”
Baek Yi-heon softly recited the title of the book he received from me.
“Ahem. Both Yu and you, Baek Yi-heon-ssi.”
I rambled on, feeling awkward.
“You fight without holding back too much. It might be good for annihilating enemies, but it’s not good in the long run. Of course, Choi Kkang-kang can heal, but as you know, that means taking all the pain at once…”
“Thank you.”
Just then.
Cutting off my endless rambling, Baek Yi-heon smiled.
Brightly, with a clear face without a speck of dust.
Seeing such a smile from him for the first time, I was dumbfounded on the spot.
‘Wow… He’s really handsome, isn’t he?’
So this is the destructive power of a handsome man smiling.
I tilted my head in wonder, clutching my wildly beating heart.
‘So… that’s why?’
💎
Yi-heon gently stroked the cover of the book Noah had given him.
‘Combat Methods Without Getting Hurt’.
Could he take it to mean that she didn’t want him to get hurt?
No, she probably chose it without any particular meaning.
If Yudam had come out of the dungeon first, Noah would have given her this book.
While knowing this rationally, his heart was still stirring.
‘What careless behavior is this in such times of war…’
Yi-heon berated himself, greatly disappointed in his own behavior.
At this time when humanity faces its end, I have such leisurely sentiments here.
This was a war between evil gods and humanity, and love play in war was unthinkable for a loyal soldier like him.
Moreover, Noah had just opened up her closed heart.
If she knew he wasn’t viewing her purely as a comrade, she might be disappointed.
She might even close the door to her heart that had just opened.
‘I must hide it. She must never find out.’
At least, not until this war is over…
💎
‘Why is Baek Yi-heon acting like that?’
His bright smile had quickly vanished.
Baek Yi-heon was deep in thought with an even more serious face than usual.
Is giving just one book really something to ponder so deeply about?
He was always unnecessarily serious, but today, he seemed especially so.
‘He’s really hard to figure out.’
“…When do you think the others will return?”
“Who knows.”
His curt reply came to my question, asked out of awkwardness at being alone together.
“……”
“……”
And then silence again.
Feeling oddly awkward, I tapped the floor with my foot.
It’s really strange.
I’m fine with others, but somehow, it always gets like this when I’m alone with Baek Yi-heon.
💎
Thank you for reading! ♡
