IF Chapter 41

Chapter 41

 

2nd rank, ‘Cheongwoon’ faction.

Located in the south among the four directions, I heard it was a relatively quiet faction, unlike the former 1st rank faction that openly committed evil deeds.

The reason for contact from the 2nd rank faction…

“Originally, the 1st and 2nd rank factions had a ceasefire agreement. But now that everything has changed… They might want to talk about that.”

As I was pondering, Gi Da-in spoke up first. Habitually stroking my chin, I opened my mouth. If that’s the case…

“I should go alone, right?”

“I suppose so.”

Given that they requested a one-on-one conversation, bringing multiple people would clearly create an uncomfortable situation for both parties.

‘It’s a bit dangerous, but I have enough mana and strength to escape from the 2nd rank faction if needed.’

As I was preparing to go alone, putting the sword that I had set down back on my waist, Gidain hesitated and then spoke up.

“What about secretly following you?”

“That’s even worse.”

It would be over the moment we’re discovered. There’s no one here with stealth abilities, so how could we secretly follow?

“I’ll just go alone.”

I didn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble. Given the recent big fight with the former 1st rank faction, I wanted to avoid creating more discord and getting tired. It’s better to go alone and handle it quietly.

After thinking for a moment, I made one request to Gi Da-in.

“Keep this a secret.”

It’s obvious that Cha Si-hyeon or Baek Doha would object. Gi Da-in seemed to know this too, and after opening and closing their mouth a few times, finally nodded.

‘Well, it’s just a conversation, so I should be back soon.’

That’s how I decided to go alone, but…

“So, where were you trying to go alone?”

I broke out in a cold sweat as I looked at Baek Doha, who was wearing an unusually bright smile today.

Busted immediately.

💎

When Baek Doha first opened his eyes, he was alone.

It wasn’t outside the dungeon as expected, nor was it the original dungeon, but a completely new one.

Instead of a lush forest, he saw unfamiliar stone walls. It was indoors with no sound of water, and there was no one from his group, not even the annoying dog he had thought bothersome. Yes, he had fallen into a completely unfamiliar space alone.

After assessing the situation, a belated thought occurred to him…

‘I wonder if Yi-joo-ssi also fell here?’

She was someone who had fainted just from briefly making eye contact with a monster.

‘If she fell alone like me, I wonder if she fainted again.’

There was no need to look for her specifically.

After all, Yoo Yi-joo had only asked to be a companion until she made it out of the previous dungeon alive.

He briefly raised his head and stared blankly at the brick ceiling. He hadn’t realized how stifling it could be to not see the open sky.

‘If not me… maybe Cha Si-hyeon or Hyung-nim went to find her.’

Lim Yuchan tends to act quite simply, but it wasn’t easy to predict how he would behave in this kind of situation.

Then… what about Cha Si-hyeon?

In Baek Doha’s mind, he recalled Cha Si-hyeon running towards him with an unfamiliar expression, holding the blood-soaked Yoo Yi-joo.

‘He must have gone looking for her.’

Despite not seeming like it, he’s quite caring. And above all, Yoo Yi-joo had been hurt because of him before.

So, he decided to go meet Yoo Yi-joo, if only to find Cha Si-hyeon.

Finding her wasn’t particularly difficult.

 

“They say two women formed a faction. Aren’t they scared they’ll be easily defeated?”

“But I heard the faction leader there is incredibly strong. They say she nearly killed two members of the 5th rank faction.”

“What, don’t you know that woman? It’s her. The woman who fell into the first dungeon with three S-rank.”

 

Her news was quite widespread, and he was good at sensing mana.

If he kept walking towards where the news was coming from, he would get closer to Yoo Yi-joo’s faint mana, and another presence with a strong mana…

‘Cha Si-hyeon’s mana.’

As expected, Cha Si-hyeon had gone to Yoo Yi-joo, one step ahead of him.

Not only sticking right next to her, but also picking a fight with him, telling him not to say anything.

Yoo Yi-joo, well, she was safe.

It was as if her fainting just from making eye contact with a monster was a lie; she had obtained the position of 1st rank faction leader.

He had held back from saying what he wanted to say, thinking it was enough that she was safe, but then…

“You’re going to meet the 2nd rank faction leader? Alone?”

When he questioned why she was secretly leaving the faction alone, she said she was going to meet the 2nd rank faction leader.

He let out a hollow laugh in disbelief, and Yoo Yi-joo quickly averted her gaze.

Her gaze fell on Cha Si-hyeon, but Cha Si-hyeon had been unusually quiet for a while.

“It just… ended up that way…”

“It just ended up that way?”

As Baek Doha raised an eyebrow, she finally seemed to give up on making excuses and sighed.

“Well, it’s a bit awkward to bring someone along. I know you’re worried about me, but you don’t need to be so concerned.”

She was only weak during the first dungeon. Now, she had somewhat adapted to these situations and learned a lot from the first dungeon. So, Yoo Yi-joo had the strength to survive.

And as Baek Doha, who knew this, fell silent for a moment.

“You could at least say something before you go.”

Cha Si-hyeon finally spoke his first words.

It was a bluntly thrown remark.

Yoo Yi-joo opened her mouth as if she had something to say, but then closed it again.

Yoo Yi-joo sometimes did that, seeming like she was about to say everything but then swallowing her words back. What was she about to say just now? In the ensuing silence, Cha Si-hyeon finally spoke again.

“With me—”

“I’ll go with Doha-ssi!”

Yoo Yi-joo interrupted Cha Si-hyeon and shouted.

Cha Si-hyeon let out a hollow laugh, as if taken aback.

“What?”

“Doha-ssi, let’s go together. We’re running late.”

As if she had forgotten that Baek Doha had also been angry with her just moments ago, Yoo Yi-joo hurriedly grabbed his wrist and started walking.

As he was being dragged along, Baek Doha glanced back slightly.

‘His expression doesn’t look good.’

He saw Cha Si-hyeon frowning slightly before finally turning his head away.

It’s not that he doesn’t understand why Cha Si-hyeon is so sensitive.

At the very least, he knows what Cha Si-hyeon has been through to get to this point.

Baek Doha soon turned his head back to look at Yoo Yi-joo, who was breaking out in a cold sweat. She was trying hard not to look back, even unconsciously.

That expression was quite amusing. Almost to the point where it was a shame only he could see it.

She seems to be bothered by how angry he is.

‘Really, why did you have to make that face in front of Cha Si-hyeon of all people.’

Watching Yoo Yi-joo open the door and leave the faction, Baek Doha shrugged his shoulders.

Well, let’s wait and see for now.

💎

The 2nd rank ‘Cheongwoon’ faction in the west could be reached quickly through an open passage, without needing to turn back.

Of course, Du Mansik knew about the passage, and the 2nd rank faction leader seemed to have expected me to come that way, leaving the passage open.

We had to go underground and follow the stone walls, and Baek Doha accompanied me that far.

‘Cha Si-hyeon alone should be enough for the faction.’

There were still occasional attacks from those who had lost their factions, so it was inconvenient for everyone to leave their posts. Therefore, Baek Doha alone was enough to accompany me.

For a brief moment, I recalled Cha Si-hyeon’s expression before leaving, when suddenly I heard a voice and looked up.

“We’ve been waiting. 1st rank faction leader… and, uh, wait, is that, could it be, the S-rank guild master?”

I belatedly realized that a man was waiting for us at the end of the passage.

He stared blankly at Baek Doha before turning his head back to me.

“Well, let’s go in for now. Our faction leader is waiting.”

Just as I was about to step in with Baek Doha.

“Ah, but… should the guild member come in too? Our faction leader said she’d prefer to talk with just the faction leaders…”

The man’s hesitant face looked quite troubled.

This was the kind of conflict I was trying to avoid by coming quietly alone.

‘Hmm…’

After watching him for a moment, I opened my mouth.

“Then I’ll go alone.”

“What?”

Baek Doha immediately questioned. His tone was full of disbelief, as if asking if I was crazy.

“We already talked about this earlier. I thought we barely compromised on me coming instead of Cha Si-hyeon.”

That’s true, but. I smiled awkwardly.

“I’ll be back soon. If anything happens, I’ll shout.”

Haah… Looking at my eyes, which seemed to have already decided, he let out a sigh.

“10 minutes.”

Then he said.

“Exactly 10 minutes. If you’re not back by then, I’m coming to find you.”

I thought it might be too short, but I nodded anyway.

The man who had been watching our interaction, thinking it was over, opened the door to the 2nd rank faction.

“If you follow the path with the red carpet, you’ll find the room where our faction leader is.”

I moved my feet, hearing the creaking sound of the old wooden door.

The first thing I noticed was the ceiling, as grand and high as the space in the 1st rank faction.

However, unlike the other side which was like a transparent ice palace, this place had a background as if we were in a volcano.

After climbing the carpeted stairs and following the path, I saw two imposing statues and a wooden door between them.

‘This must be it.’

There was no need for further doubt.

Just as I was about to open the door.

Whoosh! Suddenly, my whole body was pulled backwards. What?! Before I could even sense something was wrong, I was trapped in someone’s arms.

“Who—!”

“Shh.”

Just as I was about to shout. A calm voice gently seeped into my ear.

Feeling it was somehow familiar, I looked up…

“Why are you here…!”

“Quiet.”

He quickly covered my mouth as if checking for any onlookers. Regardless, a blue window popped up in front of my eyes.

[Scattered Companions (4/4)]

[SYSTEM] ‘Sub Quest-3’ Completed!

[SYSTEM] Congratulations! You have reunited with all your companions!

Why is Lim Yuchan here?

💎

Thank you for reading! ♡