Chapter 184

The dungeon raid was going incredibly smoothly. Honestly, it was almost to the point where I barely felt any tension. “Well, I did plan it this way from the start.” Truthfully, I just needed the closed-off space of a dungeon. The results and practice were just excuses. “If anything, it’d be a problem if some strong monster showed up out of nowhere.”

Woo Seo-heun was initially half-panicked, half-annoyed by the sudden dungeon trip from the carriage, but now she seemed to have relaxed. It seemed like she realized it was just a routine dungeon run and felt at ease. However, there was one issue…

“Unnie, I should’ve been more careful… I’m sorry.”

“No, Hyeon-jin. Getting hurt while fighting monsters is just part of the job.”

‘This kid… ugh…’

Hyeon-jin was deliberately getting minor injuries just to be treated by Woo Seo-heun. ‘…It’s so obvious.’

Woo Seo-heun probably knew Hyeon-jin was doing it on purpose too. The slight twitch of her lips was proof. ‘She must be so done with this.’

I mean, seriously, who does this? A guy intentionally getting hurt just to be treated by her? That’s probably a first for her.

…Looks like Hyeon-jin is genuinely serious about Woo Seo-heun.

‘What am I supposed to do with this kid?’

Woo Seo-heun was probably thinking of either killing him or dealing with him some other way, but at this point, I was worried Hyeon-jin might be too shocked if she disappeared.

Glancing at Wi Ho-yeon, it seemed she also knew Hyeon-jin was faking his injuries.

“…Lee Yun-seong.”

“I know. Just leave it be.”

He might listen if I told him to stop, but personally, I didn’t want to publicly humiliate Hyeon-jin.

‘How would he even handle the embarrassment?’

He probably thinks no one has noticed.

What if Wi Ho-yeon and I told him we knew he was faking it?

‘…He might just hang himself.’

Maybe it’s better to leave it like this. No, in some ways, it’s actually a good situation.

Because it must be incredibly annoying for Woo Seo-heun.

‘Annoying? She’s probably going insane.’

There’s supposed to be nothing going on, but Hyeon-jin keeps creating situations.

I bet she’s cursing him out in her head. Wasting her energy for no reason.

The others might not notice, but I could sense Woo Seo-heun’s attitude getting sharper.

“Sigh…”

“Unnie?”

“Ah, no. It’s just been a while since I’ve been in a dungeon, so I’m a bit tired…”

“Seo-heun unnie, if you’re tired, take a break. I’ll watch over you.”

The very person preventing her from resting is saying that. From my perspective, it was almost laughable.

Woo Seo-heun must be at her wit’s end.

‘Is he doing this on purpose?’

At this point, I was starting to suspect Hyeon-jin knew Woo Seo-heun’s true identity and was messing with her.

Somehow, Hyeon-jin was getting injured more often than Ho-won, the tank.

“…Let’s move deeper into the dungeon.”

After some quick preparations, we started moving further in.

Not long after, Woo Seo-heun approached me.

“Um… Yoon Seong.”

“Yes, Seo-heun.”

“I heard you’re a chimera mage. Do you have any chimeras you use?”

‘Ah, curious about that?’

It was a fair question for her to ask.

After all, I’m a chimera mage who hasn’t been using any chimeras.

‘There’s one right behind you, though.’

“Well… I do handle chimeras, but they’re not really suitable for a place like this. There are side effects…”

“Ah, I see.”

‘That look is too much.’

Her eyes dismissed my words as an excuse. I guess it’s fair since I haven’t shown her anything, making me seem like dead weight.

But despite her look, her words were the opposite.

“But I believe you’ll create an amazing chimera someday. You’ve always overcome every challenge brilliantly.”

“Haha… Thank you for saying that.”

“Can you show it to me first when it’s done? I’m so excited!”

‘Excited, my foot…’

“And now that I think about it, in the year since you joined Eras, you’ve achieved so much… Oh!”

She seemed to remember something.

“You exposed the spy from that outlaw clan, right? The clan’s name was…”

“Execution Society, right?”

“Yes, that’s it. You’re amazing, hehe…”

‘Crazy woman.’

I never expected her to bring it up first.

“And it’s also well-known how you exposed the clan distributing drugs in Silan.”

“Not really. My stories are often exaggerated…”

“Um… Can I call you Oppa?”

‘…What?’

I was caught off guard by her sudden attempt to get closer.

I guess my lukewarm reaction made her impatient.

“I really hate criminals and outlaws. That’s why I’m a personal fan of yours.”

“…A fan?”

“Yes. So, could you drop the formalities with me? Would that be okay?”

‘Sigh…’

Her subtle closeness, the light touches, the pleading expression.

Woo Seo-heun knew exactly how to make a man lose his cool.

‘…Even knowing she’s a spy, she’s still impressive.’

The Execution Society definitely didn’t assign her to use her charms for nothing.

‘Any normal guy would be completely hooked.’

The way she naturally guided my hand was just a bonus. I almost reached out to her without thinking.

‘Well… a little skin contact wouldn’t hurt.’

My hand was perfectly positioned to grab her waist. I lightly held her waist and gave her the answer she wanted.

“Sure. Can I call you Seo-heun?”

“Yes, Oppa. Hehe…”

‘She must be so uncomfortable.’

The skin contact wasn’t intense, but I was holding her waist.

Even though she must be uncomfortable, her expression didn’t change at all.

‘Heh… I feel like I’m getting competitive now.’



I suddenly felt like taking off that mask. I wanted to see the face behind it twist in reaction.

When I lightly touched Woo Seo-heun’s face, I caught a brief flicker of unease in her eyes.

As a joke, I leaned in closer, and Woo Seo-heun hastily opened her mouth.

“Y-Yoon Seong oppa? W-Wait…”

I wasn’t planning to kiss her or anything. I just wanted to see her flustered.

“Brother, sister! What are you doing? Hurry up!”

“…You’ve got dust in your hair. Let’s go, Seo-heun.”

“Ah…”

*Pfft, look at that expression.*

I don’t know how to describe it, but it was a mix of half the kind priest act and half a twisted face.

Someone might say that Woo Seo-heun could’ve snapped and attacked me, but she’s in no position to do that.

*If she attacks me, she’s dead too.*

Just by numbers alone, it’s 3 to 1, and we’ve got the Sword Monarch on our side.

*And my chimera too.*

From Woo Seo-heun’s perspective, Hyeon-jin and Ho-won might be manageable, but the Sword Monarch is someone she can’t ignore.

And there’s one more insurance. That is…

*Whoosh—*

*Thud!*

An arrow suddenly flew toward Woo Seo-heun’s ankle, but Ho-won quickly blocked it with his shield.

*They’re here.*

“Brother! Ambush…!”

“I know.”

Our party was on high alert due to the sudden ambush inside the dungeon.

“…Lee Yun-seong, you shouldn’t step away from behind me.”

Wi Ho-yeon pushed me back and drew her sword.

Woo Seo-heun was just standing there with a dumbfounded look after being attacked.

While everyone was tense from the sudden situation, I wasn’t nervous at all. Because…

*I’m the one who called them.*

Soon, about ten masked figures appeared in front of us.

Seeing their numbers, Wi Ho-yeon’s face hardened, and she whispered to me.

“…Lee Yun-seong, I’ll protect you no matter what. Even if it costs me my life…”

*No, Ho-yeon, that’s not necessary.*

“How dare… these filthy outlaws…”

*They’re not outlaws.*

It seems Wi Ho-yeon’s memories of being attacked by outlaws in the past are overlapping.

I gave a signal to the one at the front of the group.

My signal was to attack.

Ruska and the Acacia Clan members started attacking us, though of course, they had no real intention to kill.

But our party, unaware of this, was in a desperate situation.

Wi Ho-yeon was especially worried about me, fearing I might get hurt.

*I feel kinda guilty.*

Well, there’s no need to worry about the others getting hurt. It’s all staged anyway.

*The important thing is… over there.*

Hyeon-jin and Ho-won were each dealing with two, Wi Ho-yeon was handling five, and Woo Seo-heun…

“Damn…!”

I almost burst out laughing at Woo Seo-heun’s expression.

She was hiding her abilities, but her face was one of someone staring death in the eye.

*It’s tough dealing with Ruska, huh?*

She must be going crazy wondering where such a strong opponent came from.

She had already switched her job to Abyssal Priest and was resisting with all her might.

“This… insane!”

The fact that she, who never cursed, let out a swear word showed just how desperate she was.

******

*What’s this?*

Woo Seo-heun couldn’t hide her confusion at the sudden situation.

It’s understandable, since the mysterious figures who appeared were people she didn’t know.

*Outlaws?*

When she heard the Sword Monarch’s words to Lee Yun-seong, it seemed even the Eternity members didn’t know who they were.

*Could they be from our side?*

For a moment, she thought they might be from the Execution Society, but when they attacked, she realized her assumption was wrong.

“This… insane!”

Only one person was attacking her.

The problem was that she was about to die to that one person.

Shocked by the level of the woman attacking her, she immediately revealed her true job. After all, survival came first.

“Quick, restrain that woman!”

Magic circles formed, creating tentacle-like restraints, but…

“……”

The woman silently slashed through them all with her dagger.

*Damn it!*

She never thought those restraints would hold the woman, but seeing them destroyed so easily made her want to curse.

*How is there a woman like this among the outlaws?*

The Execution Society doesn’t control all outlaws, but among the ones she knew, there was definitely no one like this.

*And why me…!*

Of all people, why was this woman targeting her? She felt like cursing her luck.

*I can’t let her get any closer.*

In a fight between a magic-based class and a close-combat class, the close-combat class has the advantage.

Especially if the distance is completely closed, there’s no way to turn the tables.

“Damn it!”

She was about to use her last resort. There was a risk of the dungeon collapsing, but surviving was her priority.

Just as she was about to channel her mana…

Her judgment was a bit slow, and the masked woman closed the distance in an instant.

*Insane…!*

In the blink of an eye, the woman’s leg was right in front of Woo Seo-heun’s face.