Chapter 38

**Episode 38: Unfinished Accompaniment**

*Unfinished Accompaniment*

———-

A space I’ve never seen before.

– Clack. – Clack.

Harin’s footsteps are a sound that can be described as cozy yet precise, like cold snow falling in winter.

And a pungent chemical smell that one would expect in a laboratory.

It’s a bit dark, just enough to see near my feet.

*Ugh, I can’t see in front of me at all… No, I can see a little.*

‘By the way, why are you flying around instead of sitting on my shoulder as usual?’

*Why? Would you prefer I sit?*

‘No. This is much more comfortable right now.’

*Hmph.*

‘By the way, is this really a space under the association?’

*Come on, what kind of crazy person builds underground spaces up to the 51st floor?*

“Hey, Harin? Wasn’t the basement supposed to be only up to the 4th floor?”

After hearing my words, Harin stopped and turned around.

“As far as I know, the association has 5 underground floors. Basement 1, 2, 3, 4. And then there’s the basement 51st floor. I’ve never been to or heard of what’s between the 4th and 51st floors, so I don’t know. So…”

Harin fiddled with my arm.

“It’s better to think that there are 5 underground floors total. But aren’t you dressed too lightly for winter?”

“Uh, really? I’ve always dressed like this…”

*As an office worker, a suit is enough. It’s not even that cold today.*

Chaewon’s tone is oddly mischievous.

Isn’t it standard to wear a dress shirt under a suit jacket?

“Still, it’s a relief that you wore something lighter today.”

“Hmm?”

Harin left an ambiguous comment and turned back to head somewhere.

*Hmph, how old is that woman? I’m not a fan.*

‘She’s probably the same age as me.’

I think I sensed that when I gathered information earlier.

Maybe?

*She’s still young, right? I can’t let my guard down…*

‘What’s there to let your guard down about? Um… Well, Harin is a bit odd…’

“Oh, by the way, what do you think of my outfit? You’ve never seen it before, right? I always wear summer clothes.”

*Well, of course, it’s summer so you must wear summer clothes.*

“Your clothes? Um… I think they’re decently pretty.”

“Good to hear you like it. Let me see, it should be around here…”

Harin opened a small wardrobe and took out a carefully wrapped gift box.

“Here you go.”

“What’s this?”

I inspected the gift box from various angles.

“That’s a coat just like mine. The one I’m wearing right now.”

*Is that woman suggesting couple outfits? How tacky.*

‘Is that something you should be saying?’

“Come on, try it on.”

I took the coat out of the gift box that Harin gave me and tried it on.

“How is it? Is the size just right?”

It fits perfectly.

Huh?

I never told Harin my clothing size.

“But how did you know my size?”

“Um, that’s…”

Harin stammered, as if she was in a position where it was hard to answer.

‘Did she check my size when I passed out or something?’

*But she can’t even see in front of her, right?*

‘That’s true. So what is it really?’

“Do I really have to tell you?”

Harin seemed to be hesitant about revealing the reason, as if it were really awkward.

*Of course you have to…!*

“Oh, if it’s something hard to say, then it doesn’t really matter. As long as it doesn’t lead to trouble for me.”

*Hey! What if it’s a really weird reason? Whatever it is, you should at least hear it!*

‘Forget it, it’s just a size, what’s the big deal?’

*Tch. Acting all cool.*

But when should I bring up the matter of the tracking device?

‘It might be better to hold off for now since the situation is a bit unfavorable.’

*Yeah, I agree.*

After all, this is Harin’s home ground.

If I’m not careful, I might get a taste of that drug injection again.

“Oh, but I should get to the 4th floor soon or Mr. Park Bu-jang might scold me for being late.”

“So?”

*Huh? What’s with this atmosphere…*

“Uh, so… what about that?”

What’s with this confidence?

“Between your boss in your department, Mr. Park Bu-jang, and me, who has a higher rank?”

‘What should I do?’

*… Is she trying to exert her power?*

“Um, well, I’m not really sure about who ranks higher…”

After hearing my answer, Harin smiled slightly.

Then, as if she liked what I said, she approached me.

Suddenly, she brought her lips close to my ear.

“Wait, what are you—!”

She wouldn’t dare do that, would she?

“… Just kidding, right? I have no rank, after all.”

Then she whispered to me in a small voice.

*Ah! What did you say? I couldn’t hear you with how quiet your voice was!*

‘… I thought she was licking my ear.’

*What?!*

I stepped back a bit from Harin.

“Don’t worry too much, alright? Today is the day we have to investigate ‘that’ matter in various ways, isn’t it?”

“Ah… what is ‘that’?”

“You actually seem a bit scatterbrained, don’t you? I’ll explain it as we go.”

“Where are you going? I have to head to the 4th floor!”

“Really, stop being so obstinate and just follow me!”

Harin grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the elevator.

*Ah! Hands!*

**********

We got into the elevator to go up to the 49th floor.

For reference, the 49th floor is the Association President’s office.

Harin is on the 50th, and the 51st floor.

I really wonder who designed the structure this way.

Anyway, it took some time to go up from the 51st underground floor to the 49th above ground, and during that time, I received information about ‘that’ matter.

First, ‘that’ refers to the gate that we had dealt with before, not the one resembling a snake… but the actual snake boss we had finished off.

Yes, it definitely looked like a blue gate before we entered, but upon entering, it turned into a black gate, which is what the investigation revealed.

And now we have come to deliver that information to the 49th floor, the President’s office.

I wish they had told us this from the start.

It’s a bit frustrating, thinking I might have looked like an idiot going to the 4th floor as if someone had honey on it.

But Harin can’t see ahead, so it’s fine.

– Ding!

[The King’s Insight Lv.3 has updated the buff window.]

[Would you like to check the buff window?]

‘Huh? What is it?’

*What’s up?*

Did something suddenly get added?

I decided to check the buff window.

‘Open buff window.’

[Checking the buff information currently on ‘Han Shiwoo.’]

[Buff Window]

Buff: None

Debuff: Curse of Forbidden Magic

Unknown: Sensory Sharing

==========

‘What is this? Sensory… sharing?’

*What’s with this sudden sensory sharing talk… don’t bring up such strange words. Have you watched an adult video?*

‘Ah, no I haven’t.’

Chaewon, who is sitting next to me as if she’s sitting on air, mocked me.

*Get a grip!*

‘I don’t want to be in the same situation as you, so I won’t do it too much—.’

*Hmph!*

Why is she acting like this?

Anyway, I need to figure out what this unknown buff or debuff categorized as sensory sharing is.

‘I’ll gather information on sensory sharing.’

[Attempting to check the information of another’s skill.]

– Ding!

[Information]

Name: Sensory Sharing (EX)

Characteristics: Unknown.

Skill Description: You can receive sensory information.

If you wish to share sensations reciprocally, it can be done through physical contact.

The closer you are to a heart that is pounding with excitement, the better the effect.

{Everything is according to your will.}

==========

What could this be?

I shrugged it off.

– Ding~!

– Ding ding.

The elevator doors opened, revealing the scene of the Association President’s office that I’d never visited before.

It’s narrow yet spacious.

I wish Harin could see this scene.

*It’s not as great as I thought? I thought the President’s office would have a desk made of pure gold. It’s not even better than my house.*

‘I doubt even a billionaire would make their desk out of gold… More like, it seems better than my house?’

*… No, I wasn’t talking about the house you live in now, I meant my parents’ house before I moved out.*

‘Ha… Did living in a rich house spoil your taste? Then at least give me some emergency funds. You’re useless now anyway.’

*I don’t use cash.*

‘Shit.’

“You’re thinking of something else, aren’t you? Let’s hurry up and get out.”

Harin nudged me with her elbow.

“Uh, right.”

We got off the elevator and headed straight to where the President was.

– Knock. – Knock.

“President, we have arrived.”

Harin said after knocking at regular intervals.

It seemed like we heard a sign from inside that we were welcome to enter.

“Ah, what do I do? I’ve never met the president before.”

“Don’t worry. This is my first time too… No, I’ve never met them and won’t be able to in the future.”

Saying that, Harin opened the door to the President’s office.

– Swing!

*Whoa… that was a bit hard to open, wasn’t it?*

‘Not my fault.’

“Have you come? I’ve been waiting for you two today.”

The President looked to be a bit older.

“That couple’s outfit suits you well, doesn’t it?”

“President, I heard you called about the gate matter.”

Harin repeated her inquiry.

‘I’ll just stay quiet. Surely, staying quiet will help at least a bit.’

*Coward.*

“Indeed, I called for that matter. I don’t have much time, so let’s cut to the chase.”

The President said while looking through various documents.

“The investigation results… the gate you entered is said to be a blue gate.”

“Yes? But…!”

I reflexively opened my mouth.

“Let me finish. The gate you entered was indeed a blue gate, but during the process of entering the dungeon, our association believes it was warped by some influence.”

*What? In the end, doesn’t that mean they didn’t find the exact reason?*

“Others might suffer from similar reasons in the future. So I’d like you to continue the investigation on behalf of us old high-ranking officials in the association.”

‘Are the people in this association passive about passing down work to their subordinates?’

“Baek Harin, I’m assigning you to the gate handling team temporarily. You two will resolve this unfinished case.”

*What? Have they already processed the unfinished case?!*