Chapter 104 – The Second Team Dinner

Day three since arriving in another world.

The air was bad.

That was the first sensation the green-haired woman felt.

She’d had certain expectations, this being the world where the Hero was born and raised.

But the concrete jungle that replaced the green forests felt utterly devoid of warmth.

‘Where should I look for the Hero?’

No one knew where the Hero was.

In fact, they didn’t even seem to know of his existence.

The Hero she knew was not someone who would be met with such indifference.

He was noble, a savior, a guardian.

‘He might be hiding his power.’

In the past, the Hero’s great power had brought him much tragedy.

She once heard him lament with sad eyes.

That it might have been better if he’d never had any power at all.

Clinging to the hope that the Hero was somewhere out there, she resumed her search.

Her condition was a little better today.

The first day she arrived, she’d slept on the bare ground, the chill preventing her from sleeping soundly.

But then she saw the veterans who, like her, slept on the streets, and noticed they covered themselves with paper.

In her world, paper goods were expensive. But it was different here.

To think they handed out such high-quality paper, and for free at that.

After covering herself with a freely distributed local newspaper, she slept quite comfortably.

She got some sleep, but hunger was setting in.

She had some elven rations, but literally only a small amount.

Her inventory contained human currency and survival tools. But she never imagined the system would be damaged like this.

No matter how hard it was, she had to find the Hero.

Day four.

Not even a shadow of the Hero could be found.

Day five.

Her food ran out. But it was okay.

This place had something called a soup kitchen.

It was better than she expected.

Day six.

She learned that the streets had their own masters.

This was information not included in her system’s knowledge.

Even the homeless had factions and groups.

Day seven.

There was a struggle among the homeless.

She fought to protect her territory.

Day eight.

The homeless faction she belonged to was victorious.

Day nine.

The soup kitchen is delicious.

Day ten.

People started calling her “Big Sis.”

Day eleven.

Strangers began introducing themselves, stating which crew they were from, and coming to pay their respects.

…………………

Day thirty.

She got a job.

***

Should I have gone with pork instead of beef?

“Ma’am, twenty more servings over here!”

“Yes, yes, coming right up. Hoho.”

My income has improved a bit, I guess.

“Ma’am, twenty more servings, please!”

“Yes, yes.”

Sigh…

I made a mistake.

For our team dinner, I ended up at a high-end premium beef restaurant.

It would have been fine if it were just the others.

But for a moment, I completely forgot that Katrinne was here.

I don’t know for sure, but at this rate, she looks ready to devour several cows.

“Seo-yeon. Should I order you some rice?”

“Nope.”

“You should eat some rice with your meal.”

“It’s fine. I’ll just fill up on beef.”

Damn it.

If it were pork, at least it would need to be cooked thoroughly.

But since beef is only lightly grilled, she’s devouring it even faster.

I can’t even count how many servings Katrinne has eaten by herself already.

Watching her, Seo Hyun-ji spoke with envy.

“Seo-yeon, you’re such a good eater. I’m jealous.”

“Heheh. You should eat a lot too, sis. Mister is paying.”

Could I pay to shoot your head off too?

“I’m the type to gain weight the second I eat.”

“Delicious food has zero calories, sis.”

That’s only true for you.

All the calories she consumes are converted to her domain, so she doesn’t gain weight.

If she gained weight from everything she ate, she’d be a giant by now.

“Anyway, it’s good to see you eating so well. It’s a blessing. I’ll grill some more for you. Eat up.”

“Heheh, I like you so much, sis.”

The sizzle of grilling meat.

And a few rounds of drinks.

It might cost a lot of money, but I should treat my hardworking team members to at least this much.

Eat well, work well.

“This is Hanwoo. May it stop my somersaults! It is extremely delicious.”

Eat up.

I’ll be spending a lot for tomorrow anyway.

“By the way, Team Leader. Have you really never had a girlfriend?”

Kim Tae-yang asked, his face flushed.

“Me? What kind of nonsense is that?”

In most fictional works, the protagonist transported to another world is surrounded by heroines.

Right, that’s only possible because it’s fiction.

I’m telling you from experience, there’s nothing of the sort.

It’s all rough-looking men, and we’re always fighting for our lives. There’s no time for that kind of rosy romance.

“Mister didn’t have a girlfriend.”

That brat?

So that’s why rumors of me never having dated started. It was her mouth.

I feel the urge to pull the beef she’s eating right back out of her.

“Honestly, if I put my mind to it…”

“Ooh, listen to the Team Leader’s confidence.”

Seo Hyun-ji. I’d love to wipe that smirk right off your face.

“As far as I know, none of you are dating anyone right now, are you?”

So why pick on me?

“I, uh, have someone…”

“Come on, Team Leader, of course you have a girlfriend. Ah, I’m disappointed.”

Kim In-ho and Kim Tae-yang spoke at almost the same time.

I immediately checked.

And he really does.

A picture of him and his girlfriend sweetly making a heart shape with their hands.

Suddenly, I’m at a loss for words.

“You have me, and you’re dating someone?”

“Uh, Team Leader. Isn’t that a problematic statement?”

I thought I worked them so hard they wouldn’t have time to date.

Wow, capable people are different.

I’ll have to manage their time more tightly and grind them down.

Break up, break up.

“Still, it’s reassuring to have my brothers here.”

“Why are you looking at me?”

You don’t have anyone either.

“What are you talking about? I just can’t say anything because I have ears everywhere.”

What, he has someone too?

I guess since he’s a fairly popular celebrity, it’s not like he couldn’t get a girlfriend.

“Ah, Team Leader. Since we’re drinking, how about a fun game of truth or dare?”

“Truth? I’ve always been truthful.”

“Come on, if you just wanted, we could introduce you to someone anytime. If you put your mind to it, they’d be lining up, you know?”

For some reason, Kim Tae-yang was laying on the flattery.

Then, with a pleased smile, he took something out.

It was a device shaped like a human palm.

It had sensors on the fingertips and a strap to bind the wrist.

It was a lie detector, the kind I’d seen on variety shows.

“An indispensable item for a game of truth, the lie detector!”

“Wow, Kim Tae-yang, look at you being so prepared.”

Why does he carry something like this around?

“The voltage on this is higher than the ones sold commercially, so it’ll be quite a sting even for a Hunter. You won’t be able to bear it.”

Kim Tae-yang said, looking at me.

Is this a challenge? It’s clear he came here targeting me.

I grabbed the smiling Kim Tae-yang’s hand.

And strapped it into the lie detector.

Caught in an instant, Kim Tae-yang blinked, then looked startled.

It had happened in a flash.

“Huh? Team Leader?”

“Now, what does our Tae-yang think of me?”

“Isn’t that question a bit open to misinterpretation…?”

“Don’t change the subject.”

Tell me straight.

“Of course, you’re the person I respect the most and… ah, shit!”

Kim Tae-yang’s hand twitched.

Then his eyes met mine.

Slowly.

Kim Tae-yang averted his gaze.

Interesting.

“Alright, here’s the question.”

“Uh, T-Team Leader?”

“There have been times you wanted to hit me.”

“Come on, that’s ridiculous.”

“Answer.”

“Of course not… ugh!”

Kim Tae-yang’s body shuddered.

This thing definitely works.

After about ten minutes, Kim Tae-yang was trembling like a frog struck by lightning.

This is more fun than I thought.

“In-ho.”

“!”

In-ho looked at me with fear. I nodded.

Reluctantly, Kim In-ho took his seat in the chair of truth.

“I respect you the most, Team Leader, and I trust you the most. I mean every word of it!”

Kim In-ho’s passionate confession.

The foreigners whistled.

The lie detector lit up the lamp of truth.

Oh, Kim In-ho!

“Weren’t there many times you wanted to hit the Team Leader, In-ho?”

Kim Tae-yang suddenly asked from the side.

This punk. Slandering our In-ho.

Our In-ho, you see, is different from you. He respects me.

“Uh, I. How could I dare to think such a thing, hup!”

Kim In-ho’s body began to tremble. His finger, which had slipped from the sensor, stiffened as if electrocuted.

Sweating profusely, Kim In-ho looked at me.

Kim In-ho, you too?

“Pfft.”

Seo Hyun-ji laughed, watching the two Kims suffer.

The two Kims and I stared at Seo Hyun-ji.

Her laughter died, and her lips returned to their place.

“What? What is it?”

Seeing the three of us approaching, Seo Hyun-ji jumped up from her seat in surprise.

The two Kims held her on either side, and I fastened the lie detector to her hand.

“What is this? Why me! Let go of me right now, you guys!”

It was already on.

“I am the prettiest person in the world.”

“What did you say?”

Seo Hyun-ji narrowed her eyes slightly and glared at me.

“That’s obvious.”

“……”

Look at her saying that with such a straight face.

“Do you have a boyfriend now, yes or no.”

“Why are you curious, I already told you!”

“Ahem. Hurry up.”

My gut says you do.

“I do… but does this thing hurt a lot?”

At Seo Hyun-ji’s question, Kim Tae-yang showed her his finger.

It was still red and swollen.

Seeing it, Seo Hyun-ji hung her head as if giving up.

“I don’t…”

I knew it. How dare she act so high and mighty.

Just as I was about to mock Seo Hyun-ji, Kim Tae-yang suddenly asked a question.

“Have you ever seen the Team Leader as a man, yes or no?”

Why drag me into this all of a sudden?

At Kim Tae-yang’s random question, Seo Hyun-ji’s lips quivered.

“Oh, she can’t speak, sis?”

As Kim Tae-yang grinned slyly, Seo Hyun-ji scoffed in disbelief.

“This is ridiculous. I’m not even 1% interested, okay?”

“Sis.”

“What? Why? I answered, didn’t I?”

“That’s not it, you have to put your finger on it.”

Seo Hyun-ji had taken her hand off the sensor.

“Ah, what are you talking about! No, aaargh!”

Seo Hyun-ji let out a short scream, then quickly composed her expression.

Wow, she’s an actress, all right.

Seeing her trying to act nonchalant with tears welling up in her eyes, Kim Tae-yang spoke up.

“Sis, my bad…”

“I don’t know what you’re mistaken about. You’re not a woman, you’re a man! What kind of question is that?”

Seo Hyun-ji fumed, then shoved the lie detector forward.

The two Kims stood on either side of me.

“You think you can take me on, all three of you?”

“……”

Knowing what I said was true, they all remained silent.

“If you’re prepared to take, you should be prepared to be taken from. I’m not a thug.”

It wouldn’t be fair if it ended here.

I willingly put on the lie detector.

I’m always a truthful person. There’s no need for me to lie just because of something like this.

“Ahem. Team Leader, by any chance, about Hyun-ji…”

I knew it.

“She’s a colleague.”

Everyone looked at the lie detector.

Truth, of course.

“Are you watching some novel or comic? Why would colleagues have other feelings for each other?”

“Ah, right?”

Kim In-ho answered hesitantly.

“Team Leader, are you by any chance afraid of ghosts?”

“Why would I be afraid of them? You can just hit them.”

Honestly, I used to be scared.

But I’ve overcome it now.

I learned recently that there’s nothing that can’t be solved with physical force.

“Wow, Team Leader, you’ve never had a formidable opponent?”

“I have.”

What’s with that look of disbelief?

I was weak once too, and I’ve had opponents I feared.

To be honest, that Demon King fellow.

I won in the end, but he was a difficult opponent.

His eye techniques were annoying, and any damage dealt to his side was reflected back to ours.

“Hehe, we need to introduce our Team Leader to a girlfriend soon. How can you live to thirty without a single kiss?”

Kim Tae-yang, his confidence boosted, started acting cocky.

“Come on, I’ve done it all.”

“Huh?”

Seeing that my words were true, Kim Tae-yang blinked.

“I don’t mean the kind you do as a kid.”

“I’ve done it a lot.”

“Uh, how much?”

“Almost every day?”

“……”

“It’s something you do a lot during a war.”

“……!”

When you hold a funeral for a fallen comrade, you kiss them on the forehead.

Hoping that peace may find them in death.

I have sent off many comrades.

Each time I sent one off, my resolve grew stronger. That I had to become stronger.

“Uh, have you by any chance slept with someone?”

“Sleep? I sleep every day.”

“No, I mean… you know. With a member of the opposite sex.”

Kim Tae-yang’s cautious question.

Seo Hyun-ji and Kim In-ho’s eyes darted between my mouth and the lie detector.

“Of course. That’s a given. I’ve slept with many.”

It’s fine during a siege or when we have barracks.

But in the harsh conditions of being pursued by the enemy, men and women sleep all tangled up together, without distinction.

These people, who don’t know the horrors of war, wouldn’t understand.

But why are these questions so random?

“I have a question for you…”

“Let’s stop now, this isn’t fun anymore.”

“W-wait a minute. You said you’ve never had a girlfriend…”

This question does hurt my pride a bit.

At thirty years old.

This won’t do, I really need to get set up with someone.

“I haven’t. Ah, to be precise, there was no one I thought of as a lover.”

The three of them have strange expressions on their faces.

As if they were looking at someone disgusting.

“Low-life…”

“What was that for?”

What are these three talking about?

No fun, no emotional impact.

I took off the detector and left my seat to go to the restroom.

The three of them, with shocked faces, began to whisper among themselves.

“I didn’t know he was that kind of person…”

“I know, you really can’t judge a book by its cover…”

They must be drunk.

Just then, the voice of a news anchor caught my ear.

—A message, ‘Looking for the Hero,’ is spreading across social media, centered in Seoul.

What’s this now?