When I belatedly realized that among his special abilities was one that could see through another’s Fortune Window.

I had asked Cheon Gunam to keep my special ability a secret.

Cheon Gunam had readily promised to do so.

Funnily enough, I believed him.

Because judging by his fortune, I didn’t think he was a bad person.

Cheon Gunam was born on the Eulsa Day, possessing the Eulsa Day Pillar.

People with the Eulsa Day Pillar are not ruthless and have an affectionate nature.

It is fundamentally a kind and compassionate fortune, but there was another characteristic.

Those with the Eulsa Day Pillar are quick-witted and eloquent, but they tend to bluff and boast.

While they sometimes use their excellent speaking skills for good, they can also abuse them by gossiping behind others’ backs.

Around the time a party member who had gone to the Demon Realm with me returned severely injured.

He had been spreading rumors about my special ability.

People began to suspect me after hearing those words.

“I almost died going to the Demon Realm with Seo Kangrim.”

“They say Seo Kangrim’s ability is stealing the powers of dead people…”

“I bet Seo Kangrim tried to kill him and take his abilities.”

As the rumors began to spread like that, no one would form a party with me.

Even if I managed to find a party by some stroke of luck, everyone would start suspecting me the moment we returned with injuries.

Cheon Gunam was smiling with a face that suggested he was a good person, both then and now.

Even now, he was having a cheerful conversation with people.

Then, suddenly, Cheon Gunam’s eyes widened in surprise as he spoke to a woman.

“Wow. But your hands are really small. How cute.”

“Really? I’m not so sure about that…”

“Then would you like to compare them with mine?”

When Cheon Gunam extended his hand, the woman hesitated for a moment before placing hers against his.

I see he’s pulling that same trick again in this life.

He said in a half-admiring voice,

“Right? Your hands are really small, aren’t they? You should compare them with the others too.”

People were huddled together, showing their hands to Cheon Gunam.

All without realizing they were showing him their fates.

═══════════════

[Special Ability] Palm Reading

[Rank] Third Ghost Grade

[Description] Allows the user to check the Fortune Window by examining their own and the target’s palm lines.

═══════════════

The special ability Cheon Gunam possessed was ‘Palm Reading’.

Simply put, it was a special ability that grasped an opponent’s fate through their palm lines.

It was a rare special ability, but Palm Reading had its restrictions.

‘Palm Reading’ required the user to examine the target’s palm lines to read their fate.

Additionally, the Fortune Window of a target without hands could not be checked.

For instance, in the case of Demon Beasts, they could not be checked unless they were humanoid.

“Ms. Shin Sooa. Are you alright from the injury you sustained earlier?”

After examining everyone’s hands, Cheon Gunam looked up and struck up a conversation with Shin Sooa.

“I’m a bit tired, but I’m fine.”

“Didn’t you say your hand hurt earlier? Is that why? Let me take a look.”

Cheon Gunam extended his hand with a worried expression.

His intention was surely to check Shin Sooa’s palm lines.

It wouldn’t be a big problem even if Shin Sooa’s fortune were revealed.

If asked, she would readily share it herself.

However, if Cheon Gunam learned of Shin Sooa’s fortune, he would surely exploit it.

In my previous life, he had clung to her after realizing her high grade, causing Shin Sooa to suffer greatly.

I stood up abruptly and approached their table.

“Ms. Shin Sooa.”

As I approached, the people at the table all turned to look at me.

Fearing Cheon Gunam might interject, I quickly got to the point.

“I have something to tell you. Could we talk for a moment?”

“Ah, sure.”

Shin Sooa looked puzzled but soon stood up from her seat.

As we left the dining hall together, I felt someone’s gaze but ignored it.

Finding a spot away from people, we moved to the vicinity of the first-floor training room.

Shin Sooa stared at me for a moment before asking.

“What is it?”

“There are a few things I need to tell you.”

I had brought her here with the intention of separating her from Cheon Gunam, but I figured it would be a good time to tell her a few things.

I asked Shin Sooa,

“Ms. Shin Sooa, what do you think my abilities are?”

“Hmm… A special ability to create flames. And an ability to recognize the abilities of others and yourself?”

Since I had told her what her ability was in the building on the first day, it was only natural she would notice.

I nodded.

“That’s correct. I would appreciate it if you kept it a secret that I possess those abilities.”

“Yes, understood.”

She said with a calm face.

Even without me saying this, Shin Sooa would have kept it a secret.

I continued speaking.

“Also, I think it would be best if you kept your distance from Cheon Gunam.”

“Why?”

“He has an ability called Palm Reading, which allows him to see through another’s Fortune Window by reading their palm lines.”

“So that’s why he was looking at hands earlier…”

It seemed Shin Sooa had also thought something was off.

Having delivered my message, I turned to leave.

“Anyway, I just wanted to let you know. Excuse me.”

Having said everything I needed to say, I exited the training room.

This should block any possibility of Shin Sooa getting entangled with Cheon Gunam.

It seemed like Shin Sooa wanted to say something to me, but she didn’t follow me out.

After finishing my business and stepping out into the lobby, I saw someone leaning against the wall.

It was Cheon Gunam.

It seemed he had followed Shin Sooa and me, waiting nearby.

“Your name is Seo Kangrim, right? Hello. I’m Cheon Gunam.”

He approached me with a good-natured smile.

Just like in my previous life.

I stared at him with both hands shoved in my pockets.

“I’ve been wanting to have a chat with you at least once. Ah, thanks to you, I’m using the Wi-Fi well.”

Cheon Gunam said that and offered a handshake.

My hands remained firmly in my pockets, however.

When I silently glared at him, Cheon Gunam withdrew his hand with a laugh.

“Hahaha, you’re really cool, Mr. Seo Kangrim.”

Despite my overtly cold treatment, Cheon Gunam maintained a smiling face.

Whether he had a good personality or was just a good actor.

He spoke again with an amicable expression.

“Mr. Kangrim, you don’t have anyone to travel with yet, right?”

“That’s true.”

“If you’re okay with it, would you like to be in my party?”

He hadn’t even seen my Fortune Window yet, but he seemed highly interested in me.

As expected, clearing the Room of the Mountain of Death in a single day made me stand out in many ways.

Cheon Gunam rambled on.

“My grade is quite high, so it’ll be good to travel together. I’m Dragon Grade, you see.”

He lies so smoothly.

Even when it’s obvious he’s Human Grade.

I looked at him and spoke.

“Don’t you already have a party?”

“Come on, we can’t travel together forever, can we?”

It seemed he had just weeded out the ones he planned to discard after reading their palms.

Those people’s fortune wasn’t bad, but it seemed they didn’t meet Cheon Gunam’s standards.

I felt his gaze briefly land on my hands.

“What do you say? How about traveling with me from the second room onward? My ability will be helpful.”

Did he genuinely think I had a high grade, or did he just want to see my fortune?

The latter was probably more likely.

I spoke with my hands still shoved in my pockets.

“Have you cleared the first room?”

“No. Not yet…”

“You want to go to the second room without even clearing the first. That’s completely illogical.”

Only then did Cheon Gunam’s smile stiffen slightly.

He awkwardly rubbed the back of his head and laughed.

“Ah, well. You could help me with the first room too…”

“If you want to act together, clear the first room first. Then I’ll think about it.”

After saying that, I left.

Only after returning to my room could I take my hands out of my pockets.

If my special ability were discovered in this life as well, he would blab it to everyone.

I had to stay here for months, and I couldn’t just walk around with my hands in my pockets the whole time.

Because of that, I planned to deal with him in the second room, but it was a good thing he approached me first.

Since a separate Demon Realm is generated for each party, it would be easy to cover up whatever happened there.

Killing him would be the easiest method, but I didn’t want to accumulate unnecessary Karma.

He also didn’t have a fortune worth stealing even if I bore the penalty.

Instead, I decided to use another method.

With that method, I could solve another problem as well.

I fell into thought for a moment, then stood up.

* * *

‘Seo Kangrim, I really can’t figure out what kind of person he is.’

Shin Sooa was maintaining her weapon in her room, thinking about Seo Kangrim.

She had been curious about him from the start, but ever since Seo Kangrim told her about Cheon Gunam’s ability a few days ago, she found herself thinking about him even more.

‘I thought he wanted to keep his distance from me, but it doesn’t seem like that’s the case.’

When she entered this place and offered to become his comrade, Seo Kangrim had refused her offer.

Other than that, whenever she greeted him, he would only answer and never actually have a proper conversation.

Shin Sooa got the feeling he wanted to keep his distance.

She even felt as if she made him uncomfortable.

But this time, he came to her and advised her to be wary of Cheon Gunam.

‘He doesn’t seem like a bad person, but…’

While observing Seo Kangrim, Shin Sooa realized one fact: he disliked getting entangled with people.

He had gone hunting with Dokgo Jun once, but after that, Seo Kangrim always traveled alone.

She also rarely saw him spending his free time or talking to others.

His days seemed to consist solely of combat, hunting, and training.

It was easy to see Seo Kangrim going in and out of the doors several times a day.

A person who spent most of his day fighting.

A person who constantly drove himself without resting.

Seeing him like that made her curious.

‘Why does he train so hard? And all alone, too.’