Chapter 29 – Soldier – [Three]

Before leaving the village, Seo Yun went to see Gaeulbi once more. It was to return the magic belt she had received last time.

“Why are you returning this?”

Seo Yun answered Gaeulbi’s question.

“This was given in exchange for helping you hunt, right? I don’t think I’ll be able to help anymore.”

Gaeulbi’s eyes widened.

“Huh, why?”

“After I return from the expedition, I’ll probably reach Level 3. But my level shouldn’t exceed 3.”

“Wouldn’t a higher level be better? Why not?”

“Next year, I have to join a new Party with Level 1 newbies. If the level difference is 3 or more, the lower-level side can’t receive Experience Points, right? That’s why so-called power-leveling or carrying is impossible.”

“Ah… So you’re saying after you return from the expedition, it’ll be difficult to hunt with us?”

“Exactly. But it feels wrong to keep something like this after just hunting together twice. I’ll return it now.”

Seo Yun held out the unfastened belt. Gaeulbi stared intently at the belt for a moment, then said with a smile.

“If you really want to return it, do it when you come back!”

Seo Yun raised one eyebrow.

“I just said we won’t be able to hunt together after I return?”

“Then I’ll lend it to you until the expedition ends!”

“Using it to my heart’s content and then returning it feels shameless…”

“It’s fine to be shameless! And honestly, this item isn’t that precious to us. Look…”

Gaeulbi rummaged through her backpack and pulled out two belts. Seo Yun recognized them as having the same design as the belt she had received.

“Same belts? The ones that give ten percent more Experience Points?”

To Seo Yun’s question, Gaeulbi answered proudly.

“Right! I have three. Impressed?”

Seo Yun looked back and forth between the three belts, thinking. One alone was surprising, but three? It was hard to believe.

Seo Yun had never heard of such items existing in the village. If there were items that gave more Experience Points, they would have been prioritized for the Priests, but that hadn’t happened, so it was certain.

‘So, even the most prominent Player group in Incheon couldn’t obtain these items, but these two have several?’

She wanted to ask how on earth they had obtained such items, but she had to hold back.

Gaeulbi continued.

“Besides, it’s good for us if you feel indebted for receiving this!”

“Good how?”

“You’ll come to see us again to return this, won’t you? So by creating a kind of connection through this belt, I can later coax you, even if I have to force it, into hunting together again!”

Seo Yun let out a short laugh and said.

“You’re saying that out loud?”

Gaeulbi grinned.

“Being honest is my strong point!”

In the end, Gaeulbi did not take the belt back. As Seo Yun left, Gaeulbi waved her hand with a smile.

“Then have a good expedition! I’ll say it again, be careful of the soldiers!”

Han Siwoo was standing beside her. He didn’t wave his hand along with Gaeulbi, but he had at least come out to see Seo Yun off.

‘Brat…’

Han Siwoo, who met Seo Yun’s eyes, gave a slight, careful nod. It seemed to be his own form of greeting. To Seo Yun, his actions were so childish and awkward that it was funny.

In the end, Seo Yun parted from the two with a smile on her lips. She quickened her pace to return to the village.

The Expedition Party would depart in an hour.

It was the second expedition of the year. The seven Party Members walked along the road, each carrying their own gear.

As one of them, Kim Jihyeok inwardly cursed.

‘Fuck.’

The weather felt pleasantly warm to Kim Jihyeok, not bad at all. Thanks to the Priests’ Spells, the mosquitoes couldn’t even bite, but Kim Jihyeok’s mood had been sour the entire walk.

Kim Jihyeok rolled his eyes to look to the left. He saw Lee Jongho walking over there.

Lee Jongho was examining a sword—Seo Yun’s sword.

Muttering as he looked at the Magic Sword she had obtained not long ago, Lee Jongho said.

“It’s really an Artifact? That’s ridiculous…”

At Lee Jongho’s words, Jeon Sangguk asked.

“Is it incredibly rare?”

“Unbelievably rare. To get Equipment like this, you have to kill humanoid Monsters wearing it and take it directly, right? The chance of even encountering such enemies is almost nonexistent…”

“Come to think of it, the only humanoid enemies around are Centaurs, right?”

“Exactly. Those bastards are a proper army, so we can’t hunt them, meaning there’s practically no way to get Magic-imbued weapons. Our village probably only has the Chief’s warhammer as an item like this… And they gave this as a reward? That really makes no sense… Did you say some couple gave it?”

Lee Jongho’s last question was directed at Seo Yun.

And seeing Seo Yun answer nonchalantly, Kim Jihyeok bit his lip.

“That’s right.”

“Are they maybe NPCs pretending to be human?”

“They both had Korean-style names, though?”

Really, just listening to this conversation made Kim Jihyeok’s blood boil. Why was that bastard Lee Jongho talking to Seo Yun so casually, and why wasn’t Park Taeyang stopping him? Had they reconciled behind his back without him knowing?

It was a situation Kim Jihyeok had wished for. All this time, Kim Jihyeok had hoped Seo Yun would escape her Ostracism. Whether it was because he wanted her to stay in the village or for her own personal happiness.

But now that his wish had become reality, Kim Jihyeok found the situation unpleasant. While Kim Jihyeok pitied Seo Yun for being ostracized, he also took pride in being her only friend. And now, another guy had been added to the list of those acting friendly with her.

Frankly, it was dreadful!

Moreover, according to Seo Yun, she had two Players she associated with outside the village. That fact also made Kim Jihyeok uncomfortable.

She had made two other friends besides him? Good grief.

Kim Jihyeok himself knew the reason he felt so displeased.

This sticky feeling was none other than jealousy. That was certain.

He dared not express this emotion. Kim Jihyeok knew well that he could not claim any exclusive rights over Seo Yun.

He and that girl were not on equal footing. Not just because of her exceptional looks and abilities, but also when he thought about what they had exchanged.

Come to think of it, hadn’t he only unilaterally received things from that girl?The fact that he had dug her out from underground and brought her to this village was, of course, an immense favor, so much so that it wasn’t even worth mentioning again.

Moreover, Seo Yun had even used up a meteor fragment back then to treat him to samgyeopsal. She only later realized it was an absurdly precious item. She couldn’t describe the shock she felt upon learning the exact value of a meteor fragment. Amidst her guilt, she was also deeply satisfied that she had shown him such sincerity back then, but anyway.

Still, the fortunate thing was that the other guys still didn’t seem particularly close to that girl.

Lee Jongho kept trying to talk to Seo Yun, but his voice sounded awkward every time. Jeon Sangguk didn’t even dare to speak to her. And Park Taeyang didn’t look pleased whenever Lee Jongho spoke to Seo Yun. Well, those three bastards had a history of behaving badly towards her, didn’t they?

So then, the one closest to that beautiful girl was still me.

He repeated it to himself, but it didn’t bring reassurance. Kim Jihyeok kept thinking.

Before that girl grows closer to someone else like this, shouldn’t he make his relationship with her more special?

That girl said she would leave the Party soon. Probably after the expedition is over.

So, as soon as he returns from the expedition, he should… to that girl…

It was a fantasy. It didn’t seem like he’d actually have the courage for it. But he couldn’t stop the fantasy.

Seo Yun’s voice pierced Kim Jihyeok’s ear.

“There’s something nearby.”

Kim Ak immediately gave the order.

“Everyone, bows ready!”

What the seven of them encountered were Mothmen. These creatures could survive not only by eating meat but also by licking moss, so their numbers were large. Thanks to that, they were one of the most commonly found creatures.

They weren’t monsters with particularly impressive special abilities, so they weren’t difficult to deal with. The four Warriors and one Rogue took out their bows and crossbows and fired wildly into the sky.

Meanwhile, Seo Yun had already faced these monsters before. She neutralized one that dodged the arrows and closed in with a single Spell, then easily stabbed it to death. The soul of the hunted monster dispersed and spread among the seven of them.

Kim Ak muttered while looking at the Mothman stabbed to death by the burning sword.

“Seo Yun has really gotten incredibly strong. With Dexterity 8 and a Magic Weapon… isn’t she the strongest in our Party now?”

Seo Yun pretended to be indifferent, appreciating the praise, then thought. Why is that bastard Park Taeyang acting like that again?

Park Taeyang was frowning. Was he displeased with the performance of the other Priest in the Party?

Well, even while his crony Lee Jongho was pretending to be friendly, Park Taeyang still seemed to dislike her.

‘Well, as long as he doesn’t openly pick a fight, it’s fine.’

As far as Seo Yun could feel, that alone made the Party atmosphere much better than last time. It wasn’t exactly enjoyable, but at least it wasn’t uncomfortable.

In Seo Yun’s view, that was enough. In fact, if the Party had been like this from the beginning, she wouldn’t have thought about leaving the Party.

Seo Yun continued thinking. Maybe she could even stay in this Party? If those bastards just keep behaving like they are now…

They continued walking after a successful hunt. From far away, a huge voice boomed.

“Everyone, come—here—!”

Oh Haengbok’s roar, a summons echoing from afar.

Seo Yun’s Party also responded to the command. They walked for about fifteen minutes and reached where Oh Haengbok was. Oh Haengbok, surrounded by Players, was waiting with a face full of displeasure.

When asked why he had called them, Oh Haengbok explained like this.

“Something keeps getting picked up on the Soul Detection Spell. So I scout the surroundings, and there’s nothing? And when I look up at the sky, there’s nothing there either.”

“Could it be Gutworms underground?”

At someone’s opinion, Oh Haengbok clicked his tongue.

“It seems likely, but I can’t be sure.”

As the gathered Players offered their opinions one by one, Oh Haengun, as the Expedition Party’s Mage, suddenly spoke.

“Could some bastard be using an Invisibility Spell to spy on us?”

Oh Haengbok made a face.

“Invisibility? Have you ever seen a Monster that can use that?”

“It might not be a Monster but a Player. Why, Rogues and Mages can use Invisibility, right?”

“So you’re saying some bastard is trying to spy on us?”

“Yes, of course, the possibility of it being Gutworms seems much higher.”

Oh Haengbok gritted his teeth as if he had a headache. He seemed to want to declare they should just quit and go back immediately, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it, looking frustrated.

Well, hadn’t they already canceled an expedition once, gone back, and then resumed? It was awkward to cancel the expedition again for an unconfirmed danger.

“Even if it’s not immediately dangerous, it’s a situation where something feels off… This is really annoying. Haengun, you, can you use an Invisibility detection spell right now?”

“Huh? No? I never have a use for it normally, so I didn’t memorize it. Should I prepare it tonight so I can use it starting tomorrow?”

Oh Haengbok clicked his tongue.

“Alright, then…”

Oh Haengbok told everyone to immediately run and report if anything suspicious was found, but ultimately, it was just an empty measure. With no proper solution emerging, the Expedition Party resumed its march.

And again, Seo Yun’s Party was walking gathered amongst themselves.

Seo Yun looked at her swaying necklace and said.

“There’s something nearby.”