Chapter 134

“What about you?”

I suddenly asked Shin Jae-heon. He answered right away to my question.

“Nothing’s gone from my inventory.”

His face remained calm, as if he wasn’t surprised by the fact at all.

And above all, he reacted as if it were only natural.

That meant he’d already known what item would disappear from his inventory.

Sure enough, he glanced at my neck and narrowed his eyes.

“…It’s really gone.”

“Um…”

I scratched my head.

“It was a cherished item. I didn’t expect it to vanish.”

I felt unnecessarily sorry. It wasn’t like I’d taken it from him.

It seemed that as long as Shin Jae-heon didn’t permit it, cherished items were recognized as bound to him—even if they were in my inventory, they were still seen as his items.

“Sorry. I’ll look for it as much as I can until we clear this.”

Even if we couldn’t find it and left, the necklace might return.

Normally, items lost in dungeons like this were hard to recover, but since it was his cherished item, it might be different.

Come to think of it, what had Hunters So Yeri and Joo Yian lost?

I glanced at the two of them. They were looking around here and there, and they didn’t seem too shaken.

Maybe they’d lost dealer-to-healer conversion items like me, or skill enhancement bonus gear?

That would be pretty devastating… probably.

Shin Jae-heon seemed the most disappointed.

“It’s not your fault, so why are you apologizing?”

But that lasted only a moment before he let out a low chuckle. I patted his shoulder.

“Cherished items might rebind when we exit the dungeon, so don’t worry too much.”

“That’d be great.”

Shin Jae-heon’s expression clouded for a second.

He’d always acted like he had no idea where he’d stashed it away before pulling it out now, but it really was something he treasured.

I hadn’t picked that cherished item lightly.

“…”

For a moment, I saw the young him overlapping with the present.

‘I said I hate the necklace!’

‘Losers of bets talk too much!’

That was the plated necklace I’d stubbornly chased him down and forced him to wear. If I’d known it’d be so treasured(?), I would’ve bought him something prettier, more expensive.

Of course, back then we were both broke students without the cash.

And above all… something just occurred to me.

Even after receiving it, he hadn’t seemed to hate it that much.

“…”

I recalled him grumbling softly while slipping the necklace inside his uniform shirt.

If he’d really hated it, he would’ve yanked it off and chucked it away—the kind of guy he was.

Why hadn’t I realized back then?

No, why hadn’t I realized until now?

“…If it’s gone, I’ll buy you a new one.”

In the end, I spoke up. Shin Jae-heon turned to look at me.

Of course, I knew that wouldn’t cut it.

He’d set it as a cherished item, so it must hold memories; a new necklace wouldn’t replace that.

But I had to do something. I felt bad because it’d vanished from my inventory.

“Not that money fixes everything… um, I know it’s an important item. Uh…”

I desperately strung words together.

Promoting the gift I’d given him myself felt weird!

But it was true that he cherished it, right?

“For now, let’s focus on searching here and getting out―”

And if it was truly gone after that, I’d have no choice but to buy a new one.

Standing idly by felt too guilty.

But before I could finish, Shin Jae-heon cut in.

“Sure.”

“Huh?”

Shin Jae-heon was smiling. His face sparkled with mischief, as if he’d never been upset.

That was when I raised one eyebrow.

—Tap.

Shin Jae-heon placed a hand on one of my shoulders and held up an index finger with the other.

“We’ll search this dungeon as much as we can first.”

“Search?”

He wiggled his index finger in front of my eyes as he spoke.

“Buying a necklace is separate.”

“Yeah?”

Something felt off? When I made a dubious face,

“What? Don’t want to?”

Shin Jae-heon turned to me again.

The moment our eyes met, any playfulness vanished; his shoulders slumped.

Like a listless puppy.

“…No.”

I answered without thinking. Shin Jae-heon perked up instantly.

“Great. Promise made.”

He whispered that, patted my shoulder, then murmured even softer, just for me.

“Just the two of us.”

“Well―”

…Who goes necklace shopping with a crowd anyway…?

I shut my mouth as I was about to argue. My steps halted too.

“This doesn’t seem like it. Since it’s a banquet, we should check the end of the hallway first.”

Shin Jae-heon had rejoined the other two hunters as if nothing happened.

Hunter So Yeri held out her hand.

“We don’t have a set time to enter anyway, right? Checking this floor for other traps isn’t a bad idea.”

“I agree.”

Shin Jae-heon nodded as Joo Yian chimed in.

“True enough.”

He walked ahead, looking utterly unfazed.

Plus, Hunter So Yeri and Joo Yian, who’d clearly seen us whispering, showed no reaction.

Of course not. This was how we always were.

Always… how we were.

So why did it feel so awkward? It wasn’t our first time, so why was it weird and nagging at me?

“Over there, I think?”

As I walked in a daze, Shin Jae-heon’s voice soon tickled my ear.

I snapped to attention.

Had I lost my mind? Zoning out in an SS-rank dungeon!

Meanwhile, his voice rang out again.

“Given the building’s layout, that’s the largest hall.”

“With all the servants passing through, it’s almost certain.”

Joo Yian added. Shin Jae-heon nodded.

“Any guesses on what happens at the banquet?”

Joo Yian tilted his head at that.

“This is the center of the mansion, and considering the host’s dignified personality, combat seems unlikely.”

“Yeah, this isn’t Carman House.”

You wouldn’t find many places where they gather for a banquet and hold sword duels on the central lawn.

“Then something else while seated~?”

Hunter So Yeri stroked her chin.

“The owner seems intent on teaching aristocratic refinement… Ah!”

She suddenly clapped.

“I have something to say! Almost forgot completely!”

She gestured hurriedly. We gathered around her, clueless.

Hunter chat would’ve been convenient, but sadly, it didn’t work here.

“It happened during my night watch yesterday.”

She said. I narrowed my eyes.

I’d seen her skill window move yesterday. I knew about the warning too.

…But Hunter So Yeri hated being fussed over, so I hadn’t mentioned it.

I checked her over again. She didn’t seem hurt.

“What’d you run into yesterday?”

Monsters or… monsters…

Hunter So Yeri crossed her arms at my question.

“I stopped the butler from pulling something shady. Got caught ignoring the ‘don’t go out’ rule and took a warning.”

“Ah.”

I’d figured she’d get that warning since she volunteered for watch.

In a suspicious SS-rank dungeon night, someone had to stand guard; we couldn’t stop her from going out.

So she’d triggered it then.

But shady butler business?

“Shady how?”

Shin Jae-heon asked. Hunter So Yeri nodded.

“He brought boxes with monsters inside. Not sure exactly what monsters, but they had S-rank labels on top.”

“You didn’t take them on alone, did you?”

Joo Yian asked worriedly. Hunter So Yeri waved it off.

“Seemed like he planned to place one in each of our rooms. Exactly four pretty boxes. But anyway, that’s not the point!”

Hunter So Yeri quickly scanned the banquet hall direction.

“Guests running late?”

“They said they left earlier…”

If they had intel sources, couldn’t they guide us too?

Though moving without NPC escorts was more convenient for us. As I raised an eyebrow,

Hunter So Yeri, realizing time was short, spoke fast.

“Last night while I was out, I heard someone screaming. The ‘don’t go out at night’ rule is probably because of that.”

“Screaming? Who?”

Who? In this refined mansion?

Hunter So Yeri answered as if she’d been waiting.

“The family matriarch.”

“Pardon?”

A system where she lacks refinement but demands it from us?

As we exchanged bewildered looks,

“She was yelling at a kid named ‘Rifen.’ Seemed like her son.”

Rifen, the one the servants mentioned? So it was the son.

No wonder children’s items popped up now and then.

“She was trying to teach her son piano, but the kid hated it…”

With that, Hunter So Yeri shared crucial info.

“It’s probably been set since we arrived by carriage. Those who entered gracefully via carriage are guests invited by Lady Maiden, while we who walked in another way are guests for her unwanted son.”

“Ah…”

Now the mansion’s subtle atmosphere made sense.

“Anyway, the key here seems to be their relationship. We’re on the son’s side, so we should act with that in mind―”

That was when Hunter So Yeri neatly concluded.

“!”

Her face paled instantly. Ours did too.

Another warning?