Chapter 164

Is that guy drunk?

The first thought that crossed Shin Jae-heon’s mind was this.

It was true that he hadn’t had a drink in a long time, but not enough to get him this wasted, right?

Shin Jae-heon, who had initially planned to go help him, realized something was off.

Joo Yian was staggering, his arm flailing without properly supporting himself.

“!”

That he barely managed to steady his falling body must be thanks to his S-rank sense of balance.

Of course, not falling didn’t make it any less strange.

Shin Jae-heon watched Joo Yian quietly for a moment, then approached without a word instead of calling out to him.

“…….”

Joo Yian, who had been fumbling around the wine cellar with a somewhat troubled expression, nearly dropped the wine bottle he was holding.

—Clink.

If the wine had hit the floor and rolled, it would have made a noise loud enough to reach Shin Yuli or So Yeri the hunter.

Realizing this, Joo Yian flinched in panic, but froze when someone caught the bottle.

“Ah…….”

His gaze landed unstably on Shin Jae-heon, then darted away.

Shin Jae-heon watched his eyes before narrowing his own.

“Thank you.”

In the meantime, Joo Yian’s mild voice rang out. It was the same calm tone as always.

But Shin Jae-heon still frowned and asked,

“Are you not feeling well?”

At his words, Joo Yian nodded slightly.

“A little.”

He seemed intent on brushing it off like that.

—Click.

But instead of a reply from Shin Jae-heon, the sound of the wine cellar door closing returned.

“……!”

As Joo Yian froze, Shin Jae-heon returned to stand in front of him.

“How bad is it?”

“Not bad enough to worry about.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

The question-and-answer continued without pause. After a brief silence, Shin Jae-heon suddenly asked,

“Then why can’t you see this?”

He had already extended his hand forward.

Malettia’s sword in his grip hovered precariously by Joo Yian’s neck.

No matter the difference in dynamic vision between a healer and a dealer, failing to notice a sword approaching one’s throat head-on was impossible.

It meant his vision wasn’t just blurry—it had narrowed extremely.

“……This.”

Joo Yian, belatedly noticing the red greatsword near his neck, showed a bewildered expression.

“Since when has it been like this?”

Shin Jae-heon asked.

He had thought something was off.

He’d heard rumors that the Pope had started wearing glasses, but dismissed it as a whim.

He’d worn a monocle before anyway.

But ever since hearing one trivial piece of news, the feeling had grown strange.

Ariensa Cyan Demar was holding papers at a distance and had memorized an entire recitation script that didn’t need to be for public activities.

And what truly ignited Shin Jae-heon’s suspicions was right after the last school RP dungeon.

‘……?’

Joo Yian the hunter, furrowing his brow with an uncharacteristically serious expression, seemed unable to properly see the student ID placed in his hand as a reward at first.

There was no way that could be.

Was he just tired? Healing skills consumed a lot of mental power, especially.

But he’d never been in this bad a state before. There were plenty of dungeons where he’d used even more healing skills.

And what sealed his suspicions was today.

‘Come this way.’

After finishing Shin Jae-heon’s treatment, Joo Yian had gestured strangely while calling for Shin Yuli.

In a direction slightly off from where Shin Yuli actually was.

He hadn’t injured his eyes, so why?

And then he’d seen this sight amid his growing doubts.

It was certain.

This wasn’t from an injury—something else was wrong with Joo Yian the hunter’s eyesight.

“What happened to your eyes?”

He asked directly. Joo Yian fell silent for a moment before replying,

“I’ll tell you after we leave this dungeon.”

But Shin Jae-heon ignored him.

“It’s getting worse, isn’t it?”

It hadn’t been this bad with the student ID last time.

“…….”

Perhaps Shin Jae-heon’s words hit the mark, as Joo Yian fell silent.

“Maybe.”

Shin Jae-heon looked at him and slowly opened his mouth.

There had been something puzzling him for a while.

Why did he and So Yeri the hunter get 20% job bonuses, but Joo Yian the Pope got 50%?

Was it really because the dungeon was hard, so they gave extra to heals?

If the system was that considerate, gates wouldn’t exist in the first place.

Then the answer was one.

A penalty for the abnormally high skill effect bonus.

“Heal penalty?”

At those words, Joo Yian froze again. He’d missed the timing to deny it.

—Clunk.

Shin Jae-heon tossed the sword into his inventory and held up three fingers.

“Can you see this?”

He waved his hand in front of Joo Yian, but Joo Yian slowly closed and opened his eyes.

“……It’ll recover somewhat with rest. Considering your condition too.”

There was a trap in those words. Shin Jae-heon narrowed his eyes.

“Not completely, right?”

“…….”

Since he wasn’t the type to lie or dodge effectively, Joo Yian eventually nodded.

“Yes.”

Shin Jae-heon bit his lip.

“……Does it affect your vision every time you heal?”

Joo Yian didn’t deny that either.

After a long silence, he said,

“……I don’t want the team to know. We can’t go without heals in an L-rank dungeon.”

At his words, Shin Jae-heon’s lips twisted.

“What if it goes completely blind? Is this permanent?”

Or would it end once they cleared this damn RP dungeon?

Joo Yian shook his head at his question.

“It’s still a debuff for now, but I’m not sure if it’ll persist after leaving the dungeon.”

“…….”

A complex mix of emotions crossed Shin Jae-heon’s face.

How could he keep this from the team and bear it alone?

Of course, he could somewhat understand Joo Yian’s feelings.

As he’d said, moving without a healer’s skills in an L-rank dungeon was suicide.

But no one on the team wanted Joo Yian’s unilateral sacrifice.

Even if it was “unavoidable,” they should look for a way.

He’d wondered why this usually open guy had so many secrets in this dungeon…….

“Is your personal quest related to this?”

This was the only thing Joo Yian had hidden in this dungeon.

In the end, Joo Yian nodded.

“……Clear the RP dungeon without losing vision.”

At those words, Shin Jae-heon closed his eyes. Joo Yian’s voice echoed in the darkness.

“That’s the condition.”

This is insane. Shin Jae-heon thought as he opened his eyes.

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

He had to ask even knowing. Sure enough, Joo Yian gave a pained smile.

“You know why.”

……Yeah, I wouldn’t have said either.

A party with a rank-dropped Shin Yuli and no tank—if the healer was compromised too?

Their activity range would shrink to nothing.

But still.

“…….”

Shin Jae-heon rubbed his forehead.

Joo Yian the hunter didn’t want everyone holding back for him only to mess up.

It had already been months since entering this L-rank dungeon. They’d blocked gates for long stretches, and an SS-rank had just popped up recently, so soon.

A critical crisis would hit.

Knowing that, Joo Yian had kept even more silent.

“Joo Hunter Yian, this…….”

But this wasn’t right.

Shin Jae-heon continued in a subdued voice.

“Better tell the team and find a direction.”

Hiding it wasn’t the answer. But Joo Yian shook his head.

He let out a short sigh, then whispered softly.

“Please keep her from blaming herself.”

Shin Jae-heon froze.

He immediately knew who “her” was.

The party that had tanked even with just two dealers was struggling due to Shin Yuli’s rank drop—it was true.

But Shin Yuli was providing more than enough support in return.

Still, there were times when they needed to be just a bit stronger, a bit more…….

Being an L-rank dungeon, such situations were inevitable.

Even more than in something like “The Mansion’s Guest (SS)” dungeon.

“If she’d grown stronger a little faster, this wouldn’t have happened…… I don’t want to see her blame herself like that. So,”

Joo Hunter Yian smiled again. A pained smile.

Shin Jae-heon knew So Yeri the hunter pitied that smile terribly.

‘When you smile, smile fully. Where’s the fun in making the watcher hurt too.’

And he felt the same. Shin Yuli probably did too.

Forcing that special measure on Joo Yian at this afterparty, even if reluctantly, came from the same sentiment.

Don’t pretend you’re fine alone. Don’t swallow the pain.

But.

“Shh.”

Joo Hunter Yian pressed a finger to his lips and smiled faintly.

Keep it secret, he whispered.

This guy was trying to hide it again.

Shin Jae-heon shook his head.

“Sit out the raid. It’s unclear if it can recover. More than that, if you lose your sight,”

He grabbed Joo Yian’s shoulder.

“You can’t clear your personal quest.”

Even if they cleared the dungeon, Joo Yian wouldn’t be able to leave.

“But we can’t not use healing skills.”

“No, I’ll make it work somehow.”

Shin Jae-heon said with a hardened face.

“Even if you have to pop pills to endure, we’ll cut back on heals. Tell the other two and slow the raid pace if needed, change methods—”

At his words, Joo Yian shook his head.

“This isn’t a dungeon we can clear leisurely, Shin Jae-heon hunter.”

Their opinions weren’t bridging.

Cold gaze met mild gaze.

Joo Hunter Yian said,

“It’s what I want.”

I want everyone to survive and return, even if I lose both eyes.

Shin Jae-heon clenched his fist tight.