Chapter 65

I caught the Mongdang pencil as it dropped with a thud, but unlike the wooden sword from before, it didn’t look useful at all.

“Even back in school, I used mechanical pencils, not regular ones.”

I raised an eyebrow. Among us, probably only Shin Jae-heon, the guy who used 4B pencils, had ever used one.

Still, it was a reward from an SS-rank dungeon, so throwing it away felt wrong. For now, I carefully stowed it in my inventory.

The others seemed to be thinking the same, tossing their Mongdang pencils into their inventories.

“Great job, everyone.”

Hunter So Yeri got up from her seat, looking a bit more energetic.

Shin Jae-heon peeled himself off the wall and said,

“Let’s go out and have a celebratory drink. Afterparty!”

Of course we have to after clearing an SS-rank dungeon! I clenched my fist.

“Let’s get out of here quick!”

Back in Korea, we’d always throw a massive afterparty after clearing any S-rank or higher dungeon.

This had been a particularly bullshit SS-rank RP dungeon, so skipping the afterparty would definitely be bad for our mental health.

I dashed toward the restaurant door.

Since it was an SS-rank gate, constructing the exit took some time, but now the outside was finally starting to come into view.

That was when Shin Jae-heon and I hurried to the front of the gate.

“No alcohol while you’re under treatment.”

Joo Yian had approached without a sound, as if he’d mastered an assassination skill, and spoke up.

I wouldn’t believe it if the YouTube ASMR channel operator Joo Yian said so, but he could speak in such a chilling tone at times…

In the end, I glanced back at Joo Yian.

“Just a little.”

Couldn’t I? As I batted my eyes, Joo Yian smiled gently.

“The party will come again, but your health won’t.”

I could faintly hear an undertone of ‘Don’t bullshit me.’

“…Yes, sir.”

“No items left behind?”

“Nope~”

I heard Hunter So Yeri cheerfully responding to Hunter Joo Yian.

“Just my blood splatters?”

Shin Jae-heon’s nonsense followed.

In the meantime, the familiar system window scrolled by. Even for an SS-rank dungeon, since it was an RP one, there weren’t many useful items we could take out.

The only useful thing here was probably that notebook Shin Jae-heon had turned into something worthwhile?

I confirmed the notebook with Shin Jae-heon’s drawing was safely in my inventory, then opened the God’s Shop.

Regrettably, it was time to shrink again.

Having the Pope, Emperor, and Mage Tower Lord enter the dungeon, only for the Guardian Knight Commander to exit with them as a fourth person—that would be a problem, right?

As if reading my mind, Shin Jae-heon extended his hand to me.

The moment I took his hand and drank the potion…

In an instant, the world grew larger as my body shrank. Then Shin Jae-heon gently pulled me close.

—Click.

My gaze on his palm met his eyes.

Shin Jae-heon mouthed something, then slipped me into his pocket.

What was he saying? Thinking about it, I figured it out.

Good job.

That’s what he said.

I blinked inside the pocket, feeling his body heat.

A fresh feeling washed over me, so I posted in the chat.

I didn’t forget to chat even as the scenery shifted around us.

Finally, the three who had been chattering one by one all fell silent.

“…”.

We’d been apart for so long, but after running one dungeon together, parting felt even harder.

Once outside, we’d have to pretend not to know each other again, act like strangers.

That thought made my stomach ache.

I just wanted to get out of the dungeon quick. All go out together, smash the Hunter Association President’s head, and have a real afterparty.

All four of us safe and alive.

That was when I thought that.

Eh? The moment I widened my eyes.

B-rank. Awakening.

“You’re back!”

“Waaaaah!”

The moment we exited the gate, cheers erupted.

“Contact the Mage Tower immediately!”

“The temple too!”

“The palace as well!”

People were naturally going crazy.

“Are all three of you safe?!”

Peeking out from the pocket, I saw the High Priest, the Mage Tower’s second-in-command, and the palace ceremonial officer rushing over in a group.

Now that we were out, the three were back in their original clothes instead of uniforms.

The problem was that the clothes bore the same damage as when the uniforms had been worn.

“We’re all safe.”

Shin Jae-heon answered curtly.

“What happened inside…!”

“His Majesty is badly injured!”

That was true, but Joo Yian would heal him soon enough.

People started bustling noisily in front of us.

“…”.

Normally, hunters fresh out of a gate were on edge, so back in Korea, crowds like this never gathered.

But this place seemed to have no one who knew that courtesy. Of course not.

If we weren’t a seasoned S-rank team, we might’ve snapped and caused an incident.

“We should head back and rest first.”

But we were civilized, so Hunter So Yeri’s gentle voice came first.

No, Clona Eisen now.

As I rearranged my thoughts, the people paused.

Only then did they seem to realize we’d just cleared an SS-rank dungeon—or whatever insanely tough one it was to them.

The moment I felt fatigue crashing in…

A path cleared through the crowd as they parted.

The High Priest walked through and bowed his head.

“We’ve prepared a place for the three of you to rest at the nearby temple.”

Oh.

At the High Priest’s words, I nearly converted to the Shin Xian Church right then.

He said three, but it didn’t seem like there wouldn’t be space for me too.

“Would you like to rest a bit before going?”

Unlike our surprised selves, Joo Yian didn’t seem fazed.

“Of course, no political motives whatsoever.”

His soft voice rang out.

Shin Jae-heon raised an eyebrow.

He wasn’t about to start something here, was he?

No matter how bad the temple and imperial family relations were, now wasn’t the time for personal grudges, right?

A brief moment of tension passed, and he nodded as if he had no choice.

“We’ll impose on you briefly.”

Hunter So Yeri, still adjusting to Clona Eisen’s gentle face, quickly nodded too, and we finally headed to the temple.

—Rumble!

A splendid, sturdy carriage was even prepared.

Joo Yian rode a different carriage from Shin Jae-heon and me, but the hunter chat popped up right away.

He must’ve predicted we’d collapse right after exiting the SS-rank dungeon.

Excluding Joo Yian from our team, none of us would’ve thought of that.

As we praised him, Joo Yian’s messages came in rapid succession.

At those words, my gaze from poking out of Shin Jae-heon’s pocket met his.

Hunter So Yeri in the Mage Tower carriage probably wore the same expression as us.

No way all this was Joo Yian’s scheme?

We’d planned to sneak some drinks later!

Thinking about it, a temple wouldn’t even have booze to sneak!

[…]

Silence followed Shin Jae-heon’s chat.

Of course, suddenly turning the carriage around now would just earn us RP dungeon penalties with no escape.

Joo Yian wouldn’t miss that.

…No wonder his expression looked so smug when we boarded!

This was definitely!

The three of us vented our non-complaints, but Joo Yian didn’t budge.

Then he posted a scary follow-up.

At that chat, Shin Jae-heon and I froze.

What we said next could turn Instructor Joo Yian into an angel or a devil.

In the end, we tucked our tails.

We were already tense thinking about the loving nagging from Joo Yian during treatment—no this, no that, why did you do that then, all healer-style scolding.

Of course, dozing off or arguing would restart the scolding from the beginning in that soft voice.

Then Hunter So Yeri, relatively more relaxed than us, asked.

Important question. Otherwise, I’d have to rest in Shin Jae-heon’s pocket!

Just now? No way, something like ‘Can I drink?’ or whatever?

But contrary to expectations, her point was weighty.

Forgetting the main quest item would disqualify an S-rank.

Because we cleared the gate?

We’d cleared quite a few dungeons since first seeing the apocalypse, so it made sense.

What could it be? Shin Jae-heon and I exchanged glances.