Chapter 8

“Ah, Brother.”

The last time I’d used that term of endearment was when I’d lost a bet to Shin Jae-heon.

Goosebumps prickled across my skin, but I clamped my lips shut and endured it.

Can’t afford an RP Dungeon penalty!

“I heard you’ve picked up the sword again lately. For the succession ceremony?”

Kikal glanced at the sword in my hand, then at me.

The reason he was bringing up the succession ceremony was obvious: the moment I took up the sword, I’d become his rival.

“That’s right.”

I had no intention of denying it. I clearly saw Kikal’s expression stiffen for a split second.

See that, you jerk?

But it was over in an instant. His face softened again.

Then it shifted into one of concern.

“Don’t push yourself too hard. You know what happens if your lungs give out… it’s already…”

He trailed off, unable to finish.

Already what? Done for, so give up? The way this guy talked was something else.

I nearly burst out laughing in disbelief.

I, who’d come perilously close to an RP Dungeon penalty, pulled myself together.

I’m Senia de Pourlang! Not Shin Yuri!

Burst out laughing here, and it’s a penalty!

“Even so, I don’t want to throw away this second chance.”

There was a hidden quest too? I couldn’t help but smile.

Yes! Keep growing strong like this, Senia!

But Kikal must have misinterpreted my smile, because he took a half step back.

“…If you’re that confident, I’ll redouble my efforts too, Senya.”

With that, he spun on his heel and left.

Look at that guy?

I barely held back the laughter bubbling up in disbelief until Kikal was gone. Then I finally let it out.

“Is he insane?”

Pretending to console me, why spout nonsense like my lungs are already toast?

Is that supposed to be comfort? I grimaced, recalling the mark hovering over Kikal’s head.

“It’s definitely a dealer mark…”

I hadn’t been seeing things last time. The fishy aura rippling behind his sword mark had grown even stronger.

“That guy’s definitely shady. He reeks of it.”

Frowning, I gripped my sword again. Finally, time to train!

‘Pourlang First Sword Form.’

“?????”

Was this skill that complicated?

The thought had barely crossed my mind when, after just two swings, my vision went black.

Damn it…

With a thud, my consciousness cut out.

When I opened my eyes, I saw a familiar ceiling. My bedroom ceiling.

A far more rotten reality than Kikal’s dealer mark.

“For real?”

Fainted without even fully using an F-rank skill once? Consciousness OFF?

I’d never seen a system window like that in my life.

Not even in that S-rank dungeon when Joo Yian and So Yeri collapsed, leaving Shin Jae-heon and me to barely clear it.

Unbelievable.

As I thought that, the door clicked open.

“Oh my, Miss!”

A loud-voiced maid forgot her trolley in shock and rushed to me.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

I nodded. Truth be told, not really. Opening my status window revealed a mess.

I’d been at full health before collapsing, but now this.

Is this the mighty power of the F-rank Pourlang 1st Sword Form?

…No way. Probably just my low stats.

I couldn’t forget that system window right before I passed out.

0.2 uses. WOW!

“What a relief! You have no idea how worried the master and young masters were… Oh, look at me.”

The maid hurried back to her trolley.

She lifted the round lid over the tray, revealing steaming hot soup.

“At least have some of this first? It’s soup they’ve been having brought every hour, not knowing when you’d wake.”

They must’ve thought I’d collapsed from hunger.

I stifled a hollow laugh. But the thoughtful gesture wasn’t bad.

“Thank you.”

I sat up and beckoned. The maid placed the tray with the soup in front of me.

Ah, reminds me of slurping mushroom soup on the landing.

As I absentmindedly reached for the soup bowl—

Ah, right.

This wasn’t just about the reward. Slurping it down like back in Korea would violate RP Dungeon rules.

Clink.

I did pick up the spoon, but man, this was going to be frustrating.

As I skimmed the spoon across the soup’s surface and brought it to my lips—

“…!”

My hand froze with the spoon midway.

“Oh.”

My life was nothing if not spectacular.

Tried using an F-rank skill, passed out, wake up to poisoned soup right in front of me?

A benevolent smile tugged at my lips.

This maid probably didn’t poison it…

“Who asked you to prepare this soup, by chance?”

“This? Young Master Kikal.”

The maid beamed innocently. Oh, I see.

“He’s been so worried about you lately.”

Worried about himself, more like. So it really was Kikal after all.

As I smiled, the maid asked cheerfully,

“Shall I pass along a message for you?”

Probably expecting something like “thanks.”

But I shook my head.

“No, I’ll tell him myself.”

“Right, you can move around now too!”

The maid’s voice brimmed with joy. What an innocently bright girl. I waved at the hyper maid.

“Yeah, feeling great now.”

At my words, the hyper maid bounced around excitedly.

“Then I’ll bring lots more delicious stuff!”

“Can you have the kitchen prepare it separately?”

The maid nodded vigorously.

“Got it!”

The maid dashed off happily. Can’t risk eating more of Kikal’s poisoned stuff.

Anyway…

I eyed the cooling soup.

“Wow…”

I’d suspected, but it was really him?

Try to poison your sister right after she starts sword practice?

“This is how he has to hold onto the heir position?”

Pathetic. I shoved the soup aside and opened the hunter chat.

I figured I should let Joo Yian know the truth. But someone beat him to it.

“That jerk. He promised to use polite speech when other team members are around.”

I laughed in disbelief. Of course, it was a meaningless promise now anyway.

Shin Jae-heon and I had made that deal not for us—high school classmates who’d met first—but to spare the feelings of So Yeri and Joo Yian, who joined later.

After conquering gates together, they learned our backstory and didn’t care if we used formal or casual speech.

Our team chats were mostly semi-casual anyway.

“…Did I mention this here?”

Senia had two brothers?

Well, he’d snatched the heir position right after she fell ill, so he stood out as shady.

As I felt awkward—

Shin Jae-heon’s message popped up. I blinked for a moment.

Obvious, but in our separated state, it felt oddly touching.

His question came up then, so I stopped thinking and replied.

Shin Jae-heon went quiet at my reply.

Just as I was about to close the hunter chat, a message popped up.

Staring at the hunter chat, I blinked.

Of course, I’d be annoyed too if someone messed with a teammate.

But considering this guy was the emperor who’d unleashed a bloodbath in the audience chamber recently, it sent chills down my spine.

“…Shin Jae-heon adapts like a pro.”

The guy who always goofed around smiling in gates.

A memory surfaced suddenly.

‘Hey, if I survive this, I’ll buy you a soccer ball tomorrow.’

‘What do I need a soccer ball for?’

Saying that with a horde of SS-rank monsters ahead—total nonsense.

I recalled him grinning at me. Those deep blue eyes seemed relaxed even then.

‘We’ll chop the heads off the Hunter Association bastards who threw us in here.’

‘Screw that.’

Yeah, this was the guy who’d spout nonsense even when it was just us two, facing life or death.

With a chuckle, I closed the hunter chat.