Chapter 45: Quest-Type Dungeon

Ah, right—first I need to make sure Im Haekyung’s actually at Haeseong.

“I’m heading to the Haeseong building right now. You’re there, right?”

—Jehyun-ssi, you have a rather unique way of setting appointments.

“But meeting today will be worth your while.”

I threw out the reward first. If I just said let’s meet, he might blow me off.

Haekyung’s voice carried a hint of interest.

—Is there something to gain from meeting today?

“Yes. I found a dungeon I think you’ll really like.”

—Mm... so you’re saying you want me to go into a dungeon right now?

“Yes.”

—......

“......”

—...And do you have a reason why you think I’d like it?

Oh, I had one, all right. I grinned and adjusted my earpiece.

“Aren’t you interested in skills other than mental-type?”

In the original, there was someone who got a hell of a payoff from quest dungeons. Namely, Im Haekyung.

'Kinda funny, really.'

He fell silent for a moment before replying brightly.

—Wait for me in the lobby.

“Yes.”

The call cut. Just as the taxi pulled up to Haeseong’s building, I went in with Do Yehyun and settled into a sofa in the lobby.

While I kept glancing at the time, my comm device buzzed—Seowon’s voice came through.

—Hey.

“You at SH Guild?”

—Yeah.

“Good. Nice work.”

Listens well, that one. Feeling almost proud, I ended the call. A moment later, his voice shrilled back into my ear.

—Hey! You’re just hanging up like that?

“You’re alive, aren’t you?”

What’s his deal? He huffed for a bit, then started again strangely.

—So... Seo Jehyun.

“What.”

—...Be careful.

“......”

He’s worrying again? Did he screw something up this time? Suspicious, I still let out a little impressed noise.

“Oh...”

—What’s with that reaction?

“Just surprised. You don’t usually worry this hard.”

—I always worry about you! I’m afraid you’ll ask me to help bury a body!

Guess it’s time to hang up.

Just before I could, his voice rang sharp in my ear again.

—Today’s kidnapping, though, that was nuts. Who even thinks of abducting a guy like that? Even with money involved and Do Yehyun being taken—one look at your face should’ve screamed bad idea.

What the hell’s this idiot rambling about? I let him finish, then cut the line. Yehyun’s eyes were fixed on me.

“What.”

“...If I became more useful, would you take me along more often?”

He said it with his gaze lowered. Honestly... what utter bullshit.

'Is this kid messing with me?'

I’m falling apart without a healer, and he’s whining like he’s not enough.

I nearly smacked him in the back of the head, but instead pushed his hair back off his forehead and studied his smooth face. His confused expression met mine.

“Yehyun.”

“...Yes?”

“What’s eating you? Want me to kidnap you too?”

“You keep running around alone, hyung...”

“So you want me to take you everywhere?”

“......”

I stared at him—and realized something odd.

He looked different. Still handsome, but... somehow changed.

“You gained weight?”

“...What?”

He did look fuller. When I first dragged him in, his frame was fine but his body was all skin and bones. Now, after proper meals and training, he’d put on some flesh and muscle. Looked a lot better.

His face flushed redder and redder at my question, until even his ears burned.

“M-maybe? A little...”

“What’s your weight now?”

“...I don’t know. Haven’t checked.”

Why the reaction? Just asking weight, and he goes scarlet?

I didn’t know his exact height, but judging by eye—high 170s, maybe low 180s. With his build, if he added muscle, 70 kilos late range was possible. I didn’t need a healer with insane physique, but he should at least be sturdy.

I dropped my hand to his stomach. Smooth, flat under the clothes—no muscle yet. Yehyun recoiled like I’d shocked him with a taser, shoving me away.

“W-wait a second!”

“What?”

“Why are you—”

“You said you don’t know. «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» I can tell by touch.”

“Sixty-seven kilos! Sixty-seven!”

“You did put some on.”

He’d barely looked sixty before.

So he lied about not checking? Figures. At SH they’d record all basic physical stats.

“...That’s a normal weight.”

“Who said otherwise?”

He wrapped his arms around his belly, ears blazing, refusing to let me touch again. I let it go.

'So why the hell is Haekyung taking so long?'

Checking the time, we’d been at Haeseong for twenty minutes. I’d hoped to get inside tonight. At this rate, convincing him might not even be possible.

'Do I really have to grab some random hunter off the street?'

As I worried, Yehyun mumbled softly.

“...If training gets harsher, I’ll slim back down.”

“Then I’ll feed you more.”

Don’t joke. With his height and frame, losing more meant no training—just lock him inside and stuff him full until he gained.

“You look better with some weight.”

“......”

“Put on more. You had nothing on you before—what are you losing?”

That reminded me—I hadn’t eaten properly all day. Two potions and an energy bar wasn’t even ten percent of the daily intake. Good potions were supposed to curb hunger too, maybe that was why. I pulled out my phone to search nearby convenience stores.

'Should I start carrying emergency rations?'

As I thought, a staff member approached.

“The Guild Master asks that you come up to his office.”

“Yeah.”

Finally.

What the hell took him so long? Shower? No—it was my fault for dropping in unannounced.

After twenty-four long minutes, Yehyun and I rode the elevator up.

Haekyung’s office didn’t look like some chairman’s suite, more like a sharp manager’s. He greeted us with his usual clean smile.

“Ah, it’s been such a long time since I’ve seen your face. Good to see you.”

His white lashes bent with his eyes as he smiled. The stress on “long” didn’t escape me. He turned and flashed another grin at Yehyun.

“And you’re new. Nice to meet you. Your name?”

“...Do Yehyun.”

“Do Yehyun-ssi. Hm... you’re Awakened, aren’t you?”

No status window needed. As expected from Haeseong’s Guild Master, his mana sense was exceptional. I glanced around the office and whistled inwardly.

'How many items are in here?'

Like the whole place was built out of them. I was still looking when his voice cut through.

“So, will you explain this dungeon?”

Right. Time to ask.

I answered without hesitation.

“It’s a quest-type dungeon. You probably know the kind. Clear the quest, clear the dungeon. Fail, and you don’t.”

“Quest-type dungeon?”

His smile cracked. Thinking it over, no doubt. I gave him a grin.

“Yes.”

“...There’s only ever been one quest dungeon in Korea, hasn’t there?”

“Yeah. This’ll be the second.”

“A quest dungeon, huh...”

“Yes. And the rewards should be skill-related. They always have been.”

The moment I said it, he shot back,

“How can you be sure? There haven’t been many cases.”

“......”

“Are you guaranteeing it, Jehyun-ssi? With that... ‘Appraisal Skill’?”

Not even hiding his suspicion. Ever since Sokcho, he’d been prodding at my supposed “appraisal.” I had a cover story, but now wasn’t the time to use it.

“Something like that.”

I kept it short. He fell into thought.

Haekyung’s arsenal was mostly mental-type. Aside from his S-rank Mental Domination, his other skills were several tiers lower than his stats deserved.

Sure, the internet liked to meme him, but objectively he had a clear weakness.

“Jehyun-ssi. You know I’m a mental-type, right?”

“Yes.”

“You also know I’m not much use in a dungeon without living creatures, right?”

Exactly.

The biggest flaw of a mental-type—useless unless there’s a mind to control. Most wouldn’t care, since there are always creatures or hunters to target. But not Haekyung.

'Because he hates the limits of his own power.'