Chapter 163:
“I was a support Esper. I was positioned at the rear, so I was able to return without serious injuries.”
The A-rank Esper, his body bearing the marks of battle, bowed his head at Taylor’s introduction.
“Did you see how many monsters are inside the gate?”
Seo Jae-yi asked, and Grayson translated. The A-rank Esper answered, sweating,
“We didn’t see all of them, but there are probably no more than twenty. We killed one, and another one is critically injured, so I’d say there are about fifteen left.”
“What are their abilities?”
“We only saw fire and wind abilities. One of them was bathing in lava.”
“Must have been nice.”
Seo Jae-yi muttered in Korean, and the A-rank Esper looked at her, confused. Grayson didn’t translate that part.
“Were there any dragons with lightning, poison, or earth abilities?”
“I’m not sure about earth, but there were definitely no lightning or poison types.”
“That’s a relief.”
Even an S-rank like Seo Jae-yi couldn’t neutralize all types of poison. She could handle the poison of Rank 3 monsters or below, but the venom of a Rank 1 monster was dangerous, even for her.
As for lightning…
‘I was hoping to get revenge for what happened before, so I was planning to take down any lightning types first. Too bad.’
She was in peak condition this time; she had been hoping for a rematch against a lightning user, but it would have to wait.
She would be on the lookout for any lightning users from now on.
“Did you measure the temperature inside?”
“The temperature increased as we got further from the gate. It was about 80 degrees Celsius near the gate, so the center of the dungeon is probably well over 100 degrees.”
“Must be cozy.”
Seo Jae-yi muttered again, unfazed.
80 or 100 degrees Celsius wasn’t a problem for her. She wasn’t just a Fire Esper; she was a Heat Esper.
And S-rank Espers could endure harsh environments far better than others.
“One last question.”
Seo Jae-yi, after asking several other questions, asked her final one.
“How long did it take for the S-rank Fire Esper to die?”
The A-rank Esper answered gravely,
“Forty-nine minutes and twenty-three seconds after entering the gate.”
As expected of a Rank 1 dungeon. Even an S-rank Esper couldn’t last an hour.
The A-rank Esper returned to his post after Seo Jae-yi nodded, acknowledging his answer.
She stared at the Rank 1 dungeon gate before her.
It felt like sharp thorns were piercing her, from head to toe. She hadn’t felt this sharp, stinging sensation in a long time.
But strangely, she wasn’t nervous or afraid.
The Rank 2 dungeon in Gapyeong had given her pause, a sense of pressure that had made her hesitate.
But now, standing before a Rank 1 gate, emanating a far greater power, she felt no fear. Only a thrill of anticipation.
“Let’s go.”
Having confirmed her resolve, Seo Jae-yi got back into the car.
She and Baek Joo-won would spend the night at a luxury hotel provided by the US Association and begin the subjugation the next afternoon.
She continued to stare at the gate until it was out of sight.
“Then get some rest. We’ll leave the hotel at 2 p.m. tomorrow, so be in the lobby by then.”
A suite on the top floor of a five-star hotel.
Grayson, after showing Seo Jae-yi and Baek Joo-won to their room, said goodbye.
The room was stocked with various desserts, tea, and alcohol.
While Seo Jae-yi happily browsed the selection of drinks, Baek Joo-won admired the view of Las Vegas through the large window.
“It’s completely different from Korea.”
“Ah, is this your first time outside Korea?”
“Yes.”
“It’s a shame we’re not here for sightseeing.”
Seo Jae-yi, after some deliberation, chose a bottle of wine with a pleasant aroma, uncorked it with her bare hands, and then joined Baek Joo-won with two glasses.
“We’ll come back for sightseeing next time. If you ask Eli, we can come to the US anytime without a passport or visa.”
“Yes, that’s certainly convenient.”
“Ah, or should we ask him for a tour of the US after the dungeon subjugation? A luxury tour, all expenses paid.”
“I’m in favor!”
Airok, who had emerged from Seo Jae-yi’s bag and was rummaging through the desserts on the table, exclaimed.
“I’ve been curious about other countries. I heard America is huge; there must be a lot to see.”
“There is. And lots of delicious meat dishes!”
“Amazing!”
Seo Jae-yi and Airok, both foodies, high-fived. They were truly kindred spirits.
“That sounds nice, but we have… other things to do first, don’t we?”
Baek Joo-won, pouring wine into the glasses, handed one to Seo Jae-yi. She tilted her head, taking the glass.
“Other things? Ah, right. I completely forgot, thinking about our US tour.”
He wasn’t talking about the dungeon subjugation. They had another, equally important, task.
But Seo Jae-yi had completely forgotten about it, as if being with Baek Joo-won was her only priority.
Baek Joo-won, savoring the surprisingly decent wine, smiled.
“Are you that excited about the trip?”
“Of course. I’ve never traveled with you before.”
Seo Jae-yi hadn’t had many opportunities to travel in general.
Before her Awakening, her father had been too busy working as a Guide. After her Awakening, she had been confined to the Center until she turned twenty, and after that, she hadn’t been able to travel freely due to her Guiding deficiency and the constant risk of overloading.
Her last trip had been when she was very young, before her father awakened as a Guide, when her parents were still together.
She couldn’t remember everything, as she had been so young, but there was one place she still remembered vividly.
Jeju Island.
The sight of the beautiful blue sea stretching endlessly had been awe-inspiring, a memory she cherished.
She hadn’t forgotten that trip, even after her father’s Awakening and subsequent divorce from her mother, a decision he had made to protect her from the Center’s oppression, a decision that had shattered their family.
It had been the last time she had felt truly carefree and happy.
And now, she could finally travel freely again, so it was only natural for her to be excited.
“Seo Jae-yi.”
“Yes?”
Seo Jae-yi, nibbling on a macaron with her wine, turned to him.
Baek Joo-won, leaning against the window, was frowning.
“You’re thinking about something… unpleasant, aren’t you?”
“Hmm?”
What was he talking about? Unpleasant thoughts…?
‘Well, it’s not exactly… unpleasant, is it?’
She had been thinking about her last happy family trip, so it was a pleasant memory.
“No, I was thinking about something… happy.”
“What is it?”
Baek Joo-won’s tone implied he didn’t believe her. There was no reason to hide it, so Seo Jae-yi answered honestly.
“I was thinking about my last trip with my family. The ocean in Jeju Island was amazing.”
She nodded, saying she still remembered it vividly, even though it had been almost twenty years.
But both Baek Joo-won and Airok’s expressions turned grim.
How could that be a happy memory? Well, the family trip itself must have been happy.
But they knew that her parents had divorced, her father had died, and her mother’s whereabouts were unknown, so it couldn’t be a purely happy memory.
“Seo Jae-yi, do you miss your family? Your parents?”
Seo Jae-yi blinked at his sudden question.
“Well, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t.”
She had lost contact with her mother long ago, and her father was gone.
Her aunt and Won-yeong had filled the void, but she still missed her parents, whom she had loved dearly.
“But it’s not something I cry about.”
Her parents had made the best choices they could in their situation.
Her father had accepted his life as a Guide, and her mother, unable to accept it, had left.
Their choices had been different, but Seo Jae-yi understood both of them. It had been a dark time for Awakened individuals, even worse than when she had awakened, so it was understandable that they had different opinions.
So she was okay. She wasn’t lonely; she had many people who cared for her and supported her.
“Every day is so joyful and happy now that I don’t even have time to cry.”
She couldn’t waste her time crying over her parents when she was finally living again.
She loved her parents, but she loved her life more.
“…I see.”
Baek Joo-won nodded, staring at her intently.
He understood her feelings now, their bond deepened, and he could tell she wasn’t lying.
But that didn’t mean he wasn’t feeling a pang of… something unpleasant.
“Airok.”
He looked at Airok, who was happily munching on the snacks on the table.
Airok, his face smeared with macaron cream, blinked at Baek Joo-won’s sudden call.
This didn’t feel good.
“Did you enjoy your snacks?”
“Uh… y-yes.”
He hadn’t had enough, but he couldn’t say no. Airok shoved the rest of the macaron in his mouth and nodded.
Baek Joo-won smiled brightly, as if satisfied.
“Then leave.”
“…What?”
“Leave. Or are you planning to stay?”
Baek Joo-won pulled Seo Jae-yi closer, into an embrace.
Airok immediately understood his intention.
“No! I’ll leave! Please let me go!”
“Good. Now go.”
Airok immediately opened the door and left the room.
Seo Jae-yi, flustered, asked,
“Hey, where are you sending Airok at this hour?”
“He’ll figure it out. He can go to Mac Grayson. He’s not a real child, so don’t worry about him. Focus on me.”
Baek Joo-won tossed the empty wine glass aside and kissed her on the lips and cheeks.
The sweet scent of grapes filled the air with every kiss, chasing away her concern for Airok.
“Ah, so that’s why. It would be… inconvenient with Airok here.”
Seo Jae-yi, finally understanding his intentions, put down her glass and wrapped her arms around his waist.