Chapter 148:
Seo Hye-ryeong finally relented after they earnestly assured her that there were no problems, that they had conducted thorough checks, and that even Kim Yoo-sung and Seo Won-yeong had confirmed it was safe.
She trusted their judgment, knowing how much they cared for Seo Jae-yi.
Seo Jae-yi sighed in relief as they left her aunt’s house and headed towards the dungeon.
“I’m glad Aunt didn’t object.”
Seo Hye-ryeong had looked like she had a lot to say, but she hadn’t opposed her selling dungeon plants.
She had come to understand how much Seo Jae-yi wanted to do it, and how helpful it was for dungeon subjugations.
‘But I’ll never forgive Jeong Joo-hyung for opening his mouth to my aunt.’
He must have told her everything to spite her. She would make him pay.
“Yes, thanks to my sacrifice.”
Seo Jae-yi, who had been gripping the steering wheel and cursing Jeong Joo-hyung, flinched at the voice from the passenger seat.
“I’ve suddenly become the boss monster who attacked you and died. I wonder how many more times you’ll kill me off.”
“Well… I’m sorry. But it’s a bit awkward to tell her that I inherited your power and that’s why I spared you…”
Seo Jae-yi knew better than anyone that Baek Joo-won wasn’t dangerous.
But would others see it that way? She wasn’t an optimist. Hoping everyone would accept him was naive.
Of course, Baek Joo-won also knew this.
He was grumbling, but he enjoyed seeing her being considerate of him.
He also didn’t want his true identity revealed. He wouldn’t be able to control his anger if people tried to separate him from Seo Jae-yi.
He would rather remain “dead.”
‘Ah, Kim Yoo-sung seems to be suspicious of my identity.’
He had used a bit of his power to help Seo Jae-yi during her overload. Kim Yoo-sung, who had been closest to them, being an S-rank, must have sensed something.
In fact, Airok had told him later that Kim Yoo-sung wasn’t just suspicious; he was almost certain.
‘…Well, it doesn’t matter. He must have decided to keep quiet, since he hasn’t said anything.’
He would tell Kim Yoo-sung if he asked. He could trust him; he wouldn’t tell anyone else.
He wouldn’t drive Baek Joo-won away just because he was a monster, knowing he was essential to Seo Jae-yi’s survival. He hadn’t driven Airok away, had he?
He could trust Kim Yoo-sung; his concern for Seo Jae-yi was genuine.
“This place is a mess too.”
Seo Jae-yi and Baek Joo-won got out of the car after parking near the forest dungeon.
They hadn’t had time to look around before, as they had been rushing back to Seoul, but the damage was severe.
The area was devastated, as if a landslide had occurred, from Park Hyung-woo’s attack. And it had been further ravaged by Seo Jae-yi’s overload.
“This is all Baldy’s fault. He even wrecked my car.”
Her SUV had been destroyed in the battle with Park Hyung-woo and the dungeon breakout.
Seo Jae-yi had been devastated, mourning the loss of her beloved car.
Baek Joo-won had assumed she would buy a new car. She needed a car to travel between Seoul and the forest dungeon.
But Seo Jae-yi, as if mocking his simple expectations, drove out of her apartment’s parking lot in another SUV, a different brand.
‘Huh? Another car? Of course! I have three more.’
She proudly declared that she owned five cars – three SUVs of different brands and two sports cars.
She still had four cars left, even after losing one.
As expected of an S-rank Esper.
“Master!”
Airok flew towards them as they entered the forest dungeon.
“Master, are you really okay?!”
He had been hovering around her anxiously ever since her overload.
He must have been traumatized by the sight of her, covered in wounds and carried in Baek Joo-won’s arms.
“Yes, I’m fine. I’m in perfect condition. This is the best I’ve felt in years.”
It wasn’t a lie.
She had been feeling great ever since receiving proper Guiding from Baek Joo-won after her overload. She felt as energetic as when she had first awakened as an S-rank.
She was so full of energy that she sometimes struggled to control her strength.
‘So it’s true that intimacy is the best Guiding.’
She now understood why Espers tried to jump their Guides when they were on the verge of overloading.
It wasn’t just about instinct overriding reason. It was a matter of survival, and there was nothing stronger than the will to live. Reason was useless in such situations.
‘Of course, those who force themselves on Guides who aren’t their Pair or Imprinted partner are trash.’
She was fine. Baek Joo-won was by her side, and even if she lost control and jumped him, he wouldn’t mind; he would gladly “devour” her.
“You certainly look better. And… hmm?”
Airok, who had been fluttering around Seo Jae-yi, tilted his head, as if noticing something strange.
“What? Do I look sick?”
“No, it’s not that… Master, your body…”
Airok hesitated and glanced at Baek Joo-won. He smiled, a smile Airok feared.
Airok’s face turned grim.
“…No, you’re fine. Perfectly fine. I don’t have to worry anymore.”
“Huh? Really?”
Seo Jae-yi, oblivious to Airok’s strange behavior, was just happy to hear that she was okay.
Baek Joo-won, standing next to her, smiled in satisfaction, but only Airok knew the reason.
“Now that I think about it, Logi, you’ve regained all your power, haven’t you? I haven’t had time to check. Let me see.”
Seo Jae-yi gently held Airok and examined him closely.
His small, plump body, his palm-sized wings, his adorable little feet. He looked exactly the same as before he grew.
“You have grown.”
But the energy emanating from his small body was different. Others wouldn’t notice, as he was concealing it well, but Seo Jae-yi, who had been with him for two months, could tell.
“Should I call you a child now?”
“I’m not a child! I regained all my power! I’m a grown-up now!”
Airok, who had been proudly spreading his wings, deflated.
He thought he had finally escaped the “baby” title, only to be called a “child”!
“But you’re still so small.”
“He shrunk me! I can return to my adult form anytime!”
“I shrunk him because it’s annoying to have something so large flying around.”
Baek Joo-won nodded in agreement.
“Hmm, you still seem like a child to me. Maybe it’s because I haven’t seen your adult form.”
“Should I show you?!”
“Hmm… Can you defeat me in a fight if you’re in your adult form?”
Airok, who had been flapping his wings and protesting vehemently, fell silent.
Could he defeat Seo Jae-yi in his adult form? What a terrifying question.
“…Well, that’s…”
“You can’t? Then you’re still a child.”
He had a lot to say, but he couldn’t refute her, as he couldn’t defeat her. Airok sniffled and admitted defeat.
“Let’s go inside. I’ll show you what I’ve prepared.”
“Ah, right. You said you decorated the cave, didn’t you? I’m curious to see what you’ve done.”
Baek Joo-won smoothly interjected after she finished talking to Airok.
Seo Jae-yi, who had also been curious about the cave, nodded and headed towards it.
Airok tried to follow them discreetly, but he had to retreat under Baek Joo-won’s sharp gaze.
Baek Joo-won and Seo Jae-yi entered the cave, leaving behind Airok, who was sniffling and tending to the dungeon plants near the gate.
The entrance was just as clean and bare as before.
But the atmosphere changed drastically as they went deeper.
“This is still amazing. How did you even get this bed in here?”
A spacious room with glowing stones embedded in the walls. The bed where she had spent several days recovering from her overload was the first thing that caught her eye.
It was a luxurious bed, even larger and more plush than the one in her apartment. How had he even managed to bring it into the cave?
“I just brought it in. Go further inside.”
Seo Jae-yi, who had been touching the bed, headed towards the passage leading deeper into the cave. She had only been up to this point before; the cave was much larger than she had imagined.
“I didn’t know the cave was this big.”
“It has to be. It’s where I live.”
Ah, she remembered his true identity, the one he had revealed.
“So you normally stay in your true form?”
“Sometimes. It’s more comfortable than my human form.”
“Wow, really? Then stay in your true form. You couldn’t at my place, but it’s fine here.”
“You just want to see my true form, don’t you?”
“How did you know? Was I too obvious?”
Seo Jae-yi smiled sheepishly at his words.
“I have nothing to hide, but… later. There’s a significant size difference between you and my true form.”
“Huh? Why?”