IRNH C32

Chapter 32

Fwoosh—

As Sihyeon took a few steps forward, cutting through the light that seemed to sweep over him, he lifted his eyelids at the sudden freshness of the air and the scent of grass.

And at that very moment, an all-too-familiar window floated up before his eyes, which he glared at with an expression of sheer annoyance.

[system: Quest generated! You have become a warrior of the Rookie Mercenary Corps! Rescue the prince of the Kingdom of Paliacent! hint – Let’s collect information! (Time limit: 15 days)]

“…This I didn’t expect.”

The content written there was eerily similar to an experience he knew all too well. After enduring it for ten years, there was no way it was a mistake.

‘Something’s off.’

Sihyeon lowered his gaze to examine himself. Instead of the gray hoodie he had originally worn, his body was now wrapped in different clothing, and aside from the sword in his hand, his palms were completely empty.

“Hyung!”

At that moment, from the bushes behind him, an unfamiliar energy began to gather, followed soon after by a booming voice calling out to him. It was Lee Kyu-min.

Thankfully, he hadn’t been dropped far away but had appeared right beside him.

“Did you see the quest?! Haah, what unlucky timing. If we don’t find him within fifteen days, we might have to leave and re-enter.”

Seeing Kyu-min wrapped in a hunter-like outfit with a shabby bow strapped across his back, Sihyeon slightly furrowed his brows.

‘They say fifteen days, but if I have to bring guild members back whose condition I can’t even guarantee, that’s going to take at least five days….’

To return, they would have to go all the way back to the entrance of the very first zone. Which meant, in reality, only ten awkward days were given.

Sihyeon placed greater weight on the possibility that he might not be able to complete the task in one go.

Just then, once again, he felt energy condensing in the nearby clearing.

It was the exact same phenomenon that had occurred when Kyu-min appeared. Delighted, Sihyeon turned his head—only to let his sword slip weakly from his hand.

Clang—

“Master.”

“Ah… Uh….”

Hair tied high in a ponytail with a blue ribbon, a skirt draped over a 191 cm frame, and a staff in hand.

Taewoon looked exactly like a female mage straight out of a fantasy novel or game.

According to the joking remark that stats varied depending on exposure, this could hardly be called a good outfit. But even setting that aside, the sight before him was far too shocking.

“What… what the hell is this….”

“Mm… judging from what I see in front of me, it seems I’m a magician? That’s what it says.”

In the end, Sihyeon couldn’t even properly register Taewoon’s laid-back words. His mouth hung wide open as he stared blankly at him, utterly flustered.

His gaze lingered on Yeon Taewoon’s face, then slowly slid downward.

And when his eyes reached the skirt that parted open up to the thighs, his pupils began to tremble violently.

‘Fuck. You goddamn gate! This… this bastard! This has intent, doesn’t it?’

It was far too suspicious. In the end, Sihyeon snapped his head away, half covering his face, and could only spit curses under his breath.

“Ugh… I thought I’d gotten used to Taewoon’s face by now… but this is a bit too much.”

Kyu-min’s voice followed immediately, but Sihyeon merely stooped to pick up his dropped sword, blankly staring at a tree before him.

‘W-what the hell am I supposed to say… that it’s fine? That it’s pretty?’

As Taewoon quietly observed Sihyeon’s flushed nape, which was behaving like a half-broken machine, the corners of his lips curved upward into a smile. He stepped closer, gently clasped Sihyeon’s hand, and looked down at him with warmth.

“I feel a little embarrassed…”

“Wh-what??”

“You don’t like it?”

“No! Not at all!”

Normally, Sihyeon loathed noisy outbursts, yet this was the loudest he had spoken in recent times, vigorously denying it.

If anything, the slightly timid movements and faintly crestfallen expression on Taewoon’s face were far too beautiful—that was the real problem…

‘No. No, Jeong Sihyeon, you crazy bastard.’

His mouth floundering like his soul had half-fled, Sihyeon suddenly snapped and slammed his own head with his fist.

‘Argh. Did I hit too hard?’

Still, it felt like he was coming back to his senses, so he was about to move his hand again—only to find himself gently bound in Taewoon’s grasp, forced to stand still.

Fuck it. I don’t even know anymore.

Forget rescuing hunters or whatever—his mind was a blank slate after the shock that had smashed through it.

Oblivious even to the awkward silence that had settled, Sihyeon could only mechanically stroke down Taewoon’s back, which clung tightly against him without a gap.

Whoosh—

It was then that another wave of energy gathering belatedly reached him. Snapping out of his daze, Sihyeon hastily pushed Taewoon away.

“Ah, looks like the others arrived. Let’s go, Taewoon.”

“…Yes.”

The answer came with the slightest delay, but Sihyeon didn’t notice. He was too focused on Yujun and the others approaching from the distance.

Sihyeon sat Yujun and Cha Jeonghoon—who had arrived with him from the Glory Guild—side by side to confirm the situation.

“So, Yujun is a bard, Kyu-min is a hunter, Taewoon is a mage, and Jeonghoon is a blacksmith, is that correct….”

What kind of fucked-up party composition was this supposed to be?

Hands on his hips, Sihyeon glared at the ground as if to pierce through it, his mind racing.

But no matter how he turned it over, the only conclusion he could reach was that this was nothing more than the gate’s way of flipping them the finger.

“Hyung! But the skills and stats are still the same, so don’t worry too much!”

“Oh, really?”

At Kyu-min’s words, Sihyeon was finally able to ease the deep frown etched between his brows, if only slightly.

As he said, what appeared in the quest window seemed to be nominal roles assigned inside the gate, while their original classes and skills remained unchanged.

Relieved at least in that regard, Sihyeon once again skimmed through the quest’s still unhelpful contents and let out another sigh.

“For now, Yujun. Can you check the compass?”

“Yes! [Analyse]”

At Sihyeon’s command, Yujun focused intently on the needleless compass in his hand.

The so-called “Greedy Compass.”

An item that only those with skills related to detection or analysis could use, it pointed toward the aura of a pre-registered item.

Of course, the Life Watch had been registered into the compass, a method commonly used by hunters.

Even if the media never reported it, there had already been several rescue teams that had gone missing despite its use—its effectiveness was questionable at best.

“The direction is southeast. But… it’s faint….”

Moments later, with beads of sweat forming on his brow, Yujun narrowed his brows and pointed in the direction indicated by the compass.

‘Faint…?’

That meant it was at quite a considerable distance.

Sihyeon clicked his tongue lightly, though he felt relief that all ten were at least still intact, and opened his mouth.

“Well, the direction’s set. Is there anything else we need?”

Patting Yujun’s shoulder in thanks, Sihyeon turned his gaze to Kyu-min.

As if waiting for the cue, Kyu-min nodded eagerly and began speaking about supplies.

“First, we’ll need to procure food and basic camping gear here. Bringing in external items is extremely tricky.”

“So that’s why all my stuff disappeared….”

“Ah? I didn’t mention that? But don’t worry. It’s not that they’re gone—they just can’t pass through the gate. They’ll still be there when we leave.”

At his words, Sihyeon recalled the small items he had carefully packed.

Inside a small pouch were nutritional supplements meant for Taewoon, chocolate snacks he especially liked, lip balm, lotion, and so on.

He had deliberated over them since the previous day, so he felt a pang of regret. But seeing Taewoon smiling at him, his lingering attachment quickly melted away.

Of course, he refused to let his eyes wander below Taewoon’s face. Truthfully, that bouncy ribbon was already quite the crisis, but Sihyeon forced himself to overcome it and turned his gaze away.

Once more, he sharpened his sight and swept across the surroundings.

‘That’s evidence of a city.’

It wasn’t asphalt, but there was a wide, firmly packed road that caught his eyes.

And with a few carriages occasionally passing along it, there was little doubt that following that path would lead to a city.

“There should be a city up ahead.”

“Huh? Where?”

“Ah….”

But aside from Taewoon, no one else could immediately grasp his words. Only then did Sihyeon recall what normal human eyesight was like, muttering under his breath.

He had always kept Taewoon by his side, so sharing this level of vision had felt natural, making him forget to account for those closer to ordinary humans.

Clicking his tongue softly, Sihyeon took his place at the head of the group.

Taewoon, of course, refused to leave his side, while the others, unable to see the city, had no choice but to let him lead.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes! If we prepare properly there, we’ll be ready!”

The five of them began slowly walking along a narrow trail. As Sihyeon checked the still-peaceful surroundings, he sank deep into thought.

‘Well, I’ve read my fair share of fantasy novels, after all.’

If they were mercenaries here, then there should also be a mercenary guild. Which meant they might easily acquire regional information pointing toward the direction of the compass.

He hadn’t drawn up detailed plans yet, but he had confidence nonetheless. That was how sure he was of both his and Taewoon’s abilities.

‘But this kind of situation, I really didn’t see coming… haah….’

And yet, before long, he found himself sighing heavily in a filthy back alley, patting the utterly dejected Taewoon, whose shoulders were hunched and head drooping, his expression one of the deepest gloom.