CH 18

I clicked my tongue and looked at Lee Jehee standing next to me. Seeing that he was smiling enthusiastically, I could see that it was the right choice not to talk in detail. 

Accepting Lee Jehee’s will, I also called Baek Taera to change the subject. 

“But.”

“What? You’re sorry?”

“No? I’ve never pronounced the letter ‘sorry’ so what do you mean? And why do you keep talking informally to me? Do you know me?”

“Ha. Do you think I’m easy? That you’re climbing up now?”

Baek Taera raises one corner of his mouth with his arms crossed. But the spirit was short compared to Lee Jehee. It means that I was more afraid of Lee Jehee, who was smiling softly next to him, rather than Baek Taera who was easy.

“No, it’s not like that, but you keep talking informally—”

“I’m doing it because I want it, so what? I found out before I came, and you’re level 52, right?” 

Ugh. It’s a word that makes me feel very bad.

“What does level have to do with informal speech?”

“Originally, a guy with a lower level has nothing to say even if he listens to nonsense. Because he can’t win even if he jumps on it.” 

“….”

“Twist it? If you twist it you can level up.”

“Ha—”

I was upset at the answer of the man who seemed to have just turned twenty. 

Yeah, I must level up this time.

I made a firm promise to myself, but I didn’t want to talk for a long time, so I kept my mouth shut, and then he poked me in the side with his elbow again. He’s so annoying, really. 

“Ah, why!”

“Ah, why? Are you messing around because you trust Jehee Hyung?”

“Where is there to believe that person— Of course. He’s so reliable. National hero Lee Jeehee. I only trust Hunter Lee Jeehee!” 

[The Master’s mood improves, giving you +1 to ‘Be Loved’.] 

Wow, it’s obvious that it’s a lie but that makes you feel better? Really?

No matter how much I think about it, I don’t understand. Even that ignorant Baek Taera knows that my words are not sincere, but what’s wrong with Lee Jehee? 

“Hmm, I don’t know why you’re trying to make Jehee Hyung feel better by telling lies. Does that have anything to do with your condition?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Who knows if you don’t know?”

“Ah, well, I don’t know.”

“If you just let us know, we can make things easier for each other. Are you interested in something strange? Do you like me?” 

What kind of self-consciousness is this again? Did he become so narcissistic that he even turned away? I’m not sure where he gets the impression that I like him based on my actions.

“Are you crazy?”

“I think it’s you who’s crazy. Do you want to keep climbing up?”

“Whoever climbed—”

It was the moment when Baek Taera, who frowned at the mumbled words, opened his mouth as if he was going to say a word.

“Everyone, stop!”

At Hana-ssi’s call for attention, the green guy immediately raised his sword. At the same time, the wind blew and the leaves collided against each other, creating a chilly sound. In the unusual atmosphere that something was about to pop out, I secretly went to Lee Jehee and stuck to his side. 

[The Master’s mood improves, giving you +1 to ‘Be Loved’.] 

I decided to ignore the status window that popped up for no reason. He’s just a pervert. ‘Cause if I try to understand a pervert, I will become a pervert too.

Whoosh. 

But what does this mean?

As the wind stopped and the surroundings became quiet, a very small sound came in. I swallowed dry saliva with a nervous face at an unidentified sound, and then something fell from the tree as if aiming for that time. Naturally, the group’s eyes gathered there. 

And then—.

“Waaaaaak!”

If I increase the size of the caterpillar by 1000 times, will it be the same as mine?

A bug the size of an adult man’s thigh wriggles on the ground and raises its head. At the same time, other insects stimulated by the sound also appeared and fell to the ground. 

This forest itself was the nest of that giant caterpillar.

At that time, the insect that fell first opened its disgusting mouth wide. Then, a green liquid mixed with red was fired like a water gun. 

“Argh, crazy! Fuck!”

I buried my face in the arms that were close to me in disgust that even my whole body was itching just by looking at it. At that moment, Lee Jehee, who hugged his waist, jumped and stepped back to avoid it. 

I grabbed the man’s shoulder and hung on with all my might because I felt like my feet would fall off the ground stably. Meanwhile, as if the party members were killing the monster, the status window constantly blinked. The problem was that I couldn’t afford to look into it. 

[The Master’s mood improves, giving you +1 to ‘Be Loved’.] 

“Are you afraid of insects?”

“If it wasn’t for that size, I wouldn’t be scared!”

I answered fiercely to Lee Jehee’s question with full of laughter, which I wonder what made him feel so happy? However, Baek Taera was the one who answered instead. 

“What’s wrong with the size? It’s not big for a monster though?”

That’s…not big?! 

At the moment, I was so surprised that I thought I saw it wrong, so I looked at the Monsters once again.

The insect-like monster had a vertically forked snout. Before spitting out the liquid, sharp teeth were exposed through the gaping mouth each time they wiggled its snout as if preparing for a warm-up. In addition, as the size grew, I could see the hairs covering the body and numerous legs wriggling, giving me goosebumps. 

Fuck, I shouldn’t have seen it! If I knew this would happen when leveling up, I would never enter the dungeon!

I regretted seeing the terrible form closely and buried my face in Lee Jehee’s shoulder. I’m not an experienced hunter like you guys! I only knew how to use skills by accident, no, I’m just an ordinary person who has only played dungeon games!

While holding back what I wanted to shout like that, I desperately held onto Lee Jehee. This is because, even if they made eye contact, the dreams would look ferocious for a few days. 

“Tsk tsk, come here if you’re that scared.”

At that moment, a very calm voice was heard along with a click of the tongue. 

The status window has been a mess with the skills Hana and Chorok use since earlier. Baek Taera’s skills, which passed by in the meantime, did not even catch my eye, so I didn’t even know what he was in. I thought I would just be avoiding it like Lee Jehee, but before I knew it, Baek Taera called to make a protective shield and was standing comfortably. 

As soon as I confirmed Baek Taera’s appearance, Lee Jehee jumped into the air once again. As I lowered my head, my eyes met Baek Taera, who was looking at me with trivial eyes, over the shield. At first glance, it didn’t mean to come because he was worried, but because it bothered him to hang on to Lee Jehee like that. 

The problem is that I couldn’t turn my eyes even though I knew it.

Does it look good?

Whatever the reason was, when I thought it would be safe to go inside, I felt a warm breath in my ear. Then followed by a drowsy voice with laughter. 

“Are you going?”

“….”

The voices were so faint in the wind, like the sound of breath, that I wondered if I had heard them wrong. So, to confirm, I raised my head and met his eyes. Longtails and curved eyes give off a dazzling smile. 

What? This isn’t a matter of whether to go or not, it’s just going to end when the two of you go into the shield together. However, Lee Jehee seemed to have no intention of doing so, and just avoided the monsters that appeared nearby. 

This is— You want me to choose, right? Whether I will go into Baek Taera’s shield or not. Huh? 

“Togeth—”

I was going to ask Baek Taera to go together, but I couldn’t finish what I was going to say. It wasn’t just because of the laughter of the man who was gradually losing his smile.

I took my gaze away from the darkened eyes and looked at the side where Baek Taera was standing. I looked at the white shining shield with eyes full of regrets and then turned my gaze back to Lee Jehee. 

The main character in the game and the strongest in the world. Baek Taera, wouldn’t it be better to be with a man who is intertwined by a contract than that filthy person? Although that white shield looks very safe. 

As I slowly shook my head leaving the disappointment behind, Lee Jehee let out a laugh again. I hugged his neck closely as he straightened his shoulders, and didn’t know what to do with the ringing beneath his palms. At that moment, a bright light burst out of his body.

[Congratulations, Hunter Yeon Seonwoo! You have successfully leveled up!]

[The Master’s mood improves, giving you +1 to ‘Be Loved’.] 

Of course, I couldn’t find out about it as I was closing my eyes to death. I was just curious as to why this madman must have a shield, and why he didn’t use that skill. 

He really was a crazy guy who I couldn’t understand what he was thinking by looking at it. 

*****

[Yeon Seonwoo Lv. 53

Attribute Class: C-Class

Primary Trait: Supporter

Secondary Trait: Mentalist

Awakening Trait: ~ (Unawakened person.) 

Physical attack: 255.

Magic attack power: 1,613.

Physical defense: 3,816

Magic defense : 2,791

Status effects resistance : 1,153

↓ Expand] 

The level has risen. It was thanks to Hana-ssi and Chorok, who annihilated the swarm of insects that flocked like crazy as if they were trying to win with a small number of pieces.

This feels weird.

All I did was cling to Lee Jehee with my eyes closed. Then, suddenly, I opened my eyes to the feeling that the surroundings had become quiet, and I met Lee Jehee, who was standing still and looking down at me.

‘Why do you look at me like that?’ When I slowly tilted my head out of curiosity, the guy also tilted his head. At the playfulness in the corners of his mouth and eyes, I turned my head, saying, ‘It can’t be.’ Then, three pairs of eyes stared at us, each with their own emotions. 

Being ashamed was surprisingly not difficult. It was a time when he fell from Lee Jehee with a bright red face and pretended to be distracted. 

<Check out the information window.>

Lee Jehee said in a languid tone. And the result I checked was this. 

Level 53! I really leveled up!