CH 17

Baek Tae-beom and I were eager to attack dungeons.

As transferring Baek Tae-beom’s younger brother to a new hospital was my top priority, money was what I needed the most. I sold all the loot I got from attacking dungeons, but I wasn’t able to

gain as much as I thought, so I had to use my coins as well.

Of course, it was a secret from Baek Tae-beom.

This is the amount of money I have earned, so this is how much I would give him. When his eyes widen every time, and the bright smile that spreads across his face, is so cute. And each time that happened, I had to forget that the man in front of me was over 190cm tall and was also the very villain who would later destroy the world.

Since I haven’t been listed as a hunter yet, I asked Lee Myung-won to take me to low-level dungeons, but nevertheless, I got out of our bad situation. Not only did Baek Tae-beom’s life get better, but also his younger brother was transferred to a new hospital.

And on the exact opposite side of the situation is where my coins stand.

[Summary of Coins possessed.]

[Coins possessed : 400]

How could this be the number of coins a constellation has? Of course, I bought this and that to decorate my <Soul’s Sanctuary>, but why am I still so broke?

I just wanted to sell the ring Baek Tae-beom put on my finger. When converted to coins, it would be quite expensive, and even if it was not converted into Korean won, it would be over 5,000 coins. But, whenever I tried to sell it, Baek Tae-beom’s words, which told me the ring suited me well as he was putting it on me, rang in my ears so I could never do that.

For 2 months, I worked hard attacking dungeons, moved Baek Tae-beom’s younger brother to another hospital, and was invited by Lee Myung-won to join the guild to be established soon. At some point after all three of these events happened, Baek Tae-beom said.

“Why are you being so kind to me?”

“…Kind?”

I questioned as if it was my first time hearing something like that. Blood was dripping from my cheeks, and I had a knife in my hand. I was poorly dissecting monsters that did not turn into dust. 

The monster that I was trying to defeat now was an ore lizard, a field-type dungeon monster that never turns to dust even if it dies. That’s why I’m skinning the ore from their backs like this.

I thought it was ridiculous, so I asked again.

“Why are you saying that now, when I’m holding a knife?”

“But Hyung, I’m being serious.”

“No, I mean, why are you saying that as I’m dissecting a monster’s body?”

Baek Tae-beom had a much more acquainted look on him with me compared to when we first met two months ago. Still, it seemed that he couldn’t erase the feeling of unease. Especially when I was willing to act for him without any hesitation.

“I’ve been thinking about it. We have such an absurd relationship to begin with. We met in the elevator, and you spoke to me, and then you saved me from being eaten, and after that, you helped me with every little thing.”

“That’s true… but—”

“You helped me recover my relationship with Lee Myung-won, and you’re helping me make money for my younger brother like this.”

Somehow, listening to Baek Tae-beom made me feel like I had become a gentleman. I ripped out the ore from the monster’s carcass and looked back up at Baek Tae-beom.

“Why are you being so kind?”

“Uh… Isn’t that something I can do?”

“Is there anything you wouldn’t do?”

“I need money, and you need money, too. There’s no harm in earning together, is there?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Baek Tae-beom said in a rather sharp voice.

I stared at Baek Tae-beom quietly. His eyes shone more golden than before, his bleached hair with black roots, fair skin like white jade, neat eyebrows, his high nose bridge, and his fine jawline that moved every time he spoke, his protruding neckline, and bright red lips. Even though I’ve been seeing this face for a long time, it still feels like it just popped out of a painting. No, it actually popped out of a novel.

Baek Tae-beom didn’t seem to understand and wanted to deny my words. Every time he blinked, his eyelashes shifted, and the corners of his mouth curled downwards, unsatisfied. His face looked so fatal that I stared blankly at it whilst relying on a single light in a collapsing cave where water dripped from its stalactites.

“Then?”

Perhaps it was because we were in a cave, my voice felt strange as the word rolled out of my mouth.

“Hyung is too….”

Baek Tae-beom’s eyes lowered slowly. His gaze reached the ring on my finger. I clenched my fingers reflexively, as if he were truly touching them.

“Too kind to me.”

“You’re… You’re younger than me.”

I stuttered my words out.

“You’re younger than me, you have a sick brother, and you need a lot of money….”

Baek Tae-beom raised an eyebrow as if he couldn’t understand anymore. Seeing that, I made more excuses in a hurry.

“Somehow, being kind… I don’t know. But I can’t just ignore you when you’re right in front of me, can I?”

“So how come Hyung is so kind to me?”

Why is he being like this?

Is puberty coming late? At this age? A person can be kind. Or, is this a sign of your turning evil? Do you not trust me?

All sorts of thoughts tickled my head.

“Why are you saying that?”

“Hyung, I was just asking.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry.”

I politely apologized. I should apologize to my contractor for that. However, at my apology, Baek Tae-beom’s face shifted into one that seemed more unconvinced.

“Why are you apologizing so generously again?”

At this point, I realized that something was wrong.

Originally, I knew that I was just anxious about whether this was leading somewhere and that I was being self-conscious, but I didn’t say it bluntly.

‘Contractor information.’

[Summary of Contractor Information.]

[Contractor – Baek Tae-beom Who Bent The Mist]

[Title: The One Who Bent The Mist

Status: Confused

Constellation: One Who Knows The End

Coins possessed : 42,100

Skills possessed : [Dark Sword Dance] [Hermit]

There are skills that have not been developed because the conditions have not been met. His state is in a status abnormality. Recovery is required.]

I knew this would happen. I put the ore in my inventory and walked towards Baek Tae-beom and held his hand as he spoke.

“Hyung, do you think I’d forgive you if you hold my hand like this?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Baek Tae-beom’s habit of relying on skills could not be fixed, so whenever he continued to fight excessively, he would suffer from this abnormality. In the past, I thought he was in trouble because he would suddenly hold his head and sit down while saying depressing things, but when I looked at his condition, he was in a state of <Fear>.

Baek Tae-beom guilelessly clasped my palm and rubbed the back of my hand with his fingers, and I left it alone. Instead, when we arrived at the entrance of the dungeon, I lightly shook the dust off of Baek Tae-beom’s clothes.

“Do you think this will help me get rid of my doubts about you?”

“Yeah, sorry.”

“You don’t know how I feel, do you?”

“Yes, yes. I don’t seem to know.”

I shortly realized that Baek Tae-beom needed close attention. No matter how dangerous he was, he was on thin ice. Even after I saved him, if I let him do whatever he wanted, it was clear that he would become an evil Baek Tae-beom after stumbling somewhere for 2 years.

[Removed from channel #5532.]

As I came out of the dungeon while holding Baek Tae-beom’s hand, a member of the Hansung group standing by the dungeon’s entrance greeted me.

“You came out already?”

“It just happened. Please tell Lee Myung-won-ssi.”

“Hyung, don’t you have anything to say to me?”

Baek Tae-beom lowered his head and placed his forehead on my shoulder. His puppy-like behavior was ridiculous, so I pushed his forehead away with my finger.

“Yes, Baek Tae-beom-ssi. You should go home.”

TL/N: He is using polite speech in Korean.

“Painfully respectful words…”

“Let’s go home, Tae-beom-ah.”

I caught a taxi and pushed Baek Tae-beom into the car. The drunken, limp man felt more like a cat rather than a puppy. Even the way he held my hand tight and kept pressing his fingers against my palm.

The taxi driver was startled to see me covered in blood, but he nodded and casually turned his head forward. It’s been two months, two months. The existence of awakenings and monsters has been naturally recognized by people, and now, even when they see someone walking down the side of the road drenched in blood, they would pass as if it was nothing.

“Please go here.”

“Alright, sir.”

[CH. Personal/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun: What are you guys doing?]

[CH. Personal/One Who Knows The End: Where did you go, and why did you just have to appear now?]

[CH. Personal/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun: You think I’m your nanny?]

[CH. Personal/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun: I also have a private life and my own contractor.]

[CH. Personal/One Who Knows The End: That sounds wrong.]

Baek Tae-beom sighed and held my hand even tighter. My face instinctively frowned at his grip.

“Tae-beom-ah, that hurts.”

“Hyung….”

Baek Tae-beom lowered his head as if he were drunk, then slowly looked up at me. I thought his face was far too close.

I felt his breath against my lips.

“…Hyung, I’m sleepy.

“Ah….”

Oh, alright. I looked at Baek Tae-beom who was leaning his head on my shoulder and answered blankly.

[CH. Personal/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun: Wow.]

[CH. Personal/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun: Weren’t you guys about to kiss?

[CH. Personal/One Who Is More Dazzling than The Sun: They’re so young, is that why you guys are so intense?]

[CH. Personal/One Who Knows The End: Filtered. (Reason: Serious profanity)]

[CH. Personal/One Who Knows The End: Filtered. (Reason: Serious profanity)]

[CH. Personal/One Who Knows The End: Where do you learn such words???]