EFME 17

Even while eating, delivery food kept arriving. It seemed like an impossible amount to eat, but Bada and Dakyung ate endlessly. Sunyul was already full, despite having only tasted a little of each dish.

“He eats, but he eats like a bird.”

That was Bada’s assessment. Sunyul felt a little wronged, but he had nothing to say in front of the two who had eaten so much.

The three of them chatted about trivial things. Mostly, Dakyung would talk and Sunyul would listen or reply. Bada chimed in very occasionally.

The main topic was about the guild, especially the little stories about the guild members. Among them were stories about Muyoung. Sunyul wanted to ask only about Muyoung, but he held back, afraid he would seem too persistent.

As they chatted, all the food was soon gone, and a mountain of disposable containers was piled up. After they tidied it all up together, Dakyung lay down on the living room floor.

“Hyungnim, can I sleep over?”

“No.”

“So mean.”

“Get up before I kick you out.”

“Heeing, you’re so mean.”

It was already past ten o’clock. Since he was scheduled to enter a dungeon early tomorrow, Dakyung got up obediently instead of pushing his luck further.

“Well then, I’ll be on my way. Bye-bye.”

“Yeah. Go home without causing any trouble.”

“What kind of trouble would I cause?”

Dakyung grumbled at Bada. Sunyul stood next to Bada and saw Dakyung off together.

“Get home safe.”

“Yep.”

After the lively Dakyung left, an awkward air hung in the house. Bada, who had been standing there blankly for a moment, called out to Sunyul.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“You sleep in the guest room. The guest room is this way.”

“Ah… thank you.”

Bada personally guided Sunyul to the guest room. Just as Bada was about to leave, Sunyul called out to him.

“Um……”

“What. No toothbrush?”

“I have one. It’s not that…….”

Sunyul hesitated for a moment. Then he bowed deeply from the waist.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For taking me in… You’ve had to deal with a lot of tiresome things because of me.”

“……It’s not particularly tiring. You’re not that bothersome either.”

Bada said in a blunt voice.

“I’m getting paid for it, so there’s no need to thank me. And if it was a favor for Kwon Muyoung, I would’ve done it even without the money.”

Sunyul blinked. Bada said it wasn’t tiring, but it probably wasn’t something he wanted to do either.

The vertical relationship between a guild master and a guild member. Plus, the fact that he willingly did what he was told despite disliking it, made Sunyul think of the comic book he had read earlier.

“A master-servant relationship?”

“What?”

“Are you loyal to the Guild Master?”

“No, what kind of crazy talk is that?!”

As he yelled, Sunyul’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Duke said he could do anything Liria asked without any reward.”

“What the f……. Forget it, it’s just because I owe Kwon Muyoung something.”

“A debt?”

“Yeah. My family’s lives were saved thanks to Kwon Muyoung. When I was young, if it weren’t for Kwon Muyoung, we would have all died. Kwon Muyoung saved us even while getting hurt himself.”

“……I’m glad. That you’re all safe.”

At Sunyul’s words, Bada chuckled.

“Yeah. Fucking glad. That’s why I’m working my ass off under Kwon Muyoung now. Of all people, why did Kwon Muyoung have to be the one to save me.”

Sunyul just blinked. He was his savior, but his attitude was incredibly irritable for someone talking about a savior.

Bada sensed Sunyul’s question but kept his mouth shut as he had nothing particular to say.

Bada had disliked Muyoung for a long time. But he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what he disliked about him. Just something, he just didn’t like him. A lot.

“Just go to sleep.”

“Yes, good night.”

Sunyul smiled. Bada stared at Sunyul for a moment before whirling around.

⊹₊｡ꕤ˚₊⊹

Sunyul was inspecting his staff. It was an S-class crafted item, so there was no reason for it to suddenly break, but he checked it meticulously with care.

It was a precious item that his friend had personally made with materials he had collected himself over several months.

The basic frame was made by trimming a thick branch of a divine tree, and at its tip, a magic stone obtained as a reward from an S-class dungeon was embedded.

Around the embedded magic stone, amplification spells were carved in intaglio, and the carved grooves were filled with a stabilization solution made by another friend, which was then hardened.

Sunyul brought up the system window, which was now familiar to him after seeing it countless times.

[December’s White Starlight]

Description: An exquisite staff made by embedding a magic stone into a carefully tended divine tree.

Effect: When a skill is used, the skill’s power is increased and its area of effect is expanded.

Owner: Lim Sunyul

No matter how many times he looked at it, he liked it. Among Sunyul’s skills, [Sanctuary Proclamation] was an area-of-effect skill, and he was getting great use out of this staff. The range of [Homunculus] had also increased, and [Judgment of Light] had become much easier to use as well.

Sunyul closed the system window and lifted his head. From the direction Sunyul was looking, Lee Bada was walking over. Bada strode over and plopped down next to Sunyul.

‘Bada, hi.’

‘Uh-huh. You looking at that thing again?’

‘Yeah.’

Bada clicked his tongue at Sunyul’s reply.

‘At this rate, you’ll be taking it out to hug while you sleep at night. You like it that much?’

‘Of course, I like it.’

‘It is weird that a hunter of your caliber didn’t have a single decent weapon. That’s why I told you to leave the poorly supported Special Abilities Bureau and join a guild.’

Instead of answering, Sunyul just smiled. Bada hadn’t expected Sunyul to listen anyway, so he just clicked his tongue again.

‘Hey, Lim Sunyul.’

‘Yeah.’

‘…….’

‘What is it?’

Swallowing dryly, Bada took out a small bottle from his inventory. Then he held it out to Sunyul.

‘I got this as an extra from a trade before, you use it. I don’t need it and it’s a pain to sell.’

What Bada handed him was an enhancer used for items. It had the effect of increasing an item’s efficiency and durability, thereby extending the item’s lifespan.

Enhancers were difficult to make and the necessary materials from dungeons were rare, so they were traded infrequently. To say he got it as an extra during a trade.

Besides, the Cheongyeon guild, which Bada belonged to, sold items on behalf of its members for a low commission, so saying it was a pain to sell didn’t make sense either. It was a flimsy excuse in many ways.

‘I’m fine. You use it, Bada.’

‘Just take it.’

‘You’re always like this. You should use the good stuff, not give it to someone else.’

Sunyul chided. Instead of saying he’d never given something like this to anyone but him, Bada just pushed the enhancer at him.

‘My arm hurts. Take it quickly.’

‘What do you mean, your arm hurts. You’re an S-class.’

‘Aren’t S-classes human? S-classes get hurt too, you know?’

As he insisted stubbornly, Sunyul let out a laugh.

‘Alright. Just a second…….’

‘Ah, I’m not asking for a trade, just take it.’

‘Yeah, wait.’

‘Are you ignoring me?’

Ignoring Bada, Sunyul took out the sword he had obtained last time from his inventory.

It was a B-class item, so it was a bit lacking for Bada, but since Bada also used swords for throwing, he thought it would be perfect to use for that and then discard.

‘I’ll give you this instead.’

‘I told you I don’t need it.’

‘Take it, quickly. If you don’t, I won’t take the enhancer either.’

Taking the enhancer from Bada’s hand, Sunyul placed the sword in his empty one. To be precise, he tried to place it, but Bada pulled his hand away before he could.

Sunyul grabbed Bada’s wrist. Then he forced his hand open and placed the sword in it.

‘It’s not a great sword, so you can use it for a bit and then throw it away.’

‘…….’

Bada couldn’t say anything and clamped his mouth shut. Sunyul’s hand holding his felt so soft and warm… his face felt like it was about to explode from the heat.

‘I won’t throw it away. I’ll keep using it.’

‘Keep using it, why would you keep using something like this. Just use it casually and toss it.’

‘……Okay.’

Bada gave an answer he didn’t mean. He decided he would never use it and treasure it for the rest of his life.

‘Hyung! Sunyul-hyung!’

‘It’s Dakyung.’

Sunyul turned his head happily toward Dakyung, who was running over excitedly.

‘It’s great clearing a dungeon with you, hyung!’

‘Mmm, I guess so.’

Sunyul smiled vaguely, as if he didn’t quite agree. Dakyung grabbed Sunyul’s hand and shook it wildly.

‘Ah, I clear dungeons enough on my own too.’

‘I know, of course. It’s just because I’m worried.’

‘You started clearing dungeons when you were sixteen too, hyung.’

‘I only did B-class or lower.’

The dungeon they were entering today was an A-class dungeon.

‘But I’m going in with two S-classes.’

‘Right, right.’

Lately, more and more dungeons have been appearing. That’s why they were making the still-sixteen-year-old Dakyung gain experience. To make him pull his own weight.

Sunyul didn’t like it, but he couldn’t do anything about it. Both the Special Abilities Bureau and Dakyung’s guild had approved it. ……That they had approved such a thing felt a bit heartless, but what’s done is done…….

Sunyul opened his eyes.

Tears had poured out, enough to soak his pillow.

He didn’t want to dream, but it happened again.

He couldn’t remember exactly what the dream was about. But the fact that he was dreaming was so terrifying. He shouldn’t be dreaming. He shouldn’t remember. Everyone had to stay in a state of forgetting, that was the only way…….

His head throbbed. At the same time, he felt dizzy, as if the world were spinning. Sunyul clutched his chest, panting for breath. If only he could, he wanted to smash his head and forget everything.

“Hey, get u—.”

Bada, who had abruptly opened the door and entered, saw the crying Sunyul and froze on the spot.