Back to Basics ------------------------------------------------------------------------
In some ways, it could have been a simple matter of pulling someone aside and telling them in secret. But Go Yeon-ju dismissed the idea, saying there was no point in hiding something both she and Kim Soo-hyun already knew. Besides, she argued, it was better for everyone to be aware so they could address such issues more swiftly and seek help if needed.
Faced with Go Yeon-ju’s persuasion, Ahn Hyun, Lee Yoo-jung, and Ahn Sol wore expressions of uncertainty. She insisted that these were manifestations of a weak heart, and overcoming them would make them stronger. Caught in the moment, and with Kim Soo-hyun absent, they reluctantly nodded in agreement, though their assent was far from enthusiastic.
Go Yeon-ju first turned to Lee Yoo-jung. Since Yoo-jung wasn’t her main target, she relayed what she’d heard without embellishment. Yoo-jung listened, a wry smile on her lips, and realized that Go Yeon-ju wasn’t lying.
There had been times when such feelings had caused tension, creating a rift between her and the group. “I thought I’d sorted it out, but maybe not,” Yoo-jung admitted candidly, then nodded at Ahn Hyun, signaling it was his turn to speak. Ahn Hyun, catching her cue, looked at Go Yeon-ju with a puzzled expression.
Go Yeon-ju paused, deep in thought, then furrowed her brow slightly before speaking.
“Let’s see… something about feeling sorry for leaving Ahn Sol behind? That you must save your sister at all costs? It was something like that, but I’m not sure what it means. Did something happen between you two?”
Ahn Hyun’s face hardened at her words, and he instinctively turned to Ahn Sol.
“Brother….”
“Ahn Sol. Don’t say anything.”
Ahn Sol looked at Ahn Hyun with a sorrowful gaze. Unable to bear it, Ahn Hyun lowered his head. The group sensed there was more to the story and shook their heads at Go Yeon-ju, who widened her eyes and shrugged, stepping back. She hadn’t intended to pry, and Ahn Hyun wasn’t her target.
Then, Ahn Sol stepped forward, matching Go Yeon-ju’s retreat, and spoke up.
“I want to know too.”
Her usual hesitant and drawn-out speech was gone, replaced by a clear and decisive tone. Ahn Hyun was startled and tried to stop her, but Ahn Sol turned her head sharply, halting him in his tracks.
There was a resolute air about her, her pretty eyes filled with determination, lips pressed tightly together. Her hands were clenched, as if she had steeled herself for this moment. At least outwardly, it seemed so. Despite Ahn Hyun’s desperate plea, Ahn Sol shook her head firmly.
“My sister and brother spoke, so I can’t stay silent. Soo-hyun always said that facing your weaknesses is the first step to growth. I don’t want to be treated like a child anymore. I want to be stronger too.”
Her words drew a collective gasp from the group. Normally, they viewed Ahn Sol as someone coddled by Kim Soo-hyun, but now they saw her in a new light, admiring her resolve.
Go Yeon-ju regarded Ahn Sol with a steady gaze before speaking, her tone slightly more respectful.
“Your spirit is admirable. But I think it’s better not to say anything. For the record, I remember what you said quite clearly. Do you know why? Because you spoke the longest and said some rather shocking things.”
“It’s okay. Hearing my brother’s words, I’m sure you heard it right. And I have an idea of what it might be. I want to know if it’s still in my heart….”
“I don’t want to say it. Why not ask Kim Soo-hyun later?”
“I’m ready. I want to hear it now, just like my sister and brother. I don’t want special treatment anymore.”
Ahn Sol persisted, placing a hand over her heart as she pleaded once more. Go Yeon-ju sighed softly. She had tried to find a compromise, but Ahn Sol wasn’t accepting it.
After moistening her lips, Go Yeon-ju spoke.
“I’m not one to lie. If I start talking, I’ll tell the truth without holding back. Some might be disappointed to know the real you. Are you sure you won’t regret it?”
Ahn Sol didn’t answer immediately. The group was curious about what could be so significant, but they held their breath. This was Ahn Sol’s personal matter, and her reasoning was sound. As a fellow user in the Hall Plain, her choice had to be respected.
After a moment of contemplation, Ahn Sol nodded, ignoring Ahn Hyun’s pleading gaze.
“I won’t regret it. Please tell me… but keep it a secret from Soo-hyun. I’ll tell him myself when the time is right.”
Her words left room for thought, and Go Yeon-ju hesitated. What had started as a half-joking conversation had turned serious. She glanced at the others, noting their worried expressions.
Ahn Hyun opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, and the others were equally concerned. Ahn Sol, though speaking bravely, was starting to show signs of anxiety. It seemed related to a sensitive issue within her. Go Yeon-ju calmly collected her thoughts.
‘I could tell her, but… I have no obligation or right to do so. If I handle this poorly, it could become unmanageable. Maybe it’s better to leave it to that kid… or at least to him. The mood is off, so maybe a little joke is in order?’
For a brief moment, she considered revealing the truth, but Go Yeon-ju quickly dismissed the idea. She sensed that Ahn Sol was caught up in the moment and wasn’t truly ready. Given her gentle nature and the current situation, she didn’t want to risk any unnecessary fallout. So, she decided to stick to her original plan.
Taking a deep breath, Go Yeon-ju nodded. Judging by Ahn Hyun and Lee Yoo-jung’s reactions, the group already found her words somewhat credible. As her lips parted, the users’ tense gazes focused on her.
Finally, Go Yeon-ju spoke, her voice and expression deadly serious.
“Kim Soo-hyun, that jerk! I can’t stand him!”
Sometimes, people are so stunned by unexpected events that they can’t react immediately. It’s what happens when they encounter something beyond their imagination. The brain refuses to process it. This was one of those moments for Ahn Sol and the group.
Ahn Sol’s determined expression slowly faded, reverting to her usual innocent and bewildered look. Her tightly closed lips parted slightly, and a soft, deflated sound escaped.
”…What?”
“Damn it. I can’t stand Kim Soo-hyun! Acting all high and mighty just because he’s strong, it’s so annoying. His arrogance is unbearable. This is why I can’t quit smoking. Ugh, it’s infuriating.”
”…What?!”
Ahn Sol looked around in confusion. The group was equally bewildered, eyes wide as they stared at her and Go Yeon-ju. Overwhelmed, Ahn Sol shook her head frantically, but Go Yeon-ju continued.
“What’s with that old man, Jung Ha-yeon? He struts around just because he’s got some skills. It’s disgusting. Just wait until I get stronger. I’ll pay him back.”
“Ahn Sol…? Pay him back?”
Jung Ha-yeon looked incredulous, covering her mouth with her hand. Seeing her hurt expression, Ahn Sol waved her hands desperately, denying everything.
“What? No, wait. No, that’s not true! This isn’t right!”
“What’s with that pale guy, Shin Sang-yong? Why’s he always butting in? Does he think he’s some kind of saint? What’s he trying to gain by sticking around here? Oh, maybe he’s into that Vivian girl? Haha.”
“Uh, um. Ahem!”
“Girl?!”
“No, no! It’s a lie! Waaah. It’s not true!”
“Gi~rl?!”
Shin Sang-yong coughed awkwardly, and Vivian let out a shriek. Ahn Sol’s mind was now descending into chaos. Despite her vehement denials, a voice echoed in her head, “A strong denial is a strong affirmation.” Before she could even react, Go Yeon-ju’s voice chimed in, as if adding a punchline.
“Ugh, every time I see Vivian, my blood boils. It’s like a deep-seated rage. Why does her character overlap with mine? It’s like my position is shrinking! These unheard-of, unseen rocks just roll in. Ugh!”
“What?! Unheard-of and unseen?! You little…! I knew it, huh? All this time, it was just a mask!”
“Ah, ah, ah.”
As Vivian shot up in anger, Ansol stumbled back, tripping and landing on her backside. The moment she saw the wounded and furious faces of her companions, Ansol’s mind went blank, and she couldn’t think of anything. Then, Go Yeonju delivered the final blow.
“Sigh. That’s it. I told you you’d regret it. I’m done.”
Go Yeonju sighed, shaking her head. It wasn’t a confession of a lie, but a roundabout declaration of truth. As the confirmation shot landed, there was only one thing left for her to do.
“Waahhhhhh!”
“What on earth are you doing with a child, as a grown adult? Aren’t you embarrassed, being a user ranked in the top 10 of the whole plane?”
“Whistle~♪”
Go Yeonju whistled, avoiding my gaze. Her reaction just made me sigh deeply. I was scouting the area for any changes in the terrain when I heard loud sobbing. Rushing back to the clearing, I found everyone gathered around Ansol, who was sitting in the middle, bawling her eyes out.
“Sniff… sob… I, I, hic, didn’t, hic, do it, waah…”
After getting a rough explanation from Jeong Ha-yeon, I glared sharply at Go Yeonju and picked up Ansol. As I lowered my head, Ansol looked up with a truly pitiful face, tears streaming down, her voice hoarse from crying so hard.
“There, there. I know you didn’t do anything wrong. User Go Yeonju was just teasing you. You’re a good girl, our Sol. There, there, stop crying now.”
“Sniff… Brother… Brother…”
Ansol snuggled closer, rubbing her face against me. As I patted her back and comforted her, her sobs gradually subsided.
Though we were already behind schedule, I decided to let it go for now. Go Yeonju just smiled, admitting it was a lie, without offering any real apology. It didn’t quite match the Go Yeonju I knew, so I figured she must have had her reasons. I’d confront her about it later, but for now, I focused on calming Ansol.
With the others joining in to console her, Ansol finally stopped crying. Still, her face was streaked with tears, her eyes swollen. Her lips quivered, and she shivered occasionally, clearly still shaken. In this state, continuing the exploration was impossible, so I decided we might as well take a proper break.
”…”
After a 30-minute rest, the group had mostly calmed down. I gently set Ansol aside and announced to the meditating users that it was time to resume our exploration. At my words, the magic users opened their eyes, and the melee users stretched their arms and backs.
“Alright, let’s get into formation…”
Just as I was about to instruct them to form up, I stopped. They were already arranging themselves, led by the kids, without needing my direction. Their eyes were sharp and alert, as if something had changed. The heavy atmosphere that had settled over us since entering the Blue Mountains had lifted, and the initial lively, keen energy was back. At that moment, Go Yeonju turned her head slightly, catching my eye and winking. Her face was full of smiles, exuding a sense of ease.
I wondered if she had orchestrated this on purpose, unsure but moving to the front. There were priorities, after all. Feeling the tug of Sol’s grip on my coat as she followed closely, I activated my third eye and magic detection simultaneously.
Vroom! Vroooom!
I poured more magic into it than ever before, expanding my detection range. I decided to treat the Cave of Screams as an unknown dungeon. The wraith statues at the entrance and the magic circle we dismantled in the clearing were things I didn’t remember. I resolved to proceed as if tackling an entirely new dungeon, without letting my guard down.
Having increased my magic abilities, I could now sense even the slightest movements, like Ansol’s shiver behind me. I steadied myself once more and took the lead.
Then, I slowly guided the group into the passageway.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Royujin.
After tightening the tension, it’s time to loosen up a bit, right? Go Yeonju is quite an intriguing character in many ways. -_-a And no, I’m not an S. I admit to being ero, but not an S. Why do you all think that? ㅜ.ㅠ
『 Reader Comments 』
Railbrandt: Congratulations on being first. You’re always consistent and steadfast, Railbrandt. I hope you enjoy this chapter too. :)
dhios: Haha, thank you. It makes my shoulders rise with pride. Hehehe. :D
BrokenFan: When I write, I always imagine the scenes and try to express them in words. The characters’ personalities go through a similar process. How would I act in this situation, how would this character react? Like that. :)
kkt6954: Then, please pinch my nose tightly. ;ㅇ; (I’m sorry. (__))
虛虛空空無不在無不容: Thank you. I’ve made the corrections. (__)
らき☆すた: Today’s best comment. ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ. It’s great to see people interpreting it in ways I hadn’t even considered. Yes, Ansol’s luck was activated to fall into Suhyun’s arms. ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ.
Don’tWantToJoin: Oh, then how about Suhyun and Shinsangyong’s ahihihihih? Just kidding. It’s 100% a joke.
minicate: Hehe. (Royujin has fallen asleep.) Ah, really, when that happens, I get so sleepy.
PopularReality: Thank you for the coupon. I guess I was lucky! :D
Passion: Yes. Here, let’s assume stamina is A, and endurance is B. Simply put, A = the body’s strength, stamina, and self-recovery ability. B = the body’s defense, toughness, and resilience. The
Lizaor: Haha. Suhyun is on hold for now. It’s still manageable, and I don’t know when or in what situation it might be needed, so it’s better to be prepared.
BlackIce: Hehe. Then please pat my head! Hurry… Ah, never mind. Ahem. I lost my train of thought for a moment. ㅜ.ㅠ
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