Chapter 77 (2/2)
[Combat experience indeed takes up the largest portion in getting to higher levels, true.]
Gula's languid voice continued on.
[However, that is not the only thing to consider. Even if your current fitness level meets the criteria, you haven't mastered any of your Level 2 abilities yet, have you?]
Indeed, she had a point there. And because she was right, Seol Ji-Hu had no choice but to swallow his rueful heart and accept her findings.
‘I understand.' (Seol Ji-Hu)
[Remember, it's not always a good thing for your Level to rise up quickly. You should try again after sufficiently preparing yourself inside out.]
‘I will.' (Seol Ji-Hu)
He then felt the sensation of a hand stroking his head as if Gula found him adorable. He lowered his head a little. It felt nice, though.
[By the way, you have done admirably well on your mission.]
‘Pardon?' (Seol Ji-Hu)
[It was a truly surprising turn of events.]
Seol Ji-Hu tilted his head, but a thought entered his mind quickly enough. If it was a mission, then…
‘Are you referring to the request? Does that mean exterminating the Nest will have some kind of ramifications in the future?' (Seol Ji-Hu)
[Such a simple, negligible thing won't affect the flow of events in any shape or form.]
Gula sounded so gentle, but her words certainly were not.
[However, to think that you'd forcibly create debt and tangle the strings of fate together in that manner. I had expected you to simply walk right by, but then you surprised me. Fufufu.]
‘If you mean by debt, can it be….?' (Seol Ji-Hu)
Was she talking about the village head? Or Mikhail? Was it Veronika? Or, maybe even the villagers?
[In any case, I'm relieved. Although the path ahead is a field of thorns, you now at least possess shoes to help you tread on it.]
‘I just don't understand what you're saying?' (Seol Ji-Hu)
[I'm praising you. ‘That' will at least pry open a breathing s.p.a.ce for yourself, at the very least.]
‘…..'
[Of course, it all depends on the choices you make in the end.]
Here they go again.
He felt like falling into a pit of confusion every time he heard the words that sounded like him chasing after the floating clouds.
Seriously, would letting him know in clear, concise words bring the sky down or something?
[The causality will be brought down, yes. Do not ever take the divulging of heaven's secrets lightly.]
‘!?'
Seol Ji-Hu was grumbling inwardly but got shocked out of his mind from that warning. Scared that he might get smacked in the head again, he quickly bade his goodbye and turned around to leave.
He waited by the entrance of the temple for Cho Hong, but she didn't show up even after a long while. It seemed that she needed more time than they had expected.
‘Well, I guess I'll just head there myself.' (Seol Ji-Hu)
He figured that he'd finish his cigarette first before leaving but then, he spotted a man hurriedly running towards him. Seol Ji-Hu had never met this man before.
”Are you Seol by any chance?”
”Excuse me? I am, but who…..?” (Seol Ji-Hu)
”I came from Ira's temple. I carry a message from Chung Cho-Hong. She says that she'll be late today, so don't wait for her and go back first.”
”….Cho Hong said that?” (Seol Ji-Hu)
”I've delivered the message. Well, then.”
As if he had nothing more to say, the man simply turned around and left without even a goodbye. In all honesty, it was hard to make heads or tails from that message alone.
Seol Ji-Hu watched the man hurriedly climb down the steps of the temple while sucking in the last bits of his cigarette.
‘Did something happen?' (Seol Ji-Hu)
Cho Hong might have said she'd be late, but that didn't mean Seol Ji-Hu would stand around doing nothing. He trained moderately until around dinner time, and he went out to buy an armful of booze and snacks before returning to the office. He placed them down on the coffee table and settled down on the couch to wait.
‘She'd be happy when she sees this, right?' (Seol Ji-Hu)
….However, no matter how long he waited, Cho Hong showed no signs of coming back.
The clock continued to tick over and the food was gradually getting colder. Seol Ji-Hu began pouting as he fidgeted around.
She only came back several hours after the dinner time. The night had already deepened considerably by then. Seol Ji-Hu was napping a little on the couch, but he heard the front door open and his eyes shot up wide right away. Cho Hong had been walking with an energy-less face but then, formed a surprised face after running into him.
”You weren't asleep?” (Cho Hong)
”Ah, that is, well….” (Seol Ji-Hu)
Seol Ji-Hu's gaze was lowered, and Cho Hong followed it to the table filled with the grub. She gasped out in belated realisation. Seol Ji-Hu was the same. Seeing that she looked exhausted and listless, that could only mean….
‘….I uncorked the champagne a little too early.' (Seol Ji-Hu)
He admonished himself a little and cautiously spoke to her.
”I guess you got delayed a bit?” (Seol Ji-Hu)
”Yeah, just a little. I went to the temple and went to the royal palace, too, so…. Were you waiting for long?” (Cho Hong)
”The royal palace?” (Seol Ji-Hu)
Seol Ji-Hu's eyes opened wider.
”Is it done?” (Seol Ji-Hu)
”Uh? Well, something like that.” (Cho Hong)
”Okay, what about that test, that mission thing, then?” (Seol Ji-Hu)
”Well, that….. Looks like I'll have to, you know, hash it out some more.” (Cho Hong)
For some reason, Cho Hong averted her gaze. Seol Ji-Hu patted the spot on the couch next to him.
”What exactly had happened? Take a seat here and talk to me, please.” (Seol Ji-Hu)
”There isn't much to say, really. It's not a confirmed thing, anyway.” (Cho Hong)
”Oh…. Is that so?” (Seol Ji-Hu)
She looked puzzlingly listless and that naturally sucked out all enthusiasm from Seol Ji-Hu, as well.
”….You hungry? If not, how about something to drink?” (Seol Ji-Hu)
Cho Hong shook her head. Seol Ji-Hu stopped lightly shaking the bottle of booze as his jaw nearly dropped to the floor. This woman refused a free drink? Something like that was utterly unimaginable.
”Did something happen to you?” (Seol Ji-Hu)
”No, not at all.” (Cho Hong)
Cho Hong shook her head again.
”I'm not really in the mood, you know? I'm also kinda feeling p.o.o.ped out, too.” (Cho Hong)
”I see. If you're too tired, you should get some rest first.” (Seol Ji-Hu)
This whole thing must've played on her mind because she hesitated where she stood for a while before a helpless sigh escaped from her mouth.
”….Sorry…..” (Cho Hong)
She whispered softly under her breath and slowly walked away. Seol Ji-Hu dazedly stared at her back as she entered the bedroom.
‘…Did she just say she's sorry??' (Seol Ji-Hu)
That would be his first time hearing her apologise. Seol Ji-Hu stood there in silence for a while, before opening his mouth.
”Is there anything I can help you with?” (Seol Ji-Hu)
No reply came back his way, however.
Cho Hong seemed to be really busy all of a sudden. When he woke up in the mornings, she would be gone already, and it became a pretty common occurrence to see her return late into the night as well. Not only that, she didn't even show up in the training facility once and, when it got really bad, he ended up not seeing her for an entire day.
But when she did come back to the office, he found it hard to approach her from the way she chose to sit all alone. She would be either resting her chin on her hands as she stewed in her worries or every now and then displayed hints of how anxious and pressed her mental state was.
He kept asking her what was the matter with her, but all he got in return was ”It's nothing. Don't worry about it.”
‘Something did happen.' (Seol Ji-Hu)
Although he felt a bit saddened by her not confiding in him, it was true that people had issues they needed to sort out by themselves. Seol decided to patiently wait for her to come around and immersed himself in daily routines, instead. In the mornings, physical training; in the afternoons, abilities and Magic Power training. And then, sleep. Like a squirrel spinning inside a wheel, he continued the exact same routine over and over again.
However, the time continued to move on; one day, then two days pa.s.sed, and then, three, four days went by. A week later, Cho Hong didn't even bother to show up back in the office at all. He had never seen her gone for more than two days in a row, so he naturally got pretty concerned.
That wasn't all, either. He had no idea what kind of a mission Dylan and Hugo went off to, but those two also showed no signs of returning, as well. Just what on earth was going on here?
Now that the situation had arrived this far, it was only natural that Seol Ji-Hu would start suspecting that something was indeed very off. There definitely had to be something going on here that he wasn't aware of. Convinced of this, he didn't sleep that night and waited by the couch.
Cho Hong returned to the office during the dawn of the fourth day of his vigil. She cautiously opened the door and trudged in only for her eyes to open wide in a pair of round holes.
”What aren't you in the bed?” (Cho Hong)
”……..”
”Were you waiting for me? Sorry, sorry. I had some things to take care of.” (Cho Hong)
”………..”
Cho Hong wasn't a fool, either. She continued to sneak a glance at Seol Ji-Hu as he sat quietly on the couch and stared back at her. It was easy to see that she did feel guilty about something.
”Yawn~, I'm so tired.” (Cho Hong)
She tried her best to not notice anything and walk past him, but….
”….Cho Hong.” (Seol Ji-Hu)
His low, hushed voice stopped her feet from moving again.
”Come and sit down next to me, please.” (Seol Ji-Hu)
Tap! Seol Ji-Hu placed his hand on the coffee table.
”We need to talk.” (Seol Ji-Hu)
< 77.=”” i=”” don't=”” want=”” to=”” live=”” like=”” that=”” (1)=””> Fin.
(TL: Just in case you don't know what a ‘Dolfin shorts' is, google ‘돌핀 팬츠'. You can thank me later. Incidentally, it's named ‘Dolfin' because that's the name of the company that came up with the attire, apparently. And that name got stuck in South Korea, although technically it's a wrong one.)