These days, I periodically step out of Shio-ram into the outside world.
Normally, that would be a tough task. The procedures for obtaining an outing permit and moving through the gate terminal are complicated and time-consuming.
But now, things are a bit different.
Spatial authority. The application technique through it known as long-distance spatial leap.
While I can’t just pop off to some unknown place, if I have coordinates, some knowledge, and enough mana, I can get to the other side of the world.
Of course, if there are security measures in place, it can be difficult, but I can bypass Shio-ram’s barriers.
– Woo-woong… Woo-woong…
My right hand gently brushed through the air. The foggy solidity in front of me is the outer wall of space separating dungeons and the world.
‘This is hard to interpret.’
Dungeons must be directly entered to be understood. While I can gauge their level from outside, I can’t figure out the detailed internal circumstances.
Hence, selecting and deploying an advance team for information gathering is essential.
But I have another method.
By skillfully using the powers of space and observation, I can infer the internal conditions of the dungeon from outside.
‘Higher levels will make it harder.’
Unfortunately, that’s not working out well right now. I sighed heavily and withdrew my hand.
I stroked the purification tool in my left hand and nodded.
The wall of space stretched out before me. Even when I rotate the observation far, the wall of space continues endlessly.
Typically, the higher the dungeon’s level, the larger it tends to be.
‘A level 1 dungeon, huh…’
The dungeon right in front of me is rated level 1.
I briefly tried to recall.
The average hierarchy of monsters appearing in a level 1 dungeon is about level 6 to 5. Furthermore, if an Alpha variant shows up, a level 3 may also appear.
In other words, it’s a cave that could potentially spit out something like a twin-headed wyvern.
Taking into account that there have been no survivors from the advance teams, it’s definitely dangerous.
‘But we can’t just leave it alone…’
It could run amok at any time, so we have to conquer it.
Before I get to that foundational justification, I have business with the artifacts this dungeon spits out.
‘The Jewel of Haeju.’
The temporary designation for this dungeon is Myeonggyeong, rated level 1.
In the original work, the byproduct that this dungeon produces is the Jewel of Haeju, an artifact that counters status effects classified as curses.
The Jewel of Haeju is a necessary item if my plans flow smoothly.
“Is there something bothering you?”
As I took a moment to gather my breath, I heard a voice from behind.
[It’s not that there’s no progress, but it seems like it will take a bit longer.]
I shook my head and turned my body.
The area around the dungeon is a desolate wasteland devoid of people. Originally a gathering place without humans, the appearance of this level 1 dungeon had even scared away those who used to visit.
What happens if the dungeon goes berserk? The average fate for nearby people is total annihilation.
On a pile of stones near such a dungeon sat a man, Maxwell, who upheld a sharp suit even in a barren wasteland, belonging to the Association’s executive department.
I observed him with a strange expression.
[Do you really have to accompany me like this? It feels like a waste of time, and as someone from the executive department, you must have a lot to do.]
“It’s just that, on the surface, my position is from the Disaster Management Department, so I must accompany you in dungeon inspections… but there’s no need for you to worry.”
Maxwell shook his head.
“I’m not alone in the executive department. In fact, having these little breaks amidst my killer workload is much better.”
[Oh, is that so…?]
“Yes, and it’s usually better to provide reports face-to-face, wouldn’t you agree?”
Whenever I occasionally step outside Shio-ram, I sometimes meet Maxwell to hear news from the outside world.
“I saw the birth celebration. Especially your appearance in the tower… everyone was buzzing about it, regardless of inside or outside.”
[What was the reaction?]
“As you mentioned, I’m in shock.”
[That’s a relief.]
There’s a lot of chatter. Shocking indeed.
With that kind of reaction, it’s sufficient.
Having displayed some capability, later on, when I give orders with the authority of the Association’s chair, their responses will be less, “Who do you think you are?”
“But is it really necessary to go that far?”
[Huh?]
“Since you already possess the authority of the chairperson, even if you suddenly appear and issue orders, ultimately, they will still have to carry them out.”
Maxwell raised an eyebrow at my question. I, in turn, tilted my head while stroking the purification tool.
[But wouldn’t there still be some noise?]
“Hmm, indeed, those unaware of the situation might think so.”
[Convincing each of them one by one seems like a hassle.]
“?”
When wielding the authority of the chairperson, it might be busy, but sorting out the noise and giving commands afterward would be pretty tricky.
Especially annoying would be not the opposition at the time of the orders, but the murmurs and half-hearted efforts to get things done.
Once victims have occurred, going back to deal with them would be rather difficult.
So, I showed my capabilities in advance.
Simply put, ‘I’m this kind of person, I have a suitable qualification. Mess with me, and you’ll regret it’…
“Haha…”
When I roughly explained my reasons, Maxwell suddenly burst out laughing.
[What’s so funny?]
When I asked, confused, Maxwell shook his head while adjusting his tie.
“No, I think Hero Lee Ha-yul has some similarities with Hero Clyde.”
[Is that so?]
[Joy]
[Hmm.]
Maxwell’s flattery made my head feel lighter. For a moment, my fondness for him seemed to spike.
[Ah, do you have any special news?]
“Good news, well, there isn’t much.”
Maxwell’s smile turned bitter. He shook his head and began to speak.
“The frequency of dungeons and monsters is steadily increasing, as usual, and there has been an uptick in monsters creeping out from the boundary of the Magical Realm as well. Additionally, cases of dungeon rampages without any premonition, like with the Siphonaha, have occurred several times.”
‘Hmm…’
I calmly nodded at Maxwell’s words. There truly wasn’t much good news.
Especially significant is the dungeon rampages without any warning signs.
One reason dungeons can often be treated like minor incidents these days is that we know where they show up and when they go berserk.
But what if those warning signs can’t be observed? Dungeons could once again become nightmarish disasters like in the past.
‘The facility established by the Tower of Observation’s head was the observation station, right?’
The observation station handles a variety of tasks.
Monitoring dungeon appearances and rampages, detecting high-tier monsters released into the world, and identifying heinous criminals.
The tasks performed by the observation station are not exaggeratingly critical; they uphold the balance of the world.
In the original work, it stops functioning properly a few years later.
‘It’s because the tower master is absent.’
The head of the Tower of Observation is not present at the station. This was something I found out after visiting the observation station several times in the original work.
Why has it come to this?
It wasn’t knowable in the game, but now I understand the reason.
The head of the Tower of Observation has granted me powers while shouldering constraints from the tower itself. That must be why they don’t have the leisure to manage the observation station.
“The usual news ends here. Other news? Just that a special dungeon has been discovered in the territory of the Changhae Clan, where they were dealing with the chain rampaging dungeons.”
[What?]
While I was calmly organizing my thoughts, I was shocked by Maxwell’s casual words.
[A special dungeon?]
“Yes, it was discovered just yesterday.”
A special dungeon. A unique type that blurs the lines between level 4 and level 1.
“I’ve heard they tried placing a few prisoners inside, but all of them failed to return. Most died just five minutes after entry, while even the superhuman prisoner who held out the longest died after 15 minutes.”
[The fact that they didn’t immediately return after entering means…]
“Yes, it seems there are some restrictions on entry and exit.”
Restrictions on entry and exit, of all things. It essentially blocks exploration through advance teams and forces a single full-scale assault—an incredibly dirty condition.
The dungeon right in front of me has a similar restriction; even after pushing prisoners in, not a single one came back.
When I interpreted the space myself, it indeed had that restriction.
[That must be inconvenient for the Changhae Clan.]
“Yes, still, no signs of rampage have been observed so far, so they seem to be prioritizing cleaning up the already occurred rampages.”
[Got it. Thank you for the information.]
After thanking Maxwell, I stroked my chin thoughtfully.
‘A special dungeon in the territory of the Changhae Clan… that’s not something referenced in the original work.’
It’s nothing surprisingly new. No matter how much effort the tower masters put into the simulation, there will inevitably be some discrepancies.
‘Should I head back soon? Or take a little longer to snoop around…’
The purpose of my outing is basically twofold.
To explore the dungeon ‘Myeonggyeong,’ where the Jewel of Haeju exists, from the outside.
And to roughly narrow down the location of the hidden entrance.
The latter yielded no results. As expected, it seems I need to consume a lot of time and nimbly lick around.
While the former is yielding bit by bit, it’s not exactly efficient either.
Moreover, the tower master advised me to refrain from going out. If I have nothing to do, it’s best to turn back…
– Crack!
‘Huh?’
In the midst of my contemplation, something in my head snapped. My eyes widened involuntarily.
The magic I had set up was cut off. Where am I?
‘Inside the mansion… the laboratory?’
Among them, it was the barrier that was beginning to concentrate around the despised potion.
My complexion instantly hardened.
*
This is bad.
Do I need any additional explanations for that?
Hong Yeon-hwa is in deep trouble.
“…I always knew you were a mess, but looking at it now, it’s truly disgusting.”
“Damn, what a f*ing way to talk.”
Hong Yeon-hwa shot a glare at Atra, who was standing a distance away, covering her mouth and nose with her hand and shrugging her shoulders.
“It’s clearly due to the potion’s effects, so there’s nothing I can do about it. You’ll have to forgive me for the words that come out.”
Despite saying this, Atra is also trying her best to restrain her actions.
In fact, the moment she saw Hong Yeon-hwa, she almost swung her fist first.
It’s unpleasant and repulsive. It feels like an awful stench is hovering near my nose.
Atra usually would have just slapped and started in situations like this.
The only reason she’s holding back now is that no matter her feelings, Hong Yeon-hwa is someone Lee Ha-yul cares about.
But it’s still too much to approach closely, so she’s keeping a distance and covering her mouth and nose with her hand.
“Is it your fault for recklessly consuming a potion placed in the laboratory? Why did you pick it up and eat it?”
“Damn it, I didn’t eat it on purpose… I swear it felt like it was enticing me to consume it…”
“Enticing effects? Such effects do exist. Nevertheless, in the end, it’s still your fault for not being able to endure it.”
“Ugh… the side effects of Gop-hwa are just too strong…”
“Controlling those side effects is the capability of the user. That’s just poor training.”
Hong Yeon-hwa bit her lip. She had no room for excuses. This original sin is ultimately due to her carelessly entering the laboratory and consuming the potion.
Moreover, recently her body has been heating up, making it hard to suppress the side effects of Gop-hwa…
“Atra, Professor, is there any way to resolve this?”
“Is this also a type of curse… what on earth is Ha-yul making in the laboratory…?”
In this living room are not just Hong Yeon-hwa and Atra.
Elia, who has been here all along, and Baek Ahrin, who just arrived, are also present.
The two of them looked at Hong Yeon-hwa with faces that seemed to hide their distaste and a strange expression.
“…Hmm.”
As I stealthily diverted my gaze that way, Elia flinched, subtly avoiding my eyes. The hand covering her mouth and nose was just a bonus.
Hong Yeon-hwa’s eyes shook.
Inside, she always cursed Elia as a lewd cow with a big chest, but knowing Elia’s gentle nature, it was hard for her to face such a reaction.
But that wasn’t the only shocking response.
– Ugh, what the…
– Ewwww…
The fairies who lived in the mansion and served as attendants immediately retched and fled from sight upon seeing Hong Yeon-hwa.
– Kyaang? Kyaang…
– Grumble…
The spirits that usually brushed their heads affectionately against her, leaped away and were busy growling in warning.
“…Hey, what about you?”
Hong Yeon-hwa turned her gaze sideways. Beside Elia stood Baek Ahrin, who neither covered her mouth and nose nor avoided her gaze.
In fact, she looked quite calm. Her face appeared almost as if it were a mask, fixed in place.
“Me? Well, I guess it’s applicable? It seems like it fits somewhat with what Professor Atra said; I mean, it’s not distinguishable because I’m usually unattractive.”
“B*tch.”
Baek Ahrin chuckled and shrugged.
“…I can’t think of a specific solution.”
After briefly shutting her eyes and pondering, Atra shook her head.
Although rich in practical experience, Atra, too, had not encountered something like this easily.
‘Is it a change of recognition? Or a curse? Whichever way, it’s a troublesome kind.’
Atra frowned. What on earth was her disciple handling in the laboratory? What kind of risky potion had they carelessly been dealing with, thinking it was nothing…
“In any case, since it’s in the form of potion consumption, the duration won’t likely be long.”
“After all, the effects of consumables typically have a shorter duration, right? But how long will it last? Would it go on until maybe tomorrow?”
“Damn.”
Hong Yeon-hwa’s lips involuntarily let out a curse.
I don’t know what she consumed.
But judging by the strong discomfort in the surrounding stares and the way she’s covering her mouth and nose, it’s clear that the effects aren’t beneficial.
Under usual circumstances, she wouldn’t have cared. Oh, I didn’t tend to deal with this type, but thank goodness it doesn’t directly harm me…
“Wait, a day…?”
“This isn’t definite. It could last that long, given conditions.”
“Ah…”
Until tomorrow. As in the day of the major event?
What a sudden shock like thunder on a clear day…
Hong Yeon-hwa’s face went from pale to ghostly white and back again.
“Ah.”
Suddenly, a thought struck Hong Yeon-hwa.
The others were furrowing their brows and wearing expressions of disgust as they looked at her.
The others are fine.
Though it’s disgusting, didn’t they say the effective duration would fade? If Hong Yeon-hwa thought about it, there’s no way it could have a permanent effect.
– Ugh…
– Ha, Ha-yul…?
If that Ha-yul…
With narrowed brows, frowning, and eyes filled with disgust, looking back at her like she were a horrible sight, eventually turning their gaze away as if they didn’t want to smell her…
“Gah…”
Breath caught in her throat. It felt like my heart was being gripped tightly; my limbs tingled. The sky felt like it was crashing down and banging against my head, making my consciousness faint…
“I, I’m just going to step out for a sec.”
Just the thought made her shudder. What if she actually witnessed that kind of reaction?
Not wanting to imagine more, she closed her eyes tightly.
Hong Yeon-hwa rapidly stood up from her seat. She didn’t have a grasp of when Lee Ha-yul would return, since he was out.
“Wait? With that effect, where are you going…?”
“I’ll be fine!”
“Wait a moment….”
Hong Yeon-hwa rushed out of the mansion. In the garden leading to the entrance, the sounds of startled spirits echoed.
“Ah…”
Elia reached out but couldn’t stop her, inhaling sharply as she withdrew her arm.
‘Can I escape from Ha-yul…?’
Unspoken words swirled in her mouth.
Considering Ha-yul’s sensing abilities and spatial magic, it seemed impossible to run away and hide from him here in Shio-ram.
*
[Player Affinity System: Affinity Level]
Lee Ha-yul → Maxwell
●●●●●○○○○○(51▷52/100)
「Association Executive」 「Work Relationship」 「Weak Favor」
..
[「Curse of the Beautiful Woman」 consumes vitality… Now]
– Crackle…
[The Master of the Tower of Harmony suppresses the「Curse of the Beautiful Woman」]
[Using Points]
…
[The Master of the Tower of Harmony swallows a scream.]
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