I had made my plans, but I couldn’t just dive into action right away.
It’s true that coming up with a plan and executing it alone requires some prep work.
It wouldn’t make sense to independently conduct a mentoring session with Choi Ji-yeon.
[Contact: Senior Choi Ji-yeon]
▶ Senior Choi Ji-yeon: Do you have time?
▶ Senior Choi Ji-yeon: How about we meet up and talk for a bit?
So, I texted Ji-yeon to ask if she was available, and she replied that we should discuss in person.
Admittedly, just sending messages from afar felt a bit odd.
It wasn’t a trivial matter, and it would be best to talk about something as important as dungeon exploration face to face.
After checking my messages, I got ready to head out.
‘As for clothes… I guess I’ll just wear this.’
I briefly pondered whether to wear my student uniform or activity gear, but in the end, I stuck with the plain white outfit I was already wearing.
The outfit, a gift from Lady Ariel, wasn’t flashy in design, but its bright color definitely caught the eye.
Plus, since my hair was similar in color, anyone looking at me would think a fluffy white something was waddling around.
I had gotten somewhat used to drawing others’ gazes, but it still felt bizarre to actively seek attention.
However, I didn’t want to refuse wearing the outfit just from such a trivial reason.
Even if people stared at me, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.
“…Are you going out again?”
As I was uncurling my clothes and packing my belongings, Seo-yul approached with a sulky expression, tugging at my pants.
[Ugh]
The sharp look in their eyes and the word “again” stabbed at my senses.
I finished dressing and turned to give Seo-yul a tight hug.
[I’ll be back soon!]
This outing was just a simple discussion with Ji-yeon.
It wouldn’t take long; two or three hours at most.
I would definitely be back before evening.
Of course, there might be a day I stay out late because of the dungeon exploration that comes after this discussion… but still.
[Today won’t be a long trip, so should I pack a lunch and head out?]
“That was our promise yesterday.”
[Oh… right…]
After a fierce negotiation, I finally issued Seo-yul a “Lee Ha-yul One-Day Pass” which Baek Ahrin had used once before.
.
.
.
I left the mansion and headed towards the Second-Year Learning Area.
The meeting spot was just one of the many cafes around.
It wasn’t particularly special, but being inside Shio-ram, the quality was guaranteed.
Arriving at the café with that thought, I spotted Ji-yeon loitering near the entrance.
In truth, I had noticed her from a distance way before.
But I was puzzled as to why she was standing outside.
‘…She seems different today?’
That wasn’t the only thing that stood out to me.
As I closely observed her, I sensed a different aura than before.
“Did you make it?”
That feeling became even clearer as I approached her.
Waving at me as I walked closer, Ji-yeon greeted me.
I waved back and focused my senses.
There was definitely a change.
Even just standing still, the vibe she emitted felt remarkably different.
Before, it had been a weighty, immovable feeling, but now it was much more solid and steadfast.
[Yes]
[Why are you outside, Senior? You could be sitting inside.]
Is she perhaps reaching another level of mastery?
As I voiced my curiosity toward Ji-yeon, she shrugged her shoulders.
“I felt a bit restless just sitting still today, so I decided to wait outside while taking a little walk. Here, take this.”
After taking a sip of the coffee she had in one hand, Ji-yeon held out what was in her other hand.
An orange-colored liquid… As I assessed, it turned out to be orange juice. The cup was enchanted to maintain its chill.
[Thank you!]
I accepted the juice with a strange look.
“Wait, didn’t you say you didn’t like orange juice?”
Suddenly, Ji-yeon asked that, as if her hidden feelings had slipped out.
I shook my head.
[Nope]
[I do like orange juice.]
When it came to coffee versus juice, I’d lean towards juice.
Coffee usually tasted too bitter for my liking.
Café lattes with lots of milk were bearable, but I’d rather just have juice or drink milk separately.
…I didn’t feel the need to share this backstory with Ji-yeon.
Whenever I’d hang out with Ji-yeon at cafes, I often ordered juice or milk instead of coffee, so it seemed like she remembered that.
Thanks to this, my image might have been engrained as someone who only liked orange juice instead of coffee…
It was a childish thought, but I felt oddly like I was being regarded as a kid who prefers juice over coffee.
– Glug
I swirled the juice around, taking a sip. The juice flowed into my mouth.
Rolling the cool liquid around as I tilted my head.
‘…The flavor is…’
Sensory sealing… No wait, according to the info Lady Ariel shared, is it the Curse of Solitude?
Thanks to this curse, my sight, taste, and smell were sealed, but currently, these limitations didn’t apply with two specific people.
I could see clearly with my naked eyes, and when I got close, the scent of a person was quite strong.
And when I brushed my skin against someone, I could taste it… as well as drool.
– Cough, cough
Suddenly, the unpleasant thought rushed to my mind and I quickly shook my head.
“Are you okay?”
[Nope]
[I just choked a bit.]
[Shall we move inside to talk?]
Worryingly glancing at me after a minor cough, Ji-yeon and I entered the café.
“I’ll have two shots of Cleaan espresso and a Drabond extra… Do you want anything, junior?”
[Um… Almond cookie, please.]
“Alright, one almond cookie, a glass of milk, and one assorted slice of cake.”
After placing our usual simple snack orders, we grabbed a room and settled down.
Not long after, an employee entered and set our snacks on the table.
“I heard you want to take your mentoring progress to the dungeon… have you thought about which dungeon it will be?”
[Yes, I’ve already got the approval for the application.]
Ji-yeon asked from across the table.
I nodded as I operated my smartwatch while watching her cut a piece of chocolate cake with her fork and eat it.
– Ding!
A hologram appeared above the table.
Adjusting its position, I displayed the file I received.
[Shio-ram Dungeon Exploration Application]
▲Level 2 Dungeon: 2-3 Grassland-Forest Mixed Terrain Dungeon
▲Type: Terrain Exploration and Mentoring Class
▲Applicant
△First-Year Ipchun Class Lee Ha-yul (Approved)
△Second-Year Ipha Class Choi Ji-yeon (-)
▲Result: Approved
△Vice President Venus Litera
“…A Level 2 dungeon?”
Ji-yeon’s eyes were glued to one spot, her gaze fixed where it said Level 2 Dungeon as she calmly scanned the application.
Her eyes, filled with a mix of surprise, nodded in silent agreement with me.
[Yes, I’ve got us signed up for a Level 2 dungeon.]
I expected such a reaction.
Level 2 dungeon.
It’s the second-highest danger level, just below Level 1 and skipping over the special case of Level S.
If we’re only talking about the monsters that appear, Level 6 creatures commonly show up, and if an Alpha emerges, Level 4 ones might appear too.
In other words, if an Alpha were to show up, a monster similar to the Two-Headed Wyvern would likely appear.
Of course, you can’t just classify the Two-Headed Wyvern simply as a Level 4 monster.
Its fallen body from Level 3 is still much more powerful than a regular Level 4 creature.
Most importantly, even if the venom of the Two-Headed Wyvern is weaker than in its Level 3 days, it’s not something to be taken lightly at the Level 4 standard.
If a Level 4 monster faced off against a Two-Headed Wyvern, I’m pretty sure the Level 4 would be wiped out without even a fight.
Anyway, considering just the proficiency of the monsters that appear, it’s incredibly dangerous, and when you factor in the environment and traps of the dungeon itself, the level of danger doubles.
There have been nations that have fallen due to the monsters that flooded after consecutive incidents involving Level 2 dungeons during times of chaos.
Even accounting for how turbulent the era was with the shortage and inexperience of superhumans, a disaster that could topple nations is a real possibility.
It’s no wonder Ji-yeon felt bewildered at the thought of using such a dangerous dungeon just for mentoring progress.
“Level 2… Setting other factors aside, I can’t believe they approved you entering just the two of you… and that the Vice President himself signed off on it.”
[As soon as I went to him, he approved it right then and there.]
“Is it because you’re a special admissions student, or do they trust your abilities…?”
While tapping her fingers rhythmically on the table, Ji-yeon tilted her head.
Among the numerous dungeons in Shio-ram, Level 2 is few and far between.
It’s not a common level used often, unlike Level 4, which regularly gets cleared for practice.
Level 4 dungeons often have routine ether slaughters, while Level 2 dungeons are more sparse.
The internal routes are probably not well-maintained, and there will likely be a decent number of monsters piled up.
“Is there any particular reason you chose this dungeon? If it’s just for mentoring, Level 4 should be enough, right?”
As Ji-yeon pondered for a moment, she shot me a question.
Her cautious demeanor while considering the dungeon entry prompted me to straighten up.
The dungeons preserved in Shio-ram are for student training purposes.
For evidence, students can enter based on their requests, and the Vice President has emergency escape bracelets to ensure safety.
That said, it’s not good to charge in without a plan.
Even if it is safe, acting as though you’re in real combat is a good attitude for both the evaluations you’ll get from Shio-ram and for your personal future.
‘Um…’
Thus, I needed to persuade Ji-yeon as she approached the seriousness of why we needed to conquer this specific dungeon.
But my personal reason for entering this dungeon was… a bit selfish.
This dungeon is a mixed terrain of grasslands and forests.
It’s a convoluted way of saying there’s a lot of grass and trees.
Grass… is rich in nature and vitality, and being a higher-level dungeon means it’s brimming with magic.
In other words, it’s a perfect habitat for spirits.
Thanks to that, this dungeon is said to harbor quite a few spirits.
It’s written in the strategy guide that I skimmed through beforehand.
While it might not have many traps, it seems to have a high monster and spirit encounter rate.
I plan to focus on necromancy and spirit magic in this dungeon.
By summoning spirits and defeating monsters, I can train my necromancy skills, and every time I find a spirit, I’d collect them.
All the spirits I currently hold are on the verge of advancing, so I’m thinking of bringing in lots of beginner spirits.
If I can gather magic stones during this process, that would be great, and given how there’s lots of grass, it would be beneficial to pick up various herbs and materials…
‘More than anything, I need to get a grasp on a higher-level dungeon.’
The “Other side.”
In the original story, it’s described as a phenomenon of catastrophic calamities where prevention was impossible.
The occurrence spots are random.
Even if I can vaguely estimate them based on the records from previous runs, that’s not very accurate.
Even knowing the location, there’s no way to stop it.
The best I can do is help civilians evacuate from the initial effect areas and predict the damage range to deal with the monsters that pour out.
But…
‘If it were me…’
With my observational powers, I might be able to detect signs of the Other Side. I could precisely identify the location and prepare.
If I have control over space, I might be able to interfere with the Other Side or even prevent it.
The Other Side phenomenon is caused by the creation and destruction of dungeons.
Whatever it may be, it’s a space-induced phenomenon.
If I want to understand the Other Side, then I need to delve deeper into dungeons… space itself.
“Hmm…”
As I divulged my thoughts concerning the Other Side, Ji-yeon crossed her arms and fell into thought.
Her ample chest was emphasized by her folded arms as I tilted my head while sipping my milk.
A moment later.
After pensive deliberation, Ji-yeon glanced my way and opened her mouth.
“I’m not saying I would reject this, but if I did, would you give up on this dungeon?”
Ah, rejection, huh?
Well, if that’s the case…
I shrugged in response.
[No, I’ll find another dungeon for mentoring, or use other methods.]
[This dungeon, I’ll enter on my own later—]
“Let’s go together.”
[?]
In stark contrast to her previous hesitation, Ji-yeon quickly accepted my proposal.
I tilted my head in confusion.
What’s with that shocked expression that looks like she’s just seen someone walk alone into a dangerous field?
It felt oddly… amusing.
*
[Player Affinity System: Affinity Level]
Lee Ha-yul → Choi Ji-yeon
●●●●●●○○○○(60/100)
「Heir of Taesan」 「Good Person」 「A Bit Hurt」
▽Change▽
●●●●●●○○○○(60▷61/100)
「Heir of Taesan」 「Good Person」 「Rock」 「Reliable?」
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