Monsters are a huge menace for humanity.
During the chaos, the number of people killed by monsters was countless, and even now, many are falling victim to them.
No matter how much people babble about having overcome the chaos or that an era of peace has arrived, the fact that monsters are dangerous hasn’t changed.
If a level 4 monster suddenly popped up in the inland area instead of the demon realm, the surrounding area would become a disaster zone—forget overcoming anything.
Recently, there have been a lot of deluded folks thinking otherwise.
Even now, monsters are dangerous. Not just the high-tier ones like level 4 or level 3 monsters, but even the low-tier monsters can pose a threat.
The danger of dungeons that spawn such monsters goes without saying.
Even a mere mutt has some swagger in its own home, but monsters backed by dungeons? Explaining that would give anyone a headache.
Monsters, the dungeons they inhabit—dangerous, dangerous!
It’s a common occurrence for a few people to die in a dungeon.
‘……’
Professor Atra caressed her stiff face as she lowered her gaze.
In a moment of silence, she noticed Lee Ha-yul, who looked like a deflated balloon, as if he thought he had done something wrong.
He looked pitiful, like a puppy caught in the rain, anxiously glancing at his owner.
He tried to deny that notion by opening his mouth, but no words came out. He couldn’t bring himself to say anything.
This job has been manipulating its reputation within the association for decades, and it’s a job that is inextricably tied to monsters.
Therefore, it’s always perilous. The life of a hero is short and uncertain.
Those who swagger with confidence today may find themselves vanished by the next day, leaving behind no trace.
Especially in the demon realm, but this is often true in inland dungeons as well.
If even a fragment of a body is left behind, that would be considered above average.
“…Mid-month, was it?”
Atra took a deep breath and brushed her hand over her face while calculating the date.
Currently in the fifth week of the cradle… which means it’s the first week of April.
‘Huh.’
She stifled a wry smile inside. How oddly coincidental, the date was suspiciously close to the anniversary.
How annoying.
“… Did you receive permission for external activities?”
At Shio-ram, students’ outings are restricted unless approved by the academic side.
Moreover, external visitors are scrutinized thoroughly for the sake of student safety.
Of course, the conditions for students to go out are surprisingly lenient, and many students make it out every weekend.
[Yes, I’ve received permission.]
As Atra composed herself to ask, Lee Ha-yul, who had been all scrunched up, hurriedly replied.
Hearing that, Atra chewed on her lips.
So Shio-ram approved it. In that case, did Atra even have a reason to hold him back?
‘… Is there a reason to stop him?’
Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind, leaving her momentarily dazed.
After all, Lee Ha-yul is trying to shoulder the burden of being a hero. The job of a hero revolves around killing monsters.
A hero specialized in combat kills monsters.
If specialized in support, they assist those who kill monsters.
If they can’t even do that, they develop the skills and gear necessary to kill monsters.
It’s entirely natural for someone in combat to enter a dungeon where monsters emerge, and there was no reason to stop him.
In fact, it would be quite foolish to try and block such a thing.
It’s not something you would want to prevent when someone wants to step into a dungeon to become a hero.
Thus, she didn’t stop him then, and regretted that choice.
Also now… there was no reason to stop him.
Atra remained silent for a while. After a moment, she hesitated before finally opening her tightly shut lips.
Her voice was careful and small, unlike her usual tone.
“… Alright, be safe out there.”
It was a response similar to the last time.
*
‘… Did I make a mistake?’
Observing the Professor Atra as she walked away, it was clear she was different this time… her steps lacked their usual strength.
She gradually moved further away until she disappeared from sight.
Alone in the old Training Hall, I stood still, mumbling to myself, then sighed deeply.
Rubbing the nape of my neck, the sweat that had disappeared earlier began to trickle back out.
To be precise, it felt more like cold sweat.
Fanning my face with my hand, I replayed the earlier situation in my mind.
When the feedback session ended and the class was over, I told Professor Atra that I would be out over the weekend.
I also mentioned I would be dropping by a dungeon along the way.
Having already received permission from Shio-ram days ago, the approval text came back shortly after my inquiry.
It would be fine to go silently since I wouldn’t be seeing Professor Atra during the weekend, but I wanted to inform her since she’s my main professor.
‘What was that…’
Something about Professor Atra’s demeanor had clearly changed.
When I mentioned I would be visiting a dungeon, her expression froze over.
For a moment, I felt a lump in my throat. Her face carried a negativity far from any approval.
I managed to endure it, but her fearsome expression could make anyone tremble.
Fortunately, her face relaxed soon enough, but she displayed odd signs like chewing her lips or her gaze wandering around.
‘A dungeon?’
She showed no reaction to external outings but reacted strongly to the word “dungeon.”
It was the same as before. Professor Atra seemed particularly averse to the topic of dungeons.
Yet, paradoxically, she possessed extensive knowledge about them.
It was rather puzzling.
As much as she detested dungeons, perhaps she had put in efforts to overcome her fears?
But judging by her reaction today, something felt lacking in that reasoning.
Professor Riana had also mentioned it.
While Atra’s personality might be tough and prickly, it didn’t mean she didn’t have her own circumstances.
That was certainly true.
After all, Professor Atra is human too, so she must have her own reasons for feeling averse to dungeons.
– Thud.
No one has a reasonless condition. The moment I recalled that sentence, my feet suddenly froze.
Everyone has their own circumstances. Not everything in the world connects to right and wrong.
What seems right at the time can turn out to be a poor decision in retrospect, and vice versa.
No one has a reasonless condition. Everyone has their own stories.
So, did my parents have their own reasons? Was there a reason for treating me that way? Was there a need for it?
‘Damn it.’
That was a premise I didn’t want to think about.
Grinding my teeth, I pulled my frozen legs and prepared to go outside.
.
.
.
It goes without saying that Shio-ram provides various benefits to its students.
Looking through the regulations, it’s hard to list them all, but one of the most significant is the rewards for grades…
Credits are allocated to each student based on evaluations received from classes and experiences at Shio-ram.
Such as the scores from dungeon practice, quizzes, or simple practical tests received during classes.
These credits serve not only as proof of grades but also come with meaningful rewards.
‘1,000 points…’
I had earned 1,300 points from the Tower of Growth, but set aside 300 points for the Egg of Origins.
I had gained some score through dungeon practice and other tests, but not in large quantities compared to what I earned at the tower.
It was Friday afternoon.
With my major class over, I could go to the Gate Terminal right away, but first, I planned to pick up an artifact using my credits.
Just like in the original work, I had to utilize credits wisely.
The Tower of Growth was a training facility where world-class superhumans gathered, and therefore, the rewards displayed in the catalog were quite varied.
In other words, there were artifacts comparable to hidden pieces.
Of course, each artifact had its own grades and practicality. The rewards listed in the catalog varied greatly by type.
Such artifacts that could be drawn in a short time are rather scarce.
Yet, one cannot ignore the fact that it’s scary to wander around a dungeon alone.
Whether it’s a snowball effect or whatever, if I die, that’s game over, so I intend to take an artifact that would help with my capabilities.
Having skimmed through the original knowledge and catalog, I settled on the artifact I would take.
A mid-level artifact, “Feather of the Sky.”
This semi-transparent artifact made of fluttering fabric has protective capabilities that depend on the purity of the imbued magical power.
Considering the praise I frequently receive regarding my magical power’s purity, I made my selection.
Additionally, it consumes mana for automatic recovery functions and, when mastered, allows for remote manipulation of the artifact itself.
Simply put, while its features could place it among higher-level artifacts, maintaining the purity of magical power isn’t an easy feat.
Thus, due to this operational requirement for the purity of magical power, its grade was assessed slightly lower. It performs at a mid-high level for a reasonable user.
However, with my exceptionally high purity of magical power, it would showcase commendable performance.
With expectation in my heart, I headed toward the Central Administration Office near the central plaza.
Requests involving the issuing of artifacts and other significant matters are processed at the Central Administration Office.
After dashing at a reasonable pace, I soon arrived at the Central Administration Office.
“It’s been a while, Lee Ha-yul. I’m Venus Litera, the vice-principal responsible for artifact distribution.”
I met the vice-principal, who seemed to be waiting for me. She nodded respectfully as she looked at me.
Her emotionless, amethyst-colored eyes took in my appearance.
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