517

 [Chapter 141]

[Dungeon Maintenance Crew (4)]

Morning of the 4th day in the Academy Dungeon.

After a day of rest, the students were busily moving to tackle the 4th underground floor.

If we conquer the 4th floor today and camp on the 5th floor at night, we should be able to finish on time.

Going down takes time, but coming back up doesn't take as long.

Most parties headed straight to the 4th floor after breakfast.

Some competitive parties even secretly departed at dawn, skipping breakfast.

Jung Ha-yang, who woke up early, quickly surveyed the surroundings to assess the situation.

She decided not to worry too much.

It's a bit awkward to say this, but...

Even if we fall behind others, I'm confident we can make up for it.

Including herself,

Kim Min-ji, Bae Su-bin, Bong Gu-rae, Jin Pa-rang, Choi Eun-hyuk.

Ha-yang highly valued her party members' abilities.

Even if other parties left first, she didn't feel much threat.

So while other parties were bustling about,

"Should I take one last dip in the hot spring before we leave to tackle the dungeon..."

Very leisurely,

She was on her way out after enjoying a final bath in the hot spring.

She shook out her damp hair, lost in thought.

It was quite a contrast to the other students busy packing.

Anyway, she observed her surroundings like that.

While observing─

""─Ah.""

It's unclear who spoke first.

But the two people froze almost simultaneously.

Jung Ha-yang, who was about to return to her tent, ran into Yoon I-byeol who seemed to be heading to the hot spring.

""...""

Yoon I-byeol, who was tightly holding her toiletries and clothes, stiffened.

Ha-yang was the same.

She also stopped drying her hair with the towel.

""...""

The two just stared at each other silently.

As if having a battle of nerves over who would greet the other first.

They engaged in a silent staring contest.

"─Hello?" "...Hello."

After a moment,

Ha-yang was the first to speak.

She greeted cheerfully as if nothing had happened.

Only then did Yoon I-byeol react.

She responded in a somewhat brusque tone.

"Did you sleep well? Are you going to wash up?" "...Yeah."

"The bath seems empty right now. You should be able to wash up quietly."

"I see..."

Ha-yang tried to make friendly conversation.

Yoon I-byeol answered reluctantly.

But conversations that end in short answers tend to finish quickly.

I must... make her uncomfortable.

Yoon I-byeol doesn't want to talk to her.

Ha-yang gave an internal wry smile as she sensed the other girl's emotions.

But it couldn't be helped.

She and Yoon I-byeol, who had fought over the same person they liked, couldn't suddenly become close now.

Even so─

─If I-byeol and I keep maintaining this state, it will be really hard on the other kids.

Even if they couldn't become very close,

Ha-yang wanted to maintain some level of friendliness with her.

That way their friends wouldn't feel awkward between her and Yoon I-byeol.

And there's Eunha too...

Of course, the biggest reason was her stubborn boyfriend who refused to budge no matter what, but still.

Additionally, coward, two-timer.

"Your party is leaving after lunch, right?" "Yeah." "...Rest well before you go. You probably didn't get much rest since you arrived late yesterday." "Yeah."

"...Well, I'll be going then."

Even a formal relationship would be fine.

It's better than completely ignoring each other.

Ha-yang internally sighed seeing Yoon I-byeol's attitude of trying to put up a wall against her.

She decided to back off at this point.

So she was about to pass by Yoon I-byeol with a nod when─

"─Why..." "Hm?"

The moment she passed Yoon I-byeol.

Suddenly the other girl spoke up.

Ha-yang stopped and turned around.

She narrowed her eyes.

Yoon I-byeol was glaring at her.

"Why did you lie to me? You said... you wouldn't confess..."

"..."

"Liar. Coward."

A voice on the verge of tears.

Ha-yang couldn't say anything as she watched the other girl's shoulders trembling.

Liar, coward.

That's right, Yoon I-byeol's words.

Ha-yang couldn't deny her words.

In a way, I took advantage of I-byeol's confession...

She could say it was too late to confront her about it now.

Nevertheless, Ha-yang had felt sorry towards her all this time.

Because Yoon I-byeol hadn't tried to confront her until now,

The feeling of guilt had only grown.

So she could only silently look at Yoon I-byeol's indignant face.

"─I hate you so much."

"..."

I didn't think she would say it.

Until I heard those words.

Ha-yang felt her head go cold.

A question arose.

Why do I have to just stand here and listen to this?

She acknowledged that she had done wrong.

But does that mean it's okay to pour out hatred to her face even when she's feeling sorry?

Even if there are pent-up emotions between them,

If they're not going to completely cut ties, couldn't they just get along nicely?

Do you really have to go this far?

Ha-yang asked herself.

Even for Eunha's sake,

She had been willing to bow her head somewhat to soothe Yoon I-byeol's feelings, but now the other girl was showing such an insolent attitude.

"Is that so? How interesting."

Her mood soured.

Thinking the other girl was looking down on her to speak so rudely,

Ha-yang suddenly cut off her words with a sweet smile.

"─I hate you too."

"..."

As if saying she couldn't care less about someone like her,

Ha-yang spoke gently.

☆

They decided to trade Jin Seo-na and Ariel.

Eunha informed Seo-na of this fact when she returned from her morning bath.

Of course, Jin Seo-na was shocked.

It was only natural that Jin Seo-na immediately hit Eunha with the towel she had been using to dry her hair.

"How dare you sell me off without even asking for my permission!?" "I'm sorry. Ow, I said I'm sorry..."

"You think a simple apology is enough for this? No way. You need to be punished. Just let me hit you. Come here!"

As if wielding a whip,

Seo-na smacks Eunha with the towel.

Hosimiya Kaede and the other friends didn't try to stop it even after seeing the scene.

Rather, some even shook their heads as if he deserved it.

"I'm sorry, I had no choice... There was an incident in Min-ho's party..."

The fox had been wagging her tail happily, planning to take a nap after her bath.

But suddenly she was told to leave this resort to tackle the dungeon.

Moreover, she was told she would be entering another party without even asking for her permission.

It was understandable for her to be fuming.

Eunha had nothing to say in his defense, so he ended up just taking the hits until her anger subsided.

"This is all because of you. But how does it make sense that I'm the one suffering the consequences instead of you?"

"It doesn't make sense, of course." "You did wrong, right?"

"I really did wrong." "Sigh... Why are you my friend..."

"I'm glad you're my friend though."

"You only call me your friend at times like this."

She seems to have calmed down somewhat.

The fox stopped her towel whipping.

Eunha, internally sighing in relief, tried to soothe her as she caught her breath.

Eventually, she folded her triangular ears halfway as if resigned.

"Fine, I'll do it. Happy now?"

"Thank you so much. As expected, only you..." "But."

"Hm?"

"What will you do for me?"

"...What do you want me to do?"

The fox suddenly proposing a deal.

Eunha asked her as she perked up her triangular ears that had been folded just moments ago.

She really was a fox who refused to take a loss.

"I can't think of anything specific..."

"Should I brush your tail?"

"...Why would you brush my tail?"

She doesn't seem to have anything particular in mind either.

Eunha casually asked for her opinion.

Then she sent him a drowsy look as she pondered.

Eunha tilted his head.

"Do you know what it means for an Ayin to entrust their tail to someone else?" "I know. It means they trust them, right?" "Then what about letting someone brush their tail?" "It means they really really trust them?"

"That's true, but..."

Jin Seo-na groaned.

The fox mumbled, seeming to have something she wanted to say.

Eunha waited silently for her to answer.

"The meaning changes. Letting someone of the opposite sex brush your tail..." "The silly hyung didn't say anything like that?" "Pa-rang oppa is an idiot!" "That hyung is an idiot. But you let him brush it when you were younger, right?" "That was when we were kids! How old are we now!"

"What's the big deal." "Anyway! No tail brushing." "I'm good at brushing though."

"You were good at it..."

"Want to let me do it after a long time?"

"...No. I was tempted for a moment, but I'll brush my own tail."

An argument broke out.

Eventually Jin Seo-na sighed.

She hugged her tail defensively against Eunha.

"Then should I clean your ears?" "Why would you clean my ears!?"

"I'm good at cleaning ears."

"No! No, that's even worse!"

Eunha had asked jokingly.

But the fox cried out in shock.

She backed away.

Eunha enjoyed her reaction.

"How about a massage then?"

"...Massage?" "You know I'm good at shoulder rubs." "Hmm. That's true."

"So is that a deal?"

"No. That's still not enough. Buy me meals, buy me coffee too."

"You're such a highway robber..."

"You're in no position to say that when you're the one selling me off to another party."

"Alright. I'll do that."

After dramatic negotiations,

Jin Seo-na agreed to join Mok Min-ho's party to tackle the dungeon.

Meanwhile, when the mermaid heard this news─

"─Noh Eunha! I heard everything! Brush my tail too!"

"You don't even have a tail."

"What do you mean I don't have a tail? I totally have a tail, see!" "Uh huh, those are legs. But why are you lying down?" "Flap flap." "Huh?" "Flap flap!" "..." "Hurry! Brush my tail too! Hurry!"

"This is driving me crazy..."

The mermaid suddenly appeared and clung to Eunha, refusing to let go.

Eunha felt his future looked bleak.

☆

Jung Ha-yang's party left in the morning.

Mok Min-ho's party decided to rest a bit more and leave after lunch.

"Well, we're heading out now!"

After a quick breakfast,

Jung Ha-yang's party got up to leave for the dungeon after packing their bags.

Eunha and friends who were staying at the hot spring area followed to see them off.

Min-ho's group will be leaving later too...

Today will be quie- no, it won't be quiet with Ariel around.

Choi Eun-hyuk waved.

Eunha waved back at him while sighing.

He wasn't sure if he and Kaede could control the mermaid by themselves.

Eunha decided to focus on the departing friends, trying to ignore the fish clinging to Kaede.

Just then,

"─Eunha."

"What?"

As various parties were leaving one by one,

Jung Ha-yang, who was about to turn and leave like the others, suddenly ran over.

Eunha opened his arms to receive her as she ran towards him.

She burst into laughter as she entered his embrace.

"You know..."

Ha-yang trailed off.

She looked around.

Checking for her friends' gazes.

Then she looked up at him as if resolved.

"─Kiss me."

""""...""""

Until just a few days ago,

She was very shy about showing affection with Eunha in front of others.

But for some reason,

She had suddenly started acting like she didn't care about others' gazes a few days ago.

Even so─

─This is unexpected.

To ask for a kiss before leaving.

Eunha couldn't help but give a wry smile at Ha-yang speaking so boldly in front of their friends.

"You won't do it?"

"Where should I kiss you?"

"Guess what's in my heart!"

"Hmm... I'm not sure?"

When they first started dating, she was busy trying to read his mood.

Now she playfully asks.

Eunha placed his hand on her cheek and smirked.

She's like a mischievous little devil.

It's really cute.

"Kiss me here."

Jung Ha-yang puckered her lips.

She closed her eyes.

Eunha stopped teasing and pressed his lips to hers.

Look at her.

Maybe because she won't see him for a few days,

She wrapped her arms around his neck as if she had been waiting for this.

Eunha responded by hugging her small shoulders a bit tighter.

Their tongues intertwined.

As if refusing to let go.

Eunha felt like his tongue might get pulled out by the roots.

"─Did you like it?"

"I loved it."

After some time passed,

The two unwrapped their arms from each other.

Jung Ha-yang, who had stolen a taste with her tongue, answered with a flushed face.

Eunha lightly kissed her forehead one last time.

She smiled softly.

"Should I stay here one more day?"

"Really? I don't mind..."

She must have enjoyed it a lot.

Jung Ha-yang clung to Eunha and said.

Eunha shrugged.

She didn't seem to notice,

But Eunha was looking at someone approaching from behind Ha-yang.

It was Kim Min-ji.

"No, you can't. We have to tackle the dungeon, remember? Can you save the dating for when we get out?" "Ah, Eunha...!"

"We're delayed because of you, Ha-yang. Come on guys, let's go!"

Kim Min-ji grabbed Ha-yang by the scruff of her neck and tried to leave.

He waved to Ha-yang as she was dragged away by Min-ji.

Ha-yang waved back.

Meanwhile, her gaze─

"So mean..."

─From beginning to end,

Was fixed on Yoon I-byeol.

☆

As days went by,

His influence at the Academy was gradually diminishing.

Kim Geon-ung knew the reason.

"Huff... huff!"

"C-can't we rest for a bit!?"

"We're almost there! The main hall should appear soon if we go a little further!"

Noh Eunha and his group members.

It was because they kept making achievements at the Academy.

As a result, Kim Geon-ung, the direct descendant of KK Group, wasn't getting much attention as he was overshadowed by their accomplishments.

This won't do.

I need to somehow establish my position.

With Choi Ga-in, who was hostile towards Noh Eunha's group, dying last year,

The momentum of Noh Eunha's group was skyrocketing endlessly.

In this situation, Kim Geon-ung couldn't help but feel a sense of crisis that his influence would diminish.

"Huff... huff! We made it! The end is right there! Just hang on a little longer!" "Okay!"

He had to achieve something somehow.

He needed to accomplish something to make the Academy students follow him.

So Kim Geon-ung couldn't help but feel rushed.

"...We're here."

Day 4 of the Academy dungeon.

Thus, after pushing on relentlessly, he was finally able to reach the 5th underground floor.

Standing in front of the main hall, which could be considered the final location for the evaluation, he felt a sense of accomplishment that his party had arrived first.

It's not like I'm beating those kids with just this small achievement, but...

If I keep moving forward step by step, opportunities will come.

He felt overwhelmed with emotion.

Kim Geon-ung thought as he and his party members came out of the main hall with incense.

But his sense of accomplishment─

""""─...""""

Crumbled immediately.

Those who came out of the main hall froze in place.

"Wh-what is that..."

As if he couldn't believe it.

Kim Geon-ung spoke with difficulty.

But no one answered him.

They all felt similar to him.

Buzzzzz

Bees filled the air above their heads.

If only they were just ordinary bees.

These weren't bees.

They boasted bodies comparable to adult humans.

They were monsters.

Many monsters surrounded them, their red eyes gleaming.

""""...""""

Resistance was futile.