Chapter 98
Sometimes, dungeons known as "Grudge Dungeons," formed from the mixed resentments of humans, would appear.
These Grudge Dungeons usually did not exceed level 2.
This was because they were not dungeons designed to kill those who entered.
What the deceased wanted was to make their grievances known to the world.
Therefore, dungeons tended to be quite friendly to adventurers.
"Hmm..."
Yeoreum, having entered the dungeon, looked back.
Despite not meeting the clear conditions, a portal that could take them back outside flickered.
This was a unique feature of Grudge Dungeons, offering to send you outside anytime.
The dungeon didn't want to kill the visitors; it just wanted to share its grievances.
"Yeoreum, this is..."
Encia looked around and swallowed hard.
The dungeon was different from those that stirred a sense of adventure, right from its appearance.
The sky at dusk was gloomy, and the rotten trees gave off an eerie vibe.
Those who entered the dungeon could see a building in the distance.
"It looks like a Grudge Dungeon..."
A level 6 Grudge Dungeon, unseen in any adventurer's manual.
Given the nature of the dungeon, emotional distress was inevitable.
Yeoreum, being physically strong, thought she'd rather bleed and fight instead.
"Shall we go then?"
"Yes..."
"Let's go!"
Argo walked towards the building with determination.
However, Argo could only stop after a few steps.
On the blood-sticky mud floor, someone's skinless hand was reaching out towards the sunset, as if wanting to make their resentments known.
There were dozens, maybe hundreds, of such beings.
Yeoreum covered her mouth.
"Ugh...!"
This wasn't just a setup to instill fear.
Each one was a real person who had lived.
What kind of resentment had led to the creation of this dungeon?
The group just looked at each other for a long time.
'Gyeoul, what kind of pain are you holding?'
What pain was the little child bearing?
Yeoreum bit her lip so hard it might bleed.
She thought they might not be able to clear the dungeon today.
<+>
After coming down from the mountain, I sat on a nearby bench to rest.
Poking Levinas's cheek, who was sleeping in Jung Yu-na's arms, I looked up at Jung Yu-na again.
"I'm sorry... because of me, we couldn't go to the dungeon..."
"It's okay. I much prefer resting here with Gyeoul."
"Still..."
Because of me, there were complications in clearing the dungeon.
I couldn't help but feel sorry.
"A level 6 dungeon can be cleared even if one person is missing, so don't worry too much."
"Okay..."
Even though I was told it was okay, I couldn't help feeling sorry.
I just kept looking down, endlessly.
"Gyeoul must have been really scared, huh?"
"Yes..."
To be honest, I wasn't that scared.
It was more like my body, not me, was the one feeling fear.
I wondered if the original owner of this body had experienced something and was buried underground.
My body was so stiff, I couldn't do anything.
What had happened to the body's original owner?
Feeling frustrated, I just swung my hanging feet back and forth until Jung Yu-na placed her hand over my head.
"Hehe, let's stop thinking about dungeons and play something else, okay?"
"Something else?"
I didn't mind playing, but playing as an adult was new to me.
What do adults do for fun?
Just as I was pondering, Levinas, who was sleeping in Jung Yu-na's arms, perked up her ears.
"Play?"
"Oh, you're awake?"
"Yeah. Levinas wants to play too!"
Waking up at the mention of playing.
Her cuteness naturally brought a smile to my face, enough to make the fear I had felt moments ago fly away.
'...Right, this isn't my problem.'
I felt truly sorry for the body's original owner, but this was my body now.
I didn't want to fall into trauma over something that happened to the original owner.
It had nothing to do with me.
'I'm sorry.'
If there was a way to give this body back, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
This wasn't my body after all.
But until that day comes, I planned to live as I wanted, not swayed by any trauma.
So, for now, I decided to just play with everyone.
"What shall we play?"
I stepped down from the bench and asked Jung Yu-na.
She pondered for a moment before raising her index finger.
"How about we play tag?"
"Tag?"
"Yeah. It's a game where the seeker catches the ones running away."
Tag.
It's a basic game that children enjoy.
"But it's too advantageous for those who can use magic."
"Of course, I won't use magic. Do you think I'm that shameless?"
"Ah."
If magic is off-limits, wouldn't I have an advantage?
In terms of agility, I am better than many hunters.
I had to play while adjusting my level.
We moved to a nearby playground.
"Is it cheating to go outside the playground?"
"Yes!"
"Okay..."
But how would we decide who's it?
Rock-paper-scissors, maybe?
As I was looking up at Jung Yu-na, unsure of what to do, she suddenly raised her hands high.
"I'll catch everyone!"
"Eek!"
Startled, Levinas climbed up the slide.
It was a complicated play structure with various equipment attached.
"Huh?"
Without doing something like rock-paper-scissors, Jung Yu-na volunteered to be it.
Jung Yu-na volunteered to be it for the sake of playing with Levinas.
"Wow."
I decided I should do the same when playing with Levinas.
Just as I had this great realization through Jung Yu-na, she suddenly hugged me tightly.
"Got you!"
"Ah..."
Was it because I was lost in thought?
I completely forgot that I was supposed to run away from her.
I couldn't resist and ended up in Jung Yu-na's embrace.
"Gyeoul, this is a game where you're supposed to run away from being caught. You don't know how to play?"
"Ah, no, I know how to..."
"Really?"
Doubt flickered in Jung Yu-na's eyes, as if questioning why I got caught despite knowing the game.
I felt like a fool.
My face burned with embarrassment.
I hurriedly blurted out an excuse.
"I knew I was supposed to run, but I didn't want to because being caught feels nicer..."
My hastily made excuse sounded awkward.
What if Jung Yu-na thought it was weird?
Just as I was about to look up at her with worry, she hugged me so tight it was hard to breathe.
"How can Gyeoul only say such beautiful things?"
"What do you mean...?"
"Hehe, I forgot that being caught could feel nice."
Pat, pat-
Jung Yu-na patted my back.
Following her pats, my tail swayed back and forth.
Being held by her definitely felt good.
It was a hug I hadn't experienced in eight years, so it was nicer than normal.
"Ah! Levinas too! Levinas wants to be caught too!"
Levinas, who had been watching from the slide, ran towards us.
She stood behind me, stomping her feet, and then hugged me and Jung Yu-na tightly.
"Wow! Being caught really is nicer!"
"Yeah, uh-huh..."
My tail, squeezed by Levinas's body, wriggled to somehow wave.
The situation was awkward and embarrassing, but honestly, it was also nice.
"Levinas misunderstood tag! It's not a game of running away but of being caught!"
"Um..."
It wasn't quite right, but if Levinas liked it that way, then maybe it was.
I decided not to correct her.
"Can Levinas be it next time? Levinas wants to give hugs too."
"Yeah. Shall we?"
The rules of the game had been arbitrarily changed, and the seeker was randomly chosen, but it didn't matter.
Playing together was fun.
<+>
In the basement of the building, a girl sat with her knees drawn up inside a giant glass tube.
Her face, hidden in her knees, wasn't visible, but Yeoreum instinctively knew that the child was Gyeoul.
"Ah."
Her heart pounded.
Blood dripped from her clenched fist.
What exactly had Gyeoul gone through?
Was it something even more horrific than being bullied by adults?
Yeoreum punched the glass tube with her clenched fist.
She put all her strength into it, but the moment her fist touched the glass, she unknowingly eased her power.
It was out of fear that Gyeoul might get hurt by the shattered glass.
"Gyeoul."
Yeoreum called out to Gyeoul, but Gyeoul didn't lift her head.
She just sat there, hugging her knees, as if she had turned into a statue.
"Yeoreum."
"Yes."
"Here's a file."
──
Test Subject - 307
──
Was that the name given to Gyeoul in the laboratory?
It meant that Gyeoul had undergone over three hundred experiments.
Everyone was silent at the horrific scene of human experimentation.
"We can take this outside."
"Yes. We can take the other files as well."
"Shall we go outside then?"
"Yes. That seems best."
What the Grudge Dungeon wanted was to resolve the spirits' grudges.
Simply defeating a boss didn't clear the dungeon.
We needed to go outside and look at the files together.
Yeoreum tapped on the glass tube where Gyeoul was.
"Gyeoul, can sister come back?"
"..."
"I'll come back and save you for sure..."
"..."
There was no answer from Gyeoul.
Even knowing that this Gyeoul might not be real, a part of Yeoreum's heart ached.
'I miss Gyeoul...'
Yeoreum wanted to escape this terrible place as soon as possible.
<+>
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