Chapter 34 : Yeah… well, I’ll take it for now (3)

Just how many times in my life have I felt this level of rage?

Since I’ve hardly ever gotten truly angry before, this probably ranks in the top three.

I usually get depressed rather than mad, so for something to make me this furious.

No wonder it’s Cheonho.

[…I’m sorry.]

“…Um, can I turn back into a man?”

After sending the Spirit girl back up and fuming alone, I asked with a sliver of hope.

But the response I got was.

[…Impossible.]

Just one plain word.

“Impossible”—and yet, it pierced me so deeply.

“…Shit.”

[W-Well, I don’t think it’s appropriate to c-curse in front of your parent…]

“…I’m f***ing sorry.”

[…I’m sorry too. But even so, I’ll cherish and care for you as my child! I’ll take full responsibility for that, no matter what!]

Perhaps realizing how seriously pissed I was, “Mother” responded in a humble tone.

And it did feel like her promise came from the heart.

‘…She did help when I collapsed because of Hunter Chanseok, after all.’

Though I wasn’t sure exactly how she helped.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t thanked her yet for helping me back then.

[Ah… Are you still mad…?]

[This is my first time taking care of a child, so I don’t really know what to do… A-Are you okay?]

She kept popping up noisy text beside me.

But I could tell how dearly she cared for me.

‘…Why me, though.’

That thought crossed my mind for a moment.

But then I remembered the orphanage director and my sister, so I shook my head.

“Thank you.”

In moments like this, you just say thank you.

Yeah, that’s what makes it easier on the heart.

[…Thank you for what?]

“Just… for helping me back then. And for what you’ll do for me going forward.”

[H-Have you calmed down now?]

They were just words on a screen, yet they felt so noisy somehow.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

[T-Thank goodness.]

“By the way… how exactly did you help me back then?”

Now that my anger had cooled, I asked out of curiosity.

[Back then? I just possessed you to help.]

[I still can’t descend directly… There are a few issues.]

[But I’ll come visit my daughter soon, so don’t worry.]

So it really was possession.

Do you normally lose your memory during possession?

“Do you normally not remember being possessed?”

[No, the soul just gets pushed to the back. It’s like watching a video.]

“Then why don’t I remember anything?”

[Because you passed out. Though thanks to that, you were able to talk to the system.]

Thanks to the kind explanation, I finally understood.

So that window I was talking to… must’ve been the system.

[Do you want to see what happened? One of your friends came too, by the way.]

“A friend?”

[You know, that swordsman… what was his name…]

“Oh, Hanseong?”

[Yes, yes, that’s it.]

So Hunter Hanseong really came.

Then I definitely have to see it.

Even though I’d heard some terrible things from Chanseok, I doubted he’d berate someone who had collapsed and even thrown up.

So with that thought, I decided to accept the memory.

“…I’ll see it.”

[Good, good. Don’t be too nervous, I’ll be watching over you.]

I couldn’t see her face or hear her voice,But I could tell—Mother was smiling.

And so, I received the memory.

My vision flashed for a moment!

And then, the events from that time began to seep into my mind one by one.

“…Ugh…”

[Hurts a bit, doesn’t it?]

“It stings a little.”

Though I had a sudden headache, I managed to endure it with the mindset that this level of headache was nothing compared to mental illness.

“You really gave him a proper lesson, huh?”

[…Heh.]

Ugh, how smug.

“Mother, can I not hear your voice?”

I tilted my head and asked, and a message appeared.

[Do you want to hear it?]

“Yes, I do. Even in the memory, it was my voice, right? The tone matches the text too.”

[I’ll let you hear it when we meet in person later.]

It seemed there was a reason behind it.

I couldn’t force someone with a story to do something unreasonable.

[Are you not doing that broadcast or whatever today?]

“No, not today. I’m not in the mood, haha…”

When I awkwardly replied, my mother stopped displaying text.

[…Alright, get some rest. I should go soak in the hot spring now.]

“…Hot spring…”

[I’ll be going. Take care of yourself, alright?]

“Yes, don’t worry.”

A hot spring, huh.

That sounds nice.

I wish I had something like that too.

“Even just a warm cup of coffee would be great.”

Due to my serious caffeine addiction, I was craving it badly.

“Making a nice iced coffee after a hot spring sounds perfect.”

Just thinking about that happy dilemma brought a smile to my face.

“…Should I try to get the next monsters as hot and cold types?”

Not a bad idea.

Immediately, monsters related to a lava zone and a tundra region came to mind.

Though I wasn’t sure if I could choose and summon them.

“…Do I have to buy coffee from that scammer again?”

It didn’t seem like they were selling it.

I’ll have to ask next time the merchant comes by.

I was definitely going to get revenge for being ripped off last time.

If they acted cocky in front of an SSS-rank, they were either fearless or had some strong backing.

But my mom’s no pushover either.

They’re screwed.

Just as I thought that and chuckled to myself.

[An intruder has entered the tower!]

“Eh?”

Someone had broken into the tower.

[Skeleton or Skull : My lord, someone’s entered again. What should we do?]

[Gumiho: I’m on my way. Just wait a bit. They’re not attacking this time?]

[Skeleton or Skull : No, we’ve surrounded them with skeletons. They’re not resisting.]

[Gumiho: Got it. I’ll be there soon.]

After receiving the Death Knight’s message, I hurried toward the first floor.

‘…I thought it was all over?’

In Mother’s memory, Hunter Hanseong bowed his head in apology, and he, along with Hanyul and Chanseok, left.

Mother even smiled contentedly and waved goodbye.

“…Should I get myself a pipe too?”

My head hurt.

The mother in my memory looked so happy with her pipe.

That thought crossed my mind.

***

“Stop right there and stand still.”

“The boss is on her way. If you try anything stupid like last time… you know what’ll happen, right?”

The atmosphere in the tower had become even more intense.

Hanseong felt it and forced a smile.

“I came to apologize.”

“Shut it.”

As he spoke, the Death Knight brought a sword to his mouth.

There was no echo in his voice like before, but the pressure he exuded had clearly intensified.

The surrounding skeletons were all B-rank or higher, up to A+.

‘…Seriously, what kind of tower is this difficult right from the start?’

Logically, it’s a beatable level.

Considering there are no monsters after this, if the Flash Guild—which specializes in holy magic—joins forces, it could be cleared in one go.

But that would mean they’d have to endure heavy losses starting from the first floor, which would just be throwing a tantrum.

At least half the Flash Guild would be slaughtered by that Death Knight.

‘Thank goodness Gumiho is on our side.’

Hanseong raised both hands while placing a coffee machine and the finest beans on the ground.

“Can’t you tell them to hurry up a bit? This stuff doesn’t taste good when it gets old.”

“Silence, human. You’re a top-priority surveillance target.”

“Ha… seriously?”

“Why? Want me to prove it to you?”

The Death Knight let out a dry chuckle, his hostility toward humans completely unfiltered.

Thanks to that, Chanseok seemed visibly irritated.

Hanyul jabbed Chanseok in the side and scolded him.

“…You crazy bastard, just stay still, stay still.”

“…It won’t taste good anymore. If the seasoning is off, it’s bad for your health too.”

“Which is exactly why you shouldn’t have brought it. Master said just bring the coffee.”

“…I didn’t think they’d be this cautious…”

Hanseong looked at Chanseok as if he couldn’t believe him.

‘…Does he even think?’

Even if it wasn’t his decision, they’d barged in recklessly—so why was he acting so thoughtless?

“You hate monsters that much?”

“…Of course I do.”

“But these ones haven’t done anything. Even now, they’re just being cautious.”

“…”

“Cool your head. Otherwise, you’ll have to choose whether to die at the hands of that skeleton guy here—or by mine after we go back.”

Chanseok let out a sigh and returned to his usual playful tone.

“Mr. Skeleton or Skull, I’m gonna die waiting~”

“…Just wait a moment.”

At that, the Death Knight tossed an artifact that looked like it had ice magic.

In an instant, the liver and yukhoe were chilled with a layer of frost.

“Meat loses flavor if it’s frozen and thawed. That should do.”

“…Oh, thanks, mister.”

“No need to thank me.”

Chanseok, who had been forcing a fake smile, looked slightly flustered by the kindness.

Then he let out a genuine chuckle and thanked the Death Knight.

The Death Knight, in response, stabbed his greatsword into the ground and the flames in his eyes bent as if he was smiling.

And from behind that Death Knight.

“Ah, of course, you were hunters.”

A weary-looking Gumiho approached with a faint smile, her energy clearly lower than last time.

“Unnie!”

At Hanyul’s call, Gumiho paused briefly, then returned a soft smile and greeted her.

“Death Knight, leave the skeletons here. Escort the hunters and me to the top floor.”

“Yes, my lord.”

With the Death Knight taking the lead, Gumiho encouraged the hunters to follow her to the top.

“You sure visit often.”

To Gumiho’s light smile, the three of them replied with awkward ones of their own.