episode_0030

030

After finding the relic.

I quickly returned to the original location.

Hiding my body slightly, I cautiously surveyed the surrounding situation.

I could see them in the distance, and I could tell that Yuseolhyun was lying there motionless. Could it be that she’s dead?

I swallowed dryly.

The worst-case scenario came to mind.

I wondered if it was too late.

“Ugh, ugh. She’s so stubborn…!”

“….”

“What, did she finally collapse? Ugh, annoying.”

“….”

Oh, she’s alive?

It seems so.

Kate must have yelled so angrily.

It seemed like she had been knocked out for a moment after being hit hard in the head. Phew. Fortunately, she was still alive.

“I’ll burn you to a crisp, for real.”

Kate began to concentrate a considerable amount of magic in one place, with a menacing look on her face.

Judging by the huge amount of magic being concentrated in her mouth, it seemed like she was about to use the skill of breathing fire.

Is she planning to burn Yuseolhyun, who is lying unconscious, with flames? Damn, this is bad. What should I do?

Should I use an arrow to get her attention? Oh, right. I ran out of arrows, didn’t I?

Then with another item…

No, I’ve already used almost everything. Damn it.

“Phew.”

I took a deep breath, clutching the relic tightly, and prepared myself.

I shouldn’t be scared now.

I was prepared from the beginning.

“….Alright, let’s go.”

After muttering to myself to push away the fear, I quickly ran to where Yuseolhyun had collapsed.

And after standing in front of Yuseolhyun, I glanced at her condition.

“Phew… Thank goodness.”

The injuries were quite severe, but she wasn’t dead after all.

“She’s not dead, just unconscious…”

The worst-case scenario seemed to have been narrowly avoided.

If something had happened to Yuseolhyun, it would have been my fault.

“Why did you have to come back? Ugh, ugh.”

Kate, who had almost gathered all her magic in her mouth, sneered at me.

Well, it must be amusing for her to see me come back after running away like that.

But if she lets her guard down like that, I’m actually grateful.

To use this relic properly, it’s better if the opponent is off guard.

“….Hmph, I’ll show you your worth too!”

‘Here it comes.’

In an instant, Kate breathed out fire.

As the blazing flames surged towards me, I bit my lower lip.

I felt the heat that seemed to scorch my flesh, but I couldn’t dodge it.

I had to face it head-on because running away would be certain death.

‘Ugh! Please.’

I prayed in my heart as I activated the relic and swung the sword.

Because I had only roughly experimented with it before, I couldn’t be 100% sure, but I believed in the power of this relic.

At this moment, I had no choice but to believe.

‘…It worked!’

The flames that had been raging like a volcanic eruption suddenly lost their strength and disappeared as if they were smoke.

It was a slightly bewildering sight, as if I had cut through the flames with the sword, but as someone who had contracted with the Tears of the Moon relic, I knew.

It wasn’t just that the flames disappeared, they were absorbed.

‘This is how it absorbs.’

My admiration was short-lived.

I grimaced slightly as I staggered during the exchange.

Because a considerable amount of health had evaporated the moment I activated the relic.

I knew that health would be consumed every time I used the relic, but I never expected it to be this much.

When I absorbed the magic earlier as a test, it consumed much more stamina than before.

It seemed that the more powerful magic I absorbed according to the settings, the more stamina it consumed. So, I had to secretly take deep breaths.

“Well, I guess I can still handle this much.”

I looked at Kate with a casual expression.

In such urgent situations like now, there was no point in showing signs of exhaustion, so I had to act as nonchalant as possible.

“I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you.”

“Oh, this girl again?”

Kate was gathering magic once more.

A considerable amount of magic swirled in one place.

It seemed like no joke, as if she was a boss monster. What should I do? Should I just quickly rush in and swing my sword?

No, I’m not a swordsman. Engaging in close combat with Kate would not last long. I might even be counterattacked if I make a mistake. So, what should I do?

“…Should I use magic release after all?”

I clenched the handle of my sword tighter, swallowing my dry saliva.

Absorbing Kate’s magic already consumed a considerable amount of stamina, so I was worried about how much more stamina I would need to spend to release it.

However, thanks to Kate quietly gathering magic, I thought that the accuracy would also increase, so trying it once wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Moreover, using magic release through the artifact was the best attack I could do at the moment.

“Sigh.”

I slightly bit my lip and raised my sword.

As Kate suddenly moved, I quickly used the artifact and released magic by swinging the sword.

The sharply focused magic blade emitted a dazzling light and rushed towards Kate at a rapid speed.

Thanks to the artifact, I could send it flying like a sword. It wasn’t just an ordinary artifact.

She shot flames with a surprised face, but it would be of no use.

Because, according to the artifact’s setting, when absorbing magic and using it all at once, it increased the power by 1.5 times.

“Wha-what?!”

Kate, who was accurately hit by the magic blade, fell while bleeding. Her arms and tentacles were severed, and she writhed in pain. It was quite a gruesome scene, so I furrowed my brows.

“Y-you, magic release…? How could you… have such a skill…!”

It seemed that the damage was quite significant beyond what I had expected.

If we compare it to a game, it would be like the effect of the artifact 1.5 times + physical weakness penetration 1.9 times + critical hit 2.0 times applied damage, right?

Anyway, Kate fell ungracefully and writhed, but I couldn’t follow up with another attack immediately.

Because the stamina consumption was too severe.

“Phew… Is this… all from just using it once?”

Just by using magic release once, my heart was pounding, and my arms and legs were trembling.

It felt like marching for a long time in full armor. An unknown fatigue dominated my body.

My whole body felt numb, and my eyelids felt heavy like iron, making it difficult to move as if pulling out cotton soaked in water.

Breathing heavily, Kate wanted to gulp down the sweet air and catch her breath, but she hadn’t completely collapsed yet.

There was no need to let them know that I was exhausted.

If she realized that I was tired, she might struggle or resist unnecessarily.

So, in order to nonchalantly pretend to be fine, I gritted my teeth secretly, hardened my expression, and slowly moved my feet.

‘Why are my legs like this? Did they give out?’

I almost stumbled for a moment.

If I relaxed even a little, I felt like I would collapse.

But I somehow managed to calm my trembling legs and carefully moved my feet towards the fallen Kate.

I had been training my stamina for a long time, but it was embarrassing to end up like this without using any artifacts.

I realized that I needed to find some good potions, not just farm artifacts.

“……Uh, ah, uh.”

Unconsciously, I approached Kate and raised my sword.

“What’s wrong with me, dying like this, coughing, coughing?”

With a messy face and blood spewing out, Kate weakly looked up after vomiting repeatedly. For a moment, I was captivated by an indescribable feeling as I gazed at her face.

Kate had the lower body of a snake but the upper body of a human.

Just a moment ago, I was too busy fighting to have any emotional attachment, but now it was different.

She could talk like a human and her appearance was human, so there was definitely some hesitation.

But…

“Uh, ugh.”

Thud.

Slightly hesitating, I stabbed the sword into her.

The sharp blade pierced into her heart.

Kate let out a short groan, shivered once, and then lost the light in her eyes, finally losing her life.

“….”

I looked down at the cold body of Kate.

It was too dangerous to leave her alive. Kate was not fully human, she was half monster, so she could create some variables.

As weak as I was, the choice not to kill her ultimately did not exist. Even if I didn’t kill her, someone else would eventually come and kill her.

‘Maybe I just didn’t want to kill her with my own hands.’

Yes, that might be it.

I sighed deeply in my mind.

Since I had decided to become a hero, I was destined to eventually kill villains. In a fight with villains, if you let your guard down, you will die soon.

I was not strong enough to spare the opponent. It was absurd to think that the weak would show mercy to the strong.

Withdrawing the sword I had suddenly thrust, I slumped down.

“Oh, I thought I was going to die.”

Shaking. My arms and legs were trembling. Was it because the tension had been released or because I had killed Kate? I couldn’t be sure which one it was, but one thing was clear. I didn’t feel very good.

It was mentally and physically exhausting.

But at this age, I couldn’t whine like a child.

Moreover, in my past life, wasn’t I an adult who had even been to the military? Let’s quickly get rid of this uncomfortable feeling.

‘Oh, right, Yoo Seol-hyun, what about Yoo Seol-hyun?’

I was slightly worried about the fallen Yoo Seol-hyun.

She didn’t seem to be dead, but her injuries were quite serious, so she needed emergency treatment. I quickly approached Yoo Seol-hyun.

“Yoo Seol-hyun, are you okay? Hey?”

“….”

Without touching the wound, I gently shook Yoo Seolhyun’s shoulders in an attempt to wake her up, but there was no response.

It seems like it will take some time to regain consciousness.

I quickly looked around and retrieved the necessary medicine from the torn bag that I had fought with Kate earlier, applying it to Yoo Seolhyun’s wound to stop the bleeding.

Due to her more serious injuries than mine, I wanted to give her some healing potions, but I had used them all during the fight.

At this point, providing emergency treatment was the best option.

“Phew. Is everything done?”

Applying the medicine and wrapping the bandages.

I did everything I could.

“Now, all that’s left is… waiting for the other team members to arrive?”

But why aren’t these nobles coming?

Could it be that they’re intentionally not coming?

“…Huh?”

In an instant.

My gaze fell on the sword.

Come to think of it, I had made a deal to receive an item farmed in the dungeon. Just one, but…

“It’s not as good as the Tears of the Moon, but there are some decent items.”

Despite all the trouble, isn’t it a bit disappointing to only receive one relic?

Yoo Seolhyun was someone who kept her promises well, but in other words, she was also the type of person who didn’t bother keeping promises that weren’t made.

In other words, even if I were to ask for a little more compensation, there was a high chance that Yoo Seolhyun wouldn’t comply.

“Hmm.”

I glanced at the unconscious Yoo Seolhyun discreetly.

She had been unconscious throughout the fight.

I couldn’t figure out how I had managed to defeat Kate.

“Hmm.”

I cleared my throat internally and discreetly removed the longsword I had brought from its sheath, then stashed it away in the distance.

Next, I inserted the Moonlit Sword I had found here into the sheath. It slid in smoothly. Oh. It fits perfectly, doesn’t it?

“Looking at it this way, this sword just looks like the ordinary one I brought, right?”

It seemed so plain on the outside.

The sizes were similar.

Except for the gem on the hilt, it was almost identical.

It was impossible to distinguish whether it was a relic or not.

Even if I were to check each item to see if any were taken without permission, there was no way to tell if it was a relic or not.

In that case…

“Should I just say that this sword is the ordinary one I brought and receive a different item from Yoo Seolhyun?”

Honestly, it was a bit… no, very petty.

But in games, it’s good to farm as many items as possible in the early stages.

Soon, there would be midterms, ranking matches, training camps, and various other events waiting. It would be good to think about obtaining as many items as possible for the future.

“I could just tell Yoo Seolhyun the dungeon location I learned in the game and distribute the loot a bit more evenly.”

And if you think about it, I saved Yoo Seolhyun twice, right? I could be considered a lifesaver, so this much should be okay, shouldn’t it?

…I reassured myself in my mind.

“Oh, then how should I explain my escape from Kate to Yoo Seolhyun?”

I pondered.

Initially, I planned to show her the relic and explain my absence to find the item to defeat Kate.

But since I had decided to secretly take the relic, that method was no longer an option.

“Should I just say that I hid and waited for the right moment to ambush Kate?”

Kate still had a large wound on her body, but if I said I used a magic scroll, it would work.

Although the excuse was quite weak, with a little seasoning, it might turn into a plausible explanation.

“Alright, then I’ll think of a decent excuse until the others arrive.”

And so, I made up various excuses until my teammates arrived at this place.

***

On the way back home after rescuing all the trapped heroes.

Yoo Seol-hyeon and the rescued heroes were in a somewhat recovered state thanks to the healing potions provided by the other team members. However, they decided to turn the vehicle towards the Gaonuri Clan for further medical treatment and examination. But then.

“Lee Jin-hyuk, why do you keep sneaking glances at me like a thief?”

Yoo Seol-hyeon could only shake her head at Lee Jin-hyuk, who was giving her sly side glances as if caught red-handed.

“Oh, wait.”

In the midst of this, Yoo Seol-hyeon swallowed a sigh as if she had sensed something.

“Could it be that he’s acting like this because he’s afraid I saw him fighting with the Snake Lady?”

Well, Lee Jin-hyuk had made all sorts of strange excuses, claiming that he had luckily managed to knock her down by surprise attack, but…

The truth was, he had been hiding in secret until Yoo Seol-hyeon half lost consciousness and collapsed.

It was a clear sign that he was quite reluctant to show his strength in front of others.

From Lee Jin-hyuk’s perspective at the time, he might have thought Yoo Seol-hyeon had fainted without any movement, but he could also consider the possibility that she was faintly conscious.

Well, if Lee Jin-hyuk was more skilled than he thought, he might have judged Yoo Seol-hyeon’s consciousness based on her subtle movements.

Regardless of what Lee Jin-hyuk was hiding, there was no point in prying into it since he was reluctant to reveal it outwardly, so Yoo Seol-hyeon pretended not to know.

“It’s okay.”

“Huh?”

“You don’t have to worry like that. I’ll pretend not to know.”

“Oh, really?”

Forcing the other person to reveal what they’re hiding is a shortcut to damaging a positive relationship.

Isn’t that right, Lee Jin-hyuk?

“Hmm.”

On the other hand, Lee Jin-hyuk blinked his eyes in confusion.

What is this guy suddenly talking about?

There’s nothing to worry about, and I’ll pretend not to know.

Oh, could it be? Did he catch on?

That I lied and got a different item?

“….”

Silently, Lee Jin-hyuk fell silent.

His conscience pricked him suddenly, and he just wanted to go home quickly.