Chapter 7

The place where the children had fled was a vast forest surrounding the lake. Filled with enormous trees that one would never see in Korea, it seemed to the children’s eyes that it was the perfect place to hide their bodies. That was not an incorrect assumption. In reality, if one hid behind a tree, it was impossible to see what was behind it from the front. Moreover, the dense undergrowth was also ideal for hiding.

However, the problem lay with the opponent.

Wandering in the forest against the goblins was not a good idea. Goblins, while weak in strength, were characterized by their agile movements. Though not to the extent of elves, they became even stronger in the forest. For them, the forest was merely their home ground. Even if it was a forest they had never seen before, we ultimately knew nothing about its structure.

As I moved through the forest, I lifted my head. Due to the dozens of branches extending from the giant trees, the sky was not visible. A thick shade had settled around.

On the ground, monstrous roots that matched the size of the trees protruded in all directions, making it difficult to move within the forest. If one let their guard down even a little, they would inevitably trip over the roots and fall. It would be difficult to run or fight in such an environment.

There were too many small roots. Moreover, because it was an environment that insects would love, the occasional unidentified bugs crawling around unnecessarily heightened one’s senses. When a black, strange shape quickly darted past my nose, even I found it extremely annoying. The insects in this forest had no fear of humans. It was a place that quickly drained one both mentally and physically.

‘The others probably have nothing to say about it either.’

Most players would be struggling with the unfamiliar environment of the forest, which they had never experienced before. The rapid consumption of stamina would lead to complaints among the people.

Frustration would start to set in, and emotional changes would become more pronounced. This would soon lead to the beginning of conflicts. As people started to tire, it would be easier for fights to break out among them.

Yes, just like now.

“No, how many times is this! How many times do we have to stop because of you!”

“Are you angry at Seol? What can she do about having a weak body!”

“Yumi, I’m fine… And it’s true that I’m causing you all trouble…”

“Seol, just stay still. I’m already annoyed with that guy.”

“What? Are you saying I’m the problem! Didn’t you see the monsters earlier? It’s dangerous here! We need to run further, but because of Seol, we’re wasting time like this. Should we do this for one person?”

How long had we moved? Probably for about an hour without stopping. Recalling the time we had moved, we had covered quite a distance, but thanks to the well-trained bodies, we weren’t overly exhausted.

I could feel my clothes damp with moisture and sweat, but it wasn’t something to worry about.

Although I had moved for an hour, it was difficult to compare my speed with that of the children who had moved ahead.

My usual pace was quite different from that of an average person, and this time, I had been chasing after those who had moved ahead, almost running.

Unaware that I was watching from behind a tree, the argument continued.

“So, you’re saying we should abandon Seol?”

“Ha… Gil Yumi, are you going to keep this up? Don’t say things that can be misunderstood. Who said we should abandon her? I just think it’s better to hide her somewhere and come back for her later.”

Then, Gil Yumi bit her lip.

“If that’s not abandoning her, what is it? You’re just a coward!”

“…Coward? Do you want me to beat you up like the bullies at school? I was letting you off because you’re a girl!”

“Fucking scumbag. Just because you can’t do anything in sports but can act tough, you think you’re strong. Try me. I can beat up a scumbag like you, even as a girl.”

…She seemed to be a pretty tough girl.

Seeing the female student, Gil Yumi, respond without hesitation to the male student’s voice, I couldn’t help but laugh.

‘It doesn’t seem like I need to worry about her yet.’

Although it sounded like a serious fight, I wasn’t particularly concerned.

I quietly closed the distance, blending into the darkness, and observed their figures. No one noticed my approach, and no one looked in my direction.

I decided to watch their fight without making a sound.

One of them had dyed hair and a typical delinquent look, with his hair greasy as if he was trying to show off during the school trip.

Moreover, as the female student had said, he was just putting on a show, with a thin body and no muscles. On the contrary, the female student standing up to him looked physically more capable.

‘Maybe she does some sports.’

Just by looking at her smooth, well-defined calves, it was clear that she had a healthy, athletic build, not just from not eating but from regular exercise.

The female student, with her long black hair tied back in a simple ponytail, was definitely involved in some kind of sports.

I watched their fight and found the girl who was the cause of it. In the middle of the group, a girl was trembling like a frightened rabbit, clearly intimidated.

Her name was Seol, I think. Unlike Gil Yumi, who was standing up for her, Seol had a clearly frail build.

The well-maintained, smooth long hair was drenched in sweat, sticking to her back, and sweat was dripping down her jawline.

Moving in the humid and hot forest for a long time seemed to be a bit too much for her. However, even considering the natural challenges, there seemed to be another issue.

‘Maybe she hurt her ankle.’

Her body was leaning to one side, clearly trying not to put weight on the injured ankle.

But it wasn’t a meaningful action. In a situation where continuous movement was necessary, an ankle injury wouldn’t improve with that. It would only get worse. She needed treatment.

Perhaps the physical exhaustion and the injury were the reasons she kept taking breaks. I wondered if the two fighting knew about her injury.

I alternated my gaze between the three and then looked at the others. I was curious about their expressions. Were they, like the male student, seeing Seol as a burden?

…Some of their faces were as scrunched up as the male student’s.

Although they were from the same school, it didn’t seem like they had a good relationship. I could see them openly sighing. Every time they did, Seol would bow her head in apology.

“Let’s just go on our own.”

“What…?”

Tired of the fighting, someone said that. Gil Yumi, who had been fighting, paused and stiffened. The male student, confirming this, laughed unpleasantly.

“I’m saying let’s just go on our own. Honestly, isn’t it too much to put everyone in danger because of one person? What do you think?”

The delinquent-looking male student asked the others confidently. Some of them nodded. Seeing this, Gil Yumi’s face darkened.

A few who had been looking at Seol with pity frowned at the delinquent-looking male student, but as the atmosphere shifted towards abandoning Seol, they looked helpless.

“S-Sorry, Yumi. But we have to survive, too.”

“Shut up. If you’re going, go quickly.”

Hearing her friend’s words, Gil Yumi, who had been protecting Seol, turned her head, looking tired. The girl who had been apologizing smiled bitterly and followed the delinquent-looking student.

In an instant, 15 people started to move away.

Left behind were a male student with a short sports cut, Gil Yumi, and Seol, who was leaning against a tree, wiping sweat.

‘Should I say it’s bad, or should I say it’s good?’

If their relationship wasn’t good, there was a wider opportunity for me to intervene. If they had a strong friendship, it would have been difficult for me to get involved. Ultimately, it was up to me to judge. I watched the two groups separating and wondered which one to follow.

One of them must have the map and compass. If I made the wrong decision, I would have to suffer to find the map and compass.

“Should I follow that group?”

The deliberation was quick. There was no particular logical reason. It was a ridiculous choice based on a hunch, but in the current situation, it was inevitable. I had to leave it to fate.

But how should I approach them?

I thought for a moment and decided to approach them in a simple way.