Chapter 22

00022 The City of Traps. =========================================================================

After a brief reunion, I and everyone else gathered in the central living room. Ansol was nowhere to be seen, but a faint breathing sound could be heard from the next room, indicating that she was still unconscious.

The living room was filled with an inexplicable sense of unease, like the calm before a storm. It seemed we had arrived at a bad time.

I hadn't expected such an atmosphere, which made me feel uncomfortable. Anhyun's awkward face was visible, and Yoojeong and Kim Hanbyul were glaring at each other, suggesting they had just had a conflict due to differing opinions. I could faintly hear Kim Hanbyul shouting at the end, but I planned to find out the details later.

There was an awkward silence for a while, but Anhyun, with a weak expression, was the first to speak.

"Brother Suhyun. I don't know where to start. I'm really grateful to you for helping us escape the forest. I'm also very sorry for leaving without waiting for you. I know any excuse would be just that, but I really wanted to say this."

Seeing Anhyun bow his head towards me, I smiled inwardly. He was firm when he needed to be, but also knew when to bend. Despite his neutral and balanced nature, which could sometimes be unsettling, it seemed he wasn't as bad as I had feared. In response to his sincere apology, I shook my head and spoke in a gentle voice.

"I was a bit surprised at first when I didn't see you guys."

"I'm sorry. I have no excuse."

"You don't need to keep apologizing. I understand there must have been reasons. But where's your sister?"

"Ah... Well, about that..."

"Hey, Anhyun. Hold on. I'll explain. Is that okay, brother?"

Just as Anhyun was about to speak, Yoojeong quickly interrupted. Seeing that she had already dropped the formalities with me, I thought she was quite friendly. Although I would have preferred to hear it from the calmer Kim Hanbyul, who looked uncomfortable, I nodded silently.

"So, brother, when you led those things into the forest..."

After confirming Anhyun's agreement, Yoojeong glanced at Kim Hanbyul and began her explanation. Despite some gaps, it was simple and clear. Since I had already guessed the general situation, I didn't need further details. However...

"You mean ghost-like things appeared in the air?"

"Yeah, but thinking about it now, they weren't exactly ghosts. They seemed almost, but not quite, completely transparent. I could see a vague shape with wings, and their movement paths were visible. But no matter how many times Hyun tried to cut them with his sword, they wouldn't fall."

This part needed more detail, so I turned to Anhyun, who closed his eyes, recalling the moment. After a moment, he nodded and slowly spoke.

"Yoojeong's description is similar. I felt like I was just slicing through air."

Just slicing through air. Visible shape but not completely transparent. They had wings. Combining these three conditions, a memory flashed through my mind.

They were Lycans. Hearing about the semi-transparent beings with wings, I immediately thought of Lycans. Lycans are monsters that can't be harmed by physical attacks. They cause mental pain by passing through human bodies. Since Anhyun managed to withstand their attacks several times, it seemed the initiation rite had some control over their power.

As I listened, one question came to mind. The group had no conventional way to deal with Lycans. So how did they manage to avoid them? I decided to bring up Ansol.

"Did your sister get hurt because of those things?"

Anhyun slowly shook his head. His subsequent story left me speechless. The Lycans, seeing Anhyun's fierce resistance, focused their attacks on him. Naturally, Anhyun suffered and eventually dropped his sword and shield from the pain. At the critical moment, Ansol saved him.

I asked for more details, but Anhyun couldn't explain much. Yoojeong and Kim Hanbyul also shook their heads. They only knew that Ansol screamed, and then a white light flashed from her body, causing the Lycans to disappear. Immediately after, Ansol fainted and hasn't woken up since.

After hearing their story, I nodded. Anhyun remained silent for a moment, then spoke with an anxious face.

"Brother... Is Sol going to be okay? Will she wake up?"

"What's her condition?"

"She's breathing steadily, and her pulse is normal. But sometimes she winces in pain and moans."

Magical Overdrive. Could it be that Ansol had already manifested her magic power? It seemed unbelievable, but I thought it was possible. I had struggled a lot at the beginning due to my low magic power. After the initiation rite and entering the Hall Plane, it took me some time to draw out my sword.

However, Ansol started with a magic power of 75, so it was possible. The realm of the subconscious was a field that couldn't be studied, so there might be something I didn't know. One thing was certain: her untrained body couldn't handle 75 points of magic power. If she hadn't overexerted herself, I could help her.

"I need to see her to be sure, but I don't think there's a major problem. Don't worry too much."

"Then, can you... now?"

Just as Anhyun spoke urgently, I was about to stand up, thinking he was being a bit pushy. Suddenly, a soft hand grabbed my wrist. Turning my head, I saw Yoojeong pouting at me.

"Hey, Anhyun. Is that what you should say to your brother who just got back? Brother, are you hungry?"

"Huh? I can manage. Let's check on Ansol first..."

"We already checked on our way back. Unless you're a doctor, you can wait. Since we've heard our story, you should tell yours. I'll make a snack, and we can eat while you talk. Okay?"

Why is she acting like this today? Her unusually proactive attitude was a bit strange, but I didn't mind her consideration. Anhyun, sensing the change in atmosphere, smiled awkwardly and nodded.

"Here, have some water. I saved it from earlier."

"Huh? Oh, thanks."

As Kim Hanbyul handed me a bottle of water from her bag, I reached out without thinking. Suddenly, Yoojeong slapped the bottle out of her hand and returned it to Kim Hanbyul.

"What are you doing?"

"You drank from that one. I'll give brother a new one. You drink that."

"What are you two...?"

Before I could finish, Yoojeong quickly stood up and walked to the kitchen.

Soon, the sound of clattering dishes indicated she was making something. Turning back to Anhyun and Kim Hanbyul, who both looked uncomfortable, I decided to change the topic.

"Have the others eaten?"

"Yes, brother. We ate first. We were really hungry... Ha ha."

"That's fine. I didn't say when I'd be back. Waiting endlessly is foolish."

As Anhyun scratched his head apologetically, a new bottle of water was placed in front of me. Yoojeong had already made a plate and set it down, which seemed out of character for her. The plate contained crackers with canned tuna, looking like tuna crackers. She had clearly tried to make it look nice. Yoojeong opened the water bottle for me and spoke in an overly cheerful voice.

"Ta-da! Special crackers made by Yoojeong!"

"Wow. It looks good. Let me try... Mmm!"

As Anhyun tried to grab a cracker, Yoojeong quickly stopped him. Anhyun, rubbing his hand, looked annoyed but backed off under Yoojeong's glare.

"That's unfair. Why are you so possessive about food?"

"I made it for brother. Why should you eat it? And you're grabbing it before brother. Where did you learn that?"

"Tch."

"Brother, try it. I guarantee it's good."

"Ugh, okay. Thanks. Enjoy your meal."

Seeing Anhyun still grumbling and Yoojeong turning away with a huff, I couldn't help but laugh. Picking up a cracker and swallowing it, the cheap tuna and biscuit flavor spread in my mouth. It wasn't a delicacy, but it was edible. Of course, it wasn't the time to be picky, and it tasted fine, so I chewed it thoroughly.

The atmosphere seemed to have improved from the beginning. Just as I was about to pick up another cracker, the looks I was getting made me feel the need to say something. I planned to modify the story of how I lured the Deadmen, as I couldn't tell them about the twenty or more Deadmen I had dealt with.

"Brother, did you almost get bitten then?"

"I was running in an S-pattern between the trees. I didn't expect them to jump out right next to me. If my left hand had moved a bit more to the side, I would have definitely been bitten. Thinking about it still gives me chills."

"Wow... So we almost lost our brother."

"Hehe. Brother, don't even mention it. Yoojeong was a mess before you came. She suddenly grabbed a sword and insisted on going to save you, saying you might still be waiting."

"Was I that dramatic?"

"See? You admit it. You did it."

"It's true!"

Seeing Anhyun and Yoojeong bickering and giggling, I felt relieved. Just as I was about to sigh in relief, I noticed Kim Hanbyul's cold, rigid face. Her cold stare made me feel a chill.

I had a feeling that her last shout wasn't something to be taken lightly. I decided to talk to Anhyun alone after this.

============================ Author's Note ============================

1. Typos and context corrections.