Chapter 48

00048 Dungeon Of Alchemist =========================================================================

"Brother, what are you doing?"

Yujeong lifted her head to confirm my presence and then walked in briskly. Her voice was clearly subdued, as if she had some complaint. The look on her sullen face seemed to me like a signal that she was about to be troublesome. I put down the record I was holding in my left hand, sighed, and spoke.

"Why again?"

As soon as I spoke in a curt tone, Yujeong's face fell. However, she pouted and finally spoke.

"Brother, you said Sol could do different training, and he keeps boasting about it. He keeps flipping and catching coins… It’s not even showing off."

"What’s there to show off about? And Sol isn’t the type to act superior over something like that."

"Really, he does. He keeps flipping and catching coins…."

"That’s practicing binding spells. I told him to do it."

I cut her off indifferently, and her face clearly showed disappointment. Just as I was about to ignore her and pick up the record again, Yujeong's grumbling voice reached my ears once more.

"Brother, that’s not fair. You only told me and Hyun to do detection training."

"I told you to do it because it’s necessary. For melee types, detection training is enough in the early stages."

"Still…"

Despite my clear instructions in the past, Yujeong whined, her voice dragging. My already complicated mind felt even more tangled.

"What do you mean by 'still'? Sol’s base magic power is higher than yours from the start. For support types, that’s enough. And coin training won’t help you much."

Four days later, the title of the longest detection time among the kids was held by An Sol. After I guided her, Sol was making full use of her vast magic power. Seeing her skills improve in just one day under my guidance, Sol looked at me as if I were some kind of deity.

I achieved the Sword Master level with 48 magic points in the first cycle. I have a lot of confidence in the efficiency of mana management. I taught Sol some of that expertise. The efficiency of that technique, which I knew well, might have made it seem like I was slightly favoring Sol.

Yujeong seemed quite upset about being overtaken by Sol. After that, she often came to the inn and begged for personal tutoring. It was exhausting, as I could predict what would happen after five minutes.

As expected, after five minutes, Yujeong started to gauge my reaction. Then, mentioning An Hyun and An Sol, she used training as an excuse to run away. Given her character and upbringing, it was impossible for her to endure this tedious process.

I smiled wryly at the sight and turned back to the map and records.

*

How many more days had passed? The map, which had been clean during the analysis, was now filled with circles. At first glance, it seemed haphazard, but there were a few places where the circles were particularly concentrated. Of course, I had a rough idea, even if I hadn’t visited them yet.

Feeling that I was done, I leaned back in my chair. Looking out the window, I saw that it was already dark. I suddenly thought of the kids and raised my senses. From the next room, I heard steady breathing. The kids must have finished their training and fallen asleep. Thinking about their progress, a smile crept onto my face.

The kids showed enthusiasm and followed my demands within a week. Sometimes they seemed eager to leave the city, but fortunately, they prioritized training as I instructed.

The reason the kids follow my words is simple. They are not without thoughts. They believe my decisions are always right, to the point where they joke, "If I listen to my brother, I can get a cake even in my sleep." From the initiation ceremony, the user academy, to now, they have never been at a disadvantage by following my words.

This training also had clear results, despite some complaints. Their other abilities, not just magic power, improved evenly. Seeing Hyun excited about his 2-point increase in magic power after just 8 days of training, I felt a bit envious.

I entered the academy with the 4-point mission reward in mind. But after seeing no increase in physical training, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

Anyway, my ability issues were something I couldn’t resolve immediately, so I put them aside. Changing the topic, I thought it was time to leave the city. However, there was one final issue to consider.

The composition of the caravan.

Fighting monsters around the city is fine with any user composition. However, if the goal is exploration or conquest, balancing the caravan is a basic principle in the Hollow Plain. While melee types are abundant, a caravan must include an archer (ranger) and a priest.

But is it really necessary now? A priest is essential, but Sol is already here. A mage is optional, and a ranger to guide the way is unnecessary since I can lead the kids. With the Third Eye and my memories of Muel, the chance of getting lost is virtually zero.

However, if the current composition becomes a habit, it could be a headache. There will definitely be opportunities for more challenging explorations or expeditions in the future. Even if I can cover many aspects now, I can’t always take care of the kids. As this is their first exploration, they will learn and gain a lot, but it would be problematic if they accept the current composition as the norm.

Knock, knock, knock.

I was in the middle of organizing my thoughts about the caravan when I heard a gentle knock on the door. Spreading my senses, I detected the presence of a woman outside. I looked up and spoke softly.

"Yes, who is it?"

"It’s me. You already know it’s me, right?"

"……"

Without waiting for my permission, the woman entered. Given her identity, it was hard to see her as just an innkeeper. Frankly, I couldn’t understand why a user with her skills was in Muel.

The woman, who had briefly appeared in Muel, suddenly disappeared and reappeared. When she reappeared in the Hollow Plain, she had become an enemy of my clan.

I still remember what the woman in front of me said in the past.

"Perhaps. If I had met her first, I might have joined her. She is that charming a user."

From what she said then, it’s likely she doesn’t belong to any clan yet.

The Ragnarok Siege flashed through my mind. The woman was ultimately executed by the princess, her own sister. However, the terrifying power she displayed is still vividly etched in my memory.

The woman had a lazy smile on her face. She had a slightly droopy-eyed look and a teardrop under her eye, exuding a decadent charm. She spoke to me in a gentle tone.

"Hi. Can I come in for a moment?"

She had already entered, so what was the point of asking? I nodded with a grim expression.

"…It’s late. What brings you here?"

The woman didn’t answer but slowly closed the distance between us. The woman in front of me could take my life in an instant if I let my guard down. I couldn’t relax, so I subtly raised my magic power.

The woman’s face still had a lazy smile. Then, in an instant, her eyes turned gray. I had been on high alert from the start and reflexively activated the Third Eye.

『Unique ability. Lure Eyed activated.』

『Third Eye activated. Lure Eyed detected.』

Wow.

"Mother… Do I have to distinguish time when seducing a man I like?"

"…The kids are in the next room…"

She’s playing around. I’ve received this kind of attack countless times while operating in the shadows. I know the response manual, but I deliberately widened my eyes and blushed, answering. I wanted to see what she would do.

"It’s fine… Don’t worry about that. By the way, today is the last day of the extended stay. What are you going to do?"

She wouldn’t come at night just to ask this. There must be another purpose. This question was probably to check if I was under her charm. I spoke calmly, adding a hesitant tone.

"I plan to leave the city tomorrow morning…"

"Leave…?"

Hearing that I was leaving, the woman glanced at my table. Her expression then changed strangely. She must have guessed what I was planning by looking at the map.

"User Kim Suhyun."

"Uh, how do you know my name…"

The woman took a step closer. Now, we were within arm's reach.

"The new user who recently joined. The super rookie of the User Academy."

The woman took another step without stopping. I sat in my chair, and she stood in front of me, facing each other. The woman was looking at me with her now gray eyes.

"No matter what… you’re still a new user who hasn’t even been here for four months."

The woman reached out and gently cupped my face. I felt her soft touch on my left cheek. I deliberately breathed heavily and panted slightly.

"That day, I was really surprised. Why… even if the magic power was weak. I never thought a fresh graduate from the academy would use a dispel."

"That’s…"

"That’s why I’ve been trying to figure you out and observe you… but I can’t. You’re really unpredictable. This is the first time I’ve encountered such a case, so I’m quite confused. But the more I see you, the more my intuition warns me… that there’s something different. Something you’re hiding."

Oh, is that so.

Feeling that I was completely under her charm, the woman’s movements became even more unguarded. Just as her hand was about to fall from my face, I quickly grabbed it. Seeing this, the woman’s smile deepened.

"My intuition has never been wrong."

I deliberately leaned into her embrace, like a baby into its mother’s arms. To be honest, I had always wanted to be held by the woman in front of me in the first cycle. Whether she knew my dark intentions or not, the woman pulled me into her embrace with a satisfied look. I buried my face in her chest.

"Hehe."

I savored the soft, flexible breasts and the fragrant scent of her skin. The woman smiled contentedly at the sight. After stroking my hair for a while, her hand stopped and her subtle voice reached my ear.

"Are you hiding something? From the kids…?"

"A little…"

"Then, will you only tell me what you’re hiding…?"

"That’s…"

At my weak resistance, the woman pulled me into a tight embrace again. She spoke in a soothing voice.

"It’s okay… tell me."

Hearing her pleading voice, I slowly opened my eyes. After pretending to think for a moment, I quietly spoke.

"Actually, I…"

"Uh-huh. You are?"

Looking at the woman’s excited face, I calmly spoke.

"I like shadows."

"…What?"

I glanced at the woman’s shadow in the room. The shadow on the floor caught my eye. In response to her question, I smiled slightly.

"The shadow is really beautiful."

After speaking, I turned my gaze and saw the woman’s face, which had turned rigid with fear.

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

Hello, I'm Ro Yujin.

Haha, the weather seems to have warmed up a lot.

Finally, the kids can leave the city. The protagonist's group is about to start their unstoppable journey. And… wasn’t everyone curious about who the inn woman is? If you’re quick, you might have figured it out in this chapter. Detailed information will be in the next chapter, so please look forward to it. :)

『Lilifl』

1. Airlilia: Congratulations on first place. Did you achieve a two-peat today? You’re really fast. :)

2. Human Life: No worries. There will definitely be a day when you reclaim the top spot. Until then, let’s work to regain past glory!

3. GradeRown: Hehehe. (?)

4. Yuun-like: Haha. Thank you. Honestly, I’d like to do everything, but then the story and the afterword would be half and half. (…)

5. Well-known pedestrian: That’s right. If I make it too easy, the balance will be… ㅇㅅㅇ.

6. Demon Temple: I’ll always try to accept comments with an open mind. Thank you.

7. Bored Pedestrian: Yes, I read your comment. Thank you for your question. It seems you put a lot of effort into writing such a long comment. :) Memorize. And since you pointed out the core issues of the Hollow Plain, I need to explain a lot to get into the details.

Why did the angels send users to the Hollow Plain?

What is the meaning of the Zero Code?

How did the Hollow Plain begin?

Aside from the length, I need to explain these three major points, and to resolve questions about guild purposes, methods of achieving goals, return, and the continental war, I need to reveal much more setting and story.

The upcoming first coalition war is also somewhat related to what I’ve mentioned so far. Naturally, it will inevitably spoil future developments. If I do that, you won’t feel half the fun of the upcoming content.

So, for now, I can only ask you to wait and see how it unfolds. However, if I have to give one answer, think about it in relation to <survival>. For users in the Hollow Plain, returning is important, but it’s only possible if they survive.

If you’re really curious, send me a message. I’d like to copy and paste the setting, but if that’s not clear, I’ll try to organize and send a message as soon as possible. (If you want it.)

8. POWERED: Yes, graduating from the academy is classified as a mission reward. Achievements within the Hollow Plain must be significant enough to impact the main storyline.

9. Baek Intimo: I’m glad you like it again. :) To answer your question, achievements generally refer to events significant enough to impact the main storyline. In other words, the more achievements you accumulate, the more you can prove you are a <capable user>. There are rewards, and there are other uses as well. (For users who have achieved certain achievements…)

10. Blami: A priest can serve two gods. They can be divided into combat priests and support priests. They also play a role in connecting with angels. :)

Comments, comments, comments! I always read all the comments. Please don’t be too disappointed if they’re not in Lilifl. If you have any specific questions, send me a message, and I’ll answer! (Please give more comments! And recommendations…☞☜)

That’s all for today.

I hope you always read the story with a comfortable mind.

Fanfiction, recommendations, comments, reviews, and questions are always welcome.