Chapter 77

00077 The Wizard is a Bumper Crop

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There’s no need to explain everything in detail from the beginning. I’ll keep it concise but include all the necessary parts. I started by slowly recounting the events from when I entered the dungeon and first discovered a user’s corpse. Jung Hae-yeon had already put down her spoon and was focusing on my words. It wouldn’t be easy for her to regain such concentration so soon after fainting. I was a bit impressed and continued.

After finding the male priest and entering the clearing, I mentioned encountering the spiders and seeing a female user. At the mention of the female user, Jung Hae-yeon’s eyes lit up, and she asked me, “Ji-yeon… Ah. She’s my sister.”

“…I’m sorry, but….”

“Don’t tell me….”

I tried to soften the blow as much as possible. I told her that the female user was suspended in mid-air, serving as the spiders' host and laying eggs, but I omitted the part about her being raped by the monsters and losing her mind. Sometimes, it’s better not to know certain things. After some thought, I added:

“…So, I killed her. I could say it was to survive, but as a human, it was too heartbreaking to see her like that. I thought it would be better for her to die peacefully.”

After adding that I had killed her, I paused for a moment.

A brief silence fell between us. As expected, she was looking at me with a shocked expression. I didn’t avoid her gaze. If I hadn’t considered recruiting her, I might have tried to deceive her. But since I had already decided to recruit her, I wanted to reveal everything I could. Of course, I still needed to present things in a way that was favorable to me.

I had a specific intention in openly admitting that I had killed Jung Ji-yeon: to emphasize the inevitability of the situation. If she thought about it, she might realize that I didn’t kill her out of malice but because it was impossible to save her, and it was better for her to die with dignity.

After exchanging glances with me for a while, Jung Hae-yeon spoke in a trembling voice, “Was it… really beyond saving?”

“Honestly… it was almost indescribable. I can provide a more detailed description if you wish, but I don’t recommend it. She looked at me with a pleading expression, and I followed my heart. I can assure you that she didn’t suffer. I’m sorry.”

“Huh… That’s right. She was always proud and full of self-respect. To be violated by the monsters she despised… and if she was pregnant… it’s understandable….”

Jung Hae-yeon’s voice broke as she spoke, and she suddenly burst into tears. I closed my eyes. Even so, I could feel Jung Ji-yeon’s gaze floating in the air. In the quiet inn, the sound of a woman sobbing echoed.

It’s true that I simply killed her. But at that moment, the look in Jung Ji-yeon’s eyes—whether she was pleading to be saved or to be killed—was something only she knew.

Jung Hae-yeon’s shoulders trembled as she cried, but it didn’t last long. She quickly wiped away her tears and composed herself. I was impressed by her ability to control her emotions, a trait common among wizards. Despite her inner turmoil, she didn’t show it outwardly.

“What happened to that monster? Did you kill it?”

“In the end, yes, it was killed.”

“How…? Even several skilled users would have struggled.”

“There were some complicated circumstances.”

I began to speak, slightly embellishing the story as I had with the children. I mentioned how our party was on the brink of annihilation, my resistance until the end, and how Vivian regained her senses just before it was too late, allowing me to exploit the moment and save her.

Since the major issues were already resolved, the rest of the story flowed smoothly. Jung Hae-yeon nodded occasionally as she listened intently. After I finished, she looked at me with hollow eyes. I sighed and concluded. After a moment of contemplation, she asked a few follow-up questions.

“So, the anthropomorphic spider returned to human form and is currently staying at this inn?”

“She has regained her intelligence and deeply regrets her actions. She says she was transformed into a spider by a cruel wizard, which led to her intelligence deteriorating. While her will is certainly present, it’s hard to see it as the pure will of a human.”

“I understand. You mentioned that you would act together for a while. Isn’t that dangerous?”

“If it weren’t for her, I would have died there as well. It might sound silly, but I’m willing to trust her after she saved my life.”

“Huh….”

Jung Hae-yeon’s expression was complex. I could understand her feelings, so I continued in a gentle tone.

“At the time, the spider perceived the users as intruders in her home and was enraged by the deaths of her subordinates. I understand your anger, but I hope you won’t seek revenge on her now that she’s human again. Some members of our party also have negative feelings towards her, but we are a team, for better or worse.”

“…I don’t know. Honestly, I want to seek revenge right now, and I can’t accept what Kim Su-hyun said… Sigh. I don’t know. I need some time to think.”

“That’s up to you. In any case, once another user wakes up, I’ll return the equipment and items that the party members had.”

At my words, Jung Hae-yeon’s eyes widened, and she spoke with a slightly embarrassed face.

“Thank you. But it’s fine. We failed the dungeon and were as good as dead. According to the rules of the Hollow Plain, all rewards and items inside should go to Kim Su-hyun’s party. We are grateful just to have survived.”

“Among those items are the belongings of user Jung Ji-yeon. We have enough rewards from the dungeon.”

At my words, Jung Hae-yeon’s expression hardened. She then looked at me with a slightly moved expression.

“…You said you’re a 0-year user?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve been through that stage too… It’s been a long time since I felt such warmth. Thank you. I really appreciate your kindness. When you told me you killed Ji-yeon, I felt hatred, but you saved my life and did so much for me. I have nothing more to say. I’m sorry.”

“You’re too kind. If there had been a way to save Jung Ji-yeon, I would have done anything. I’m satisfied that you understand the situation.”

“This is the Hollow Plain. I will never forget this kindness.”

Her face was filled with bitterness as she spoke. However, I couldn’t help but smile, thinking that everything was going according to plan. She wasn’t the type to make empty promises, and Jung Hae-yeon was a very practical person. While she might be confused by her sister’s death now, over time, she would come to accept my words and feel indebted to me.

I still had over 500 gold, a bag of gems, a potion bag, and a book to advance to a rare class. Even if I gave her the users’ items, it would be a small price to pay to ease her suspicions.

With this, I had set the first step well. How to handle these users in the future would be a matter of time. To maintain a good relationship, it was necessary to build a positive connection.

I encouraged her to eat again. Jung Hae-yeon bowed slightly and then lowered her head. However, her hand holding the spoon was visibly trembling.

*

After that, the children came down one by one, and Vivian also came down. User Shin Sang-yong also came down. He had a face that seemed not just kind but almost naive. Jung Hae-yeon and I relayed the content of our conversation to him, and Shin Sang-yong bowed deeply to me in gratitude. When I mentioned returning the items, he was almost in tears.

“T, T, Thank you! I’m really grateful! I will never forget this kindness!”

When I asked about their future plans, Jung Hae-yeon shook her head. It made me realize that she needed time to think, and I had been too hasty in asking. However, from her question about whether we would continue staying here, it seemed she might come back.

I handed over all the items related to their party as promised. As Jung Hae-yeon stroked Jung Ji-yeon’s robe, she looked at Vivian and spoke.

“Looking back, the archer who ran away first during your spider days was the one who made the mistake. There are many people to blame. I understand your situation, but I can’t accept it. You can call me shameless, but humans are inherently selfish. For Su-hyun’s sake, and considering what this person has done for us, I want to see you without prejudice, but I can’t yet.”

Vivian didn’t say anything. But when I nodded, she bowed once in response. With that, Jung Hae-yeon and Shin Sang-yong left the inn. Shin Sang-yong seemed to have more questions but respected the situation by following Jung Hae-yeon’s lead.

Before leaving, I saw Jung Hae-yeon bowing excessively to us and told her I hoped to see her again. She nodded slightly in response. Whenever she had sorted out her thoughts and feelings, there was a good chance she and Shin Sang-yong would return to us. I just hoped it would be sooner rather than later.

We remained silent for a while as they walked away. Yoo-jung was the first to break the silence.

“That sister is really impressive. If it were me, I would have swung my dagger without a second thought.”

“Hmm. She is pretty cool.”

Yoo-jung’s admiration was echoed by Ahn Hyun, who nodded in agreement. Ahn Sol kept looking in the direction she had gone, her eyes filled with regret. I also looked at the inn door she had left through and spoke in a calm voice.

“You’re right. It’s surprising to see a user with such deep self-cultivation. If she continues to survive, she might become famous.”

The words I had just spoken were sincere. Despite her sister’s death, Jung Hae-yeon showed almost extreme self-restraint. It was a stark contrast to my own reaction when I lost my older brother. Perhaps I had just formed a connection with a user who had the potential to become one of the top ten.

“Huh. Becoming one of the top ten isn’t that easy. I know.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

I shook my head, thinking he had all sorts of ideas. The attitude she showed during our conversation had left a deep impression on me. Suppressing Yoo-jung’s interruption, I continued in a calm tone.

“Nothing. How are you all feeling?”

“I’m fine. I was really exhausted yesterday, but I feel better today.”

“My joints are aching and stiff.”

Ahn Hyun demonstrated his resilience by swinging his arms, while Yoo-jung groaned a bit. When I looked at Ahn Sol and Vivian, they both nodded. Seeing the faint tear marks on Vivian’s cheek, I sighed and continued.

“The rest is over. From today, we’ll start working and training again. We’ll occasionally leave the city for practice, but the next exploration will be more thoroughly prepared.”

In the past, the children might have complained, but this time was different. They all had determined looks on their faces. After this exploration, they must have realized their shortcomings and had a rough idea of what to improve and what to practice.

We planned to organize the items obtained from this exploration and purchase new equipment for the children. With Vivian’s addition, I also planned to have the children practice forming a formation. However, the most important task was to find the ruins of the laboratory, just as we had found the ancient alchemist Vivian’s dungeon, by searching through records.

I planned to let the children train while I handled other tasks in Muel. To find the ruins of the laboratory, we needed to move actively again.

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

Hello, I’m Ro Yujin.

Today, the novel is number one. Haha. Thanks to the overwhelming love and attention from the readers, I had a great day today. To those who have supported, recommended, commented, and given coupons, I am truly grateful. Even if it’s just for a day, I had many thoughts today. The only way I can repay the readers is to write even more diligently. I will strive to do better. Thank you again. (__) (Thank you, hohokoya1, for your message! I read it carefully. I look forward to your continued support. Haha.)

And the next chapter (78) will be a reorganization chapter. It might feel a bit boring, but I decided it was better to describe what happened during the week rather than just saying, “A week passed.”

Originally, I wanted to write more detailed descriptions, but if I did, it would take over 100 chapters to reach the ruins of the laboratory, so I decided to speed things up a bit. The format is explained when they first entered Muel, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to follow. I hope you continue to enjoy Memorize.

Ps. Kim Su-hyun isn’t a heartless guy who doesn’t care about women. Readers, please… OTL. It looks like a scene with Ahn Hyun might happen. Sob.

『 Reader Comments 』

1. People's Life: Congratulations on regaining the top comment spot. You’ve always been at the top since the early stages of the novel… It’s great to see you back. Keep it up! :)

2. Fran Del: The stats for the first chapter are in the early part of the first chapter! They’re at the very top, so you’ll see them right away. Haha.

3. Such a Man: I’m a healthy Korean man. Please don’t say that…. ㅜ.ㅠ

4. Devil Temple: Thank you. Lately, many people have been portraying Su-hyun as a heartless guy… It makes me sad. ㅜ.ㅠ

5. Falling Flower [落花]: I’m currently thinking about 600 chapters, but there might be changes.

6. Kazumi: Wow, to the point where you can’t work. I’m flattered. (__ )* The volume is… Haha. Lately, if I don’t write daily, I feel like a traitor… I’ll try to write daily if the conditions allow.

7. Silver Sunset: I also want to write a plausible H scene. I want to depict a scene where the female users in the Hollow Plain genuinely share love, not just as semen receptacles (though it might change depending on the situation). (Of course, this is only for the female characters around the protagonist.)

8. GradeRown: I like… Huh. Hmm. I don’t think badly of it. Haha. Siblings are definitely a good theme. :) Pregnancy between users and between users and residents is possible. Haha.

9. Crying Soul: Thank you! I’m also enjoying reading Greek and Roman mythology and Norse mythology. So, please, 10 daily updates… (Is that a request?)

10. Northwood: Oh, Northwood, who serializes A Beautiful World! I’m also enjoying your work. I’ll keep fighting, so you do too!

Your recommendations and comments are the driving force behind my daily updates. (This is the truth.)

I always read all the comments.

Please don’t be too disappointed if you’re not mentioned in the comments.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to send a message, and I’ll respond!

I’ll wrap up here for today.

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

I welcome all recommendations, comments, criticisms, and questions.