The matter had been handled in a lackluster manner.
For an issue that had put a life at stake, it ended so anticlimactically, without any substantial conclusion, it merely brushed over.
Kang Sihyun recalled an event from the Shadow World as he caught the gaze of Haehyuk, who, without uttering a word, nodded in understanding. Despite not speaking, Haehyuk's gaze, sharp as if he was reading minds, prompted Sihyun to remember a boy indelible from that day's memories.
A boy who had literally experienced the Shadow World with his entire being.
"...Do you think, Guild Master, it's now safe to take the Class A students into the dungeon?"
"Well, I'm not the one who has experienced the dungeon, so Sihyun's judgment would probably be more accurate."
"......"
"Most of them are almost S-Class, so there shouldn't be much trouble. There might be individuals whose actual abilities exceed that of an S-Class."
Haehyuk shrugged off the pressure of the questioning gaze, supporting the decision to proceed. Given Haehyuk had established himself as an S-Class, his judgment was unlikely to be wrong.
"What about Lee Hamin?"
"Hamin? Well, he's fine too."
Haehyuk casually responded, then seemed to realize something as he looked at Sihyun. Their eyes met in the air, violet eyes capturing blue ones.
"Ah, perhaps."
Sensing the cue, Sihyun nodded this time.
The moment to decide which Class A students would enter a dungeon that had appeared in China was determined.
***
"Kang Sihyun, are you going again?"
No sooner had Sihyun finished conversing with Haehyuk and returned to the lodging did the door burst open, and the kids rushed in. They must have run straight from the battlefield upon hearing the news of the dungeon, all sweaty and panting. Sihyun, receiving the fiery gaze of Down, smiled slightly.
"Of course, I have to go."
He had realized from experiencing similar situations several times that the saying 'one cannot spit in a smiling face' wasn't made without reason. Affirming with a smile was more effective in avoiding nagging than nodding with a neutral face. At least, smiling spared him from being grabbed by the collar.
This time, the approach of smiling first worked again. Down hesitated momentarily upon seeing Sihyun's slightly upturned smile, and instead of grabbing Sihyun's collar, messed up his brown hair before stepping inside.
"Annoyingly smiling, and..."
Having spent a lot of time supporting missions with Hamin recently, Down had picked up Hamin's way of speaking. The combination of Down's already fiery temperament with harsh swear words added the finishing touch. Arguably, it was hard to find someone more explosive than Down; even Igor felt tame in comparison.
The girl who entered the room without asking for permission and flopped down on the bed made the entire process feel too natural. Watching six kids follow her into the room, Sihyun gave up on scolding them. He was slowly adapting to a lifestyle where 'your room is my room.'
"Why is it always you going?"
"I didn't go to the Philippines dungeon."
"That time, you were lying in bed, so it's not like you went."
"This time, since I'm not lying in bed, I should go."
"That's what you call an excuse."
Down frowned. Sihyun laughed again.
"That face, really."
Down sighed heavily, frustration evident as he pounded his chest as if it were suffocating. Jihye awkwardly consoled him with a smile. Sihyun watched the scene as if watching a comedy, and when Down calmed down, he scanned the kids.
Having recovered neatly while he was unconscious after solving the Russian dungeon, Haeun sat at the end of the bed with a brighter face than before. Next to her, Geonu and Haru awaited his words, while Hamin and Seowoo sat uncomfortably close, casting burdensome glances.
Hamin's gaze seemed to say he was waiting to see what nonsense Sihyun would spout, while Seowoo's gaze felt eerily cold and persistent, making Sihyun uncomfortably suspicious. After a moment of doubt, Sihyun opened his mouth.
"Since you all came here expecting me to go into the dungeon, I'll just get to the point. As you've guessed, I'm planning to support the fourth dungeon that appeared in China, and this time, one of you will be joining me."
"......"
"You didn't come here to stop me from entering the dungeon as much as you came together because you knew that starting from this dungeon, you could join me. Right?"
The kids flinched at the pinpoint accuracy. Apart from Geonu and Seowoo, who always managed their expressions well, the honest reactions of the others
made Sihyun chuckle silently.
I knew it.
They had understood beyond doubt that it was impossible to stop him from going to the dungeon. So, they aimed to accompany him instead, tirelessly tackling large fissures and catastrophe-class threats to build their credentials. Today was the day to confirm the results of that effort, hence their collective appearance as if promised.
Had they truly intended to stop him, they would have rushed over as soon as they could, rather than coordinating their arrival.
Caught in their scheme, the kids exchanged looks among themselves.
"...Well, you're right. After finishing the large fissures and catastrophe-class threats, we agreed to go to the next dungeon together."
Then, adopting a brazen attitude as if resolved, Seowoo stepped forward to speak on behalf of everyone. Sihyun nodded in affirmation to the honest statement.
"So, have you decided who you're going with?"
Seowoo asked quietly. At that moment, the gazes of all the kids in the room sharpened. Sihyun felt awkward under the collective anticipation; every single one of them seemed equally desperate. Unfortunately, there was already someone chosen for this mission.
Disappointing them was regrettable, but it couldn't be helped.
This trip to China was a bit more special than the previous ones to Dekumanus and Nonus.
Perhaps this could unravel the ties with the Shadow World. It was impossible to leave Hamin behind given the circumstances.
Glancing at Hamin, the boy's eyes widened upon receiving the gaze. Before Hamin could utter a word, Sihyun preemptively responded to Seowoo's question.
"It's decided."
"......!"
The kids stirred. As if begging for food like young birds, their incessant questions of 'who?' inadvertently made Sihyun glance at Hamin, revealing the chosen one. The kids sighed softly, having guessed the chosen one. Sihyun explained the situation to make the disappointed ones understand.
The dungeon appeared in China, and since the incident in the Shadow World wasn't fully resolved, the dungeon needed addressing alongside that issue. Adding various explanations and assuring that it wasn't because the others lacked or Hamin was superior, the once frustrated or discontented gazes began to calm down.
However, the kids' concerns shifted elsewhere.
"Going back to the Shadow World, where you almost died?"
The question, filled with surprise, hinted at a faint disapproval of taking such risks.
"Really. Can't you not go?"
"If that's the case, wouldn't it be better not to take Lee Hamin?"
"Maybe it would be better if others went instead of you and Hamin. There's a danger element other than the dungeon this time, right?"
Jihye's small worry sparked agreement from the others, including Haeun. It was a legitimate concern. Had it been them, they would have been worried too. Sihyun indulged the kids' worries and tantrums for a moment.
"...Humans are the most dangerous."
"......"
"There's nothing more dangerous than humans, Sihyun."
You know that.
Haru's gaze seemed to add that sentiment. Rarely speaking up, Haru, who had silently observed the situation and readily accepted Sihyun's statement without objection, finally voiced his stance, silencing the kids.
It was that heavy and that solemn. No one else among them could have conveyed the message with such gravity and caution as Haru did.
Having experienced it firsthand, Haru's words carried a weight that compelled Sihyun to listen intently. As the room quieted down, Haru, as if his previous silence were a lie, earnestly shared his position.
"If you must go to the dungeon, I won't try to stop you. You must have a firm will to go, and there must be reasons you need to go. I won't try to stop you anymore."
"I know."
Haru was the one who had been least shaken by the declaration of going to China. Nodding calmly, Haru continued.
"But, if there's someone in that place aiming for your life, then it's different. This time, it's not just about conquering a dungeon; you have to be wary of people too. It becomes more dangerous and the dungeon harder to conquer."
"That's true."
"I mean, honestly... you might be sensitive to Irregulars, but I think you're not as sensitive to the malice of humans."
"......"
He couldn't deny the truth in those words. Sihyun had faced Irregulars more often than humans, and while he had encountered hostility from people, none had shown him the intent to kill. The worst malice he had experienced from a human was in the Shadow World, but that wasn't facing the person directly; it was falling into a trap they had set. The only real malice he had encountered from person to person was, at best, from Kang Donghyuk, who was now considered a criminal.
It was just
the immature jealousy and clumsy malice of a young boy who had just turned seventeen.
Having only experienced that much, he couldn't act as if he was accustomed to human malice, so he didn't counter the argument. Sitting inside the bed, a boy with red eyes broke the silence and delivered his conclusion.
"I understand why Hamin has to go with you. But if there's a way to replace him or if you can take one more person, take me, Sihyun."
"......"
"I'm at least more sensitive to human malice and intent to kill than you guys."
I won't be a burden.
In the silence, the red eyes glinted. The room, previously noisy with each person's retorts and arguments, fell into a peaceful silence as if by agreement at that moment.
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