Peep.
Riceball flew back to Yoon Seo's shoulder after fluttering around with the seagulls.
Peep…
Noticing the awkward atmosphere between Kwon Jihan and Yoon Seo, Riceball let out a small sound and transformed into a ferret, slipping inside Yoon Seo's clothes.
Yoon Seo gently patted Riceball, now hidden in his sleeve.
Even with the deep blue sea spread out before them under the bright blue sky, the mood remained heavy.
Waves crashed white against distant rocks, but instead of feeling refreshing or cool, it felt painful and troubling. No matter how beautiful the scenery, emotions could easily affect one's perception.
And surely, he wasn't the only one feeling this way.
"Kwon Jihan."
"…"
"I can't send you into the dungeon like this."
There was no way Kwon Jihan would struggle in a mere C-rank yellow dungeon. He wasn't someone to let his guard down just because the dungeon's grade was low.
But a dungeon was still a dungeon.
He couldn't let his lover enter a dangerous place while they were still on bad terms.
At last, Kwon Jihan, who had been showing only his back, turned around.
Judging by his expression, he wasn't as angry as Yoon Seo had thought. His face showed more bitterness and resignation.
"You're right, hyung. I don't want to enter the dungeon feeling unsettled either."
Peep.
At the sound of Kwon Jihan's voice, Riceball poked its head out of Yoon Seo's sleeve. However, it stayed still, as if it didn't want to interrupt the reconciliation.
Yoon Seo took a step toward Kwon Jihan, and Kwon Jihan did the same toward Yoon Seo.
They stood face to face.
Kwon Jihan spoke first.
"By the time I come out of the dungeon, Lee Seokyoung will have awakened, right?"
"Probably."
"I don't know much about Lee Seokyoung's personality, but if he finds out that Seo Chaeyoon lost the chance to remove his abnormal state because of him, he'd probably feel guilty."
"I'd feel the same."
"…"
"If I were the reason Lee Seokyoung lost the chance to come back to life… I…"
As Yoon Seo furrowed his brows in anguish, Kwon Jihan's expression grew even more pained.
"Why do you think you'd be taking away his chance? We'll find another within ten days."
"Yes, we'll find another. I'll just give it to Lee Seokyoung first."
Kwon Jihan let out a frustrated sigh, as if he were about to explode, and roughly ran his hand through his hair.
"If we give it to Lee Seokyoung first, and then if you, if you get seriously hurt? If you end up with something modern medicine can't fix? Yeah, I get it, you're always ready to fight to the death, so you probably don't care. But I'm not like that. I've never been prepared for something like that."
"..."
"I told you, even if you get just a bruise, I feel like I'm going to lose it. Even a scratch makes my heart tighten…!"
In the end, Kwon Jihan raised his voice.
For Yoon Seo, seeing him get angry like this was somehow better than when he had been bowing his head earlier, pleading for him to take it.
Yoon Seo gently grabbed Kwon Jihan's trembling arm. Looking into his eyes, which were shaking like a candle in the wind, he softly continued.
"Kangjin hyung would often talk about Seokyoung."
"..."
"'Ah, that monster should be Seokyoung hyung's. He'd do a great job.'"
'Ah, that monster should be Seokyoung hyung's. He'd do a great job.'
'Seokyoung Guild's Lee Seokyoung? Chaeyoon and I didn't have much contact with him. What was he like?'
'Eccentric, but very strong.'
'Stronger than you?'
'I'm A-rank. He's S-rank. You can't really compare us.'
'What about compared to Seo Chaeyoon?'
'Well, if we're comparing, I'd say his strength is similar to La Bijina's.'
'That's really strong. …He would've been a huge asset if he were here.'
At Lee Domin's honest regret, Lee Kangjin gave a small laugh.
'He's so strong that we left him outside on purpose. Knowing that Seokyoung hyung was staying out there, I felt reassured entering this place.'
'Makes sense. Someone has to stay outside and guard.'
'But… that guy, he's strong, but a real fool, so I worry about him.'
'Lee Seokyoung, a fool? Wasn't he supposed to be really smart?'
'We once went into a dungeon together, and everyone was carrying five water bottles each. But it was a desert dungeon, and we couldn't find any water along the way. After about a month, everyone ran out. Right when things were getting tough, Seokyoung pulled out three bottles of water from his bag, saying he wasn't that thirsty, so let's share. Turns out, he'd been surviving for a month on just two 500mL bottles. If that's not a fool, I don't know what is.'
Lee Domin's eyes glistened with tears, and the other hunters listening to the story said they wanted to join the Seokyoung Guild when they got out. And Seo Chaeyoon?
"I thought, 'what an idiot.'"
"..."
"Saving water like that was dumb, sharing the saved water was foolish, and bragging about not being thirsty was just plain stupid."
Yoon Seo smiled as he looked at the silent Kwon Jihan.
"If Lee Seokyoung dies like this, he'll die a fool."
"..."
"The world where good people are made into fools is over, isn't it? Don't you think?"
It was a refreshing, flawless smile, like the clear blue sea, without a speck of dust.
And Yoon Seo waited, looking at Kwon Jihan with eyes full of certainty, waiting for him to agree.
"…Yeah. That kind of world is over."
In the end, Kwon Jihan had no choice but to nod.
Because he had always told Yoon Seo that the world where kind people were made fools of was over, and now it was a world where kind people could win.
Yoon Seo smiled brightly, and the two embraced each other.
Kwon Jihan felt Yoon Seo's warm body and his pounding heart, swallowing a sigh.
But his heart was still conflicted.
'Then what about hyung?'
Then, wouldn't Seo Chaeyoon, who gives his water bottle to Lee Seokyoung, be a fool too?
Yoon Seo had already made his decision, and it was clearly the right one.
This world.
Is it really made so that someone must always sacrifice themselves?
Is that really true?
It felt like he was being engulfed by the darkness.
***
The next day, at noon.
Yoon Seo, who was staying at the medical center of Seokyoung's headquarters, heard the news that a C-rank Yellow Dungeon had appeared near the training hall and had been cleared. Clearing a Level 3 C-rank Yellow Dungeon in just one day was certainly promising news.
"Looks like they used a Berserker skill or something."
Peep.
"Well, at least they got to blow off some steam."
Peep.
Yoon Seo tickled Riceball's feathers while waiting for a message from Kwon Jihan.
However, the message he had been waiting for never came. Instead, he received other news.
Only the by-product collection team and the trainee team had returned from the dungeon. Kwon Jihan had not come out.
– He said he had to practice some skills and sent us ahead. We knew it was just an excuse, but he didn't seem to be in the best mood from the start, and since the dungeon's scenery was quite nice, we thought it might help him feel better… I'm sorry.
"No, it's fine. You did well. Get some rest."
Yoon Seo ended the call with the collection team leader and immediately operated his U-pad. Next to Seo Chaeyoon's name, the status (In Dungeon) was displayed. He almost switched back to Yoon Seo's account out of habit but stopped himself. That could have been a disaster.
"Riceball, let's head to the dungeon. They say the scenery is nice."
Peep!
Yoon Seo took out the Seo Chaeyoon mask from his inventory and put it on.
Skill has been activated.
'Emergency Exit of the Small Savior.'
Thud!
A large door appeared. Riceball let out a long, excited squeal and flapped its wings energetically.
Yoon Seo opened the door. It was time to go pick up his lover, who needed a change of scenery.
And perhaps share some good news with him too.
***
Dungeon Entry: Current Terrain 1/2: 2 members: Explosion in 298 hours
The dungeon has been cleared.
The God of Love has been waiting for you.
The God of Life has been waiting for you.
The God of Life says you are in the wrong.
The God of Life tells you to understand 'Kwon Jihan's' position.
The God of Love grows anxious.
The God of Death says not to get involved in lovers' quarrels.
The God of Life corrects, saying it's a family quarrel, not a lovers' fight.
The God of Love wishes you would hurry up and comfort 'Kwon Jihan.'
The moment he stepped into the dungeon, it was noisy. Yoon Seo turned off the endless message log and entered [Guild Member Location Tracking].
Kwon Jihan was in the second terrain.
Yoon Seo immediately activated
Soaring through the sky, he took off his mask.
The view was undeniably beautiful.
Though it might only look that way to someone with a flight skill.
The terrain of the dungeon was a vast expanse of air so high up that the ground wasn't visible. It felt like being in the upper atmosphere of Earth, with thousands of floating islands no more than one or two pyeong in size.
Though the islands were now empty, they must have been teeming with distorted beings and monsters before.
Now that they were all gone, a truly beautiful scene unfolded.
When Yoon Seo reached the second terrain, he saw a small island with an exit portal floating in the distance. Kwon Jihan was sitting alone at the edge of a cliff on that island.
Piiiii!
Seeing Kwon Jihan for the first time in a day, Riceball flapped its wings frantically, rubbing and nuzzling against him in excitement. Kwon Jihan stroked the bird on his shoulder with a bitter smile.
"I was just about to head out."
The tone of his voice made it clear to Yoon Seo that Kwon Jihan was completely out of it.
Despite knowing Yoon Seo had entered the dungeon, he hadn't sent any messages through the guild chat.
He hadn't even turned to look.
'He didn't even notice.'
To not notice this, just how deeply lost in thought must he have been?
The God of Love hopes you'll embrace 'Kwon Jihan.'
Instead of hugging him, Yoon Seo sat down beside him.
Beneath them was nothing but the deep blue sky.
Without a single cloud, the sky looked even bluer.
"The guardian gods are going crazy. They're telling me to comfort you and apologize quickly."
"Is that so? They told me to apologize."
"They're like parents trying to stop a kids' fight."
"Right."
"…Why won't you look at me?"
At those words, Kwon Jihan finally lifted his head.
As usual, his lips curved into a faint smile, but he looked unbearably sad.
It was the most pained and sorrowful expression Yoon Seo had ever seen on him.
His ash-gray eyes were devoid of emotion.
To put it lightly, it was like the face of a child who realized that Santa Claus isn't real.
To put it more heavily—
It was the face of someone disillusioned with the world.
With the guardian gods, with Gaia.
With all the gods of the world.
And with the world itself.