Chapter 115: An Update Is Needed

“You’re awake. Drink some water first.”

Jin Seong-ha leisurely pulled back the hand that had been idly stroking Ion’s cheek and handed him lukewarm water, completely unfazed.

A straw was already in it. Ion sipped while sitting up.

His head throbbed, his whole body ached—classic “hangover” symptoms.

How many days had passed this time? What kind of drunken nonsense had he spouted…?

Judging by the aftereffects, it must have been pretty bad. He was already anxious.

He hadn’t mentioned the Apostle, had he?

No. They said if I ever spoke of the Apostle, the Apostle would notice.

If he had, he’d already be erased from existence.

Even during the Moniti dungeon drunken episode, Ion had never told Jin Seong-ha that he was a character in a novel.

Even in mana depletion, he kept the lines he had to keep.

“You drink well. More?”

“Yes. Cold this time, please.”

While Jin Seong-ha refilled the cup, Ion scanned the surroundings.

An Earth-style tent cot.

Areca palm, lady palm, phalaenopsis, scindapsus, ivy—all arranged in a circle around him.

Two Sansevieria pots. The one on the right was the hostage plant from the Age cultist.

You’re mine now.

Ion mentally claimed the new Sansevieria, then hugged his original one. The cool leaves smoothed his furrowed brow.

Jin Seong-ha handed him another cup—still lukewarm. Ion drank half and set it down.

“Still inside the dungeon.”

“Clear conditions got harder when it hit Level 4. Sorry I couldn’t wake you up in a hospital.”

“That’s not something you need to apologize for. Did you meet the Ideans properly? There should have been two.”

“Yeah. Bran and Haidian. We greeted each other. Almost fought at first, but your bat mediated in fluent Korean. Did it learn the language through Idea magic or aura?”

“…It could already speak on Earth.”

“Ah. So it really wasn’t an ordinary monster. Does that grass clump speak too?”

“It’s not a grass clump, it’s Sanse. And not yet, but soon.”

“Then one day Ppuru, Nari, White-Eyes, Choco, Candy might talk too?”

Ion, who had been unconsciously tense, couldn’t help but laugh at the childlike question.

Jin Seong-ha never changed.

“Yes. If they live with Idea spirits for a few hundred years.”

“They won’t live that long.”

“Right. A shame.”

“A shame.”

Jin Seong-ha shrugged and continued leisurely.

“As the protagonist of <Hunter and Hero>, don’t I have the ability to make Ppuru talk? A munchkin who can’t even do that—quite a shame.”

Countless thoughts raced through Ion’s mind.

After a long silence, he said:

“Did I… get drunk?”

“You were extremely drunk. But I didn’t hear it from your mouth.”

Ion decided to hear the details from someone else later and listened.

“I heard it from the orphans. You already know I’m aware of their existence—no need to explain. You felt my gaze when you used the Sage’s Mirror.”

He was talking about that time.

“I was curious anyway. What exactly happened while I was gone? Spill everything.”

“Nothing much to spill. Right after you vanished, I contacted Aide Dam. I knew you two were connected. Dam denied everything at first, but when I said you might die in another world, he panicked and called the D-NATE guild master.”

The three orphans had met again.

Would Ion really die in Idea? How would they rescue him? In the end, they concluded that the prophecy the young Jin Seong-ha heard had been wrong.

If something happened to Ion, Il-on with <Brainstorming> would have known first.

The orphans’ thoughts branched elsewhere.

The person who had shown the young Jin Seong-ha a different version of <Hunter and Hero> had looked exactly like “Teacher.” How?

Suspicious, the orphans decided to investigate Breeder at the orphanage.

“No one noticed I was eavesdropping. When I revealed myself and said I was coming too, they nearly fainted.”

Jin Seong-ha had insisted on learning exactly what kind of education Breeder gave them and on visiting the orphanage—he succeeded.

“Any gains? Did you learn anything about Teacher at the orphanage?”

“Nothing. Only that he abused you and the orphans.”

“…”

“When we left, I installed the same shield you had set up, so the spirits are safe. I played with them a lot. They’re cute and fascinating, but your siblings hated it. Said they stood by while Breeder abused you. Can’t blame them for disliking the spirits.”

Jin Seong-ha openly displayed contempt and hatred toward Teacher.

“In my view, Breeders are lunatics lost in their own delusions. But even giving him a hundred concessions and assuming he was telling the truth… the novel protagonist finding out this world is a novel—that wasn’t in the scenario, right?”

“…Probably not.”

“Then let’s discuss what to do from now on, Leader Ion.”

“…”

Ion’s mind grew complicated.

That wasn’t in the scenario, right?

No.

It was.

To the orphans and Jin Seong-ha—who hadn’t received the updated truth—this situation seemed off-script.

But in reality, this too was part of [Joy]’s planned “true <Hunter and Hero>.”

[Joy] had set it up from the beginning: “The protagonist discovers there is someone claiming this world is inside a novel.”

Everything was proceeding exactly according to script.

Of course, not every single line was written.

[Joy] only set the major framework.

For example, Jin Seong-ha telling the NPC meant to help his growth, “I only learned that he abused you and the orphans,” was probably an ad-lib born of free will.

“Looks like I dumped a headache on someone who just woke up.”

“No. Delaying it would make it worse. Better to get it over with quickly.”

“Fair enough. We’ll need everyone for the real discussion. But before that… a lot of people have been waiting desperately for you to wake up.”

Jin Seong-ha smiled leisurely and glanced behind him.

Ion had already noticed the shadows peeking in from outside the tent. Baba especially was whining, held back by Bran.

When Jin Seong-ha lifted the flap, visitors poured in.

He hadn’t exactly expected a tear-jerking reunion…

“How could you ditch your sidekick without a word and go to another world! Then you bring back new sidekicks? Traitor! But I’ll forgive you just this once. Next time, no mercy!”

Hong In-soo.

“You little punk, handling dangerous stuff alone? And here I was looking down on you. Sorry, kid.”

Bae Young-hwe.

“You went world-hopping without me. So jealous. Next time take me—no way I’m missing fun events.”

Shin Min-ji.

“No matter how strong Ion Hunter is, you’re still a member of the team I lead. As team leader, I have a duty to protect my members. Please consult me from now on.”

Team Leader Lee Jin-ah.

Ion thought, Were we this close…? Well, except maybe Shin Min-ji.

Special Team 1 exchanged brief greetings and left.

If this were Earth, they’d have talked longer, but they were still clearing a dungeon—an S-rank one. No separate byproduct collection team, so everyone had to stay busy.

After Special Team 1 left, Bran, Haidian, and Baba came in.

Baba dove straight into Ion’s arms, burrowing deep. Ion kneaded the fluffy bat.

“Dam Ion. Okay now?”

“I’m fine.”

“Back to normal? Dam Ion weird yesterday.”

“…How weird?”

“Jin Seong-ha said something, you put finger to lips and went, ‘Shh, you’re precious, don’t dirty yourself talking to trash.’”

“…”

“You kept rubbing faces saying I’m cute. Got lots of static. But I endured. Loyal and cute bat.”

“…”

“And to Haidian, ‘Your face inspires reverence, don’t sully those beautiful eyes with trash…’”

“You can stop now.”

“Not curious anymore? Dam Ion suddenly disappeared yesterday, found in trash can.”

“…Trash can?”

“Yep. Said the only place for you was the trash.”

“…Really stop. Not curious.”

Ion slumped against the chair back, wishing he could turn to dust.

“Hey.”

Bran sat beside him, crunching Korean snacks.

“You and that Earthling Jin Seong-ha must be really close, huh? While you were out of it, he took care of you like a mother hen. Wouldn’t even let your siblings near, stuck by you the whole time.”

“Not for the reason you’re thinking.”

He was probably blocking the orphans to extract as much information as possible from drunk-me.

“Hey, these are good. Should bring some to Idea. You should’ve shared earlier if you had them.”

“I would’ve if I did. What exactly is Haidian doing?”

Haidian had confirmed Ion was fine, then spent the whole time staring into a hand mirror—tilting it this way and that, cupping his chin, pinching his cheeks, touching his lips.

“Ah, well… Ion-ssi…”

“…?”

“No, never mind.”

“…”

“But, Ion-ssi.”

Still staring into the mirror, Haidian asked,

“Am I… really that handsome?”

Ah. Now it made sense.

Haidian had never left his village before this. Even when he did border patrol, he wore a helmet, so his face stayed hidden.

The fairies he lived with had grown immune—twenty-plus years of seeing someone every day dulls the impact, no matter how beautiful.

So Haidian had no idea his looks were officially ranked #1 in the world.

Until now.

After seeing the Earthlings’ (especially Dam Da-on’s) reactions, he finally realized his appearance was extraordinary.

When Ion honestly answered, “Yes, Haidian-ssi is very handsome,” Haidian’s cheeks flushed faintly.

“I’m… handsome. I’ve always been handsome… Handsome enough to unify the world with my face…”

That extreme metaphor definitely came from Da-on.

“Even more than the protagonist of <Hunter and Hero>…”

Bran and Haidian had apparently heard the rough outline of <Hunter and Hero> while Ion was unconscious—Baba had proudly interpreted and demanded praise, so Ion stroked its wings and praised it.

“I should cut back on drinking… to preserve this beauty…”

At Haidian’s mutter, Bran clicked his tongue, crumbs on his fingers.

“One by one, everyone’s losing it.”

Footsteps outside.

The tent flap lifted—Jin Seong-ha and the orphans entered.