Chapter 43 : Adventure Level 30 (5)

I arrived at the classroom and shook Yu Mina, who was sleeping.
“It’s morning—what are you doing sleeping? Wake up.”
“Ughh…”
Yu Mina mumbled and curled up.
“I’m sleepy. Don’t wake me.”
“More importantly, wake up. Do you know what happened earlier? When I was coming to school, I asked Do Yugeon— Hey, I said wake up.”
Yu Mina groggily sat up.
“Don’t sleep once you’re at school.”
“I pulled an all-nighter yesterday, so I’m sleepy…”
“With your boyfriend?”

Yu Mina yawned.
“I broke up with all my boyfriends. I’m going to be a second-year soon, anyway. I stayed up late doing some work.”
At night?
Hmm. Well, she’ll manage somehow.
“Okay, okay. More importantly, when I was coming to school earlier, I asked Do Yugeon if he was hiding anything from me, you know? And he said he wasn’t hiding anything.”
“Hold on, I’m not following the context. Did he hide something?”
“Ah, right. I should start with that. During the school closure, Do Yugeon wasn’t contacting me, so I went to his house, but I spotted him on the way and met him ‘by chance’ on the street.”
“Then it wasn’t by chance.”
“Anyway. I met him, and he said he had other plans. But I could tell something was suspicious, so I secretly followed him.”
“You mean you stalked him? Hmm…”
“That’s, uh, anyway.”

I roughly summarized what happened then.
“Conquering a Rift?”
Yu Mina seemed lost in thought.
“Yeah. I don’t know why they’re trying to do such dangerous things. Is he short on allowance? He could just tell me.”
“I get it. It’s because he likes you.”
“What are you talking about? What does that have to do with anything?”
“It’s an unnecessary detour when he could just confess directly.”
“First of all, ‘confess’? He probably doesn’t love me.”
“No way! His face gets red and stuff when he’s near you. That means it’s true!”
Yu Mina gestured emphatically as she spoke.
Why is she getting so worked up all of a sudden?

“That’s your experience. My world is different.”
Her reaction was one of bewilderment.
Tsk, she doesn’t understand.
How should I explain this?
Maybe I should just let her experience it herself?
I composed myself, put on a slight smile, and met Yu Mina’s eyes.
As we held eye contact silently, Yu Mina avoided my gaze and stammered.
“Wh-what?”
Her face was red.
“See? Everyone’s like this. Give them a little attention, and this happens. There’s a limit to misunderstanding.”
“No…”
Yu Mina looked like she could die from frustration.

“Ah, right. Could it be a case of mistaken emotions? Do Yugeon doesn’t have dating experience. Maybe he’s confused?”
“You think too hard about dating. Misunderstandings are emotions too.”
An idea struck me.
“You said you’re not seeing anyone now, right? Then how about dating Do Yugeon for a bit? I can allow it if it’s just for a short while.”
“There she goes saying weird things again!”
She startled me. Her loud voice drew attention from inside and outside the classroom.
I scanned the classroom, and the gazes disappeared.
“Why? You said Do Yugeon was a decent option among the many boys out there.”
“You shouldn’t take it that way!”
Yu Mina grabbed my shoulders and started shaking me back and forth.
Hey, what are you doing?
“My head is shaking.”
“I’m trying to shake it! Think, my lady! Think!”
“What do you want me to do?”
If I have to think, I guess I should try talking Do Yugeon out of it first.

“So, you pull the bowstring, then release it at the right moment, and it goes swoosh and hits thwack.”
Following his instructions, I pressed and held the gamepad button, then released it as the target passed.
The arrow flew swoosh, and the target jumped evasively.
The arrow embedded itself in the floor.
“Is this not working?”
“Don’t rush me. Why is the level design like this?”
I went into the settings, adjusted the sensitivity, and drew the bow again.
The target zipped past quickly, but I missed this one entirely.
“You didn’t even shoot this time.”
“Ah, just wait a second.”
“This makes the game unplayable.”
“No, this game is made like crap. Let’s play something else.”

He nodded nonchalantly as if agreeing readily and turned off the game.
Ugh, even more annoying.
“Isn’t it funny how you’re acting all high and mighty when you only hit it once?”
“I wasn’t acting high and mighty, but there’s a big difference between one hit and zero hits.”
“Then try shooting again.”
“The game’s already off.”
“Then turn it back on.”
“The game wasn’t fun.”
I kindly operated the gamepad and turned the game back on.
Do Yugeon shook his head resignedly and shot an arrow at the target.
The target slowed down to dodge, but because of that, the arrow that would have missed ended up hitting it.
How?
“Oh.”
Do Yugeon’s eyes widened, clearly showing he hadn’t expected to hit it either.

“Shoot again.”
“No, no. The difference between two hits and zero hits is enormous. No need to show off anymore. Let’s play another game.”
Do Yugeon turned off the game and browsed the game list.
“What should we play?”
“I don’t know.”
Time passed in silence.
“About when we ran into each other before.”
“Before? Ah, during the school closure?”
“Yeah. Then. You said you were going to a café, and I felt like coffee too, so I went to a café.”
“You drink too much coffee. You won’t grow taller like that. There’s already a height difference between us.”
“That’s none of your business. Anyway, so I went, and coincidentally, you were at the café I went to?”

The guy who had been looking at the screen, browsing the game list, turned to look at me.
“I didn’t know you came.”
“Well, because I didn’t talk to you. You seemed to be in a serious conversation, so I didn’t interrupt.”
“Serious conversation?”
“Yeah. I only caught snippets passing by, so I didn’t hear properly, but I got the gist.”
“Ah, wait, I think I know what you’re trying to say.”
“What?”
He shifted his gaze back to the screen and fiddled with the gamepad.
The game list scrolled by quickly.
“That it’s dangerous, so I shouldn’t do it?”
“You know well. Act accordingly.”
“I know it’s dangerous. But I’m still going to do it.”
“Why?”

Do Yugeon blinked for a moment, then smiled slightly.
“Because I need to get equipment to conquer it?”
I’m not in the mood for jokes.
“Come on, don’t think too seriously. It’s not like I’m trying to get killed.”
“Whether you die or not, dangerous is dangerous.”
“I know, so stop it. If you keep nagging, I don’t want to hear it.”
I was about to retort but closed my mouth.
This is upsetting.
He listened well when we were younger, but now that he’s grown a bit, he doesn’t listen.

I selected Chess from the game menu and started it.
He showed reluctance.
“I don’t really know the rules of Chess.”
“Just play.”
We played a game of Chess.
“Castling.”
“What’s Castling?”
“If you don’t know, you lose. Check.”
“I asked what Castling is.”
“Too bad. Check.”
“Wait, give me a break!”
“Checkmate. You’re terrible at this.”

“Okay, like I said earlier, today is a test. We’ll check for any potential issues along the way and just gauge the level. If it seems dangerous, we’ll pull out immediately. So, the important thing is, if you feel anything strange, speak up right away. Communication between us is key.”
Peeking my head over the edge of the rooftop, I looked down into the alley and saw Do Yugeon listening to instructions from the Flame Mage.
In front of them was a Rift.
Well, the Flame Mage is an adult too, so it seems he’s not planning to rush in recklessly to die.
Should I consider this fortunate or just obvious?

“Are we really not gathering any weeds?”
At those words, the Necromancer muttered gloomily.
“Weeds… Still, they’re our bread and butter, so let’s show them some affection.”
“True, they do look like weeds, hahaha! We plan to gather a few, but we’ll decide based on the situation. Today, we might pick them ourselves, but the plan is for us to clear the mobs in the Rift and pull out, then designated personnel will go in to collect them, so don’t worry too much about it for now.”
After the explanation, a brief silence fell.
Perhaps bored by the situation, Do Yugeon wandered around the Rift.

On that day, approaching the Rift allowed immediate entry through the System’s procedures, but now it seemed access required going through a magical girl.
It was likely because the System had disappeared and things hadn’t returned to normal yet.
From one end of the alley, the magical girl walked out, eating an ice cream bar.
Next to her was Yu Mina, also munching on ice cream.
Why are you here?
Do Yugeon also looked flustered, staring intently at Yu Mina.
Yu Mina waved casually.

“Let me repeat the precautions: there are puppies inside, but don’t let your guard down just because their levels are high. Please be careful. It shouldn’t be difficult, but it’s not exactly safe either. Don’t take it out on us if you get hurt. Other than that, do you have any questions?”
“Can we go in now?”
“Just a moment. Let me prepare.”
As the magical girl approached the Rift and started working on something, Yu Mina subtly moved closer to Do Yugeon.
They were talking about something, but their voices were hushed, so I couldn’t hear.
I brought this just in case.
I took a small listening device from my pocket and tossed it lightly onto a suitable spot below.
I put an earphone in my ear and launched the app on my phone.
How do I use this again…?
The Security Team Leader had explained how to use it, but it felt unfamiliar.
Should I have tested it beforehand?
I fumbled with the app in slight panic.

“My lady was worried.”
Ah, it worked.
“Cha Haneul always worries a lot.”
What do you mean, ‘always’? Whose fault is this?
This is grounds for anger, right?
“That might be true, but if you keep worrying her, she might cross the line.”
Yu Mina? Are you saying something weird?
“That sounds scary.”
And you, don’t just agree with her.
“Okay, all set!”
“Alright, shall we enter?”
Do Yugeon entered the Rift along with the others.

The magical girl spoke to Yu Mina.
“They said this ice cream was a new product, and it’s delicious. I should have bought another one.”
“It would have melted.”
“Wouldn’t it be delicious even melted?”
A magic circle appeared above the eaten popsicle stick, and the stick vanished.
It looked like the space-time magic I saw before. Yu Mina frowned.
“Don’t just use magic recklessly.”
“What’s the big deal?”
The girl giggled.
Okay. Looks like those two are friends.
Then I won’t hold back.

I picked up the money bag I had placed beside me and jumped down into the alley.
Thanks to magic, my feet touched the alley floor gently.
Seeing this, the magical girl’s eyes widened.
“Who are you?”
“She’s my friend.”
I pointed at Yu Mina, and the girl looked back and forth between me and Mina before nodding.
“That ‘lady’? You certainly look the part.”
“Did I tell you about my lady?”
“Maybe? I’m gonna run to the convenience store real quick. You two talk.”
A magic circle flashed, and the girl disappeared.

I narrowed my eyes at Yu Mina.
“Staying up all night—was it because of this kind of work?”
“Haha?”
“Well, fine. It makes things easier, anyway. I’m going in here too—you can help me, right?”
“Your tone implies that helping is obvious.”
Huh? I tilted my head.
“Isn’t it?”
“It is. Who wouldn’t help our dear lady?”
“Then help me get in. Or can I just go in like this?”
“You can’t just go in. Wait a moment.”
Yu Mina worked on the Rift entrance.
“All done.”

I approached the Rift.
“If you go in now, you’ll run into them.”
“Ah, right. That was close.”
We chatted idly for a bit, passing the time.
“Interfering too much isn’t good.”
“So I should just leave him in danger?”
“That’s not what I mean. In situations like this, you should tell Do Yugeon’s parents. It’s not your place to stop him.”
“Do Yugeon wouldn’t like that.”
“Really, you’re too soft only on Do Yugeon. If our lady treated everyone that way, she might actually be popular.”
“I’m already popular.”
Yu Mina was lost for words.

I glanced at the time.
It seemed like I’d waited long enough to go in.
If I waited too long, I might run into them coming out of the Rift.
Ah, thinking about it that way, I shouldn’t have waited here.
I casually tossed the bag to Yu Mina.
She fumbled but caught it.
“What’s this?”
“Originally, I would have had to ask an unknown magical girl, so I prepared this in advance, but it’s useless now. You can just have it.”
I stepped into the Rift.