I chewed on a piece of grilled rib while staring across the table.
When our eyes met, Roche smiled warmly and tilted her head in greeting.
I had heard about it from Seyeon before we parted ways at Incheon Airport two days ago.
While I was in Latvia, Roche had requested to naturalize as a South Korean citizen through the Player Hunter Agency.
And she had asked if she could hide out in Guun-ri, just like last time with Jjeoyou, if I was okay with it.
I had agreed without any hesitation.
Beyond the need to evade Russian eyes, it was because I trusted Roche as a person.
But I never imagined she would settle down this quickly, and as a high school student, no less.
'There's no sense of dissonance.'
I was a little surprised.
Even in her school uniform, she didn't look out of place at all.
*Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap!!*
At the insistent tapping, I picked up a rib and handed it under the table.
Whether she devoured it in an instant, a cleanly picked bone was pressed into my hand.
*Tap tap tap tap tap!*
This exchange of whole ribs and bones under the table went on for a while.
The meal time, which had kept my hands very busy, finally ended.
Having eaten his fill, the rib thief Mohwang dismissed his manifestation.
If Kancho had joined in too, it would have been truly hectic. Thank goodness.
Had he gone to the fields to bully Torongjwa?
I helped Mrs. Kim Minji quickly clear the table.
"Jinhyuk-ah, sit down. I'll cut some fruit. Yoo Jinhee, you come here."
"Me? Why?"
"Your brother helped clear the table. Come help me cut the fruit."
"I want to play with Roche! She must be feeling awkward."
"I'm fine, Jinhee. Go help your mother."
"No, I'm not fine! *I'm* not fine."
"One. Two."
At Mrs. Kim Minji's count, Yoo Jinhee shot up like a tumbler doll and ran into the kitchen.
As always, she's no match for Mrs. Kim Minji.
As I went to the living room, Roche pointed to one end of the sofa, as if she had been waiting.
"Sit here, Jinhyuk Oppa."
"Ugh."
"Sorry. I won't do it."
Roche chuckled, finding something amusing.
I sat down next to her and spoke quietly.
"A high school student? For real?"
I genuinely didn't understand.
Having to go to school every day, listen to classes, study, and do homework must be incredibly annoying!
Roche smiled.
"I wanted to experience it. What school is like."
"Don't you have to change your name too?"
"I don't think I need to go that far. I came here just in case, but Russia will think I died along with Spetsotrad."
I narrowed my eyes, looking back and forth between Roche and Yoo Jinhee.
"It feels like your real mission is to guard her, on the side."
"Exactly right. The Player Hunter Agency cares deeply about Jinhyuk-nim's family. And I'm now an agent of the Player Hunter Agency as well."
"So you got a job right after naturalizing. How are your injuries?"
"Almost healed. You fed me Elia-nim's potion when I was unconscious, didn't you? The doctor was amazed. He said my recovery speed was unbelievably fast."
Then I remembered what Seyeon had told me and quickly asked.
"And your… taste… how is it…?"
"It came back. That's why I enjoyed the food your mother made just now so much."
I let out a sigh of relief.
I had been worried it might have been lost forever due to a side effect I hadn't known about before.
"Jinhyuk-nim."
"Yes?"
"Thank you. I was Spetsotrad from the moment I was born. So I never even imagined I could be free."
The annihilation of Spetsotrad.
It was so surreal that I couldn't believe it at first, even when I heard the news.
It started to feel real only after I confirmed that all the lines I had maintained were severed.
"Since my betrayal was discovered in the Tower of Babel, I thought I'd be hunted for the rest of my life and die a miserable death. But thanks to you, Jinhyuk-nim, I even get to attend the school I always dreamed of."
Roche took a deep breath after saying this.
"Don't worry. My mission is solely to protect Miss Yoo Jinhee. I won't get close enough to her to let the smell of blood rub off on her."
She knew better than anyone.
Even if it was all orders, and the targets were also from this line of work, the number of people she had killed numbered in the hundreds.
She didn't think she could just live a normal life as if nothing had happened.
"I do plan to face my punishment. Once things settle down a bit."
Jinhyuk, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke.
"I'm not in a position to tell you what to do about a choice you have to make yourself. But if you feel guilty about what you've done, instead of going to be punished, why not save that many lives instead?"
"What?"
He shrugged and continued.
"You have power, Roche. Enough power that it would be a waste to rot away in punishment. Use that power to save people in danger, and later, if some weird monster pops up in Korea, go and slice it up. Besides, now that you've enrolled, you should aim for perfect attendance from now on."
Hearing the hushed conversation, Yoo Jinhee, who was cutting fruit, turned her head.
"Roche! If Oppa bothers you, you don't have to answer! All that stuff about manners being important in Korea is old news! Just ignore him!"
"And while you're at it, I'd really appreciate it if you could beat up my little sister too."
Roche let out a laugh.
"'Beat up,' huh? You two are really funny siblings… Oh? You're serious."
"Yes. More than ever."
A question mark suddenly appeared in my mind.
What exactly is the relationship between siblings in Korea?
"Roche, eat some fruit!"
As Jinhee came carrying a large tray, I stood up.
I grabbed a couple of slices of pear and apple, chewed on them, and spoke to Mrs. Kim Minji.
"I have an appointment, so I'll head out first."
"What does my son do that keeps him so busy?"
"Being busy is a good thing, isn't it?"
"Brother! What about allowance for your pretty and kind little sister!!"
"Yoo Jinhee. Come here while I'm being nice. Do you think Jinhyuk is a bank? Jinhyuk-ah, go on, hurry."
I smiled and waved at Roche.
"Have fun."
"Yes, Jinhyuk Oppa."
I swallowed dryly at Roche's bright smile.
It was a little creepy.
I left the house and crossed the yard.
My summons were standing at rigid attention, just like before.
"You guys work hard."
Just how badly did she torment them to make them act like this?
Tsk, tsk, Yoo Jinhee!
I closed the front gate and got on the Duram II.
At that moment, a trickle of cold sweat ran down my back.
I had been away for so long that I let my guard down.
I can't believe I rode my motorcycle right up to the house where Mrs. Kim Minji was.
If I got caught, I'd be beaten until my back split open.
I quietly got off and started pushing the Duram II.
It's a loud motorcycle as it is. Let's not start the engine and just get out of here quickly.
Before anyone sees me!
* * *
"Phew! I'm tired!"
Kancho, holding a hoe, stretched his back.
Having used a hoe for the first time in his life, his arms and waist ached.
"I just showered, but I'm already sweating again."
Torongjwa, who had been diligently working in the field, stared blankly at Kancho.
What's gotten into this crazy raccoon now?
He had suddenly barged in, grabbed a hoe, and declared he would also work in the field.
He straightened his back exactly one minute after starting to hoe, but he did do it, so whatever.
"Torongjwa."
*Flinch!*
Startled, Torongjwa furrowed his brow.
What nonsense was he about to spew now?
"I saw it on NewTube last night. A video titled 'He who does not work, shall not eat!' It was very inspiring!"
Kancho closed his eyes tightly and nodded.
"So, starting today, I have decided to eat only after working legitimately! Do you understand?!"
Torongjwa nodded quickly.
If he didn't respond, who knows what that lunatic would do next.
"Good. Therefore, since I have worked, I shall take my rightful compensation. I will take only as much as I have worked for! Do you understand?!"
I understand, so shut up, you crazy raccoon.
Kancho put down his hoe and started gathering the harvested sweet potatoes.
One, two, three, four, five… You only hoed for one minute, how many are you taking!?
"Huh!?"
Kancho, who was stuffing them endlessly into his inventory, perked up his ears.
"The Commander-in-Chief is calling me! Torongjwa, take it easy!"
Kancho grabbed some sweet potatoes and dashed off with a whoosh, leaving Torongjwa shaking his head.
Not that it mattered, since there were plenty of sweet potatoes, but that raccoon was truly something else every time I saw him.
And then, behind Jjeoyou's house.
*Squeak!*
Kancho slammed on the brakes in front of the waiting Jinhyuk.
"Yodel Ranger Deputy Commander Kancho! I have answered the Commander-in-Chief's call!"
"Kancho, why are you so covered in dirt?"
"I helped Torongjwa by doing some hoeing!"
"Oh. It's been a while since you helped out."
"I also brought sweet potatoes as payment!"
Kancho proudly showed off the inside of his inventory.
Suddenly curious, I asked.
"How much did you help?"
"I performed approximately one minute of hoeing!"
I closed my eyes tightly.
It was better than not helping at all, but it was still practically robbery.
I'd better pack him some snacks before he goes back.
"Kancho. Do you remember the person who made the assault rifle and heavy machine gun for you last time?"
"I know! The world's greatest firearms expert!"
"Right. He said he made them as a thank-you for the grilled eel, which he really enjoyed. He said you can take it if you need it."
I pulled away the cloth covering one side.
Revealed was a firearm that was three Kanchos tall.
"Huh!?"
Kancho approached cautiously, his eyes sparkling fiercely.
His ears twitched at an alarming speed as he examined the gun.
Then, with skillful movements, he disassembled and reassembled the firearm in an instant.
"Commander-in-Chief."
"Yeah?"
Kancho turned his head and met my eyes.
Did he not like it?
"Be careful. The guy who made this is a total firepower maniac!"
"A maniac? Suddenly?"
"He probably made this after seeing this."
Kancho showed me a video he found on NewTube.
The weapon was called an MK19.
It was a crazy weapon that fired grenades with the power of a hand grenade up to 2 kilometers.
"Honestly, my heavy machine gun is better than this! Because bullets fly much faster than grenades!"
Kancho's unique trait, Clay, rides the wind.
Since its explosive power increases proportionally to its speed, bullets are generally better than grenades.
"But the maniac uncle attached this! A grenade accelerator!"
I was wondering what all those things hanging off the side of the weapon were. They were made from items from the Tower of Despair.
"It'll fly at bullet speed, even though it's a grenade."
*Gulp!*
I thought I understood why he called him a firepower maniac.
Even the bullets loaded with Explosive Clay had insane firepower. Just how much stronger was this?
Kancho leaped and clung to the grenade launcher.
His ears twitched wildly, and his stubby tail wagged furiously. He seemed to like it a lot.
"I'll carry it for you, like the heavy machine gun. It's too big for you to carry."
"Thank you very much!! I want to shoot it right now! When are we going to the Tower?!"
I smiled and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Now."
I turned my gaze to the Ticket Storage.
[Ticket Storage / Grade: Epic]
# Maximum number of tickets that can be stored: 20.
# Can store 10 tickets each for the Tower of Myth and the Tower of Despair.
# Epic Option: When the user desires, all Tower of Despair tickets stored in the storage are enhanced!
The storage, which became Epic through the Enhancement Blueprint, now allowed for the enhancement of Tower of Despair tickets.
The preparations were already complete.
So, let's get going.
Time to meet the collaborator for this section, as Min Soyul had mentioned.
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T/N:
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