I’ll Retire After Saving the World - Chapter 21

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Chapter 21 – Basement Level 5 (4)

Two days later.

“……”

“……”

“…Do I have something on my face?”

“No.”

Peaceful.

The incident at the retreat feels like a lie.

Could it actually be a lie? Is there any chance that all of this is just a giant dream happening inside my brain?

“Then what are you doing here?”

“Just sitting.”

No, really, what are you doing?

The girl with the neat bobbed hair was crouched in a corner of the playground. She had been staring at my face for a while, but once she got bored of that, she looked down at the dirt. An ant was crawling by.

…What is she doing?

“Are you watching the ant?”

“No.”

“…Then?”

“Just sitting.”

What the hell?

She was like this at the retreat too. Lee Miseon looked at me with a peculiar gaze but never directly spoke to me.

Did Hong Seokyoung tell her about me? Given that she was rambling on about the Ark, Lee Miseon seemed to be involved in some way.

I don’t recall seeing Lee Miseon’s name in the reports related to the Ark. Did I miss it?

Could it be that she dislikes the fact that an unidentified guy saved her nephew?

Anyway, Lee Miseon said she would continue investigating the retreat, and Hong Seokyoung took Kim Chaemin and me out.

And now, here we are.

A peaceful… reed field and a girl with bobbed hair.

“…Do you understand?”

Kim Chaemin’s voice teaching two young wizards under a parasol.

“Don’t think of mana as just a power. Especially for us wizards. In a way, it’s as important as oxygen.”

With one more staff member, this so-called school finally got a timetable.

Isn’t it surprising?

The school has been open for over two months, and they didn’t have a timetable until now?

If I were a parent, I wouldn’t send my child here.

However, the bob-haired girl’s parents weren’t me, and like the other unfortunate children, she was going crazy in this school.

“Why are you here alone instead of with Lee Seungyeon?”

In the end, I spoke to the bob-haired girl again. Normally, she sticks to Lee Seungyeon like glue, but today she’s alone for some reason.

I had nothing else to do, and it was about time to get to know the other kids, not just the wizards.

With the weather getting hotter, the kids’ clothes had changed too. The uniforms and gym clothes, which were long-sleeved, had become short-sleeved. Normally, gym clothes don’t have name tags, but the bob-haired girl had a name tag on her gym clothes sleeve.

Sun Soonjin.

A unique name you can never forget once you hear it.

Judging by the fact that I don’t remember it, she must be one of the kids who died early or quit. When Hong Seokyoung was teaching, I saw that her skills weren’t bad….

“It’s a strategy.”

She spoke curtly.

I looked at Lee Seungyeon. Until a while ago, she was tumbling around with Hong Seokyoung, but now she was fighting with Oh Hyunwook. Where did that guy go, leaving just the kids?

“A strategy?”

“We can’t beat Oh Hyunwook together.”

Sun Soonjin said while still watching the ant.

Oh Hyunwook is a guaranteed talent. Like other famous hunters, Oh Hyunwook’s talent was evident from a young age.

It’s hard to believe that in ten years, he’ll gain the nickname “Pig” because of how much weight he’ll gain, given his currently slim frame and agile movements….

Compared to him, what about the others?

Excluding Yoo Hyeeun, who’s a healer….

Frankly speaking, there’s no promise. To be brutally honest, they’re just mediocre. Not entirely without potential, but how should I put it?

Still, Sun Soonjin has enough talent to shine if polished properly.

Her ability to utilize her small frame to get into an opponent’s blind spots is still rough. But with refinement, she’d be effective against humanoid monsters.

Facing large monsters like the Minotaur in the Myeongdong Dungeon isn’t difficult. Just attacking randomly works.

The real tricky ones are the humanoid monsters. Especially those with special mechanics like the Siren that killed Kim Chaemin.

That’s when hunters like Sun Soonjin are really needed.

“Hey, teacher.”

“Huh?”

“Can you stop looking at them…?”

“Them?”

I tilted my head and looked at Sun Soonjin. She glanced up at me briefly before shyly looking away again.

Hmm.

Next to Sun Soonjin’s feet was a short wooden sword.

Hmm.

Lee Seungyeon and Oh Hyunwook, who were fighting at the edge of the clearing, were slowly getting closer to us.

I see how it is.

“Whose idea was this?”

“…Seungyeon suggested we try this.”

“I think it will work better this way too.”

“…Really?”

“Want me to help you with the timing?”

“No.”

Sun Soonjin shook her head.

“It only matters if I do it myself.”

“Admirable.”

It’s a mindset many adult hunters should learn.

The timing Sun Soonjin was waiting for arrived soon. She knew it too. Sun Soonjin quietly moved her hand to grab the wooden sword.

See, this kid has potential…. She knows what she’s doing.

Sun Soonjin glanced at me. The mischievous wink on her face made me chuckle. Are all high school students like this nowadays?

Holding the wooden sword, Sun Soonjin sprang from her crouched position. Her target was Oh Hyunwook’s neck, which Lee Seungyeon was working hard to push toward us.

Light footsteps, almost inaudible. Swift enough to get behind Oh Hyunwook in an instant.

But Oh Hyunwook wasn’t going to take it lying down.

As soon as he sensed Sun Soonjin, he twisted his waist from the stance he was using to attack Lee Seungyeon.

He bent his upper body backward almost to the ground, spreading his legs for balance.

Sun Soonjin’s sword passed through where Oh Hyunwook’s head had been, and Lee Seungyeon’s sword passed through where his waist had been.

“Damn, Sun Soonjin!”

Oh Hyunwook planted his hands on the ground and did a backflip to create some distance.

“Don’t let your guard down.”

Sun Soonjin withdrew her sword with a disappointed look.

“That’s cheating!”

“Cheating?”

Lee Seungyeon widened his eyes.

“Don’t you remember what the teacher said? You never know what will happen in a dungeon.”

“Wow. Unbelievable.”

“If you’re upset, go team up with someone else.”

“Wow….”

Oh Hyunwook stared at Lee Seungyeon and Sun Soonjin with an incredulous look.

At that moment.

A black SUV entered the open area of the school.

It caught attention just like Kim Chaemin’s bright yellow sports car but in a different way. Unlike Kim Chaemin, who drove aggressively into the clearing, the SUV circled smoothly and parked in front of us.

Or rather, in front of the standoff between Lee Seungyeon, Oh Hyunwook, and Sun Soonjin.

A man I’d never seen before got out of the driver’s seat. He was armed. Just as I was about to send the kids behind me and ask what his business was, the man turned and opened the backseat door.

Click.

A woman, with her hair casually tied up and dressed in a black suit like at the retreat, stepped out with familiar elegance. This time, she wasn’t chewing gum. Lee Seungyeon recognized her first.

“Aunt!”

“How have you been, baby?”

Lee Seungyeon immediately frowned.

“I told you not to call me that!”

It’s understandable to be embarrassed by such a nickname in front of friends.

“What else should I call my baby?”

Of course, Lee Miseon ignored Lee Seungyeon’s words. Instead, she looked at Sun Soonjin with a pleased expression.

“Soonjin, your skills have improved.”

“Re-really? I practiced a lot….”

Sun Soonjin squirmed as she answered.

…Did she eat something weird? Why is she acting like that?

“I knew it was right to leave you with Hunter Hong. Keep it up. I wish my baby would be half as diligent as you.”

“Aunt!”

“I spoiled him too much. He gives up at the slightest difficulty…. A boy should have perseverance.”

Lee Miseon let out a theatrical sigh and then looked at Oh Hyunwook.

“Hyunwook, you’ve grown taller. My baby still crawls on the ground…. You’ve improved too. How about joining our guild? They’ll treat you well since this miss said so.”

“Who are you calling ‘miss’? You’re just an old lady.”

“Baby.”

“…Yes?”

“That’s why you don’t have a girlfriend.”

Lee Seungyeon’s mouth opened and closed in surprise at his aunt’s sudden attack.

“Remember that girl in elementary school? What was her name… Yeonkyung?”

“Stop! Aunt, stop!!”

“If you had listened to my advice, you wouldn’t have been dumped….”

“Aunt!!”

“No one in our family has failed in romance. Your parents had such an intense relationship before they got married, remember? Blood runs true, so why are you like this, I wonder.”

Lee Seungyeon pouted and grumbled.

“It’s because I take after you, Aunt.”

“Baby.”

“…What?”

“Your aunt isn’t not doing it, you can’t do it.”

“People who can’t always say that.”

“…….”

“…….”

“Baby, are you coming here or not?!”

I had heard a lot about how Lee Miseon doted on her youngest nephew.

But… the sight of them in front of me was just that of a typical aunt and nephew. So typical that it was almost strange.

Lee Miseon had started several charitable projects in Lee Seungyeon’s name. I had thought their relationship would be more affectionate….

Or maybe because they’re so close, it looks normal? I wouldn’t know, I never had an aunt.

…Still, it wasn’t an unpleasant sight. Lee Miseon seemed much more human than she did while grumbling at the retreat.

“Oh, you’re here?”

Hong Seokyeong, hearing the commotion outside, came out of the container used as the teachers’ office.

Kim Chaemin had also approached quietly. Park Seohyun and Choi Jinwoo were trailing behind her like goldfish poop.

Hong Seokyeong checked the time.

“Alright, it’s lunchtime! Since Seungyeon’s aunt brought lunch, everyone say thank you.”

“Thank you!”

“Mr. Woo and Ms. Lee, come inside, we have something to discuss.”

* * *

As soon as Lee Miseon entered the teachers’ office, she got straight to the point.

“I’ve bid for that dungeon in Songpa-gu.”

Bid?

“I wasn’t planning to since the dungeon management law is likely to change after the Myeong-dong dungeon incident…. But I had no choice. There are ways to get compensation.”

I suddenly understood what Lee Miseon was talking about. Currently, guilds bid for and manage dungeons. It’s one of the government’s main revenue sources.

As Lee Miseon mentioned, once the Myeong-dong dungeon incident is settled, this bidding system will likely disappear.

“Still, everyone’s being cautious, so I didn’t spend too much. The newly opened dungeon’s estimated grade is low….”

“The grade hasn’t been properly assessed?”

“The Myeong-dong dungeon incident happened the day before. It’s been postponed.”

“No one’s entered it yet?”

“No. I’ve made sure no one can.”

“Then let’s plan to enter it as soon as possible….”

Lee Miseon folded her arms and leaned back on the sofa.

“…The problem is the Myeong-dong dungeon.”

Everyone fell silent.

The Myeong-dong dungeon was closed by Hong Seokyeong after defeating the Minotaur. Kim Chaemin was also there.

“We need to understand what it means that the dungeon failed….”

“Mr. Woo, do you really have no idea?”

“None. If I knew, I would have said something already.”

I had exhausted the mana clock yesterday as well. There was no useful information.

However, given how extensive the organization’s reach was, it’s not impossible they were involved in dungeon-related activities.

“Hmm…. We can’t do anything about a closed dungeon. Let’s check out the Songpa-gu dungeon first and decide what to do from there.”

The Songpa-gu dungeon mentioned here is the Bangi-dong dungeon where centipedes emerged.

Is there… a way to close the dungeon early by linking it to the Ark?

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