“Tell him that I will never meet a traitor….”
“Hunter Kwon Jiwoon didn’t exactly betray you, did he? Hunter Choi Yichan just chose his guild.”
“Are you taking his side in front of me…..”
“Well, then I’ll tell him that the guild leader refused to meet him because she’s sulking.”
“I’m not sulking…….”
“You are.”
“Haaa, I’m sad. Can I just go…..”
They had already known each other for over seven years, which meant that Ju Noeul would not be able to beat her subordinate anytime soon.
Phew, this is life.
She was going to go anyway. Ju Noeul and Kwon Jiwoon had little personal connection, but for him to call her out of the blue at this time of night, it could be for some unknown but important matter.
Still, Ju Noeul, who went to see Kwon Jiwoon while grumbling to herself no reason, was surprised.
“What is this…….”
“I was searching for my father and found something strange, so I wondered if you knew anything about it, Hunter Ju Noeul.”
Kwon Jiwoon handed her a machine that resembled a tablet PC. On the screen was a picture of that fake cafe, the source of her misfortune and her enemy. For a moment, she felt a sense of solidarity, thinking that Kwon Jiwoon had also decided to file a complaint against that fake cafe, but then she realised something strange.
It is a video taken with a special camera. In the corner of the screen, the real-time ether reaction measurements were displayed.
“This, is it broken? The numbers are weird…….”
It’s not even a dungeon, but the ether reaction level was too high. It was similar to the amount right after a rift opened.
It didn’t stop there, the numbers spiked higher and higher, and an error alert sounded.
Beep, beep, beep.
“The measurement range has been exceeded, please recalibrate the meter.”
Bang!
“Guild leader, outside now, there’s a problem……!”
Ju Noeul stiffened in surprise as she looked in the direction her subordinate Hunter, who suddenly opened the door and came in, had pointed.
Outside the window, a man walking down the street suddenly collapsed in a fit of sleep.
And what was that…….
“A tree….?”
Green leaves and bony silver branches sprouted from the sleeping man’s body.
***
The voice in his head spoke to Choi Yichan.
【That girl, didn’t you like her?】
Choi Yichan replied with a sarcastic tone, “Why don’t you just talk to her whenever you want on your own?”
【You’re cold.】
He was in the warehouse next to Super Buff Coffee’s store. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, Choi Yichan was going through the contents of the boxes stacked in the warehouse.
Coffee beans, take-out cups, tissues, etc … there’s nothing strange about the stuff in the box. Choi Yichan opened his mouth as he moved his hands mechanically.
“Do the other Hunters have a guy like you talking to them at random? It must be driving them crazy, but they seem to be able to handle it.”
【Of course not.】
【There are very few hunters who have signed a contract with a Great Ones like me.】
“Isn’t it embarrassing to be called great by your own words?”
【…….】
While the voice fell silent, Choi Yichan shifted the stack of boxes.
【Normally, it is difficult to speak directly to the contractor due to the limitation of causality.】
【But you’re outside the rules, so I can talk to you directly.】
“Oh, yeah.” He replied dully.
A being who is outside the rules. He seemed to understand that this meant that he had gone from being an E-Class to an S-Class.
The King in Yellow █████ didn’t bother to correct the misunderstanding; he likes to talk, but he doesn’t explain everything.
According to the original course of events, Choi Yichan would have already died. However, he went against the odds and survived, and the rules of causality are loosely applied.
As a result, the possibility of Choi Yichan getting his hands on the artifact is something he doesn’t need to know yet.
Not yet.
The voice spoke again.
【Didn’t you say you like that girl?】
“Yes.” Choi Yichan confirmed neatly. There are some things you only know for sure after you say it out loud. He could define what he felt in one word. Like. He likes her.
This voice spoke to him persistently today.
【But why didn’t he go with her?】
【You know what kind of fate that man, Ki Yoohyun, is going to meet, so why did you let her go with him?】
Choi Yichan was originally opposed to Kwon Rieul investigating this cafe. He’s right to be against the idea of Kwon Rieul going with such a distasteful man, even if it is with the help of Oh Seoho.
But the moment he saw Kwon Rieul’s expression, he knew he couldn’t stop her.
For the most part, Kwon Rieul is the kind of woman who lets most things slide. She’s gentle and kind, but she doesn’t delve too deeply into things.
Then, she looked up at him with a clear gaze.
“I want to do this.”
After hearing those words, it is impossible to stop her. It’s okay. No matter what, he will stay close to her and make sure she doesn’t get into any trouble. He was even prepared to be her bait if necessary.
With that determination, he sneaked into Super Buff Coffee in a torn shirt.
After that, what happened in the reality was that he was sent straight to the warehouse, where I couldn’t even get a glimpse of Kwon Rieul’s face, let alone stay close by her side.
The warehouse job wasn’t hard.
“Hey, part-timer, it’s heavy so be careful…….”
“What?”
“Wow, oh my. You lift it with one hand. Your strength is great.”
“Ah! Ye, yes! He … heavy! Oh, it’s heavy. My arms are all sore.”
“Why do you speak so awkwardly?”
“……..”
He found it harder to pretend to be moderately tired whenever he lifted something heavy than the work itself.
Another problem was…….
“Hey, look at that guy.”
“His clothes, wow, amazing.”
“Those muscles are so … how did he work out?”
The stares in the back of his head were overwhelming. It’s incredibly burdensome. Why do he has to dress like this for a part-time job? Choi Yichan secretly questioned Oh Seoho’s taste.
Anyway, it’s something he had already decided to do. Choi Yichan worked hard every day to organise the warehouse according to his role.
Then he suddenly realised something strange. The warehouse was too big for the size of the cafe. No matter how big a cafe is, it’s not a shopping mall or a supermarket, so it’s strange to have a separate logistics manager.
‘Hmm…….’
There aren’t that many items coming into the warehouse every day. So what does this warehouse store?
He had his suspicions, but he couldn’t check because there was always a logistics staff in the warehouse besides Choi Yichan.
Then, on the fifth day, he finally got a break. The warehouse manager had left to attend the mysterious meeting. He couldn’t pass up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“There must be something…….”
Choi Yichan checked the fairly heavy box. Powders, syrups, flours, etc. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Then he discovered an empty space inside the place where the boxes were stacked high. Why did they leave this empty? What could be in there….
“People…..?”
He held his breath for a moment when he saw the sight beyond the box.
【Dodge.】
At the sound of the voice in his head, he reflexively jerked back.
The next moment, a silver branch stretched out.
***
A corridor with the lights off. There was no sign of anyone else, either because they’d gone to the silly religious meeting or because they’d left work. Moving side by side with Ki Yoohyun to investigate the cafe, I held my breath for a moment and then spoke up.
“Yoohyun-ssi, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure, go ahead.” Ki Yoohyun replied as he opened the door leading to the fourth floor of Super Buff Coffee.
“What’s your relationship with Hunter Oh Seoho?”
When Oh Seoho claimed that they’re best friends, Ki Yoohyun almost completely ignored him.
Although his attitude towards him was cold, he respected Oh Seoho’s judgement. Even now, Ki Yoohyun had blond hair and blue eyes, just like what Oh Seoho’s illusion made him to be. He wouldn’t have done that if he didn’t trust him.
“…….”
“…….”
Silence ensued.
“Yoohyun-ssi?”
“…….”
“You don’t have to answer if it’s hard to answer.”
“No, it’s not like that, it’s just a little complicated to explain.”
“….Okay.”
Click, he opened the door and checked our surroundings. It was quiet inside Super Buff Coffee, which had already closed for the day, and I could hear Ki Yoohyun’s voice clearly.
“Before the regression, there were some Hunters who climbed the Great Dungeon Abyss together with me to stop the resurrection of the Demon King.”
“And one of them was Hunter Oh Seoho?”
“Yes, we were together until the middle.”
“Why only until the middle …… ah.”
I gulped as the realisation dawned.
“Yes, he died at that time.”
“…….”
The darkness is thick around us. Ki Yoohyun stood with his back to me, making me unable to see his expression. For some reason, I thought, I want to see his face now.
Only then did I recall that the moment this man returned was not because of a ridiculous death like mine. He climbed the Great Dungeon Abyss to prevent the resurrection of a demon. It had been a long time since then, a time that cannot be described in such short words.
“He’s a reliable person. Although he is a bit of a loudmouth.”
Ki Yoohyun continued. I could feel the sincerity in the calm words.
“Hunter Oh Seoho said he’s Yoohyun-ssi’s best friend. That you’ve known each other since you were kids. He said something like this, about being friends with you for a lifetime.”
“That was…….”
He looked slightly off into the distance, as if groping for a hazy memory.
“I don’t remember.”
“Huh?”
“”I guess we must have known each other from way back when … but I don’t remember anything that guy was talking about.”
He spoke as if it were someone else’s story, even though it was his own past.
“Does Hunter Oh Seoho remember what happened before the regression?”
There are already two regressors, so it wouldn’t be strange if there were three. However, Ki Yoohyun flatly denied it.
“No, that’s not true. I honestly don’t know why that guy, who has no memory of the pre-regression life, is so friendly with me.”
“…….”
“……There’s no one here either. Strangely, the security is lax. This way, Rieul-ssi.”
As if trying to change the mood, Ki Yoohyun changed the subject. The bluish light of the emergency exit illuminated the bitter smile on his face.
The door to the manufacturing room was in front of us. I pushed it open slightly. Not surprisingly, the door was locked.
Could I open this one?
“Rieul-ssi.”
After I stepped aside, Ki Yoohyun grabbed the lock on the door. With a click, the door slowly opened. It looked like he used a skill.
A room that looked like an ordinary break room. A golden bottle sat prominently on top of a decorative cabinet.
“……! It’s over there. That’s it.”
Tiling! A system window popped up as soon as I recognised the bottle’s existence.
[Item: Golden Liquor (★★★☆☆)
A drink made from concentrated aether according to an ancient recipe.
When consumed, various effects can be obtained.
※ If consumed excessively, The Tree of the Otherworld will be summoned. Please be careful about the side effects.]
The tree of the otherworld? The name is quite ominous.
The moment I reached for the bottle to take a closer look at the contents….
“Ugh……!”
Fizz! I withdrew my hand in surprise at the jolt of electricity. I couldn’t touch the bottle because there was some kind of barrier protecting it.
[Congratulations! You have completed Main Quest: ‘The Coffee Spy Operation’.
Please collect the rewards.]
[Experience: 50 EXP have been acquired.]
[You have reached Level 18.]
[You have acquired a new recipe ‘???’.]
[New entry ‘???’ has been updated in Ether-Wiki.]
My eyes flicked to the buzzing system notifications.
“Rieul-ssi, look over there.”
“Yes?”
That’s when Ki Yoohyun pointed out the window.
Strange. It was already late at night, and yet there was light shining in from outside the window.
What is it? I pulled back the blinds on the window and looked outside. The warehouse was brightly lit, and at first I thought he had switched on the lights.
No, that’s not it. Outside, silver branches were growing with terrifying momentum.
Dakdak, bang!
“Kwon Ri, outside now…..!”
“Yichan-ah!”
Choi Yichan, who jumped over the wall, came inside through the window. This is the second floor, but I couldn’t afford to nag him because the words he said were too shocking.
“It’s a big deal. The tree, that tree……!”
Choi Yichan quickly explained the scene he saw in the warehouse. But the content is…….
“……A tree sprouted from a person?”
...
Translator’s Corner:
Oh finally … we will see a lot of characters involved here
