novelraw Chapter 263 : Chapter 263
Chapter 263 : Chapter 263
Chapter 263: Rest
At that remark, Se-ah narrowed her brow.
"You, is that perhaps..."
It was Ho-cheol, who had just hunted a monster in the Gate.
There was nothing else that came to mind that he would bring out of the Gate.
And on top of that, his confident expression of "retirement fund."
"Is that the monster you talked about?"
According to Ho-cheol's explanation, its size alone was easily several hundred meters.
Naturally, it didn't match this mass of barely two or three meters, but nothing else came to mind.
Ho-cheol couldn't answer that question right away.
Instead, he momentarily turned his gaze to look at the monster's corpse.
Monster.
Yes, he certainly faced it as a monster.
However, from a certain point, after Ho-cheol killed it dozens of times, it gave up its strength as a monster and changed to be like a human.
To be precise, it changed to be like himself.
That was its downfall.
If the opponent wasn't a monster, but a human, Ho-cheol would never lose.
However, what it pursued was the strength of a human, not a human itself.
I couldn't call this a human.
Ho-cheol, who had been continuing these thoughts, finally came to a clean conclusion.
"Yes. That's the monster."
In fact, it didn't matter.
Monster or human.
It was a fight for survival, and I was merely the one standing at the end of it.
"Why is the size like this?"
"It had a shrinking Trait, too. It was better when it was big; once it got small, it was just a sandbag."
Se-ah tapped the monster's now ice-cold head with her palm— It resembled a person in that it had four limbs, but it didn't resemble anything else.
Its features were distinct, but its entire body was covered in a smooth, silver-colored carapace, making the texture closer to a mannequin, if one had to compare.
"Hmm. Well, there's a lot I want to ask. But let's get out of here first."
However, despite Se-ah's urging, Ho-cheol merely rubbed his chin with one hand and scrutinized her up and down.
"Why are you so grubby?"
Se-ah's condition was so poor that I couldn't help but ask.
It had only been a day.
Of course, if she had stayed here the entire time, there would be no place to wash.
But still, her condition was too severe, wasn't it?
"It's nothing..."
It was nothing.
Se-ah was about to glibly brush it off, but she quickly changed her mind.
If she didn't tell me, I wouldn't know how much she had struggled.
"Do you know people came from all sorts of places to catch you? Five teams or more challenged me today over 24 hours."
While waiting for Ho-cheol to emerge, as Se-ah had worried and expected, men who were Heroes or Villains, she couldn't tell, gradually came looking for this place.
Since the access-restricted sign was still up, it was a given that anyone who came this far had some improper motive.
And Se-ah repelled all those dozens of Awakened individuals.
It wasn't an easy task, of course.
She had no choice but to incur considerable sacrifice.
"Gom-gom's side burst open, so he's resting in the car."
Poor Gom-gom.
And even without it being apparent on the surface, Se-ah also suffered a fair amount of injuries.
"Is that so?"
Ho-cheol was nonchalant.
Even if Se-ah had expected it, there was no way I couldn't have.
I was merely planning to completely resolve it alone without receiving any help from anyone.
But the accumulated damage was more than I had thought, and if Se-ah hadn't helped, I would have been quite troubled.
Ho-cheol chuckled and reached out his hand toward her.
"Thank you."
I stroked Se-ah's head.
Because of her small stature for her age, she had naturally been treated like a child by others her entire life.
This kind of action or treatment was like touching her reverse scale, and any guy who dared to do such a thing until now was quickly taken to the hospital with a wrist bent backward.
But strangely, Se-ah didn't feel any discomfort or anger.
She even subtly closed her eyes and seemed to enjoy it.
Only then did I realize.
The action wasn't the problem; the person was.
The guys who had done this to her until now, and Ho-cheol, were completely different people to her.
My hand dropped, and Se-ah belatedly opened her eyes with a start.
Her appearance just now was no different from a pet dog, except for the lack of a tail.
Fortunately, Ho-cheol didn't tease her for that look.
Instead, he gave a thumbs-up and pointed over his shoulder.
"Then let's get out before more come. If we get to somewhere populated, they won't dare to attack recklessly."
Normally, I would have crushed every single one of them who attacked and found out who was behind it, but in my current state, even that wasn't easy.
Se-ah wasn't in perfect condition either.
Safety was paramount.
We got into Se-ah's car, which was parked nearby, and left the area.
I was so hungry my stomach was burning, so I wanted to eat something, but in our current state, no restaurant would take us.
We would be treated like beggars, not customers.
The only answer was.
"It's better to get takeout and eat in the car, right?"
"...I hate eating in the car. But I guess there's no choice this time."
Just as we were about to look for any restaurant.
Se-ah's gaze suddenly headed toward the road on the opposite side.
A wide building, and on top of it was a large sign that read 'Jjimjilbang.'
Her Adam's apple bobbed loudly as she swallowed— Her eyes were fixed on the place even while driving.
It was an ordinary Korean spa that could be found anywhere, nothing remarkable, but not to her.
Korean spa to her.
No, even if it wasn't a Korean spa, she had no history of visiting a place where she had to take off her clothes and face others.
She regarded her own body as a complex.
That's why she harbored a longing for places like that.
If she went alone, she would die of fear of others' gazes, but with a friend.
If she went with Ho-cheol, maybe she could endure that hard-to-bear gaze and attention.
That thought crossed her mind, but she couldn't bring herself to express her inner feelings.
The life she had lived was not light enough to suppress the emotions and anxiety she had accumulated over a lifetime with just a small wish.
And above all, it felt embarrassing to suggest going to a Korean spa to Ho-cheol just for her own desire.
However, Ho-cheol was not completely clueless.
She was looking at the Korean spa with such sparkling eyes; how could I just pass it by?
More than anything, I was also desperate to wash off this sticky dust and blood, separate from my hunger.
He chuckled and brought up the idea first, as if it were his own.
"Jjimjilbang. That one looks good. Actually, I really wanted to wash right away, and we can put something in our mouths right away, too."
"What? Really!"
Se-ah's expression instantly brightened.
But when she turned her head again, she muttered, "Well. Do as you like." —as if she hadn't smiled at all.
The fact that the corners of her mouth were twitching uncontrollably as she turned her head away from Ho-cheol, and the fact that I could see it all through the mirror.
I guess it was better not to mention it.
The Korean spa employee wasn't greatly surprised by the appearance of customers covered in blood and dust.
It seemed Hunters often visited, as they skillfully guided us to a dedicated shower booth.
Since we were different genders, we agreed to meet inside the Korean sap and separated.
I washed as normally as possible, watching others, changed into the clothes, and arrived at the Korean Spa on the upper floor.
Ho-cheol looked around the spacious Korean spa interior and quietly admired it.
In fact, not just Se-ah, but it was my first time at a Korean spa too.
Of course, I might have gone during my childhood, which I barely remember now, but the current Ho-cheol had no recollection of it.
So I could say this was the first Korean spa had ever been to.
Se-ah hadn't come out yet.
While waiting for her, I sat next to a nearby pillar and dozed off.
Se-ah, wearing a Korean spa uniform that was only different in color, poked my side with her toe.
"You're sleeping so pathetically, like a beggar."
"Ugh. My eyes keep closing. I wonder if I'm not just sleeping, but dying."
I was somehow holding on, but soaking my body in hot water for a moment earlier was fatal.
My body was screaming for me to sleep immediately.
"At least lay down a mat properly like other people. And this spot isn't great. Let's go over there."
Saying so, Se-ah pointed to a corner of the Koreans spa.
It was both our first time at a Korean spa, but she had cultivated her fantasies about Korean spas many times through media and, through simulation in her imagination, had become a perfect Korean spa expert, so she skillfully set up the spot.
Ho-cheol, who could barely manage not to pass out, lay down on the mat.
Se-ah looked at me and stated her real purpose for coming here.
"Wait here. I'll go buy some food."
As Ho-cheol rested, covering his eyes with his arm, Se-ah returned from the snack bar with a tray.
Looking at the contents of the tray, Ho-cheol muttered awkwardly.
"What, did you buy everything on the menu?"
"It's not that much."
She had only chosen the carefully selected items she had resolved to eat if she ever came to a jjimjilbang.
Starting with roasted eggs, there were dried squid, cup ramen, regular squid, and also Rice drink and coffee and other drinks.
Ho-cheol would usually say she bought too much, but not today.
I silently shoved food into my mouth, concentrating on replenishing my lacking energy.
After a few minutes of only indulging in food without a word.
Ho-cheol, who had somewhat replenished his strength, subtly raised his head and looked at Se-ah, who was sipping rice drink.
To be precise, I stared at her forehead, which was completely exposed as she pushed her hair back.
I slowly moved my hand and grabbed a coppery roasted egg.
And my hand flashed— and moved quickly.
Ttaak—!
"Aack!"
Se-ah's scream echoed along with the sound of the egg cracking.
She clutched her forehead.
She glared at Ho-cheol, tears welling up in her eyes.
"What was that!"
"They say you're supposed to break them like this?"
Even though I had never been to a Korean spa in my life, I knew this much common sense.
However, my mistake was.
"Who breaks it by hitting the pointy end!"
—The fact that I hit Se-ah's forehead with the edge of the egg.
One spot on her previously white forehead instantly swelled up red.
Se-ah rushed at me, holding roasted eggs in both hands.
"You give me your head too!"
"Hey! Not two of them!"
Ho-cheol firmly grabbed both her wrists, clearly not intending to be hit obediently.
If she was breaking it to eat, I would let her, but I could clearly see she was trying to break the egg.
No, my head.
But Se-ah, whose eyes were already turned, did not hold back.
"Eeeek! I'm going to crack a whole plate on your forehead!"
In a tight test of strength, Ho-cheol normally couldn't lose, but the current Ho-cheol was weaker than ever before.
Weak enough to be pushed back by force by Se-ah, who didn't even have an Augmentation Trait.
My body slowly tipped backward.
Eventually, Ho-cheol's back hit the floor, and Se-ah naturally ended up straddling his body.
It was a rather scandalous position for others to see, and people were actually whispering about the scene unfolding in the corner of the jjimjilbang, but Se-ah was only focused on cracking this egg on Ho-cheol's head.
She raised the hand holding the egg high.
"You'll see how much it hurts when you're hit with the edge of an egg!"
And at that moment.
"...Professor?"
"Ah?"
Both of their gazes simultaneously turned toward the source of the voice.
Da-yeon and Ye-jin, also wearing Korean spa uniforms, blinked their eyes at the sight of them.
There were four people, and four mouths.
But only a dispassionate silence flowed between them.
It was as if time had stopped between the four of them.
The sweat flowing on Se-ah's forehead was not just because the scuffle just now was intense.
At the end of the heavy silence, Ye-jin was the first to speak.
She parted her lips for a long time and then described the scene most fittingly in one sentence.
"...Love and War. The title is... 'Professor, please don't do this?'"
Tuk— Degurururu—
The egg in Se-ah's hand fell to the floor and rolled far away.