CHAPTER 13
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"No, wait. Give me a moment to prepare. Currently, I have nothing but this ring with me."
"I'm fully ready on my side. Just follow my lead and try to blend in, okay?"
Each word exchanged today crackled with a sharper edge, as if the prior attempts to diffuse the tension were slowly fraying. A sense of unease shrouded our conversation, making even the simplest dialogue feel like it was prodding a slumbering beast.
With my life teetering on a precipice, I couldn't avoid asking the most vital question.
"So, who will be joining me?"
He faced me, his expression as unreadable as a blank slate, his eyes heavy with a burden he couldn't voice. His stare, stripped of any identifiable emotion, lent a chilling air to our interaction. I averted my gaze slightly, concentrating on the matter at hand.
"I'd feel safer with Hunter Lee Jehee at my side. But what about you? You seem... different. Your complexion..."
As I pointed out his pallor, lines of concern briefly creased his forehead before his stoic mask returned, his lips curving into a slight smile.
"It's inconsequential. Don't trouble yourself over it."
His tone suggested it was a mere trifle.
"That's easy for you to say, but you're my anchor, Jehee. Your 'inconsequential' matters to me. Are you battling a headache?"
"...Yes, it's stress-induced. But rest assured, I can still navigate a C-rank dungeon without issue."
Ah, it was a stress headache. No surprise he hadn't sought healing; it stemmed more from the mind than the body. He appeared resigned to just bear it.
Following his explanation, Jehee, visibly strained, sank deeper into the sofa, his hand waving dismissively as if to quell my worries.
I was tempted to ignore his discomfort and proceed...
But entering a dungeon with him in such a state risked giving me a stress headache of my own. Without Jehee at his best...
"Just hold on for a moment."
I made my way towards the sofa, just having risen from my chair. Greenie fixed me with a menacing glare, a reaction I'd grown accustomed to whenever Jehee was involved. His penchant for eye-rolling at such moments was almost predictable.
A light, disarming laugh escaped my lips, a feeble attempt to diffuse the palpable tension. Edging closer to where Jehee sat, I reached out my hand.
Ideally, hand-holding would have been straightforward, but today, like many others, his hands were sheathed in black leather gloves. His attire, a crisp white shirt under a navy blue dress vest, offered limited options for skin contact.
I pondered whether to request him to remove the gloves. Having held hands with Jehee during his slumbers over the past week, I was nearly desensitized to his touch. After a brief hesitation, I began to peel off the gloves, revealing more of my hand. But his penetrating gaze, sharp enough to seemingly slice through my cheek, halted my actions.
His eyes narrowed, scrutinizing me, as if trying to unravel my motives.
"Alright, you win," I conceded.
I withdrew my hand from the task of removing his gloves, instead placing my palm over his eye. Jehee blinked, visibly caught off guard, resembling someone who had been unexpectedly jolted. Fighting the urge to scratch at the sensation of his eyelashes against the inside of my palm, I pressed slightly firmer. My hand enveloped his eye comfortably, and I sensed a slight twitch from him.
Why was he scrutinizing me so intensely? I was baffled by everyone's peculiar behavior towards me today. Kim Hyun-oh Hunter had acted similarly, and now him.
"Alright, let's begin."
[Awaiting preparation for state transition. Please select the desired state for transition.]
As I fixed my gaze on the state message window, an adjacent window sprang up, offering a variety of settings. I scrolled through the extensive list and selected the option labeled 'Relaxing.'
[Activating the state transition skill. 'Relaxing' state will be applied as per the chosen settings.]
Upon initiating the skill, a gentle warmth spread from beneath my palm, seeping into Jehee. Moments later, the tension that had previously gripped his eyes dissolved, giving way to a subtle smile. He exhaled a serene breath, visibly relaxed.
I intended to maintain this for about ten minutes, hopeful it would alleviate his headache. Preparing to withdraw my hand, I began to pull away.
However, as I tried to retract my hand, a firm grip ensnared my wrist. Looking down, I was met by a pair of captivating, beautifully arched eyes. In those deep, ebony depths, a hint of enigmatic light flickered, reminiscent of a young creature battling the odds.
"You seem more adept than I initially thought."
"Or perhaps your estimations were too superficial," I retorted.
"Mind your language."
What concerned me was the unsolicited involvement of another. Greenie had, unnoticed by me, drawn his sword and now pointed it threateningly at my throat.
This was risky; an unexpected strike could put me in harm's way.
"You're overstepping. I did this for your benefit. Should I stop using the skill now?"
"Don't be presumptuous. It's not about my reluctance to act, but rather my choice not to."
His voice resonated with a low growl, the sword's blade pressing more insistently. I yearned to retort—after all, his casual tone coupled with the sword's presence was infuriatingly arrogant!
Biting back my frustration, I raised my hands in a gesture of surrender, keeping my emotions in check.
I had to be cautious. To Jehee, I was almost like a deity, having replaced the family that deserted him and the false gods who wronged him. In his eyes, I was a mere 1-star, daring to defy that sanctified image.
"Greenie, that's enough," Jehee said firmly.
"...Master, he seems to misunderstand his place," Green responded, his voice laced with a hint of disapproval.
Jehee, now relieved of his headache and more himself, stepped in, attempting to calm Greenie. There was a newfound clarity in his voice, the fog of drowsiness lifted.
Despite this, Greenie remained stubbornly poised, his sword still threateningly pointed at me. My hand stayed raised, and I met his gaze, now turbulent with dark, swirling emotions. Our eyes locked, and I couldn't help but wonder about his erratic behavior. Was there a chance he might lose control and attack?
The concern was not unwarranted, given the strange, almost unsteady look in his eyes. The rational spark that once flickered there seemed to have dimmed, sending a chill through me.
The possibility of him going berserk loomed in my mind as I contemplated withdrawing my hand.
But before I could move, a slender finger deftly intercepted, sliding the blade between my fingers. Despite the apparent sharpness of the sword, capable of cutting with minimal effort, Greenie's black leather gloves remained intact.
Greenie's lost composure was now apparent, making Jehee's intervention seem even more critical than the threat of the sword itself. This was precisely why I had always been reluctant to engage in hand-holding, despite its necessity.
"You could introduce him to such principles gradually," I suggested.
"...You're too soft with him, and he fails to grasp his position," Green retorted, clearly frustrated.
"There's value in patience," Jehee countered, always the voice of reason.
With a resigned attitude, Greenie sheathed his sword as Jehee gestured. The weapon disappeared as if into thin air, likely stored in his inventory — a revelation for me.
Yet, I couldn't overlook Greenie's irrational behavior. To convey my irritation, I clenched my fist and frowned deeply.
Who was the one being overly lenient, and who was the one demonstrating excessive patience? The unpredictable man before me? Or the thoughtful individual beside him?
"Regardless, unless the meanings of 'lenient' and 'considerate' have suddenly shifted in the dictionary, it seems neither term quite fits either of you," I observed, trying to inject a bit of lightness into the conversation. Raising my hand in a gesture of polite inquiry, I asked, "If you don't mind me asking, is this kind of playful banter and wordplay a regular occurrence between you two?"
Originally, I had thought of their exchange as 'nonsense,' but I chose the words 'playing around' instead, as a diplomatic alternative. However, Greenie seemed slightly offended by the suggestion, his expression souring.
Conversely, Jehee seemed amused, his chuckle indicating he found the situation somewhat entertaining. This was the first time the usually stoic man showed a hint of genuine mirth.
In contrast, Greenie exhaled, his sigh sounding like a release of built-up pressure, and then spoke. "See? He's bold. Sometimes, it's necessary to be direct..."
"Why? I think it's refreshing and enjoyable," countered Jehee.
His comment seemed to cut through the tension, easing the atmosphere. Everything seemed to revert to normalcy, and I resumed my initial position. Greenie straightened up, adopting a more formal stance, while Jehee shifted from his relaxed sprawl on the sofa to sit up straight.
With the situation apparently resolved, I deactivated the skill, feeling the 'Relaxing' effect slowly recede. I clenched and then unfurled my hand, observing the transition. Jehee watched me with a curious expression, prompting me to explain.
"I read about the skill last time, but there's still a lot I don't fully understand. With so many skills beyond the initial state, it's going to take a while to get used to them. It seems the 'Relaxing' state is exactly what it sounds like."
Why do you act as if you know my skills so well?
Suppressing my curiosity to delve deeper, I maintained a courteous demeanor and replied, "When it comes to settings for state-altering skills, it often pays to trust your instincts."
That had been my takeaway after a week of using the skill. While I hadn't experimented with all the possible settings, so far, my intuition seemed to be a reliable guide.