CHAPTER 27
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As Jehee had predicted, Chorok awoke after a short while. The moment he opened his eyes, Chorok rushed to Jehee, bowing apologetically.
I observed the scene with a skewed gaze, waiting for my turn to be acknowledged. After all, I had been the one who had endured the most, not Lee Jehee.
However, Chorok merely gave me a passing glance as he hurried past, never offering a word of thanks.
Ungrateful bastard. Spit.
I vowed to myself that I wouldn't be in a hurry to help him again.
With a cold, disdainful glare, I took a seat on the sofa. By that time, Jehee and Chorok had already delved into a serious conversation about how to clear the dungeon.
"Where are the others? Are they safe?" Chorok inquired.
"As you can see, both Seonwoo and I are fine. The other two should be okay as well," Jehee reassured him.
"Should be okay...?" Chorok's complexion darkened.
"Hana and Taera chose to stay behind to prevent the dungeon from resetting. They're waiting there."
As the conversation unfolded, Chorok's guilt-ridden face grew even grimmer. Jehee silently watched him, neither reproaching nor comforting, simply waiting for Chorok to grapple with his emotions.
Meanwhile, I lay on the sofa with a weary expression, blinking my groggy eyes.
I was far too drained to engage in such a weighty conversation. Jehee had summoned me around lunchtime, dragged me to the dungeon, and then I had spent the entire night using my skills on Chorok.
Thanks to the mana potion Jehee had provided, my nearly depleted mana had recovered, but I couldn't help but wonder...
Just how long had I been using the 'Dreamer' skill?
I mustered the strength to lift my limp body and checked the watch on my wrist.
5 AM.
Dawn was steadily approaching. Realizing that the passage of time had far exceeded my expectations, my mind began to race with calculations.
I had started using the skill around 2 AM, so even after accounting for the time spent calming down Berserker Chorok and tidying up the disheveled house, I had been using the 'Dreamer' skill for roughly two hours.
...But something about that didn't sit right with me.
"I understand. I'll be back soon," Chorok said.
"Alright, see you in front of the dungeon," Jehee replied.
"Yes."
As Chorok walked through the living room and headed toward the front door, I watched his seemingly fine back with a dumbfounded expression. I quickly turned to Jehee for answers.
"Where's he going?"
"...What were you doing instead of listening?" Jehee responded with a brief pause and a faint frown. His nonchalant attitude grated on my nerves, and I couldn't help but frown in return.
People tend to lose focus when exhaustion sets in; it's not something to be overly critical about.
"I got lost in my thoughts for a moment. What's bothering you? You really won't tell me?"
"I was preparing for re-entering the dungeon."
...Is that the extent of it?
He appeared determined to cut the conversation short, providing no further elaboration. Even as I continued to stare at him, hoping for more, he maintained his silence. I couldn't help but wonder how he managed to breathe with such apparent irritation.
"Well then, can I ask you something else?"
"Would you truly refrain from asking if I requested you not to?"
Tch. He was so touchy and sensitive.
But withholding my questions was not a tendency of mine, especially not when instructed not to. Furthermore, this was an issue of genuine importance.
"No, I'm asking because earlier, I used a skill for two hours, right? But according to my calculations, with my mana reserves, that should have been impossible. I'm curious about how that happened."
After I posed my question, he appeared on the verge of saying something, only to clamp his mouth shut.
Lee Jehee was rendered speechless.
Under ordinary circumstances, I might have playfully teased him for this rare moment, but an unsettling feeling held me back. I remained silent, a sense of curiosity and apprehension coexisting within me. It was as though I longed for answers but dreaded what they might reveal.
He kept his hand over his mouth, appearing troubled, before finally speaking, his voice laden with gravity. "I used potions to continuously replenish your mana."
I see. That approach did make sense.
But... how had he administered them to someone who was asleep?
"Is it... possible to just apply the mana potion on the body for it to take effect?"
"…Are you genuinely asking that?"
Jehee gazed at me with an expression that seemed to convey, "How could you be so uninformed?" It wasn't the reaction I had anticipated. He should have appeared as though he were saying, "You didn't know that?"
Clearly!
He looked at me, lips sealed tightly, then couldn't contain his amusement and broke into a smirk. "Aren't you going to ask more?"
"…Yes."
"Why? I would have been happy to explain."
"I'm not curious anymore. As long as it worked out, that's all that matters."
"Hmm."
[Master's mood has improved, charm received +1.]
Why does he have to be in such a good mood now? Has he lost his mind? I wondered, bewildered by the abrupt change in his demeanor.
My gaze remained fixed on him, my eyes wide with surprise as a notification flashed before me. His grin, adorned with a sly twinkle, sent shivers cascading down my spine.
"Stop it!" I pleaded.
"What should I stop?" He inquired innocently.
[Master's mood has improved, charm received +1.]
"That... that thing! Stop doing that! Why now, of all times...!"
"This?" He continued to tease, a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes.
Huh? Wait a minute...?
As I stood there, my flustered expression mirrored Jehee's sly smile, making him look like someone who could have effortlessly devoured a dozen people.
"Ah, do you want my mood to worsen?" he teased with a hint of danger in his voice.
[Warning: Master's mood has deteriorated, charm received -1.]
[Warning: Master's mood has deteriorated, charm received -1.]
[Warning: Master's mood has deteriorated, charm received -1.]
I couldn't comprehend what was happening. After slowly wiping away the confusion from my face, I stared at Jehee, my features a canvas of bewilderment. Why was this mood seemingly influenced by his words?
[Master's mood has improved, charm received +1.]
[Warning: Master's mood has deteriorated, charm received -1.]
"…What did you just do?" I questioned.
"What do you mean?" Jehee responded innocently.
"This, uh… when did it start being controlled…?"
"From the first day," he explained casually. "I tried it a few times as a test, and it worked."
His words transported me back to 'the first day' he mentioned. I recalled that bizarre day when I was abruptly summoned while desperately trying to remove the ring. Back then, his mood had wildly fluctuated, and at one point, he was rapidly losing -3 points, succumbing to that dreadful status effect...