The n was set, but I couldn’t execute it immediately.
Even when nning and executing alone, preparation is always necessary. It wasn’t something I could undertake unterally, like conducting a mentoring session with Lee Ji-Yeon.
[Contact: Lee Ji-Yeon Senior] ? Lee Ji-Yeon Senior: Are you free by any chance? ? Lee Ji-Yeon Senior: How about we meet briefly to talk?
So, when I asked Lee Ji-Yeon about her thoughts through text, she replied saying it would be better to discuss in person.
Certainly, texting from afar felt awkward in this case. It wasn’t a trivial matter, and discussing something as important as dungeon exploration was best done face-to-face.
After checking the message, I started preparing to head out.
‘Clothes... I’ll just wear these.’
I briefly pondered between my cadet uniform and casual clothes, but in the end, I decided to stick with the in white robes I was already wearing.
The robe Ariel had gifted me wasn’t particrly shy in design, but its pristine white color still managed to attract attention.
Moreover, since my hair was a simr color, anyone seeing me would likely think I was a stumbling figure in all-white robes.
Though I had be fairly ustomed to drawing attention, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about intentionally attracting it.
However, I didn’t want to refuse wearing the gift from Ariel just because of such a trivial reason.
It wasn’t like I would die from others’ nces.
“…Are you going again?”
As I was finishing dressing and packing my things, Seo Yul approached me with a sulky expression, pulling on my pants.
[Ugh]
Her sharp gaze and the word ‘again’ pierced into me.
I finished putting on my clothes and then turned to hug Seo Yul tightly.
[I’ll be back quickly.]
This outing was simply to have a brief discussion with Lee Ji-Yeon. Even if it took some time, it would only take a couple of hours at most. I would definitely return before evening.
Of course, there might be a day I would have to stay out overnight for the dungeon exploration, but anyway...
[Since I won’t be gone long today, should I pack a lunch and go out?]
“That’s what we promised yesterday.”
[...Right...]
After a fierce negotiation, I ended up issuing a “1-Day Self-Use Ticket” to Seo Yul, a voucher Baek Arin had used once before.
I left the mansion and headed toward the second-year learning area.
The meeting ce was one of the many cafes.
It wasn’t a special cafe, just an ordinary one, but since it was located in Siyoram, its quality was guaranteed.
With that thought in mind, I arrived at the cafe and spotted Lee Ji-Yeon loitering near the entrance.
In fact, I had noticed her doing that from afar.
But I was curious why she was outside instead of inside.
‘...She’s got a different vibe.’
That wasn’t the only odd thing. As I closely observed her, I could sense that there was a noticeable shift in her demeanor.
“Did youe?”
That feeling became even clearer as I approached her.
Lee Ji-Yeon waved at me as she saw me walking over.
I waved back, mentally focusing on my perception.
She had definitely changed.
Even though she was just standing there, I could feel the difference.
Before, she had given off a solid, heavy presence, like a sturdy rock. But now, she felt far more firm and resilient.
[Yes] [Why are you outside, Senior? Shouldn’t you be inside, sitting?]
I wondered briefly if she had achieved some kind of breakthrough.
I momentarily pushed the thought aside and asked her, expressing my curiosity. She shrugged her shoulders.
“I was getting antsy just sitting inside, so I decided to wait outside for a bit. Here, take this.”
Lee Ji-Yeon, who had taken a sip of her coffee with one hand, handed me a drink with the other.
The orange liquid… after checking, I confirmed it was orange juice. The cup had a simple magic on it to keep it cool.
[Thank you.]
I epted the juice with a strange expression.
“Don’t you like orange juice?”
Lee Ji-Yeon suddenly asked, hiding her emotions behind the question. Had I identally revealed something?
I shook my head.
[Yes] [I do like orange juice.]
Between coffee and fruit juice... if I had to choose, I preferred juice.
Coffee usually had too strong of a bitter taste for me.
A cafette with a lot of milk was bearable, but if I wanted something like that, I’d just order juice or have milk on its own.
…But I didn’t exin this to Lee Ji-Yeon.
In the past, when I met Lee Ji-Yeon at cafes, I often ordered juice or milk instead of coffee, and it seemed she remembered that.
Because of that, I probably became known for always drinking orange juice instead of coffee...
It was a childish thought, but I couldn’t help feeling strange, like I was being treated as a child who avoided coffee for juice.
<ul>
<li><em>Slurp</em></li>
</ul>
I shook the juice and sipped through the straw. The juice resisted the straw and finally entered my mouth.
I let the cool liquid swirl in my mouth and tilted my head.
‘...Taste.’
Sensory seals… or rather, based on the information Ariel had given me, was it the Curse of Solitude?
Because of this curse, my sight, taste, and smell were sealed, but for some reason, these restrictions didn’t apply to the two people here.
I could see with my bare eyes, and if I got close enough, I could smell a person’s scent.
And if I touched their skin, I could taste... and even saliva.
<ul>
<li><em>Cough cough</em></li>
</ul>
Suddenly, unpleasant thoughts flooded my mind, and I quickly shook my head.
“Are you okay?”
[No] [I just got a bit of a tickle in my throat.]
[Shall we talk inside?]
With Lee Ji-Yeon watching me anxiously after my cough, we entered the cafe.
“Two shots of Clian Espresso and a Drabond added... Is there anything you’d like, junior?”
[Hmm... Almond cookies, please.]
“Alright, one almond cookie, a ss of milk, and a slice of assorted cake.”
As usual, we ordered some simple snacks and sat down at a table.
It didn’t take long before a staff member came and ced the ordered treats on the table.
“I heard you want to take the mentoring progress to a dungeon... Have you decided on which dungeon to go for?”
[Yes, I’ve already had the application checked.]
Sitting across from me, Lee Ji-Yeon asked. I nodded and manipted my smartwatch.
<ul>
<li><em>Ding!</em></li>
</ul>
A hologram appeared above the table.
I adjusted its position and disyed the file I had received.
[Si-Yoram Dungeon Exploration Application] ▲ Level 2 Dungeon: 2-3 Mixed Grasnd and Forest Terrain Dungeon ▲ Type: Terrain Exploration and Mentoring ss ▲ Applicant: △ 1st Year, Spring ss, Lee Ha-Yul (Approved) △ 2nd Year, Summer ss, Lee Ji-Yeon (-) ▲ Result: Approved △ Vice Dean Venus Litheira
“…A Level 2 Dungeon?”
Lee Ji-Yeon’s gaze froze on the Level 2 dungeon entry as she calmly skimmed through the application.
Her eyes blinked in surprise, and I nodded inwardly at the sight.
[Yes, the application is approved for a Level 2 Dungeon.]
I had expected such a reaction.
Level 2 Dungeon. It was the second most dangerous dungeon after Level 1, just below the elite special dungeons.
Monsters of rank 6 often appear, and when an Alpha monster shows up, even rank 4 monsters appear, making it a higher-level dungeon.
In other words, if an Alpha appeared, a monster of simr rank to the dual-headed wyvern would likely emerge.
Of course, you couldn’t take down a dual-headed wyvern with just a simple rank 4 monster.@@novelbin@@
Even a weakened rank 3 body is far more powerful than a typical rank 4.
And while the poison from the dual-headed wyvern may have diminished from its rank 3 days, it still shouldn’t be treated as a rank 4 level threat.
If a dual-headed wyvern and a typical rank 4 monster fought, the rank 4 would likely be ughtered without any resistance.
Still, considering the level of monsters, the dungeon itself is extremely dangerous, and with the environment and traps, it bes doubly perilous.
During the chaotic period, Level 2 dungeons caused the downfall of countries, overwhelmed by the monsters they unleashed.
Although that era was chaotic, and the number of superhumans was small and inexperienced, it still highlights the potential catastrophic disasters a Level 2 dungeon could cause.
So, suggesting a Level 2 dungeon for a simple mentoring session was bound to be shocking.
“Level 2... I can’t believe they allowed it, especially just the two of us... And the Vice Dean approved it directly.”
[They granted the approval immediately when I went there.]
“Maybe it’s because you’re a special admission student, or perhaps because your abilities are recognized.”
Lee Ji-Yeon tapped the table thoughtfully, tilting her head.
There are many dungeons in Siyoram, including Level 2 dungeons.
But Level 2 is notmonly used, as the 4th-level dungeons are more frequently used for practical training.
Level 2 dungeons, though, are not frequently entered.
The internal routes are probably not well-established, and the monsters might have umted quite a bit.
“Is there a reason why this specific dungeon? If it’s for mentoring, a Level 4 dungeon would be fine, wouldn’t it?”
After a brief moment of contemtion, Lee Ji-Yeon asked.
I straightened up, maintaining a serious posture as she carefully considered entering the dungeon.
Dungeons in Siyoram are primarily for the training of students.
As such, students can enter based on their applications, and with the Vice Dean’s special escape bracelets, their safety is guaranteed.
Even so, charging into a dungeon without proper nning is never a good idea.
Even if it’s safe, pretending it’s realbat and failing to prepare properly is not a good approach for Siyoram evaluations or for one’s future.
‘Hmm...’
Therefore, I had to convince Lee Ji-Yeon with the necessity of entering this specific dungeon.
But the reason I wanted to enter this dungeon was more personal.
This dungeon was a mixed terrain of grasnd and forest.
In simpler terms, it’s andscape full of grass and stretches of forest.
The grass... It’s full of nature and vitality, and since it’s a high-level dungeon, it’s teeming with magical energy.
It’s the perfect environment for spirits to live in.
Because of that, there are quite a few spirits in this dungeon.
The guidebook I read earlier also mentioned this.
While there are few traps, monsters and spirits are plentiful in this type of dungeon.
Thus, I n to focus on necromancy and spirit magic training in this dungeon.
I’ll summon spirits to help defeat monsters, raise the monster corpses with necromancy to train that, and gather spirits as I go.
The spirits I currently have are all close to leveling up, so I n to gather many more beginner spirits.
Along the way, I’ll pick up any magical stones and herbs I can find... the area is teeming with life, so there should be quite a few useful herbs.
‘Above all, I need to assess the higher-level dungeon.’
However, in the original work, this phenomenon was treated as an unpredictable disaster.
The urrence location is random.
While past records can provide an estimate, even that’s not precise.
Even if the location is known, there’s no way to stop it.
The best approach is to evacuate civilians in the initial affected area and then deal with the monsters that pour out.
But...
‘If it were me...’
With the power of perception, I might be able to detect the signs of this phenomenon. I could pinpoint its exact location and prepare for it.
With the power of space, I could interfere with the phenomenon, or perhaps even prevent it.
This phenomenon, the ‘other side,’ is a consequence of the dungeon’s creation and destruction cycle.
Whatever it is, it’s a spatial phenomenon.
In order to deal with this phenomenon, I need to understand the dungeon... the space itself, more deeply.
“Hmm...”
Leaving aside the matter of the other side, as I was about to speak my thoughts, Lee Ji-Yeon crossed her arms and pondered.
Her ample chest was entuated by her arms, and I tilted my head, sipping my milk.
After a brief pause, Lee Ji-Yeon, still deep in thought, looked up at me and spoke.
“I’m not saying I’ll refuse, but if I do, would you give up on this dungeon?”
Ah, refusal?
Then there’s nothing else to say.
I shrugged and replied.
[No, I’ll either go with a different dungeon for mentoring or find another way to make it work.] [As for this dungeon, I’ll enter it by myselfter—]
“Let’s go together.”
[?]
Contrary to my expectations, Lee Ji-Yeon immediately agreed.
I tilted my head, confused by her sudden change in attitude.
She had that shocked expression... it looked like she couldn’t bear to let me go into such a dangerous ce alone.
It felt... strange.
[yer Adjustment System: Affection] Lee Ha-Yul → Lee Ji-Yeon ●●●●●●○○○○ (60/100) "Sessor of Taesan" "Good Person" "Slight Disappointment"
▽Change▽
●●●●●●○○○○ (60?61/100) "Sessor of Taesan" "Good Person" "Rock" "Reliable?"