ALL NOVEL #006
#006
Ding! Ding! Ding!
“Ughhhh…”
The phone rang incessantly. I had trouble sleeping on the floor with just a blanket, despite having a perfectly good bed, and now with the alarm going crazy, it was hard to come to my senses.
: Good morning, Yeonsoo! Here’s today’s quest notification! (NEW!)
Pet Shatang needs attention!
Pet Dubu needs attention!
Pet Dobi needs attention!
Chatang: Master, I’m lonely!
Dubu: Master, why aren’t you using diamonds?
Dobi: Give me something to sell! Work, master!
After neglecting the game for two days due to being overwhelmed, the pets were in an uproar.
After quickly emptying the storage to appease the pets screaming about full inventories and warehouses, I checked the new quest notification and found a somewhat tension-inducing message.
: *Meet Hyun Dowoon*
Quest Level: Tutorial
The Awakened Center Director wants to assess your value.
Reward: ???
Seeing the meaningful quest content, I felt uneasy. First of all, I don’t understand why the Awakened Center Director wants to see me. If it were Shin Haejun, I could understand, but what connection could I possibly have with Hyun Dowoon, the Awakened Center Director?
‘Does he want to check on me because he likes Kim Sehyun?’
My role in this novel is that of a villain.
The path of a villain is as precarious as walking a tightrope on a cliff. One wrong step and you fall onto a floor lined with landmines.
According to the flow of the story, I should be faithful to my role as a villain, but at the same time, I needed to try not to die or suffer serious consequences by slightly twisting things. To do that, I needed a lot of information, but I knew nothing about Hyun Dowoon.
‘I guess I’ll have to… meet him first.’
Although I don’t know why he wants to meet now.
Just as I made up my mind and bit my lip, my phone rang. It was a completely different sound from the game notifications.
‘An unknown number.’
I bit my lip hard and answered the phone, hearing a soft, deep voice in my ear.
– Hello, this is Hyun Dowoon. Is this Lee Jaeha?
Instantly, I felt a current run down my spine. Blinking in confusion, I heard the voice asking again from the other end of the phone, “Isn’t this Lee Jaeha’s phone?”
Realizing that my body tingled every time I heard the voice, I understood that such a good voice could make one feel this ticklish sensation.
“Ah… yes, this is Lee Jaeha.”
– You know me, right? I’m the Awakened Center Director. I’d like to see you regarding dungeon entry.
“Dungeon entry…?”
– We’ll talk about the details when we meet. Can you come to the Awakened Center tomorrow at 2 PM?
The fact that Hyun Dowoon was calling me as per the quest suddenly reminded me that he was a character in the novel.
I had to meet him anyway. I immediately accepted Hyun Dowoon’s proposal. Then I heard a voice that sounded satisfied, laughing. My ears tingled in a good way.
– See you tomorrow.
Unconsciously, I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me.
***
At the Awakened Center’s information desk sat someone different from last time. As soon as I mentioned my appointment with Hyun Dowoon, they made a call somewhere, and soon a stern-looking secretary took me all the way up to the top floor.
Walking down a corridor with plush carpeting that muffled even footsteps, we reached the innermost part where a nameplate reading “Center Director’s Office” was visible.
“You can go in.”
The secretary opened the door and ushered me inside. The creaking door sounded ominous.
Such a heavy atmosphere heightens anxiety. I clutched the bottom of my top, vowing to make a hospital appointment tomorrow to get Xanax. Despite knowing the fabric would wrinkle, I couldn’t help but hold onto it due to anxiety.
“Um… hello?”
It was too quiet. Wondering if anyone was there, I cautiously asked, and heard movement from behind a partition.
As I carefully approached the sofa area, a tall man with handsome features emerged from behind the partition with a friendly smile.
“Welcome, Lee Jaeha. Do you like coffee?”
“Ah… no, yes.”
I’ve almost completely cut out caffeine due to medication. I answered honestly, then suddenly realized I hadn’t taken any medication in this world yet. Just as I nodded, Hyun Dowoon handed me one of the cups he was holding.
“I’m sorry, but it’s fruit juice even though you said you like it. I’m sensitive to caffeine.”
“I, I see.”
I took the orange juice, flustered. Despite only exchanging greetings, I felt as if I’d been talking for ten hours, completely drained. It might have been because my body kept shivering as if I had chills.
‘Hyun Dowoon was also an S-class esper.’
Unlike Shin Haejun, Hyun Dowoon’s eyes were a sapphire-like blue. Seeing his eyes sparkle like jewels in the light from the window, I felt even more nervous.
Although his eyes were curved gently like a puppy’s, the small mole near his eye made him look not entirely gentle. If he were a canine, he’d be more like a fox or jackal than a dog.
“Why did you want to see me…?”
“First, sit comfortably. As I said, I called you to talk lightly about dungeon conquest.”
“Uh, dungeon conquest…?”
All I know are dungeons in games. As I blinked and tilted my head in question, Hyun Dowoon’s eyes sparkled a bit more.
“It seems you’ll need to enter the S-class Yellow Dungeon that Esper Shin Haejun and Guide Kim Sehyun will be entering this time. Is that okay?”
“I… guess?”
I’m not sure how to react. I ended up mumbling reluctantly.
“That response seems to suggest you don’t care either way. Even though it’s S-class, albeit Yellow.”
“Well…”
I think S-class means it’s tough, but I have no idea what Yellow means. As I stared blankly, trying to choose my words, Hyun Dowoon tapped the armrest and asked me:
“Lee Jaeha, when you first became a guide, you received guide education, right? Do you remember how dungeon levels are divided? Say anything you can recall.”
“Uh… I don’t really like studying…”
No, that’s not true. I was actually the type to study very hard. Even when buying things, I thoroughly read and memorize the manual before using them. But I had no choice but to become someone who dislikes studying.
“That’s strange. You can’t get an Awakened certificate without passing a basic knowledge test about Awakened and dungeons.”
Oh no, what should I do? It seems Hyun Dowoon has sensed something odd about me. Even Kim Sehyun, who was supposed to be a close friend, didn’t notice!
I tried not to show my internal panic and restlessness.
“Well…”
But I had nothing to say. As I dragged out my response, Hyun Dowoon smiled slightly.
“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. Was my question difficult?”
Yes! Very difficult!
But I couldn’t say that. I desperately racked my brain.
“Since I’m F-class, I didn’t need to delve deeply into dungeons… I’m sorry. I’ll study again.”
As I spoke in a dejected voice while fidgeting with my fingers, Hyun Dowoon nodded.
“I’ll have my secretary arrange for you to receive the guidebook given to newly Awakened again.”
I immediately nodded vigorously with a brightened face. It would undoubtedly be a great help in understanding this world.
“Anyway, Kim Sehyun recommended you. He said it would be good if you went along for the dungeon conquest. So now I’m considering whether to send you or not.”
“Me…? Haha, I wonder why Sehyun did that…”
As I laughed awkwardly, I suddenly remembered Kim Sehyun’s bold declaration. He said he had thought of ways to earn a lot of money for my livelihood.
‘Is this it?’
Somehow, all the things Kim Sehyun was doing to help me were nothing but burdensome.
I’m not sure, but even in games, it’s common sense that you can’t enter a dungeon that doesn’t match your level. Isn’t an F-class like me going to an S-class dungeon basically the same as getting carried through a dungeon by high-level players?
“Realistically, F-class guides don’t enter dungeons… but this is the first time S-class Guide Kim Sehyun has made such a request to me.”
“Wouldn’t it be… a bit much for only me to receive special treatment…?”
So please, you reject it directly.
I guess I’ll have to find a part-time job at a convenience store or something for my livelihood after all.
“It’s not exactly special treatment. You could die, you know.”
Hyun Dowoon muttered, looking at me with a subtle gaze.
‘Die?’
For a moment, my heart raced. Not out of fear. I was momentarily entranced as I dreamed of a natural opportunity for death.
‘No, no. I promised myself I wouldn’t die here.’
This damn depression keeps clouding my judgment in the moment.
I clenched my fist and muttered, “That’s scary.” If I’m this reluctant, surely they won’t send me, right? I don’t even know what a guide is or what I can do.
It wasn’t in my gaming nature to just take up space in a dungeon and be a burden for free.
“Well… I think it might be good for you to go after all. Kim Sehyun must have had some reason for recommending you.”
While I was inwardly screaming ‘Please reject it, reject it!’, Hyun Dowoon said with a grin. His eye-smile was very pretty, but my bewilderment was greater, making me lament my situation rather than appreciate his beauty.
‘If this was going to happen anyway, why did you call me!’
As if my opinion didn’t matter at all!
I tightly closed my mouth with an “ugh” and slowly nodded. Perhaps me going to the dungeon was part of the original plot all along. In the end, I’d have to do my best to survive or die in there.
If this was the result Nine’s quest led to, at least nothing too bad would happen.
“Please, make sure to give me the guidebook.”
The guidebook was all I could rely on. As I pouted while speaking, Hyun Dowoon nodded with a relaxed smile.
Seeing that smile that seemed to say our business was finished, I downed the orange juice in one go and stood up.