RE: Player again

296

[Chapter 095] [A Heart That Must Not Change (4)]

As a dungeon managed by the academy, there were several amenities installed inside the red dungeon.

For example, being able to enjoy hot springs on the 3rd underground floor.

"Ah... this feels so good. Don't you feel like all your fatigue is melting away?"

"Should we go in again tomorrow then?"

"Let's quickly conquer the 4th and 5th floors, rest here for a day, and return the next morning. Let's do that!"

Sounds coming from the hot spring.

Chang-jin who was behind the tented hot spring was straining his ears to the intermittent sounds.

Though he should be monitoring around the base camp on behalf of the women bathing first.

Almost all his nerves were focused on the hot spring behind him.

...Eun-a is bathing right now.

Unavoidable s****l curiosity.

Chang-jin pulled up the hood covering his mouth to his nose bridge.

An appearance that outwardly looked like he was detecting the surroundings.

But in his heart, he was fighting against temptations arising dozens of times.

Should I... just look?

No, how could I do that?

The collision of emotion and reason.

So far, reason was barely maintaining the upper hand.

Even so, the rational compromise was making him listen to Eun-a and Yeon-hwa's conversation.

"By the way... Yeon-hwa your skin is really nice. Just like baby skin." "You too Eun-a. Your back is so pretty."

"Huh? Is it? I've never seen my back so I don't really... Kyaa...!" "It's so smooth."

"How can you suddenly touch me!"

"Sorry... Then do you want to touch my body too?"

What are you two doing?

Just where did Yeon-hwa touch...

A sudden metallic sound.

Chang-jin who was manifesting his internal mana flinched at the sound that seemed to ring right next to his ear.

Once again, his wicked emotions were trying to raise their head.

"...An attack?"

Something must have happened.

Chang-jin who was trying to shake off his temptations by closing his eyes ultimately chose the path of distorting reality.

Thinking that perhaps the scream just now was because something happened.

This was a dungeon.

It wouldn't be strange at all for monsters to appear in the amenities.

Just in case, I should go check the situation─

"─Hyung, where are you going?"

"......"

Han Chang-jin tried to approach the hot spring with such an excuse.

That's when Eun-ha sitting in front of the bonfire with him asked with an indifferent face.

"You're not trying to go where noonas are, are you?"

His tone was icy.

Eun-ha who placed his hand on Black Thorn's hilt was looking up at him with eyes as cold as a blade.

As if he wouldn't hesitate to cut him depending on his answer.

"Come on... why would I go there? I'd just get scolded by Eun-a and Yeon-hwa..."

"Then why did you stand up?"

"I'm thirsty so I was thinking of drinking something. Do you want to drink too Eun-ha? Cider? Or cola?"

"...Give me cider please."

Fortunately, he was able to overcome Eun-ha's suspicion with quick thinking.

He took out drinks from the ice box and handed one to Eun-ha.

"I've been thinking this for a while... Yeon-hwa your hair is so pretty." "Really? I don't really think so..."

"How can you say that! It's a color that could never come from dyeing!"

"When I was young, I was teased because of my hair color..."

"But it's so pretty? Who on earth did that to you? That's really too much!"

"...Thank you."

Han Chang-jin listening again.

Chang-jin nodded involuntarily hearing Eun-a's words.

Because he acknowledged that Ryu Yeon-hwa's hair was beautiful.

Moreover, physical changes due to the influence of internal mana also meant having considerable talent as a Player.

A common example is how Eins with altered genes have outstanding physical abilities.

Huh?

Then he discovered Eun-ha nodding next to him too.

The timing was strange.

"What?"

"Are you also..."

Eavesdropping right now?

Chang-jin forcefully swallowed the words that came up to his throat.

Eun-ha was Eun-a's younger brother.

He couldn't show a frivolous appearance.

If his guess was wrong, he wouldn't be able to raise his head in front of Eun-ha.

Getting cursed at would be the least of it.

Perhaps Eun-ha would tattle to Eun-a, and he might be despised by Eun-a.

"But I'm curious about something..."

"Yeah. What is it?"

"If her hair is blue, down there..."

""...Ahem...!!""

The two coughed at the same time.

Chang-jin turned his head to Eun-ha.

Eun-ha who felt his gaze was looking at him with a blank face.

As if asking what was wrong.

Nah, it can't be.

No matter how good Eun-ha's skills are, there's no way he could eavesdrop without me noticing.

Han Chang-jin decided to let it go.

Rather, he decided to focus on the conversation coming from the hot spring.

Making excuses in his mind that he was straining his ears to detect the surroundings.

"...Secret."

"It's okay. Then I'll just check for myself!"

"...Huh? W-wait, Eun-a... Ah..."

"Just give up, it'll be easier. I'll just quickly check so you stay still..." "D-don't do this."

Another shrill scream was heard.

It was Ryu Yeon-hwa's scream.

Something must have definitely happened.

""...An attack?""

So the two stood up gripping their weapons at the same time.

Their eyes met.

The two stared at each other with closed mouths.

"...Hyung, where are you trying to go?"

"...What about you Eun-ha?" ""......""

"Want to drink some cider?" "Let's drink some cider."

The two who became awkwardly embarrassed.

Eun-ha and Chang-jin who coughed again sat down and toasted with cider.

The cider placed next to the bonfire had lost quite a bit of carbonation, so it was only good for quenching thirst.

☆

The party decided to take turns keeping watch in pairs.

Eun-ha and Eun-a who were sleeping stuck together in the 3-person tent that was wide for two people stirred at the alarm sound.

"...Did you sleep well?" "Aren't you sleepy noona?" "A little... but I'm fine except for being a bit sleepy. So let's stay like this a little longer."

Eun-ha picked up the smartphone at his pillow and checked the time.

Communication devices couldn't be used inside the dungeon.

But the smartphone developed by Sirius Group had a program installed to count time on its own.

Eun-ha who confirmed it was an ambiguous time around dawn shook Eun-a who had fallen asleep again.

"Noona, wake up. It's about time to switch shifts." "Just 5 minutes..."

"Only 5 minutes okay?" "Yeah."

Eun-a who was in the sleeping bag wriggled and stuck close to Eun-ha.

She who awkwardly stretched out her arm in a somewhat uncomfortable position hugged his head.

Eun-ha fiddled with his smartphone while feeling Eun-a's breath.

We should be able to conquer the 5th underground floor before evening.

He had downloaded some data from the Player Library in advance and put it on his smartphone.

Eun-ha was reading data about this dungeon among them.

Perhaps because it had been managed for a long time, information about the dungeon was recorded in detail.

"Noona wake up. We need to go out now."

"Ugh... it's a shame. It's been so long since I slept with you Eun-ha..."

5 minutes had already passed.

Eun-ha woke her who was hugging him.

Eun-a who opened her sleepy eyes crawled out of the sleeping bag regretfully.

"When we go home, let's sleep together with Eun-ae." "Really? Promise."

"Yeah, promise." "Want to take a bath together too after a long time?"

"...I'll think about that."

Eun-a asking with sparkling eyes.

Eun-ha trailed off awkwardly. Though he used to bathe with her when they were young, they were older now.

But Eun-a didn't seem to mind that at all.

Rather, she even expressed dissatisfaction while puffing her cheeks.

"You take baths with Eun-ae... Noh Eun-ha you shouldn't do that. I'm your sibling too." "Eun-ae is still young. We don't even get in the tub together these days."

"What's wrong with family?"

"Then should I ask mom once..."

"Well, you're 15 now Eun-ha. It can't be helped, though it's a shame..."

As expected, Eun-a couldn't stand up to their mother.

He kissed her puffed up cheek and soothed her who was sulking.

Eun-a quickly got over it, as if she had just been joking anyway.

"Yeon-hwa! Chang-jin! Are you tired? We'll keep watch now. You two go in and sleep comfortably." "Is it that time already? Then please take over the night watch."

"Tell us if anything happens."

Eun-a who came out of the tent greeted Yeon-hwa and Chang-jin who were keeping watch with a smiling face.

The two who were maintaining their weapons said there were no unusual signs in the surroundings.

Eun-ha and Eun-a sat in front of the bonfire in place of the two.

They both must have been tired.

The sound of the two entering the tent and rustling around was heard.

Soon after, the sound of movement completely disappeared.

It seemed they quickly fell asleep from accumulated fatigue.

"Noona, aren't you hungry?" "Hmm... a little?" "Should we eat cup ramen?"

"Yeah, let's eat!"

Eun-ha who deployed his detection net confirmed there were no signs of monsters in the surroundings.

There was nothing else to do, and they were hungry anyway, so they decided to eat cup ramen.

Eun-ha boiled water in a kettle while Eun-a went into the tent.

"You'll eat kimchi too right?"

"Kimchi sounds good."

The ramen was undercooked.

Eun-ha tasted the kimchi Eun-a brought with the ramen.

His body warmed up as he drank the broth.

"Noona, you're not thinking of becoming an exclusive Player?"

There's a rule not to talk when eating ramen at dawn.

Eun-ha who ate until the broth showed the bottom asked Eun-a who was warming her body while drinking the broth.

Eun-a had just finished eating her ramen too.

She who was crunching on kimchi nodded and answered instead.

"I'm not thinking of becoming an exclusive Player. I want to become a Player because I want to protect the people around me."

"If that's what noona wants, it can't be helped... Want to drink hot chocolate?"

"Yeah, please."

Though he respected Eun-a's choice, he wished she would live a safe life if possible.

But she didn't seem to have any intention of reversing the decision she made.

She who was holding the mug with both hands had that kind of face.

"Why? Are you worried about me?" "...Very."

"Eun-ha you just don't know my skills yet. My skills have improved so much while learning from Seo-young unni and Hye-rim unni."

Eun-a smiled gently.

She who moved to his side by wiggling her butt carefully drank the hot chocolate. Soon she leaned her body and rested her shoulder.

"Academy life must have been hard, but the Player industry will be even harder."

"It's okay even if it's hard." "It'll be hard to the point it's not okay."

Eun-ha put dry branches in the bonfire and replied.

He who had lived one life already knew how much harder the world would become.

It will become hard to the point where saying it's hard won't come out.

Seoul will be invaded by monsters, and someday Guma will appear and cause terrorism all over the country.

Besides that, countless problems will occur in this country.

"It's still okay. I have to endure even if it's hard."

Nevertheless, Eun-a opened her mouth without hesitation.

While placing one hand on top of Eun-ha's hand.

"You'll endure even if it's hard? Is there a need to go that far?"

"Because I have power. So I'm the only one who can protect the people around me."

"Leave that to me."

Eun-ha couldn't understand her.

He couldn't quite grasp why there was meaning in her becoming a Player to the extent she was so determined.

If it's hard, she can just give up.

There was no need for her to endure pain anywhere.

Because he could shoulder everything.

It was enough for him to endure.

"─Then who will protect you Eun-ha?"

"What...?"

"You're trying to become a Player to protect the people around you too right?" "...Yeah."

"But if you protect the people around you, who will protect you?"

"......"

He didn't need to be protected by anyone.

So Eun-ha was flustered by that question and lost his words.

He searched for words at the gaze seriously looking at him.

"I'm... fine." "I'm not fine."

Eun-ha barely moving his mouth.

On the other hand, Eun-a answered firmly.

She who put strength in her hand holding him looked straight at him and said.

"The reason I want to become a Player is because I want to protect you Eun-ha. Even if you don't tell me, you're planning to do harder things than I think, right?"

"......"

Noh Eun-a speaking without a trace of doubt.

Eun-ha who met her unwavering eyes couldn't say anything.

Even though he had never told her.

Was it because they were siblings?

She seemed to see right through him.

"Even if you say you don't like it, I'm going to do it. Because I'm your older sister. I absolutely can't watch my younger sibling be in danger. So don't say things like that from now on." "...Okay. Thank you."

Eun-a's will was firm.

Eun-ha who realized he couldn't break her will mumbled heavily. He flipped his hand and grasped her hand. The strength holding him seemed to convey to him.

That he wasn't alone.

"What will you do after graduating from the academy Eun-ha? You said you'll make a party right?" "Yeah."

"Then let me join too when that time comes." "...I'll think about it."

"Forget thinking about it, I'm going to join the party you make. Hye-rim unni gave permission to join Regulus Clan conditionally too."

But a path he must endure alone.

No, a path she must absolutely not walk.

Eun-ha put strength into not letting go of her hand.

As if he would never lose her again who he couldn't save in his previous life.

I need to become strong enough to not need noona's help.

He had to become strong.

He had to gather reliable comrades, useful chess pieces.

That was the way to make the people he was trying to protect happy.

That's why he came to this dungeon.

"Anyway! You have to leave a spot open. And if there's anything hard at the academy, make sure to tell me."

"...Yeah, thanks."

Somewhere in this dungeon, a hidden piece is hidden.