CHAPTER 48…………….
A week passed quickly. Which meant today was the first day I had to play without my usual dungeon partners—and without Hwansung tailing me all day.
During that week, it was as if Hwansung had sworn not to leave me alone with Isidore while he was gone. He worked extremely hard helping me push through the main quest.
How much effort? Well…
[Guild] Sunya: Huh? Sooki, what are you doing?
[Guild] Kim Sooki: Cleaning the path.
[Guild] Sunya: …Why?
[Guild] Kim Sooki: Because I’m a slave.
[Guild] Sunya: …?
At some point, Sooki started clearing monsters on the road ahead of me. That way, I could run straight through without detouring to avoid aggro. It was convenient, but it didn’t feel like something he would normally do, which made it unsettling.
Turns out, he was on hourly wages.
His employer was Hwansung.
No matter how well Hwansung dealt damage, a healer’s DPS would never match a true DPS. So, to ensure absolutely no obstacles on my quest path, he hired Sooki as a janitor.
The janitor had a foul mouth and never shut up while “cleaning,” but his skill was undeniable. Once he passed, the road was perfectly clear. Thanks to him, I finished quests two or three times faster than usual. By the night before the raid, Hwansung finally achieved his wish: sending Isidore away.
[Isidore:] It looks like we’ll have to part for a while. I’ve received news about the item I’ve been searching for… Farewell, for now.
[Isidore:] …Don’t make that face. We’ll meet again someday.
Isidore boarded a departing ship.
He wasn’t a character I was obsessed with, and he remained mostly a mystery, but after adventuring together for a week I’d grown somewhat attached. Watching him leave left me unexpectedly wistful.
Then, without hesitation, he turned his head slightly toward me.
“Huh? What the—!”
I forgot I was still in voice chat with the guild and shouted.
Isidore had always acted cool and detached, so I expected him to walk off without a glance. But he looked back, gave me a faint smile, and even waved.
Since he never behaved like that, my heart…
Well, it wasn’t like I was about to go crazy with joy, but it did make me wonder, “What’s with this guy…?”
Maybe that’s why everyone likes Isidore so much.
And before I knew it, I was curious about when I’d meet him again. But with Hwansung in the voice channel—and his hatred of Isidore—I kept that thought to myself.
“I think I’m done with the Isidore questline!”
I was about to say we should head for the Soro Mountains, but the voice chat felt strange.
Why so quiet?
Guild chat was usually as noisy as a marketplace, but now it was silent as a library. Even if no one else spoke, Jangyeong would normally say “Wow, congrats” or something. But there was nothing.
“Did my internet cut out?”
Connection looked fine. Maybe it was the voice program itself?
“Hello? Can you hear me?”
Still no reply.
“Guess the program’s broken…”
I muttered to myself. Just as I was about to type it in guild chat, I saw a whisper from Nyangmeongi.
[Whisper] Nyangmeongi: We hear you fine. Too fine, actually—that’s the problem.
Huh? Then why wasn’t anyone talking?
[Whisper] Nyangmeongi: Everyone’s holding their tongues after you reacted like you were smitten with Isidore… afraid of how Hwansung will take it.
“Eek…”
I hurriedly clapped my hand over my mouth, worried a shrill squeak might slip out. I wasn’t lovestruck—it was just surprise at him acting differently. But the guild must have taken it that way.
Considering Hwansung hated Isidore enough to hire Sooki as a cleaner just to send him away, he would surely overreact worse than anyone.
[Whisper] Nyangmeongi: Sooki told me… you seem like the type to create your own hardships… (^_^;)
[Whisper] Sunya: Looks like it…
[Guild] Kim Sooki: See? I told you. He was interested from the first time he asked about him.
“Sky, stop it. If our healer quits, you’re dead.”
Jangyeong’s chilling warning cut across Sooki’s clueless comment. Sooki always called me clueless, but clearly he wasn’t much better.
As expected, the moment I looked like I had a crush on Isidore, Hwansung blew up again. But I had learned to handle his act: when I said, “I hope you come back faster than Isidore,” he blushed and vowed to clear the raid quicker than anyone.
Nyangmeongi muttered irritably, accusing him of suddenly acting coy. Hoe teased that it looked like a wife seeing her husband off on a business trip.
“Aish… Anyway, if you’re done, meet at Ascalon Plaza.”
“Yes…”
Jangyeong’s voice sounded tired as he summoned the guild, except for Hoe (still stuck in a dungeon) and me (tagging along with Hwansung, mindful of my earlier Isidore slip).
Normally, guild members logged out at the guild house, but tonight we left our characters standing in Ascalon Plaza. That’s where the NPC who opened access to the new raid appeared, so logging back in after the update, we could immediately accept and start.
Because of that, the plaza was more crowded than usual.
[Guild] Nyangmeongi: Sunya, you’re free for a whileㅋ (ﾉ›_‹)ﾉ
“Huh?”
As it got later, Nyangmeongi muted his mic, saying his kids were asleep, and switched to typing.
“Free”? Had I been imprisoned without knowing it?
[Guild] Nyangmeongi: You’re free from your personal pet—the one who only acts coy in front of you, pretends to be shy, gets jealous of game characters, and follows you around every day.
Ah… he meant Hwansung. Honestly, I didn’t feel “free.” I was more worried about whether I could manage the game without him.
[Guild] Nyangmeongi: Man, I wish I could be free for a few days too…ㅋ
[Guild] Kim Sooki: From work?
[Guild] Nyangmeongi: That too… haha
Nyangmeongi spoke wistfully, saying he wished he could spend just one day alone somewhere, with no one around.
“But hyung… are you sure it’s safe for your wife to see this chat? She’s not behind you, right? She won’t ban you from playing?”
Jangyeong sounded worried.
[Guild] Nyangmeongi: She’s asleep… And you’re not worried about me, you’re worried you’ll need to recruit another tank if she bans me.
“Yup.”
So it wasn’t concern for him, but for himself…
[Guild] Nyangmeongi: Shameless brat (◦`~´◦)
[Guild] Nyangmeongi: Honestly… I’m older now, and even this raid—my wife had to give permission. She doesn’t like me taking time off work just for gaming т ̫ т
“Isn’t that normal for most people?”
Yuchan gave him a blunt truth, but Nyangmeongi ignored it and kept typing what he wanted to say.
[Guild] Nyangmeongi: I’m a man who has to get his wife’s approval for everything… haha
Then he spammed the “laugh” emote. To me, it looked less like real amusement and more like a man on the edge.
And then, after being silent ever since the Isidore incident, Hwansung finally spoke.
“Hyung, I envy you.”
[Guild] Nyangmeongi: ?
[Guild] Nyangmeongi: What? Envy? You brat, did you really just say that? Do you even know what it’s like living on an allowance? Having to strip off my clothes and change into what my wife approves before I go out?!
[Guild] Kim Sooki: But hyung, your fashion sense is terribleㅋㅋ
[Guild] Nyangmeongi: You should keep your mouth shut.
Nyangmeongi’s messages burst with frustration. It made sense why he’d longed for “freedom,” even just for a day.
But despite all that, Hwansung only said—
“What’s there to complain about? My dream is to live like you.”
