Her sorrowful voice echoed in my ears. I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. To an outsider, it might seem like I was gathering my thoughts—but in reality, it was nothing more than a performance.
After steadying my breath, I began speaking in a solemn tone.
"I have experienced the pain of losing those dear to me."
I had debated whether or not to say this. But in the end, I decided to go through with it.
The chances of her associating this with Player Jung Ji-Yeong were slim.
Right now, it was my turn to give her an answer, and judging by the energy flowing from the Crystal of Truth beneath my hand, its effect was nearing its end.
"The sorrow and despair I felt back then… were indescribable. After that experience—after being thrown into this cursed place called Hall Plain—I devoted everything to growing stronger and adapting, clinging to those memories."
"..."
"I sought power. I accepted a force that could very well destroy me… Simply because I wanted to survive. My ultimate goals are two: survival and return. I have never let go of the hope that I will survive this world and return to Earth. But… returning alone would be meaningless."
I paused, turning my gaze toward the others.
I saw An-Hyun's face, An-Sol's face, and Lee Yun-Jung's face.
They were all focused on me, their breathing uneven, hanging onto my every word.
But deep down, I knew—
The one truly precious to me… was not among them. This was nothing more than a vague trick—half truth, half performance. I shifted my gaze and continued speaking.
"I want to protect those dear to me. I refuse to let anyone die. I want all of us to return to Earth—alive, without a single casualty. Even if I have to sacrifice myself… if it means saving those precious to me, I can accept that fate without hesitation."
"Hyung…"
"Oppa…"
"Orabeoni…"
The Crystal of Truth glowed faintly—its color soft and unwavering.
It had to.
I had spoken those words with genuine feelings, thinking of my older brother, Kim Yoo-Hyeon, and Han So-Young.
And the Crystal of Truth recognized that sincerity.
The others, however, misunderstood my sentiment—believing that they were the ones I held dear.
Especially the ones who met my gaze… they stared at me with a mixture of awe and confusion.
I'm sorry, everyone. But I promise—I'll never let you regret following me.
Even Jung Ji-Yeong, Shin Sang-Yong, and Vivienne looked at me with admiration. The crystal had proven that my words weren't just empty platitudes. With that, I had said everything I wanted to.
Yet, the crystal still remained active.
I clicked my tongue internally, already trying to think of how to fill the remaining time.
It was then that Shin Sang-Yong, who had been silently listening until now, finally opened his mouth.
"Ha-Yeong-ssi. Let's stop this now."
"...What? What do you mean...?"
"You've asked enough questions. That's why I'm saying—let's stop here. And, Leader."
Shin Sang-Yong suddenly cut himself off, adjusted his posture—
—then, before I could stop him, he lowered himself completely to the ground, pressing his forehead against the floor.
A solid thud echoed through the air.
"Leader. I'm sorry. Even if only for a moment, I doubted you. And when Ha-Yeong-ssi took out the Crystal of Truth, I failed to stop her. But after hearing your true feelings… I realized just how foolish I was."
"I'm just glad the misunderstanding is resolved."
"You saved my life. You granted my request. And yet… I still couldn't erase that lingering doubt in my heart. I truly apologize."
"You'll pay for those words once we return to Mule. Now get up. Watching you grovel like that—it's getting on my nerves."
As I spoke in a somber tone, Shin Sang-Yong slowly lifted himself off the ground. His face was filled with regret.
Turning my gaze, I caught sight of Jung Ji-Yeong, who had been watching the scene in a daze. Her eyes moved across each of us—starting with Shin Sang-Yong, then lingering briefly on me and the others—until, for a fleeting moment, they stopped on Vivienne.
At that instant, a faint glimmer of realization flickered through her eyes.
"Su—!"
"Guys."
I swiftly shifted my body slightly and addressed the others in a calm, gentle voice.
Jung Ji-Yeong, who had been just about to say something, flinched and swallowed hard. She had already declared her last question. And now, with the mood no longer pressing me for answers—especially after even the usually mild-tempered Shin Sang-Yong had urged her to stop—she knew that pushing further would only earn the collective ire of the group.
The others hesitated, mumbling incoherently, their lips opening and closing as if unsure of what to say.
Maintaining a composed expression that I hadn't shown to Jung Ji-Yeong, I continued,
"If there's anything you've been curious about, ask me now. We still have a little time left, don't we?"
At my question, An-Hyun and Yun-Jung immediately shook their heads.
No, that won't do. If none of you ask anything, there will be time left.
Of course, they had no way of hearing my silent plea. Instead, they spoke to me in soft, shy voices.
"Hyung, all my questions have been answered. Besides, I never doubted you to begin with. Actually… I feel bad. And I'm grateful. Thank you, Hyung."
"Me too, me too! See? I knew it! As if our Oppa would ever lie… Our poor Oppa, how unfair…"
Yun-Jung trailed off, pouting, and I let out a sigh.
If things didn't work out with them, there was still Shin Sang-Yong and Vivienne—there had to be a way. With that thought, I turned to An-Sol.
And she… had been staring at my face with dazed, unfocused eyes for a while now.
I immediately sensed danger (?) and was just about to shift my gaze to Vivienne when—
"Um… Orabeoni…."
"…H-huh?"
"I have something I want to ask you…."
No. Don't. Please, just don't.
I desperately wanted to say it, but if I did, she'd burst into tears on the spot.
On top of that, the others also seemed genuinely curious about what Sol was about to ask, making it hard for me to come up with a valid excuse to refuse.
Taking my silence as permission, Sol twisted her body nervously and, after a bit of hesitation, finally spoke.
"Orabeoni... what do you think of me...?"
"Cough! Cough!"
An-Hyun, who had been quietly listening, suddenly burst into a violent coughing fit.
I clenched my lips tightly.
Ah… here it is.
What do I think of her?
A clueless, childish girl who constantly makes me want to tease her and make her cry…
Of course, I couldn't say that out loud.
"..."
Sol, her cheeks flushed red, clenched her hands tightly as if she had mustered all the courage she had.
I was just about to dodge the question with a vague answer when, unexpectedly, backup arrived.
"What do you mean, 'what do you think of me'? You're always causing trouble with your childish behavior and bursting into tears at the drop of a hat. Why are you putting Oppa in such an awkward position?"
"Exactly. Su-Hyeon looks so uncomfortable right now. If you really want to ask something like that, do it when it's just the two of you—or better yet, don't ask at all. You should at least know when and where to say things."
Yun-Jung and Vivienne spoke in perfect sync, their words sharp and direct.
I found myself nodding in agreement, though inwardly, I noticed that their tone was a bit sharper than necessary.
Faced with their stern rebuttal, An-Sol pursed her lips and pouted.
"I... I wasn't asking you, Unnies."
"Why you little—"
"Enough."
I spoke in a low voice, gently pushing Yun-Jung back into her seat before she could rise.
Things almost took a weird turn, but thanks to their well-timed interference, I managed to dodge the situation.
With everyone's attention now on me, I calmly began to speak.
"Sol is a really kind and pure-hearted girl. Sometimes, it even surprises me how much. But... because of that, she doesn't fit well with a world like Hall Plain. That's just the truth."
"Heh..."
"But Sol is a priest. I don't see her as a burden... but rather, I focus on her potential."
"But… just like the Unnies said, I'm not much help… I always throw tantrums… and cry a lot…."
She knows herself well.
But instead of agreeing, I slowly shook my head, keeping my expression neutral.
"The priest class and your personality are a perfect match, Sol. I've always believed you have the potential to become the greatest priest. No, in fact, if you can just hold on to that sincerity, you'll definitely become the greatest priest someday."
Yeah. You're destined to become a Brilliance Priest in the future. You'll be incredibly useful then, so for now, I'll just keep coaxing and encouraging you.
I smiled gently and lifted the crystal sphere in my hand. The flames were still glowing faintly.
Hearing my firm response, An-Sol's face brightened visibly, and even An-Hyun straightened his back with excitement.
At that moment, I turned my attention back to the hovering —the flames that had been burning all this time were now gradually dying out.
"Ah…"
A small gasp came from the front.
I turned my head to see Jeong Ha-Yeong anxiously staring at the in my hand.
The once-bright flames had now shrunk into a mere dot.
And then—cracks began to spread across the crystal's surface.
Crack.
Crackle.
Snap…
The cracks spread across the entire crystal in an instant, and soon, it crumbled into a handful of ash that scattered through the air.
Jeong Ha-Yeong could only stare blankly as the fragments rained down.
Once the last speck of dust had vanished, she lifted her head and met my gaze with conflicted eyes.
At that perfectly timed resolution, I let out a deep sigh, relieved to have passed yet another hurdle.
Wiping away the expression I had used while speaking to the others, I shifted to a more indifferent tone and addressed her.
"So… have all your questions been answered?"
"…Yes."
Her response came after a brief hesitation, but in the end, I got the answer I wanted.
Had the Crystal Of Truth still been active, she might have struggled to respond, but now that its effect had ended, she had plenty of room for excuses. Besides, I already had a convenient explanation ready—one that the others were well aware of.
With that, I felt immensely relieved to have wrapped up such a significant matter.
On top of that, I had taken down Belphegor, a bastard who deserved far worse, making today truly one of the best days I could ask for.
But there was still one more thing left to enjoy.
"Then, as of this moment, I will resume my role as the leader of this caravan."
"Was there ever any doubt?"
At Shin Sang-Yong's clear and decisive response, I gave a slight nod and rose to my feet.
"We've taken a longer break than expected, so it's time to get moving again. Everyone, get up."
At my command, the group stood up one by one.
Jeong Ha-Yeong let out a quiet, unreadable sigh before carefully rising to her feet.
I stepped closer to her and murmured in a low voice.
"We'll settle today's matter once we return to Mule. Until then…."
"…I understand. And I'm sorry."
Hearing her definitive response, I turned away without hesitation.
Yun-Jung, beaming with a brighter smile than ever, eagerly rushed toward me.
"Oppa! So, are we heading back to Mule now? If we leave today, we'll get there the day after tomorrow, right?"
"No. Including today, it'll take us about three days to return."
"Huh? Why?"
"It's getting late, and we might be spending another night here at the laboratory. Just keep that in mind."
At my words, the others exchanged puzzled glances before turning their eyes toward me.
I simply gestured toward the door and continued speaking.
"I found a secret passage while fighting Belphegor earlier."
"A secret passage?"
"Yeah. When I ran into that bastard on the first floor, it was clawing at the ground like crazy. There's got to be a hidden door leading underground. We've already gained plenty, but you never know—there might be even greater treasures down there."
At my words, everyone's faces lit up with interest—except for one person.
An-Sol.
She stepped closer, grabbing onto my collar with both hands and tugging at it gently.
"O-Oppaniii… Let's just go back to Mule… I'm really worried about you… okay?"
I reached out and gently stroked her cheek. Her soft, round face, still carrying traces of baby fat, pressed warmly against my palm.
"It'd be a waste to come all this way and leave empty-handed. Don't worry. Once we get back to Mule, I plan to take a long break anyway."
"…Really?"
"Yeah. So for now, let's just go. It's not like heading down there is difficult. We've already cleared everything. Alright?"
"Okay…"
Seeing her obediently accept my words, I gave her a few reassuring pats on the head before turning away.
By then, the rest of the group had already formed up in their usual positions.
I swept my gaze over each of their faces before stepping forward with confident strides.
And as I walked through the doorway, a deep smile crept onto my lips.
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