68. Clue
From Noble mtl dot com
Then suddenly, they snapped out of it.
“Ah.”
This is not the time.
Being surprised and flustered should be postponed for later.
“Now is the time to focus solely on what’s in front of me, regardless of how absurd or strange it may be. Let’s eat the meat.”
They picked up the fork.
Becoming a shockingly awakened individual to the point of being outstandingly remarkable, even such a surprising event, the sight of the white beef in front of them outshone everything.
***
They devoured the food as if devouring a hidden fish.
It was a moment before the abundance of beef disappeared.
“Ah. That was delicious.”
Han patted his belly and leaned back satisfied.
His gaze was directed towards the newly purchased Samsung appliance.
More precisely, it was towards the ‘freezer’ side.
“hehehe.”
Soon, he let out a strange smile.
“We have plenty of reserves.”
There was still plenty of meat left.
At least a hundred kilograms, perhaps even more.
The amount of meat sent as an offering along with prayers was so substantial.
Considering that the white bison was about the size of a decent truck, even a small portion was quite substantial.
Of course, for the elves, meat was not even considered a daily food option, so it was quite an abundance.
Honestly, for the elves, it was more certain that they would eat mushroom houses rather than bison meat, even if they were to face a food shortage.
When hungry, there was plenty to eat right away.
In the distance, there were crops like apples and potatoes, and nearby, there were mushrooms ready to be eaten.
Of course, there were cases of wolf cubs, but there was enough for them to eat.
Han breathed in the full scent of meat filling the house and murmured.
“I should take some out to eat whenever I remember.”
Tap tap.
“Hmm?”
Looking down, he saw an oak tree looking up at him.
Their eyes met, and the oak tree shook its leaves, expressing joy towards him.
“Yes, yes.”
As he stroked it, the leaves trembled, showing its pleasure all over its body.
A bit peculiar.
This little one had recently learned to walk.
It wasn’t just that its legs had grown, but it was the way it moved by using its leaves like arms to step on the ground.
“It’s truly remarkable. It seems like they think as they move and live.”
Of course, it was common knowledge in modern times that plants were alive, had their connections, and conversed with each other, but it was still fascinating.
Vroom-
Suddenly, his phone vibrated.
“Hmm?”
Who was calling?
As he paused his touch, the tree lightly tapped him, holding a leaf.
But his gaze was fixed on the phone.
“I’ll pet you more later.”
Pat pat-
Leaving the guy sprawled out behind, she answered the phone.
“Hello?”
[Hello, Mr. Kim!]
“W-who…?”
[It’s me, Jin Hwaryun!]
…Jin Hwaryun?
At the sudden sound, Han’s eyes widened.
Why is she calling out of the blue?
But the oddity didn’t end there.
As if checking if someone was around, she whispered softly.
“Are you at home right now…?”
“……? Uh, yes. That’s true, but why…?”
“I’m on my way over now! I’ll ring the doorbell soon, so please don’t hang up and wait a bit!”
Ding-dong-
Her words were eerie, and not long after, the doorbell rang.
At the moment when she wondered if she really came, a slightly urgent voice was heard.
“Sorry, but could you please hurry and open the door? I’m in a bit of a rush…!”
What’s going on?
“……? Alright. Just a moment.”
Creak-
Puzzled, she opened the front door.
There, just like before, stood Jin Hwaryun, wrapped up tightly to hide her appearance.
“Your outfit looks the same as last time. Ms. Hwaryun.”
“I’m here as promised.”
Jin Hwaryun, with her sunglasses and scarf discreetly lowered, awkwardly smiled.
Glancing around, she whispered softly.
“Um, could you please let me in? People keep staring.”
Indeed, the neighbors were sneaking glances, even the lady next door seemed to mutter something.
At first glance, it was an impression that raised suspicions.
“hahahaha….”
Somehow, she felt she understood Jin Hwaryun’s distress.
Awkwardly smiling, she stepped aside.
“You must have been in a difficult situation. Come in quickly.”
“Thank you!”
As soon as she entered the house, she promptly shed the bundled-up clothes and sunglasses.
“Phew! Feels good to breathe.”
“It’s been a while.”
Han forced a smile as he welcomed her.
Each time he looked at her, the atmosphere seemed to change rapidly.
Han was a little puzzled by her sudden visit.
“But aren’t you supposed to be quite busy with dungeon conquests, Harin?”
Due to Han’s daily news broadcasts, he was well aware of everything about Jin Harin, a high-ranking hunter who was in the spotlight of the nation.
Her guild was currently gearing up to conquer the Grade 1 dungeon, Khorne, whose deadline was approaching.
Clearing a dungeon usually took anywhere from a few days to several months, as they had to set up safe zones called forward bases at intervals within the dungeon and transport materials back and forth between reality.
It wasn’t just about defeating monsters.
Especially considering the dungeon she was about to enter was usually of the highest grade domestically, it wasn’t uncommon for dungeons to exceed the area of the Korean Peninsula.
Although the Grade 1 dungeon Khorne she was entering was a grade below special dungeons, it was still large enough to fill up an area the size of Gyeonggi Province.
It hadn’t even been a month since they parted, so Han hadn’t expected to meet so soon.
In fact, she had just set out for the dungeon this morning.
Judging by her appearance, it seemed like she had just built a new house.
It appeared she had come straight here after leaving the dungeon.
“Oh, no, today is a bit urgent…”
At that moment, Jin Harin suddenly stopped mid-sentence and turned her head.
Specifically, it was towards the direction of the ‘kitchen.’
“Oh… this smell.”
Jin Harin blinked.
Her gaze turned back inside the house.
Eyes filled with subtle longing met Han’s.
“Oh, could it be… White Frost Bison meat?”
“You know it exactly?”
It seemed she was familiar with this smell.
Han realized it instantly.
Rumble.
A sound came from her stomach, audible even to Han.
His first thought was that she hadn’t eaten yet, followed by a wondering if…?
So, he cautiously asked, “Are you hungry? Would you like to eat something?”
“Yes!”
The response came out as if she had been waiting.
***
“Sigh.”
Jin Harin set down her utensils with a much improved expression.
“You ate really well, Han.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“hahahaha, don’t mention it. Who wouldn’t like White Frost Bison meat?”
It was a sight unseen on broadcasts.
Jin Harin, the high-ranking hunter known to the public for her sharp, aloof demeanor, seemed different this time.
It was quite different from the usual image of her when viewed like this.
“Even if I had seen her last time, it didn’t feel like this, more like a sharp feeling rather than a relaxed one.”
Or perhaps, this might actually be her true self.
“Anyway, I never expected all of that to fit in.”
Han briefly glanced at her stomach.
It seemed slightly bloated, but nothing out of the ordinary.
“…Could it be that after grilling 5 kilograms of meat, it all fit in there? Hunters are known to have hearty appetites, but this goes beyond imagination.”
Hunters were indeed famous for their voracious appetites, but seeing it firsthand was truly beyond belief.
It made sense now why hunters reportedly spent millions of won each month on food.
What was once thought to be a simple urban legend turned out to be true.
Was it because Han’s gaze was too obvious?
“Oh, um…!”
Jin Hwaryeong finally snapped out of it, looking embarrassed as she abruptly stood up.
“Did you… eat too much? Maybe you lost control for a moment… I’m really sorry!”
“Oh! It’s fine. We have plenty of beef, actually.”
“Huh… Really? Still, I must have been a bother with the amount I ate.”
At her words, she widened her eyes in surprise.
“Actually, we have quite a decent amount stored at our house.”
“Oh.”
The amount was a whopping 100 kilograms, leaving one to wonder what to do with it.
And this wasn’t the end of it.
It was just a portion of a single white bingha cow.
Even now, about twenty portions of beef were being meticulously processed, forming a small hill in the elves’ world.
Though I’m not entirely sure, at this level, it might be enough to open a restaurant.
Thunk!
Hwaryeong grabbed Han’s hand.
“Han-ssi.”
“Yes?”
“Would it be okay if I come again next time?”
“It’s fine for you to come, but…”
However, there was something else that concerned her a bit more.
“Um, Hwaryeong-ssi? Could I ask why you came here little by little?”
“Oh! Right, this isn’t the time for this.”
Finally remembering, Hwaryeong’s eyes widened.
She rummaged through her chest hurriedly and pulled something out.
“Here! Please take this!”
It was a brief letter.
Curious yet accepting, Han asked, “What is this…?”
“News from Mr. Han’s parents. It’s a letter from them!”
…What?
At those words,
Han’s eyes widened a bit.
***
“……”
From Noble mtl dot com
Han stared at the letter blankly.
[For Han.]
Those words were visible.
As Han slowly swept over the part with the words, faint traces of a pen that had long dried were gently touched.
The place where Jin Hwa-rin acquired this was a dungeon.
During the conquest of a Grade 1 dungeon, she encountered a certain man and woman.
Certainly, she thought they were beings from another realm, but to her surprise, they appeared to be ordinary human forms.
Of course, it could be otherwise.
She hadn’t properly confirmed their appearance; after all, they were cloaked.
The enigmatic man and woman in the dungeon, concealing their appearances, recognized her, Jin Hwa-rin, at a glance.
[Hunter, huh? Hunter Jin Hwa-rin.]
Moreover, they knew that she was in the midst of conquering the dungeon.
They extended a letter to Jin Hwa-rin.
[Please deliver this to our Han.]
[To Han…? Who is that exactly….]
[You must know him. You’ve already met.]
[What…?]