185 – hide and seek (3)
“My eyes, my eyes hurt so much… … .”
“Be patient.”
Maria, who was the first to recover her eyesight, directed her divine power toward the eyes of Lee Na-young, who was stretched out on the sleigh.
Idney, who was touching my snowball with the palm of her hand next to him, lowered her hand, remembering her eyelids that were slowly closing. The brow wrinkles itself at the sight that is still a little blurry.
Fortunately, the world that seemed hazy didn’t last long.
Idney, who quickly recovered her eyesight without healing due to her innate physical ability, checked the face of a blonde woman who was standing in front of her and smiling awkwardly, and crumpled her face.
“How did you get in here… … Yo.”
“ah!!”
The blond woman opened her eyes wide at Edney’s mixed emotions, and quickly continued.
“I came as an exchange student on Monday. It didn’t come in without permission. I followed the procedure properly!!”
A blond woman explaining with exaggerated movements of her hands.
Idni scratched her head over the concealment screen she was wearing, glancing at the chest that swayed whenever the opponent in front of her moved and the rapier at her waist.
“Hey, did you know?”
“You don’t know everything about me? Still, the high priest didn’t know.”
“Ha, really… … The academy was so quiet when such a big man came in?”
“It’s quiet, but it was very noisy because of Professor Baek.”
“Oh right.”
Idney nodded slowly, recalling the protests the freshmen had caused.
“Are you okay?”
“… … yes. thanks.”
Lee Na-young, who regained her eyesight by wiping her moistened eyes, carefully got up from the sleigh.
“You play?”
“I’m fine too.”
If Idni recovered herself with her physical ability, Na Yeon-joo regained her eyesight by self-healing using her divine power.
“Looks like this side is ready to go in now.”
The blond woman, who was having an awkward confrontation with Idni, quickly moved her body to Maria’s answer as she turned her body this way.
“Then let’s go inside!!”
As if not caring about the monsters that might be lurking nearby, the blond woman ran alone into the darkness, leaving behind only a booming voice.
“I don’t have an idiot.”
“Me too.”
Maria agreed with Idni’s comment, which was rare, and created a small sphere of light to light up the darkness. And I checked the compass in my hand once again.
“Isn’t that actually broken?”
At Idni’s valid question, Maria briefly moved a few steps aside. Then, isn’t the arrow pointing forward tilting in the opposite direction to the sideways movement?
“Yeah, no.”
“Then it’s not a cave, but over this cliff.”
“It could be. Anyway, let’s go in.”
“Ha, as expected, I can’t trust the items of lucky bitches.”
It was already confirmed that the inside was safe, so Na Yeon-joo slowly pushed the sled inside as the two strode inside.
Tap, tap.
how far did you walk
The four of them were able to meet Yoon Isul, who was sitting leisurely near a bonfire in a wide open space.
“It’s a coincidence. Let’s meet in a place like this.”
“Iknow, right. Since it’s the beginning of the semester, you must be busy with student council work, but I didn’t think you would even participate in the recruitment of second-year lecturers.”
“I was not too busy because I left all the miscellaneous work to the people below me. Also, I think Professor Baek Woo-jin’s value is too high to simply wrap it up as a sophomore lecture.”
Maria’s left corner of her eye trembled slightly at the look in her eyes, as if asking, ‘You don’t seem to think so?’
Accurately catching the subtle change, Yun Seul opened her mouth toward the darkness where the light of the bonfire could not reach with a relaxed smile.
“Are you planning on staying there? Jane.”
“I was going to get out!!”
The assailant, Jane Moore, who had been attacking with a burst of light at the entrance of the cave, walked out of the darkness, shedding glossy dew.
“I’m sorry a little while ago.”
“Ah, yes.”
Idney looked at Jane Moore, who reached out her hand, with a trembling expression, and grabbed her hand. It wasn’t even that we forbade quarrels between participants, because we couldn’t keep arguing just because we were attacked.
“I am Jane Moore. I came as an exchange student at First Academy in the United States. me and a friend So you guys are friends with me too!!”
When Idney blinked with a dumbfounded face at the sudden sudden acceleration.
“Jane. Did I tell you that everyone hates it when you push yourself like that in your first meeting?”
“Oh, sorry. I get excited easily.”
Jane Moore was quick to admit her mistake and nodded in apology.
“I was thinking of something more constructive than that.”
“It is what I wished for.”
Maria came to Idney as if she had been waiting for Yoon Iseul to change the topic appropriately.
“As you can see, we have just arrived here. That’s why I haven’t unpacked yet.”
She patted the heavy bag placed beside her and smiled lightly.
“Four of you, two of us. The maximum number of people that could form a team was seven.”
“The problem is that it is forbidden to form a team after entering.”
“yes. So, we’ll give you our seats. As you can see, the seats here are pretty good, right?”
“There’s no way you’ll give in bare-mouthed, what do you want from this side?”
In response to Maria’s question, Yun Isul slowly stood up while leaning on her bag.
“I want you to set up a casual table with Miss Hana on the weekend. As you can see, Jane really wants to meet Miss Hana.”
“If we were friends, we would have exchanged contact information, but why don’t you contact us directly?”
“Even though he looks like that, he has a strong child-like side. So I want to surprise you.”
When Maria’s gaze reached Jane Moore, who was standing still, her eyes twinkled and she nodded! waved
“If, by any chance, a situation arises that Hana does not like, I will immediately discuss this transaction today.”
Yoon Isul didn’t answer and picked up the bag he had left on the floor and put it over his shoulder.
“Jane. Pack your bag.”
“I know!!”
Late at night, even with a one-day limit, Jane Moore happily packed her bag.
“I’ll give you the contact information sometime next week.”
“Me too! I’m exchanging numbers too!!”
“Jane. be quiet.”
“Death! I want to talk to Hana friends too!!”
“So that’s what I mean.”
“… … How do you talk when you keep your mouth shut?”
When Jane Moore, who still spoke poor Korean, tilted her head with a puzzled face, Isul Yoon said, ‘Just be quiet and follow me.’ Whispering softly, he took Jane Moore’s hand and left the joint and disappeared into the darkness.
“It really goes away.”
“Then would you fake it?”
Unlike Idni, who still had a disgusted face, Maria, who removed the cloaking ring on her head, said.
“This is ours now, so let’s unpack.”
“for a moment.”
Idni grabbed Maria as she approached on a sleigh and whispered softly with a hard face.
“Eat first… … Aww!!”
Idni’s short scream echoed through the cavity with a crackling sound.
**
“It’s okay even if it’s trivial, so wake me up right away if you think it’s a little strange?”
“Don’t worry.”
“Then believe me and sleep.”
Idney, who was sticking her head out of the tent, went inside.
“Don’t stand still for an hour or two just to be considerate, wake me up right away when it’s time. We’ll be staying here for three days, so don’t worry about our stamina.”
“Yes. I’ll wake you right away.”
After wiping her body lightly with a wet towel, Maria came back and approached Lee Na-young and Na Yeon-ju, who were still wearing their equipment to keep watch, and placed a compass in Lee Na-young’s hands.
“Then see you when you shift.”
“Yeah. Good night.”
“Please rest in peace.”
Maria pushed herself into the tent that Idni was in and lowered the screen.
“Would you like to sit down?”
“I get it.”
Na Yeon-joo treated Lee Na-young, who was much smaller than herself, in a friendly and respectful manner. At Na Yeon-ju’s actions, Lee Na-yeong calmed her heart as much as possible and sat next to Na Yeon-ju with the thermos bottle she had taken out in advance.
“It’s a fatigue reliever, so I want to drink it… … ?”
“Ah, if you give it to me, I’ll drink it.”
“here.”
Squeak.
I put the contents of the thermos in a small paper cup and held it out to Na Yeon-joo.
“Thank you.”
Hororok.
Na Yeon-joo’s eyes widened as she tasted the fatigue reliever right away with a smile.
“The taste of citron tea remains.”
“I paid a little attention to the taste. It’s fine?”
“It is very delicious.”
As if proving that these were not empty words, Na Yeon-joo emptied the paper cup cleanly in an instant, and Lee Na-young, who was praised for the potion she made, blushed slightly and filled the empty paper cup with new contents.
“By the way, how did Nayoung unnie get close with Hana unnie?”
“me?”
“It is. I heard that Maria and Idney have been friends since middle school. However, Nayoung unnie has no overlap in non-combat positions, but it is surprising that she is close to Hana unnie.”
It was a remark that could sound like a bad misunderstanding, but Lee Na-young accepted it as a question posed out of pure curiosity and answered without any distortion.
“There is nothing more than I thought. We became roommates by chance, and Hana took care of us from the first day.”
“roommate? Wouldn’t that also be organized between the same departments?”
“yes. I know that too. But I don’t know why, but I ended up sharing a room with Hana.”
“Ohhh, is this the sword of fate?”
“Ooh, what a fate… … .”
While wiggling her fingers at her younger sister’s one-year-old younger sister’s strange words, Lee Na-young did not completely deny the remark.
Originally, he would have lived a life where it was difficult to even listen to lectures if he did not rely on medicine due to extreme social phobia, and he might have dropped out midway through the difficulties.
However, a lot has changed after meeting Baek Hana and Maria and Edni. Thanks to my trustworthy friends, I became less afraid of people’s gazes, and I was able to listen to lectures and walk around the academy without taking sedatives.
In addition, I received help in the grade evaluation, and I received countless help such as performance tests of new potions and evaluations for assignments.
Also, most recently, I was very undeserved of taking a private plane, staying in a suite at a world-famous 5-star hotel, and even going sightseeing without spending a single penny.
It was a happy and enjoyable time that I couldn’t even imagine when I was in the middle of the day when I was thinking about locking myself in the practice room to cover my tuition and research expenses.
“Playing you… … .”
After hearing from Maria that Na Yeon-joo had also grown up in the temple since childhood, Lee Na-yeong tried to continue the conversation while being as careful as possible about that part, but she trembled lightly.
“Why is that?”
“Me, mad, use the bathroom… … .”
“Ah, then I’ll only go all the way to the front with you.”
“no… uh, don’t do that… … I installed the alarm magic and prepared thoroughly, so it should be fine… .”
Lee Na-young quickly got up from her seat and grabbed a toilet pack.
If it was really a party for attacking, it would have been the right thing to do for the party as well as the person who was solving it right nearby, but it was a very difficult request for Lee Na-young, who was relaxed in many ways and not accustomed to cracks.
“The sound of rustling leaves is okay, so if you feel anxious, you should shout right away.”
“Yes. I’ll be back soon… … .”
Leaving behind Na Yeon-ju, who had a worried expression on her face, Lee Na-young quickly moved towards the entrance, following the luminous stickers she had pasted on the wall in advance.
“… It will be fine here.”
No matter how embarrassing it was, it was scary to go outside completely, so Lee Na-young had no choice but to stop in front of the entrance.
Dalgrak.
“Ugh, quick, quick… … .”
Lee Na-young, who put everything she was holding in her hands on the floor, began to move her hands faster in tandem with the signal that gradually got stronger.
Lee Na-young, who managed to untie the protective equipment she was wearing and managed to find the zipper, succeeded in protecting human dignity with a haircut.
“Sigh… … I need to stop drinking potions… .”
I’d rather be a little tired during the day than come here to do business in such a dark place. After all, his role is no different from having completed his role at the point when he has filled up the potion.
Lee Na-young, who was relieved of tension while solving urgent errands, closed the zipper bag tightly and put on the protective equipment that had been pushed back. I couldn’t help it.
Click click.
“… … ?”
Lee Na-young, who had worn all her gear, was about to go back with her zipper bag, but bowed her head at a small noise coming from directly below. And I was able to find the silver compass given to me by Maria.
‘I was in too much of a hurry, so I brought it… … .’
Lee Na-young quickly picked up the compass.
Click click.
“… … ??”
At first, I thought the compass itself was being shaken by the chilling wind. But even now, with the compass in hand, the sound continued to flow.
gulp.
Feeling uneasy, I carefully opened my hand and checked the compass.
click click!!
The identity of the sound was, of course, the needle of a compass.
Fortunately, the needle of the compass was pointing towards the base camp. The problem was that although the direction was the same, the needle kept bouncing upwards for some reason.
“Ugh… … ?!”
Lee Na-young, who realized what it meant a beat late because of the relaxed tension, turned around with a startled face and opened her mouth.
“kite… … .”
Woowook——!!
Something white fell from the dark ceiling and immediately covered Lee Na-young’s mouth.
A sense of closeness to the extent that each breath touches the other.
Blue eyes that seemed to pierce even the soul slowly flickered.
Hiccup.
The feeling of the lower part of the body gradually warming up along with the loosening legs.
That was the last thing Lee Na-young remembered.