CHAPTER 145

"…"

Sim Dante…

With the item he gave me, I could sneak out of the accommodation. But would Park Yoon-sung really not anticipate that? I felt uneasy when I saw him smiling quietly.

"I’d really prefer it if hyung stayed at the accommodation for the time being. You never know what those crazy bastards might try to do to hyung again.”

"That’s right. Let’s just stick together here—just the two of us. Okay?"

"…"

Kang Soo-hyun and Eden, who usually started bickering the moment they met, were surprisingly getting along this time. That said, Kang Soo-hyun still frowned and shot Eden a glare at his remark. And as for Kang Yoo-hyun…

"I agree, too."

"Haa…"

Kang Yoo-hyun, who’d slept well thanks to the Sweet Sleep item, nodded in agreement. It was clear I wouldn’t be able to change their minds without a solid reason.

"Don’t even think about sneaking out."

"Huh? I wasn’t planning on doing that…"

"Hyung, you’re lying."

"…"

Do-gyul, even you…!

I stared at Do-gyul in disbelief, who was sitting beside me with an innocent look on his face. I had no clue what Park Yoon-sung had told him, but now even Do-gyul was siding with him to keep me cooped up in the accommodation.

"Do-gyul-ah, you’ve got it wrong. Hyung isn’t lying."

"Mm, that’s a lie too."

"…"

This brat, seriously…

Do-gyul kept talking as he munched on the fruit I had cut for him. It was a bit annoying, but seeing his cheeks puffed up from eating the fruit I gave him, I couldn’t bring myself to say anything. I just wanted to poke his hamster-like, puffed-up cheeks with my finger.

"I just don’t want you to do anything dangerous, hyung."

"Do-gyul-ah."

"If you’re going, I’m going with you."

"…"

That’s not going to happen. I can’t take Do-gyul to such a dangerous dungeon. If something were to happen…

“…!”

I suddenly realized—Do-gyul must have been having the same thoughts I had. It was only natural to worry about the only family you had left. Reluctantly, I nodded.

"Alright. I’ll stay at the accommodation."

"Really? Hyung promise?"

"Yeah, I promise."

I reached out and pinky-swore with Do-gyul. He smiled brightly. Only after Do-gyul had shaken my hand as much as he wanted was I finally able to release my finger.

"Haa…”

Confined to the accommodation, I sighed heavily in my room. I hadn’t expected to be restricted like this. I had thought they’d take me to the Svartalfheim dungeon as well. Initially, Park Yoon-sung planned to confront the Laufey Guild directly, but Raisu was no easy opponent.

Now that I think about it, even Kang Yoo-hyun, the original story’s protagonist, couldn’t deal with the Laufey Guild until the world’s destruction. It seems I had been too naive in my thinking.

"Ugh, what should I do?"

Using the teleportation item Sim Dante gave me was a gamble; there was a high chance I’d get caught. Judging by how hard Do-gyul was trying to stop me, it was obvious he was still keeping an eye on me. Another sigh escaped from deep within me.

This is a problem. Aside from the legendary-tier items, I still hadn’t figured out which foreign guild would betray the protagonist. Then, I remembered the vision I had seen a while ago.

-「Chapter: Pivotal. Doubt.」

"Hmm…"

Now that I think about it, the chapter title from the middle part of the story was ‘Doubt.' At the time, I didn’t pay much attention to it and quickly moved on to the next chapter, but it turned out to be a very significant title. It felt as if the author had selected it with someone’s betrayal in mind.

But why hadn’t Kang Yoo-hyun ever suspected anyone in the original story? Wasn’t that exactly why he was ultimately manipulated and betrayed by those around him? It was clear the betrayer must have done something in the final dungeon as well.

If I couldn’t expose them, even if I were sent to the final dungeon, something I couldn’t handle would inevitably happen.

"First, in the Svartalfheim dungeon…"

Most of the hunters immediately rejected the monster's offer. It was only natural that they couldn’t trust the words of a monster they had battled countless times. The only ones who seemed open to the offer were the crazy Eden and Liam White.

But that wasn’t enough of a clue. No matter how I looked at it, Liam White was suspicious, but… how should I put it? When I met him in person, he didn’t seem like a bad person.

"No, no. That's not right."

Wasn’t Evan Lee also someone who seemed like a good person at first? Then, I was tricked and ended up giving him my auxiliary skill, which put the raid team in great danger. I couldn’t let something like that happen again. For now, I needed to find a way to infiltrate the Svartalfheim dungeon and keep an eye on the situation.

"Hmm."

Once again, Sim Dante came to mind. Love him or hate him, he was undoubtedly a useful hunter in situations like this. I wondered if I could use the temporary possession I had used to sneak out of the accommodation last time.

"It probably won't work…"

The temporary possession had a short duration, so it would end quickly. It would be pointless unless I actually left the accommodation with this body. I shook my head, removing Sim Dante from the options once again.

The only remaining choice was to try to convince Do-gyul. But I wasn’t too confident about that either. If I asked to leave the accommodation, Do-gyul would probably insist on coming to the dungeon with me. I couldn’t imagine taking him along. In that case, forget about the end of the world or whatever…

"Oh?"

"Kkyau?"

"Ppik?"

Lost in my troubled thoughts, I stopped in the middle of the living room and tilted my head. Yong-sik and Yong-sun, who had been trailing behind me as if they were playing, imitated my actions and tilted their heads as well. As I glanced down at them, someone suddenly came to mind.

‘I'm not the type of person who can live with owing someone. If you ever need my help, please don't hesitate to let me know.’

"Lee Chae-jin…!”

The genius alchemist, Lee Chae-jin, whom I had encountered in the Sæ Dungeon. By accidentally saving his life, I earned his favor, and he even gave me his personal contact information in case I ever needed his help.

Now, I realized that this was the perfect time to ask for his assistance. The moment the thought crossed my mind, I opened my inventory to retrieve his contact information. It was when I held my phone in my hand—

"Ah, right."

The phone provided by the Odin Guild had a high chance of being intercepted or monitored, especially by Park Yoon-sung, who seemed like the type to do that. After all, I had just been going on about wanting to leave the accommodation.

"…I guess there's no helping it."

I took out another phone that allowed me to contact Sim Dante directly. If I wanted to reach Lee Chae-jin without being intercepted, this was the only option. Reluctantly, I sent a message to Sim Dante.

「Are you busy right now?」

I quickly received a reply.

「Sim Dante: I’m always available to answer your call, 24/7, anytime, anywhere!」

「Then can you contact someone for me?」

「Sim Dante: Contact? Who?」

「Lee Chae-jin.」

「Sim Dante: ???????????????」

The moment I got a reply filled with question marks, my phone rang. I picked up with an indifferent expression.

"Why?"

[I mean, how did you even get Lee Chae-jin’s number?]

"I got it when we went to a dungeon together last time."

[Wow.]

Clearly impressed, Sim Dante began bombarding me with questions—asking what Lee Chae-jin looked like, whether I’d tried his potions, and if he could really make 101 different kinds. I got annoyed and shouted.

"Hey, why are you so interested in Lee Chae-jin? Are you a fan or something?"

[No, not exactly a fan… I’m just curious. We’re both in the production class, after all. Hehe.]

"Hmm…"

[There aren’t many S-rank crafters in this field.]

"That’s true."

Now that I thought about it, Sim Dante and Lee Chae-jin had more in common than I’d realized. They were both pure crafters—100% support types with no offensive skills at all.

As S-ranks, they constantly attracted attention from hunters, which left them with little choice but to live in hiding. They had always seemed so different that I never thought to compare them, but after hearing Sim Dante’s words, the similarities became clear.

"Anyway, can you contact him for me?"

[Well, I mean, I can… but why? You could just contact him yourself.]

"I’m locked up in my accommodation right now."

[What?]

I briefly explained my situation to the shocked Sim Dante. He then asked in disbelief.

[Do you really have to go that far just to escape?]

"I have my reasons."

[Wow, if it were me, I’d just relax and enjoy the free time. But why would you want to enter a dangerous dungeon?]

"Enough talk, just contact Lee Chae-jin."

[Yep, I understand.]

I hung up the phone and walked around the room. I wondered how long it would take for Sim Dante to get in touch with Lee Chae-jin. Would Lee Chae-jin be upset that Sim Dante contacted him instead of me? He might even ignore the message.

I anxiously paced back and forth in the room.

“…!”

Just then, the phone Sim Dante gave me lit up with a message. I quickly grabbed it and checked it.

「Lee Chae-jin: What’s the matter?」

The message on the screen was as stiff as his personality. I let out a sigh of relief, glad that I had finally reached him. Without a second thought, I began typing my response.

「There's something I'd like you to help me with.」

「Lee Chae-jin: Please tell me.」

His reply came quickly. He must have been truly grateful for me saving his life back then. I had a feeling he would be willing to agree to most of my requests.

"…Alright."

After sorting through my thoughts, I quickly started typing.