Chapter 42 – The Mushroom Dungeon

Kang Jin-hyun barely managed to tear his eyes away from the discarded food.

“No. It is most efficient to wait near the boss monster in advance to attack.”

“Then let’s go there. Should I use my map skill?”

“It is fine. I have been here once, so I know the direction.”

At the mention of the dungeon, Kang Jin-hyun snapped out of it and returned to his usual self.

The man whose eyes had grown moist over a single lunch box disappeared, and only the figure of an experienced hunter remained. He led Hee-na skillfully.

‘It seems he was telling the truth about having been here. He knows the way completely.’

Hee-na peeked at the map using the ‘Where is My Home’ skill. Kang Jin-hyun was heading in the correct direction toward the boss monster.

It did not take very long to reach the side of the boss monster, that was to say, the giant mushroom.

Even at Hee-na’s quick pace, it took only thirty minutes. The weather was cool, and except for the floor being slightly damp, the terrain was flat, making it easy to walk.

“Wow… Anyone can tell this mushroom is the boss.”

Hee-na looked up at the huge mushroom. It was incredibly large. Its circumference alone was big enough to require three fully grown men to embrace it tightly.

‘Can this mushroom be eaten?’

Just as she was looking around the giant mushroom out of idle curiosity:

“Come sit here.”

Before she knew it, Kang Jin-hyun had made a spot next to the mushroom and gestured to her. He did not forget to sprinkle phantom mana stone powder in a circle around the spot. Even though he said this dungeon was not very dangerous, he did everything he was supposed to.

‘Safety first, in everything.’

Hee-na nodded at Kang Jin-hyun’s actions and stepped inside the circle. There were items she had not seen before, like blankets, a sleeping bag, and a water bottle. He had probably taken them out of his inventory.

‘What is in my inventory…?’

Hee-na brought up her inventory window. Except for the A-class mold exterminator, there was nothing. It was truly empty.

‘Should I also put some things in my inventory in case of emergency? To think I fell into a dungeon three times in three months.’

Hee-na flopped down beside Kang Jin-hyun and grumbled inwardly.

‘But the fortunate thing is that I’m with Hunter Kang Jin-hyun this time as well.’

Although he had shown a puppy-like behavior of wanting to pick up and eat food dropped on the floor, Kang Jin-hyun was undeniably an S-class hunter. There was no companion more reliable than him in this world.

In addition, he took care of Hee-na quite meticulously. He had found a stone from somewhere to make a seat, wrapped a blanket around her, and even provided food.

“You might be hungry, so I will give you this.”

He handed her a palm-sized biscuit, a handful of beef jerky, and a bottle of water.

“Thank you, Hunter.”

Hee-na gratefully accepted his kindness.

There were more than twelve hours left until the sun set and rose again. That meant there was just as much time left for Hee-na and Kang Jin-hyun to spend alone together.

‘Still, it’s a bit better than before.’

Perhaps because they had a history of eating lunch together? It was much less awkward this time than the last.

If they had nothing to say, they could talk about what lunch box menu to pack next time.

Although Kang Jin-hyun said he liked any food touched by Hee-na’s hands, Hee-na did not miss how his eyes sparkled at certain menus.

‘He likes chicken dishes. Next time, I should bring sweet and sour chicken.’

The conversation continued in whispers like that, and then a brief silence fell.

“…”

It was not awkward; it was comfortable. Hee-na picked up a piece of beef jerky and was chewing on it.

After staring at Hee-na for a long time, Kang Jin-hyun spoke cautiously.

“Hee-na.”

“Yes, Hunter. What is it?”

“You do not have to call me by such a formal title.”

Hee-na tilted her head at the sudden remark.

“Excuse me?”

“That title, ‘Hunter Kang Jin-hyun.’ I would like it if you called me a bit more comfortably.”

“How?”

‘He probably doesn’t mean for me to call him “hey”.’

Hee-na thought as she chewed the beef jerky blankly.

“‘Hunter’ is burdensome. Please call me Kang Jin-hyun or Jin-hyun.”

It was something she had never even imagined, so Hee-na almost spat out the beef jerky she was eating.

“What?”

‘Jin-hyun’! Such an embarrassing title!

Although attaching ‘-ssi’ was a title frequently used in society, the word attached to Kang Jin-hyun’s name felt a bit more special.

Was it because she usually heard the expression “Hunter Kang Jin-hyun” more often?

“It was somewhat uncomfortable that only you, Hee-na, unilaterally used extreme honorifics.”

Kang Jin-hyun’s words to call him comfortably since they met often also made sense. However, having a conversation on this topic while they were alone was somehow embarrassing.

‘Does it feel a bit more personal, so to speak?’

Hee-na hesitated to answer.

“But…”

“Please. I would be grateful if you could treat me a little more comfortably.”

Kang Jin-hyun politely requested Hee-na.

In this situation, insisting, “No, I will call you Hunter Kang Jin-hyun until the end!” would also be a mean thing to do.

Hee-na ultimately had no choice but to nod at Kang Jin-hyun’s request.

“…I understand. Instead, I will call you Hunter Kang Jin-hyun in public places.”

“Why is that?”

“It stands out too much. I call all the other Hunters ‘Hunter So-and-so.’ But if I call… call… Kang Jin-hyun differently, everyone will pay attention, won’t they?”

“If that is what you think, Hee-na, it cannot be helped. Understood.”

Kang Jin-hyun did not persist any further and backed down readily.

In any case, he seemed satisfied to hear “Kang Jin-hyun” instead of “Hunter Kang Jin-hyun” from Hee-na’s mouth.

Hee-na felt somewhat sympathetic and asked.

“Do you like the food I make that much?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You allowed me a closer title. Isn’t it because my food is delicious?”

Although it might sound self-absorbed, that was the only reason an S-class hunter would want to get close to a C-class Homemaker.

“That is…”

Kang Jin-hyun seemed to contemplate for a moment, then slowly spoke.

“Perhaps it could be seen that way. However, it is not simply because ‘the food is delicious.'”

With that, Kang Jin-hyun started his story.

“Since awakening as an S-class, I have not spent a single moment in comfort. It is because of my sensitive five senses. All kinds of stimuli from my surroundings are amplified and enter one by one. It is too noisy to rest, and my sense of taste is too sensitive to enjoy food.”

“Are all S-class awakened people that sensitive?”

Hee-na recalled Appraiser Choi Sang-hoon, who had previously caused a ruckus trying to tear apart a bed in the general lounge. He was also an S-class.

But he had a fiery yet easygoing personality. He did not seem as sensitive as Kang Jin-hyun.

“…Well. I do seem to be exceptionally sensitive.”

Kang Jin-hyun shook his head as he answered. A deep, unresolved fatigue was visible in the shake of his head.

“It must be hard for you.”

“Since I obtained that much power, I consider it an unavoidable part. At any rate, eating your food, Hee-na, brings a moment of peace. Because I can immerse myself in memories, recalling the tastes I experienced in the past.”

Hee-na felt sorry for him at that answer.

‘Having a high rank and being strong wasn’t unconditionally good. He can’t even eat properly or sleep properly.’

To Hee-na, who valued food, clothing, and shelter above all else, it was a life no different from a disaster.

Then, it suddenly occurred to Hee-na that she might be able to relieve Kang Jin-hyun’s fatigue even a little bit.

“Hunter Kang Jin-hyun, no… Kang Jin-hyun. Have you ever rested in the Hunter lounge?”

“It is noisy and loud, so I rarely go.”

“Have you never used the bed there?”

“Never.”

That meant he had not experienced Hee-na’s skill.

As soon as she heard that, she stood right up and headed toward the sleeping bag Kang Jin-hyun had spread out. It was a familiar sleeping bag.

Last time, she had used the ‘Cozy Bed’ skill on this sleeping bag to raise the recovery speed to 100%.

In addition, Hee-na already had a track record of putting Choi Sang-hoon, an S-class appraiser, to sleep.

‘Maybe I can put even an S-class hunter to sleep with my skill?’

Hee-na cast the ‘Cozy Bed’ skill on the sleeping bag with all her heart. She moved her hands while especially filling them with pity for Kang Jin-hyun.

‘I hope Hunter Kang Jin-hyun can rest comfortably for even a short while!’

The system window chimed to announce the casting of the skill. The skill also seemed to have taken much better than usual. She looked back with a proud expression.

“Would you like to close your eyes for a bit?”

“Excuse me?”

“I spread the sleeping bag using my skill.”

Hee-na briefly explained about the ‘Cozy Touch’.

Although they said she shouldn’t talk about her skills carelessly, almost everyone in the guild knew about this skill.

It didn’t seem like adding one more person, Kang Jin-hyun, would make any difference.

“A skill that creates a safe and comfortable place to sleep… It is unique.”

Kang Jin-hyun looked down at his A-class sleeping bag with curious eyes. However, he did not seem to have much intention of lying down.

Hee-na persuaded him.

“There is still plenty of time until dawn. Didn’t you say this is a safe place as long as we stay quiet? It is even safer because you sprinkled phantom mana stone powder over there. Besides, if you’re really anxious, I can just wake you up, Kang Jin-hyun.”

Hee-na wanted to gift this person a sweet rest for even a moment. It was a kindness stemming from pure human goodwill.

‘Even if my skill doesn’t work completely, it will still be more comfortable than other sleeping bags.’

Actually, she did not think she could put Kang Jin-hyun, who ranked at the top of all stats, to sleep with a mere C-class skill.

“Then, I will try lying down for a moment.”

Kang Jin-hyun seemed to think so too.

Saying that he probably couldn’t lie down for long because the sleeping bag was stuffy, he crawled inside.

The Homemaker of the Dungeon