Chapter 72 – Preparing for the Walk

‘Jin-hyun-ssi’s robe!’

There was a robe that hid the wearer’s presence. It was what Kang Jin-hyun had put on Hee-na when she fell into the dungeon where her brother Hee-won was doing labor.

That very clothing, whose sleeves and hem Kang Jin-hyun had torn off to fit Hee-na’s limb length.

If she wore that robe, she might be able to go on a dungeon walk.

Come to think of it, there was also the A-grade Bracelet of Protection she received as a reward for the housewarming quest yesterday.

‘Even if I get caught, I can avoid an attack at least once and escape.’

If she walked Badugi without straying too far from the safe zone of ‘Home Sweet Home’, she would be able to buy enough time to run away.

Perhaps her serious expression looked unusual, as Hee-won asked in deep worry.

“You’re not seriously thinking of going out, are you?”

“I’ve thought about it, and if I play it right, I think I can walk Badugi relatively safely.”

Hee-na explained her plan to her brother.

“‘Home Sweet Home’ safety zone is where we can walk carefully. Jin-hyun-ssi has a robe item that hides one’s presence. If I borrow that to wear and put on the A-grade Bracelet of Protection I got yesterday, I can carry out the quest with relatively less danger.”

“Hey, no matter what! How can you do such a dangerous thing? Your Strength, Stamina, and Agility stats are barely comparable to an F-class.”

“I’ll try it just once and decide. I can’t just back down simply because I’m scared when there is a possibility.”

Hee-won tried to dissuade his sister with a solemn expression several times, but he could not stop Hee-na’s resolve to protect Osaek-i.

* * *

Hee-na’s first task was to search every corner of the house to find the pieces of cloth that Kang Jin-hyun had torn off in the past.

“Here it is!”

It was extremely fortunate that she had stored them deep in a drawer, thinking they were pieces of an expensive item.

Next, she picked up her cell phone and contacted Kang Jin-hyun.

[Jin-hyun-ssi, do remember the gray robe you dressed me in before? You said it was an item that dims one’s presence…]

While she was staring anxiously at the screen, a reply arrived quickly.

[Hunter Kang Jin-hyun: Are you talking about the Robe of Stealth? I remember. Didn’t you stop me when I tried to wear it to the mart last time, Hee-na-ssi?]

The name of that robe must have been ‘Robe of Stealth’. Sensing it was the right moment, she was tapping the phone screen to draft a reply that sounded like an excuse.

[Hunter Kang Jin-hyun: Do you need it? I can give it to you.]

“Gasp.”

Hee-na gasped, her mouth wide open. Because Kang Jin-hyun had given the answer she wanted as if he had read her mind.

[Hunter Kang Jin-hyun: Do you need it right away? If you are at home, I can bring it to you now.]

Thanks to that, there was no need to bring up the plausible excuse Hee-na had wracked her brain to come up with.

‘I was going to gloss it over by saying I would repair the parts Jin-hyun-ssi tore off before.’

But since he offered to lend her the robe without asking any questions, it was a very welcome event for Hee-na.

Hee-na replied quickly, lest Kang Jin-hyun change his mind or ask for the reason.

[I would be very grateful if you could lend it to me. I’m at home now. I’ll go out as soon as you arrive.]

Humility was a luxury to someone facing a dungeon walk quest right away.

Before long, a reply came back.

[Hunter Kang Jin-hyun: Yes. I will go to your house now, Hee-na-ssi.]

“Yahoo!”

Hee-na pumped her fist and cheered quietly. The situation was resolved much more easily than expected.

While she was overjoyed, at the same time, her cell phone began to vibrate, buzz, buzz.

This vibrated in synchronization with the smart doorbell attached to the front door. In other words, it meant that Kang Jin-hyun was now ringing the bell in front of Hee-na’s house.

“Gasp, that was incredibly fast!”

Hee-na hurriedly opened the door of ‘Home Sweet Home’ and moved to the apartment. Then, she opened the front door, pretending nothing was out of the ordinary.

“Hello, Jin-hyun-ssi. You came quickly.”

When she peeked out with a bright smile, she saw his handsome face.

“Hee-na-ssi, are you having a good weekend?”

“Of course. What about you, Jin-hyun-ssi?”

“Thanks to meeting you, Hee-na-ssi.”

He slipped embarrassing remarks with an indifferent face again. It was a greeting that felt very friendly.

Hee-na, unfamiliar with this kind of greeting, blushed and only bowed her head. She was embarrassed.

“Here, this is the Robe of Stealth.”

While Hee-na was embarrassed, Kang Jin-hyun pulled out a bundle of cloth from his inventory and handed it over.

It was a well-folded robe. Or, to describe it more accurately, it was a piece of rag that looked like a robe.

At this, Hee-na’s eyes, which had been slightly dazed, sparkled again.

‘Robe of Stealth!’

“Thank you!”

Hee-na grabbed the robe. Kang Jin-hyun added, watching Hee-na, who was overjoyed.

“You may keep it for as long as you want.”

“I’ll use it and return it as quickly as possible!”

“It is fine. You can keep it for a year, no, ten years. If you need it, I can just give it to you.”

Kang Jin-hyun overreacted again. Since it was a response she had somewhat expected, Hee-na smiled broadly.

“There is no need to give it to me. I’m grateful just for the thought. I can’t tell you how glad I was that you willingly lent it to me without saying much.”

At Hee-na’s smile, Kang Jin-hyun hesitated for a moment and then cast his eyes down as he answered.

“……It is you, Hee-na-ssi, so what is there that I couldn’t do for you.”

For a split second, she felt that he was also being shy for some reason.

“Jin-hyun-ssi, the house happens to be empty right now, would you like to have a cup of coffee before you go?”

Hee-na unconsciously opened the front door and suggested a coffee time to Kang Jin-hyun. As soon as she did, his expression brightened.

“May I?”

“Of course.”

Contrary to his appearance, which looked like he would only drink black coffee, he liked the sweet instant mix coffee Hee-na made.

“If it wouldn’t be a bother…”

“Please come in. Neighbors can certainly share some coffee.”

Hee-na gladly let Kang Jin-hyun inside the house.

* * *

After a brief tea time, Hee-na saw Kang Jin-hyun off. Then, while clearing the table, she discovered an unfamiliar object.

“Huh?”

Something was sitting neatly where Kang Jin-hyun had been sitting. Looking closely, it was a transparent glass jar about the size of two fists put together.

Inside the glass jar, it was filled with sparkling gemstone fragments. Their colors and sizes were all different, so the light reflection changed depending on the angle, making them very beautiful.

“This is…”

Hee-na was startled as she opened the lid of the glass jar to inspect the gems. These were not mere gemstones. They were mana stone fragments.

Even if they were small, the quantity was massive. If she sold all the mana stones in this jar, it would be enough to easily earn hundreds of millions of won.

Just as she was wondering why this was left here, Hee-na’s cell phone screen flashed.

[Hunter Kang Jin-hyun: Thank you for the delicious coffee. It is a small gesture, but please consider it as payment for the coffee.]

“Ack!”

Hee-na shrieked in surprise at Kang Jin-hyun’s immense scale.

‘Payment for coffee!’

The amount was too huge to be the price of a single cup of instant mix coffee worth only a few hundred won!

Moreover, the person who should be expressing gratitude was not Kang Jin-hyun, who had received a cup of coffee, but Hee-na, who had borrowed an expensive item. Her conscience stung severely.

[This kind of thing is really unnecessary! I’ll return it to you when I see you tomorrow ㅠㅠ]

[Hunter Kang Jin-hyun: It is fine. I have a hobby of collecting small mana stone fragments, and this is just a portion of them. They only look good and their grade is not very high, though. I prepared it because I thought it would be nice to decorate your new home, Hee-na-ssi. If it bothers you, you can think of it as weekend overtime pay.]

[But…]

[Hunter Kang Jin-hyun: It is an expression of my sincerity. I absolutely do not want to receive it back.]

Since he was speaking so firmly, she could not say anything more.

After sending a message to Kang Jin-hyun thanking him for the gift, Hee-na held the glass jar containing the mana stone fragments up to the fluorescent light and turned it this way and that.

The mana stone fragments inside the glass jar sparkled like stars.

‘So pretty…’

It was unexpected that Kang Jin-hyun, who seemed endlessly blunt, had a hobby of collecting pretty mana stone fragments.

Even without considering the actual value of the mana stones, it was a very grateful gift. Since he had shared his own collection with Hee-na.

Only after carefully putting away the gift from Kang Jin-hyun in her room could Hee-na unfold and examine the Robe of Stealth.

She saw the item description, which she had not been able to check before.