The moment I exited the Tower, words surfaced.
"Wait, don't go in yet. They say the 1st Floor has been updated!"
"A Hidden Stage? There was such a thing?"
It hadn't appeared only to me—I could see the surrounding Hunters panicking.
Some Hunters couldn't contain their curiosity and went in immediately.
I, too, wanted to drag my exhausted body inside and check right away.
But I couldn't do that.
Unfortunately, once you left the Tower, re-entry was impossible until the day changed.
Even if I had spent a full day inside.
*They'll probably post what the advance party found out on the internet soon enough.*
On the way home.
We could sit comfortably, but the direction toward Jamsil was packed with people.
Most were holding smartphones; they seemed to be influencers trying to get views.
SNS was already going crazy.
[It's done. X-done! They say the Tower's 1st Floor has changed.]
Inside the subway, the non-Awakened muttered as they read them.
"If it's a Hidden Stage, there must have been an incredible treasure hidden, right?"
It wasn't hidden. They had been wearing it on their finger.
"I wonder what the difficulty was like. They probably caught thousands of goblins."
Come on, catching 100,000 goblins was the basic entrance exam, and I even cut down a whole hundred trees.
"I wonder which country they're from. If it's our country, national pride would be skyrocketing."
"We'll have no way of knowing. Towers all over the world are connected, so entry-exit records are useless."
For Hunters climbing the Tower, nationality didn't matter.
Because no matter which Tower you climbed, you arrived at the same place.
"Could it be that guy who does internet broadcasts? What was it, TowerMan?"
"The guy who clears the Tower? I heard he died trying to clear the 16th Floor."
"No wonder his videos haven't been coming up lately. Tch."
"It could be Yuseolhwa, Korea's Rank 1."
"Why would Yuseolhwa go to the 1st Floor? Anyone can see some freshly Awakened Hunter just stumbled into it."
For some reason, watching people speculate wildly about my identity was fun.
It felt kind of like becoming a masked hero.
As I was chuckling to myself, Rachel, who was sitting beside me, tilted her head.
"Orabeoni, is something the matter?"
"It's nothing."
How could I tell her I was laughing while eavesdropping on people's conversations?
I avoided her gaze and brushed it off.
It was suspicious enough, but Rachel didn't seem to care and rested her head on my shoulder.
"When Orabeoni smiles, I feel happy too."
"Oh, stop it."
The rattling car.
An lavender scent drifted from Rachel's unwashed body.
Meanwhile, my body reeked only of sweat.
Was that why?
Many people got on at the transfer station,
but no one sat near me.
They even gathered as best they could in front of Rachel, as if reluctant to stand in front of me.
I quietly asked Rachel,
"Do I smell a lot?"
"Huh? To me, Orabeoni smells only of good things!"
I shouldn't have asked.
This girl would say it smelled good even if I took a dump.
*Well, we're getting off at the next station, so it should be fine.*
The five D-grade mana stones in my bag.
If I sold them at the exchange center in every station, I could raise enough money to buy clothes.
"Rachel, we're getting off at the next station, so get ready."
"Yes!"
As I was preparing to get off with those thoughts, I felt people's gazes.
At first, I thought it was the usual seat-hunting, but looking closely, it wasn't.
Most of them were directed at Rachel.
The only one giving me a look was a tall, model-like man.
Wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses, he looked incredibly handsome even to me, another man.
"Excuse me…"
He cautiously spoke up.
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
"…Huh?"
*Is he gay, by any chance?*
At the shocking remark, I ended up passing our stop.
People around us were muttering too, but the man remained steadfast.
"I asked if you have a girlfriend."
I shook my head.
Then the man's expression brightened.
"Then the person next to you is…?"
"Ah, her. She's just a younger friend I know."
For no reason, saying she was my summoned familiar seemed like it would become troublesome.
I felt like all sorts of unnecessary things would cling to us.
I'd heard there were actually many people who paid Summoners extra for that kind of favor.
So when I hid her identity, the man's expression brightened even more.
"Then, could I perhaps ask for the number of the person next to you?"
As if that had been his goal from the start, the man took out his phone.
"Huh?"
"Ah, I'm absolutely not a suspicious person."
The man took off his sunglasses.
People buzzed upon seeing him.
So did I.
"Aren't you Park Sihyeok of TS Boys?"
"Yes, that's right."
TS Boys.
Not Transgender Boys, but Top Scale Boys.
It had already been seven years since their debut, and their popularity was literally top.
Park Sihyeok was the leader of that successful group and had even ranked within the Top 10 of the world's most handsome men.
Why was someone like that riding the subway?
"It's my hobby to disguise myself and wander around like this sometimes. If I walk around boldly, people don't recognize me well."
"Ah, I see. But what are you going to do making a public confession like this?"
"I haven't confessed yet, though."
"Asking for her number is a confession, isn't it?"
Park Sihyeok shook his head.
"This is how you confess."
Saying that, he trudged over and stood before Rachel.
And he knelt on one knee and said,
"I've only just seen you for the first time, but I felt it was destiny. It's truly the first time. I feel like I'd regret it if I let you go, so would you perhaps go out with me?"
Coming from that handsome face, it sounded like a drama line.
The man who'd hidden his identity on the subway was actually a top idol.
And he was making a public confession to someone he just met.
Anyone could see that SNS would go crazy tomorrow.
It felt like it'd be less impactful if he were gay.
Female fanbases hate opposite-sex relationships more than same-sex ones, after all.
Or maybe not.
…Anyway, the subway interior was engulfed in silence at Park Sihyeok's public confession.
A few people could actually be seen filming with cameras.
Whether they'd had similar intentions from the start, or because they hated receiving attention,
the men standing in front of Rachel hurriedly ran away.
"Wow, at first I thought Park Sihyeok was definitely too good. But now that I see her, the girl is insane too."
"No wonder they say love at first sight. If she's at that level, you can't help but acknowledge it."
"Farewell, Park Sihyeok. I loved you."
Passengers exclaimed at the beautiful features of the one being confessed to.
I turned my head and looked at Rachel.
"No. I'm spending an intimate time with Orabeoni right now, so please go away."
She'd been wearing a faint smile until just now, but now she was cold as ice.
So she could make that kind of expression too.
I didn't know because she always giggled when she was with me.
"Th-then, if I don't suit your taste, couldn't we at least exchange numbers?"
"I said no."
"Please, I'm begging you. If my profession is the problem, I'll retire right now. If you ask me to stay by your side, I will. If you need money, whatever amount…."
It was a pitifully pleading Park Sihyeok.
But Rachel wouldn't even give him a glance now.
For such a handsome man to cling like that…
I truly felt Rachel's beauty anew.
She was pretty, that was for sure.
["This station is…"]
Just then, the subway doors opened.
If we missed getting off here, we'd have to waste even more time.
Well, she's not a child. She'll follow on her own.
As I was about to leave her behind, she seemed to notice and linked her arm with mine.
"Orabeoni, let's go."
Rachel pressed her body tightly against mine as if showing off.
Park Sihyeok's expression stiffened.
Had his pride been hurt?
"Did you reject my confession because of that man who looks half-dead?"
"……."
"You truly have a filthy eye for men. That's probably your only flaw."
Suddenly he was slandering someone, and that someone was me.
But since it was a fact, it didn't hurt.
I was just going to ignore him and get off, but Rachel stopped right there.
"Rachel, what are you doing."
"Orabeoni, just a moment."
A kind voice directed at me.
After that, Rachel hardened her expression and turned around.
Had someone turned on the air conditioner?
Suddenly, a chill was felt from somewhere.
A voice even colder than that echoed through the car.
"Know your place. If Orabeoni weren't here, your tongue would have been cut off."
"…… Hic."
"Let's go, Orabeoni."
Warmth like sunlight spread through our clasped hands again.
Trickle—
Ignoring the sound of water coming from somewhere, we headed outside.
***
I returned home and checked today's harvest.
First, I bought some simple equipment with the 5 million won obtained from selling the D-grade mana stones.
After all, a situation might arise where I have to use my own strength like when I chopped wood last time.
I took off the hand axe and armor bought from the equipment shop.
I'd spent almost all my money buying these, but thinking of them as an investment, I didn't regret it at all.
With the little money left, I bought chicken and beer.
"This is sex!"
I tore into a drumstick and chugged beer.
"Wow, it's so delicious."
Of course, Rachel was with me too.
We'd worked hard, so this much reward was necessary.
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
We clinked glasses and downed our beer as I thought.
There had been an unpleasant incident in the middle, but it was quite a good day.
I'd cleared the 1st Floor, and I'd cleared the Hidden Stage.
I'd earned money, and the cooldown of my Late Bloomer-type had been reduced by 500 years.
What else was there?
"Ah, right."
I'd forgotten.
I turned on the TV and switched to the news.
Information about the changed 1st Floor was airing just in time.
["Here is the scenery of the changed 1st Floor obtained by our reporting team. A village was situated where the goblin colony originally existed."]
The camera panned across the village.
Villagers moving through the streets, merchants selling goods, and craftsmen making things appeared in succession.
Behind them, wooden houses lined up like scenery, and firewood was stacked at every house.
Among them, one statue caught our attention.
"Ooh…?"
"Orabeoni, could that be…"
The statue depicted a man holding an axe and a woman holding a sword.
Below it were the words, "In remembrance of the village's heroes."
Why on earth did they make something like that?
It was so overwhelming.
"It's totally Orabeoni and me stuck together all friendly!"
"No, isn't this a portrait rights violation?"
Of course, it wasn't to the point where you could recognize our faces,
but somehow, I felt like an awkward situation would arise if I entered the 1st Floor.
[Isn't the outfit the statue is wearing a soccer uniform? Does Man U exist in that world?]
[Plus the guy's clothes are Uniqlo. Saw it while holding my mom's hand.]
[Could those two be the ones who cleared the Hidden Stage?]
As expected, the community was speculating about the identities of the figures in the statue.
Judging by the village being full of people, it seemed to have changed from a personal mission to a group mission.
If I entered in the current situation, it was obvious I'd draw aggro.
It couldn't be helped.
I'd have to lie low for a while.
*I'm getting sleepy. Time to sleep.*
I'd had beer, and hadn't slept properly for two days, so I went to bed early.
The next day arrived like that.
The moment I opened my eyes, I habitually checked my phone.
"Huh, why are there so many messages?"
- Hey, it's me. Is that not AI but real?
- Did you install a hypnosis app?
Not just friends, but even people I didn't usually contact sent messages.
Even Jang Seongmin, whom I'd cut ties with last time, messaged asking if an introduction was possible.
Hundreds of texts and calls had piled up like that.
What on earth happened while I was sleeping?