Heartland
Originally, we had planned to hold our after-party on the Sunday of the week midterms ended.
But we had to consider Yeon Haneul’s health, and after being questioned about Do Seungwoo’s cheating incident, we had no choice but to push the schedule back.
‘It’s fine. This was how the game flowed too, so we haven’t deviated from the story.’
And so, only after a week had passed did we come to Heartland, located in District 24 of Academy City, to blow off all the fatigue we’d accumulated.
Heartland, the largest theme park and the representative attraction of Academy City, boasted a grand majesty from the very entrance, worthy of its name.
The atmosphere was incredibly impressive, as if it could stir the dreams and hopes of children and awaken nostalgia in adults who had lost their innocence to the passage of time.
“Guys! There’s a fountain over there too! Let’s take a picture in front of it! They say it’s a must if you come here!”
“Waaah! It’s a huge heart! What’s that made of?”
“It’s even more amazing than in the pictures. So that’s Heartland….”
Go Eunbi drew everyone’s attention as she pointed to the fountain with the giant heart-shaped statue.
Nam Yuri had been excited ever since we left the dormitory, her violet eyes sparkling.
Kang Hanbyeol gazed at Heartland’s main entrance in pure admiration.
The reactions of the other friends weren’t much different.
Yeon Haneul and I, taking in the vast scenery, shared our impressions as well.
“We’ll know more once we go inside, but don’t you think it was a good idea to come? What do you think? You’ve wanted to come here for a while.”
“…Yeah. I think it’s bigger than the place I went to with your family when we were little. But you remembered? I think I only mentioned it in passing….”
“I remember everything you say.”
“….”
It wasn’t even difficult.
There was no need to try to remember; it just naturally lodged itself in my head.
I puffed out my chest as if showing off.
Yeon Haneul, who had been blinking up at me blankly, soon smiled with her eyes.
“Thank you, really.”
“No, it’s nothing…. It’s only natural.”
Was this really something she needed to thank me for?
Feeling awkward for no reason, I quietly avoided Yeon Haneul’s gaze.
Then the people who had come to Heartland like us entered my view.
‘There are a lot of them.’
Each academy had a different academic schedule, but last week and this week generally fell within midterm season.
Maybe that was why I could easily find people around us who looked like students, seemingly here to refresh themselves after finishing their exams.
Most of them were even wearing uniforms.
“It’s going to be really crowded inside….”
“Yeah.”
Yeon Haneul seemed to feel something too as she looked at the thronging crowd.
Wary of strangers and not fond of crowded places, her rabbit ears folded down.
I spoke to her, who already looked visibly tired.
“You might get swept away by the crowd, so if it gets hard, grab my arm. Or my hand. From what I hear, it’s easy to get lost inside.”
“…Okay! Then I’ll be in your care later. I’ll have to hold on tight so I don’t get separated from you.”
“Yeah, stay close by my side.”
Yeon Haneul let out a small laugh.
I laughed along with her and watched the people lining up to enter Heartland.
It seemed like it would take quite some time just to get our tickets checked and go in.
Just then, Go Eunbi and Nam Yuri, who had run over to the fountain, called us.
“You two! Don’t just stand there, hurry up and come here! I said let’s take a picture! It’s almost our turn! Hurry!”
“That’s right, that’s right! We’re taking one all together, so what are we supposed to do if Gyeonwoo-Gyeonwoo and Haneul-Haneul aren’t here!? Hurry up!”
“…They’re waiting for us. We should go.”
“Yeah, I feel bad for making them wait…. Let’s hurry.”
People had formed a line to take pictures in front of the fountain to commemorate their visit to Heartland.
Seeing that our friends’ turn was almost up, Yeon Haneul and I immediately started walking.
I had a feeling we were going to get an earful.
By the way….
‘When did Eunbi and Yuri get that close?’
I hadn’t noticed because I’d been focused on nursing Yeon Haneul lately.
Go Eunbi and Nam Yuri had been hanging out together much more often these days.
Had something changed in their relationship during midterms?
In any case, it was a good thing for me.
‘Yuri’s personality is so difficult that she had a tendency to drift on the outside, so this worked out.’
As expected of Go Eunbi, who had a personality that let her get along with just about anyone.
She was practically a lubricant for human relationships.
It seemed I could leave the role of managing Nam Yuri to her from now on.
After silently thanking her, I took a group photo with my friends.
go_eunbi
(Photo)
Gyeonwoo! Hanbyeol! Why!! Can’t you keep your eyes open!!!
#Daily #MidtermAfterParty #ExamsIDontCare! #ThisLifeIsRuined #ButApparentlyHaneulIsTopOfTheClass #InFrontOfHeartlandsFountain #GeumgangAcademyUniforms #We’reGettingOurMoney’sWorthToday~ #Let’sGoToHeartland! #PremiumPassForEveryone #TearfulFlex
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Liked by min_arin, yuriyuri, and 32 others.
yuriyuri: Right, right! Why can’t you keep your eyes open!!
strongstar145: Why are my eyes closed? LOL
gyeonwoo_do: There are pictures where we came out fine, so why;; Why don’t you upload a different one?
└light_sky: I came out fine though haha
haerang108: Satisfied!
risa145: Everyone came out very pretty :)
udong01: Do Gyeonwoo LOL
└gyeonwoo_do: Hahaha 🖕🖕🖕
└udong01: Gyeonwoo! I love you!! Loyalty!
└udong02: Love you! Loyalty!
└udong03: May our friendship last forever! Loyalty!
udong02: You should’ve strained your eyes open like us!
udong03: We had our eyes open!!
min_arin: @light_sky
└light_sky: Huh???? Why????
└min_arin: I heard you bombed the exam this time -_-;
└light_sky: Sorry haha That’s what happened
└min_arin: Freaking hell
doctor_gun: My eyes don’t show well because of my glasses, but I guess that helps at times like this lol
eunsol_cha: Yeah
└go_eunbi: Eunsol! What kind of half-hearted comment is that? Say something properly!
└eunsol_cha: Too much trouble...
noeul_teacher: What are you kids doing on HelloBy instead of playing at Heartland?
yena_hong: Have fun. That way, you can study to death starting tomorrow ^^
* * *
At Heartland, if you enter while wearing a school uniform, you can buy an admission ticket at a 50% discount from the regular price.
This was a benefit that not only students but even people past the age of wearing uniforms could easily enjoy by using the school uniform rental shops near the entrance.
That was why we had come wearing our uniforms.
“Welcome to Heartland, overflowing with love and friendship! Dreams and hope!”
“….”
When we showed our tickets at the ticket gate and entered, a male employee in a frilly dress greeted us.
The sight of the male employee dancing in a sparkly, cheerful way, staying faithful to the concept, was truly pitiful beyond words.
“It really is overflowing with dreams and hope.”
“…Are you serious?”
“Seeing how he isn’t embarrassed, he must take pride in his work. That man is the true man among men!”
“Could you not spout actual nonsense? That’s just destroying children’s innocence, you know?”
Sometimes, I really couldn’t understand Yong Haerang’s sensibilities.
Min Arin and I clicked our tongues and rubbed our eyes clean.
The others seemed to feel much the same as we did, letting out bitter smiles.
Then Yeon Haneul came closer to me.
“Gyeonwoo.”
“What?”
“There are too many people….”
“Ah, you’re right. Hold on to me.”
“Okay!”
Sure enough, just as Yeon Haneul had predicted, the inside of Heartland was packed with people.
The grounds were already large to begin with, and with crowds bustling everywhere on top of that, it seemed we would have to be careful not to get separated from our friends.
I took Yeon Haneul’s hand.
Her hand was small enough to fit in one of mine, and soft.
Just then, her rabbit ears perked up.
“Hm?”
“What’s wrong?”
“…No, nothing. Holding hands is better than holding your arm.”
“Right. Hold on tight all day. You’re already not in great condition, so if you get separated from me….”
“How long are you going to keep saying that? I told you I’m fine now.”
Yeon Haneul twitched her rabbit ears and puffed out her cheeks as if protesting.
I chuckled at her reaction and gently pulled her by the hand.
Taking her along as she obediently followed, I moved toward the map that displayed our current location.
Go Eunbi, who had arrived first, was examining the map with a serious face.
“Let’s see….”
“What shall we ride first?”
“I had nothing to do during exam period, so I looked up the best route and what to ride first. Wait a second….”
“…So there was a reason you failed your exam.”
I completely agreed with Lisa’s words as well.
But Go Eunbi pretended not to hear and suddenly pointed in one direction.
“Guys! Let’s go this way! They say it’s efficient to go this way!”
“What’s over there?”
“Out-of-Body Express!”
“Waaah! Just hearing the name makes it sound super fun!”
…What kind of name was that?
It was a name that gave me an instinctive sense of rejection just from hearing it.
And yet, aside from Nam Yuri, quite a few people responded positively.
“This is my first time at a theme park, but it sounds like it’ll be thrilling. I wonder what it’s like!”
“The Out-of-Body Express actually has a surprisingly long history. Since Heartland opened, it’s been renovated several times….”
“A roller coaster, huh? I’ll be able to train my mind harshly there.”
“Yum…. I want jajangmyeon.”
Kang Hanbyeol, who had been unable to keep his gaze fixed from the moment we entered Heartland, busy looking all around.
Bak Sagun, who adjusted his glasses when an opportunity arose to show off his knowledge.
Yong Haerang, who seemed to make no distinction between daily life and training.
Cha Eunsol, who suddenly muttered to herself with an expression that made it impossible to tell what she was thinking.
And finally.
“An out-of-body experience…. Just how fast does it have to be for them to name it that so confidently?”
I never expected Yeon Haneul to show interest too.
Looking at her as she held my hand with one hand and brought the other to her mouth, I clicked my tongue.
‘That’s right. She actually enjoys thrills more than you’d think….’
While Yeon Haneul loathed unexpected thrills, she was surprisingly tolerant of predictable ones.
Not only did she like riding attractions like roller coasters and pirate ships, but she would sometimes even pester me to watch horror movies with her.
I had once asked her the reason because I was curious about that contradictory behavior, and she answered as follows.
—Because with predictable thrills, you can prepare yourself mentally beforehand.
—You can prepare yourself mentally?
—Yeah. I’m going to enjoy the thrill now. I’m ready, you can scare me now. When I go in with that mindset, it’s more fun than scary.
—I don’t really get what it means to enjoy a thrill. No, how can you enjoy danger?
—It’s kind of… kind of exhilarating. And also….
—What else?
—Your reactions whenever you watch horror movies are so funny.
—Yeon. Ha. Neul…. Do you like teasing me? Is it fun?
—Yeah! I love it. It’s so much fun.
Honestly, as someone who didn’t like thrills, it wasn’t an answer I could readily understand.
But since Yeon Haneul was showing interest, it wasn’t as if I could suggest we not ride it.
With an uneasy feeling, I followed Go Eunbi’s lead.
“Ta-da! That’s the Out-of-Body Express! Doesn’t it look super scary?”
“….”
A roller coaster that seemed to use mana as its driving force shot past us with a whoosh.
Amid the exclamations of several people, I couldn’t help but wonder.
‘Why on earth would anyone pay expensive money just to enjoy being scared?’
It was simply regrettable that I couldn’t fully understand Yeon Haneul’s feelings.
In any case, we decided to line up to ride the attraction.
There were many people waiting their turn, but it didn’t take long.
Because Heartland, overflowing with love and friendship, dreams and hope, was operated on thorough capitalism.
[Admission Wait Time]
―Theme Park Pass: 80 minutes
―Premium Pass: 10 minutes
Heartland’s free passes came in two types: the Theme Park Pass and the Premium Pass.
The Theme Park Pass allowed you to use all rides in the facility for free, while the Premium Pass additionally reduced wait times for ride admission by a large margin.
Naturally, the Premium Pass was much more expensive.
But it wasn’t an amount that we, who received generous sponsorship, couldn’t afford.
“Eunbi and Sagun, whose sponsorship amounts are lower than ours, said they saved up their allowance for today…”
Thanks to that, we were able to save the time we would have spent waiting to board.
Following the employee’s guidance, we moved along and sat down on the roller coaster.
Having taken the seat beside Yeon Haneul, I lowered the safety bar and fastened my seat belt.
“I’m excited. Aren’t you?”
“…Yeah.”
“Are you nervous?”
“No, I’m not nervous. I’ve experienced worse than this in actual combat, so why would I…”
“Ah, it’s moving!”
“…”
The roller coaster set off.
As the roller coaster gradually picked up speed, I realized that the academy city was a world distinct from the mainland.
Designed for Hunters, the academy city’s roller coasters were anything but ordinary.
The roller coaster climbed to its highest point, paused for a moment, and then plunged.
Crackle!
My vision flashed past at high speed.
It felt like the flesh of my face was being pushed backward.
The evasive instincts that sensed the feeling of falling rang alarm bells in my head.
Kyaaaaaaah!
Screams whose owners I couldn’t identify rode the wind from all around.
I assumed the most stable posture I could and prayed for this time to end quickly.
After that, once we got off the roller coaster, we printed the photos taken by the camera.
“This… is me?”
“Ah, what is this…”
Me, looking terrified as I clenched my teeth; Yeon Haneul, whose rabbit ears were trembling, and so on…
Every single one of my friends’ faces looked ridiculous.
“Yum yum.”
“She really is…”
“…”
Among them, Cha Eunsol was simply absurd.
In the photo, her hair was shooting upward from the speed of the fall, and she was eating a twisted doughnut while frowning against the wind.
She was truly consistent.
We turned to look at her, who wore an indifferent expression, and were left speechless.
* * *
It had been worth it for Go Eunbi to give up on her test scores and plan out our route.
After that, we were able to experience various rides according to her route.
Bungee Drop, Gyro Spin, Viking, and so on…
Thanks to taking advantage of the Premium Pass, we used our time meaningfully.
The only problem was.
‘Why on earth…’
The rides Go Eunbi chose were, for the most part, biased toward one genre.
“Ah! That was fun! Guys, should we ride the Train to the Underworld next?”
“If it’s as thrilling as what we just rode, I’m in! Eunbi-kkabi!”
“I thought it would be scary at first, but surprisingly, it feels like all my distracting thoughts get wiped away, so it’s nice. At this rate, I might end up getting addicted.”
“Phew… That hit the spot!”
They’re seriously crazy for thrills…
At this rate, even someone with no immunity would end up developing some on their own.
It wasn’t that I disliked enjoying thrills, but I wondered if this wasn’t a bit too much.
I had no idea how much I had screamed.
My voice would probably be hoarse by tomorrow.
I had to drain myself keeping up with my friends’ tastes.
“Hieeeng…”
“Go to someone else, not me.”
Among us, Min Arin, who had weak stamina, was already drifting in and out of it.
As if her stamina had been completely depleted, she clung to Cha Eunsol and trembled in the legs.
Cha Eunsol, who had somehow ended up supporting her, looked annoyed.
Meanwhile, though there were differences depending on the person, all of us were low on stamina just the same.
It was also lunchtime.
“Time’s already gotten this late? Let’s put off riding the Train to the Underworld and go eat first, shall we?”
Even if we were going to play more, we had to fill our stomachs first.
We agreed to Go Eunbi’s suggestion and went to have lunch.
“Haneul, what do you want to eat? You choose first.”
“I’ll… have cream pasta.”
“Then I’ll order pilaf and pizza, so should we share? And have ade too.”
“Yeah, let’s do that. But can you eat all that?”
“It’ll go in once we start eating.”
We found a restaurant where we could see the area around the clock tower through the window, and each of us chose the food we wanted to eat.
Then we chatted until the food we had ordered came out.
‘It should be about time…’
According to the flow of the game.
Around this period, there was one story and one event that occurred in Heartland.
The story involved catching, together with Kwon Boram, a villain who had hidden in Heartland while avoiding pursuit by the Hunters. The event involved resolving an urban legend that appeared in Heartland at a specific time.
What I was waiting for now was the latter.
‘They say events the player can participate in optionally have no effect on the ending… but I can’t miss the fortuitous opportunity I can get here.’
There wasn’t much time left until 1:44.
Turning my gaze out the window, I kept watch over the area around the clock tower.
Just then, Kang Hanbyeol spoke to me.
“Gyeonwoo, is there something outside? You’ve seemed distracted for a while now.”
“I was just looking around.”
“…”
I vaguely brushed it off to my friends, who had become curious after Kang Hanbyeol.
I checked the time remaining on the smartphone I had placed on the table.
‘…35 seconds.’
It seemed like I could bring it up now.
I called out to Kang Hanbyeol, who was still paying attention to me.
Then I redirected his gaze toward the area around the clock tower beyond the window.
“Hanbyeol, doesn’t that person look a little strange?”
“Huh? Who?”
“I mean…”
The time I had been counting in my head passed.
It was time for the event to occur.
I deliberately dragged out my words and combed through the area around the clock tower.
Found him.
“That person.”
“…”
“See that man wearing a hat? The man with his hands in his hoodie.”
A child who looked to be around five or six stood there all alone, as if they had lost their parents.
And a man with his hat pulled low was approaching that child.
I pointed my finger there.
The man said something to the child, looked around, and then suddenly took the child by the hand and began leading them somewhere.
“He definitely… looks suspicious.”
Kang Hanbyeol, who had witnessed the scene with me, narrowed his eyes.
He rose from his seat…
Tap! Whoosh!
“Kyaaaah! Someone fell!”
‘…He’s fast when it comes to action, at least.’
All of a sudden, he threw himself out the window.
Impressed by Kang Hanbyeol’s decisiveness, I couldn’t lose either.
I stepped onto the windowsill after him.
Tap! Whoosh!
“Gyeonwoo!”
“Go ahead and eat first.”
“Someone fell again! S-someone call an ambulance!”
Amid the commotion from above my head.
After landing on the ground, I ran toward the clock tower without looking back.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Middle Boss
(167) [Illustration]
In Heartland, where countless people came every day and released all sorts of emotions, the mana they unconsciously shed was bound to remain behind.
That phenomenon, combined with the academy city’s unique mana environment, often gave rise to various mysteries.
That was why strange rumors surrounding Heartland frequently circulated.
The man and child Kang Hanbyeol and I were currently chasing were also part of one of those unexplained strange rumors.
I recalled what had been mentioned about Heartland in the game.
「Go Eunbi」
—Guys, be careful not to get lost in Heartland. I heard from someone I know that every year, a lot of people go missing and never come back. Even if the grounds are wide, you’d think they could be found if they searched every corner, but apparently there are cases where they still can’t find them. Isn’t that strange? Could there be something in Heartland that we don’t know about?
—And make sure you never go near the clock tower around 1:44. According to rumor, that’s where disappearances frequently happen. It’s not a very credible story, but you never know, so keep it in mind!
In the game, this strange rumor had been revealed to be the doing of a monster that appeared around the clock tower at 1:44.
A monster that concealed its presence to the point that people couldn’t notice it, changed its appearance into that of a human, and lured nearby people away before vanishing.
‘And the people who disappeared like that were said to have ended up being eaten by it.’
Originally, the flow was to infer the existence of the event through Go Eunbi’s dialogue, then talk to the NPCs in the field and approach the source of the strange rumor.
But as someone well-versed in game knowledge, I had no need to wander around Heartland gathering information.
I just had to go resolve the event.
Following Kang Hanbyeol, who was running ahead, I chased the man walking somewhere with the child in tow.
Before long, the man holding the child’s hand turned into a deserted path.
‘It should happen around here.’
Since there were fewer people than before, it became easier to catch up to the man and child.
Just then, Kang Hanbyeol shouted to stop them.
“Wait! Stop!”
“…”
“From the looks of it, you don’t seem to be the parent. Where are you taking that kid?”
The man and child stopped walking.
The two of them turned to look at us with expressionless faces.
Soon, the man with his hat pulled low answered in a stammering tone.
“Th-that is… I was going to look for the child’s parents… and go to the information desk…”
“The desk isn’t in that direction, though.”
“Ah… yes. I-I know that too. Before that, I was going to the restroom…”
“To be honest, I don’t know where the desk is either. I just threw that out there, but you happened to take the bait.”
“…”
“You, be honest. You’re a kidnapper, aren’t you? Hey, kid! Don’t stand there, come over here!”
The man, whose face couldn’t be seen because of his hat, fumbled in panic.
Judging from the circumstances, Kang Hanbyeol guessed his identity and drew the magic sword Lucid, readying himself for battle.
I spoke to him, since he looked like he might rush out and swing his sword at the man at any moment.
“Hanbyeol, it’s not that person.”
“What?”
“The suspicious one isn’t that person. It’s that kid with no color in their face.”
“…”
Having restored the metal plaque into the Dark Blue Sword, I pointed at the child with my finger.
The child, who was tightly holding the man’s hand, stared at me.
Soon, the child who had maintained an expressionless face showed the corners of their mouth, revealing sharp fangs.
Yoou caaught me? Hehehehe!
“…A monster?”
Hooow diiid youuu knooow?
“If you were going to pretend to be a lost child, you should’ve at least pretended to cry. You looked suspicious at a glance.”
The child’s face distorted, then gradually melted down like mud.
From within, a face reminiscent of a flounder appeared, while its body rapidly swelled.
Dark-green fish scales sprouted in droves and covered its body.
Like that, it transformed into a monster that shattered childhood innocence.
“Kang Hanbyeol, are you going to keep standing there in a daze? We have to fight. If you’re not going to fight, then just quietly watch me take that thing down.”
“Ah… sorry. I just never thought that child would be the monster…”
“That’s the kind of thing that catches you off guard. Don’t get fooled next time.”
“Yeah. I learned something.”
Our opponent was a Rank 3 monster that became manageable if one of your physical abilities exceeded 60.
It was no match for Kang Hanbyeol and me.
After snapping Kang Hanbyeol back into focus, I immediately charged at it.
Then Kang Hanbyeol matched my steps and skillfully supported the battle.
* * *
The creature, which had disguised itself as a lost child to draw on people’s sympathy, was a monster that bewitched those who approached.
So the man, whose consciousness had been stolen by it and who had moved according to its intentions, had no choice but to have hazy memories.
“Ugh… Where is this…”
“Are you awake?”
The battle did not take long.
After confirming the monster’s disappearance, I approached the man, who was staggering as if the shock of being brainwashed had yet to wear off.
The man, who had placed a hand on the wall to keep from collapsing, rubbed around his eyes and did not forget to thank us.
“I don’t remember very well, but… you students saved me, didn’t you? Thank you. I’m alive thanks to you.”
“Are you feeling all right? If your symptoms don’t seem to improve, please visit the medical office.”
“Yes, I understand. Thank you… Then I’ll be going…”
Aside from a headache, the man didn’t seem to feel any other symptoms.
We saw off the man, who bowed to us repeatedly as he left.
Then we examined the spoils we had obtained from the monster.
“We’ll know once we get a proper appraisal, but shouldn’t a mana stone this size be worth quite a bit?”
“It should be enough to buy meat for the kids. Let’s just sell the mana stone through the Academy for convenience, even if the fee is a bit higher. Going all the way to the Association is a hassle.”
“I didn’t help much, so I’ll go along with whatever you want. But what is this? Could it be an artifact?”
Kang Hanbyeol lifted a pouch with a string attached.
It was the object the child had been wearing around its neck before transforming into a monster.
“It’s a sachet.”
“A sachet? Now that you mention it, it does seem to have a faint sweet scent…”
This was the fortuitous opportunity I’d been trying to obtain from this event.
After receiving the sachet from Kang Hanbyeol, I brought up a window in my vision.
[Sachet of Affection]
◆ Miscellaneous Category
―Sachet
◆ Detailed Description
―A sachet imbued with the effect of stabilizing the mind and body.
―Its mysterious scent changes according to the preferences of the one who smells it.
◆ Effect
―Slightly decreases the probability of party members refusing commands.
The sachet, treated as a miscellaneous item in the game’s Pocket Inventory like magic stones or monster byproducts.
Simply keeping it in the Pocket was enough for the sachet to take effect, helping the player give commands to characters.
‘With this, even the game’s Do Gyeonu listened to commands to some degree. Though only to a very small degree….’
Aside from that, it was also fairly useful for managing Nam Yuri, who refused to follow orders and fought however she pleased at the drop of a hat, or Cha Eunsol, who would obey one command and then ignore the next, saying it was a pain.
However, the biggest reason I’d wanted to obtain the Sachet of Affection lay elsewhere.
‘The effect of stabilizing the mind and body…. I really hope this works….’
Five years had passed since I realized my previous life.
If there was one thing I had learned in that time, it was that in this world, which undeniably existed as reality, settings that hadn’t been implemented in the game due to system limitations were reflected.
The Sachet of Affection would be no exception.
I couldn’t help but be interested.
‘Since we’re not game characters but actual living people, we’ll inevitably grow exhausted in the process of progressing through the story. I need to prepare countermeasures for that.’
In that sense, the Sachet of Affection would be a help to us.
It would also be effective in soothing Yeon Haneul’s mind.
‘She’s vulnerable to stress. As her childhood friend, I have no choice but to take care of her.’
During the midterm exam, Yeon Haneul had briefly transformed into an appearance reminiscent of the Witch of Calamity.
If I hadn’t stopped her then, perhaps she might have awakened as the Witch of Calamity, who appeared as the game’s mid-boss.
Since I couldn’t forget that scene, I simply wanted to take measures to prevent it from happening again.
The Sachet of Affection suited that purpose well enough.
“Hanbyeol, I want to keep this. Is that okay?”
“Sure, you take it. I’m not really interested in things like that.”
The division of spoils ended simply.
I put the magic stone into my Pocket and hung the Sachet of Affection from the ring at my waist.
‘The event that happens in Heartland around this time has been resolved… so what’s left now is the story.’
I shifted my thoughts.
By now, hunters were probably chasing the villain outside Heartland in order to arrest him.
Or perhaps the villain, having shaken off the hunters’ pursuit, had already slipped into Heartland and was hiding somewhere.
Either way, there was no need to be impatient. I just had to quietly wait for the right time.
‘If we keep playing, we’ll get involved sooner or later.’
We had ordered lunch and hadn’t even gotten to eat it.
Having finished my business, I returned to the restaurant with Kang Hanbyeol.
The friends who had remained in the restaurant each scolded us for suddenly jumping out the window.
Yeon Haneul, in particular, focused her scolding on me.
“Do you know how startled I was when you suddenly ran out? I was agonizing over whether I should follow you or not. You told me I didn’t have to, so I stayed in the end, but I was really worried. If you’re going somewhere, tell me first.”
“Sorry. It was so urgent that I didn’t have time to say anything.”
Yeon Haneul looked up at me, pressed her lips together, and lightly pinched my arm.
I apologized to her and reached for the food she had left for me.
“Hm?”
At that moment, Yeon Haneul’s rabbit ears perked up, and she pressed closer to me.
She brought her face near my neck.
“It smells like lemon. When did you spray perfume?”
“You can smell something? I guess wearing the sachet was worth it.”
“Sachet?”
“This. It came from the monster.”
“So it’s an artifact. Have you finished appraising it?”
“Mm…. I’ll get that done later. More importantly, how’s the scent? Do you like it?”
Yeon Haneul’s breath touched my skin, and the tip of her nose brushed against it.
Having offered her my neck, a vital point directly tied to life itself, I unconsciously stiffened and asked.
Her eyes met mine from very close by, and she answered with a gentle smile.
“It’s nice. I like it. I happen to like lemon scents, so what a coincidence.”
“Does it feel like your mind is getting calmer?”
“Mm… Is that what this feeling is? It feels warm and makes my heart race.”
“….”
I’m glad Yeon Haneul likes it.
It seems I was right to get the sachet.
“Gyeonu! We have to go look around other places too! How long are you going to keep staring at Haneul? Hurry up and eat!”
“Right, right! I want to play!”
“Yum…. Or should I eat it for you instead?”
“Sorry for making you wait! I’ll wolf it down!”
“Yeon Haneul, why don’t you let go already? Because of you, he can’t even eat.”
“I agree with Arin this time.”
“It looks like eating will take some time. I shall go for a post-meal stroll.”
“…Haerang, can you go by yourself? You’re not going to get lost, are you?”
“Do Gyeonu! Does looking at Haneul fill you up!?”
“Then just don’t eat! You don’t have to!”
“You’re probably already full anyway!”
* * *
In truth, it was somewhat difficult for hunters or those aspiring to become hunters to purely enjoy amusement park rides.
Because they knew how to handle mana as part of daily life and were sensitive to the presence of things around them, their threshold for pleasure and thrills was set higher than that of ordinary people.
Even if Heartland had been designed to suit hunters’ level to some extent, there were inevitably limits.
That was why people who wanted to play properly would deliberately seal the mana within their bodies and wear devices that dulled their senses in order to lower that threshold.
‘Ah, not being able to manifest mana is making me so anxious I could die….’
Do Gyeonu and the others had also worn restraint devices when entering Heartland.
In Nam Yuri’s case, she had even hung a whole bunch of them on herself, saying she wanted to fully savor the feeling of being alive like a lunatic.
For Min Arin, who felt pointlessly nervous from wearing just one device, it was something she couldn’t possibly understand.
‘Why do we keep coming to places like this….’
If she unconsciously tried to use mana, the restraint device would immediately react and absorb it.
For Min Arin, who specialized in magic, it was as if her pride itself had been sealed.
On top of that, her body had weakened too….
She had to face the thrills in the state of an ordinary person.
[Ghost Prison, Zone 1]
“Ugh….”
Dim red lighting filled the place, and an eerie atmosphere drifted through it.
Unable to overcome the collective opinion of her friends and forced to step into the haunted house, Min Arin raised her guard to the limit.
‘It’s just people in costumes anyway…. There’s no need to be scared.’
While consoling herself inwardly as she trembled in fear.
Min Arin followed her friends and crept into the prison.
She kept looking around, preparing herself so she wouldn’t be startled by any sudden situation.
But haunted houses were, by nature, places where things did not go as one wanted even with mental preparation.
The floor suddenly sank beneath her feet, her body tilted, and a mummy sprang up from the ground.
“Shiiiiiit!”
When the mummy prop brushed lightly against her, Min Arin freaked out and fell backward.
Landing on her backside, she shuffled backward on her butt to put distance between herself and the mummy prop.
Her mouth spewed every curse imaginable until her mind calmed down.
Tears gathered in her yellow eyes.
Lisa’s reaction, on the other hand, was calm.
“It’s surprisingly well made.”
“….”
Lisa Grace crouched down to meet the mummy prop’s gaze.
She carefully examined the mummy, tapping it with the back of her hand.
It was a stark contrast to what she had said before coming to Heartland, when she had claimed she was easily frightened.
Min Arin, rising to her feet with trembling legs, felt betrayed by her for what had to be the umpteenth time.
After that, too.
“Sh-Shiiit! D-don’t come! I said don’t come!”
Min Arin temporarily forgot all about the pride of the mage family Min and screamed at every little thing.
Of course, she wasn’t the only one who was startled.
“Fuc….”
He didn’t shriek like Min Arin did, but.
Do Gyeonu flinched and trembled while holding back the sounds that tried to escape him.
Whenever he sensed something strange, he moved to a safe place.
Even the restraint device could do nothing about his Gift.
“I-I hate this now…. I want to leave….”
“Me too….”
The two, who had been reacting so vigorously, ended up pressed close together.
By the time Min Arin came to her senses, she was already holding tightly onto his arm.
‘Wait, maybe this is….’
While inwardly marveling as she touched Do Gyeonu’s firm arm muscles, Min Arin’s mind raced.
Soon, once her calculations were complete, her whole face filled with a smile.
She immediately put her plan into action.
“Kyaaaak! It came out again!”
“Ugh!”
She had already surrendered her pride long ago after experiencing the haunted house.
As if determined not to let go, Min Arin hugged Do Gyeonu’s arm tightly.
After that, whenever something startled her, she naturally clung to him.
“I-is it gone?”
“…They went back into the cell.”
People dressed up like vicious murderers had burst out of the cells, and in her shock, Min Arin had buried her face in Do Gyeonu’s arm.
After asking him to confirm, she cautiously lifted her head and opened her eyes.
‘Hm?’
That was when she felt a gaze.
The costumed people had returned to their cells, and the surroundings had grown quiet.
Flinching at the stinging gaze, Min Arin slowly turned her head.
Yeon Haneul was there.
“….”
‘Ah… What’s with her aura?’
Under the red lights blinking on and off.
Yeon Haneul stood with her head tilted to the side, staring blankly at Min Arin.
For some reason, a lock of hair that had fallen down was caught between her lips as well.
Looking at her as though she had been possessed by an evil spirit, Min Arin grew frightened.
Her lips moved silently.
‘Do you like that?’
“….”
‘Want to try dying?’
Her gaze was murderous. Terrifying.
Facing those red eyes, Min Arin could not suppress her fear.
Her yellow eyes trembled violently.
Then Yeon Haneul opened the cell door and reached inside.
“Please lend me that for a moment.”
“Huh? H-here….”
Yeon Haneul calmly made her request of a man wearing a mask like something out of a horror movie.
Overwhelmed by her aura, the man handed her a chainsaw.
“R-right now….”
What is she trying to do?
Taking in the sight, Min Arin found that her lips wouldn’t move as she wanted.
She doubted her own eyes.
But as if Yeon Haneul were not joking, she was walking toward her step by step with the chainsaw in hand.
Vrrrrr!
Yeon Haneul skillfully started the chainsaw.
Min Arin felt threatened by the sound of the saw teeth spinning rapidly.
Alarm bells rang in her head.
She quickly untangled her hands from Do Gyeonu’s arm.
Then she ran for it.
“I-I won’t do it! I said I won’t!”
“Yum?”
Hiding behind Cha Eunsol, who was taller than her.
With her hands placed on Cha Eunsol’s shoulders, Min Arin pleaded with Yeon Haneul.
“….”
Yeon Haneul silently stared at Min Arin while holding the chainsaw.
Then, after leaving behind a wordless warning, she returned the chainsaw to the person inside the cell.
“Thank you. I used it well.”
“Ah, yes….”
The masked person received the chainsaw and bowed politely.
Turning her back on him, Yeon Haneul approached Do Gyeonu as if nothing had happened.
Then she burrowed into his embrace.
“Gyeonu, I’m scared….”
“….”
Wow…. That, that, that fox, acting all innocent, seriously, ugh.
No, is she really a rabbit? She’s a fox.
So dumbfounded that she could barely believe it, Min Arin clicked her tongue and grabbed the back of her neck.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss