Chapter 66
"What are you going to do now?"
Baek Eunseong avoided my gaze, and Baek Hamin pointlessly averted his attention, sprouting a few sunflowers as a distraction.
"Ha... let's just finish eating."
I pressed my throbbing head and gestured at Baek Hamin. After watching for my reaction, Baek Hamin climbed up the vine onto the table and sat across from me.
I had thought he was small before, but seeing Baek Hamin, who had become just as tiny as me in my shrunken state, he was absolutely... minuscule.
Wasn't he going to blow away with just a gust of wind at this rate? With such thoughts, I placed rice on a sheet of seaweed and held it out to Baek Eunseong. Small pieces of torn kimchi were added on top, and I rolled them into little balls before handing them to Baek Hamin.
"What about you, uncle?"
"You eat first."
Baek Hamin nodded and began to eat with a bright expression. Baek Eunseong's face was full of worry as he tore the kimchi. I, too, swallowed a sigh and wrapped my rice in seaweed.
We could get by without major issues for now, but there was no telling when Baek Jiseong would notice this situation. Therefore, we had to return to our original states as soon as possible.
Seemingly sharing the same thought, Baek Eunseong crouched beside Baek Hamin, who was eating dessert, and asked why he had shrunk and whether he could turn off his skill. I stopped eating my watermelon and waved my hand.
"Stop. I'm scared you might get even smaller if you keep that up."
At my words, Baek Hamin closed his mouth and clenched his small hands. He seemed to be pondering how to solve this in his own way, but I was inwardly afraid that he might shrink even further, so I changed the subject.
"What did you do at the Academy today?"
"Hmm... we did team matches again today."
Fortunately, as if he had never been serious, Baek Hamin quickly reverted to a child's expression and nestled against me. Having settled into my arms, the child swung his legs and pouted.
"It's more comfortable for me to just do things alone, but the teachers keep telling me to coordinate with my team, so I don't like it..."
"You know there's nothing you can do entirely alone, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Who did you work with today?"
"Kwon Junghyeok, Jeong Noeul, and Do Yudam."
"Hyung."
"Yudam hyung."
"I told you to say their names properly."
Maybe it's because they're all S-rank, but they keep putting them together even though they know they don't get along. I was blankly thinking such thoughts when a memory suddenly popped into my head, and I bolted upright.
"...Do Yudam."
"I'm Hamin!"
"No, that's... Asil, where's my phone?"
Asil pointed at Baek Eunseong's auxiliary bag. I gestured for him to quickly take it out, but upon seeing the phone that was now about the same size as me, I briefly despaired.
"What is it?"
"That, the Center Director. Kang Youngchan said he'd let me enter a dungeon with Do Yudam."
"Ah."
Wow, why did that only come to mind now? Still, it's something that I remembered at all. I praised myself and recited the phone's lock code to Baek Eunseong. The moment I found Kang Youngchan in the short contact list, I pressed the call button. I took a step back at the ringtone that felt like it would burst my eardrums and adjusted the volume to 'speak softly' level.
—Hunter Seong Dohyeon?
"Yes. I'll be entering a dungeon with Hunter Do Yudam, so please make preparations."
—Yeah, okay. How have you been?
"Yes. Please let me know once the date is set."
—My goodness, you could at least ask me if I've eaten!
"Hanging up."
Baek Eunseong looked down at me with an expression asking if that was really okay, and I nodded without hesitation. If I entertained all of that, one day wouldn't be enough. I pressed the end call button, leaving the booming laughter behind, and called for Baek Hamin.
Finding a ribbon in the brown hair of the child sitting quietly, I ground my teeth in silence. No, why could he see other people's things fine but not mine? What if only Baek Hamin grew larger inside the dungeon? What about me?
After pondering for a moment, I looked at Asil, who nodded as if he understood.
"Then that's settled."
"What is?"
Baek Eunseong asked curiously, but I waved my hand dismissively, saying it was nothing.
"Just get ready to enter the dungeon."
* * *
"Hunter Do Yudam?"
"Yes."
Yudam, who had been crouching at the Academy entrance, answered with only his mouth while keeping his gaze fixed. If it were Jeon Jiyoon, she would have asked why he was sitting like that, but the other teachers simply told him not to sit there without much interest.
The boy stood up, craned his neck out the entrance, and glanced around. He wanted to show Hunter Seong Dohyeon his skills as quickly as possible. Yudam repeatedly turned his skill window on and off before suddenly looking up. Then he slowly furrowed his brow.
"Hunter Baek Eunseong...?"
Eunseong bit his lip as he looked at Do Yudam, whose entire body screamed, 'Why are you here?'
Just how far had Seong Dohyeon extended his reach? And why was Do Yudam looking for Seong Dohyeon when he had his own guardian?
"Hello, Hunter Do Yudam."
"Yes. Where is Hunter Seong Dohyeon?"
Even though he knew the other party was a young child, Eunseong felt strangely unsettled. He silently fumbled through his right pocket with his fingertips before bowing in greeting to Kang Youngchan, who was approaching.
"I clearly spoke with Hunter Seong Dohyeon, but Hunter Baek Eunseong has come instead."
"Something came up, so I came in his stead."
"Ho, have the two of you already become that close?"
Laughing heartily, Kang Youngchan dragged the visibly disappointed Do Yudam toward the gate.
"Do you still not remember?"
"No."
"Hmm. I prepared this in hopes that you'd regain your memories quickly. I recreated the exact route Hunter Seong Dohyeon experienced during his Academy days."
At those words, Eunseong smiled faintly, but anxiety welled up inside him. What if Dohyeon regained his real memories after entering the dungeon? Then what would happen to us?
"Let's go in already."
At Yudam's sullen voice, Eunseong put his hand in his pocket and passed through the gate. At that moment, two small eyes blinked open inside the dark pocket.
* * *
I sighed and looked around. I was already covering my mouth from dungeon sickness, but separately from that, I had become quite accustomed to the sensation of my vision flipping, so I was able to naturally survey my surroundings.
What memory would it be this time?
Just as I thought something looked familiar, bookshelves stuffed with books caught my eye.
'Ah, this is... my room.'
Not the studio of this place, but my actual 'original' room where I used to live. Overwhelmed by a rush of longing, I spun around absentmindedly before belatedly discovering 'me' lying on the bed. 'I,' lying diagonally, was reading 'To Prevent the World's Destruction.'
Leaning over 'my' shoulder, I tried to see which section 'I' was reading, but the text filling the book wasn't the Korean I knew. It was indecipherable script, just like what I had seen when using the viewing rights.
Since my memories of the original work were gradually fading, I figured I might as well read a bit while I was at it. The moment I clicked my tongue, my vision spun again.
"Are you alright?"
"...I have to be."
Answering while covering my mouth, I straightened up and looked around. It was a jungle-type dungeon with lush greenery.
"Uncle! Uncle!"
I could hear Baek Hamin poking his head out of my pocket, calling me excitedly. I was about to ruffle through Baek Hamin's hair when I stopped and called Baek Eunseong.
"Take the kids and go deep underground."
"Why?"
"Um... I'll tell you if it works."
At my words, Baek Eunseong took Do Yudam, who had been keeping his distance since entering the gate, and sank underground. I waited for a long time until I could no longer sense their presence before opening my skill window.
[Splash Splash]
Then I used my skill to walk on water and stood in the middle of the lake, taking a small, deep breath. When I looked at Asil, he nodded resolutely and hid beneath my feet. Now I was truly alone.
Habitually brushing my hair back, I squeezed my eyes shut. I could feel Baek Hamin's ability flowing over my body. It bound me like a very tight net, but it was still just the power of a young hunter. I could tear and break free from it anytime.
Gritting my teeth, I gathered strength in my hand and pulled at the net. The moment I exerted force, the lake surged and shot up into the sky.
"Phew."
Having blown away all the lake's water, I rubbed my stiff neck. If I had done this at home, I would have sent all the furniture flying. Seeing the height of the trees before me, I could tell my size had returned to normal.
After stretching my aching body here and there, I draped the cloak I had stored in Asil's bundle and put on the clothes I had brought.
Shaking off my wet hair, I stepped out of the lake, and Baek Hamin flew over on a dandelion puff. Just lightly ruffling his fluffy hair returned the child to his original size.
"What in the..."
I approached the bewildered Do Yudam and met his eyes.
"Were you successful in turning off your skill?"
"Huh? Yes!"
Do Yudam beamed and crouched down, grabbing two stones. One crumbled easily, while the other remained intact no matter how much the child opened and closed his hand.
"Good job."
I patted his head and turned around, my cloak billowing.
"Let's talk once we're outside. For now, let me see your skills. How much you've grown."
Without questioning where I had appeared from or why Baek Hamin had suddenly grown, Do Yudam charged toward the core. He really was a simple-minded guy, just like in the original work.
In contrast, Baek Hamin clung to my leg, his two eyes blazing.
Well, Baek Hamin disliking Do Yudam was also true to the original. I nodded and focused on the beetle-type magical beast flying up into the sky.
"Alright, let's finish this quickly and get out."
At my words, Baek Hamin and Do Yudam, who rushed out competing against each other, were taking down the beetles as if having a contest over who could kill more. I grabbed Baek Eunseong, who was trying to subtly join in, and pulled him back.
"I told you. Adults don't interfere in kids' fights."