NOVEL NEXT 79. Three-Way Confrontation (2)
“What was the agenda item that came up at SPES?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected serious topic, Chae Jiseok also leaned in with a grave expression. He had already set up soundproofing items without being asked. Chae Jise chuckled.
“It’s not that confidential. People who need to know already do, and it’ll be released in a press statement this evening anyway.”
“People who need to know already do?”
“The 50th floor was conquered, right? There’s been a side effect from that.”
The conquest of the 50th floor.
Humanity, which was supposed to be conquering the 27th floor, used a loophole to conquer the 50th instead.
“Usually when one floor is conquered, the floor above opens up, right? Like how conquering the 26th floor opens the 27th.”
“That’s right.”
“So, with the 50th floor conquered, how many floors do you think opened up this time?”
This time, Habin answered.
“The 51st?”
“Surprisingly, that’s not it!”
Chae Jise continued with an excited expression.
“Floors 27 through 51 all opened simultaneously!”
“…!”
“It seems to be a glitch in the tower’s system. The floors were supposed to be conquered one by one, but suddenly the 50th was cleared, so all the floors below opened up too. That’s why SPES discussed the potential impacts of this.”
Chae Jiseok nodded vigorously in agreement.
“That’s a huge deal. All the way up to the 51st floor opening at once. Humanity had been working hard for five years to reach the 26th floor, and now that many floors have opened up all at once?”
“Exactly. So, countries are going to pour massive investments into hunter training from now on. They need to secure the countless items and resources on each floor first!”
“Is that why they’re trying to shorten the training institute period?”
In principle, trainees found it difficult to enter Kill Screen without special reasons or guarantees from major guilds.
Habin had only visited Kill Screen twice so far—once with Caligo’s endorsement (26th floor) and once without permission (50th floor).
Until now, the social atmosphere hadn’t been desperate for trainee manpower.
“But now it’s different. When you consider exploring floors 27 to 51, retrieving resources, and then processing, researching, or assisting with all that—there aren’t enough hunters! They say we need to bring in all the trainees from the institutes too.”
There was also a subtle competition between countries over hunter resources.
They needed to produce as many hunters as possible to become a safer and more advanced nation.
Hunter manpower equaled national power!
“This is the biggest special case since the Gate Crisis, so even from the government’s perspective, they want to shorten the training period and produce hunters faster.”
‘I heard this information definitively from an informant planted in political circles. So it’s certain.’
Habin summarized based on Jise’s words, showing she understood.
“So it’s like parole granted on special occasions!”
“Why are you comparing it to prison?”
Chae Jiseok interjected with an incredulous expression.
“Because it’s no different from prison! They serve tasteless food regularly, you can’t escape at will, you have to sleep there, and you have to train as ordered. Ugh.”
Jise asked:
“Habin, have you completed a month at the training institute?”
“Um… just barely?”
“Then you should be eligible for early graduation right away!”
“Really?”
Habin’s face visibly brightened.
‘Finally, freedom!’
Does this mean I won’t have to be forcibly confined in the training institute, constantly hiding and controlling my power?!
“What’s this? Why am I hearing only good news?”
Habin hummed cheerfully as she scooped up some cream from the strawberry cake with her fork.
She got to come to the strawberry buffet she’d been singing about, and now she’ll be done with the training institute life!
“This is truly the best day ever!”
[I feel uneasy because it’s too peaceful…]
“What? Are you trying to jinx it too, Jaljal?”
[No, I was just saying…]
“Don’t carelessly plant such flags or foreshadowing! Words have power, you know!”
Habin waved the strawberry on her fork in the air and declared firmly.
“So let’s only say good things! I’m going to peacefully graduate from the training institute and then hole up at home, binge-watching dramas cozily. I’ll download and play all the Steam games I couldn’t before! What else was I planning to do…”
As Habin pondered with her chin in her hand, Jise asked:
“You’re going to stay home and play? Then can I come over to your place too?”
“Of course! You’re always welcome, unni. It’s not like I’ve only visited your place once or twice.”
They continued eating their desserts in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
For Hyun Habin, it truly was a perfect day.
Probably.
◆◇◆◇◆
Meanwhile.
Chae Jise wasn’t the only one who had some free time after the SPES meeting ended.
[Why are you suddenly getting pizza to go?]
“It’s lunchtime now. It’ll be perfect timing when I get there.”
Two days after the SPES meeting ended, Hyun Siwoo was heading home with a pizza.
His real home. The family house where Hyun Habin currently lives.
He had taken off all his cumbersome disguises and was going home as the real ‘Hyun Siwoo’ today.
‘No matter how long it’s been, this road is always familiar.’
I suppose the road home is always like that. One of the few sanctuaries you could find with your eyes closed.
As he walked slowly down the street, Neaiba chimed in as if he’d just realized something.
[Ah, I get it! You’re buying this because you feel bad about eating pizza last time, right?]
He pointed out in a know-it-all tone.
[You know, when you left Ahezar behind and heated up the pizza from the fridge.]
‘Well, that’s part of it.’
Hyun Siwoo glanced at the pizza box. The brand was Monide Pizza, and he had chosen the potato pizza.
[The pizza you ate from the fridge last time was potato too! It’s exactly the same menu! Ha, look at my keen eye and memory. You can’t fool my eyes!]
‘My sister and I always order potato pizza.’
[What? Why?]
‘I’m not sure. How did it start? We’ve been consistently ordering this menu since elementary school, so it’s become like an unwritten rule.’
When the Hyun siblings were in elementary school, their parents were both working. So, when they came home from school, they were often left alone in the house.
‘Are you hungry? I’ll order pizza for you, so share with your sister and don’t fight.’
“Maybe it’s because that was the menu our parents often ordered for us back then?”
That might be it.
Hyun Siwoo turned his gaze to the 1.5-liter cola bottle in his other hand.
“But… there was always a problem when the two of us ate together.”
[A problem? Oh, don’t tell me you fought?]
Kids might fight over pizza, right?
But Neaiba’s guess was off. Hyun Siwoo shook his head.
“No, we didn’t fight… We were too young to open the cola back then.”
The cola bottle that wouldn’t open no matter how hard the two of them struggled.
Back then, they lacked both grip strength and technique.
“I’m not sure if the cola caps were tighter back then or what, but we couldn’t open them. The two of us would try our best to work together just to get a sip of cola.”
…But now.
So much has changed since those childhood days when they waited for their parents to come home and open the stubborn cola bottle.
Now there are no parents to wait for. Now opening a cola bottle is too easy for both of them.
‘If anything, we might accidentally make the bottle explode by using too much strength.’
That might happen with Hyun Habin, right?
Lost in these idle thoughts, Hyun Siwoo approached the front door.
Beep beep beep beep-
As he punched in the password that hadn’t changed in five years, it happened.
Swish.
The moment the front door opened, a very familiar blonde hair came into Hyun Siwoo’s view.
“…?”
[Hey, what’s going on here?]
It was definitely his house. The familiar entrance, the cozy living room.
If there was one thing different…
“Habin! Someone’s here!”
“Huh? Who? We’re not expecting anyone… Could it be Hyun Siwoo?”
“……”
Hyun Siwoo stopped abruptly in the entrance. There was an unexpected guest in the living room. A celebrity who could turn an ordinary home sofa into a scene from a model house or a magazine spread.
“Hello? Are you perhaps Habin’s older brother?”
Chae Jise.
She was sitting right there on the living room sofa.
‘Why are you here?!’
[Why is Chae Jise here!]
◆◇◆◇◆
“……”
“……”
Hyun Siwoo and Chae Jise sat awkwardly in the living room.
‘Ah, how did it come to this.’
To be honest, Chae Jise was a very complex relationship for Hyun Siwoo.
A reliable comrade when conquering dungeons together.
On the other hand, a competitor as a business investor. They had even fought over shares anonymously.
And in meeting rooms, they were heads of different organizations, subjects of subtle tension, respect, and checks and balances.
In other words, both colleague and competitor. Someone he had experienced every possible business interaction with from start to finish.
They had known each other as Fides for far too long. Moreover, Chae Jise was no ordinary perceptive person. Her trademark precognition said it all.
[Hey, if we’re not careful, we might reveal our identity. Don’t make any slip-ups. Forget all your habits from when you were Fides!]
So it was like sitting on pins and needles.
Just then, Chae Jise turned to Hyun Siwoo and asked. She looked quite intrigued by the situation.
“Are you really Habin’s older brother? Her biological brother…?”
“Yes.”
[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ is observing you closely!]
‘Why is this one watching too?’
“……”
Stay calm for now.
Hyun Siwoo maintained a serene expression.
Even for a constellation, it shouldn’t be easy to distinguish individuals unless they’re their own contractor, so it should be fine. When disguised as Fides, he had used Neaiba’s power to confuse the constellations’ perceptions.
[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ is making a fuss, saying it’s so fascinating that Hyun Habin has blood relatives and wondering if this one is also an extraordinary powerhouse!]
[Oh, did they guess right? That one has pretty good intuition?]
‘Please be quiet, Neaiba.’
As expected, Neaiba isn’t helpful either. Why is he getting excited too…
[Hey, you say I’m not helpful? Are you done talking?]
‘Ahem…’
Honestly, the best course of action would be to leave this place immediately.
‘But I can’t just leave right away after coming with pizza.’
Leaving immediately after entering might raise even more suspicion. Habin, who had just brought cups from the kitchen, spoke up.
“I was originally planning to hang out with unni today!”
‘Damn. So that’s why Chae Jise was at our house.’
Now he understood the situation. It seemed Hyun Habin had already become close enough with Chae Jise to invite her home.
[Relax, act natural instead. You were super stiff when you were Fides, right? So if you act like you usually do at home, you’ll seem more like a different person?]
‘How did I usually act at home?’
[Take off your socks, sprawl out on the sofa, prop your chin up, and watch TV?]
‘If I suddenly do that in front of a guest I’m meeting for the first time, wouldn’t I look crazy?’
[Ah, is that so? Then let’s go for a completely sloppy and gross style. When Chae Jise is looking, casually pick your nose! Then she’ll be too disgusted to look at you closely?]
‘Why don’t you just be honest and say you want to ruin my social image.’