NOVEL NEXT Chapter 25 - First Mission (6)
As Kim Baram came to his senses, he found himself standing alone in a snowstorm, with snow swirling everywhere around him.
‘Where am I?’
Why was he here? He was certain… What had he been doing? He tried to make sense of the situation, but no memories came to the surface.
Whoooosh.
‘It’s cold.’
He didn’t know why he was standing in the snowy wasteland, but the biting wind and heavy snowfall were making him feel an intense chill.
Struggling against the cold, he rubbed his arms with his hands and stepped through the snow, trying to find some shelter.
Not long after, something caught his eye — a massive ginseng plant, larger than his own body, planted in the snow. It was an incredible sight.
Despite the freezing weather, Kim Baram felt a growing warmth as he approached the ginseng.
The closer he got, the more he could feel the comforting heat radiating from it.
The warmth was so pleasant that he couldn’t resist hugging the giant plant tightly, rubbing his cheek against its trunk.
“Hehe… warm. This is nice.”
***
‘Shouldn’t this guy wake up yet?’
Yeo Jihye glanced at Kim Baram, who was slung over her back, giggling quietly. He was definitely unconscious, but something about his expression made her suspicious.
For some reason, she also felt like he was hugging her more tightly than before.
“Hmm, it looks like Baram is having a happy dream.”
Shin Yul walked beside her with Ko Jooyeon unconscious on her back. Her voice was filled with an unsettling edge, despite her smiling face.
“He’ll wake up to a hellish reality soon enough.”
Though the mission had been a success, Shin Yul was clearly furious with Kim Baram’s reckless actions.
Even the others — Joo Jinyong, Song Changbin, and Paeng Hojin — who were leading the way – reacted to Shin Yul’s cold tone by shuddering slightly, and plowed through the snow more vigorously.
“Mmm…”
Kim Baram made a contented sound, rubbing his face into Yeo Jihye’s back.
Unaware of the situation, he seemed to be enjoying his dream thoroughly.
Yeo Jihye couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle at the sight of him.
Just minutes earlier, she had realized something when she saw Kim Baram’s real face after he collapsed in the cave. She had been fooled by him the day before.
At first, she felt a pang of disappointment — how could the man who had protected her yesterday deceive her like that?
But that feeling quickly passed, replaced by relief when Song Changbin reassured her that Kim Baram was safe.
‘Fine, I’ll let it slide this time. After all, I’m the ‘noona,’ so I win this round.’
But then a memory from yesterday surfaced — she had called him “oppa” as they parted ways. Her face flushed at the embarrassing recollection.
Trying to shake off the awkward memory, Yeo Jihye shook her head vigorously.
‘Calm down, Yeo Jihye. And anyway, I don’t have the right to say anything to him… I’m hiding my identity from Kim Baram, too…’
‘Come to think of it, he still doesn’t know that I’m the same person from yesterday — the one who helped him defeat the Dire Wolves.’
Realizing that Kim Baram was unaware of her dual identity, she felt a spark of excitement.
Not only that, but she’d have plenty of opportunities to meet him again through their clan activities. That thought made her oddly happy.
‘I’m looking forward to… Wait, why am I thinking this? He’s just a cute junior. That’s all.’
She sneaked another glance at the peacefully sleeping Kim Baram. She quickened her pace, determined to snuff any confusing emotions before it became something more.
However, despite her inner denial, her steps felt lighter than before, as if betraying her true feelings.
Ding!
[Player ‘Kim Baram’s unique ability,
[You have earned the favor of the character ‘Yeo Jihye.’ You’ve gained 100 VP. Yeo Jihye’s current affection for Kim Baram is now ‘Interest.’]
***
“Ugh… Where did the ginseng go?”
Kim Baram muttered, feeling disappointed as the warmth in his dream suddenly disappeared. His consciousness returned, and he opened his eyes to find a cute face filling his vision — it was Ko Jooyeon.
“Wh-What’s going on?”
“Are you okay?”
Still groggy and not fully awake, Kim Baram, seeing Ko Jooyeon’s face so close that their lips were almost touching, mumbled out a question.
In response, Ko Jooyeon, with a worried expression, asked if he was alright.
‘What does she mean, ‘alright’…? Oh, right, I collapsed. Luckily, I’m still alive.’
Now understanding the situation, Kim Baram nodded his head at Ko Jooyeon to reassure her.
Only then did she move her face slightly awa. Though she still held tightly to his training jacket sleeve. She was not entirely relieved just yet.
“Oh, Leader. Baram’s awake.”
Just then, Song Changbin, who had been nearby, noticed Kim Baram stirring. Placing a hand to his ear, he communicated this to Shin Yul.
“Baram, are you feeling okay?”
“Yes… actually, I think I feel better than before…”
Kim Baram responded to Song Changbin’s question, but as he spoke, he realized that his body did indeed feel better than before. Feeling curious, he glanced at the notification window floating in the air.
[You have consumed ‘Solar Ginseng’ in the most efficient way possible. Strength, Agility, Stamina, and Magic have each increased by 10.]
[You have acquired the skill
[You have acquired the skill
[Player ‘Kim Baram’s unique ability
[You have consumed the rare elixir ‘Solar Ginseng.’ 1500 VP has been gained.]
[Player ‘Kim Baram’s unique ability
[You have gained the favor of the character ‘Yeo Jihye.’ You have earned 100 VP. Yeo Jihye’s current affection for Kim Baram is ‘Interest.’]
Why had Yeo Jihye’s affection level gone up?
‘Well, that’s not the important thing right now.’
Kim Baram shifted his focus from the notification at the bottom and read the message at the top again. From what he could tell, the ginseng he had eaten in the cave was a rare elixir called ‘Solar Ginseng.’
‘What do they mean by “most efficient way”? Did eating it with the Evercold Ice create some kind of synergy effect?’
Though the outcome was favorable, Kim Baram reflected on his reckless actions that had nearly led to his demise.
‘I acted too impulsively. Sure, things turned out well, but if I had made one wrong move, I could’ve died. I need to be more careful and think things through in the future.’
After a quick self-reflection, Kim Baram finished reading the remaining notifications and realized who the original owner of the Solar Ginseng must have been.
While many people could possess this skill, two characters stood out in Kim Baram’s memory.
‘Shin Haeseong… and the strongest freshman, Choi Kangho.’
The first appearance of this skill in the story had been during a duel between Han Suyeon and Shin Haeseong at a festival.
In the novel, Han Suyeon struggled significantly because her fire-attribute magic had no effect on Shin Haeseong. Of course, that was only in the early chapters — by the middle of the story, Shin Haeseong could no longer stand up to Han Suyeon.
In any case, based on the circumstances, it seemed highly likely that the Solar Ginseng had originally belonged to Shin Haeseong.
The dungeon they were in was used by the Gold Star Clan, which Shin Haeseong was part of. It was probable that he had used his unique ability,
But this time, it just so happened to be Kim Baram’s gain.
‘And the
As he reflected on the notification messages, Kim Baram turned to look at Song Changbin with eyes full of admiration for having saved his life.
Song Changbin, seemingly feeling awkward under the weight of Kim Baram’s gaze, hesitated for a moment.
Then, with a resolute expression, he approached, placed a hand on Kim Baram’s shoulder, and whispered in a low voice, “Baram, as your senior, here’s some advice that will serve you well — when the Leader comes, just apologize and beg for forgiveness…”
“Baram, you’re awake?”
Suddenly, Shin Yul’s voice came from behind. Kim Baram, startled, realized Shin Yul had returned without him noticing, thanks to Song Changbin’s word of warning earlier.
Why did he suddenly feel a shiver crawl up and down his spine?
“Y-Yes, Leader. I’m sorry for worrying you…”
As Kim Baram turned to apologize, he saw Shin Yul’s long middle finger cocked back, aimed directly at his forehead, ready to deliver a flick.
Whack!
“Argh!”
The impact was on a whole different level than the forehead flicks he’d received when Shin Yul had caught him lying before.
Clutching his forehead, Kim Baram rolled on the ground in pain.
Grab!
But it wasn’t over yet. Shin Yul grabbed hold of Kim Baram by the collar and lifted him effortlessly up in the air. Her expression was rigid, her tone resolute as she spoke quietly.
“I’ll just hit you one more time.”
With that short warning, Shin Yul balled her free hand into a fist and, with swift determination, aimed it straight for Kim Baram’s stomach.
Realizing what was about to happen, Kim Baram clenched his abs and squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the blow.
‘Ugh…’
Thud!
However, instead of the excruciating pain that Kim Baram had expected all along, a blow that would feel like it would shatter all his internal organs, there was only a faint sensation of something lightly touching his abdomen.
‘“..?”
To understand what had just happened, Kim Baram cautiously opened his eyes and rolled them toward Shin Yul, glancing at her with confusion written all over his face. She let out a small sigh, maintaining her serious expression as she spoke.
“Phew… Since it’s your first offense, I’ll let it slide just this once.”
“… What?”
“Baram, listen carefully. Now that you’ve entered the world of players, even one impulsive action of yours could endanger not only your life but also the lives of all your teammates. From now on, I need you to act carefully so that something like this doesn’t happen again. Understand?”
With a strict but earnest expression, Shin Yul scolded Kim Baram. He nodded vigorously in response, eager to show he understood.
Seeing this, her mood seemed to lighten slightly. She released her grip on his collar and spoke again, her voice a bit softer.
“Alright, that’s the end of the lecture. But, since you did mess up, there are consequences you got to face, got it? As a penalty, you won’t get any share from this mission. If you have any objections, speak up.”
She raised her fist as if daring him to complain, making it clear what would happen if he did.
“No objections… I’m sorry. Not just to you, Leader, but to all the other clan members. I’m really sorry for making you worry.”
Kim Baram quickly bowed his head, apologizing not just to Shin Yul but also to Ko Jooyeon, Song Changbin, and the other three members who had followed Shin Yul back.
“Haha! Don’t beat yourself up too much, Monkey! Everyone makes mistakes in life!”
“For once, you’re saying something reasonable, Hojin.”
Thanks to Paeng Hojin’s booming voice, the tense atmosphere began to ease somewhat.
Shin Yul also seemed to have no intention of reprimanding him further, and her demeanor returned to its usual lightness as she declared the mission was over.
“Alright, now that Baram is awake, let’s head out of the dungeon. I checked while he was asleep, and it seems there are no more dangerous monsters around. Good job today, everyone.”
“F-Finally…!”
The most enthusiastic reaction came from Joo Jinyong, whose face looked much more worn-out than usual.
‘You must’ve had a rough time, Jinyong.’
Kim Baram noted how tired Joo Jinyong looked. Everyone except for Yeo Jihye had already removed their masks.
“… Wait, masks?”
Suddenly, Kim Baram raised his hand to feel his face. He couldn’t believe it, so he checked again and again, but what his hand felt was not the hard surface of a mask, but the soft skin of his face.
As he continued to touch his face in confusion, Shin Yul noticed his panic and smiled mischievously.
“Oh, by the way, everyone needs to put their masks back on before we leave. Especially you, Baram. Got it?”
“Huh? Of course… Haha… But where did my mask go?”
Feeling flustered, Kim Baram started searching through his clothes for his monkey mask but couldn’t find it.
Meanwhile, Yeo Jihye, who had surely realized yesterday that Kim Baram had lied about his name and age, was acting completely indifferent despite seeing his real face.
‘Why is she acting like this? Could it be because there are others around, and she doesn’t want to make it obvious? Is she also hiding her identity as the Empress from me?’
While Kim Baram was seriously pondering the situation, Ko Jooyeon, who had been standing nearby, pulled out his monkey mask from her belongings. Standing on her tiptoes, she gently placed it on his face.
“Oh, thanks.”
“Mm-hmm.”
When Kim Baram thanked her, Ko Jooyeon smiled contentedly, then put on her own rabbit mask and quietly grabbed hold of his sleeve again.
At that moment, Kim Baram felt a sharp, almost painful gaze from beside him. He turned his head and saw Yeo Jihye glaring fiercely at him and Ko Jooyeon through the eyes of her cat mask.
‘She’s definitely angry… I’m screwed.’
***
“What am I going to do about this?”
Back near his home after the mission, Kim Baram sighed softly.
As soon as they left the dungeon and the mission ended, sensing his life was in danger, he quickly said his goodbyes and escaped in a rush to get away.
‘I’ll leave it to my future self to handle! Please take care of it, future me!’
Deciding to leave his fate in his future self’s hands, Kim Baram quickened his pace, eager to get home and rest.
As he walked, his eyes caught the golden bracelet around his right wrist. He had spent a whopping 2800 VP on it, but he still had no idea what it was for.
“Store Aegis in the inventory.”
Ding!
[This item cannot be stored in the inventory.]
As Kim Baram made his way home, he repeatedly tried to store the gold bracelet on his right wrist in his inventory, but just as the message window indicated, it couldn’t be stored.
Wondering if there was an issue with his ability, he tested it by attempting to store Kasar’s Perfume, which was safely tucked in his inventory, and it worked just fine.
“If I can’t store it, I have no idea what kind of item it is. Maybe I should get it appraised.”
Not only was the bracelet not storable, but once worn, it wouldn’t come off his wrist either. It seemed like he was now doomed to wear this flashy gold bracelet on his right wrist for the rest of his life.
‘Surely it has some kind of use… right? I mean, there’s no way I can be stuck with this forever.’
Walking with a conflicted expression as he glared fiercely at the bracelet, Kim Baram eventually arrived at the front of his house.
Deciding to stop thinking about the bracelet for now, he reached for the gate to let himself in.
“Excuse me…”
“Yes?”
Just as he was about to push open the gate, someone called out from beside him. He turned to see a young woman, about twenty years old, with light brown hair and a youthful, innocent look.
As he stared at the woman who had called out to him, she seemed flustered, her gaze shifting nervously before she forced an awkward smile and spoke again.
“Y-You have a…”
“Sorry, what?”
“You have a nice aura!”
The woman’s out-of-the-blue comment left Kim Baram with no doubt about her intentions. With a firm tone, he replied, “Ah, no thanks.”
With that, he turned away, pushed the gate open, and walked into the house without looking back.
He was almost certain of who she was, even though he didn’t recall her from the novel. But based on her words, he was 99% sure.
She was someone who believed in The Way, aka a cult recruiter.
He hadn’t expected to encounter one of these unsettling people — people he thought only existed in reality — inside the novel world as well.
‘Such a pretty person, and she got caught up in that kind of life. Tsk, tsk.’
Shaking his head, Kim Baram firmly closed the front door. He could still hear the woman saying something outside, but he ignored her completely as he headed upstairs to his room and threw himself onto the bed.
‘Ugh, I’m exhausted.’
‘I need to catch up on some much-needed sleep.’
And with that, he let himself drift into Dreamland.