NOVEL NEXT #008
#008
The cold weather gear Shin Haejun had been using was so high-quality that I wasn’t cold at all, even though it wasn’t a padded jacket.
As Kim Sehyun watched me putting on the gloves neatly, a small resentment flashed in his eyes. I haven’t seen him much, but he really acts like a squid keeper sometimes. Does he think everyone is after Shin Haejun? Well, not that Shin Haejun is a squid or anything.
Just then, a notification popped up saying the quest was completed. I quietly checked my phone while slowly moving away from Kim Sehyun.
: *Obtain Cold Weather Gear*
Quest Rank: D
You have completed the quest. You will receive a reward!
Reward: Inventory function available (only inside dungeons)
So this is the ability Nine mentioned! I should have realized it when the quest rank was D and not a tutorial!
A reward that I really needed appeared. The way appropriate rewards kept appearing made me wonder if someone was watching me. Even though it was a major flaw that it could only be used inside dungeons, it was much better than not being able to use it at all.
‘I don’t know how impressive the dungeon monsters will be, but…’
Honestly, the items in my inventory are all quite extraordinary. Enough to deal with most monsters.
‘I was the server’s number one lifestyle player, after all!’
Here though… I’m just an F-rank guide with nothing to my name.
I thought to myself as I followed behind the people who were discussing and moving to conquer the dungeon.
It was laughably ridiculous that my only pride was an inventory that could only be used inside dungeons.
‘Honestly, they’d probably be thrilled even if I just gave them some ordinary potions.’
They’d be thrilled…?
That’s it!
‘Let’s win their favor by showering them with money and items!’
As a rule, no one dislikes gifts. If I want to win their favor just enough to not die, wouldn’t the best method be to throw them an item at crucial moments?
It feels like giving medicine after causing the illness, acting badly and then giving gifts, but there’s no other choice. I opened my eyes wide and clenched my fist.
“The Esper team will split into two and search the north and south first. The guide team will use this place as a base camp and stand by.”
Shin Haejun divided the teams, looking at everyone with sharp eyes.
To exit the dungeon, two conditions had to be met.
First, defeat the boss. Then, destroy the core generated somewhere in the dungeon. Once that’s done, the dungeon immediately spits out all living beings, allowing them to return to the original world.
The conquest ends when the boss is defeated, but the reason for killing all monsters in the dungeon was because of this. If monsters escaped to the original world, it would cause great confusion among civilians.
The reason the Espers divided into teams was because they had to cover all directions.
“Hello, I’m Shin Serim from Guide Team 1. Normally, Guide Kim Sehyun would be the team leader, but since it’s Sehyun’s first dungeon expedition, please understand that I’ll be taking his place.”
The A-rank guide who had picked on me earlier shouted in a quick voice. So Kim Sehyun is also experiencing his first dungeon. It was natural for an experienced person to temporarily take the role of team leader.
Comments (8)
Ho****: Why is someone else taking charge instead of our Sehyun?
GG****: No matter how I think about it, Lee Jaeha entering the dungeon seems a bit dangerous..
However, the readers’ thoughts seemed different. Typical of web novel readers who like the protagonist to stand out the most no matter what.
Unless the author is particularly strict about plausibility, there must be a reason for this setup. The most natural flow would be for Kim Sehyun to stand out here and receive praise from all the guides, or…
‘Lee Jaeha will probably act badly again, putting Kim Sehyun in danger, and Shin Haejun will save him.’
And that Lee Jaeha is me! This is really driving me crazy.
“First, let’s take out the tents you brought and set them up. After that, we’ll wait inside the tents until the Esper team returns.”
As I was chewing my lips nervously, Shin Serim suddenly said something unexpected. I blinked blankly as I watched the people around me preparing their tents.
‘So it was true that awakened ones can use inventory through the blessing of the constellations.’
It wouldn’t seem strange for me to use inventory inside the dungeon either.
Tent… I can’t be the only one shivering in the cold while everyone else rests in their tents. I immediately opened my inventory and rummaged through it.
‘I can’t take out anything too extravagant.’
First, it needs to have an automatic setup function because it’s troublesome to set up manually… How long are we staying here? Then this ‘[Yeonsoo] Fluffy Cloud Camping Car Tent’ with about three rooms and equipped with beds and furniture should do.
“…Huh?”
When I confidently threw the tent from my inventory in front of me, strange exclamations echoed around. Everyone stared at my tent with wide, blank eyes.
‘What’s going on?’
I blinked round eyes and gently stroked my light blue tent, which was covered in fluffy fur all over, befitting its “cloud” name. There’s nothing wrong with it, so why are they acting like this?
Thinking that, I looked around and…
‘This was too much too!’
No, in this cutting-edge era, how could they have such incomplete tents! If it’s a bit big, they’re struggling to put it together, and if it’s small, it’s very shabby and simple.
On the other hand, my tent, true to its “camping car” item name, was literally a camping car in the overall shape of a cloud. If you connect a motor, it actually moves. From a distance, it looks like a cloud moving on the ground.
‘This is the lowest grade tent I have…’
At least it doesn’t have features like having ten rooms or floating in the sky…
But people were already gaping at my tent with wheels attached.
“Haha… ha…”
I slowly retreated into the tent, watching their reactions. Anyway, since no one would pay attention to me, it seemed best to hide in here until the Esper team arrived.
Thinking that, I stretched my legs on the cloud-shaped sofa, when I heard something rustling at the door.
‘Is it the wind?’
I tilted my head, thinking that next time I should bring a leg massager or massage chair in my inventory for times like this.
“…Jaeha, Lee Jaeha!”
As I was leaning absent-mindedly on the sofa, I soon heard a bell sound followed by a voice calling me. It was Kim Sehyun’s voice.
I reflexively checked my phone. I wondered if another quest to act badly had been given. However, the screen was completely quiet, which was somewhat fortunate. At least there were no special instructions so far.
“What is it…?”
I opened the door wide and was surprised. I thought Kim Sehyun would be standing alone, but unexpectedly, all four members of the guide team were gathered in front of the door.
“What is this tent?”
Kang Sodam, the youngest guide in the team at fifteen, asked me, blinking her eyes.
“It’s my tent…”
“Where did you get it? I haven’t heard of anything like this appearing on the black market.”
Come to think of it, that’s true. Even if I wanted to give out precious items, I had no answer if asked where I got them. I should be careful when taking out items.
“Um… I made it myself…”
Since I had to answer anyway, I said reluctantly while rubbing the back of my neck. It’s not a lie since I did stitch together each cloud piece myself. Although I made it in the game.
“Can we come in?”
The people who had been wary of me were now all looking up at me with sparkling eyes. Kim Sehyun, standing behind them, had a slightly awkward expression, but he was looking at the scenery behind me with a face that said he didn’t understand what was going on.
“Well… come in.”
Weren’t they supposed to rest in their own tents? But since I couldn’t openly point that out to others, I invited everyone into my tent for now.
“Wow, I studied that inventory size isn’t related to rank, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone with one this big! How did you fit all this in?”
“He came without even cold weather gear, but brought a sofa and decorations…?”
The people who entered awkwardly at first soon looked around the tent’s living room with admiration. The tent I made has interiors just like a real house. It was only a shame that it couldn’t be used outside the dungeon.
Anyway, as people praised the tent I made, I felt very proud as a seamster.
“The sofa is soft too.”
“I made the furniture myself as well.”
I boasted a little. The people sat on the sofa, bouncing a bit, and their faces lit up. Then they looked at me with eyes that seemed to linger expectantly.
“Um…”
Shin Serim spoke first, with a face that seemed to want to ask for something. Then, as if frustrated, Kang Sodam stood up abruptly and approached me.
“My tent is really crappy… My whole body aches if I sit in it for just 10 minutes. Can I stay here?”
“Uh…”
As I blinked, trying to choose my response, Kim Sehyun, who had been standing to one side, hurriedly approached me, put his arm around my shoulder, and whispered.
“I don’t know how all this happened, but… let’s go along with what people want. It will help you, an F-rank, mix with the A-rank guides.”
Really… why does he sound so unlikable even when saying the same thing?
I frowned for a moment, then smiled brightly.
“Would you like some coffee?”
“Wow, coffee!”
Kang Sodam shouted “I love caffeine!” and looked up at me with an excited face. I gently removed Kim Sehyun’s hand from my shoulder, said “I’ll bring it right away,” and took out a coffee set from my inventory, placing it on the table.
‘If I feed them plenty of food and make them full, they’ll all be satisfied.’
Food is the best for melting people’s hearts.
As I poured the mixed coffee I had made myself from the lava stove thermos, people’s eyes became dreamy.