Clatter!
The sound of glasses shattering on the floor echoed in contrast to the deafening silence inside the office earlier.
One of the staff wanted to give them refreshments but dropped the tray when he heard his colleague speak.
"...what?"
Haemin's body froze, unable to move at the staff's suggestion to Shin Moon.
Me? Go with them? Ahjussi*, do you want me to die? It's an A-Rank dungeon! Even if Ryu Jinmu doesn't kill me, the monsters definitely would! That bastard would never protect me!
Nobody said a thing. They were all too stunned at the idea of Ryu Jinmu and Baek Haemin together inside a dungeon.
Shin Moon pushed the rim of her glasses and smiled.
"Sure, we'll accept."
Haemin panicked,
"H, hold on—!"
"Says who?"
Ryu Jinmu interrupted.
Going with Baek Haemin in a dungeon was out of the question. He never once considered it before, and never would.
"Guildmaster, our hunters would be…"
"I'll guard all of them if I have to."
He didn't even let his secretary finish her sentence.
Shin Moon creased her brows.
"Guildmaster! This isn't the time to be stubborn! You might be fine, but isn't the goal for this dungeon to let our A-Rank Hunters do most of the work? They would suffer without support!"
Ryu Jinmu took his coat on the sofa.
"Next time, then. I'll handle this one myself."
"What? Guildmaster, please take it just this once. Even if you do things yourself, there's still a chance the others would be hurt. Don't you know that already?"
Shin Moon added,
"The number of dungeons rises each day. We have to make sure the others can handle themselves so you can focus on the harder dungeons!"
Ryu Jinmu stopped in his tracks. He didn't say anything, but only looked at Baek Haemin.
Don't look at me… I don't want to go with you too, okay?
Haemin adjusted his clothes while avoiding his eyes.
You're the one who killed Baek Haemin in the novel. Why would I go with you?
He didn't say anything more. He's aware just how much Ryu Jinmu hates Baek Haemin, so he's sure to do all the refusing for them both.
Ryu Jinmu frowned. Everyone in the office waited for his response, including his secretary.
"...Fine,"
Eh?
He continued,
"But he could only treat the other members, apart from me. And he has to treat them, whether he wants to or not, if they do need it."
W, what are you saying, main character-nim?
Ryu Jinmu stood in front of Haemin, his built body made it seem as if a kid was facing an old man, even though they only have a 6 year age gap.
His eyes darkened while looking down at him.
"Remember, you will stay as far as you can, away from me."
His voice was so cold, Haemin felt as if there was a rope restricting his neck from looking up and his voice couldn't come out.
No, he didn't want to look up. Even with the Soul Calming Cleanser skill activated, he still refused to meet him in the eye.
Ryu Jinmu, followed by his secretary, soon went out of the way after finalizing the commission.
「Blue Dragon Guild's commission—accepted by Hunter Baek Haemin, an A-Rank Hunter.」
Meanwhile, Haemin remained frozen in the hallway.
You're telling me I have to go to an A-Rank dungeon for my first dungeon? And with Ryu Jinmu, that psychotic bastard? Why? Why me?
Jiwon waved her hand towards him.
"Y, young master? Are you okay? Haemin-nim?"
Sniff.
"U, ugh… kugh…"
Haemin plopped down on the floor while covering his face.
Everyone rushed to him, but he couldn't hear a thing of what they're saying. Right now, he could only wallow on the fact that he's going to a dungeon as soon as the next day, and with the man who's fated to kill him.
Dammit... Dammit! I don't want to die!
Unfortunately for Haemin, it was a situation he couldn't avoid.
***
The night before the raid.
After confirming the commission of the Blue Dragon Guild, they went home and Baek Haemin rushed to his room.
Jiwon gave him a cold serving of mango juice to liven him up.
"Congratulations, Haemin-nim! You're going on a raid with Hunter Ryu Jinmu!"
She was so happy about it, she was even clapping her hands while saying it.
However, Haemin looked her dead in the eyes.
"...congatulations?"
Jiwon nodded, full of energy.
"Yes, young master! Didn't you used to beg Raehwan-nim to do everything he could to send you to a dungeon together with Jinmu-ssi*?"
Why would he do that? Is this kid really insane?!
He bit his lip.
"But an A-Rank dungeon…? Jiwon-ah, it's impossible. I can't do it. I have to pass."
"Eh?"
He stood up and clenched his fist, his eyes full of determination.
"Cancel the commission. Tell them I can't do it. I can't, I just can't, okay? I'm sure there's someone else free out there who'll accept it."
That's right. I'll talk to Baek Raehwan if I have to. The novel said he's weak to his brother's whinings. If I act all bratty like the real Haemin did, then wouldn't he try to do something about this? Yeah, let's do that!
"But, young master. You are the best support hunter in the country, and the only one currently free… Hunter Ryu Jinmu would be there so conquering the dungeon by itself wouldn't be hard but what would happen if an accident happened to his teammates and they get critically injured?"
Jiwon clasped her hands together.
"No one would be there to help them, young master."
His fingers twitched. The hand holding the glass of mango juice also stopped mid-air. Could he handle the guilt if something does happen to their team because he refused the job?
But this is also my first time going to a dungeon. I don't even know how to use my skills. I have no idea how to fight. I probably can't even fight since I'm a support hunter. What do you want me to do, seriously?
His slim shoulders drooped as he thought of possibilities that could occur if a team went inside a dungeon without support.
Dammit. I'm just an editor… why do I have to experience the battles in this world first-hand? Shiro, you bastard. Aren't authors usually the ones who transmigrate to their own stories? Why did it have to be me? Seriously…
"...I got it. I understand, so… I'm going to rest now."
Haemin sat down, and Jiwon left the room.