“…How on earth?”

When I told her I had reached Level 31—the principal’s assignment—our homeroom teacher, Jeong Yeongyeong, muttered that in disbelief.

“I just hunted monsters steadily.”

I hid the truth that I had already far surpassed the goal, reaching Level 39.

After all, it would be absurd for someone who had only been in the mid-20s to suddenly leap to Level 39. The teachers weren’t fools; they knew leveling up that fast wasn’t possible through mere monster hunting.

“I kept running the third floor of the Bag Toter Mine. I was lucky enough to get some rare items, which made things easier.”

Of course, those “rare items” weren’t found—they were crafted.

“I see… Every time I hear about your exploits, you manage to surprise me.”

Smiling, she added, “I’ll report this to the principal then.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I watched her head down the stairs before returning to class.

“….”

The moment I stepped inside, I stopped short.

Lumina sat at her desk, staring blankly at the empty chalkboard.

‘She’s been off since morning.’

Normally, she’d already be seated and greet me when I arrived. But today, she had rushed in just before homeroom started—and had been like this ever since.

Even when I said I was going to report the assignment completion, all she gave was a faint “Mm.”

I had expected her usual, “I’ll come too.”

“Lumina.”

I approached and called her name.

“….”

No response. She continued staring, lost in a daze.

I looked at her a moment longer, then quietly sat down without pressing further.

At lunch, Meiling, Seo Yui, and I sat at our usual table in the cafeteria. But instead of eating, we were all staring at the same thing.

“….”

Lumina sat frozen, spoon in hand, staring down at the rice perched on it.

“Hey, Lumina.”

Meiling called her. No response.

Scowling, Meiling waved her hand right in front of Lumina’s face.

“Hey!”

“Ah!”

Lumina flinched, eyes wide as she looked up at Meiling.

“What are you thinking about so hard? If the rice looks dirty, just go get a new bowl.”

“N-no, it’s nothing.”

She quickly shoveled food into her mouth.

“….”

Seo Yui tore her eyes from Lumina and glanced at me.

I gave a slight nod. She seemed to have figured out the reason too.

After we finished eating, we headed outside.

“Let’s talk somewhere private,” Seo Yui said, turning to Lumina.

“Huh?”

“You two as well,” she added, glancing at Meiling and me.

“What? About what?” Meiling demanded.

“Just follow me,” I said.

Her frown deepened, but she came along.

We gathered behind the main building.

“This is about Persila, isn’t it?” Seo Yui said at once.

Lumina’s eyes widened. After a pause, she gave a small nod.

“Ahh. So that’s what’s been eating you?” Meiling crossed her arms.

“That kind of—”

Lumina’s face darkened. Meiling faltered.

“…If something’s bothering you, talk to us,” Seo Yui urged gently.

Lumina looked at her for a moment, then finally spoke.

“…I know it in my head. Persila was a dangerous maniac threatening Yein. Fighting back was the only way to survive. But the images won’t leave me.”

Her lips trembled.

“The way she looked when she died… the sight of her body burning… it keeps replaying in my mind.”

Seo Yui pressed her lips together, while Meiling grimaced.

“What, you feel guilty for killing Persila?”

“Meiling.”

Seo Yui raised a hand to stop her, but Meiling batted it away, snapping:

“Why are you tormenting yourself over trash like her? Persila didn’t deserve to exist in this world. We just took out the garbage no one else could handle. We ought to be thanked, not tortured by guilt.”

I caught the subtle shift—she had said we.

Meiling was trying to sound unaffected, but deep down—even unconsciously—she too was conflicted over Persila. Her rationalizations gave her away.

Seo Yui was the only one who seemed steady.

“Meiling, stop. Pushing her like this won’t solve anything.”

“There’s nothing to solve. This isn’t worth agonizing over—we were the victims.”

“….”

I looked at the three of them in silence, thinking.

As Seo Yui said, pressing them wouldn’t help.

What they needed now was something else.

“Today,” I said.

All three turned to me.

“Let’s cut class.”

“…Huh?”

“What?”

“Eh…?”

Their reactions varied, but all carried the same note of disbelief.

“Wait here, all of you. Senior Yui too. I’ll be right back.”

I headed to the teachers’ office.

“Oh? Yein? What is it?”

My homeroom teacher looked up from her desk.

“Miss, instead of attending our afternoon classes, may I request permission for my squad to do a special training exercise?”

“Oh? Can’t you go after school?”

“It’s an independent dungeon.”

“Ah, right. It would be too late otherwise. But why so suddenly?”

“For squad unity.”

When I named the dungeon, she chuckled.

“I see. Still, don’t you sound a bit too bold, asking your teacher for this?”

“We’ve been running nonstop with special assignments. Everyone’s exhausted.”

“…That’s true. Even if it’s preparation for HAUT, the workload has been heavy for first-years. And you’ve already surpassed the usual training and practice level anyway… All right. I’ll speak with Meiling’s and Seo Yui’s teachers. Just this once.”

“Thank you, Miss.”

I bowed.

When I returned behind the main building, I held up the signed slip for them to see.

“Permission granted for all four of us.”

“…It’s real,” Seo Yui said, peering at it.

“So where are we going?” Meiling asked.

“It’s written right here. Special training.”

I grinned, pointing to the slip.

“Then let’s head out. Oh, before the dungeon, we’re stopping by the store.”

Their confusion only deepened.

Two hours later, we were inside the dungeon.

The refreshing roar of waves echoed throughout.

“Watching you buy all that stuff, I thought you’d lost your mind… but this?”

Meiling’s voice was full of surprise.

“Oooh…”

“Wow…”

Seo Yui and Lumina were just as astonished.

At least the first stage of my plan had succeeded.

The place we stood now was the independent dungeon known as the Archipelago.

Made up of five islands, it was better known by its nickname—Hunters’ Resort.

Warm sunlight spilled down, just hot enough to prickle the skin. Golden sand glittered underfoot.

To the left stretched the endless blue horizon of the sea.

To the right rose green mountains, dense with trees.

It was such a beautiful scene that it was hard to believe we were still inside a dungeon.

“Alright, let’s start with a warm-up.”

I set down the bag on my back and the shopping bags in my hands.

Then I strapped on my protective gear and gripped my sling.

“We’ll need to clear out the monsters around here first if we want to relax properly.”

“Oh, right. This is a dungeon.”

Meiling said it like she’d just remembered, pulling out her staff.

Seo Yui readied her spear and shield.

“Lumina.”

“Ah—y-yes!”

Snapping out of her daze, Lumina grabbed her daggers.

The monsters on the first island weren’t even Level 10.

For three people who had reached Level 39, it was child’s play.

They went down so easily that when Lumina barely poked one like she was popping a balloon, it turned to ash and vanished.

Her expression showed she couldn’t quite believe it herself.

Even Seo Yui, using a Ground Slam skill that normally had no offensive power, reduced whole packs of monsters to ash.

As for Meiling, she simply roamed around with her Dark Domain activated.

Watching the three of them, I realized I didn’t even need to join in. So instead, I started unpacking.

From the shopping bags came mats, a foldable parasol, disposable plates, cups—beach gear.

Just as I finished setting up, the three returned.

“All cleared,” Seo Yui reported, spear and shield in hand.

“Good work. Now, put your weapons and gear away in your inventories.”

I spread items across the mat.

“…What is this?”

“Yein, are these all clothes?”

Meiling and Lumina stared wide-eyed.

I nodded.

The mat was piled with outfits fit for a summer day at the beach.

Latesai had plenty of cosmetic gear. You could buy it from NPCs or craft it yourself.

“Pick whatever you like.”

As always, once chosen, the outfit would resize itself automatically—no need to worry about fit.

While they changed, I turned my back and closed my eyes.

“All done,” Seo Yui’s voice called.

I opened my eyes and turned—and nearly gasped.

“This feels nice and cool.”

Seo Yui stood in a bikini, a pareo tied at her waist.

Without her armor, the impact of her figure was striking, top to bottom.

“When did you even prepare all this?”

I turned away quickly. My heart calmed only when my gaze landed on—

Meiling, dressed in a white one-piece dress.

She didn’t have Seo Yui’s overwhelming impact, but against the backdrop of blue sea and golden sand, she looked like a painting.

“A-ah…”

Next to her, Lumina shrank in on herself, stealing glances at me.

She wore a plain white T-shirt over short denim pants.

“You both look good.”

“Hmph. Whatever.”

“…”

Meiling snorted, and Lumina lowered her head. But neither seemed displeased.

“And me?”

Seo Yui looked straight at me.

Immediately, Lumina and Meiling turned their eyes on me as well.

“…You look great too, Senior.”

“Thanks.”

Seo Yui smiled.

Seeing Meiling’s eyes narrow, I quickly changed the subject.

“Alright. Now that we’re dressed for it, let’s relax. That’s what we came here for.”

But the three just stared at me, unmoving.

“What is it?”

“Why aren’t you changing?” Meiling demanded.

“…Huh?”

“Yeah. It’s hot under the sun in combat gear,” Seo Yui added.

“….”

Lumina said nothing, only fixed her gaze on me—her eyes speaking for her.

In the end, I gave in.

Using my Craftsman skill, I made myself a simple T-shirt and shorts.

Their faces all fell with faint disappointment, but I couldn’t help it. I’d used all the materials on women’s cosmetic outfits.

We walked down to where the waves lapped against the shore.

“This is my first time seeing the ocean.”

Meiling’s eyes shone as she stared out at the blue expanse.

“Mine too.”

“Same here. I’ve only ever seen it on TV or in textbooks.”

Seo Yui and Lumina gazed out at it as well.

Latesai’s world, scarred by the war against monsters, had barely managed to rebuild civilization in a handful of great cities.

Tourism as an industry had all but died.

Most people were born in the city and died in the city, never once leaving its walls.

That was why Lumina had only ever seen the ocean through media.

Seo Yui, trapped in Vallahal, of course had no chance either.

Only Meiling, by wealth, might have—but her father Chen Kai cared only for his own reputation and status. Taking his daughter to the beach? Impossible.

So in truth, for all three of them, this was their first time seeing the ocean.

“Yein. Can I go in the water?”

Seo Yui asked.

Come to think of it, she was the only one who’d picked a swimsuit. She must have wanted to go in from the start.

“It should be fine. I heard hunters who come here do swim in the sea.”

(That was from the game’s lore, of course.)

Seo Yui nodded and slowly stepped forward, letting the waves wash around her ankles.

“Oooh…”

Her awed gasp made me chuckle.

“I’m going too!”

Meiling tossed her shoes aside and ran into the surf.

“Ah—it’s cold!”

She squealed the moment water splashed her feet, then burst into laughter, stomping happily.

With her short stature and childlike antics, she really did look like a kid.

“This feels… strange.”

I turned. Lumina was beside me.

“The ocean is so wide… Looking at it, I feel like I could just dissolve and disappear.”

Her voice was dazed, but unlike in the classroom earlier, it carried a serene note.

‘Then maybe I should just let them all be for a while.’

I quietly made my way back toward the parasol.

(End of Chapter)

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