Chapter 93 :

Episode 20 : A Fulfilling Meal (5)

Being guided by Raiden, HwanGi's party began traveling through the forest to arrive at a lake.

When they were walking toward the lake, Raiden and Alaine were conversing with each other, getting to know one another better. While HwanGi and Frostina remained silent, watching the other two having fun teasing and joking.

HwanGi thought, taking a glimpse at Frostina from time to time. ‘She hasn't changed her expression once.’

Without a doubt, Frostina knew HwanGi was staring at her, but she let it slide and continued walking along with him.

"What kind of person is JoonChul-ssi?" HwanGi started a conversation with her, feeling nervous whether or not she would respond.

Frostina was surprised by the sudden question, yet she didn't express it on her face and simply replied. "He's a wise and sometimes cruel person."

"Cruel.. It's true he is cruel." HwanGi frowned, remembering the time where JoonChul murdered a bunch of people.

During his recalling, Frostina mentioned. "He doesn't show it much but he's only cruel to those who are useless to him. If he finds anyone an annoyance, he'll kill them right away."

"Then I'm glad he doesn't see us that way."

"Only time will tell. You might be useful right now, but what about the future? Can you say you'll be helpful to him?"

Frostina shifted her gaze at HwanGi, glancing at him with a disinterested expression which caused HwanGi to be startled by her statement.

HwanGi didn't know what to respond to her statement, he wasn't sure if he could ever be useful in the near future despite being determined that he'll try his best to help his friends.

‘JoonChul-ssi is already strong by himself, so how am I going to top him? I'll only be a burden to him.’ He mused as he blankly stared at his front with a serious expression.

As he was finding ways for him to become as strong as JoonChul, Frostina was waiting for his reply.

By then, she kept walking while she mused. ‘He is seriously considering this. Is he really thinking of being useful for my Liege?’

"Frostina. What do you think of me?" That sudden question being asked by HwanGi made Frostina twitch her eyebrow slightly.

Frostina averted her eyes elsewhere while answering his question bluntly. "You're a nuisance."

"..Hm."

"You're the kind of person who will raise the load on JoonChul."

"How so?"

"Because that's how every player is. No matter what the situation is, their true colors will arise. Greed, lust and pointless self-justice."

"But not all are like what you describe."

"Is that so? Prove me wrong if you want. Because I'll gladly see it with my own eyes."

"..." Even though Frostina was being frank and cold, HwanGi could barely sense the hatred coming from her.

‘..What made her think this way?’ He pondered, not responding to Frostina.

Without knowing, they had already arrived at the lake where they would be meeting up with JoonChul's party.

"There should be a camp here.." Raiden spoke, surveying his surroundings to find what he was searching for.

"Ah, found it. Everyone, we should go over there!" He moved his hand toward where Mya was.

Alaine hovered her eyes to look over there as she said. "Oh, Mya! Why is she there?"

"More importantly, why is she with someone?" HwanGi spoke in a wary tone as he narrowed his eyes, sort of glaring at the man that was with Mya.

"Hey, wait! HwanGi!" Alaine cried out, gaping at HwanGi who had ran toward Mya the moment he finished his sentence.

Raiden chuckled at this sight before handing over the letter to Alaine. "Here, you can read this if you want. Frostina and I will be going to do our quests."

After Alaine took the paper, she asked. "What? What are we supposed to do here?"

"Read the letter and you'll know. No need to worry, I'm sure my Sensei will arrive here first and tell you everything you need to know."

As soon as she heard that, she checked the paper, reading it swiftly. During this, Raiden asked her for a favour. "Also, can you tell Behemoth, the black cat to go do his quest? Thanks."

"Hey wait! Don't just leave me here all confused!" Alaine reached her hand out toward the running away Raiden.

As he ran away by himself, Alaine quickly directed her glance at Frostina. "Don—"

Even before she could finish her sentence, Frostina was already leaving with her sitting on top of her ice golem's shoulder.

Alaine with her dumbfounded eyes and wide opened mouth, gazed at the only one who could answer her questions. "Even if you're in a hurry for the quests, you can't just leave us without much information!"

Standing there with her unanswered questions, she angrily stomped her feet to relieve her rage.

While doing so, her nose picked up a pleasant and appetizing scent coming from behind her. Because of this, she turned around as she proceeded to follow the mouth-watering scent.

The scent was emerging from the camp area where Mya was, making Alaine misunderstand why HwanGi wanted to rush over to there.

"So he was going for the food!! HwanGi!! Don't take all the food! I wanna eat them too!" Running toward HwanGi, Alaine uttered.

———

After a few hours...

Since I had spare time, I continued on doing more quests after finishing the second quests.

Doing the third quest and fourth quest in mere seconds, I suddenly remembered that I was supposed to be at the lake where everyone should be.

"I wonder if they're there." I spoke while biting on my apple.

[You have activated the Skill, ‘Discharge’ Lv. 2.]

After that, I eventually dashed toward the lake, pondering something. "The next stage. Will Frostina be fine?"

"Even after going there for over a decades because of the stages, I'm certain she is still not comfortable setting foot there."

When I was done munching the apple, I muttered. "She definitely won't like it."

At that moment, two figures popped up inside my mind, reminding me of a drifting guilt I had within me. "Right.. those two are in the next world."

"How did I almost forget that?" Caressing my forehead until I rubbed my whole face at how frustrated I was.

"Just forget it." When I told myself that, I ignored every thought that was related to the two figures in my head.

Soon, I managed to forget about it after having to run while concentrated on my surroundings, I swiftly hastened my speed and advanced without bumping into anything.

With no thoughts in mind for now, I fully focused on getting back to the lake, hoping to see my comrades in good shape.

Although I was also expecting a delicious meal from Louis since he promised it as a trade for the bones, I didn't get my hopes up.

In addition, I was more interested in refilling my stamina with the meal instead of enjoying the food that Louis cooked.

"I have eaten a lot of dishes, so I know all the tastes." I mumbled this when in actuality, I grew tired of savouring the meals I eat because I didn't have the luxury to enjoy them in my past lives.

After a short moment of running, I finally arrived at my destination, halting when I was a few steps away from where everyone was.

Behind a tree, I spied on everyone, observing them when they didn't notice me.

The sight of my comrades talking with Alaine and Mya while HwanGi and Louis seemed to have a strange atmosphere around them.

"HwanGi-ssi must be cautious of Louis." Glancing at this scene, I subconsciously smiled from the thought of everyone having fun.

Instead of frowning from being the only one left out, I grinned bitterly, asking myself when will I ever get to have my freedom from the shackle of the fake amnesty I was given.

‘Master. Do not get depressed.’ Lucifer warned me.

I let out a long sigh before telling Lucifer. "I won't let depression overtake me."

"I would rather let my wrath overcome me instead." Crushing the tree that I was resting my hand on, I ground my teeth, recalling the figure of an archangel that I despise with all my lives.

Calming down a bit from that moment, I exhaled before walking over to where everyone was.

‘Just why?’ Emptily staring at what was ahead of me, I mused of a question that I wanted to ask ‘her’ who gave me many defeats innumerous times.

"Captain!" Mirai's voice emerged out of nowhere, indicating to everyone that I had arrived.

And so, I erased the forlorn expression that I had on my face and replaced it with a beaming smile.

———

Mirai, who was helping JoonChul put up many tents for everyone to stay for the night, sneaked a glance of JoonChul setting up the tents.

"Mimi. Looks like I'm done here." JoonChul told her, causing her to flinch and blush.

Mirai looked elsewhere while hiding her flustered face away from JoonChul. "Then I'll help out with the plates and stuff."

She quickly left JoonChul alone without looking back, joining in on helping Alaine and Mya placing the plates and utensils on the blanket.

Next to Louis, there was a small log table that Raiden had made just for HwanGi and Louis to use. HwanGi, who was standing beside Louis, caught a glimpse of everyone helping out preparing for a feast.

Not only that, he was also helping out Louis by chopping the meats which were brought by JoonChul, into bite size pieces.

Because it was not the dining utensils Louis got in his inventory that HwanGi was still baffled about, but it was the amount of meat which JoonChul had stacked up earlier.

HwanGi could still remember the scene of a pile of meat pouring out of JoonChul's inventory, JoonChul even said there were more in his inventory which flabbergasted HwanGi much more.

"This is refreshing, isn't it?" Louis spoke to HwanGi while cooking.

At the time before JoonChul got here, HwanGi and Louis had been conversing with each other a lot. Though, it was more about Mya until they started talking about themselves.

Instead of keeping Louis waiting for HwanGi's response, HwanGi replied to Louis, secretly glimpsing at JoonChul. "Yeah, let's do our best to cook the best meals for everyone."

"Oi, that's my line." Louis tittered from what HwanGi had said.