The Support Ate it All

Starting the next day, I began using the stash of prohibited items I had brought.

First, I made use of [Dark Ice Crystal] to train my ice skills.

[The rank of 'Frozen Spirit Shot' has increased. (C → B)]

As a result, not only did I reach B-rank, but I was able to push the progress much further.

Next, I consumed the mountain of poisonous herbs and extracts as if I were eating salad.

Normally, mixing multiple types of poison makes them far more dangerous, but thanks to my Poison Immunity, I had no worries about harming my body.

I only stopped my mana cultivation when the smell of grass practically started coming out of my mouth.

At this rate, I'll probably get [Core] to A-rank soon.

If I were to quantify my current progress, I'd say I'm at about 70%.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, the tally for the first years' duel battle win rate was completed.

Contrary to my worries that it might drop sharply, it actually went up slightly, ending at 40%.

[Side Quest: 7th Week Duel Battles] (Completed)

▷ Reward: Fixed Pin

Since this was a relatively high-difficulty quest that required at least two victories against upperclassmen and I even earned a bonus on top of that, the reward I received was a Fixed Pin.

▷ Copy–Traits [3/4]

1. Sovereign's Crown

2. Time Resistance (S)

3. Pain Delay

4. (Empty)

At the moment, among the skills I've copied, none were outstanding or high-ranked enough to warrant using a Fixed Pin, and among the traits, [Time Resistance] or [Pain Delay] were the most likely candidates.

But since I still have one slot open, there's no need to rush.

On another note, Seo Ye-in also succeeded in leveling up her specs over the weekend.

Thanks to her genius talent combined with hard work, she managed to raise [Fickle Trap] to C-rank in that short time.

The problem was that the backlash from a week's worth of strain hit her all at once.

Now, she was sprawled out in a corner of the training room with the Immortal Pot over her head.

I crouched in front of her and knocked on the pot.

"Knock knock knock, anyone home?"

"……"

"Knock knock knock, is this the sloth's house?"

"Mmm… Mmm…"

Even under normal circumstances her sleep talk was hard to understand, but now with the pot covering her, it was even worse.

So, I lightly lifted the pot and repeated my question.

"This isn't the sloth's house?"

"Not at home…"

"I know you're in there. Where do you think you're hiding?"

"Dead…"

Seo Ye-in buried her face deeper into a corner to avoid the light.

I grabbed the sloth's shoulders and gently shook her.

"Young miss, let's get up for now."

"…Why?"

"You said your butler was coming today. We have to go greet her."

Today was the day the Dungeon Island opened and outside guests began to arrive.

Most of those guests were parents, but due to circumstances, neither the Underworld Dragon King nor Father Seo could come. Instead, they sent the family's butler and team leader Ahn Jeong-mi.

"……"

Apparently unable to completely ignore the butler's arrival, Seo Ye-in slowly turned her body toward me.

But instead of getting up, she simply stretched both arms out toward me.

"……"

"…And what exactly is this supposed to mean?"

"Carry me…"

"For how long?"

"Forever…"

"That's far too long. Let's just make it until you see your butler."

Considering how hard she'd worked to prepare for the tournament, I figured I could at least give her that much.

After a brief pause for thought, Seo Ye-in nodded and wrapped her arms around my neck.

With the sloth on my back, I headed toward the train platform, where several other students seemed to have come for the same purpose.

Among them, I spotted Hong Yeon-hwa. For some reason, she seemed intent on avoiding me. Her eyes were darting around as she quietly slipped away.

Perhaps she didn't want me to see her meeting her parents.

Understandable, in a way.

So I decided to give her the space she seemed to want.

After a while of waiting, a small dot appeared beyond the horizon.

It quickly grew into a train, which cut through the water at high speed before coming to a halt at the platform.

One by one, adults in all manner of attire began to step off. Some were in business suits, some in robes, and some in martial uniforms.

The variety likely reflected their different places of origin.

Before long, Ahn Jeong-mi appeared. After spotting us, she strode over quickly and greeted us.

"Young Miss, Kim Ho-nim, have you been well?"

"Thanks to you."

I replied with a smile.

Seo Ye-in, still half-asleep, cracked her eyes open and rested her chin on my shoulder.

"…Butler."

"You seem a little tired."

"I prepared for the tournament."

"…! You've truly worked hard."

Ahn Jeong-mi already looked deeply moved.

She had assumed the young miss would have nothing to do with the tournament, yet here she was, training to the point of exhaustion.

Her eyes even turned to me with clear gratitude, knowing full well I served as the sloth's auxiliary battery.

Not that she was wrong.

I had plenty to report. Like the enhanced pot and newly learned skills, but with all the noise around us, it seemed better to move somewhere quieter first.

Just as I was about to make the suggestion—

"Daughter—!"

A booming voice rang out from somewhere, echoing loudly enough for everyone to hear.

Students and parents alike turned their heads toward the source in unison.

There, a middle-aged man with blazing red hair was approaching Hong Yeon-hwa, who had the same fiery color.

"Daughter—! Come here, let me give you a hug—it's been so long!"

"Ah, seriously! Don't touch me!"

Hong Yeon-hwa recoiled in disgust.

At the same time, she kept frantically pressing a finger to her lips.

"And your voice…please! Your voice!"

"What's there to be embarrassed about? This is the touching reunion of father and daughter!"

"It hasn't even been that long! We talked just last week!"

"Still, a parent's heart longs to see their child!"

The man, presumably her father Mr. Hong, remained utterly confident while Hong Yeon-hwa's face steadily turned as red as her hair in embarrassment.

Then, darting her eyes around the crowd, she flinched the moment her gaze met mine.

It was only for a split second, but the middle-aged man seemed to catch it and his eyes flashed sharply.

In stark contrast to his earlier booming tone, his voice suddenly grew cautious.

"Daughter… is it that guy?"

"U-Uh? N-No…?"

Her answer was awkward to the extreme.

To make matters worse, her poor poker face might as well have had the words "Yes! It's him!" written across it.

A storm of unreadable emotions passed over the man's face before he finally broke into a wide grin.

And before Hong Yeon-hwa could stop him, he strode toward me in long, confident steps.

"So it's you! The man my daughter has chosen!"

Chosen… what now?

I'd have to hear the details before jumping to conclusions, but for now, I bowed at the waist.

"Hello, my name is Kim Ho."

"A polite young man! But… who is the young lady behind you…?"

He froze mid-sentence, his eyes turning toward Seo Ye-in on my back.

Hong Yeon-hwa rushed to explain.

"S-She's my friend too!"

The man looked utterly stunned.

"You mean… you've even made a friend…?"

"M-Mhmm…? Why is that…?"

And then his surprise melted into deep emotion.

With a face that looked on the verge of tears, he muttered to himself,

"My daughter… she went to school… and finally…!"

Perhaps Hong Yeon-hwa's social circle was far narrower than I'd imagined.

***

A short distance from the platform.

Dang Gyu-young stood staring into the distance, lost in thought.

Then, a familiar voice reached her ears.

"Gyu-young."

She slowly turned her head, and there stood a middle-aged man dressed in deep green.

Dang Gyu-young bowed politely.

"You've arrived, Uncle."

"I sent word ahead before coming, but I'm not sure if you got it."

"I received it just fine."

She had merely noted that he was coming, then tossed the rest aside, not wanting to read it.

The middle-aged man brought up Dang Gyu-young's father, the head of the Dang clan.

"Your father has so many matters to attend to that he simply couldn't make the time. As you know, leading one of the three great clans keeps a man far busier than most. So, I had no choice but to come in his place."

"I'm sure that's the case."

Her tone was so cold it was almost empty.

It made clear she had never expected anything in the first place.

"……"

Her uncle's expression turned pained.

He knew it was a poor excuse.

After all, it wasn't as if the other tower masters, guild leaders, or sect leaders had time to spare when they came to Dungeon Island.

They had rearranged their schedules and carved out time they didn't have just to see their precious children.

And Dang Gyu-young surely knew that as well.

Still, there was something he wanted to say.

"Your father feels differently in his heart. He just can't bring himself to go against his own stubbornness. Even now, he's keeping a close ear on your activities."

"……"

"I tried to persuade him to come in person, but sadly, he wouldn't listen. I'm sorry."

Dang Gyu-young slowly shook her head.

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about, Uncle. In fact, I'm grateful. You've always stood on my side."

When Gyu-young refused the position of direct successor and ran away from home, every elder in the clan had flown into a rage.

They said it would stain the Dang clan's honor and insisted she be dragged back by force, even if they had to mobilize the armed guard.

The one who most fiercely opposed that idea was the very uncle standing before her.

He had given up much of himself for the clan, all to secure Dang Gyu-young's freedom. And he had never once regretted that choice.

Her uncle's lips curved into a faint smile.

"Thank you for saying that. I too keep hearing news about you here and there. I'm truly proud that you've achieved so much on your own. However…"

He hesitated for a moment, then looked straight at Dang Gyu-young and spoke.

"To be honest, I can't help but worry. I've done my own research on this 'shadow magic' you've learned… and the prospects don't look all that bright."

Shadow Mage. A second-generation class.

Compared to established paths like White Mage or Elemental Mage, its history was extremely short.

What's more, it was rarely a good fit for anyone's aptitude, making it a niche among niches.

For this reason, not even an A-rank Shadow Mage existed outside Dungeon Island, let alone an S-rank.

Having no predecessors meant she would have to pioneer the path herself.

It also meant a thorny road lay ahead.

Dang Gyu-young had once carried a vague sense of unease herself, so she fully understood her uncle's concern.

But there was one thing he didn't know. That unease had long since vanished.

She could have explained everything, but she decided it would be better to show him directly.

"Thank you for worrying about me, Uncle. You must be tired from your long journey, so please rest. And just watch and see how far I can climb."

A smile full of confidence spread across her face.

Her uncle gazed at her for a moment, then returned the faint smile.

"I'll do that."