# Chapter 49
“Ah, yes! An A-class monster, Yukhon, appeared and I hunted it.”
“You mean the Changgwi Yukhon?”
Dohyuk asked back, seemingly surprised by Jaesik’s response. Sangjun, who had only asked the question without actually thinking something serious had happened, also frowned, looking quite flustered.
“Yukhon came all the way to the base?”
Sangjun added.
“Guide Yu Junseo was likely the target, as it appeared in the form of Esper Choi Dohyuk. While Yukhon usually imitates an acquaintance of its prey, it typically looks unnatural when seen in bright places like this, but this was a disturbingly vivid disguise.”
Jaesik was about to add a sarcastic report that ‘Thanks to Guide Yu Junseo aiming and firing at the head first with a strange weapon despite the figure having Esper Choi Dohyuk’s appearance, I was a bit surprised, but we completed the hunt without any damage,’ but he closed his mouth.
There were two reasons for this.
“What? Guide Yu Junseo, are you alright?”
First, because Dohyuk, who would normally respond calmly with ‘yes’ to anything, had raised his voice with round eyes.
“I was so scared.”
Second, because Junseo, who had been pouting his lips now that Dohyuk’s attention was finally focused on him, still didn’t miss the opportunity to respond demurely.
So scared?
It was such a pitiful tone that even the vanquished Yukhon would have come back, pounding the ground in resentment if it had heard. The way the thin film of moisture covering Junseo’s eyes made them shine brightly made him look even more miserable. Jaesik couldn’t believe that the crazy Junseo who had been provoking him until just now and this pitiful-looking Junseo were the same person. Judging by how even Sangjun beside him was clenching his fist, it wasn’t just his own illusion.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Only Dohyuk, who had been so worried about Junseo that the two Espers’ reactions didn’t register at all, was flustered and didn’t know what to do. Though his heart was full of the desire to examine Junseo right away, he could only fumble around because of the cat in his arms. Junseo just lightly squeezed his left shoulder and let go as if showing off, while gently shaking his head.
Eventually, Junseo tilted his head down slightly. His lowered eyelashes fluttered like the wings of a butterfly with each blink. His long eyelashes, as if meticulously attached one by one by a skilled craftsman, were one of the features that greatly contributed to Junseo’s pure impression.
“…I’m fine.”
‘After putting on every pretense of having some tragic story, what does he mean he’s fine?’
Sangjun thought, his face full of wrinkles from frowning.
It was crocodile tears that no one would fall for, yet as expected, the thoughts of the only person concerned about Junseo seemed different.
Dohyuk’s worried gaze moved from Junseo’s left shoulder to his right shoulder. It was a gaze that clearly showed he wanted to thoroughly examine if there were any wounds. Having finally managed to hold the cat with just one arm, Dohyuk reached out his other hand to check various parts of Junseo.
Watching this spectacle as they walked, Sangjun quietly asked Jaesik, who was walking beside him. In fact, it was closer to confirming something he already knew rather than being genuinely curious.
“Is he injured?”
“He’s completely fine.”
At Jaesik’s response, Sangjun nodded with a face that showed he wasn’t surprised at all. Ignoring Jaesik’s disgusted face, Junseo docilely blinked his eyes at the fingers lightly stroking his forehead. Only then did a satisfied smile appear on Junseo’s face.
Not long after, they arrived at Base B.
Jihun, Hayeon, and Hansol were already outside waiting for them. After hearing the brief report from Junseo and Jaesik who had hunted Yukhon, everyone had been worried about the search team that had neither returned nor made radio contact.
“Esper Choi Dohyuk! Esper Ji Sangjun! Did something happen to you?”
The first to greet them with a face full of concern was Jihun. Soon, Hayeon also approached Sangjun and checked his choker.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“It hasn’t even turned yellow yet. The monster just played some tricks, so we just got a bit lost.”
Though Sangjun spoke as if it was nothing, he seemed pleased that Hayeon was checking on him, his lips twitching slightly.
“Why didn’t you respond to the radio?”
When Hansol, who had been in charge of scanning all along, asked, Dohyuk answered.
“I will report. As a result of searching the area that Esper Hansol pointed out, we discovered a life form resembling a cat. Judging from the fact that it wasn’t harmed by my ability and from characteristics like its eye color, we determined it wasn’t an ordinary cat and brought it back to report to headquarters. On our way back, both Esper Ji Sangjun and I lost our sense of direction and got lost, and our radio was also dead, so we were late in communicating the situation. We suspect it’s the ability of the reconfigured Changgwis, but it’s a much stronger power than the existing A-class monsters, so we need additional information for dungeon stabilization.”
Meow.
As if aware it had become the subject, the cat in Dohyuk’s arms stretched its hind legs long as if stretching. Dohyuk loosened his arms with a flustered face, and the cat jumped down with a plop. Landing on the floor, the cat haughtily raised its tail. The cat looked at the strangers with caution yet strangely full of curiosity. Eventually, the cat rubbed against Junseo’s feet like a king bestowing grace. Junseo quickly withdrew his legs, but the cat just swung its tail without looking hurt. Jihun let out a light exclamation at the adorable sight.
Having successfully captured everyone’s attention at once, the cat blinked its large eyes and slowly moved, as if surveying the base.
“It looks like a normal cat, though?”
All the Guides except Junseo followed the cat’s elegant movements with their eyes, as if enchanted.
“But it consumes poison. Maybe that’s why? It really likes only Esper Choi Dohyuk.”
Sangjun, who had been sneering, levitated the cat with his ability. Startled by the sudden floating, the cat raised its fur and hissed, prompting Sangjun to say to those around him as if showing off.
“See? Even though Esper Choi Dohyuk and I both saved it, it only dislikes me.”
“It has a good reason to. Put the cat down right now, Ji Sangjun.”
When Hayeon spoke the words everyone had thought but hadn’t said, Sangjun put the cat gently on the ground with an aggrieved face. As soon as its feet touched the ground, the cat ran to Dohyuk and scratched his right calf while meowing in complaint. Its puffed-up tail hair still stood on end as if it hadn’t calmed down yet. At this plea, Dohyuk, despite having an ambiguous expression, stroked the cat as if indulging its tantrum. Watching the scene, Junseo let out a gentle sigh.
“I advise the Guides to be careful. It could be dangerous.”
Was it because the person saying this was currently scratching the cat’s chin with an entranced expression? The words didn’t inspire confidence. As if everyone else was thinking the same, Jihun hesitated after starting to approach the cat timidly.
“Can’t I touch it?”
At Jihun’s pitiful question, Dohyuk stroked the cat’s fluffy fur, lost in thought.
“I recommend not touching it. We still don’t know whether there’s toxin in its teeth or claws.”
Jihun, for the first time, made an expression as if he regretted not being an Esper.
“Since accidents might happen, as I mentioned on the way here, let’s just administer anesthesia now and confine it somewhere. Even if it’s a monster, it won’t die from a little starvation.”
Sangjun, who had casually suggested a solution while looking down at the cat purring under Dohyuk’s touch, raised his head again at the silent response from those around him.
“…It’s clearly a monster, so why are you looking at me as if I’m the monster?”
“Since it hasn’t shown any aggression yet, how about keeping it loose under the Espers’ management?”
“Yes, we’ll be careful. There’s also a possibility it’s a mutant, not a monster, right? Plus, we’re all A-class or higher, so it should be fine if the Guides are just more cautious than usual.”
“Haah, then let’s confine it only from evening rest time to breakfast time under Esper supervision. It might run away.”
After staring at the cat for a long time, he eventually moved his fingers in a circular motion. Along with a movement like drawing a circle in the air, a translucent bell appeared around the cat’s neck as if the air had distorted. The cat with the bell collar jumped up, but no sound was made.
“Even if we let it loose, we shouldn’t lose it. This is like a tracker. This much ability won’t be a problem if I receive proper guiding.”
Sangjun, who was checking Hayeon’s expression out of concern about whether this would be enough, was about to continue speaking with regained confidence as her expression wasn’t bad.
“Do you really have to put that on it?”
“Why are you picking a fight again?”
Though there wasn’t a speck of dust in Junseo’s voice, only full of puzzlement as Sangjun had said, his words were instantly depreciated. Not even disappointed by Sangjun’s treatment, Junseo tilted his head.
“It has too strong an energy to be lost.”
“Yu Junseo, stop talking nonsense and stay quiet. Anyway, let’s have Esper Choi Dohyuk manage it until we leave the dungeon.”
“Why? No.”
