Meeting Jina for the first time since the incident with the cave bear was quite a while ago.
It seems that the hunters from the <Dungeon Management Bureau> who responded sluggishly to the previous incident were replaced.
And Jina, recognized for her quick handling of the situation, had a change in her affiliation. She moved from being an assistant to a hunter to becoming the direct subordinate of Hunter Kang Hyun-woo, the leader of the emergency dungeon response team.
Hunter Kang Hyun-woo is so famous that even I have heard of him. He is said to be a model for civil servant hunters. Being directly under such a popular person is practically a promotion.
However, she now works almost exclusively at the main office and rarely comes to the dungeon gate. We had only been in touch via KakaoTalk, but I had some questions, so I invited her today after a long time.
But Jina's face was dark.
I thought she would be more relaxed now that she was no longer an assistant to a hunter...
Dark circles under her eyes, bloodshot eyes, and an unconscious sigh. It was almost as bad as when she collapsed in front of this shop.
"Jina, are you not feeling well?"
"Ah... No, I'm fine."
She doesn't look fine...
"Are you very busy with work?"
"It's not that, just a bit of worry..."
I quickly made her sit down on a chair. Then I caught Lime, who was sticking to the oven, and placed her on Jina's lap.
I thought touching her squishy body might help her feel better. This slime's body has an addictive quality; the more you squish it, the more you want to.
Sure enough, as soon as Jina's hand touched Lime's bouncy body, she couldn't resist playing with it.
Squish, squish, squish...
After a while, Jina spoke.
"Actually, my older brother is a hunter."
"Your older brother?"
"My older brother."
"Ah..."
"A few years ago, he changed his name to something strange and left home. Since then, he's only caused trouble!"
Squish, squish, squish...
Recalling the bad memories, her hand movements became rougher as she squished Lime.
"But out of the blue, he called and boasted that he was joining a famous guild. He said that once this matter is over, he won't be ignored anymore."
Jina shook her head. It seems her brother has caused her a lot of trouble.
"I don't care if he joins a famous guild or not. I just hope he doesn't cause any more trouble. Really, hunters!"
Jina sighed heavily, but then suddenly stopped.
"Ah, I'm sorry. You're a hunter, right, Leeul?"
"Ahaha..."
I told Jina that I had awakened. To be precise, I naturally found out while discussing issues like shop repairs and taxes.
Jina's brother is also a hunter... I wonder when I'll meet him.
"But you don't seem like a hunter."
"Really?"
"Ah! I mean, not in a bad way! In a good way!"
Jina added, flustered.
"Why... why... (Is it because you're weak?)"
I ignored Meeum's sly comment.
Jina's praise felt incredibly sincere.
"But it smells good? Hmm... is it butter and sugar?"
Ding.
The cookies in the oven were done.
"I was trying out a new menu. Would you like to taste it?"
"Sure, I'd love to!"
I opened the oven and checked the cookies.
A fragrant aroma filled the air. They were perfectly golden and round, like roses, without any crumbling or spreading.
[Item: Butter Cookie (★★★☆☆)
Perfectly baked butter cookies.
The best friend of coffee.
Beware of imitations.]
Maybe because I didn't use the 'Cafe in My Hands' skill, the butter cookies appeared in the status window but had no additional effects.
Of course, even without those effects, the dessert is excellent on its own.
"Whyoo?!"
"Be careful, they're hot... Ah, too late."
Meeum, who was eyeing the cookies, fluffed up her fur. She seemed startled by the heat of the freshly baked cookies.
While the cookies cooled on a plate, I prepared the coffee. Since they would be eaten with the warm, freshly baked cookies, cold coffee would be better.
I made two iced Americanos and sat across from her at the table.
The afternoon sunlight streaming through the window was warm. It was the perfect time to enjoy a cool coffee.
I took a bite of the butter cookie first. It was soft, not crumbly, and melted in my mouth with a fragrant aroma.
Then I took a sip of the iced Americano.
Another bite of the cookie, another sip of coffee...
I was right.
The Americano and the cookie went together perfectly. The sweetness and bitterness, the dessert followed by coffee. It was a fantastic combination.
"How is it?"
Eating sweets can relieve stress. Jina, who had eaten the butter cookie and iced Americano, exclaimed in amazement.
"Really delicious!"
The golden gauge that appeared above her head showed her satisfaction.
Ding.
At that moment, a system notification I had never seen before appeared in front of me.
Thanks to the combo bonus, Jina seemed to have eased her worries about her family, looking much more relaxed.
After giving cookies to Meeum and Lime, I sat at the table and, while eating the cookies and drinking coffee, asked Jina the question I wanted to ask.
"Jina, do you know anything about upper-attribute dungeons?"
"Huh?"
Jina's eyes sparkled.
"You're interested in dungeons too, Leeul?"
Well, not exactly...
But Jina, looking excited, continued.
While dungeons, hunters, and monsters are common, few people are interested in dungeons themselves.
Most are only interested in how to obtain rare items and how to clear dungeons quickly. The principles behind how dungeons operate and their ecosystems are outside their interest.
"It's really foolish."
...Jina sighed.
"Dungeons are uncharted lands where mysteries yet to be revealed lie!"
Her face was full of energy, different from just a moment ago.
She must be a true lover of dungeons, having joined the <Dungeon Management Bureau> because of her love for them.
It's true that information about dungeons is scarce. So, the information I was looking for was even harder to find.
Before the regression, I tried to gather information about the dungeon that Choi E-chan was involved in. Knowing your enemy is key to victory. Gathering information about the dungeon might help me find a new way to avoid the future.
However, the only keyword I remembered was 'upper-attribute dungeon.' It was difficult to find information about dungeons with just this vague memory.
I even checked the Ether-Wiki...
[Ether-Wiki]
[Welcome to the dimensional encyclopedia cultivated by the Eligible One.]
'Upper-attribute dungeon.'
[No search results.
Gather more information to enrich the encyclopedia.]
"..."
The system was no help either.
Frustrated, I decided to ask the person I knew who was most interested in dungeons.
Jina.
"Do you know that there are 'attribute dungeons' among dungeons?"
"Yes."
Actually, it was the first time I heard about it, but that's not important, so let's move on.
As the name suggests, these are dungeons where a specific attribute is strongly present.
"The most common are fire, wind, ice, and poison attributes. Without the appropriate armor or potions, you'll take attribute damage. If a specific ether becomes too strong in such an attribute dungeon..."
"What happens then?"
"It mutates into an upper-attribute dungeon."
Jina continued her explanation.
"There are two upper attributes: light and darkness. However, upper-attribute dungeons are 100% dark."
"Why is that?"
"Light attributes can only occur if dark ether is purified in a special way. Purification is impossible with human power. So, while they theoretically exist, they have never been observed."
"I see..."
"And dark dungeons are very dangerous for hunters, dealing dark damage. You could lose your life if you're not careful."
"..."
If Jina is right, the dungeon Choi E-chan was involved in before the regression must have been a dark dungeon. It was said that an F-grade dungeon had mutated into an upper-attribute dungeon.
If so, it would be great to have an item that can block the dark attribute.
"Is there a way to nullify dark damage?"
"Huh?"
Jina's face turned pale.
"Ah, are you planning to enter a dark dungeon? No, it's not a place for non-combat hunters!"
I waved my hands in surprise.
"No, I'm not planning to enter. I was just curious."
After confirming that I had no intention of entering a dark dungeon, Jina continued.
"Well, since dark dungeons haven't appeared for years, related items are rare."
"I see..."
"Even the few that exist have been hoarded by illegal guilds, making them hard to find. The main office is cracking down, but they are very secretive."
"Illegal guilds?"
A new term.
"Unregistered private guilds. Actually, they don't even deserve to be called guilds!"
Jina's voice rose, seemingly angry.
This made Meeum, who was stealthily putting her paw on the cookie, jump in surprise. I pretended not to notice the cookie crumbs on her mouth.
"They engage in smuggling, tax evasion, and all sorts of despicable acts, especially the SinCrown faction."
"Is it a very dangerous place?"
"It has existed since before the <Dungeon Management Bureau> was established."
"That means..."
"It's extremely malicious!"
Jina looked at me for agreement. Overwhelmed by her intensity, I nodded.
The current <Dungeon Management Bureau> was established ten years ago.
Before that, the <Awakened Center> handled hunter-related affairs.
However, due to corruption and collusion, the hunter world was practically a lawless zone. Slavery contracts, item smuggling, exploitation—every despicable act you can think of happened.
Back then, someone like me, an F-grade water body, would have been used as a porter or a slave in a dungeon. Well, it's fortunate that it's gone now.
The Crown faction, which engaged in all sorts of illegal activities back then, is now operating under the name SinCrown.
After finishing her story, Jina pulled out a thick book from her bag. It was so thick that it was hard to hold with one hand.
"I didn't know you were interested in dungeons, Leeul! This 'Dungeon Ecology Encyclopedia' will give you more detailed information. I'll lend it to you."
"Are you carrying such a thick book around?"
"There's an e-book version, but it's easier to find what you're looking for by flipping through it with your hands."
Thud!
The book landed on the table with a heavy thud.
"It can also be used for self-defense."
Jina said she could take her time reading it and left the slow-speed blunt weapon, or rather, the 'Dungeon Ecology Encyclopedia.'
Since I received it, I might as well read it. Maybe I can find some information...
"Reading this will make your neck stiff. Whyooong."
"K... Nyeet!"
"Ugh, haa..."
Ah, I fell asleep.
It was a book with an incredible sleep-inducing effect.
* * *
My shoulder was stiff from falling asleep on the table. While rubbing my shoulder, I noticed Lime was nowhere to be seen.
"Hey, where's Lime?"
"Whyoong (She went to the other space.)"
"What's she doing there..."
Is she taking a nap inside?
I went into the other space beyond the wall to bring Lime back.
The Yggdrasil, with its thick branches and lush leaves, greeted me. Despite the many coffee fruits I had picked, the branches seemed as numerous as ever.
"Lime, where are you?"
"Kyo, nyeet!"
Lime was crying in a narrow space behind Yggdrasil.