Mieum sighed as she looked at the system error window again.
"It seems like I can't tell you now. Anyway, if monsters suddenly burst out of the gate, it's highly likely they were running away from something they were afraid of."
"What's this 'something'?"
"I don't know. It could be a higher-level monster."
Listening to Mieum, I became even more convinced.
"Mieum, let's run away."
"Meow?!"
But I felt guilty about running away alone.
I could go to a sauna for the night to avoid the monsters, but what if someone else got caught up in it? I know firsthand how helpless ordinary people are in front of monsters.
On the other hand, if I told others, "Monsters will appear in four days!" they might not believe me. If they asked how I knew, I wouldn't be able to answer.
Is there any way out?
* * *
"That outfit looks even more suspicious."
Mieum sighed as she looked at me.
"But there's no other way."
I bravely headed outside.
I wore a baseball cap, sunglasses, a mask, and a jacket that didn't reveal my figure.
It was the perfect bank robber outfit. I felt like I would be dragged to the police station before even entering the bank.
It looked very suspicious even to me, but to avoid being identified, I had to disguise myself this much to feel safe.
The place I headed to, dressed like a bank robber, was a nearby payphone booth. It was to make an anonymous report.
After a long search, I finally found the payphone booth, which was rarely seen these days. I checked again to make sure no one was around, then dialed the emergency number for the <Dungeon Management Office>.
- Yes, this is the <Dungeon Management Office>. How can I assist you?
"I want to make a report."
- Yes, may I have your name, please?
"I am Lee Kwonri..."
Oops, I almost answered with my real name without thinking.
It's a habit to automatically answer when someone asks for my name. I've been doing it since I was a child, raising my hand to answer when my attendance number was called.
No, I can't. I'm trying to make an anonymous report to hide the fact that I've regressed, even going as far as dressing like a bank robber. I quickly corrected myself.
"Kim... Kim Kwonri."
The name sounds a bit strange, but there's nothing I can do about it.
- Yes, Mr. Kim Kwonri, what brings you to call us?
"Um... The magnetic field is reacting near the Gate 3 of the 'Abyss' dungeon."
- Magnetic field reaction?
A magnetic field reaction refers to the phenomenon where the magnetic field near a dungeon becomes abnormal.
For example, a compass spins or a magnet malfunctions. There was a theory that if a compass goes haywire, a crack might appear or a monster might burst out.
Predicting the appearance of a dungeon was a wish of many people. Therefore, this theory of magnetic field abnormalities received considerable support.
Of course, it was later revealed to be a mere legend with no scientific basis.
I feel like a person who claims that sleeping with a fan on will kill you, but I'll insist.
"There are strange sounds, and... every time I pass by, there's a creepy aura."
I repeatedly insisted that something was wrong around the 'Abyss' dungeon gate.
After I insisted, the operator said they would strengthen patrols in the area.
In the past, a false report was ignored, leading to an A-class crack and many casualties. Since then, all dungeon-related reports had to be responded to.
Anyway, now I can feel relieved.
Before the regression, it was said that the high-risk monsters wouldn't harm people. If the hunters patrol on time, even if the monsters appear, the damage won't be significant.
I finally felt at ease.
Yes, I'll leave the monsters to the hunters and focus on my role as a civilian who evacuates safely in advance.
* * *
The next day, I was making today's mix coffee while looking for a place to stay on my phone.
The monsters are scheduled to appear tomorrow. I decided to leave the shop for the night and stay somewhere safe.
I had canceled my lease on the apartment I used to live in after quitting my job, and I couldn't go to a sauna with my cat. The hotels that accept pets were a bit expensive.
'What to do...'
Should I splurge? Or not?
Wow, the bed looks so soft, and there's a bubble bath. The food looks delicious too.
But the price for one night is a bit steep...
I checked the quest screen.
I don't have much time left to complete the number of quests. I'll soon have 5 million won, so this price should be fine.
Whatever, let's pay.
Just as I was about to press the payment button on my phone, the door opened with a click.
Who is it? It's not time for Jina to come yet.
A foreign man stood at the shop entrance. His bright red curly hair and piercings were very eye-catching. Most notably, there was a large emblem embroidered on his chest.
'What is that?'
"Meow (Don't you know? It's the logo of the American Hunter Association)."
How would I know that?
But from America? Why is an American hunter here?
What should I do? I haven't looked at English since I took the TOEIC test a few years ago.
Hello, how are you, may I help you? That's about all the English I remember.
The man opened his mouth. To my surprise, he spoke Korean.
"What is this place?"
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, this is a very unique place."
Every time he spoke, his mouth and voice were slightly out of sync. It was as if his voice was coming from somewhere else.
"Meow, meow (He's using a translation artifact)."
Mieum whispered from the side.
'Slightly awkward?'
"Meow (It's cheap, that's why)."
'Ah...'
I heard that high-quality translation artifacts can even enable simple communication with monsters. They are, of course, expensive.
This man must be using a cheap one, which is why his tone sounds like a translation.
"Who are you...?"
I don't remember knowing this man in the past.
At that moment, Jina opened the door and appeared.
"Hunter, you need to go this way, not that way!"
Jina looked very tired as she said this.
"Jina, what's going on?"
"Hello. I was guiding the hunter around this area. The tutorial dungeon is tomorrow, but he wanted to check it out in advance. This is Hunter James Jack Smith from America."
"I'm Lee Kwonri."
Wait, is this the American hunter who died before the regression?
I was briefly surprised but calmed down, remembering that the monsters are scheduled to appear tomorrow. Yes, nothing will happen today.
"Also, a report has been received, so hunters will be patrolling this area today and tomorrow."
"Is that so?"
I'm relieved that the report was properly received. It was embarrassing to talk about the magnetic field, but it was worth insisting.
Then, this American hunter won't die either.
Feeling relieved, I took out a new mix coffee packet.
"Please take a seat. I was just about to make coffee."
"Should I?"
Jina sat across the table. I quickly poured the mix coffee into a paper cup and added water.
[Status: Very Good (Time Remaining: 00:10:00)]
[Effect: Recovery speed increases by 100%.]
I can do this without looking now.
I offered a cup to James, but he refused and frowned.
"What is this?"
"Try it. It's coffee."
"This is not coffee."
What? This guy?
"I don't drink instant coffee."
I tried again, but James firmly refused.
Ignoring mix coffee, what a prejudiced American.
'Smile.'
It was getting harder to maintain a social smile in the face of his stubbornness. Instead of forcing a smile, I just used the skill.
My lips formed a soft curve, creating a perfect business smile.
What? I didn't feel better myself?
The seemingly useless 'Smile' had an unexpected effect. James's frown softened a bit, thanks to 'Smile.'
"Hmm, now that I think about it, it does smell good..."
"Right?"
"But this is not real coffee."
'Hold on... Smile.'
"Try it at least."
"Hmm, if you insist, I'll try it once."
Swallow.
James's eyes widened after taking a sip of the mix coffee.
"This taste...!"
Another sip.
"This coffee is truly excellent. Oh, it's very fantastic. I've never tasted such coffee before."
"Right?"
Jina proudly finished her mix coffee. James also quickly drank the coffee in the paper cup and looked disappointed.
I quickly refilled the electric kettle with water.
"Would you like another cup?"
"I appreciate your kindness."
James, who finished the second cup quickly, said,
"I didn't expect to meet such an excellent barista in such a place."
"Ahaha..."
I'm not that kind of person.
Why is Jina nodding along?
"I want to invite you to America."
What?
"If you come, I'll show you the Grand Canyon. No, that's not enough. I'll show you the dungeons in America."
"No, it's fine. Really, it's fine, really."
The dungeons in Korea are already terrifying enough. I don't need to go to America.
James kept inviting me to America. It's unbelievable that he's being so friendly after just meeting me.
Could this be... the effect of 'Smile'?
If I use 'Smile' three times, I might end up in America without realizing it. I need to be careful with this skill, which is more dangerous than I thought.
Instead of going to the Grand Canyon, I decided to correspond with him, and just as I was calming down the overexcited James,
"Hey, hey, hey..."
"Lee Kwonri, what's wrong? ...Oh!"
A monster suddenly burst into the shop.
It looked like a weasel but was much larger. Its red eyes and horns were very frightening, and it seemed ready to pounce and tear me apart.
"Meow (It's a C-class animal-type monster. It spits fire when it gets close)."