-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Carmela's Forest (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Wait, our Gukbap just flipped me off...!?"
My eyes widened.
So, was I offended?
No. Quite the opposite.
A pleasant, ticklish feeling in my chest.
'I thought it would take much longer...'
Lee Yuri, given her family background and the life she'd led,
had grown up in an environment where she always had to keep her guard up, thick and strong.
Perhaps because of that, she was extremely reluctant to reveal herself.
To the point where she tried to hide what she ate even from party members who seemed quite close to her.
'And now, that Gukbap just swore at *me*. And after only knowing me for a day!'
Lee Yuri swearing meant she had crossed the line from 'complete stranger' to 'casual friend'.
Earlier, I'd gotten annoyed when Go Yunseo claimed Gukbap was *her* Gukbap and said something, but now I wondered if I'd done it for nothing.
Of course, we still hadn't even properly spoken to each other, so there was a long way to go.
Nevertheless, a sense of proud accomplishment welled up within me.
As I smiled brightly, looking at the middle finger Lee Yuri had raised,
she reluctantly lowered her finger.
"...W-what is it? Are you really crazy?"
"The word 'crazy.' I like the sound of that."
"...Crazy bastard."
"Haha, no need to go that far."
Lee Yuri made a contemptuous face, then shook her head.
Anyway, with the Blood Goblin taken care of,
it was time to get going.
This wasn't a game where you just defeated the boss monster and it was over.
I didn't know how the remaining goblins would react.
I refused to get tangled up with these swarming green-headed bastards any longer.
"Krrk..."
"Keeh..."
"Kerrr..."
The goblins stared at the headless corpse with disbelieving expressions.
I looked around, then said to Lee Yuri,
"Team Leader, let's get out of here. I'll take the Blood Goblin's head."
Lee Yuri replied in a faint voice,
"...Now, I've used up all my magic. I think I'm suffering from mana exhaustion."
Ah.
Well, this was an unavoidable situation.
Mana exhaustion.
It was understandable, given she'd already been physically drained before facing the Blood Goblin.
From Lee Yuri's initial stats, this guy must have been a considerable challenge.
"Well then, no choice, I guess."
"Are you going to abandon me...?"
She's saying something hurtful again, this kid.
"If I was going to do that, I wouldn't have come here."
"But, how will we get through these goblins...?"
Lee Yuri said, worried she would be a burden.
Seriously, she just saw me dispatch that Blood Goblin a moment ago.
I approached her, turned my back, and bent my knees.
"Alright, hop on my back."
"...Huh? On your back?"
"Yes, carrying you would be difficult. It might be uncomfortable, but this is how we have to do it."
Lee Yuri's eyes darted around, flustered.
"Quickly. It'll get annoying once the goblins start causing a ruckus."
"...Ah, alright!"
She hesitated, then placed her hands on my shoulders and leaned her body against me.
"And I need to use one of my arms, so wrap your arms around my neck. Hold on tight."
I took Lee Yuri's hands from my shoulders and wrapped them completely around my neck.
Squeeze—
Hmm, our Gukbap is quite strong.
And quite heavy too.
Before setting off, I glanced back at her and said,
"Looks like you had a hearty meal today."
"...Sh-shut up."
I heard a voice, teeth clenched, near my ear.
No, I just meant it was good to see her eating well, but she took it like *that*...?
* * *
"Lee Yuna. Are you done yet!?"
Go Yunseo bit her nails, speaking impatiently.
"Right now, we don't know how long the Team Leader can hold out. We have to go quickly. Even if that guy joined them, this number of goblins is abnormal."
Choi Soyeon also circled Lee Yuna, speaking.
"J-just a moment, please! It's almost done!"
Currently, Lee Yuna was working on something.
She was applying adhesive to Naiki leather and attaching pieces one by one to a coat.
The number of pieces was insufficient, and their size was small, so it was taking a considerable amount of time.
"Damn it, is this really going to work? That Jin Yuha bastard, he didn't lie, did he?"
Go Yunseo turned to Choi Soyeon and asked.
"Still, I don't think he lied. Naiki and goblins actually have a symbiotic relationship. And the information that goblins can't detect Naiki's stealth makes sense."
"Then why don't they just make leather clothes out of Naiki and wipe out the goblins?! Why aren't they doing that!?"
"Naiki leather... it's more profitable to make luxury bags out of it...?"
Ugh—
Go Yunseo scratched her head, frustrated and anxious.
"Jin Yuha, what the hell is with that guy? It was all an act. I knew he was suspiciously shady from the first time I saw him."
*
Thirty minutes earlier.
"I'm going to go rescue Lee Yuri now. Are you planning on coming too?"
Jin Yuha asked, after demonstrating his divine skill right before their eyes, cutting down a distant goblin and even a tree with a single sword.
"Of course. She's Gukbap."
"Obviously."
"She's our unnie..."
Naturally, Go Yunseo, Choi Soyeon, and Lee Yuna all nodded.
However, the guy didn't seem pleased. He tapped his shoulder with the back of his sword, frowning.
Then, after seeming to gather his thoughts for a moment, he spoke again.
"As expected, you guys are a hindrance. Stay out of Lee Yuri's rescue party."
"Who the hell are *you* to tell us to stay out—!"
Go Yunseo straightened up and flared up at his words, but.
"If I have to protect you guys too, it'll just slow me down."
"Who asked you to protect us!?"
"Hah, seriously, what's so pretty about these kinds of girls that Lee Yuri would even bother..."
It was as if his gentle, polite, heavenly-gentleman demeanor from their dungeon runs had all been a lie. Jin Yuha clicked his tongue.
"Actually, I'm in a hurry, so I wasn't going to say all this, but I've been watching your combat today, and I've noticed something, you know?"
Jin Yuha pointed his sword at Go Yunseo.
"First, you, Go Yunseo."
Go Yunseo gripped her sword hilt nervously, but Jin Yuha didn't mean to fight with swords.
"You're a nuisance of a damage dealer who lacks stamina and skill, yet acts recklessly, only holding back the tanker. Because of you, Lee Yuri has only been clearing E-rank gates until now. Lee Yuri draws all the aggro, even delivering goblins on a silver platter for you to finish off, so why on earth do you keep getting hurt? You have no conscience."
Before Go Yunseo could even retort, the sword tip immediately swung towards Choi Soyeon beside her.
"Your cool and calm personality passes. But your healing skills are weak. Your skill aiming is so poor you can't even use them during combat. You're a healer who wastes time after every single battle. Wouldn't it be better to just carry a separate first-aid kit instead?"
Next, Lee Yuna.
But Jin Yuha didn't point his sword at her this time.
He merely pressed his brow, as if he had a headache.
"...Lee Yuna, why on earth are you, someone with no combat ability, stepping up for the rescue party? What are you going to do? Pick up goblin teeth?"
It would have been better if he had just drawn his sword and challenged them to a fight.
"Lee Yuri is an excellent tanker, too good for you guys. And what do you think was the reason she did that foolish thing here? It's because of you."
He mercilessly beat down his party members with facts.
"Lee Yuri objectively compared your skills with the enemies' level. And she made a judgment: 'There's no hope.' If there had been even a slight chance of success, do you think she would have made that choice? You'd only hold Lee Yuri back even if you went to rescue her."
Then he continued,
"But I can save Lee Yuri. I can join up with Lee Yuri as quickly as possible without attracting the goblins' attention."
The three of them could only hang their heads low.
Because everything he said was true.
They knew it well enough.
That Lee Yuri possessed talent far too great to be adventuring with them.
They had already taken the Velvet Academy exam together, but Go Yunseo and Choi Soyeon had failed, while only Lee Yuri had passed, hadn't she?
"So, are we just supposed to stand here and watch...? And place our hopes on a complete stranger who may or may not save Gukbap...?"
Go Yunseo bit her lip, her voice trembling as she spoke.
Jin Yuha stared at her, then sighed and offered a solution.
"...Naiki leather. You collected quite a lot today, didn't you?"
*
'He'll go ahead and deal with the goblins with Lee Yuri. So don't be too late coming,' he said.
The part that infuriated them most was him adding, 'Not that I expect much.'
The guy, who had just joined the party as a stopgap, was acting like he owned the place.
"See? I knew that guy had a bad personality."
Go Yunseo huffed, speaking.
"...And yet, he's just a man. How can he be *that* strong?"
"Who knows? I told you he was suspicious from the start. Gukbap has been Gukbap to me for ages? I've never once heard her talk about a guy! Isn't he a stalker?"
"Even so, if that man hadn't been there, we would have ended up exactly as he said. His words might have been harsh, but Jin Yuha was trying to protect us."
"..."
At Choi Soyeon's calm words, Go Yunseo's mouth snapped shut.
But he was still a guy she disliked.
"It's all done now!"
Just then, Lee Yuna finished the coat with the Naiki leather patches,
and handed one to Choi Soyeon and one to Go Yunseo.
She then quickly pulled on her own.
The hastily made clothes, with insufficient leather, had many gaps and weren't aesthetically pleasing, but time was of the essence now.
They quickly threw on the handed-over clothes without even a moment to inspect them.
And then, three bagworms looked at each other with resolute eyes.
"...Alright, from now on, we're going to rescue our Gukbap with our own hands. Since Gukbap isn't here right now, I'll be the interim Team Leader and give the orders."
Go Yunseo looked at Choi Soyeon and Lee Yuna one by one, nodding gravely.
"Yeah, let's go."
"Yes, let's go... rescue unnie, who's waiting."
That's when it happened.
"Oh, you're asking about the kids? Hmm... Ah, there they are."
Suddenly, an irritating voice came from above.
Everyone quickly snapped their heads up.
Lee Yuri, being carried on Jin Yuha's back, met the eyes of her party members.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
In the silence, Lee Yuri's face and all the party members' faces flushed crimson.
Lee Yuri was mortified by the sight of herself, having run off alone only to be carried back by a man.
The party members were mortified that their solemn resolve, made just moments before, had become utterly pointless in this ridiculous situation.
"Wow. What are those clothes? Is that the latest fashion? They look really unique. Just like bagworms."
Meanwhile, Jin Yuha spoke as if he knew nothing.
At that, one small bagworm fell to its knees.
Thump—
"W-what was everything I just did for...?"