'The boarding fee is actually the living expenses for the two of us together. Heean works at home and supports me, while my role is to go out and earn half of our keep.'
But wasn't Heean a man? The shocking realization caused Belsus to start confusing even the most basic concepts. Was Heean actually a woman? Had he been mistaken all this time? He even entertained such absurd thoughts.
No. He was definitely a man. His voice, his face, and his physique proved it.
Since they were both men, that must be why Heean hadn't shown any hesitation or awkwardness when seeing Belsus naked, right?
However... even though he seemed to stare at Belsus's muscles with keen interest, seemingly forming an attachment to Belsus's chest and thighs... Heean did check how much his muscles had grown every single day.
He weighed all the possibilities, trying to find a reason why it wasn't true. Belsus was the one who wanted to deny it the most.
...But it was undeniable.
Heean harbored feelings for him.
Even though they were both men, Heean liked him. It was the only way to explain all of Heean's actions thus far.
'Because... because.'
Belsus thought, pressing his trembling hands behind his back. His subconscious habit of endlessly belittling himself felt heavy and harsh.
'The only decent thing about me is my appearance, and without that, there's no way anyone would treat me that well.'
Realizing why Heean treated him so well didn't make him feel relieved. The truth that washed over him was startling and burdensome. Belsus froze in place, unable to take a single step.
As soon as he regained a shred of his reason, Belsus tensed up as if struck by lightning. A crucial warning pierced his mind.
'Heean must not know that I've caught on.'
He was terrified of how Heean would react if he realized Belsus knew his secret. Just imagining it sent chills down his spine.
'In front of the person who likes me, I'll pretend I don't know anything.'
The only problem was the Reading ability, a power that originated from him but could also be used by Heean.
'What if Heean reads my mind with the Reading ability...?'
Another chill ran down his spine.
There would definitely be times when Heean would use the Reading ability by surprise. Even if it was just for 0.1 seconds, he had to anticipate it and quickly think of something else at that exact moment. He had to ensure Heean never figured out that he knew.
In the days to come, Belsus would strictly adhere to this self-imposed rule, keeping his thoughts hidden from Heean with astonishing control.
...Though it would have been much better to just get caught quickly and have the misunderstanding cleared up.
It was at that moment, while Belsus was entirely lost in his thoughts and oblivious to his surroundings.
From behind him, the sound of trudging footsteps slowly approached.
---
[The dungeon will close in 10 minutes.]
[All remaining participants, please return to your original locations.]
The boss monster had fallen, and with no more experience points to farm, it was time to head back to the entrance.
Limping forward with their injuries, the rankers felt no different from a defeated army. They had gathered confidently for a raid only to be thoroughly crushed; it was inevitable that the pride of each server's top-ranked players had taken a massive hit.
"Still, I know what to do now. I just need to get used to it."
"I think I can do better if we try again. I've always been the type of gamer who grinds, anyway. Even if I can't get the 'First Clear' on a new raid, you'll always find me on the leaderboards eventually."
At least the Thief and the Fighter remained positive.
The Puppeteer and the Paladin seemed to have their pride wounded, but true to their taciturn nature, they didn't show it much.
As they neared the entrance, the leaderboard for this regular dungeon appeared on their status windows.
---
## Normal Monster Hunt Rankings
[1st] Doctor 'Hester' - 1,272 kills
[2nd] Paladin - 382 kills
[3rd] Thief - 375 kills
"What? Over a thousand? That's physically impossible."
The Fighter gaped in bewilderment.
The Puppeteer, limping while leaning her injured leg against the Thief, spoke cautiously.
"He probably used a subspace. The Doctor's ability."
The Doctor, 'Hester', possessed a subspace ability. He likely used a highly advantageous hunting method, such as indiscriminately stuffing monsters inside it.
Then, without exposing his presence to the others, he had effortlessly given up on the boss monster and vanished. It was a remarkably intelligent move.
---
## Boss Hunt Rankings
[1st / Slayer] Belsus
[2nd] Bard
[3rd] Paladin
"Wait, the Bard is...?"
This time, the rankers' gazes shifted to the Bard, who was quietly walking behind them.
The Bard had undeniably been the most inconspicuous person during the raid earlier, almost as if he hadn't been there at all. In fact, amid the chaos, some had completely forgotten about his existence.
They had all pretended not to notice him, thinking he simply hadn't been able to contribute anything. But 2nd place?
Surpassing the other rankers who had struggled desperately, taking damage and relentlessly stabbing at the beast?
As the attention fell on him, the Bard bowed his head slightly.
"I resorted to cowardly play. From the very beginning, I hid in the back and played my instrument. It seems I was just lucky enough to deal the most damage."
The Bard wasn't a powerful damage dealer, but rather a support class equipped with various debuffs. Compared to the other rankers who were struggling to adapt to close-quarters combat, he had a significant advantage at this stage.
The song the Bard had been playing was—.
'Mountain... bunny, bunny... where... are you going... Hop... hop... hopping along...'
"Wait, was that 'Mountain Bunny' song from you, Bard? I seriously couldn't believe it. I thought I was hallucinating because I was about to die."
The rankers burst into laughter. However, hidden beneath their amusement was a somewhat defensive attitude and a tinge of jealousy.
Only upon receiving the leaderboard for the first dungeon did a sense of competition truly spark within them.
'Only one of us can remain in this world until the end.'
If there was a silver lining, it was that Belsus wasn't a competitor.
Their thoughts soon turned to the person who had achieved the greatest results in this dungeon.
'Belsus, who survived without a partner ranker.'
Belsus was stronger than they had anticipated, and while they didn't know the exact circumstances, he clearly hadn't been starving. He even wielded a weapon, albeit a scythe.
Ultimately, they had to admit that Belsus was more capable than they were. And simultaneously, a thought crossed their minds.
'Could Belsus be a joker card?'
If Calain or the Archer snatched him up, it would be a disastrous loss for the remaining rankers.
Moreover, if someone managed to recruit the masterless Belsus, wouldn't that person essentially have two characters?
Having two partners was against the rules, but since Belsus was such a pushover, couldn't they use him as a helper?
The Thief turned around to look for Belsus, only to realize a critical fact.
'Once we leave this dungeon, everyone returns to their original locations.'
The Thief would return to the Holy State of Venaro. Meanwhile, Belsus would return to the Demihaad Kingdom, located on the opposite side of the continent, a distance that felt a million light-years away.
'Wait a minute, then. Once we're out of the dungeon, who is the closest to Belsus?'
The Puppeteer must have had the exact same thought, as the two of them looked at precisely one person, as if they had planned it.
It was the Bard.
Persephone's Troupe, which the Bard belonged to, wasn't currently in its home country of Caseria. They had departed on a touring performance to the Demihaad Kingdom.
The majority of the rankers' guesses were spot on.
Instead of exiting the dungeon immediately, the Bard made an excuse and headed back inside to find Belsus.
Belsus, who had been lost in his shocking revelations, was belatedly startled by the sound of someone's approach. He lowered his stance slightly and went on alert.
'Is he a hunter who uses an instrument as a weapon?'
The middle-aged man in robes carried a mandolin on his back. If he tried to raise his instrument to attack, Belsus was confident he could react faster. Belsus temporarily lowered his guard.
The Bard offered Belsus a formal courtly bow, then pulled a slip of paper from his pocket.
"This is a VIP ticket for the troupe I belong to."
It wasn't just one, but two tickets. He held them out so Belsus could see them clearly. Belsus didn't take them, silently staring at the Bard instead.
"You don't have to watch the performance. It's fine even if you have no interest. For your information, these tickets sell for a very high price. I recommend scalping them in front of the theater on the day of the show."
When dealing with characters, the Bard maintained a specific tone, as if he himself had become an NPC in a game. It fit perfectly with his claim of being in a theater troupe, without a hint of awkwardness.
"However, if you have even the slightest interest, I would like to invite you to the Nature Troupe's performance. Won't you come on the day of the show?"
First and foremost, Belsus had enough sense of caution not to blindly follow this unfamiliar hunter. Furthermore, he had no reason to go. The only dilemma he faced was figuring out how to politely refuse without embarrassing the other party.
But at that moment, Belsus saw it clearly.
The corners of the Bard's mouth slowly curled upward.
With his next words, Belsus determined that he could not simply ignore this middle-aged man's proposal.
"In exchange, will you show me the one hiding behind you?"
This man, whom he had never spoken to before, knew of Heean's existence.
____________
(t/n : Unlock more chapters on my Ko-fi💙)
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