RG 136

It was a calm voice, just a shade higher in tone than I remembered. It didn’t match my memory perfectly, but it was definitely Song Ji-un’s voice.

Snapping out of my daze, I blurted out an answer before I could even think, “Yes, we… we’re lost. That’s right.”

Even to my own ears, it sounded like a dumb, hollow response. Still, Song Ji-un kept his gaze on me without the slightest change in expression.

Meow!

“Ah.”

The moment our eyes met—his light green eyes—the cat in my arms suddenly leapt out with a swift movement. Landing on the ground, the cat trotted straight back to Song Ji-un. He glanced briefly at the cat that had come to his feet, then looked up at the overcast sky and said, “There’s a small temple nearby.” His gaze, void of warmth, passed over us. “Night falls quickly in the mountains. It’ll be dark soon, so it would be best to rest at the temple tonight and descend at first light tomorrow. Follow me.”

With that, he turned around without hesitation and began walking between the trees. The gray-furred cat meowed as it followed behind him.

“…Let’s go too.” I tugged on Ryu Seonghyeon’s sleeve, and though he watched Song Ji-un’s retreating back with a conflicted look, he reluctantly started walking.

He seemed wary, but based on the situation, it looked like he figured the man walking ahead was some kind of mountain guardian, so we might as well follow him. To him, Song Ji-un was just a stranger, so caution made sense.

We followed Song Ji-un for about twenty minutes, and just as he’d said, darkness fell fast.

It had already been gloomy from the snow clouds, but once the sun set and night arrived, everything turned pitch black—so dark it was hard to tell anything apart.

“Hunter Cha Seohu.”

Unable to walk straight on the snowy, dark mountain path, I felt Ryu Seonghyeon take my hand. Unlike me, leaning on Ryu Seonghyeon to barely keep going, Song Ji-un led the way without a single misstep.

Seeing him like that, it finally hit me that Song Ji-un had become not an A-class Support, but an S-class DPS. The words the fake had said the night I went to Circle Guild came back to me.

“You only remember the previous world, so the ‘A-class mental-type Support Song Ji-un’ I’m imitating must feel familiar to you. But in reality, that man has always been an S-class DPS throughout the repeating timelines. That last life was just an exception.”

The fake had said this while calmly studying Song Ji-un’s reflection in the window.

“Sometimes, there are people like that. Their innate energy is so strong, it ends up consuming them.”

“Consuming them? What does that even mean…”

“You’ll understand the moment you meet him. That man—everything about him is frozen still.“

I was still trying to make sense of what those words meant when a yellow light appeared in the darkness. The temple Song Ji-un had mentioned came into view.

‘Wait, is that really a temple?’

It looked far too large to be called “small.” It even had two stories.

‘A two-story temple in the middle of a mountain?’

Ryu Seonghyeon, who had been helping support me, looked just as dumbfounded. When we stopped in front of the temple, Song Ji-un turned to us and said, “Come in and warm yourselves. There are several rooms—feel free to use whichever you’d like. You can use the bath as well if you wish.”

“Huh? No, we were just…”

“I need to prepare dinner, so I’ll go ahead.” Song Ji-un gave us a brief bow and disappeared into the temple.

‘He just brought complete strangers in and left them like that? What if we were criminals hiding in the mountains?’

There were countless Hunters who killed someone and escaped into restricted zones. At least Zone C-281 where I lived screened people before letting them in, but most restricted zones simply left people alone once they entered.

Thankfully, this area was buried in freezing cold and snowy mountains, so few people came here—but it was still more than enough for a fleeing criminal to hide for a while.

‘Even if he’s an S-class DPS…’

It was far too dangerous.

Seeing how completely unbothered Song Ji-un looked made my insides boil. Just as I was about to say something to him, Ryu Seonghyeon grabbed my arm. “I understand how you feel, but I think we should go inside and get out of the cold first.” After a brief hesitation, he added softly, “Your body is very cold.”

This time, he held my hand instead of my arm—the same hand he’d held while walking here.

I hadn’t expected to be on the receiving end of his concern, so I swallowed hard in surprise. Truthfully, the chill had grown even more intense after the sun had set.

‘Am I going to catch a cold at this rate?’

Ryu Seonghyeon’s hand felt much warmer than before, which only made me more uneasy. If his body temperature hadn’t changed—as an S-class, it likely wouldn’t—then that meant my body had gotten that much colder.

He was right. And Song Ji-un seemed to be staying in the temple himself, so we might as well go inside and observe the situation from there.

“Alright.”

***

As soon as I entered the temple, I couldn’t hide my surprise. It was already strange enough that the temple had a second floor, but the interior was practically indistinguishable from an ordinary house. There wasn’t much furniture, so it felt a bit empty, but there was a living room, a kitchen, and even a bedroom. It felt more like a standalone house than a temple.

Of course, traces of the temple still remained here and there. The first floor’s central living room especially stood out—a Buddhist altar stood where a TV should be, and lotus-shaped lanterns hung like decorations, giving the space an odd atmosphere.

‘Maybe the temple was remodeled?’

Well, with the variety of skills available these days, it wouldn’t be hard for a professional team to convert a temple into a home in just a few days. But this place had been designated as a national restricted zone decades ago. Who would’ve come out to the middle of nowhere to renovate a temple?

From Song Ji-un’s behavior—bringing strangers all the way out here—to the building itself, there were far too many things that didn’t make sense.

Beside me, clearly relieved, Ryu Seonghyeon let out a quiet breath. “Still, it’s warmer inside than outside. Hunter Cha Seohu, how are you feeling?”

“Huh? Ah, much better.”

It seemed like Ryu Seonghyeon wasn’t particularly interested in Song Ji-un. Then again, they had only just met.

‘Is it really okay for us to be here?’

If it had been someone else’s house, I would’ve flopped down on the floor without hesitation—but this place was practically Song Ji-un’s home. I wanted to show at least a bit of courtesy.

As I stood awkwardly in the entryway, unsure of what to do, Ryu Seonghyeon unexpectedly stepped forward and took off his shoes. “The owner said it was fine, so we might as well go in. Come on.” He grabbed my hand again and gently pulled me in. That made three times already that he’d taken my hand in just this short time.

Seeing him take my hand so naturally brought back memories of him before the regression. The way he worried about me and showed care was exactly the same as before.

He sat me down on the living room sofa and looked around. Just then, a cat strolled leisurely into the room. Spotting it, he picked it up and gently placed it in my arms.

Meooow. Mew.

The cat, suddenly transferred into my arms, meowed in protest, swishing its tail with annoyance.

Warmth spread from my thighs, where the cat was sitting. As I’d thought earlier, it was a relief that this adorable little life had been spared from the brutal cold outside.

As I gently stroked the cat’s head and let myself relax, Song Ji-un, who had stepped away, returned. “If it’s alright with you, would you like to have a meal together?”

After exchanging glances with Ryu Seonghyeon, I nodded. His kindness—not just bringing us here but even offering food—caught me off guard, but I couldn’t miss the opportunity to sit and talk with Song Ji-un.

I set the cat down and followed him, and soon I saw a modest meal laid out on a small table. A few side dishes and plain rice. The sight of it pricked at my chest.

‘Has he been eating like this all this time?’

Given how scarce food must be in these desolate snowy mountains, even this could be considered fortunate. But knowing the life Song Ji-un had once lived, I couldn’t help but feel sorry.

‘The guildmaster used to enjoy soups… He drank tea… Sometimes he asked for coffee. He liked the candies I brought from time to time…’

The thought of Song Ji-un, holed up in the mountains, getting by with a few vegetables per meal filled me with sorrow.

As I sat down, struggling to manage my emotions, Ryu Seonghyeon spoke on my behalf. “Thank you for guiding us to the temple and even preparing a meal. I don’t know how we can repay such kindness.”

“Sometimes people get lost and wander into the mountains. It’s my job to help them before anything happens, so it’s fine.” Song Ji-un’s gaze shifted between Ryu Seonghyeon and me. “Most people don’t make it this far. There’s a rest stop near the entrance of the mountain, so that’s usually where I direct them. It’s been a while since anyone came this deep.”

“I see.”

His “job”… he must mean being a mountain keeper?

‘He’s living out here because of his skill, but why is he doing the job of a mountain keeper?’

There were too many things I didn’t know about him. I was starting to doubt whether the Song Ji-un from before the regression and the man sitting before me were even the same person.

Despite Song Ji-un’s rather cold tone, Ryu Seonghyeon kept a soft smile as he replied, “Still, thanks to you, our lives were saved. We owe you a great debt.” He bowed politely, then continued, “I’m Ryu Seonghyeon, and this is Hunter Cha Seohu. If it’s not too rude, may I ask your name?”

“…I’m the mountain keeper. That should be enough,” Song Ji-un avoided our eyes somewhat awkwardly and answered stiffly. The air grew noticeably heavier.

Since he was clearly uncomfortable with us, further conversation would be difficult. 

If strangers made him uneasy, he could’ve chosen not to bring us here—or at least not shared a meal with us. But maybe he couldn’t bring himself to ignore someone in need, no matter how awkward it made him feel.

After the tense meal, he stood up and explained, “All the rooms upstairs are vacant, so feel free to use whichever you like. There’s also a bathroom at the end of the hallway.”

I tried to help clean up after eating, but he firmly refused.

“If you want to repay me in any way, just leave the mountain as soon as morning comes. That’s enough.”

And with that, we were more or less chased upstairs. Ryu Seonghyeon, wearing a troubled look and brushing his lips, let out a sigh. “…There’s no helping it. Let’s rest for today and try again tomorrow.”

I agreed that talking to Song Ji-un was impossible. He had only helped us so we wouldn’t die lost in the mountains—he didn’t want to be asked questions or get involved beyond that.

“Do you think he’ll actually talk to us tomorrow?”

“Well…”

Judging by his attitude, he’d probably kick us out the moment the sun rises. It must be frustrating for Ryu Seonghyeon, who has to convince Song Ji-un to come to the guild.

We were in a situation where we had to somehow keep this connection going. I decided to bring up an idea that had come to mind.

“How about this?”

At my gesture, Ryu Seonghyeon leaned down obediently. I whispered quietly into his ear so that Song Ji-un, who probably had better hearing than the average person due to being an S-class DPS, wouldn’t overhear.

“I’ll pretend to be sick tomorrow morning. Since I’m a frail Support, he’ll likely believe it.”

“Hmm…”

“He’s the one who brought us in and gave us food. He wouldn’t just throw out someone who’s sick. Let’s buy ourselves as much time as we can.”

Ryu Seonghyeon thought it over seriously, and maybe because he couldn’t come up with a better alternative, he accepted the plan.

“He’s S-class. Fooling him won’t be easy—are you sure about this?”

“I’ll do my best. But I can’t guarantee it’ll work.”

“If the deception fails, the result will be the same anyway. Please, Hunter Cha Seohu.”

True enough. I gave him a big smile, asking for his trust. “Leave it to me.” With the plan set, all that was left was to rest well and put my all into pretending to be sick starting tomorrow.

I entered the room closest to the stairs. Ryu Seonghyeon followed me in. “It might be dangerous, so it’s better not to be apart.”

His responsible words reminded me once again of the Ryu Seonghyeon from before the regression. Sharing a room with him wasn’t unusual.

At his gesture for me to wash up first, I grabbed clothes from my inventory and stepped into the bathroom. To my surprise, hot water came out.

‘Electricity and running water are already surprising… but even hot water?’

There are shady companies that install facilities even in restricted zones. The fact that Song Ji-un used hot water was a reassuring sign.

While I washed, Ryu Seonghyeon waited right outside the bathroom door. That too was for my safety.

‘I haven’t even buffed him once since we got here, but he’s giving me all this protection. I feel so bad.’

After drying my damp hair and lying down on the bed, the fatigue I’d forgotten about rushed in. In a hazy state, I continued to reflect.

‘I need to make sure my fake illness act is convincing. That’s the least I can do. But man, my whole body’s sore from hiking all day.’

On top of that, there was an odd chill creeping up my back. I couldn’t really be catching a cold… right?

…Impossible. I let out a soft laugh and closed my eyes.