THIFSGSTW CH 65

Chapter 65: Since I’m A Supporting Role

I turned my gaze in the same direction. The restrained monster was slowly dissipating in place as if it were evaporating. And soon, it completely vanished without a trace.

Min Joo Hyuk’s capture magic, which had been wrapping the spot where the monster once was in a blue light, shattered with a crack.

“I expected this, but it’s a bit troublesome. When a monster infiltrates in like that, we have to find the core and stab it with a sword.”

It was puzzling how to deal with the monsters that were spreading in a misty form without a proper shape.

But Park Yul’s tone sounded almost calm, like he was analyzing the situation from afar. Even though I’d treated him and his condition had returned to normal, he was so calm and didn’t sound like someone who had just been attacked by a monster.

“… Park Yul hyung. Do you need anything?”

Song Ha-gyeon looked like he was about to summon a flask of potion at any second, but Park Yul firmly continued.

“I’m fine now. Thanks, Yihan-ah. I almost took longer to recover.”

Park Yul quietly patted my shoulder and began to speak.

“Let’s head back for now. I think we’ve seen enough. Right?”

Park Yul made eye contact with each of us as if seeking agreement. Everyone looked like they wanted to say something to him, but Park Yul’s gentle voice was one step faster.

“We’ll talk about the details when we get back.”

And just like that, Park Yul vanished from sight.

I felt Raen’s hand wrap around my shoulder. With a strong gust of wind, the scenery before us changed. We were back at the wooden building we had left earlier. The sun was now slowly setting.

Creak.

I opened the door and stepped inside. The smell of wood filled the air. There was also a faint, nutty, and sweet aroma lingering beneath it. Perhaps it was because there was a cooking area on the first floor. I hadn’t noticed it before, but now that I was back inside, I could sense it.

Park Yul was sitting at a round table on the first floor. He was gazing up at a map that floated in white light in the air. When we entered, he turned his attention to us.

“That was quick.”

“Are you sure you’re okay to talk without resting?”

“Yeah. Since Yihan treated me. We’ve got a lot to discuss, so take a seat for now.

Look here, remember how I said the monster didn’t have a core? Here’s what that actually means…”

Over the map, a cross-section of a valley appeared. The sketch showed a sunken floor and pebbles embedded in it.

Before I knew it, everyone had taken their seats with serious expressions. Park Yul might have been accustomed to handling situations like this. He pointed to the cross-section with his hand and continued speaking slowly.

“The monster’s main body seems to be lying on the valley floor. What seeped into the mist was only a part of it.”

“So that’s why we couldn’t find the core inside, huh, leader hyung?”

“Exactly. To find the core, we’ll have to break through the mist, but its attack pattern is tricky.”

“…And the mist is thick.”

“It seems the rift has opened and been left unattended for a long time.”

Then wouldn’t it be too dangerous to penetrate through that?

‘Is there no way to return the distorted area to normal?’

If only that mist were gone, it might be easier to deal with the monsters. If the distortion of space was due to divine power, could I ask for that power to be withdrawn?

There probably wouldn’t be a large building like the temple here. However, if there were even a small building dedicated to the deity, it might be possible to pray inside and convey my message.

Since this was my first time being outside, I wasn’t sure, but since it was a village, there was a possibility that even a small building for worship existed, so I needed to look into it.

As I was thinking this, Park Yul continued speaking.

“I felt the mist tightening around my throat. We need to be cautious. Don’t leave the defense solely to Joo-hyuk, everyone should stay alert.”

“Wait, leader hyung, are you really okay—”

Before Raen could finish his urgent words, we heard a clattering sound from the kitchen behind us. I flinched. We were the only ones here… right? Something floated up from deeper in the kitchen and slowly drifted our way.

‘A plate?’

On it were neatly stacked, round pancakes. Steam was still rising, and a delicious aroma wafted over. The plate landed gently in front of each of us.

Could it be that Park Yul had magically prepared these as soon as we arrived? As he snapped his fingers, a large piece of butter appeared in the center of the table. The butter was cut into pieces and gently placed on top of the pancakes, slowly melting away.

“Let’s eat while we talk.”

After hearing Park Yul’s words, Raen paused for a moment before responding in a calm voice.

“Alright.”

Raen poured milk into glasses and set them beside our plates. Park Yul continued speaking. “Yihan, thanks to your healing, I got better quickly. We’ll be careful, but this monster might be tough to deal with, so I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, Yul hyung. I’ll do my best.”

“Not ‘your best’, only step in when it’s really necessary. If it looks dangerous, don’t do anything.”

“He’s right, Sun Yihan. Try not to move unless you really have to. I’ll handle as much as I can.”

I couldn’t agree to that. There’s no such thing as an injury that doesn’t need healing.Besides, if everyone else is risking themselves to fight, I didn’t want to just sit back and play it safe.

Still, I had to respond somehow, so I simply nodded. Park Yul, quietly watching my face, gave a small smile and waved a hand in the air.

“Judging by your expression, I think I know what you’re thinking.”

That couldn’t be true. I don’t usually show my thoughts on my face. Still, I quickly adjusted my expression.

A wide glass bottle appeared over my plate. Red leaves were drawn on the surface, and inside was a clear syrup with a light brown tint. As the bottle tilted, syrup trickled down onto the pancake.

“This isn’t just for you, Yihan-ah, but also for all of us.”

The sweet scent of syrup filled the air. His words were as sweet as that scent, but I wasn’t someone easily swayed by such things.

“If you step back and avoid getting hurt,

you’ll be able to heal us when it really matters. Right?”

…He was right. My perspective had been too narrow. Maybe a healer really is supposed to stay in the back. Since it’s a support role .There was no reason to push back, so I nodded right away.

“I understand what you mean. Okay, hyung.”

“That’s right, Yihan.”

Raen picked up my milk glass, added a little honey, and stirred it with a small teaspoon as he continued.

“Only heal after the situation is completely under control.”

When he handed it back, the glass was warm and pleasantly mild. As I slowly sipped the sweet milk, the pancake on my plate was cut into bite-sized pieces. A fork floated up and skewered a piece.

“…Eat.”

It was Song Ha-gyeon sitting across from me. I was already planning to eat without needing this. However, as I reached for the fork, it suddenly spun away from my grasp.

I stared at Song Ha-gyeon. He nodded as our eyes met. What did that mean? Regardless, I opened my mouth. A piece of pancake slipped into my mouth, and the fork settled back onto the table.

The pancake melted softly in my mouth, and the syrup had a unique flavor I had never tasted before. I found myself chewing and swallowing it without realizing it was so delicious.

Min Joo-hyuk, sitting next to me, ruffled my hair and spoke. “I’ve roughly figured out how to set up the defensive magic. I won’t make mistakes moving forward.”

“Good. Just don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Yes, hyung.”

“And it wasn’t a mistake. We needed to see how the monster attacked at least once.”

Park Yul turned toward Song Ha-gyeon, who opened a notebook and began to speak.

“Park Yul hyung’s right. There was a lump that seemed to be the monster’s main body at the bottom of the valley. When hyung stabbed it with his sword, it dodged instantly.”

“I see. Then it won’t be easy to penetrate the mist.”

“Yeah. It’s hard to track the monster’s movements from down there.”

Song Ha-gyeon must have been observing all of that. It seemed that was what he had been recording. He paused for a moment, hesitating before speaking again.

“The valley floor was only fully visible once, when the mist surged all at once.”

“When it attacked Park Yul hyung?”

“…Yeah.”

“Ha-gyeon, are you saying…?”

“A decoy. That method is the most certain.”

Someone has to be the bait. Hearing that made it hard to breathe. The air felt a bit heavier.

‘They said earlier, the thick mist made it more difficult to deal with them.’

Why hadn’t the village representative contacted anyone until things got this bad? No one mentioned it aloud, but I found myself resenting that person a little.

I knew I shouldn’t jump to conclusions without understanding the situation, but I couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Even if it wasn’t intentional, there were people suffering because of it. Of course, when I eventually met the village representative, I wouldn’t express my feelings. It wasn’t my place to voice such concerns; that right belonged to theirs.

Still, I hoped the village representative would reflect on their actions. At the very least, they should feel some remorse for what had happened.

“Alright. Let’s keep that as a last resort.”

Park Yul’s voice cut through the silence, lighter than usual, as if trying to lift the heavy mood. Song Ha-gyeon nodded and shifted the subject.

“I’ve figured out the range of the monster’s attacks. I also have a sense of how close we can get without being in danger.”

“I’ve also got a rough idea of how to strike effectively. I’ll need to cast a few more spells to be sure, though.”

“Good. Then I think we’re just about done.”

Park Yul stood up and walked toward the window. As he pulled back the curtains, darkness had already settled outside. Time had passed quickly. Park Yul turned back to us and continued.

“Let’s wrap things up for today and come back tomorrow.”

“Yes, hyung.”

The dishes and cups on the table were quickly tidied up. After finishing all the cleanup, we headed upstairs.

Song Ha-gyeon, who had entered the room first, was standing in front of the desk. He tapped the lamp on the desk, and the orange light that flowed from it gently illuminated the darkness.

“…It’s night already.”