I Don’t Want This Reincarnation Chapter 85

Jayna Guild’s G5 Area gate was filled with collapsed buildings, empty streets, and smoke.

As I looked around the foul-slling ruins, Cha Soo-yeon took out a ring from the inventory I had gotten her and put it on.

“What is that?”

I knew Cha Soo-yeon had a tendency to carry a lot of different items, so I was curious about what effect the ring would have. She grinned at my question and held up the hand that had the ring on it.

“Isn’t it pretty? This little thing is quite expensive. It’s an A-class buffing item.”

“Since it’s a buffing item… then does your ability get stronger?”

“That’s right, my fire gets stronger. Everything in this gate is cent and buildings, so there’s no need to be so careful.”

Cha Soo-yeon, who couldn’t control her fire, seed to like this place quite a bit.

“Would you like to borrow sothing? Hold on a mont. Sothing that’d be useful for a wind ability…”

“No thanks. More than that…”

Shaking my head, I lightly grabbed Cha Soo-yeon’s shoulder as she rummaged through the leather bag. Cha Soo-yeon’s eyes widened as she looked at .

“As you may already know, the two of us have t for the first ti today. We’ve been eting secretly until now.”

“Mh, that’s true.”

Just in case, I was getting our stories straight so Cha Soo-yeon wouldn’t say sothing else like Ha Tae-heon did. I glanced at Woo Seo-hyuk, who was in the front having a conversation with Hong Si-ah, and continued.

“I also don’t want to bother with such an annoying thing… but since Woo Seo-hyuk-ssi is here, it can’t be helped. Master Cheon Sa-yeon sent him to watch .”

“That… you said that the person who sent you to kidnap was Master Cheon Sa-yeon, right? To claim the SS-grade gate.”

“That’s right.”

Cha Soo-yeon knew that Cheon Sa-yeon sent to kidnap her because she was right there when Ha Tae-heon and I were talking.

‘It really is amazing that you don’t hate . Even if I gave you an item, it doesn’t change the fact that I kidnapped you.’

…was I pitiful? I began doubting myself when I thought of how Cha Soo-yeon’s eyes appeared sad whenever she looked at .

“So when that Woo Seo-hyuk guy is around, are you saying that we should pretend to not know each other?”

“Yes, but it kind of sounds…”

Maybe she didn’t see my uneasy expression, but Cha Soo-yeon smiled proudly and nodded “Don’t worry! I’m good at acting.”

“That does seem to be true. You look so sweet in your interviews, even though in reality you’re actually… ow!”

While I was recalling one of her interviews where she had a kind smile as she answered honestly to the interviewer, I was imdiately hit in the back. It hurt a lot more than I thought it would. What hand is so painful?

“That hurt…”

“I hit you so that it’d hurt.”

While I was rubbing my numb back, Woo Seo-hyuk returned after talking to Hong Si-ah.

“Are you feeling uncomfortable?” Woo Seo-hyuk asked , tilting his head. Rather than asking out of concern, it seed more like he was confirming.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Hm, hm.”

Cha Soo-yeon, watching Woo Seo-hyuk, snuck off to another place. As I stared at Cha Soo-yeon’s back, Woo Seo-hyuk said to , “I have been ordered to keep you safe, Han Yi-gyeol-ssi, so please tell if you’re hurt.”

“Ordered to keep safe… Was it by Master Cheon Sa-yeon?”

“Yes.”

It wasn’t to keep safe; it was to monitor .

As I sighed, Woo Seo-hyuk said with a calm expression on his face, “Even if I wasn't ordered to do so, I’d do my best to keep you safe, Han Yi-gyeol-ssi.”

“Pardon?”

“From what I’ve seen, Han Yi-gyeol-ssi is overworked every ti you enter the gate.”

I smiled awkwardly at the unexpected words and stroked the nape of my neck. “That’s…”

“Completely true. I rember in recent tis you’ve co out of gates with serious injuries.”

Umm. Co to think of it, for both the N42 Area and N23 Area gates that Woo Seo-hyuk and I entered, I ca out unconscious. So he was right—it was understandable that he would react like this.

“I'll be careful this ti.”

“Yes, please don’t overdo it. I’ve also told Master Hong Si-ah in advance.”

I was a little embarrassed by how seriously he was taking this. And here I was wondering what sort of conversation he was having with Hong Si-ah for such a long ti.

“I don’t see any need to step up as long as there aren’t any abnormalities. There are two S-rank people here after all.”

“I figured, but there are often anomalies in the gates you participate in, Han Yi-gyeol-ssi.”

“Pardon? How did you…”

“I looked through a list of gates that you’ve participated in. I apologise if that makes you uncomfortable.”

Why were you looking through that? I took a step back and widened the distance between and Woo Seo-hyuk—he had more interest in than I expected.

“Oh, um… I understand.”

“Yes. Don’t fall too far from . In case of an ergency, I or Master Hong Si-ah will handle it.”

Maybe because he didn’t trust my words, Woo Seo-hyuk requested that I don’t step up in battle several tis. Was he like this because of Cheon Sa-yeon’s orders, or was he just the type to worry about small things?

‘I don’t know which one it is…’

In the anti, the team just finished the personnel and weapon check and started moving in earnest. Following along in the middle of the ranks, I looked up. The cloudy sky, obscured by grey smoke, appeared lancholy.

* * *

Krrk, Kirk!

Kiaaak!

Zombies covered in dust rushed at us at random, jumping like monkeys between the collapsed buildings. They were A-grade grey zombies, a type of monster that clearly looked like zombies, with incredible running speed and power.

They were monsters that could pressure even A-rank lee fighters, so all of the long-distance team had to step forward in support. Among them, the one whose ability shone the most was Cha Soo-yeon’s.

A swarm of zombies that were rushing in were swallowed up by Cha Soo-yeon’s ability.

Guaaak, kuak! The zombies scread as they burned, overwheld, and the close-ranged team quickly killed the zombies.

I knew that zombies were weak to fire, but…

“I didn’t know it was to this extent.”

In this gate, there were several zombie-type monsters in this disaster-stricken city, and the level of the monsters increased towards the centre. We had to constantly be on our guard because the monsters would attack from any direction when we ca into range.

“Great~ we’re done, done!”

Cha Soo-yeon, done dealing with the last zombie, smiled and waved her arm. With my ability, I gathered the burning zombie corpses in one place.

“As expected of our Soo-yeon. Didn’t I do good by bringing you along?”

“Owww, that hurts!”

Cha Soo-yeon grumbled cutely as Hong Si-ah pulled at her cheeks, smiling slyly. They really looked like sisters. Maybe it was because Hong Si-ah was older and taller than Cha Soo-yeon.

The identifier, checking the grade of the burning zombie corpses, reported to Hong Si-ah with a bright smile. “There isn’t much of a problem, and the numbers are also stable.”

“That’s a relief.”

Perhaps because Jayna Guild also ca across anomalies several tis before, Hong Si-ah looked slightly nervous as she listened to the report before nodding her head in relief. Cha Soo-yeon, who was standing next to her, pursed her lips.

“There’d only be more zombies even if there was an anomaly, so what are you worried about?”

“Nuh-uh-uh*, don’t you know it’s better to be more careful when you’re dealing with S-grades?"

Hong Si-ah poked Cha Soo-yeon’s cheek, which was left slightly red from all the pulling, and looked back at .

“It’s been hard on you, Ability User Han Yi-gyeol. I said it before, but your ability is useful in many ways. Please take care of until the gate is cleared.”

“Leave it to .”

Hong Si-ah smiled at , who kept Cha Soo-yeon’s fire under control, and said, “It’s a worthy request from Master Cheon Sa-yeon. Thanks to you, I’ll be able to clear this gate with ease.”

…who did what?

Reflexively frowning, I asked, “What did Master Cheon Sa-yeon request of you?”

“Hm? Did you not hear it from him?”

“No, just to go to the gate…”

Hong Si-ah tilted her head. “Is that so? Looks like you really didn’t. But, I’m not the person you should be hearing it from.”

“…could you please tell more about it?”

Anxiety rushed over like a tidal wave. Woo Seo-hyuk, who was standing next to , looked at .

“Mmh, well, I don’t have much to tell you. Last week, after the eting in the managent headquarters, Master Cheon Sa-yeon talked to , asking for a favour. I was a little surprised because this was the first ti Master Cheon Sa-yeon asked for sothing.”

“That request… was it to participate in the gate?”

“Well, yes? He said if there was an empty space for the gate-clearing, why not bring along Ability User Han Yi-gyeol as a rcenary?”

Sothing hot caught in my throat. Cheon Sa-yeon, who shalessly said that he was only delivering docunts from Hong Si-ah, ca to mind.

‘…what the hell do you want to do?’

Resentnt filled as I thought of his actions which I’d never understand. A storm raged in my chest as my stomach churned and my fists clenched tighter.

As I was unable to properly respond with my emotions in disarray, Hong Si-ah shrugged her shoulders and added an explanation.

“I’m saying this just in case, but I didn’t hire you as a rcenary just because Master Cheon Sa-yeon asked to. Hearing what he said, I thought it wouldn’t be bad, so I accepted it. Don’t misunderstand.”

“…of course. There’s no misunderstanding.”

I barely ca back to my senses and smiled softly. At that, Hong Si-ah gave a refreshing wink and turned toward the close-ranged team. Cha Soo-yeon, who had been restlessly watching the conversation from behind, could only follow Hong Si-ah, unable to approach because of Woo Seo-hyuk.

“Han Yi-gyeol-ssi.”

“Yes?”

Tired. I’d been standing in place, overwheld by the fatigue that swept over in an instant, when Woo Seo-hyuk called out to in a low voice from beside .

“Are you okay?”

“Oh… why do you ask?” I awkwardly responded, rubbing the back of my neck.

Woo Seo-hyuk seed to be worried about sothing. “Did sothing happen… with the Master?”

“Haha, no.”

As if. I waved my hand and quickly turned away from him. I didn’t want the quick-witted Woo Seo-hyuk to see my face.

An excruciating pain ran up from the palm of my hand. I opened up my fist, which had been clenched tightly without my noticing, and saw that my nails pierced deeply through the skin.