I Don’t Want This Reincarnation

“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 cement and buildings, so there’s no need to be so careful.”

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

“Would you like to borrow something? Hold on a moment. Something 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 me.

“As you may already know, the two of us have met for the first time today. We’ve been meeting secretly until now.”

“Mh, that’s true.”

Just in case, I was getting our stories straight so Cha Soo-yeon wouldn’t say something 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 me.”

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

“That’s right.”

Cha Soo-yeon knew that Cheon Sa-yeon sent me 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 me. 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 me.

“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 immediately 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 me, tilting his head. Rather than asking out of concern, it seemed 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 me, “I have been ordered to keep you safe, Han Yi-gyeol-ssi, so please tell me if you’re hurt.”

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

“Yes.”

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

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 time you enter the gate.”

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

“Completely true. I remember in recent times you’ve come out of gates with serious injuries.”

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

“I\'ll be careful this time.”

“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 time.

“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 me and Woo Seo-hyuk—he had more interest in me than I expected.

“Oh, um… I understand.”

“Yes. Don’t fall too far from me. In case of an emergency, 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 times. 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 meantime, 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 melancholy.

* * *

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 melee 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 screamed as they burned, overwhelmed, 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 came 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 came across anomalies several times 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 me.

“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 me until the gate is cleared.”

“Leave it to me.”

Hong Si-ah smiled at me, 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 me more about it?”

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

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

“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 mercenary?”

Something hot caught in my throat. Cheon Sa-yeon, who shamelessly said that he was only delivering documents from Hong Si-ah, came to mind.

‘…what the hell do you want me to do?’

Resentment filled me 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 mercenary just because Master Cheon Sa-yeon asked me 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 came back to my senses and smiled softly. At that, Hong Si-ah gave me 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, overwhelmed by the fatigue that swept over me in an instant, when Woo Seo-hyuk called out to me in a low voice from beside me.

“Are you okay?”

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

Woo Seo-hyuk seemed to be worried about something. “Did something 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.