The Female Lead Saves the World - Chapter 324

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Yeo Joo Saves the World
Part 2, Episode 145

Gye Young Ho felt deeply wronged.
He had simply asked the most reasonable question—”Are you two dating?”—after seeing Yeo Joo, the newly recruited healer, and Kang Han, whom he’d watched grow up since childhood, walking hand in hand with such contentment!
But Yeo Joo had yanked her hand away with a look of utter disgust and declared:
“The Justice Guild doesn’t allow workplace romance!”
“Since when?!”
Had such a rule been established without his knowledge?
Gye Young Ho genuinely asked in bewilderment.
If anything, the Justice Guild had always been more inclined to actively encourage workplace relationships.
It was safer that way.
There was no risk of sensitive guild information leaking to the outside, and it prevented carefully cultivated hunters from defecting to rival guilds to work alongside their partners.
Above all, it avoided troublesome scandals.
So workplace couples at the Justice Guild, even if they broke up, typically maintained amicable relations rather than leaving such a prestigious organization, and if they married, they’d often transfer to the same team.
“I know several couples in the guild!”
Were they all supposed to break up now?
The situation felt particularly serious since he himself was currently developing a promising relationship with one of his own team members.
“No, what I mean is…”
Yeo Joo cleared her throat awkwardly and continued.
“That’s my position. I’m against workplace romance. Absolutely not allowed.”
“Why not?”
“This is a sacred workplace! What’s with the romance! We should be working—working! Do you have any idea how many Gates are waiting to be cleared in this world?!”
“Yeo Joo, I never pegged you as the type, but you’ve got a surprisingly old-fashioned streak, don’t you?”
“That’s not being old-fashioned—I’m just trying to uphold principles!”
“Sure, sure, I get it.”
Gye Young Ho subtly glanced at Kang Han.
As expected, Kang Han’s face had gone rigid, his hand repeatedly clenching and unclenching as if savoring the lingering warmth from holding Yeo Joo’s hand just moments before.
‘Ouch. He got rejected before he even properly confessed.’
Though he felt a pang of sympathy for what amounted to his younger brother’s romantic prospects being derailed, he didn’t dwell on it.
Yeo Joo hadn’t been with the guild long, so he wasn’t sure when mutual affection had developed between them, but wasn’t that just how things worked between men and women?
Awkward one moment, sparks flying the next over something trivial.
Many hunters, particularly S-Grade ones, had a knack for romance and moved quickly in matters of the heart.
But Kang Han was different.
He was someone who seemed utterly indifferent to everyone, as if he had no interest in such things whatsoever.
Kang Young Won often lamented, “I raised him tall and handsome for nothing!” but Gye Young Ho wasn’t particularly worried about Kang Han’s romantic prospects.
Based on my experience as someone who excels at romance, people like Kang Han simply don’t waste time on frivolous relationships.
When the time comes, he’ll meet someone, and once he’s set his sights on them, he’s the type to burn everything without looking back.
And sure enough, that prediction proved correct.
The way he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Yeo Joo the healer made me wonder if this was really the Kang Han I knew.
“Picky bastard.”
Gye Young Ho chuckled, tapping Kang Han’s shoulder with his fist.
Ever since Yeo Joo the healer joined the Guild, how many single members had been lingering around Team 1’s space, their hearts aflutter?
The fact that she was an A-Grade healer who appeared like a comet was impressive enough, but her distinctive charm and appearance certainly played their part too.
If the two of them started dating for real, there would be plenty of people tearing their hair out.
“Do well by her.”
This time, he spoke so quietly that Yeo Joo the healer wouldn’t hear.
Some might say it was strange to speak of such comforting things inside a Dungeon where explosions were imminent, but then again.
Gye Young Ho was simply delighted.
For high-grade Hunters who had to traverse dangerous Dungeons like their own home, it was better to have at least one more reason to make it out alive beyond the Gate—that was the philosophy of a twenty-year veteran Hunter.
Sure enough, Kang Han, who had been staring intently at Yeo Joo the healer, nodded.
“That’s right.”
With that slight smile on his face, Gye Young Ho suddenly found himself missing his girlfriend waiting outside.
“Dating? This is so absurd I need to drink a potion and get my head straight!”
Yeo Joo the healer, fanning herself with her hand as she suddenly downed a stamina potion, didn’t seem entirely indifferent either.
‘It won’t take long.’
Gye Young Ho silently read the future between the two of them.

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After resuming our journey and walking for roughly two hours, we reached a Crossroads.
It was also about time we took a break to manage the healer’s stamina.
Kang Han stood before the Crossroads, heightened his senses to check, and spoke.
“The right path seems to be the correct one.”
“You’re not certain then? In that case, I’ll go check the left path and come back.”
As Gye Young Ho spoke, Yeo Joo stopped him.
“It’s dangerous to go alone, senior.”
“Come on, I’m a wind-wielding hunter. I can tell just by using a skill for a moment. You, Yeo Joo the healer, rest and drink some more potions. Kang Han, you protect her well!”
What a good older brother I was.
Gye Young Ho simply stepped away with a smile, wanting to give the two of them even a few minutes of intimate time together.
“Maybe it’s better for me to be apart from you.”
Kang Han helped the still-worried Yeo Joo sit on a suitable rock and reassured her.
“Senior Young Ho won’t go far. He’s an experienced hunter.”
“I know that, but still.”
“You won’t even get a few minutes of rest otherwise. Sit down. Sore feet can’t be healed with potions, after all.”
While Yeo Joo eventually nodded and drank a stamina potion, Kang Han fell into conflict.
I wanted to massage her feet, but she’d hate it.
Of course she would.
We weren’t close enough for that yet.
My head knew this, but lately, uncharacteristic thoughts kept surging up unbidden.
I hated seeing her worry about Gye Young Ho just moments ago.
Yeo Joo was a kind and good person, and it was natural to worry about a colleague.
Yet I hated it anyway.
‘I’m actually jealous of Young Ho.’
Disappointed by his own pettiness, Kang Han confirmed that Yeo Joo had finished all her potions and caught her breath, then moved toward the left path.
He intended to bring back Gye Young Ho, who was probably loitering aimlessly in the distance under the pretense of giving them space.
“Wait, Kang Han, just a moment, let me come with you…!”
I sensed the presence of a suddenly appearing monster before I could even process Yeo Joo’s startled cry.
Its rank was roughly B-Grade.
Its location was.
“Aaahhh!”
Directly beneath Yeo Joo.
“…!”
I reached out to help her up in shock, but the monster was faster.
A blood-red tongue that had forced its way through a rock crevice just a few steps away wrapped around her ankle, the motion stretching out like slow-motion footage.
Just as the sharp teeth of a C-Grade Scaler monster, which had transformed the solid ground into something like sand, emerged and prepared to pierce her skin.
Splash!
A blue protective barrier enveloped Yeo Joo and blocked the Scaler’s attack.

“It’s an item that absorbs physical impacts inflicted on the wearer and converts them into energy to deploy a protective barrier for a certain duration. It should help you protect yourself, Yeo Joo.”

It was the effect of the necklace Kang Han had gifted me.
Kwang!
A concentrated bolt of electricity pierced through the Scaler’s head, which had been momentarily halted by the protective barrier.
“What, what is this! What’s happening…!”
Gye Young Ho, who had been rushing over in alarm at the loud noise, stopped in his tracks.
It was because of the hemispherical defensive barrier that had unfolded around Yeo Joo and Kang Han.
It wasn’t the item’s effect.
The protective barrier that had shielded her from the Scaler’s attack had vanished the moment the monster was struck by electricity, having fulfilled its purpose.
It was Kang Han who had cut off the two of them from the outside world.
More precisely, it was Kang Han’s instinctive will to protect Yeo Joo first as he fell into a state of mental confusion.
“Ugh…!”
Kang Han, barely managing to brace himself on Yeo Joo’s knee to keep from collapsing, gritted his teeth against the fleeting afterimages of unfamiliar memories flickering before his eyes.

“Yeo Joo!”

I heard my own urgent voice from within the memory.
A flaming hand that had erupted from the ground was aimed at her.
I gritted my teeth and ran, but I was too late.
In the end, the crimson hand seized her ankle, and she was injured.
I didn’t even think to use my ability.
In my desperation, I tore at the flaming hand with my bare hands, and seeing her in pain, I wished the suffering were mine instead.
Helpless, utterly helpless.
If only I had the power to protect you.
The version of myself in the memory yearned for it, again and again.
“Ha, ha…”
When the involuntary replay of the memory finally ended, Kang Han barely opened his aching eyes and immediately checked Yeo Joo’s ankle.
Fortunately, there were no wounds on the slender ankle exposed beneath her jeans.
In that moment, he couldn’t even be certain whether what he had been worried about was the black handprint left by the flaming hand or the bite marks from the Scaler.
Kang Han, who had been kneeling on the ground and gently caressing Yeo Joo’s ankle with his large hands, slowly raised his head.
“Flaming hand and wound healing potion.”
He spoke aloud the words still lingering in his memory.
Then, watching Yeo Joo’s eyes tremble slightly, Kang Han asked in a desperate voice.
“Why do I have memories like this… in my head?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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