Was Happy Being a Despised F-Rank Healer, You Know? - Chapter 136
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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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16. Strange Omens (13)
To state the result plainly: Isang Hee became Shim Chung. The votes overwhelmingly favored her.
I had my own reasons, of course, but if you asked anyone else why, they’d likely point to the Azure Dragon Dungeon.
“I didn’t even look at the Ongdalsam Dungeon region for a while after that,” she said.
Goi-deun spoke as she reviewed the script work, nibbling on a snack.
“Ah, I should’ve decided better then. Of all things, a female lead who falls in the water.”
“If you’re scared of underwater dungeons now, it’ll be bad later.”
“I’m not scared. I just don’t want to choose it, that’s all. Doesn’t everyone feel the same way?”
“Ah…”
I understood completely. Seo Jeong-u and Hyun I-seo nodded in sympathy.
Yu Hee spoke to Goi-deun.
“Just in case, let’s replace the dragon with an illusion.”
“Right, got it.”
After checking fantasy items as a visual substitute next to the White Dragon in the role assignments, and distributing the finalized cast information to everyone, Goi-deun handed me a sheet and spoke.
“Then, Your Highness. I shall take my leave now.”
“Oh, come on!”
I groaned at the barrage of “Your Highness” that began the moment I took the king role, and Goi-deun laughed mischievously before slipping out of the classroom.
Yuhan Seong had originally planned to play the king, but when he volunteered to handle the dragon, the role opened up.
Seo Jeong-u and Lee Hae-sol both made it clear they didn’t want to be Isang Hee’s scene partner. …Could Yuhan Seong have volunteered for dragon duty for the same reason?
It’s a credible theory, but in any case, no one in our class wanted to play the king.
So I raised my hand.
Isang Hee glared at me as though she wanted to kill me, but it was nothing I couldn’t handle.
‘But that’s something I’m actually worried about.’
Although we called it a dungeon, the space where we’d perform was hardly worthy of the name.
The Rainbow Pond—the place we’d chosen after receiving the Festival Dungeon Internal Map.
A peaceful area where rainbows appear when frogs croak.
It’s technically part of a dungeon environment, so it counts as a dungeon, but it’s terrain that falls short of being a dungeon within a dungeon.
However, unlike other areas, this place had a “core” that purified water clearly, which is why it was called a “Half Dungeon.”
Territories like this—with cores installed solely for simple maintenance or purification and no monsters in sight—were ideal for human use.
That we’d secured one of those places might sound like luck.
‘Though honestly, it was only possible because our class is expected to do well.’
No other class would be harmed.
The Festival Dungeon’s interior boasted an exceptionally vast area befitting a festival for Awakened ones.
If you wanted to find a place like that, you could find as many as you needed.
They might be slightly farther from the center, but the quality would be no different.
In any case.
“Let’s look at the map some more.”
I unfolded the Festival Dungeon Internal Map, speaking with genuine enthusiasm.
The kids gathered around with quiet laughs.
Yu Hee sat beside me with an expression mixing fatigue and refreshment, while Seo Jeong-u sat on the other side, draping an arm across my shoulders.
Hyun I-seo, unusually, focused on the map I’d spread out rather than playing a game. It seemed to suit his taste.
Lee Hae-sol arrived a beat late and knocked Seo Jeong-u’s arm away, then seized it to break the embrace.
Han Seong sat in front of me, and our eyes met.
While Seo Jeong-u and Lee Hae-sol bickered quietly, the rest of us examined the map.
It looked like an ordinary map to the eye, but when you touched a desired area with your finger, a three-dimensional image of that region appeared.
Because it was a three-dimensional projection, you could see every corner in detail from all 360 degrees in advance.
“This is amazing.”
“It’s hard to find something like this outside.”
“Hunters who explore carry these as standard equipment, but for non-Hunters, it’s a typical example of something that’s difficult to access.”
Han Seong and Yu Hee answered in turn.
“My family has a merchant company that I oversee and manage distribution for, and they handle maps there too. If there’s a region you want, I can get you one—Jin Hali.”
Han Seong and Hyun I-seo casually mentioned they’d get one too.
“Only for Hali.”
At Yu Hee’s firm words, they acquiesced without hesitation, but—
I stifled a laugh and gently pulled her close, speaking softly.
“Thanks, Yu Hee.”
“…It’s nothing to thank me for.”
That was when.
Isang Hee came back into the classroom, and our eyes met once more.
I froze.
This time, Isang Hee was even smiling with her eyes.
‘This doesn’t feel good.’
My plan—which I still hadn’t told the Lion or Erich about.
Narrow the target to myself alone, but reveal just enough value to avoid death.
A dark premonition told me that Isang Hee’s interference would be even more irritating than usual.
***
“Is this the famous F-rank Healer?”
Yu Wan-yeong pointed at the girl on the screen and asked.
One of those hiding their presence answered in an intrigued tone.
“Yes, Clan Leader.”
“She built these connections and never reported it to me separately? How amusing.”
Before departing for the Academy, she was observing her daughter’s daily life and deducing targets.
Though only brief moments had been recorded, she could discern who Yu Hee spent time with.
Yuhan Seong, Gong Seo-yun, Lee Hae-sol, Hyun I-seo.
And Jin Hali.
In truth, she couldn’t help but notice how much of a social sensation this group from Class 8 had become recently, even if she didn’t deliberately seek the information out.
What she’d said didn’t mean she was unaware.
She’d simply recognized the significance of the fact that Yu Hee had never reported anything specific about them, especially not Jin Hali.
“So you’ve found something precious, have you, my daughter.”
Relief washed over her—just when she’d grown bored thinking it was nothing but boys, a suitable target had appeared.
“But how unfortunate.”
She raised the tip of her manicured pink nails and tapped them lightly against various parts of the screen.
“Befriending only children who would cause trouble if killed.”
Especially that worthless Jin Hali—she made it a habit to embrace Yu Hee and pat her back at the slightest provocation.
Of all people, the girl was closest to the most contemptible thing!
“Truly, a daughter who displeases me to the very end.”
Yu Hee couldn’t possibly have failed to notice that she herself had been selected as the next successor through the trial.
That she hadn’t been terrified, nor had she set up an adequate trial arena, meant one thing.
Hee was trying to escape her grip.
Had she done otherwise, her life might have been spared.
Yu Wan-yeong muttered words she herself couldn’t quite believe, wearing an expression of profound regret.
“Should we alter the trial’s conditions?”
The master of the shadow assassin unit asked the Clan Leader.
He too maintained perfect concealment, leaving no trace of presence.
Yu Wan-yeong deliberated for quite some time.
“No.”
And she answered her subordinate.
“Put everyone on the trial list except the three S-ranks who stopped the catastrophe.”
It was rare for the nation to interfere in a family’s trials. They were free to act unless they broke the law.
Until now, everything had happened within the old house, so they could conceal it without needing to determine whether the law had been violated, but…
‘Inside the Academy, it’s harder.’
To avoid excessive damage from the government—or rather, from those who created and upheld those pointless laws—
‘At minimum, we can’t touch the S-ranks.’
Monsters who’d cleared a catastrophe dungeon despite their limited experience.
Yu Wan-yeong didn’t believe the internet rumors people spouted about this F-rank Healer.
Her timing in tossing potions was good, her movements swift—but that was all.
She would come to regret before death for daring to cross a line.
“Don’t kill the first target until the last target is dead—just drive them to desperation. From the second target onward, it’s first come, first served. Even if it’s experience gained by riding on S-ranks, they’ve gone through an S-rank dungeon and their abilities have improved by leaps and bounds. There’s no better trial material than this, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Indeed!”
“I almost feel like gifting them travel money.”
Her thoughts took root, half-formed, without a complete answer.
“The first is Jin Hali. Next is the order I’m about to give. Distribute it to the candidates.”
“Your orders are accepted.”
“Go.”
Half the shadows in the room vanished in an instant.
The hunt had begun.
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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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