Was Happy Being a Despised F-Rank Healer, You Know? - Chapter 39

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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6. Shadow of the Dragon (8)

 

“Um, excuse me….”

 

Isang Hee said with a trembling voice.

 

“Hali.”

 

The surrounding students all stopped at once. Isang Hee had called me in the middle of the hallway. In front of several people.

 

“Yeah!”

 

I had no choice but to respond.

 

Isang Hee took a step closer. She still had her head down, but her voice was clear.

 

“Do, do you… want to participate in next week’s Ongdalsam Dungeon practice…? By any chance…?”

 

“…Huh?”

 

I was flustered by the sudden question. Ongdalsam Dungeon? She’s asking if I want to participate?

 

The surrounding students also started murmuring.

 

“Huh? Hali?”

 

“She’s F-rank, would that be okay? Isn’t that illegal?”

 

“Ongdalsam is an easy dungeon though. I think it could work.”

 

“Still, if she’s F-rank….”

 

Isang Hee continued speaking.

 

“Um, excuse me… I, I’m also participating… for your experience… how, how about we go together once…?”

 

Her voice trembled, but her eyes were resolute.

 

This wasn’t a suggestion.

 

It was a trap.

 

“For your experience… how, how about we go together once… I thought….”

 

The hallway fell momentarily silent at Isang Hee’s words.

 

All the students’ gazes focused on me at once. Some with curious eyes, some with worried expressions, and others with skeptical looks as if thinking ‘no way.’

 

I felt that weight completely as I looked at Isang Hee.

 

She still had her head down. Her long hair covered her face, but her lips visible between the strands were trembling slightly.

 

Due to her timid personality, speaking in front of so many people would be burdensome in itself, yet despite that, making such a proposal to me meant…

 

I could tell intuitively.

 

That Isang Hee was trying to harm me right now. In front of many people, creating a situation that would be difficult to refuse.

 

“Is Isang Hee giving up her spot? Ongdalsam Dungeon has all the spots filled.”

 

Someone muttered quietly.

 

“Wow. Ongdalsam Dungeon is really popular.”

 

“Right. I heard the rewards are sometimes good too.”

 

The murmuring around us grew louder. Ongdalsam Dungeon was C-rank but had low difficulty, making it famous among first-year students as a safe place to gain experience.

 

Moreover, decent items occasionally came out as rewards, so the competition rate for practice applications was quite high.

 

Isang Hee was giving up such a spot to me?

 

On the surface, it really seemed like kind goodwill.

 

But I knew.

 

Isang Hee’s real intention.

 

“Um, excuse me… Ongdalsam Dungeon is really an easy place. You know the golden axe, silver axe story, right? It, it’s like that… you just have to go to the mountain spirit and bring back an iron axe. It usually takes 15 minutes….”

 

Isang Hee continued her explanation while stammering. What she said was true. Ongdalsam Dungeon really had a simple structure.

 

But there was something she didn’t mention.

 

That it takes 15 minutes ‘when you have sufficient mana.’

 

For hunters lacking mana, the situation was different.

 

“Hali, how about it? It’s a good opportunity.”

 

Someone with a familiar face nearby casually added.

 

“Yeah… but….”

 

“Are you worried because you’re F-rank? It’ll be fine. Ongdalsam is really easy. My sister also did practice there, and there were no problems.”

 

The surrounding students joined in one by one.

 

“Right, someone like Hali can definitely do it.”

 

“Class 8 is going as a group, so it’ll be safer. I heard they all awakened this time.”

 

All the students’ words came from good intentions. They really thought this was a good opportunity for me.

 

But I knew.

 

Why Isang Hee was making this proposal ‘now.’

 

Why she was doing it ‘in front of many people.’

 

And what would happen if I refused this proposal.

 

I had built up an image as ‘an F-rank but hardworking student’ until now. Dawn training, lunchtime self-study, after-school personal practice. The surrounding students and professors had cheered me on seeing such efforts.

 

This was also an asset that could become a means to protect me when something happened to me in the long run.

 

But if I refused here?

 

‘She’s refusing even though it’s a good opportunity. I guess F-rank is F-rank after all.’

 

‘Is she really trying hard? Or is it just for show?’

 

Such ridiculous whispers would obviously spread.

 

That wasn’t a good direction for me.

 

With Yuhan Seong’s protagonist group, it would be difficult to become more than somewhat close anyway.

 

“Ha, Hali?”

 

Isang Hee slightly raised her head to look at me. Her eyes stared straight at me. Unlike her trembling voice, those eyes were resolute.

 

‘Answer. Quickly.’

 

It was silent pressure.

 

I slowly took a breath. I quickly organized the situation in my head.

 

Ongdalsam Dungeon. C-rank. Low difficulty. Usually a 15-minute clear.

 

But that was based on ‘normal’ hunter standards.

 

For me, an F-rank…

 

‘It could be dangerous.’

 

In the original work, I transformed into a blue dragon as soon as I entered Ongdalsam Dungeon, so there wasn’t detailed description of this dungeon itself, but there were a few hints.

 

That you need a certain level of mana or higher to approach the mountain spirit. That if you lack mana, the mountain spirit becomes hostile.

 

And F-rank Jin Hali was severely lacking in mana.

 

It was a dungeon that could never be cleared alone.

 

‘Help from companions is essential.’

 

That was Isang Hee’s aim.

 

To take me to the dungeon and prove how much of a ‘burden’ I was.

 

‘An F-rank came to the dungeon and just held everyone else back.’

 

She was trying to create that kind of evaluation.

 

If that happened, I would no longer be a ‘hardworking F-rank’ but become an ‘F-rank who doesn’t know her place.’

 

But if I refused?

 

That was also a problem.

 

The image of ‘refusing a good opportunity herself’ would be created.

 

And most importantly…

 

‘Isang Hee is someone who will play an important role in Yuhan Seong’s party in the future.’

 

In the original work, Isang Hee had yandere tendencies, but despite that, she played a core role as a light mage in Yuhan Seong’s party. Her barrier and buff abilities greatly increased the party’s survival rate.

 

If my relationship with Isang Hee became ‘publicly’ strained now?

 

There could be disadvantages in some way later.

 

‘Damn.’

 

It was a dilemma.

 

A problem whether I accepted or refused.

 

Isang Hee had really cleverly cornered me.

 

“Hali, there’s no time. Lunch break is almost over.”

 

Someone urged.

 

The surrounding students’ gazes grew heavier. Silent pressure to answer quickly.

 

I looked at Isang Hee again.

 

She was still staring directly at me. There was even a faint smile hanging on her lips. It seemed like she was saying ‘let’s see how you’ll respond.’

 

‘…I have no choice but to accept.’

 

The risk of refusing was too great.

 

And honestly…

 

I remembered the time at the Crescent Dungeon.

 

That day when I waited alone outside.

 

I learned how difficult it was to watch from the outside while my classmates were facing life-threatening danger.

 

That feeling of helplessness was painfully memorable.

 

‘This time might be different.’

 

No, thinking about it differently, it might actually be a good thing.

 

Even if it’s dangerous, even knowing Isang Hee’s intentions.

 

Because…

 

‘I might be able to get through this dungeon while being protected despite being a burden, but after this, even that won’t be possible.’

 

To survive the mandatory Final Dungeon, I needed to become stronger.

 

To become stronger, I needed experience.

 

Dungeon experience.

 

I slowly nodded my head.

 

“…Alright. I’ll go. Thanks for thinking of me, Sang Hee.”

 

In that moment, Isang Hee’s eyes sparkled. It was the light of victory.

 

“R-really? Great, Hali! D-don’t worry. I’ll help you well….”

 

Isang Hee smiled brightly. On the surface, she looked genuinely happy.

 

But I knew.

 

The real emotion hidden behind that smile.

 

The students around us applauded.

 

No, why are they even applauding?

 

“Oh, your courage is admirable?”

 

“Isang Hee is kind too. Giving up her spot like that.”

 

What nonsense are they spouting!

 

Words of praise and encouragement poured out.

 

Well, I was going anyway, but Isang Hee acting like this was a bit troubling.

 

That person might actually try to kill me.

 

‘I need to be careful.’

 

I made a resolution while watching Isang Hee’s retreating figure as she left the hallway.

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