You Didn't Tell Me the Start of My Transmigration Was a Gate

Chapter 27 Part 1: Counterattack

 「Notice: You are within the influence of an S-Class Holy Artifact «Holy Grail». 」

「Your health will recover at a rapid rate」

With the notification, the blood that had been trickling down my forearm stopped. The cracked skin quickly reattached itself. I stared at the scene for a moment, then began to clean the bloodied karambit. If you leave it alone like that, the weapon would slowly deteriorate. Even for an item, it’s something that can not change. I wiped it off with a cloth and sharpened the blade. Sharpening knives are one of the items that most scouts are required to carry, that’s because tool-maintenance is a matter of life-and-death.

“You’re a little banged up.”

Hye-won said as she sat down next to me. “I think you’ve been pushing yourself too hard lately…” She was speaking cautiously. I didn’t argue back. I needed something to focus on, something to take my mind off things, and right now, it’s just monster hunting.

“… Don’t worry, it’s not that hard. I’m getting better at it.”

As I hunted monsters recklessly, my stats considerably increased. They’re not as high as they were before, but they’ll get there. “Still. I think you should take a rest tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? How about we prepare dinner together, after all it’s been a long time, and we take meal duty instead of hunting?”

“Aren’t we still going to be eating dried food tomorrow because we’re going to be touring the cathedrals again?”

“Uh… uh, so you’re a meal server whose job is to distribute dry food! It’s kind of ironic that you’re a meal server but you don’t prepare meals, haha…”

It was obvious that she was just rambling random words around. Hye-won’s voice got quieter and quieter as she realized it as well. I know what she’s worried about, it was about what happened inside the hidden gate the ‘Natarossa Seminary’. It was only two weeks ago that I managed to clear that gate and got my hands on an S-class holy artifact. My injuries, which felt like my whole body was being crushed, were healed thanks to that 「Holy Grail」. I lifted my head slightly and saw the 「Holy Grail」 emitting a holy light. It was always so noble. As if it was only seeking the good things. The sight of the revered 「Holy Grail」 made my stomach twist. Maybe it’s really twisting. It makes me sick to my stomach.

“……I’m really fine.”

“It’s because I can see you’re not.”

Hye-won frowned. She’s a friendly one. I was able to protect Hye-won this time, but not Dahlia. I wondered if I could have stopped the bastard if I’d run to him before he’d done something terrible to Dahlia? Or should I have said something else to her the night she told me that she had no regrets? I couldn’t tell.

Given that Hye-won had previously referred to her character inside the gate as something that left her with a creepy feeling, I’m guessing she was playing the role of a nun only then. The role of Ritch must have been vacant, as none of her teammates were underage girls. I got up from my seat because my wounds were healed. I need to get to sleep so I can get up early tomorrow. The white-throat swallow we killed today has a good fur for winterization, but its meat was not edible. It would be better to hunt a more meaty animal tomorrow.

“Han Seoha-ssi.”

Before I knew it, Kim Ki-taek was already standing in front of me. He had a ridiculous look on his face.

“That’s my tent.”

“Ah.”

This. I must have gotten too lost in thought. I gave him a quick bow and turned to leave, but he called out to me.

“I need to talk to you for a minute.”

[Read only on Salmonlatte.com]

I wondered if he was trying to express his concern about me for a moment, and tell me that I shouldn’t overdo it, but I dismissed the idea when I saw that he had also invited Jeon Chung-Woon and Sun Ha-Rang to join us. It looked like they wanted to discuss about future plans. I’m glad. He must have asked Hye-won to join as well but she probably declined. Kim Ki-taek is a part of Red Flames, and I had turned down his scouting offer, so there was no reason for him to do me any favors…

We gathered in Kim Ki-Taek’s tent. He unfolded the map on the table, and despite the lies I had told them in order to obtain the Holy Grail, they were still continuing the search. They had searched all the nearby cathedrals along the Han River.

They had been traveling fast for two weeks, and now they were nearing the end of their search. “Here and here. And here… If you check it like this, we’ve already gone everywhere we can go.”

My conscience was pricked a little bit because I knew I was causing them a lot of trouble. But I can’t come out and say that it was all a lie. They’ll ask me why I lied, and I can’t explain how I knew about the hidden gate’s existence.

“If we wander into these places, we’ll be disoriented for a while.”

“Did the other scouting unit find anything?”

“They said none.”

“Hmph…” Jeon Chung-woon rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“That’s why I called you here to ask again. When you were dragged away by the boss monster, do you remember anything else?”

Kim Ki-taek asked, looking at me.

‘Nope. Not at all.’

“Nothing, else…”

“It’s a little creepy that we haven’t heard from him after two weeks. I’m starting to wonder if the Boss Monster is still watching Seo-ha.”

That’s a reasonable thought. I’m starting to wonder if Beelzebub is still watching me now, too, but if he doesn’t make an appearance… He’ll come up with another trick soon.

That’s what happened with Hyewon-Unnie. He will try to give you hope by giving you a little break, and then give you despair immediately after.

“But we can’t just stand idly by and let him take advantage of us.”

I promised to make it fun, so I’m going to have to make it fun. That bastard gets the most enjoyment when the guttersnipe he’s been playing with bounces up and slashes him.

‘……Why did I even bother to get that Holy Grail after seeing him like that…… Wasn’t it all to capture that Beelzebub?’

‘There is a healer, Jo Yeon-ho, but his holy water production is too weak.’

The Holy Grail, on the other hand, produces superlative holy water 24 hours a day, which is a different level of efficiency. Recently, Jo Yeon-ho was complaining that the Holy Grail left him with nothing to do. So he’s full of it.

“… I’ll lure the boss monster.”

“There’s nothing particularly strange about it.”

One scout said. This time, it meant nothing. “Wasn’t there something around there, too? It was clear that these crosses are so far apart, there must be some abnormalities somewhere…”

“There wasn’t. There’s no room for the space-time axis to twist at all.”