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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Master-Disciple Trip (4)
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Once Baek Seol-hui was certain that Jin Yu-ha wasn't holding back, she had no more reason to hesitate.
And with Jin Yu-ha, who had only been observing, now joining the dungeon raid,
Swish—
Swish—
The speed at which they tore through the dungeons accelerated as if it had gained momentum.
Slash—
Slaaaash—!
"Aaaargh—!!!"
Thud!
The eight legs of the giant spider monster were all severed,
and sticky venom poured from its abdomen, melting the floor.
Pant—
Pant—
Drenched in sweat, Jin Yu-ha exhaled ragged breaths. In stark contrast, Baek Seol-hui hadn't shed a single drop of sweat.
With this, they had already cleared six dungeons.
It was an achievement far exceeding Jin Yu-ha's initial daily quota, which he had originally set at a maximum of four dungeons per day.
"Hoo… Master! Shall we call it a day? At this pace, I think we can clear everything by tomorrow!"
Jin Yu-ha said, wiping away the beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead. Baek Seol-hui gazed intently at her disciple.
'So Jeju Island was this dangerous…'
She hadn't fully realized it until she came here with her disciple.
The dungeons they had cleared today with Jin Yu-ha were all hidden in secluded spots, rarely discovered by people. What's more, there were two dungeons whose existence wasn't even known.
And inside them, dangerous creatures were piled high, clearly poised to cause a disaster if they ever burst forth.
'If even one of these had erupted, Jeju Island would have been utterly devastated that day.'
It was as if the island had been cursed by a god.
The malice aimed at destroying Jeju Island was palpable.
However, Baek Seol-hui didn't question how Jin Yu-ha knew Jeju Island was in danger and came here, or how he found those unknown dungeons.
After all, she still remembered the first plea her disciple had made to her.
It was, perhaps, early in his academy days.
She recalled it wasn't long after she had accepted Jin Yu-ha as her disciple.
"—Then, Instructor. Can you trust me just once, no matter what I say? And could you also promise not to ask for the reason?"
At that time, Jin Yu-ha had pleaded like that,
and informed her that Ryu Jin-ju of the Hunter Administration was plotting to demote the current Director and take his place.
Thanks to that, they were able to prevent the corruption of the Hunter Administration.
Of course, her disciple had attached the condition, 'just once,' but even then, Baek Seol-hui had already made up her mind.
She decided to simply trust her disciple's words without question, blindly.
He was already a child carrying a heavy burden on his small shoulders.
So shouldn't there be at least one person who would simply trust whatever he said?
'Because that's the easiest thing a lacking master, blessed with such an extraordinary disciple, can do for him.'
*
After finishing the raid and emerging from the gate, night had already fallen, cloaking everything in darkness.
Stepping out of the gate, Baek Seol-hui pressed her earphone firmly and whispered in a low voice.
"—Demon Slayer Squad. Respond."
Static.
"—Huh…? The hotline, suddenly? C-Captain? You said you were on vacation starting today…"
"—Yes, I'm on vacation, but you aren't."
"—Uh, we're doing our best with our own training, you know…"
"—Enough. Those dungeons you wanted to go to. Bali and Maldives."
"—Huh? What? Did a demon appear there or something?"
"—Starting now, form teams and clear out all the dungeons in Bali and the Maldives. If you leave even one, you'll be in for a rough time."
"—No, a d-dungeon raid?! There aren't any demons there! We're not hunters who make money selling monster parts! Why, when there was no request! And I said I wanted to go with a *guy*, not with a bunch of dull women—!"
Click.
Though she could hear more mumbling from beyond the earphone, Baek Seol-hui, having said her piece, indifferently hung up the call.
'Hmm, Jin Yu-ha did hesitate about going to Bali and the Maldives at first. So it's highly likely the situation there is similar to here.'
Baek Seol-hui nodded indifferently.
"Hmm. Since it's a gate the squad members wanted to go to so much, they probably won't have any complaints."
Of course, there were many complaints.
At the untimely order for an overseas dungeon raid, the Demon Slayer squad members were showering her with grievances and curses.
"—Baek Seol-hui, you son of a bitch!"
* * *
The last gate we cleared was located on an uninhabited island near Jeju Island.
'Hmm, this place is too remote to find lodging…'
Crossing the sea on a pitch-black night without any lights was incredibly dangerous. If we happened to encounter a marine monster in the middle of the night sea, we'd be in serious trouble.
'It's better to camp here tonight.'
"Master. I apologize, but would it be alright if we camped here tonight?"
"Alright."
My master nodded as if it didn't matter to her.
'Then, I should start a fire and pitch the tent first.'
I took out various camping supplies, including a fire steel, from my subspace tattoo.
"Then, I…"
"Oh, Master, please just relax."
As I began setting up camp beside her, my master also tried to do something, but I stopped her by gently pressing her shoulder.
After all, it was a camping trip with master and disciple; shouldn't the disciple be the one to do the work? Of course, I knew it was considered odd for a man to do such tasks alone in this world, but the Confucian dragon I harbored before transmigrating wouldn't allow it.
Since I already had camping equipment in my subspace tattoo that could be set up with the press of a button, the preparations were quickly finished.
And next, something indispensable for camping:
Cooking!
In truth, I had promised to prepare a meal for my master long ago, but the opportunity hadn't presented itself until now.
Which meant this was the first dish I would present to my master!
Sizzle—
I heated the wok before the flickering red flames, lost in thought.
'Hmm, what should I make for her?'
I subtly glanced at my master. There she was, hugging her knees and gazing intently at me.
'She must be tired, right?'
Though she didn't say anything, she must have accumulated a lot of fatigue. After all, there's no way she wouldn't be tired after single-handedly smashing six gates.
Although I had provided assistance, honestly, I was busy just trying to keep up with my master in her full-power mode.
'Ah, now that I think about it, I had just the thing, didn't I?'
Frozen, prepped chicken. Eel. Abalone.
'I should make her Haesin-tang, loaded with all those stamina-boosting ingredients. Hmm, and should I add this too…? For stamina recovery, vitamins are definitely the way to go. Yes, let's add it!'
Swish! Sizzle—!
As I began cooking, the dish was whipped up in an instant.
Unlike my usual self, who was always overflowing with experimental spirit whenever I cooked, this time I didn't attempt many new things. That's because, whenever I so much as picked up a pan, there were always so many complaints…
Chicken, eel, abalone. Ingredients kept fresh in my subspace tattoo. And a soup made by mashing vitamin-rich tomatoes.
Dubbed: Jin Yu-ha's Tomato Haesin-tang!
It might be a little… unfamiliar to have tomatoes in Haesin-tang, but
'Anyway, tomato soup exists, right?!'
but it was a stamina-recovery dish where the tomatoes enveloped all the ingredients, creating an explosion of umami.
"I'll enjoy the meal."
When I scooped a large ladleful of the finished Tomato Haesin-tang into a bowl and offered it to her, my master began eating without much change in expression. I stared intently as she ate.
Then, my master glanced up at me.
"Hmm, it's delicious…"
And as if her words weren't empty compliments, my master scraped the bowl clean, finishing every last bit.
It was the first time someone had eaten all the food I made.
"Then, let's go to sleep soon. We have a schedule tomorrow, so it would be good to rest."
"Ah, yes, Master."
Since it was an unplanned camping trip, I had only brought one tent. My master said she would sleep outside, but…
'Aargh!'
The Confucian dragon roared inside me once more.
"Absolutely not! What kind of disciple makes their master sleep outside?!"
"…I usually sleep fine outside. When I'm typically on Demon Slayer squad missions…"
"No! We didn't come out for Demon Slayer squad activities today! I absolutely cannot allow it!"
"But…"
"Then, let's share the tent!"
"…What?"
"This tent is big enough for two people to lie down and sleep comfortably anyway!"
When I said this with a firm attitude, my master opened her mouth as if speechless.
I forcibly pushed my master, who kept insisting on sleeping outside, into the tent. Still, I was relieved that she didn't show any signs of trying to go back outside the tent.
Plop.
As I settled down and lay down first, my master kept trying to move to the corner.
"Please lie down comfortably here. If you keep doing that, I'll be uncomfortable."
When I said this, patting the spot next to me,
"…Alright."
Wriggle, wriggle—
My master, her face expressionless, wriggled her body, wrapped in a sleeping bag, and slowly moved.
'She's showing a lot of new sides today.'
In the end, my master lay down right next to me, with her back turned to me.
It was then, as I was about to drift off to sleep.
"Disciple. Are you asleep?"
Suddenly, my master called out to me.
"Yes? Did you call me?"
As I turned my head and replied,
"…Actually, I lied to you a moment ago."
My master, as if hesitating, parted her lips with difficulty.
"A lie?"
"Yes. The words that the food was delicious were a lie."
"...!"
A shock like lightning striking overhead. I knew I shouldn't, but honestly, I felt a deep sense of betrayal.
"But, I still don't want to lie to you."
My master, still lying with her back turned, murmured in a low voice.
"Actually, I can't feel 'taste' itself."
"…What?"
"Certainly, the food you made must have been delicious. But I cannot taste that flavor."
What could that mean?
As I stared intently at her back, Baek Seol-hui turned her body, met my eyes, and opened her mouth.
"Are you curious?"
"…Yes, I am."
"Hmm, it's not a particularly interesting story… but I'll tell you a bit about my past."
And so, Baek Seol-hui began to unravel her story, a tale she had never told anyone before.