Ding dong. The sound of the doorbell rang. Yoon Seo was in the middle of piping green tea chocolate filling onto macarons, so he couldn't answer the door.
"Just let yourself in."
"Okay!"
Kwon Jihan responded from the other side of the door and entered by pressing the door code.
Peep.
Normally, Riceball would have flown over to Kwon Jihan in a flash, but this time it just lazily greeted him while pecking at the macaron shells Yoon Seo had gathered for it.
"Hey, Riceball."
Peep.
Kwon Jihan smiled, gently stroking Riceball before sitting next to Yoon Seo.
"The sweet smell hit me even before I got inside. Hyung, you haven't baked like this in a while. I'm jealous."
"Wash your hands and pack the madeleines and scones in that bag. Two of each madeleine, one of each scone."
"Making me run errands right after I get here? Give me a kiss first."
Yoon Seo raised his hand, motioning for Kwon Jihan to come closer, the piping bag held up in his other hand. Grinning widely, Kwon Jihan kissed Yoon Seo on the lips. Fortunately, Riceball was too busy pecking at the macaron shells to notice.
After washing his hands, Kwon Jihan started carefully packing the madeleines and scones into the bags.
"Lemon madeleines, Earl Grey madeleines, and walnut cranberry scones. They look delicious."
"There are extras on that tray, so feel free to have as much as you want."
"Okay."
Kwon Jihan quickly grabbed an Earl Grey madeleine and ate it. Yoon Seo smiled inwardly.
Kwon Jihan, who once couldn't tell the difference between a madeleine and a scone, could now identify the flavors just by looking at them. That's what happens when your significant other is into home baking.
After packing all the madeleines, scones, and macarons into bags, they ended up with a total of seventeen. Kwon Jihan tilted his head in confusion.
"Are there really seventeen people in The Guild of Leaves?"
"I made some for their families too."
Today, Yoon Seo was meeting all the former members of The Guild of Leavest. Well, not all of them—just Park Youngbum and Goh Heewon. Although they frequently chatted via messages, it had been six months since they'd met in person. The last time they saw each other was in January.
When Yoon Seo had entered the Great Dungeon and temporarily lost contact, Park Youngbum and Goh Heewon had gone all the way to the guild master's office at the headquarters to check on him. Their last exchange had been about Yoon Seo entering the dungeon, and after not hearing from him for a month, they had become worried.
Hearing that the two timid individuals had boldly opened the guild master's office door at Seokyoung Guild without hesitation had surprised and touched Yoon Seo. As soon as he finished the massive tasks that followed the end of the tutorial, he met with them. Since 'I was busy with dungeon raids' wouldn't make a good excuse, he had fretted over how to explain his absence, but Kwon Jihan had given him advice.
'Just say anything. Maybe that you were studying for an exam. Or that you were on an expedition to a remote area. They'll believe it.'
'Are you crazy? Who would believe that?'
'Try it. Let's see who's right.'
With a mix of skepticism, Yoon Seo had told them he had paused his phone service because of an expedition to a remote area. To his surprise, their reactions were unexpected.
'Oh, a remote area expedition. We figured as much. Yoon Seo oppa sure has diverse hobbies.'
'That sounds fun. And despite all the noise about the Great Dungeon, you kept up with your hobbies. That's so you.'
Thanks to Yoon Seo's wide array of hobbies, they accepted the explanation without further questions. He was grateful for the 301 wills at that moment.
Back then, since it was a rushed meeting, Yoon Seo hadn't brought anything, leaving with nothing but armfuls of knitting yarn, a gift from Park Youngbum and Goh Heewon for his hobbies. So this time, he had decided to do a full home-baking session, making enough for all the other guild members as well.
"The fact that Seo Chaeyoon made these baked goods himself—they have no idea how lucky they are."
Kwon Jihan commented, sounding a bit regretful as he popped another madeleine into his mouth.
"You said you're meeting them at six, right? How about watching a movie before that?"
"Did you bring the disguise item?"
"Of course."
"Let's go."
Kwon Jihan packed all seventeen gift bags into a large shopping bag and stood up. Yoon Seo grabbed a light summer jacket.
Peep. Peep.
Riceball pecked at the macarons, glancing sideways at the two of them. The bird clearly wanted to keep enjoying the sweet treats but was anxious seeing the two humans preparing to go out. Unable to give up on the macarons or Yoon Seo and Kwon Jihan, Riceball swayed its little body back and forth.
While Kwon Jihan smiled and took photos, Yoon Seo picked up a few macarons and placed them on a large tray.
Peep!
Riceball flew onto the tray as Yoon Seo stepped into the car with it.
"Welcome, Master."
"Yeah, take us to the theater."
"Yes, and welcome to you too, Master's young and adorable boyfriend."
"That's a fine greeting, Sticky Rice."
Peep!
"Riceball, I don't know what you're eating, but try not to leave crumbs inside the car."
Peep!
The car smoothly started moving. Kwon Jihan took the tray from Yoon Seo, reclined the front seat, and set the tray down.
Peep peep peep. Peep peep peep.
"Riceball's losing it. Did you put something addictive in the macarons?"
"Would I?"
"Then, Hyung… did you starve our Riceball?"
"I did make them a bit less sweet this time. They'll suit Hunter Kwon Jihan's taste, so give one a try."
"Okay."
Kwon Jihan answered and gave Yoon Seo a quick peck. He didn't seem to care whether the macarons were sweeter or not. Lately, these little kisses had become more frequent. Since Yoon Seo would freak out if they did this in public, whenever they were alone, Kwon Jihan made sure to steal these moments.
"We need to book the movie tickets."
"Yeah."
Kwon Jihan kissed him again briefly before pulling out his phone. The movie they were going to see was, of course, 'How the Antimatter Bomb Exists in This World.' They had already seen it three times, but it never got old. In truth, Yoon Seo wasn't particularly interested in the quantum mechanics explanations that took up most of the runtime. He just enjoyed that Kwon Jihan had more screen time than expected. Watching him explain antimatter bombs using complex terminology while looking so handsome on the big screen was a delight.
It's a 1 o'clock movie, and with it being 12:30, the two parked the car at the theater and sat side by side, knitting.
Not too long ago, Kwon Jihan had bought two sets of knitting needles from a famous brand. The set included ten different sizes of knitting needles, end caps, stitch markers, cables, cable connectors, and more—all neatly packed into a luxurious pouch.
"I picked the colors you like, Hyung."
He had also bought plenty of yarn—so much that it filled a 3-tier, 1-meter-tall storage cabinet to the brim.
Yoon Seo had taught Kwon Jihan how to knit a simple scarf, and Kwon Jihan enthusiastically started working on a couple's scarf. Whether it was because he was an S-rank and naturally good at physical activities, or because he was a genius by nature, he quickly got the hang of it without much difficulty.
Whether they were dating at home or outside, they often knitted in the car. Yoon Seo had knit up to 110 sweaters before stopping and had switched to making accessories like bags and dolls, which he would donate under the name Seo Chaeyoon whenever there was a charity bazaar. Kwon Jihan, on the other hand, had stuck with scarves, though he seemed to be getting bored with them now.
"When I finish this, what should I knit next? Should I knit a sweater for you? Teach me how to knit one."
"How about clothes for Riceball?"
"Good idea. Cat clothes? Or ferret clothes?"
"Let's knit both."
"Perfect. It would be great if the three of us could wear matching outfits. The moment people see us, they'll know we're a family."
"Everyone already knows."
"Still, we need to make it even clearer. We'll imprint it into the minds of every person in the world. Kwon Jihan, Seo Chaeyoon, and Riceball are family."
"…"
Sometimes Yoon Seo felt like there was something unstable about Kwon Jihan, and right now was one of those moments. Every now and then… no, actually, quite often… he would ask if he was Yoon Seo's ideal type, if Yoon Seo liked him, and if they were truly lovers and family. Whenever this happened, Yoon Seo would sense a different kind of anxiety radiating from Kwon Jihan than when he uttered the forbidden word, "goodbye." Kwon Jihan didn't seem aware of it, but Yoon Seo kept it in mind.
***
The genre of the movie 'How the Antimatter Bomb Exists in This World' was part documentary, part science fiction.
After the tutorial phase had ended…
The space opera, which had come abruptly before unprepared humans, shocked many on Earth.
At the same time, it brought humanity's long-standing dream into focus.
That dream was the encounter with an ultra-advanced alien civilization.
Humanity first encountered inhabitants of an alien planet two weeks after the tutorial ended. After graduating from the tutorial planet, Proxima b, Earth was assigned a dungeon planet—MKI83-3, the third planet in the MKI83 star system in the MACS 2129-1 galaxy. The blessing gods mentioned that 21 planets, including Earth, were using this planet as a dungeon. Although the walls of the dungeon were similar to those during the tutorial, they noted that with enhanced skill stats, the walls would sometimes be breached, and at that moment, they might encounter intelligent alien life.
Many hunters dreamed of being the first to meet aliens, but that honor went to a guild from Finland. While not globally well-known, the raid team from this large guild in Finland encountered aliens for the first time while exploring an S-rank Green Dungeon.
The aliens had torsos similar to humans, two long, flexible legs, and between six to eight eyes on their heads. They also had two arms that could extend up to five meters, as well as one thick, sturdy tail capable of lifting their body into the air, with the tail tip splitting into five parts resembling human toes.
"They were from Mekinen, the fourth planet in the H9-00Q galaxy's Sisu star system, and they had completed their tutorial 10 years ago in Earth's time. The Mekinen introduced Earthlings to other alien races who shared the same dungeon planet, and thanks to them, humanity could begin interacting with extraterrestrial beings. We decided to call the aliens who shared our dungeon planet 'Ystävä' (meaning 'friend')."
Listening to the documentary narration, Yoon Seo recalled his first encounter with the Ystävä. Through the exchange of scientific knowledge and dungeon items, a total of 105 representatives from 21 planets, five from each, gathered in one dungeon. Although the appearance, language, and culture of each planet varied drastically, the planets' density, orbital period, and rotational period were perfectly identical, making this meeting possible.
From Earth, Seo Chaeyoon, Kwon Jihan, Yoo Juncheol, the head of the European Hunter Association, and the guild master of Finland's Sisu Guild participated. Although Finland didn't hold a significant position in global affairs, the honor of being the country to achieve first contact with aliens gave it a considerable advantage.
All those sharing the same dungeon planet as Earth looked very different from humans. Since Yoon Seo and Kwon Jihan had previously encountered extraterrestrials through their observers, they weren't particularly amazed. It might have been more surprising if the aliens resembled humanoid figures like those they had seen before…
"They asked how we passed the final test."
At this point, Kwon Jihan's interview was shown.
With a cynical expression, Kwon Jihan, dressed in his Seokyoung guild uniform, gave a dry explanation.
"There was a debate on whether we should disclose the antimatter bomb, but we told them the truth. However, they couldn't understand it. Since the word didn't exist on their planet, the translation items couldn't convey it properly. It was a struggle to explain. They were very surprised, saying they had never heard of the Gaia system surrendering before, and they were afraid of us. There are countless alien races out there, but they were technologically behind Earth. In other words, it wasn't the Earthlings but the Ystävä who had achieved contact with a highly advanced alien civilization. After learning about the potential of antimatter bombs from us, several planets began research but suspended it indefinitely due to the dangers involved. They told us that Earth might move on to the next stage before their planets."
The next stage—Dungeon Level 2.
Each planet had its own term for the dungeon they entered after the tutorial. Level 1, Stage 1, Floor 1, or Rank 1… Earth referred to it as Level 1.
If the Gaia system had placed Earth in a dungeon with planets of similar levels, it meant Earth had reached the level of planets that had completed their tutorials and been in Level 1 for 10 to 20 years.
This gave rise to a cult that claimed that civilization was reset at regular intervals, forcing them to remain perpetually at Level 1.
The reason Earth earned such high scores from the Gaia system was entirely due to antimatter technology.
The antimatter bomb is a powerful weapon capable of obliterating an entire star system in one go. Not just a single planet, but an entire star system would be wiped from existence.
The aliens were relieved to hear that humans had used the antimatter bomb in the Black Dungeon and no longer had any left.
It would take at least eight years to create a second antimatter bomb. Some were anxious about this fact, while others were relieved.
Under different circumstances, non-Awakened individuals would have fiercely opposed the antimatter bomb, deeming it too dangerous. Yet, now they were among those who worried about its absence. They didn't fully trust the Awakened to protect them from the distorted beings, as they were still dealing with frequent floods of threats even daily.
Toward the end of the film, the documentary director asked Kwon Jihan.
"How can humanity be safe from the threat of distorted beings? Active exchange with aliens? Or the advancement of human scientific civilization?"
Kwon Jihan responded simply.
"Humanity needs to become kinder. That's how we'll have more Awakened."
"..."
"We need to be kinder. If there are only people who want to live comfortably by doing whatever wrong they please while relying on others for protection, Earth will always be in danger. Honestly, everyone already knows this. The days when only good people were considered fools are over. Now, it's a world where good people win."
It was a simple answer. Like 1+1=2. However, it was also a formula that some might find hard to accept.
***
After the movie, Kwon Jihan and Yoon Seo went to a café near their meeting place. Kwon Jihan was using a disguise item, and even Riceball had taken on a lizard form, clinging to an iced cup instead of its usual appearance. Yoon Seo barely touched his coffee.
"Why's Hyung barely drinking? Should've ordered fruit juice instead of coffee, huh?"
"Every time I watch the movie, I think the final interview wasn't necessary."
"…The part about needing to be kind?"
"Yes."
"People might have a revelation. If we have more just and kind people, there will be more Awakened, and we'll have less work to do."
"You're still dreaming. If people were going to change from such a lecture, they would've Awakened long ago."
"..."
"Even if they resolutely decide to change while watching the documentary, they won't actually follow through. It's a pointless message. You'd have been better off explaining your favorite quantum uncertainty principle during that time."
People don't change easily.
Yoon Seo had long stopped expecting anything from those who were not virtuous. It was no wonder that Earth's first L-level skill, apart from the Gaia skills, , had a safety house called "Small Savior's Safe House," which only allowed entry to "kind and righteous people." Additionally, the "Small Savior's Emergency Exit" was an extraordinary teleportation skill that could transport people from within a dungeon back to Earth without clearing the dungeon. However, any "bad people" who entered the dungeon with them would be left behind.
At first glance, it seemed like a skill designed exclusively for awakened beings, but that wasn't the case. did not protect "awakened beings" but "kind and righteous people." For instance, hunters from predatory organizations would not be able to enter Yoon Seo's safe house. Despite this, when the new skill became known to the world, some unawakened people felt alienated.
They felt it was unfair, blaming their environment for not growing up kind and righteous. However, there were those who, despite such conditions, managed to become kind and righteous.
Yoon Seo didn't dislike unawakened people. He simply preferred kind and righteous people a bit more. For example, if there was one piece of bread, Yoon Seo would give it to the kind and righteous person, trusting that they would pass it on to someone in need. This is why Yoon Seo wanted to stay on the side of heroes.
"Hyung, I really think it's amazing that unawakened people manage to live their daily lives in this kind of world. I even think they're brave. If someone cheered them on from the sidelines, I'm sure they could awaken."
"What kind of world are you talking about? A world where good people win?"
Yoon Seo gave a bitter smile.
"It doesn't seem like a world where good people win."
"Why? Haven't good people become stronger?"
"What's the point of becoming stronger? They don't even think about using that strength to make bad people serve them. Instead, they risk their lives fighting monsters, protecting the bad ones."
"If they thought about making others serve them, they wouldn't have awakened in the first place."
"Well, I think about it."
"You wouldn't either. You just talk like that, but I know you wouldn't do it."
"..."
Yoon Seo pressed his lips together like a sulky child. Sensing Yoon Seo's low spirits, Riceball crawled up and settled on Yoon Seo's wrist, wrapping around it like a pet lizard seeking affection. Yoon Seo gently stroked the lizard with his fingers.
Kwon Jihan pondered how to console Yoon Seo before speaking.
"How about we take a break this fall? We were planning to take a long vacation anyway."
"With the twisted beings appearing, do you think they'll allow us to take a break?"
"Who has the authority to deny us? Juncheol hyung?"
"He's the guild master, so he can't completely ignore public opinion."
"What will people do if they oppose our break? Strip us of our hunter status, throw us in jail, or what? We're this powerful—people would only cry and beg us to come back quickly once the vacation ends."
Yoon Seo, who had been sulking the whole time, raised an eyebrow in surprise.
It was because Kwon Jihan's words implied he intended to use his strength as an awakened being.
"Hunter Kwon Jihan, you're starting to sound a lot like me."
"I don't know what you mean by that, but they say you resemble what you like."
Kwon Jihan flashed a playful smile.