By Zephyria 
‘Ugh, seriously.’
I couldn’t stand watching Seo Yun-chae sniveling with tears and snot, so I eventually gave up.
“Fine, lean on me all you want. Sigh.”
“…Really?”
“It’s only for now, so enjoy it while you can.”
“…Ahem.”
Seo Yun-chae, though embarrassed, carefully rested his head on my lap and enjoyed the rest.
With the thought of giving an extra rice cake to a hateful guy, I stroked Seo Yun-chae’s hair.
He closed his eyes languidly, looking satisfied.
“Your hand is cold, so it feels good. It’s cool.”
“I have cold hands and feet, what are you talking about? And this artificial Dungeon is in a desert area, and it’s night, how can you say it’s cool?”
“…Never mind, never mind.”
Seo Yun-chae got annoyed and didn’t say anything more.
I beckoned Shin Tae-beom and Ra Ho-yeon to come over as well.
“You guys come closer too. You need Guiding, right?”
“…Yeah.”
“Then I won’t refuse.”
Shin Tae-beom grabbed my remaining hand and intertwined our fingers. Ra Ho-yeon looked utterly dismayed at the already taken hand, so I gestured with my head towards Seo Yun-chae and my lap.
“What are you standing there for? You can lie down on my lap like Seo Yun-chae.”
“No, then you’ll be uncomfortable.”
He seemed more uncomfortable and embarrassed himself.
Having watched countless Guiding sessions of even higher intensity for 10 years in my past life, I couldn’t understand his reaction.
I had also done various Guiding sessions with Jae-ha, who was my partner, so Ra Ho-yeon’s awkward reaction made me even more uncomfortable.
“Don’t tell me you’re being shy right now? Between an Esper and a Guide?”
“It’s not that. I’m just really worried you’ll be uncomfortable-.”
Come to think of it, who is Guiding Jae-ha right now?
I had an unnecessary curiosity.
I was suddenly overcome with anxiety that even if I revealed my identity, Jae-ha might not believe me and refuse Guiding.
That anxiety manifested as scolding Ra Ho-yeon.
“It’s Guiding, what’s uncomfortable about it? This is my job. I’m fulfilling my duty as a Guide, so if you’re like that, I’ll be more uncomfortable.”
“…Okay.”
Ra Ho-yeon hesitated for a long time before finally resting his head on my lap and lying stiffly like a corpse.
I shook my leg and said.
“Lie down comfortably. You’ll get a stiff neck like that.”
“I am lying down comfortably….”
“Nonsense. Rest quickly now. This is strictly part of the examination. The staff above will be meticulously checking the amount of Guiding you’ve done to your partner Esper, right?”
After adding that, Ra Ho-yeon also adjusted his posture, lay down, and closed his eyes peacefully to rest.
“I’ll be in your care for a bit.”
“Don’t mention it.”
I could hear the cackling sounds from the Antlion Pit, but apart from that, it was quite peaceful.
The bone-chillingly cold desert area could never be called comfortable. But countless stardusts were scattered in the sky.
That sight alone was beautiful enough to make me forget the situation I was in.
“…Pretty.”
As I was staring blankly at the sky, Cha Si-yoon got up.
I watched Cha Si-yoon’s actions silently.
Wondering what happened to the two monsters inside, Cha Si-yoon, who had received Guiding first, approached the pit.
I warned Cha Si-yoon.
“Don’t get too close to the Antlion Pit. The soil around it might be soft. If you fall, I can’t save you, so keep a reasonable distance and just watch.”
“Okay.”
Cha Si-yoon quietly looked down at the two giant monsters fighting, making all sorts of noises.
“An Antlion and a cockroach are fighting fiercely.”
“Those guys are stupid. Thanks to that, even this shoddy lure is working.”
It was a great relief that there was another giant monster nearby.
‘Otherwise, my real skills would have been exposed for sure.’
The guy who killed me must be somehow related to the government.
So I wanted to avoid doing anything that would catch the government’s eye.
I even briefly thought about joining the Management Bureau to get information, but after experiencing this, it seemed like this wasn’t the way to go.
‘It’s a relief it was resolved safely.’
I almost messed up big time.
I took a breath and enjoyed the rest as well.
Cha Si-yoon seemed to find it very interesting, watching the two monsters fighting and hitting each other.
He even gave a running commentary without being asked.
“The cockroach bit the Antlion’s neck.”
“The Antlion cut the cockroach’s waist in half.”
“Ah, this time the cockroach is…….”
Unable to bear it any longer, I warned him.
“Cha Si-yoon, I’m not curious about those two fighting. What I’m curious about is only when those two croak.”
Ugh, it’s cold.
This Simulator dungeon was still the desert area at night. Because those two monsters hadn’t died.
‘I want to drink warm cocoa. With lots of marshmallows floating in it.’
How much of the free modern civilization had I tasted that such extravagant thoughts came to me so naturally. Seriously. When there was nothing to eat, I used to grill sewer rats and eat them deliciously.
I was so dumbfounded by myself that I chuckled, and Shin Tae-beom, who had been holding my hand for a while, raised his head and asked me.
“…Are you very cold?”
“A bit.”
My pride wouldn’t let me say that I was going to freeze to death like this.
‘Aish. This is the problem with being someone who gets cold easily.’
As I grumbled and tried to fasten my clothes tightly, Shin Tae-beom suggested to me.
“If you’re cold, how about we all hug each other tightly?”
“…There’s no need to go that far. This is just a little bit, we just need to wait a little longer. Cha Si-yoon said so, the cockroach’s waist was cut in half.”
No matter how much of an S-class monster it is, how much longer can it last with its waist cut in half?
“If we just hold on until it breathes its last… Achoo!”
Sniffle.
Clear snot was about to flow out.
‘Damn it, is it a cold.’
As annoyance was about to surge, Shin Tae-beom suddenly pulled me into his arms.
“What, what is this. Are you not letting go?”
“You look like you’re about to catch a cold. Just stay like this for a moment.”
“I don’t wa…….”
“According to you, it’ll only be a moment. It seems like those guys are about to die soon too. It won’t be long, so just stay in my arms. I have no intention of doing anything weird to you.”
“……Then just for a moment.”
Shin Tae-beom seemed to smile for a moment.
Or was it just my imagination?
“Okay.”
Ra Ho-yeon and Seo Yun-chae were very tired, and they quickly fell fast asleep.
My legs were numb, but I endured it. I didn’t want to wake the two people who were sleeping so well even in this cold.
‘…Warm.’
Shin Tae-beom’s body temperature was very warm, and without realizing it, I snuggled into his arms.
I was startled when I realized that, but Shin Tae-beom didn’t say anything, with his eyes closed.
‘…Is he asleep?’
That was a relief. I felt relieved and wriggled, exploiting Shin Tae-beom’s warmth.
His firm and comfortable embrace was quite reassuring.
To the point where my eyelids were about to close.
“Uh….”
Every time I barely opened my eyes while dozing off, Cha Si-yoon got closer to me like a ghost in a horror story.
“…Hey. What are you doing, scaring me.”
“Hyung was dozing off….”
“Me? That can’t be. I didn’t doze off. I didn’t doze off.”
“Get some sleep.”
“Nooo…. I didn’t want to sleep.”
“It’s okay, sleep, Hyung. It seems like those monsters are about to die soon too.”
Before I knew it, the ferocious cries of the monsters had subsided and were no longer heard. Only dying groans were heard like mosquito sounds, and even that soon stopped.
If we just wait a little longer, both of them will breathe their last.
“Then just a little…….”
Ah, no, I can’t. I have to keep my eyes wide open and stay awake so I can protest to that X-like staff guy….
I was too sleepy.
My consciousness soon plunged into darkness.
A short while later.
The two giant monsters, battered and bruised, breathed their last.
Cha Si-yoon stayed awake until the end, watching their deaths.
“…The sun is rising.”
Just in time, the sunrise in the desert area of the Dungeon dawned brightly.
As he was looking at the brightly dawning sky, a sweet voice was heard along with an notification sound.
“Congratulations. You have successfully passed the Simulator dungeon examination.”
“…….”
Cha Si-yoon turned his gaze to Yeon Yu-jin, who was fast asleep, then glared at the empty air where the voice was coming from again.
When Cha Si-yoon remained silent without any reaction, Ban No-ah was disappointed.
“Hmm. I wanted to hear a voice begging to be taken out of here if possible……. It was very interesting to watch the whole time.”
Whose plea did he want to hear?
Cha Si-yoon, who was moving his lips, gave up because he didn’t want to get involved with a bad person any further.
Ban No-ah, who wasn’t very interested in Cha Si-yoon, said in a monotonous tone.
“Since you have successfully cleared the Simulator dungeon, a Gate that will allow you to go to the surface will be created soon. If you go up through that, the examination will be over.”
At that time, Yeon Yu-jin got up, ruffling his messy hair.
“What…. Is the examination over?”
As Yeon Yu-jin got up, Ban No-ah’s voice became full of interest.
Like a child who got a new toy.
“Congratulations. Guide Yeon Yu-jin. You have successfully completed the examination. Congratulations.”
As soon as Yeon Yu-jin heard Ban No-ah’s voice, he cursed.
Cha Si-yoon was amazed that Yeon Yu-jin was a person who could use such colorful curses. His temper was like fire.
“Are you kidding me? You X-like son of a bitch. Hey, you deliberately put me and these guys, who are C-class, into an S-class Gate, didn’t you? To screw us over?”
“Haha. The final examination result is C-class Guide. When the Gate is created, open it and come up. I’ve already conveyed it to the Esper side who are awake.”
“Hey, stay there. Are you trying to run away now? Stand right there and stay still. If you run away, you’ll die even more. What kind of grudge do you have that you pushed us into an S-class Gate instead of a C-class one? Do you want to die? You son of a….”
Even as Yeon Yu-jin was ranting, Ban No-ah was giggling and enjoying it.
“But you didn’t die, did you? As a result?”
“What is this X-bal bastard babbling about. What? It’s okay if we didn’t die? I’m definitely going to sue you. Be prepared to be reported on the news and get beaten up.”
“Ah, about that.”
“……?”
“To tell you the truth, I don’t belong to the Management Bureau. I just played a little prank because it looked fun.”
“…What?”
Cha Si-yoon was also a bit shocked by this. What on earth was the Management Bureau doing? They didn’t take any action while such a dangerous person was acting like an employee.
“Congratulations on getting the grade you wanted. I don’t like getting hit, so I’ll be going now. Goodbye then!”
“What? Stay there. I said stay there! Hey! You bastard! Where’s the Gate? All the monsters are dead, so why isn’t the Gate to get out being created!”