The Aftermath of the Rift

The car sped towards the center, cutting through the dense crowds. Not long after leaving the area, the orb of light he had tucked away vanished from his grasp. Seo Dowoon wiggled his empty fingers a few times before shrugging off his robe, rolling it up, and clutching it to his chest. Now that cellular service had returned, his phone vibrated incessantly. He switched it to silent and watched the scenery outside the window until, as they were crossing the bridge, he finally spoke.

“Driver, I really need to use the restroom. Could you pull over at that gas station for a moment?”

“Is it that urgent?”

“I think it’s because I’m finally relaxing. Would that be alright?”

The driver, aware that Seo Dowoon had only recently emerged from a dungeon, quickly checked the side mirror for any pursuing reporter vehicles before pulling over at a nearby gas station.

“Thank you.”

Seo Dowoon offered his thanks as he exited, then walked towards the restrooms, subtly glancing behind him. Confirming that the driver’s attention was elsewhere, he swiftly turned into an alley.

Seo Dowoon only checked his phone once he had navigated between large buildings and entered a quiet alleyway. Messages poured in, asking if he had made it out safely and wondering how they had known.

‘I entered the dungeon around eight… so it took four hours.’

‘It’s midnight now. It was only natural for people to worry when I didn’t return as expected. When I see them later, they’ll surely talk about it all day. Just thinking about it is annoying.’

Too bothered to reply to everyone, he simply sent a message to Yoon Changwoo: [I’m fine. See you tomorrow.] He then ignored all subsequent calls and messages.

He resumed walking, scanning his surroundings. He wanted to call a taxi, but fearing his location would be compromised, he knew he had to walk for quite a while. As he went, he watched a live YouTube broadcast titled ‘Sadang Station Rift Front Coverage.’

****

Once Seo Dowoon was sent off in the car, the reporters’ focus shifted to Han Gureum. Despite the early morning hour, the fervor of the press was intense. The rift had yet to close, and the fact that not all guild members of the Herbivore Guild who had entered had emerged yet added to the mystery, leaving everyone waiting for Han Gureum to speak.

Even in the dim predawn light, the flashes and spotlights were blinding. Han Gureum squinted, turning his head away from the incessant stream of questions from the reporters, his gaze fixed on the gate.

“What type of dungeon was it?”

“Why haven’t the other guild members emerged yet?”

“Are the civilians who entered the dungeon alright?”

“Please, Esper Han Gureum, say something!”

With so many people speaking at once, he couldn’t properly hear what they were saying. Besides, these interviews weren’t his forte. ‘Kim Ajun should have been the one to come out instead of me.’

Yet, he couldn’t continue to ignore them. Just as he was about to explain the situation, he noticed familiar guild robes pushing through the crowd.

“Hey, don’t push!”

“Whoa! I’m going to fall!”

Upon seeing the two figures emerge from the throng, Han Gureum’s lips softened ever so slightly.

Baek Heeseong, the Guild Master of the Herbivore Guild, deliberately flared the hem of his robe as he stepped in front of Han Gureum. He raised a hand, drawing all attention to himself. Even with the massive crowd gathered, he appeared confident and radiant, showing no signs of nervousness.

“Hello, I am Baek Heeseong, Guild Master of the Herbivore Guild. From now on, please direct all your questions to me.”

At his words, reporters eagerly raised their hands, vying to ask the first question. Most inquiries concerned the dungeon’s condition and the civilians who had entered the rift. There were also many questions about the other guild members who had yet to emerge, with some whispering amongst themselves, wondering if there had been any fatalities.

Baek Heeseong selected a few questions, asked Han Gureum, who was standing behind him, and provided immediate answers. Choi Seongsu, the other guild member who had accompanied them, took off his own robe and placed it over Han Gureum’s head.

“Brother, you should have covered your face first.”

“Ah…”

‘Having always worn a robe, he had completely forgotten.’

“What about the others?”

“They’ll come out with the cores.”

“Were there many monsters?”

“The boss was a Dwizer.”

Knowing what kind of monster a Dwizer was, Choi Seongsu simply nodded. Encountering a Dwizer meant there would be a substantial number of monster cores. He expected everyone to emerge carrying at least a couple of bags. Even if the price they fetched wasn’t high, the sheer quantity would likely cover several months’ salary and rent, which was a relief.

“Brother, go wait in the car.”

Choi Seongsu handed him the car key, which had a green dinosaur Kiyo doll attached. It was proper etiquette to wait until the remaining guild members came out, and if too much time passed without their emergence, they would have to re-enter to assess the situation, making an early departure impossible. Still, they couldn’t keep Han Gureum, who had just come out of the dungeon, standing there, so he was told to wait in the car.

Inside the car, Han Gureum slumped into the back seat, completely exhausted. His body wasn’t particularly tired, but his mind was utterly drained.

He had been fine until he exited the dungeon, but the intense scrutiny and barrage of questions from so many people, combined with the blinding flashes, had completely sapped his energy.

Even though the car had darkly tinted windows, reporters still pressed their cameras against them and fired off flashes, desperate to capture another photo. Han Gureum drew the blinds and placed Choi Seongsu’s robe beside him.

‘He made it back safely, right?’

The civilian earlier had seemed to want to come with him, but he couldn’t allow it, so he just sent him off. That was the right thing to do, yet… was it because he followed so meekly in the dungeon? Or was it because I’d never met someone so calm, making him memorable? For some reason, I felt a little bothered.

“…Surely he wouldn’t sell it, would he?”

Moreover, this was the first time he had ever given his robe to someone else. A robe was, by definition, a symbol of a guild, and should not be casually given away. Yet, it felt awkward to go find him and ask for it back. He could only hope that the other person wouldn’t misuse it.

****

Seo Dowoon was already a well-known figure within the university, but his fame skyrocketed thanks to his loose-lipped friends. Not only did broadcast stations and reporters request interviews, but even the professors he met in lectures would add their two cents.

He even received a call from the Center, asking why he hadn’t come in then. How they got his number, he had no idea. He simply stated that he was fine and would visit the Center if anything went wrong, then hung up.

It seemed his personal information had been disclosed more than necessary due to the recent Sadang Station rift incident.

He had expected such attention to wane after some time, but it did not. Photos secretly taken by one of the onlookers that day had been uploaded online, spreading his nickname, ‘Daejangdae Campus God,’ far and wide.

Seo Dowoon tried his best to ignore it, but one of his friends kept needling him.

“Oh, the Campus God has arrived? I came early and saved you a seat. Please, sit here! Shall I lay out a handkerchief for you? Or perhaps a cushion? Oh dear, I haven’t prepared a cushion yet!”

“…”

“I’ll make sure to prepare a very plush, luxurious cushion starting tomorrow. For today, will you simply sit, my Campus God?”

As Seo Dowoon entered the lecture hall, Yoon Changwoo, as if he had been waiting, approached him immediately, guiding him to a seat and incessantly pestering him. At his antics, the people in the lecture hall chuckled.

“Yoon Changwoo, you crazy bastard! Hahaha! Ah, that’s hilarious!”

The loudest laugh came from Lee Jongho. He roared with laughter, his mouth wide open, revealing his uvula, so hearty that it made anyone watching him laugh along.

“Hmph, how dare you! The Campus God hasn’t even sat down yet, and here you are, a lowly servant, already seated!”

“Wait, I have a role too?”

“Yeah. You’re the lowly servant.”

“Why am I the lowly servant? Shouldn’t I be more like a nobleman?”

“What are you talking about? Why would you be a nobleman? Still, being a servant who serves the Campus God, instead of just a commoner, is a success, isn’t it?”

Although it didn’t seem like Yoon Changwoo would ever give him a normal role, being called a ‘lowly servant’ was still something. Despite not liking the role, Yoon Changwoo’s acting was so amusing that Lee Jongho kept laughing. Then, seeing Seo Dowoon’s face, he tried his best to stifle his laughter and spoke.

“Hehehe, hey, hey. Stop it. Look at Dowoon’s face.”

Lee Jongho wiped away tears and pointed at Seo Dowoon. Seo Dowoon had apparently pulled his black cap low and even worn his hood to avoid reporters and YouTubers, but while his expression wasn’t clearly visible from the front, it was perfectly clear from the angle of looking up at him while seated. At that moment, his eyes held a troubled expression, as if contemplating how best to ‘deal with’ Yoon Changwoo.

Seeing that face, Lee Jongho forced himself to suppress his laughter and turned his head. He subtly distanced himself, fearing that he might get caught in the crossfire.

“Alright. That’s enough for today. Dowoon told me to only do it six times a day last time. Today’s quota is complete!”

Lee Jongho, who had been giggling about the idea of a quota, moved closer to the window and looked down, speaking, “Wow, look, the reporters are still here. That person there, isn’t that a famous YouTuber? Dowoon, if you go out, they’re going to hound you like crazy. That YouTuber was even sued last time for uploading illegal footage. Seeing them still acting like this, it seems they’re just going to go all out. Will you be alright?”

“What can you do? The poor guy who fell into the rift was just incredibly unlucky. No, wait, since he came back alive, maybe he was lucky after all?”

Yoon Changwoo said, standing next to Lee Jongho and looking out the window with him. Yoon Changwoo and Seo Dowoon had gone to middle school and high school together and were now attending the same university, making them quite close. When Seo Dowoon, who had said he was nearby for the alumni reunion, didn’t show up, Yoon Changwoo had a hunch, which was confirmed when he saw a blurry silhouette on the news. ‘That unlucky guy who entered the rift… that’s my friend.’