The Tough Guy Hides the Villainess

058 – The Room You Can’t Leave Unless You Do It #3

058 – The Room You Can’t Leave Unless You Do It #3

Current explorer Jeon Somi didn’t like the current situation.

How could her nemesis Hanamjin take the team leader position?

‘Does it not matter that I got slapped?’

While walking in a single line on the narrow bridge over the cliff, Jeon Somi suddenly hated her high school classmate Jang Hyuna.

She wanted to push her off and let her fall to the deep bottom below.

‘What is this hotel date?’

Earlier, a male student asked Jang Hyuna about her hotel date with Prince Jaehyun last week.

The problem was that Jang Hyuna had taken a leave, saying she had to visit her hometown last week.

And Jang Hyuna had always been the one who said, “Somi, you and Jaehyun look really good together.” “I hope it works out.”

‘Was she cheering for me while secretly flirting with our Jaehyun?’

Could it be possible?

Jang Hyuna had said since high school, “I’m not interested in dating.”

In fact, during the three years of high school, Jang Hyuna acted as if she had no interest in boys.

If Jang Hyuna had actually been meeting Prince Jaehyun behind her back?

If all the support she had given Jeon Somi was just deceit and hypocrisy?

‘They say a quiet cat climbs the stove first. Jang Hyuna, you wicked girl! If it’s true that you secretly dated Jaehyun, I won’t let it slide!’

Three years of friendship could easily break over a man they loved.

However, Jeon Somi decided to leave a little room for hope.

There was a possibility that male student Hanamjin was lying.

So Jeon Somi spat out a few words with resentment towards Hanamjin and subtle caution towards Jang Hyuna.

“Hanamjin, if you don’t find the treasure during the afternoon you are team leader, how about filming an apology and uploading it to Stargram? It will become a popular post in no time.”

It was a rare chance for revenge.

But her eyes were directed not at Hanamjin, but at Jang Hyuna.

“And apologize for the nonsense about my friend Hyuna dating Jaehyun. Our Hyuna doesn’t like meeting men. Right, Hyuna? You said you hate men because of your cheating father.”

Jeonsomi now watched every tiny movement of Jang Hyuna’s facial muscles without missing a single one.

Jang Hyuna’s lips twitched as if she had a lot to say. Her expression frowned, seemingly angry at the mention of ‘father.’

“Somi, why bring up my father here?”

“Why? It wasn’t a secret. Everyone who needed to know, knew.”

Jeonsomi felt a subtle thrill as she watched the flustered Jang Hyuna.

At that moment, Baek Yeoul shouted.

“…Don’t you know the saying, ‘A kind word can repay a thousand debts’? If we achieve results, you will apologize to us! For stealing my lunch and cursing at me! Everything!”

Baek Yeoul had a lot of resentment built up in her heart.

She desperately wanted an apology for the bullying she endured during the labyrinth exploration.

But the process wouldn’t be easy.

‘Who knows what tricks these badger and weasel-like girls will pull.’

Baek Yeoul decided to thoroughly monitor the seniors to ensure they didn’t do anything nasty.

If she successfully helped Hanamjin achieve results, Baek Yeoul’s name would become more famous.

‘If I become famous, my parents’ business, “Baekdang,” will get more promotion! Then our family’s situation will improve again! And…’

Baek Yeoul glanced at the back of the male student Hanamjin.

Hanamjin, who appeared during the time she was severely bullied by the seniors, felt like a prince on a white horse from a story.

In reality, he didn’t even have a single luxury item, but Hanamjin seemed more impressive than the young masters like Wang Jahyun or Jung Hyesun that Baek Yeoul had seen in her life.

‘Could he really be the prince who came to save my life?’

Although their first meeting was the worst experience of being kicked in the butt, Baek Yeoul’s generous heart could overlook it.

‘But why does he like Seo Gaul of all people? She’s a bad girl. If you think about it, she’s much worse than the badger-like seniors here! Truly bad!’

Baek Yeoul knew more than a hundred bad things about Seo Gaul. She knew them because they had been friends for a long time since elementary school.

For example, if you tickle her, she always curses.

While thinking such thoughts, they reached a dead end.

Jang Hyuna snorted.

“After all that big talk, it’s a dead end? Actually, I knew it. I’ve been here several times, and it’s always been like this. So achieving results this afternoon is out of the question.”

Jang Hyuna’s expression, which had been biting her lip as if slightly anxious, slightly improved. She seemed to feel pure relief.

But the male student Hanamjin ignored Jang Hyuna’s sarcasm and slowly reached out to the dead-end wall. Then, with a great vibration, the wall rose to the ceiling, revealing a new space.

Everyone was momentarily speechless at this astonishing event.

Jeonsomi and Jang Hyuna were also greatly impressed by the scene unfolding before their eyes.

“Flowers?”

“But there’s grass!”

It was a room filled with flowers and grass.

A room where beautiful minerals clung to the ceiling, shining in various colors like sunlight.

Didn’t the princess I dreamed of as a child living in a place like this?

As I was thinking that, the boy’s sharp eyes turned to a certain place.

# # #

【This is the princess’s room…!】

【No entry except for authorized personnel…!】

Letters engraved on the dead-end wall.

When I reached out my hand with the ring towards it, the door opened with a whoosh.

It was a room filled with colorful flowers.

So this is how the fairy princess’s room looks.

While the girls, who had been growing like wild animals until just now, were busy marveling with their mouths agape, my hand reached for the golden birdcage on the desk.

It was a birdcage with a single colorful rainbow feather inside.

There was also a note inside the birdcage.

【Happy 10th birthday.】

【Once it flies away, you can never find it again, so don’t take it out.】

【To my beloved spring, from Father Balaga─】

「Name: Birdcage

A birdcage given to the fairy king’s daughter by the king of the great labyrinth.

Possession: 《Reduction Lv.3》 – Can make objects smaller like a magnifying glass.」

A birdcage that makes things smaller?

I reached into the birdcage just in case.

Then something amazing happened; my hand shrank to almost 1/10th of its size.

I was so surprised that I pulled my hand out, and it returned to its original size.

“What?”

Just in case, I put my arm, shoulder, and body inside, and my body shrank so much that I fit perfectly inside the birdcage.

The eyes of Baek Yeoul, who was looking at me, were so huge that it was terrifying.

Is this Attack on Titan or what?

“Hanam-jjin! “What are you doing in there!”

Pat-!

As I burst out of the cage, my body instantly grew larger.

Whatever it was, it was definitely a very interesting item.

“Look, look! I found it! Hanam-jjin! Wow! It’s a cage! When you put something inside, it shrinks, right? Look at my hand! It’s totally miniature!”

With the cage cradled in her arms, Baek Yeoul was overjoyed.

In contrast, Jeon Somi and Jang Hyun Ah wore expressions of deep confusion. Jeon Somi and Jang Hyun Ah exchanged glances, silently understanding each other’s thoughts as old friends do.

「Name: Jeon Somi

Possession: 《Slipperiness Lv.2》 – As slippery as the finest loach.

Status: 《Slyness》 – Planning to gloss over everything as if nothing has happened so far.」

「Name: Jang Hyun Ah

Possession: 《Vibration Lv.3》 – Can produce vibrations as precise as construction machinery.

Status: 《Brazen》 – Feeling good about stealing the junior’s achievements.」

Not only were they planning to disregard our promise, but also to steal the credit?

Jang Hyun Ah spoke up.

“Hey, Baek Yeoul. Give that here. We’ll carry it.”

“What?”

Baek Yeoul was taken back.

She seemed to glance around, then hugged the cage even tighter.

“N-no! You’ve made me carry everything until now, so why suddenly? I’m carrying this! Until we leave! Because it’s something Nam-jjin found!”

“Hey! If a senior asks for it, just give it! Why are you making such a fuss!”

Whoosh-.

“Ah!”

As Jeon Somi’s rough hand grabbed Baek Yeoul’s hair, Baek Yeoul couldn’t help but scream. Yet, she struggled as if she would never let go of the cage she held.

“Ah! II can’t give it! It’s ours!”

Baek Yeoul and Jeon Somi began to wrestle with each other.

Watching them, Jang Hyun Ah clenched her fist tightly, and the vibrating form of that fist looked very unsettling.

Vibration punch.

It would hurt a lot if it hit.

But Bbangdaengi was adamant.

“I can’t give it! Hanamjin found this! I won’t give it!”

“Ah! Hey! Jang Hyun-ah! She bit me! Baek Yeoul, this crazy girl!”

The situation was on the verge of exploding in many ways.

Jang Hyun-ah spoke.

“It would be better if you quietly follow our words. No matter how much you scream here, no one will come. Do you know how many awakened ones go missing in the labyrinth every year?”

This was a threat.

If you don’t want to go missing here, quietly follow their words─that was the implication.

Jang Hyun-ah’s determination seemed firm, so I spoke to Bbangdaengi.

“Bbangdaengi, just give it to them. And come here.”

“But, but this is what you found!”

“Just give it for now.”

Bbangdaengi looked extremely aggrieved but eventually handed the cage to Jeon Somi.

Jeon Somi, taking the cage, snorted.

“You should have done this from the start. Since it’s a rare item, if we put it up for auction, we might get about a tenth of it? Or we could just submit it to the school treasure exhibition and get a bonus!”

“You’re lucky.”

It was when model-like Jeon Somi and vibrating girl Jang Hyun-ah were rejoicing.

I took the crying Bbangdaengi, who was sobbing and saying, “But we found it!” and left the room.

“Bbangdaengi, do you know what happens if you lock up girls who don’t get along in a room for a long time? It’s something you can’t explain with words.”

Boom-!

As I reached out, the door closed instantly.

Soon, a very faint voice was heard beyond the cold stone door.

━Hey! What are you doing! Open this!

━Somi, can’t you open this?

Baek Yeoul, who was started by the sudden confinement.

“Are you going to keep them locked up like this?”

“They’re the ones who even threatened to make us go missing. We need to lock them up for a few days to make them come to their senses. This is a dead-end place, so no one will come, and they won ‘t be able to move.”

In the Great Labyrinth, “smartwatches” did not work.

Because this place was in a completely different dimension.

It’s common for the labyrinth exploration team to stay in the labyrinth for several days, so no one would think it’s strange if Jeon Somi and Jang Hyun-ah disappeared for a few days.

Even if someone else comes here, they won’t be able to open the door without this “ring.”

It was truly a perfect prison.

From noble mtl dot com

Soon, Bbangdengi, who had been trembling, shouted as if in great admiration.

“…It’s the curse of solitude!”

“The curse of what?”

“My mom said that the curse of solitude originated from a tradition where fierce women were locked in a room, and only one would survive! The woman who survives becomes a Dokin (poisonous person)!”

What kind of tradition is that? What do they plan to do with such a Dokin?

While I was curious about many things, Bbangdengi laughed.

“If they come back in a few days, they’ll beg us for forgiveness, won’t they? Serves them right!”

There was no need to wait a few days.

In my estimation, it would be settled by tonight.

I know better than anyone what happens when you lock women who don’t get along in a room together.

They’ll do anything, begging me to let them out alone.

.

.

.

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And my prediction was accurate.