Welcome to Dungeon Hotel Chapter 88

84. S-Class Hermeneutics

 

What is an S-Class Hermeneutics?

 

This was just a coincidence.

 

How do I put this back into the tombstone?

 

While Junghyo was confused, Jegal Suyeon, a professor of magic analysis, handed Junghyo a stone.

 

It was a stone that looked similar to the square ‘stone of water’ that Oberon had given me.

 

“It is ‘The Tombstone of Runes’. I always carry a spare one just in case, so keep it.”

 

“This one?”

 

So far as I know, the market price for a tombstone of a rune usually starts in the tens of thousands of units, right?

 

While Junghyo hesitated, Jegal Suyeon spoke quickly.

 

“Tell me how you interpreted it instead! Wouldn’t that work!”

 

Suyeon’s head was on the verge of going crazy.

 

Suyeon is an A-Class Hermeneutics who is currently the head of the Korean Magical Interpretation Society, and could be said to be at the top of the Republic of Korea both in terms of grade and research skills.

 

Hermeneutics

 

As Awakeners who interpret characters found in dungeons and gates, unlike battle-type Awakeners, they improve their interpretation skills through research rather than physical training.

 

Research is not noticeable on the outside compared to physical training, but it can be said to be a more difficult battle with oneself.

 

Exploring numerous previous studies, finding one’s own way of interpreting the preceding studies, and applying them.

 

Suyeon has been doing that for 15 years, since her awakening.

 

She even wandered for a while when the research she had been doing for the first five years stopped all of a sudden.

 

It was because she was very angry when she found out that the youngest member of the lab stole the pattern study she was doing in the lab and then entered the Baekho guild.

 

After that, while searching for a new research topic, she wandered for quite some time.

 

Then one day, when barrier stones engraved with similar patterns were found in several rough places in Korea, including Jeongcheon-gun, she decided to make this the subject of her lifelong research.

 

The research she couldn’t finish 10 years ago due to the betrayal of the youngest member of the lab was about a pattern in an S-Class dungeon called ‘The Book of the Demon King’.

 

However, the research subject this time was the barrier stone.

 

A barrier stone that saved thousands of people from all over Korea, tens of thousands in total.

 

If this is studied and interpreted, it is clear that the Republic of Korea’s defense power will reach its highest level.

 

Even if the 2nd and 3rd disasters come any more, countless civilians can be protected in other ways than by making them wait for rescue by relying on the power of a few S-Class hunters.

 

It wasn’t very lucrative research, but with the help of the Hunter Association, she continued her research diligently for 10 years.

 

It was a study that even she, who heard the sound of genius, found it difficult to get a clue even if she stayed up all day and night.

 

It didn’t matter, though.

 

Because her skills were the best in Korea.

 

She decided that her interpretation skills should be used for the countless civilians in Korea.

 

The work of staying up all night was done over and over again, which is why the head was so strong.

 

She came down to Jeongcheon-gun in person and even walked along this trail every day, wondering if there was another clue.

 

But she can’t believe that a young woman she thought was in her early 20s did the pattern of the barrier, about which she hasn’t had a clue for the past 10 years!

 

Isn’t this the power of awakening?

 

Didn’t she use the S-Class interpretation skill that interpreters like Georg Schulce in Germany and Henri Villani in France have!

 

“But I don’t think I can tell you how to do it because it was interpreted by my intuition.”

 

“As expected, aren’t you an S-class Hermeneutics? What institute are you at? Are you a foreigner, not a Korean?”

 

“It’s not like that. It’s just… well… I’m the type of person who is good at communicating…? I just guessed it.”

 

“W…what…?”

 

Suyeon was about to faint.

 

Guess it?

 

Researchers took pictures of what they studied for 10 years and she guessed it?!

 

But at that time, the pattern floating in the air radiated light as if urging it.

 

“First of all, quickly engrave a pattern here! This is sure to become a national record! Now!”

 

“Oh… yes, yes!”

 

Junghyo answered quickly and looked at Suyeon with a bewildered face.

 

“I… But… How do I engrave this?”

 

A kid who has never even engraved a pattern on a rune tombstone?!

 

“You can say the language you just interpreted with your mouth again.”

 

“Oh, yes. I understand.”

 

Junghyo said this while looking at the pattern floating in the air.

 

“The light will overcome the darkness.”

 

At that moment, the pattern disappeared as a group of lights in the air.

 

Junghyo’s hair swayed as a strong wind blew.

 

When Junghyo closed her eyes and opened them, the rune stone in her hand was engraved with a pattern similar to the one engraved on the water stone Oberon had given her, but a little longer.

 

 

Barrier of Light (S)

 

– Can create barriers with a radius of 1km.

 

– For 24 hours, nothing can be moved in or out of the barrier without the caster’s permission.

 

! WARNING ! Mana consumption is extreme!

 

 

She can’t believe she’s touching two S-class items every few days.

 

It seems like something is out of balance.

 

“Then now how to interpret…!”

 

 

After the ‘barrier of light’ flowed into Junghyo’s hands, the professor brushed it off, but Junghyo couldn’t tell her how to interpret it.

 

Junghyo could only say this to the professor as she saw the manager, Hyeyu, and Hyejin walking away with sullen faces.

 

“I, I’ll donate this to the Hunter Association. So, look into the association and do more research. I’ll deliver the price of the rune stone so that the Hunter Association can pay for it. Then I will go now…!”

 

After Junghyo said that and disappeared, professor Jegal Suyeon, who was left alone, sat down on the floor with a sad face.

 

It could only be said that she was frustrated when she met a genius.

 

*****

 

That night.

 

Professor Jegal Soo-yeon was sitting in the courtyard of a hanok, drinking bitter and hard liquor.

 

Numerous research materials were placed on the table and desk, which could be seen through the gap between the slightly open door and the main building of this hanok called ‘Bieomchae’ where she was staying.

 

They were the things that she had collected and brought back from the extracts she had studied for ten years.

 

But now it’s all useless…

 

‘Do more research.’

 

What do you mean by doing more research?

 

She has already done research, and done it again!

 

To come dressed as a hiker and disappear after 10 years without finding out anything, leaving only the words, ‘Do more research’.

 

The woman.

 

Just what is it?

 

Even when Jegal Suyeon informed the association, which was sponsoring this fact, the association immediately paid for the tombstone of the rune.

 

 

‘Don’t be too heartbroken. professor. Anyway, isn’t it a good thing because the Association will own the Barrier of Light? We will also sponsor the next research.’

 

 

Kim Junsoo, the president of the association, even comforted her with his unique sly manner.

 

Isn’t something strange?

 

Even though the association, which had been supporting her research for ten years, had been deprived of interpretation by a cat-like woman in her 20s who appeared like a comet at the last moment—he had no information about her—he said, “Thank you for your hard work,” and promised to support her next time.

 

‘As expected, there’s something…about that woman.’

 

To the point that Jegal Suyeon doesn’t know such a talent in the Hermeneutics community.

 

Is it Jaeya’s hidden master?

 

The first truly unknown S-class Hermeneutics in Korea?

 

It was the time when Jegal Suyeon’s imagination flowed into delusion.

 

Someone knocked on the front gate.

 

Now she could tell who it was just by hearing the tapping.

 

Yoojun.

 

Jegal Suyeon recalled the odd eye of that guy who was somewhat creepy.

 

At first, the reason why she rejected Yoojun’s request for interpretation by sending some data was simple.

 

That guy was famous as the ‘dog’ of the Baekho Guild.

 

She even heard that he is the most cherished ‘dog’ for Shim Taeseong, the head of the Baekho Guild.

 

Even when the youngest in her lab took all the research materials and fled to the Baekho Guild, it was the guild leader’s secretary who directly helped her.

 

In such a situation, the data sent by Yoojun was engraved with patterns similar to those she studied in the past.

 

 

One is a pattern found in the ‘Tower of Babel’, and the other is a pattern found in the ‘Castle of the Demons’ that Hanwoon Guild barely cleared a while ago…

 

 

If she jumped into the research again this time, how would she know if it was a trick to steal credit at the last minute again?

 

And most of all…

 

She couldn’t interpret the data sent by Yoojun.

 

She could tell because she had experience studying similar patterns.

 

It was clear that she couldn’t interpret it with her skills.

 

Jegal Suyeon opened the door to say the words she hadn’t been able to admit because she didn’t want to admit it.

 

“I came here with snacks and alcohol…? Huh? You’re already drinking. Drinking alone is not good for the stomach.”

 

Yoojun came inside with a smile.

 

Jegal Suyeon sat down again without stopping Yoojun.

 

She let out a deep sigh and said as soon as Yoojun sat down in the seat across from her.

 

“I’ll be honest with you. The picture you sent me. I can’t interpret it.”

 

“Who in this country can interpret it unless it’s a professor? Ten years ago, you almost finished that research.”

 

Jegal Suyeon frowned at the word ‘research’.

 

“Why do you want to interpret the picture? Was it something the Baekho Guild ordered you to do?”

 

Yoojun shook his head.

 

“I leave the Baekho Guild.”

 

“What? You’re the dog of Baekho’s guild…”

 

Jegal Suyeon spat out the word dog and avoided his gaze. However, Yoojun only laughed without showing his displeasure.

 

“That’s what people think. I’m the dog of Baekho Guild. But I wasn’t the dog of Baekho Guild. The object I am loyal to is not the Baekho Guild…”

 

Because it was Yoon.

 

Yoojun’s eyes became blurred.

 

It was because Yoon’s face, which had been devastated for a long time after the death of her fiancé, came to mind.

 

At that time, he really thought he was losing Yoon.

 

He can’t believe he lost Yoon.

 

Just imagining it made him feel like he was going to hell.

 

Yoon is much brighter than before for some reason, but the ring worn by her fiance Song Jeongmin was still firmly holding on to her ring finger.

 

‘You still haven’t forgotten.’

 

He has no intention of forcing her to forget him.

 

But sometimes, when her face looked sad, he wanted to bring Song Jeongmin, who was already dead, and hold him by the collar and ask him.

 

Why did you leave Yoon alone?

 

Why on earth couldn’t you come back?

 

Yoojun found a clue to the answer in the ‘pattern’ he found in the ‘Tower of Babel’ dungeon where Song Jeongmin disappeared and in the two dungeons where Shim Jihyeok returned alive with Lee Hyung’s mana.

 

Especially the patterns found in the ‘Castle of the Demons’.

 

Unlike the rest of the dungeons where the patterns were faded, the patterns in the ‘Castle of the Demons’ clearly had a circle-like shape.

 

He wanted to know the identity of the pattern.

 

The reason why is that punk Song Jeongmin didn’t come back.

 

While Yoojun was lost in his thoughts, Jegal Suyeon drank and said bitterly.

 

“It’s something to celebrate that you’ve come out of Baekho… but anyway, what’s impossible is impossible.”

 

“Professor.”

 

“At that time, a better professor than me was alive, and it took 5 years. At the last moment, the entire research was stolen and I couldn’t proceed further… but even if I did more research there, I don’t know how much longer it would have taken. …”

 

Jegal Suyeon murmured with sad eyes.

 

“I wanted to become a hermeneutic beyond my master. But I learned today that it was impossible. As expected, talent came first in research.”

 

“Today…? What happened…?”

 

Yoojun’s eyebrows were wriggling.

 

“I met an S-class hermeneutic in Jeongcheon-gun today. It seems that the association is hiding her identity…”

 

Drunk Jegal Suyeon touched her forehead.

 

Yoojun looked at it and made a strange face.

 

S-Class… Hermeneutics?