Hunters Keep Coming To My House - Chapter 52

Chapter 52

“Great atmosphere!”

One person was very excited.

“… You’re too much.”

Another person was very downcast.

It was the expected outcome.

One didn’t get my choice. I anticipated such a situation, but I didn’t expect Cha Jae-joon to be so disappointed.

‘Seems cool at first glance, but incredibly sentimental.’

He was 28 years old, I think? Doing things like a younger sibling, even though he’s older than me.

That’s probably why it keeps bothering me.

Anyway.

The location I chose was the cave that Ellie Kim mentioned.

There was a fairly rational reason for choosing the cave.

Firstly, the obvious reason.

This place was a tropical rainforest area. It was dangerous to use the holes in the largest tree in such an area as a shelter.

You never knew what kind of bug-like monsters lived inside, and what kind of poisonous tree it might be.

And secondly, preliminary research.

This was the biggest reason Ellie Kim could choose. No matter how good the location of the tree is, if there’s a monster inside, it’s a useless location.

So, I had no choice but to acknowledge Ellie Kim, who confirmed that there were no monsters inside the cave. Usually, being more thorough is the better approach, even if there’s familiarity.

…I’m different from those S-levels, fragile as glass.

So, Cha Jae-joon and I carefully moved to the cave she had marked on the map, following Ellie Kim’s guidance.

Fortunately, we didn’t encounter any monsters or life-threatening obstacles during the journey.

‘…<Survival Instinct (B)> sometimes hinted that there might be something nearby.…’

Cha Jae-joon and Ellie Kim, who were with me, seemed to be stronger, so we didn’t hesitate to easily reach the cave.

The cave we arrived at, as Ellie Kim described, had no monsters, and the atmosphere was even better than expected.

Moss, vines, and purple crystals filled the walls inside the cave just as she had mentioned.

“…It’s beautiful.”

It was an incredibly beautiful place that couldn’t be criticized even with empty words.

Of course, not everyone agreed.

“The tree I found was much more beautiful and charming than this place. I’m sure Ms. Yeon-oh would fall for it at first sight.”

“Jooni! Stop denying the competition now!”

“…Ugh, I thought I found a more beautiful and charming place for Ms. Yeon-oh…”

“Oh, Jooni… Men covered in slime are not attractive.”

Ellie Kim playfully attacked the sulking Cha Jae-joon with her words. Although Cha Jae-joon seemed immune to such things, he was slightly shocked by Ellie Kim’s angelic tone and remained frozen.

…They play well together.

Then, those who are good at banter enjoy it, and I should focus on what I need to do.

After a deep breath, I closed my eyes slowly.

I had never tried using the skill to deploy a safe zone.

That’s because since my house fell into the gate, my house itself had become a safe zone.

But I knew that I had such a skill.

It was the <Safe House Inside the Gate (SSS)> skill.

‘…Let’s check the detailed information of the skill.’

[<Gate Inside Safe Zone (SSS)>

?You can create and use the unique and perfect safe zone inside the gate according to the title ‘Inexperienced Homeowner.’

?Depending on the user’s proficiency, it perfectly blocks attacks. (Current proficiency: 30%)

?Currently activated safe zone: Seo Yeon-oh’s mansion.

However, the skill will be canceled if the user falls into a state of death.]

As expected, the content I anticipated was written exactly as I thought. Feeling relieved, I slowly refined my magical power.

Then, in the most level part of the cave, I used the skill.

“<Safe House Inside the Gate (SSS)>!”

An intense light burst out, forcing everyone to reflexively close their eyes.

“Ah, my eyes hurt!”

“What on earth is happening!”

Cha Jae-joon and Ellie Kim, who had been subtly curious about my actions from behind, hastily took defensive stances in response to the sudden light.

This is inside the gate, a place where anything could happen without surprise.

However, the unfolding events were the opposite of their concerns. The light gradually faded, revealing the place where I had shouted the skill…

“…A greenhouse?”

Very accurately described, it was indeed a greenhouse. This was nothing more than a structure made entirely of vinyl, similar to the traditional Mongolian dwelling, a ger.

However, this one was very modest, resembling a cone-shaped frame wrapped with vinyl.

“…Is this supposed to be a safe house?”

This kind of thing as a safe house…?

It was truly a surprising sight. While my mouth hung open in disbelief, Cha Jae-joon and Ellie Kim, in contrast, widened their eyes and raised their voices.

“What on earth is this? Did Ms. Yeon-oh make this? Is this inside the cave?”

“Wow, amazing!”

“I used to spend every day sleeping in the gate, so being able to spend time indoors like this is… I’m amazed. Ms. Yeon-oh is indeed incredible.”

“I agree too! Yeon-oh is amazing!”

Whether this was intentionally set up to save me from embarrassment or if they were genuinely astonished, I couldn’t discern at the moment. So, I decided to interpret it in the best way possible. Choosing to be shameless rather than awkward.

“…Everyone can take shelter from the rain in here. Even though we’re already inside a cave, rain shouldn’t reach us.”

“No matter how it’s a cave, having a separated interior makes a world of difference. And although I haven’t been inside yet, it seems cozy.”

“Yes, Yeon-oh! Before entering the house, I’ll make you fluffy dry!”

“…Thank you.”

… Right, as long as two out of the three are happy. 

Cha Jae-joon looked around at the vinyl house I created with a sense of wonder, while Ellie Kim used her abilities to remove the rainwater from my body. The discomfort that had subtly accumulated on my damp body disappeared in an instant. Thanks to that, even negative thoughts subsided to some extent.

‘…I at least thought I would get a decent tent or shelter.’

Could it be… because I’m the ‘Inexperienced Homeowner’ that this type of house appeared? Did creating a safe zone awkwardly lead to this result?

If that’s the case, is this the quality I should expect from an Inexperienced Homeowner?

Naturally, I understood. How could an Inexperienced Homeowner have a stylish house?

‘…So, does that mean an Inexperienced Homeowner can’t even achieve this level?’

Maybe this is just the level of someone who is planning to build a house…?

With that thought, even the small and precious vinyl house became valuable. I sighed and approached the vinyl house slowly.

It was a roughly made structure, but it had everything. It was surprisingly spacious, with a door, windows, and even a chimney.

In a quite authentic manner, I opened the door and entered inside.

“…Oh.”

The inside of the vinyl house was truly unexpected. The exterior and interior were completely different. How could a house with such an appearance have such a cozy atmosphere inside?

In the middle, there was a stove perfect for roasting sweet potatoes, and warm-colored carpets were spread around it. Cushions were placed for seating around the stove. In one corner, there were simple cooking utensils, and on the other side, a blanket was laid out for a comfortable sleep.

…It was indeed a home.

The two people who entered with me were also struck with awe at the interior of the house. People who were usually loud and ready to make a fuss were now speechless.

“…Unbelievable.”

“I really… can’t find the words.”

Uttering just one word each, they were busy admiring the inside of the vinyl house. I chose not to disturb them and attended to other matters.

‘…If this place is also part of the safe zone, then I wonder if I can use <Save Water and Electricity! (0%)?’

Well, why not give it a try?

So, let’s check it out first.

I quickly pressed the detailed view of the <Save Water and Electricity! (0%)> skill.

The system window that appeared was not significantly different from before.

It provided skill descriptions and information about water and electricity usage.

However…

‘As expected.’

I guess that the usage would change with the altered safe zone turned out to be accurate.

[Current water usage: 50/50

Current electricity usage: 100/100]

While I wasn’t sure how to reduce them at home, there was a way to do it here. I may not know about electricity, but water was something I could handle.

And it was a very simple solution.

“Ellie Kim, could you help me a bit?”

I grinned wickedly.