Chapter 163

Chapter 163

The night at the Mana Stone Mine was so noisy that it shattered any prejudice that the place would be quiet.

When such a large group entered, it became especially loud.

“Hey, handsome, come here.”

“Mister, come have some wild fun tonight.”

“Hohoho!”

All the prostitutes who stayed at the Mana Stone Mine came out and tempted the Awakened.

At the sight of the prostitutes beckoning in precarious clothes that showed almost all of their flesh, the Awakened’s eyes turned wild.

“Fuck! Fine, let’s have some fun.”

“We’re going to be eating nothing but sand for a while, so let’s eat our fill tonight.”

“Oh my! You beast.”

“Kyahaha!”

The Awakened who fell for the temptation embraced the prostitutes and entered the shops.

The bars were screaming with joy at the rare rush of customers, and people wandered drunkenly through the streets.

Lee Ji-ryeong and Cha Jin-cheol tolerated their subordinates’ indulgence.

Once the dungeon clearing began in earnest, they would not be able to satisfy their desires even if they wanted to.

When it was time to tighten the reins, one had to tighten them firmly, but when it was time to let them loose, one also had to release them properly. That was why they tolerated their subordinates’ indulgence.

“Was the Mana Stone Mine always this noisy? I can’t sleep.”

Briel grumbled. Then Mandy, who was beside her, said,

“It’s only for today, so you’d be better off enduring it and sleeping.”

“You seem used to this kind of situation.”

“I was born and raised in the human world. You’d better get used to it too.”

“Get used to what? I’m going to leave Neo Seoul someday, so I don’t need to.”

“As if that’ll be possible.”

“What do you mean?”

“Will your village really accept you again? The smell of drugs is soaked so deeply into you.”

“That’s......”

“No matter how much you escape addiction, that smell embedded in your body will never disappear.”

At Mandy’s words, Briel bit her lip hard.

The senses of elves were several times sharper than those of humans. Their sense of smell was the same. Naturally, they could distinguish the faint scent of drugs that had seeped into the body.

Ordinary elves might still accept a companion. But High Elves were different.

High Elves, who considered themselves noble beings, did not acknowledge companions who had been tainted.

They only recognized companions who remained pure.

And Briel had once been addicted to drugs.

The noble High Elves would never accept her again.

Before, she had thought that was only natural.

After all, purity was the very identity of High Elves.

But after living in the human world, she felt she had come to understand.

Why humans, under the same environment, had been able to build an overwhelming civilization.

Purity was not a very important factor in survival.

What truly mattered was the will to survive somehow and keep moving forward.

In that regard, the High Elves were sorely lacking.

For such people to accept Briel, who had once been steeped in drugs, again was close to impossible.

“Haa!”

Seeing Briel sigh without realizing it, Mandy thought,

‘Did I say something unnecessary?’

But someone had to say it.

Because she herself was a half-elf, she knew better than anyone.

The feelings of an outsider who had to live without belonging completely to either side.

But one could not live that way forever.

In the end, it was only a matter of timing. The moment of decision would come someday.

Whether to live as a human or as an elf.

Mandy had decided to live not as an elf, but as a human. That was why she usually existed as Mandy’s personality rather than Eloy’s.

Because that made it easier for her to adapt to the human world.

‘Just as I did, she too will have to decide someday.’

Briel suddenly rose from her seat and said,

“I’m going out for some air.”

She went outside without waiting for an answer.

Mandy looked at Zeon and Levin awkwardly.

At that moment, Levin stood up.

“I’ll follow her.”

He went outside after Briel.

Once only the two of them remained, Mandy spoke carefully.

“Did I say something unnecessary?”

“It does seem a little early.”

“Even so, I had to say it. I don’t want her to go through the same trial and error I did.”

“It seems you suffered quite a lot.”

“Half-elf may sound nice, but humans treat me like an outsider, and fellow elves treat me like a half-breed. I’ve lived my whole life in Neo Seoul, but I am nothing. I’m an outsider who belongs to neither side.”

Her voice carried loneliness.