In the realm of political maneuvering that Yura was attempting to employ, grasping the context was absolutely crucial. It meant that the views of those with voting rights carried immense weight. In this battle for public approval, now was not the time to oppose her.
Unlike Jung Y-ra, who had already solidified her position as a seasoned member and explorer, I was still just a novice party member without any significant accomplishments. While the Red Mercenary group held me in high regard, they weren't willing to go out on a limb to support me.
As a result, my primary focus became obvious. I needed to establish my position inside this party in order to demonstrate to everyone that our group, including myself, was not as incompetent as they may believe.
"I apologize sincerely," I began, offering a slight bow.
In situations like this, an apology was the first step.
The attention of most group members shifted towards me, and I continued, "We understand that unexpected events can occur during an expedition, which is why we empathize with your concerns. We also recognize that you have your own priorities and can't be expected to fully support our party. However, please give us one more opportunity to demonstrate our worth."
"But this is..."
"I understand your reservations about our safety. Please, grant us another chance. We won't let you down." I spoke with sincerity in my tone, aiming to win the hearts of my audience.
As anticipated, many fellow group members nodded in agreement with my words, showing a preference for my proposal. They respected our willingness to prove our party's value once more.
Jung Yura appeared somewhat embarrassed, her feelings plain to see on her face.
"I'm sorry," she eventually conceded. Even Park Deokgu began to lower his head in apology, compounding Jung Yura's discomfort.
I didn't believe Park Deokgu should apologize; it was an unintentional mistake on his part and his first time. If anyone were to suffer consequences, it should be our party. Apologies wouldn't suffice in that kind of situation.
However, I understood that this line of reasoning wouldn't sit well with the others, so humility was the best course of action.
Jung Yura spoke again, "Dungeon strategy isn't something to be taken lightly. I'm not particularly fond of giving second chances in dangerous situations like these, but... I suppose we can grant you another opportunity."
"Thank you," I replied, bowing even deeper. Park Deokgu appeared moved and grateful for my intervention.
"Hyung(Kee Miyoung)... I truly have no words except 'sorry.'"
"No need to worry, Deokgu. Everyone makes mistakes. Don't be afraid. Try again, and you'll succeed next time."
I didn't say anything about Jung Yura gaining the upper hand if anything went wrong during his gaffe. If there were any casualties, the guilt would have landed solely on our guild party. In such a terrible circumstance, apologies would be ineffective.
However, as nothing terrible had occurred, our blunder was easily forgiven by the entire group. No one had sustained major injuries, and we had managed to fend off the initial wave of monsters.
In fact, most of the others had started to approach a despondent Park Deokgu, offering words of comfort.
"Everyone here knows what it's like to be a beginner, so they must empathize," I thought to myself.
Everyone had once been a newcomer, and making mistakes due to inexperience was normal, especially for a new tank like Park Deokgu, whose role came with immense pressure. He needed to stand at the front, absorb damage, and shield his allies. Failure could result in the death of a team member.
Hence, it wasn't unreasonable to assume that the pressure might affect his performance.
"Prevent attacks, but it's even better to deflect them, juniors," one senior advised, offering guidance. Park Deokgu accepted the advice with gratitude, and others chimed in with their own words of encouragement.
Witnessing how these so-called seniors had known each other beforehand had initially worried me. I had anticipated they might isolate us, given our inexperience. So, seeing Park Deokgu receiving comfort from everyone brought a sense of happiness.
I didn't feel like joining in the socializing, but it was heartwarming to observe from a distance. If I were in their shoes, I might have reacted differently.
"This kind of compassion could lead to their downfall, though," I pondered briefly, but I didn't dwell on it. Seeing Park Deokgu's bright smile made me smile in return.
"(Kee Miyoung)!"
"Deokgu, come here and give this to them."
"Huh?"
"This is a health potion. It's better to use it here than to sell it on the market. I need to reward them somehow."
"Ah, that's right! Thank you, Kee!"
Park Deokgu accepted the potion and hurried back to offer it to the other members. I couldn't help but smile wryly at the sight. A bit more seriousness in such gatherings would be beneficial for our party.
Kim Hyunsung also cheered for Park Deokgu. "This was given by Kee!"
"Thank you for this, Kee Miyoung!" Kim Hyunsung appreciated me.
"Looking at this potion... Have you ever seen anything like it in the market?"
"No, I've never seen this type of potion before. It seems the Blue Guild's investment in hiring an alchemist was a wise choice."
Of course, I needed to enhance my popularity and reliability among these people in some way. While we continued, the more experienced members began teaching Park Deokgu proper stances, and we successfully repelled the next wave of monsters without further incident.
That said, it wasn't as if we didn't make any more mistakes after that.
Jung Yura, while embarrassed, continued to watch for any potential faults, though she refrained from openly criticizing us as she had initially.
Nonetheless, her dissatisfaction didn't find any sympathy among the rest of us; we were getting along quite well.
"Due to the large number of participants, our formation seems a bit complex. It's a relief that we've been able to organize ourselves efficiently," one member commented.
"Haha, true. So far, so good," another replied.
"I apologize, but I think we can do even better. It feels like something is holding us back," I contributed.
"I believe it's because we're not a perfectly cohesive party. If we were all from the same guild, working together would be easier because we'd know each other well. However, we come from different guilds, so all things considered, we've been doing quite well," another member explained.
"Yeah, I agree. I just feel like we could improve even further," I added.
"I suppose so... Should we take a break for now?" one suggested.
"Sure," another agreed.
With this opportunity for a break, I stepped away from my party and approached Choi Young-ki. I had intended to speak with him from the start, and now seemed like the perfect moment.
"Choi Young-ki."
"Ah, Kee Miyoung!"
His natural and friendly demeanor put me at ease. After all, he belonged to Cha Hee-ra's guild, and I was her assigned confidant. There was no reason for him to harm me.
"May I?"
"Of course, please have a seat."
"How is Cha Hee-ra?"
"Haha, I knew you'd be curious and ask about her sooner or later."
Jung Hayan was still engaged in conversation with members of the Magic Guild, so I knew I wouldn't be disturbed for a while.
"My master has entrusted me with taking care of you, Mr. Kee Miyoung."
"Ah."
"Because of that, I apologize if I couldn't come to your defense earlier."
"No need to apologize. I managed to smooth things over. Besides, if you had tried, it might have raised suspicions among the other guilds."
"Ah, I see..."
Choi Young-ki likely already understood who I was referring to, judging by the subtle glance he cast in Jung Yura's direction.
"I still feel sorry, though. I should have been more attentive..."
"No, no. Our party made a mistake. I'm actually grateful to all of you for being so understanding. Thank you for saving us earlier."
"Well, making mistakes is normal for a newcomer, but they shouldn't be used as a reason to berate you. When I was in your shoes, Mr. Kee, I was an ignorant boy who didn't know any better. I've come this far thanks to our master's guidance."
"Haha."
"I heard that you were once my master's lover back on Earth."
"What..." I was taken aback by the revelation.
"My master said you helped her during a critical time. She mentioned that you,Kee Miyoung, were her benefactor."
I blinked in surprise; this was a new twist to the story.
"Yes, I do remember..."
"If you are my master's benefactor, you are also mine. Without her assistance, I wouldn't be where I am today."
I hadn't expected Cha Hee-ra to concoct such a backstory.
"Thank you, Cha Hee-ra," I thought silently. I wanted to applaud her for devising such a heartfelt narrative.
I discreetly glanced behind me to ensure Jung Hayan wasn't eavesdropping. Fortunately, she was too far away to hear anything substantial.
"You don't need to take the story so seriously," I chuckled.
"Haha, well, I still want to help. In fact, I'd be willing to save your life as many times as necessary."
"What kind of nonsense..." I wondered where he came up with such cheesy, passionate lines, but I didn't press the matter. What was essential was that Choi Young-ki liked me, and given his de facto leadership in the group, this was a significant advantage.
I had initially believed he was being friendly, but there appeared to be a deeper motive behind his kindness.
Sensing a pair of eyes on me, I looked up to find Jung Yura, her dissatisfaction evident. When our gazes met, she turned away without a word.
I smiled inwardly. I wanted to convey that her tactics wouldn't work on me.
"She should focus on genuinely wanting to protect these people's lives," I thought.