I'm a Healer But My Butt is Busy - Ch15

A Harusari was in the middle of hunting a winter wolf when he turned around at the sound of me approaching.

“So you came late? Thinking about how I died to a winter wolf because of that bastard made my insides boil with anger. Gritting my teeth, I threw a pointed remark his way.

“Yeah. If we’d met in the village, I guess it would’ve been sooner.”

“As you can see, I’ve been busy leveling up. If you’ve got something to say, say it.”

What a shameless bastard. A cold-blooded jerk—so heartless a needle couldn’t slip through.

There was no doubt about it. He knew perfectly well that my level was too low to handle winter wolves and deliberately called me out here.

[Chilbong has thrown an Ice Spear at Harusari!]

The skill landed, but a vivid red aura clung to Harusari’s fingertips. Because of the level difference, the skill had absolutely no effect.

Harusari smirked as if it tickled and finished off the winter wolf he’d been fighting.

“Haa.”

Letting out a sigh that sounded like a lament, I plopped myself down nearby.

“If you’ve got nothing else to do, heal.”

Without protest, I spread Healing Dew across the ground.

Harusari continued hunting as he stomped across the terrain, and as I watched him, I sent him a party request.

When he accepted, his HP bar and stamina gauge appeared above his head.

Keeping his health scraping dangerously low while maintaining it above a certain threshold to maximize damage—it was practically artistic control.

Any other player would’ve been gaping in admiration, but I didn’t like seeing the very bastard responsible for all this leveling up all by himself.

Feeling spiteful, I spammed heals on him until my mana hit rock bottom. His HP instantly filled up, and as a berserker, his hunting speed slowed dramatically.

Apparently sensing my petty sabotage, Harusari finished off the remaining winter wolves and turned to look at me.

“Have you thought about it?”

“Thought about it? If you mean the guild thing, I’ve thought it over more times than I can count.”

Harusari sheathed his axe and stood in front of me, casting a shadow. I hated the scorching sun, so I pulled my exposed arm onto my knees.

“Want an invite to the guild?”

The way he acted like it was a given that I’d join was ridiculous—but given the circumstances, I couldn’t even laugh.

“Why should I join your guild?”

“It’s pretty hard to find a good shaman healer. And you pair really well with my class.”

He wasn’t wrong. Shaman healers were unpopular because they were difficult to control. But in the hands of someone skilled, they were the star of raids and PvP.

And the synergy between a berserker and a shaman healer? A match made in heaven.

“I play games as a hobby. Go find someone who’s serious.”

“Seems like a waste to let talent like yours rot as a hobby.”

Hmph. He’s got a decent eye. My shoulders unconsciously straightened at the praise.

Harusari smiled deeply and continued laying on the sweet talk.

“I saw it during the dungeon run—your situational awareness is excellent.”

Tch. Sure, he might be rude as hell, but he does have skill. Unless he was blind, there was no way he wouldn’t recognize someone on his level.

Still, acknowledging my ability was one thing. Joining a guild was another matter entirely.

“My goal is to play a healing game, okay? If I join a guild, I’ll get worked to the bone. Absolutely not.”

“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to run with the other guild members.”

Huh? Then why recruit me at all?

I frowned, silently asking what his real goal was.

“You just have to be my dedicated healer.”

The way he kept spouting sweet words suddenly dragged old memories to the surface.

“…I think you’re the only one who can help me.”

“You’re the only person I can trust, Chan.”

“You’ll do it for me, right?”

A gentle smile. A soft voice. A warm scent that put people at ease.

Crunch.

Before I realized it, my teeth were grinding together, tension tightening around my eyes.

“How am I supposed to believe that?”

What if he talked a good game and then abandoned me later? Falling for honeyed lies once was more than enough.

“Can you take responsibility for me?”

“Responsibility?”

Harusari’s left eyebrow twitched, as if the word itself was unfamiliar.

Yeah. Responsibility. You said “dedicated healer,” didn’t you? Then you’d better take responsibility.

“Should we write a contract or something?”

Even with a contract, there were plenty of loopholes. If they claimed I worked of my own free will, what meaning would the contract have? My old guild was full of people who’d used me like that.
“How old are you now—level-wise?”

Not wanting to talk about the guild anymore, I deliberately changed the subject.

Even though we’d strayed from what he wanted to discuss, Harusari’s brow remained perfectly smooth. His relaxed attitude oddly put me at ease.

“Thirty-four.”

Ha. What a monster. How much leveling did he even do in just one week?

I, on the other hand, hadn’t gained a single level since the Acling Chief and was still stuck at twenty. Realizing the gap between us had only widened left a bitter taste on my tongue.

“The level difference is way too big. Aren’t you going to PvP me?”

“You want me to wait around and match your level?”

“You need to match levels to PvP.”

Harusari snorted, as if he’d just heard something ridiculous.

“You might be getting support from a big guild and hunting comfortably, but because people think I belong to your guild right now, nobody will party with me, you know? I hear your guild’s reputation for being toxic is pretty legendary.”

“Really? Everyone’s been pretty tame around me.”

“That’s because your presence overwhelms theirs.”

I wasn’t exactly mild-mannered myself, but whenever I talked to him, my energy got strangely drained.

Sometimes he’d deliberately provoke people, and other times he’d say things that weren’t even meant to be considerate—yet somehow still drew people in.

And then he’d suddenly turn vicious, attacking and killing without warning. In every sense, he wasn’t the type you could easily bark back at.

“Anyway, I’m losing out because of your guild right now. Want the link? The rumors going around are ridiculous. They’re saying you and I are rookies being groomed by the Sunday Guild—”

As I finally explained why I’d come looking for him, Harusari’s reaction was lukewarm.

I hadn’t expected an apology from that ill-mannered jerk, but I thought he’d at least ask if that really happened.

Instead, he rolled his eyes and went, “Ah—” as he’d just remembered something he’d forgotten.

Wait. That reaction—did he already know?

“You knew what was going on with me?”

He gave a faint nod.

“…Then talk to your higher-ups and do something about it. At least put out an official statement that I’m not part of your guild. Otherwise, I won’t be able to join any parties.”

“Why?”

“Why? Because I need to level up if I’m going to PvP you.”

“I don’t really see a reason to duel you. Didn’t I already win?”

You crazy bastard! Are you saying I’m supposed to stay a loser forever?!

When I shot him a glare, grumbling under my breath, Harusari let out a short sigh.

“I think you’re seriously misunderstanding something. The one who’s desperate here isn’t me—it’s you. Didn’t you notice when you came to a hunting ground that’s way above your level?”

My mouth snapped shut. Well… he wasn’t wrong.

Fine. I’ll admit it. I was the one desperately scrambling around like this just to beat Harusari. I couldn’t exactly force him to stop leveling.

Should I just give up on PvP? Judging by his cold attitude, it didn’t seem like he’d bother humoring me. I knew I should just go my own way—but damn it, that stupid pride kept my feet rooted in place.

Maybe my hesitation showed on my face. Harusari crossed his arms and suddenly said something unexpected.

“If you really want to PvP me, it’s not impossible.”

What? He’d fight me?

“Then let’s do it right now!”

With the current level gap, winning would be tough—but if it grew any wider, winning would become outright impossible. In my panic, I grabbed both of Harusari’s hands.

His gaze dropped briefly before lifting to meet my face again.

“Then join our guild first and level up. I’ll help you.”

“That’s… no.”

Ugh. Why does it always circle back to the guild? I just want to settle things with you and then go back to playing a relaxing, healing game on my own.

“Didn’t you look into my guild?”

My guild? Normally, people say our guild. It was strange how he spoke as if the Sunday Guild belonged entirely to him, but I set that thought aside to focus on what he meant.

“It’s ranked eleventh.”

“Eleventh?”

His expression lit up with interest when he repeated it.

No idea what caught his attention this time, I clamped my mouth shut like a clam. Whenever he looked interested like that, something bad always seemed to follow.

“What did you say your old guild was?”

“Why—what if it’s better than yours?”

“If you’re weighing your options, shouldn’t I show you which side the scale should tip toward?”

Harusari’s long, slender finger reached out and tapped my cheek lightly.

His red tongue slipped out to lick his lower lip, and the sight was so indecent it sent a rush of heat surging through my stomach.

“Why are you playing hard to get like this, huh?”