Solving cases was much more efficient than going out to hunt monsters. Not only did it give experience points, it also improved the comprehension and instincts of the contributor. Additionally, someone who made a contribution to the case would be less likely to be wanted for a crime, as their notoriety would not go up as quickly as other people.

That was something that Kang Yoon-Soo, who often committed all sorts of crimes, had to obtain.

‘I can’t let such a good opportunity go to waste.’

He had planned to reach the vampires’ ossuary within the next seven days, but he would not have enough time to solve a lot of cases within that short amount of time. However, that did not stop Kang Yoon-Soo, as he started to solve cases and write down the case notes with frightening speed.

‘I just have to work faster if there’s not enough time.’

[You have identified the culprit of the Holheart Chapel Arson Case.]

[You have identified the culprit of the Sylphia Goddess’ Statue Theft Case.]

[You have identified the culprit who assaulted Viscount Kart.]

Kang Yoon-Soo tirelessly wrote in case files, but he also paid extra attention to his wording and made sure that there was no room for errors in his reasoning, as he could only receive the reward if there were no issues with his deductions.

[You have identified the culprits of 67 cases.]

[The culprits you have identified have turned out to be the real culprits.]

[Your level has risen.]

[You have identified 22 culprits in a short amount of time.]

[Your comprehension has increased.]

[Your comprehension has surpassed that of most common scholars.]

[Your writing speed has increased.]

Kang Yoon-Soo sat down and just wrote all day. He kept writing regardless of whether his hand cramped or his back hurt from sitting down all day.

[Your hand is cramping.]

[You will start experiencing paralysis if you do not get some rest.]

[Your back has started to hurt.]

[The pain will amplify if you do not get some rest.]

[You have persevered despite the immense pain.]

[Your tenacity will slowly increase over time.]

It had already been quite a while since the handcuffs were removed.

‘Did he eat something wrong?’ Sheryl thought with great surprise. She had had no choice but to remove the handcuffs once Kang Yoon-Soo started to work so passionately on the cases.

Sheryl had already become quite famous in the investigation department.

“Hey! Sheryl! What sorcery are you using these days?” Rapentahil had said, snickering gleefully.

“What are you talking about, sir?” Sheryl had asked in response.

“Why the sudden humility? It’s unlike you! I’ve been hearing some gossip that you’ve turned into a monster these days. Is it true that you’ve been solving the cases that even those at the capital were struggling to solve almost in rapid succession?” Rapentahil had asked, laughing proudly before continuing, “Everyone has high expectations from you. Especially the higher-ups. Getting promoted to a Zero Grade investigator is no longer just a dream!”

Sheryl had been surprised, rather than happy. Kang Yoon-Soo’s rate of solving the cases was just too fast. It was as if he knew all the answers and was just writing them down, rather than actually investigating and solving the cases.

‘Everyone will start suspecting me if I solve too many cases on my own…’ Sheryl thought. Kang Yoon-Soo was solving the cases so fast that she had had to start registering the cases under different people to avoid suspicion.

Kang Yoon-Soo did not eat nor drink as he devoted himself to solving case after case. The only time he took a break was to drink alcohol in between cases.

“Why don’t you rest a little?” Sheryl asked.

“Don’t bother me,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

Kang Yoon-Soo would not even look at Sheryl whenever she asked something, instead replying without taking his eyes off the case files. She would be very thankful if Kang Yoon-Soo solved a lot of cases for her, but she could not help but be worried for him, as he was solving the cases as if he were obsessed with them.

‘…Worry? Me? How come…?’ Sheryl thought.

For some odd reason, Sheryl’s main activity after coming back from work was to watch Kang Yoon-Soo write things down in the case files. Strangely enough, she liked doing so. She felt a part of her heart heating up as she watched Kang Yoon-Soo diligently writing things down.

‘It’s strange…’ Sheryl thought, finding the newfound sensation annoying. She was not the same as before; she had started getting stranger and stranger ever since the night she met Kang Yoon-Soo.

“Haa…” Sheryl sighed.

The times Kang Yoon-Soo slept on the bed beside her had become less frequent, and Sheryl found that to be a relief. She felt that she would not be able to sleep if he were right next to her in bed.

On the sixth day, Kang Yoon-Soo finally put down the quill pen.

[You have identified the culprits of three hundred cases.]

[You will gain various stats if the culprits you have pointed out turn out to be the right ones.]

[Your deductions and reasoning were flawless despite the short amount of time it took for you to write things down.]

[Your level has risen by 3.]

[Your maximum mana capacity has greatly increased.]

[You have gained the ability to read every single word in a book no matter how quickly you turn the pages.]

[You have gained the right to officially mentor a disciple.]

[Your disciple’s comprehension stat will rise faster the higher your comprehension stat is.]

‘It was worth all the trouble over the past six days,’ Kang Yoon-Soo thought as he massaged his right hand, which was almost fully numb from overuse. He especially liked the reward that greatly increased his maximum mana capacity, because the mana consumption of skills such as Corpse Explosion and Life Drain went up the higher their levels were.

‘The increase in comprehension isn’t a bad reward either,’ Kang Yoon-Soo thought, recalling Mini-Lich, who considered him its teacher. He now had the ability to increase Mini-Lich’s stats whenever he taught it something new. The comprehension stat would greatly increase the efficiency of his teaching someone else.

“Did you finish everything?” Sheryl asked, and Kang Yoon-Soo merely nodded in response. Sheryl made a face, as if she had gotten sick and tired of watching him work, and said, “You’re a monster.”

“I hear that pretty often,” Kang Yoon-Soo said with a shrug. His whole body was stiff. He was tired, but he needed to stretch his body after a long time of not moving, as he would need to be in optimal condition before going to the vampires’ ossuary.

“Am I presumed innocent now?” he asked.

“I can’t say no to someone who worked this hard. I won’t accuse you of impersonating a Zero Grade investigator anymore even if you leave now,” Sheryl replied.

Kang Yoon-Soo stretched his arm, then equipped his sword and crossbow before flinging his backpack onto his back.

Sheryl grabbed the hem of his clothes and asked, “Are you… leaving now…?”

“Yes,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

Shaneth, Henrick, and Iris. Those three were probably sick and tired of waiting for him by now, and they were probably staying at an inn somewhere nearby.

“Can you go for a walk with me for a while?” Sheryl asked. Kang Yoon-Soo stared at her for a moment, and she blushed in surprise before adding, “You haven’t had anything to eat. That’s why I want to at least treat you to dinner before you go.”

It was true that Kang Yoon-Soo was hungry, and his body was a mess, as he had just been stuck in Sheryl’s house solving cases day after day.

Additionally, Sheryl drove the final nail into the coffin as she added, “I’ll buy you drinks too.”

“Alright,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied without a hint of hesitation.

***

“You know… This thing called booze… It’s very cold and indifferent… It can be your friend today, but become your enemy tomorrow…”

“…”

“But you know… This thing… You know? Booze? It’s quite the actor… It’ll make you believe that your friendships today will last until tomorrow. That’s why if you drink once, it’ll keep asking you to drink more…”

“…”

“That’s why drinking to cure a hangover is something only morons do. Don’t keep drinking like a bottomless pit. You got that?”

“…Okay,” Shaneth replied, sniffling as she lay in bed. Her face was bright red, as alcohol had got to her.

Henrick took some cold water and placed a wet towel on her forehead, then said, “Tsk tsk… Hey, you punk. You’re suffering because you didn’t drink at all, and now you’re pouring it into yourself.”

“…I never knew that alcohol was going to be this strong,” Shaneth replied.

“Can’t you tell after having a drink? It’s not as if you’re a kid or something. Drink moderately!” Henrick scolded her. He then looked down at Shaneth as she lay sick in bed, clicking his tongue a few times before grumbling, “What the hell is that punk doing for a week, making an innocent lady like her suffer like this…”

“It’s not because of him that I’m like this, okay?” Shaneth protested.

“Is that a joke? It was quite funny,” Henrick said with a snicker.

Shaneth pouted in response. They were in a room at an inn, and they had been staying there ever since they were separated from Kang Yoon-Soo, waiting for any news from him.

“But there’s no news from that guy at all… I think we should go out and try to find him or something…” Henrick muttered.

Suddenly, the room’s door opened and Iris ran into the room, shouting, “Itphs’s angh emherghzensee!”

“…Swallow your food first before talking next time,” Henrick said as he wiped a piece of pasta off her face.

Iris swallowed the spaghetti in her mouth and announced, “Kang Yoon-Soo is on the first floor!”

“Is that true?!” Shaneth exclaimed and immediately got up. Her eyes were filled with relief, showing how worried she had been for him.

“But he is eating with a very beautiful woman,” Iris added.

“What…?” Shaneth replied, and the relief in her eyes slowly turned into rage.

Henrick shrugged and muttered, “Boy, is he in trouble…”

***

Kang Yoon-Soo had been stretching his hand while sitting at the table. His fingers, which had caused agony whenever he tried to open and close them, were slowly getting better.

Sheryl asked for the menu, then looked at him before remarking, “I’ve been amazed ever since I met you.”

“Why?” Kang Yoon-Soo asked.

“Your eyes. They were too different from how you acted. They looked like the eyes of someone who’s given up on life,” Sheryl replied.

Kang Yoon-Soo did not reply, just drinking the alcohol they had been served. It was very strong alcohol, despite its appearance.

Sheryl drank the alcohol as well, then said, “…It’s strong.”

“Don’t drink too much,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.

“No, I’m going to get drunk today,” Sheryl replied. It did not take a long time for her to get drunk, as she had a low tolerance for alcohol, and she stared at Kang Yoon-Soo.

Looking into her warm eyes made Kang Yoon Soo remember his memories of her from a previous life. He thought, ‘She used to be pretty lonely, despite how she looks and acts.’

Kang Yoon-Soo had been chased by Sheryl in the life he had lived as the greatest thief on the continent. They had played a game of cat and mouse for so long that they had ended up meeting each other more often than families saw each other. It was then that Sheryl had confessed to Kang Yoon-Soo while drunk.

‘…I seem to have overlooked that fact,’ Kang Yoon-Soo thought as his eyes opened wider. He had forgotten about Sheryl’s drinking habits because he was too tired from solving so many cases—it had been a mistake to come here with her.

“I don’t want to separate from you,” Sheryl said as she grabbed his hand. Her eyes that were usually as cold as ice were welling up with tears as she begged, “Don’t go…”

“No,” Kang Yoon-Soo said firmly as he pulled his hand back, but the strength of a First Grade investigator was not something to be scoffed at. Besides, he had spent several days and nights writing things down, and his hand was tired. In the end, he had no choice but to lose against her, and he had to remain in place as she went on and on.

‘There’s nothing more annoying than being on the receiving end of someone else’s drinking habits…’

Sheryl kept drinking.

“Stop drinking,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.

“I don’t want to. I said I don’t want to stop!” Sheryl replied, shaking her head with flushed cheeks. Kang Yoon-Soo’s face crumpled, but Sheryl did not seem to have seen it as she continued in a depressed tone, “Guys are usually all over me, but why aren’t you like that? Why are you different?”

“I’ll serve your meal now,” the barmaid called out, bringing over the food they had ordered. It was spaghetti and crunchy bread dipped in soup.

Kang Yoon-Soo replied to Sheryl, “I don’t like you.”

“I know! That’s why it’s making me even angrier!” Sheryl retorted.

The barmaids in the distance started to gossip among themselves. It seemed they had gotten the impression of a couple breaking up.

Sheryl drank the strong alcohol and asked, “How could you not even look at me once? Who’s the girl you love? You love her that much?!”

Kang Yoon-Soo slowly started to reminisce. How much did he love her? If he were to calculate the time he had loved her, then…

He finally said, “I’ve loved her and only her for almost 20,000 years…”

“What do you mean by that?” Sheryl asked.

“...It’s just that kind of thing,” Kang Yoon-Soo continued as he drank his alcohol. Sheryl was still holding onto his hand, and he could not simply get up and leave.

“Hold my hand and stay with me, just until we finish eating,” Sheryl said.

“You’re already holding onto my hand,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

Kang Yoon-Soo was a bit worried that Sheryl might kill herself once she sobered up and remembered the things she had done and said. He just hoped her memories would blank out by the time she woke up.

The barmaid brought over more drinks.

“I want to drink! I’m going to drink more!” Sheryl exclaimed and downed another mug.

Kang Yoon-Soo knew that stopping her would be pointless, so he did not even bother to try. However, it was then that Sheryl suddenly pulled his hand.

“What are you doing?” Kang Yoon-Soo asked.

Sheryl dragged him out of the inn, throwing a gold coin at the barmaid who was asking them to pay before leaving abruptly. She then dragged him into an alley behind the inn.

“I’m sorry,” Sheryl said, as her breathing turned rough and her soft lips slowly approached him.

Kang Yoon-Soo turned away and avoided her gaze, then said, “I have someone I like.”

“That’s what makes me want you more,” Sheryl replied.

“Don’t do this,” Kang Yoon-Soo responded.

It was at the moment that Kang Yoon-Soo was about to push Sheryl away that a familiar voice shouted from behind them, “What the hell are you two doing right now?!”

The two turned around and saw Shaneth approaching them with rage in her eyes. She was so furious that she used words she normally wouldn’t use. She exclaimed, her voice filled with anger, “Who the fuck are you, you fox? Trying to charm your way to someone else’s man?!”

However, the drunken Sheryl did not back down as she retorted, “Then why didn’t you take care of him if he’s your man, huh?!”

Henrick caught up from behind, then suddenly remarked with a laugh, “I’m sorry to get involved in such a serious situation, but don’t you think the gender roles have been switched?”