Chapter 56
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Awakener
-----------------------------------------------------------------
'Of all people, Han Jiwon.'
Over the three years we'd spent together, I got to know some kids pretty well, but there were others I still barely understood even after all that time.
The prime examples were Jeong Seohee and Han Jiwon.
Both were quiet types who spent class time diligently sleeping.
Low social skills, always off doing their own thing.
Especially in my memories from school, Han Jiwon stood out even more than Jeong Seohee—she was like a caterpillar pupa, always zipped up in her sleeping bag, dozing away.
Pretty much 365 days a year.
The only minor change was swapping out the sleeping bag to match the seasons.
'What a weird kid. And yet, she always aced every test.'
To sum her up:
Han Jiwon.
Granddaughter of some major corporation's chairman.
Specialty: Rolling around in her sleeping bag.
One thing to watch out for: She's scary smart.
"You shouldn't try anything dangerous. I have a loud voice. If I scream, everyone will come running."
As I took a step closer, Han Jiwon eyed me warily with half-lidded, sleepy eyes and spoke.
I stopped in my tracks and asked.
"When did you awaken?"
"Third day after we got dropped here."
That soon?
I was a bit surprised. If what she said was true, she'd only awakened two days after me.
"Any others who've awakened besides you?"
She shook her head.
Of course not—who'd know if someone had a status window? The kids' surroundings were full of stuff way more thrilling and fun than web novels or comics.
"How'd you know I awakened?"
"You were the first to dig up clams, the first to snag coconuts."
True enough. Simple as that, in a way.
But this confirmed it: The main quest I got and the one she got were identical.
With my curiosities satisfied, I got to the point.
"So, what's this about?"
If she'd been waiting here long enough to get a red imprint from her clothes on her cheek, she must have something to say to me.
At my question, Han Jiwon let out a massive yawn before answering.
"You've prepped for the typhoon, right? Let me in on it. Then I'll keep my mouth shut."
"Keep your mouth shut?"
"The people you're staying with—they still don't know about the status window. Or the quests. Or that completing them lets you go back to the original world."
"......"
"Ran into Jeong Seohee a bit ago and dropped a hint, but she didn't get it."
Han Jiwon leaned back against a palm tree, a smile playing on her lips.
"I'll keep your secret—that you knew and hid it all this time."
Hah, hilarious. Never thought I'd get blackmailed like this.
"That's a problem for me."
She was right.
I'd kept the status window from my group. Simple reason: I didn't want them going back to Earth.
I wanted to rule over them here like a king. And for that, not a single one could leave.
But if they found out I'd hidden the status window secret all this time?
"Their trust in you would tank."
"......"
"Don't worry. It's a deal. You help me survive the typhoon, then help me clear my main quest after. Feed me every day, no work duties. Do that, and I swear I won't breathe a word about the status window."
Han Jiwon spread her arms wide.
"And you'd be smart to play along. Send me off from here, and no one else will know about the status window. Win-win, right?"
Sending just her away might keep the status window secret from surfacing.
If only her.
"What do you say? Up for the deal?"
Han Jiwon flashed a thicker smile than before, like I had no choice.
She'd clearly planned this out—her words were persuasive, and the surroundings weren't helping me either.
I could hear the kids' footsteps coming and going outside the woods.
"What's there to hesitate about? Decide already. I'm sleepy and wanna crash."
"......"
"Or should I make an example? Tell Seohee you hid the status window info? Wonder what her reaction would be?"
A real deal involves back-and-forth negotiation, but this was an ultimatum from the start.
She was steamrolling me, not giving me a second to think.
'Blackmail, huh.'
But I couldn't help laughing. Heh. I stifled the chuckle escaping my lips.
"Huh? Why're you laughing all of a sudden...?"
"Ahh, sorry. Never imagined someone pulling this on me."
"...So that's a yes?"
Maybe the vibe felt off—Han Jiwon cautiously gauged my expression. I nodded.
"Do whatever you want."
"Then hug me."
Han Jiwon, who spent most of her time in her sleeping bag—even eating there—always needed me to princess-carry her out during lunch and dinner.
Haul her to the cafeteria in the next building, then back to the classroom or dorm entrance after.
Moving classes? Carry her again.
If Kang Hye-rin built my durability through school, Han Jiwon was the one who beefed up my strength(?).
"Hurry and carry me. I need to sleep right now."
And now she wanted a princess carry all the way to my settlement. So she could sleep, supposedly.
'Thought only Park Jimin stayed the same no matter how the class vibe changed, but this one's unchanged too.'
Snapping out of old memories, I said quietly.
"Nah, pass."
"Huh? What'd you say?"
"Pass. Why should I?"
Han Jiwon blinked several times, like she couldn't follow the conversation.
Her face a bit more awake, she shot back.
"We just made a deal. I keep the secret, you help me out..."
"When did I agree? I said go ahead and blackmail me if you want."
"What?"
"Scream and gather the kids if you want. Go tell Seohee about the status window. Do whatever, Jiwon."
"!!"
If she screamed, I'd just bolt into the woods.
The class kids prized their lives above all— even knowing no snakes at night, they wouldn't venture deep into the forest just in case.
Telling Seohee? Even less of a threat.
Jeong Seohee's trust in me was at 100%. She'd twist anything I did into a positive.
And was it just her?
'Wasn't for nothing I put in the early work on those five women at the settlement.'
Those five were the founding pillars propping up my absolute throne.
Even if they learned about the status window, their fondness for me wouldn't waver.
'Even without fondness, I've got the shop window. That's absolute power that crushes every possibility.'
And she tries that lame blackmail in this situation?
I resumed my steps. Han Jiwon backed away hesitantly.
"Don't come closer. I scream if you do."
"Scream or don't."
"I said I'm screaming...!"
Despite her bark, Han Jiwon didn't scream.
Why? If I got in trouble here, her plan would go off the rails big time.
Coming to me instead of the class meant I had more potential than all of them combined.
She moved to blackmail me, but handed me leverage over her instead.
"...Don't come."
Han Jiwon kept retreating.
Her eyes wide awake now.
Trembling at the edges.
Face tense as hell.
"Eek."
As I got right up to her, Han Jiwon huddled, shielding her head with her hands.
Head down, shaking like a leaf.
Thought I was gonna hit her or something.
Sorry, no time for that. I brushed right past her.
"Huh?"
As I quickened my pace past her, Han Jiwon grabbed my clothes.
"Wait."
"?"
"You can't just leave me. Don't you know what I might do? Why aren't you trying to shut me up?"
I shrugged.
"Not worth it."
"What?"
"My group won't budge even if you talk."
"...It's not just your group. You know you're out for revenge on us, right? What if I tell the class about the status window secret and we all clear quests and escape?"
"Escape?"
I laughed.
Escape? These kids too scared of the woods to even fetch coconuts?
Ridiculous.
Plus, I'm on main quest 10 right now, and it's a pain without gear.
[Survive on a Deserted Island 10]
Description: Catch mackerel over 40cm in length. (0/20)
Reward: 10 points
40cm ones you can't grab by hand—you need a rod, and even then, it's a toss-up.
Difficulty like this at just quest 10.
'Might have to catch tuna or something later.'
And they think they can band together, clear main quests, and escape?
Not worried at all.
They were fish trapped in a tank. My only real concern was if they'd die before I even touched them.
"And Jiwon, you're misunderstanding something. I'm not out for revenge on you guys."
"Huh? No way."
"See you later."
As I walked off without a backward glance, Han Jiwon rolled her eyes frantically.
"Th-this can't be...?"
Couldn't make sense of my actions, she muttered behind me.
"No revenge? Doesn't care if I spill the secret?"
By the time the distance had grown, the muttering stopped, replaced by rapid footsteps closing in.
Han Jiwon ran up and blocked my path again.
Her face still screamed she couldn't figure me out.
"So what would make you accept my offer?"
"Not gonna."
"...You're lying, right?"
She scanned my face, then looked queasy.
As I moved to walk again, she stuck to my side.
"Th-then what'll make you take me along?"
"Told you, no."
"Just take me, please?"
"No."
"Take me, pleeease."
The blackmail negotiation had flipped to begging.
The board was completely reversed.
Swear I didn't aim for this or plan some push-pull with her.
I was busy as hell.
Sure, Han Jiwon was someone I'd eventually sleep with and work over, but now?
Typhoon incoming—if prep fell short, I'd die too.
I ignored her and kept walking.
Was she pissed from repeated nos? Or got defiant?
"Might not care about revenge, but you'll care about this. If you're a guy."
Han Jiwon stepped in front.
And she was naked.
Who knows how a sleeping-bag roller had no excess fat and even abs, but her figure was killer.
Just her chest was unusual.
Big tits. Cute face with married-woman-level boobs.
"Take me along, and you can have me once. FYI, virgin, no experience."
Her face was full of confidence this offer would land.
So I told her.
"Yeah, do it or don't."
"Huh? W-wait. Please, take me. I'm so sleepy. I need you..."
No way in hell. Taking her meant lugging over 40kg of dead weight.
'Already wasted time snagging the class's prepped fish. Gotta hustle back.'
I ignored her and picked up speed.
Then she clung to my back.
"Hey, get off."
"No."
Her tits squished against my back, heavy pressure—no joke.
'Damn. Dick keeps getting hard.'
Tried shaking her off, but her grip strength was sneaky strong. Tough.
Arms and legs wrapped around my waist—no escape.
'Can't just flop backward either.'
After some struggling, her feminine scent hit my nose, making things worse.
No choice—time for drastic measures.
I bought something from the shop and tossed it on the ground.
"!!"
A sleeping bag. Summer one.
Han Jiwon's face lit up for a split second before she snapped out of it and clung harder.
"Idiot. Even if I love sleeping bags, you think I'd crawl in there in this heat?"
Bought cold water and pressed it to her cheek.
"Hweh?"
Then shoved it in the sleeping bag.
"......"
In she went, snug as a bug.
"Catch you later."
"W-wait! Take me too! Are you hearing me?"
Han Jiwon yelled from inside, hugging the water bottle.
I ignored it and retraced my steps along the marker path, fast.