Chapter 133
Chapter 133
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 133
Chapter Title: Chapter 25: Germination (2)
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‘They sure know how to make a transfer offer flashy.’
I hadn’t expected it to be this public, but my stance on refusing hadn’t changed.
So I pretended not to hear Marquis Epinel’s words, plugging my ears.
Marquis Epinel, in turn, ignored my reaction and took the medal from his aide with a perfectly composed expression.
Then, just as he had when first ascending the podium, he pinned the medal to my chest with an indifferent look.
Afterward, it was time for the rewards, same as the players before me.
“By successfully binding the feet of a general-grade monster and ultimately slaying it, thereby making no small contribution to the siege, the merits of the outsider K are recognized. Thus, we bestow 100 her and armor befitting such deeds.”
Receiving the reward and equipment was the same as before.
But it didn’t end there.
“Furthermore, the outsider K has made immense contributions to guiding suffering survivors into the arms of the gods. In gratitude, the High Priest of Pinelpenia bestows a fitting reward.”
It wasn’t from the temple troops, but a separate reward from the Pinelpenia Church.
Not in some private setting, but right here with all these eyes on us, singling me out for extra treatment.
It felt not just out of left field, but excessively so.
‘I’m with Palao, yet Pinelpenia is praising me separately.’
Doesn’t that make the Palao Church look like a joke?
On the flip side, nothing bad for Pinelpenia.
It paints them as stepping in to care for someone Palao overlooked.
Objectively, as a way to flaunt Pinelpenia’s intentions, it was brilliant...
But using me for their agenda without prior agreement didn’t sit well.
Even so, instead of showing resentment, I accepted the box Marquis Epinel personally offered.
‘Not thrilled about them pushing this unilaterally.’
On the other hand, since they went ahead without my input, taking this means I owe them nothing.
‘Call it payment for using me however they pleased.’
I couldn’t tell what was inside the fist-sized box.
Deciding to check later, I turned and descended the podium, drawing quite a few lingering gazes.
By the time all the remaining players had received their medals and rewards.
「Congratulations! You have successfully completed MISSION - Main Scenario Act 1 Chapter 3: Overture of the Counterattack.」
「Please select your participation rewards.」
「You are a ranking reward recipient.」
「Ranking rewards...」
Over a dozen messages scrolled up.
“They’re handing out a ton of achievements... How the hell do you even use these?”
Hearing the mutter from the player next to me, I checked my achievement-related messages too.
‘Two hundred.’
Ten from connecting the servers as a hidden mission.
One hundred from purifying a 4-star contamination zone and taking first place.
Two hundred from main scenario ranking rewards.
Plus bits from destroying Messio during party hunts—most of which I handled myself.
So the stockpile wasn’t insignificant.
‘Already over three thousand accumulated.’
But what good is piling them up when I don’t even know how to use them?
‘Not listed on the status window, no usage method known.’
Hints suggested they were for transfers and gate regeneration, spotted here and there.
But no firsthand accounts.
Methods for transfers or gate regeneration remained unknown.
‘I’ve got a rough idea of when they’re awarded, at least...’
My guess: Fame ties to recognition among players and contributions to Earth.
Boosting player survival rates equates to preserving Earth’s forces.
So fame builds from safeguarding Earth’s safety.
Missions rewarding fame probably stem from that.
‘Clearing missions eliminates holes.’
That accumulated fame becomes permanent discounts.
Achievements, meanwhile, seem based on feats in Bihar.
And unlike fame, they’re consumable, I suspect.
‘They call fame “increases” and achievements “accrued,” so probably.’
I jotted the new achievements into my memo pad while staring at the system messages.
My mind was swirling with thoughts, but I couldn’t fully immerse.
The victory ceremony was nearing its end, and it was time for the march.
Players and other contributors boarded open-top carriages in sequence.
As the procession began, the Biharans erupted in cheers once more.
Some nearby players, embarrassed, cleared their throats awkwardly while waving back.
I, of course, faced forward, ignoring the cheers from all sides.
This fervor from others wasn’t welcome.
‘Yet why.’
Did these cheers pounding my body seep all the way to my heart’s depths?
* * *
With the victory ceremony over, no reason to linger in Robole.
I rendezvoused with my party and headed to the temple for the return to Havon.
But someone had beaten us to the gate.
“Hey? Isn’t that Irena?”
A group of kids holding position amid the stares of passing players.
Irena and the farm survivors.
Not all of them—just a few of the older ones, around ten years old.
Including one we rescued after taking down the general-grade.
Back in the contamination zone, she’d been sobbing uncontrollably, tears and snot indistinguishable.
Now, she looked composed, face clean.
As I scanned the kids, Kim Yul approached first with a grin.
“Didn’t come to the victory ceremony? We were super cool!”
“Oh, hello. Figured it’d be hard to meet you there...”
Irena glanced at me while replying.
“Waiting? You’ve been here the whole time? How’d you know when we’d show?”
“W-well, outsiders often pass through here...”
Kim Yul asked in surprise. I was too.
Not just that they’d camped here waiting, but that they’d even thought to.
‘Gathered info on outsiders in days... Pretty sharp.’
Deciding to stake out a likely spot to meet us separately.
Risky if we didn’t show, objectively sloppy.
But for her age, quite foresighted.
‘Makes sense—she led dozens to escape.’
I crouched down after eyeing Irena a moment.
“Why wait?”
My face closer now? Her cheeks flushed bright.
I planned to wait patiently, no rush.
But before she could answer, someone piped up.
“To say hi!”
The kid Yang Tae-ho and I found on the extra search.
The bossy little one who’d told the others not to descend.
‘Name was Judith?’
Vaguely recalled Irena calling her that.
“That’s it! No other meaning, so don’t get weird ideas!”
Judith eyed me warily.
Yet planted herself firmly before Irena...
“Ah.”
Her intent was obvious.
‘Cute.’
My tangled thoughts eased.
I forced down a smile tugging at my lips.
Then Irena shoved Judith aside and yelled.
“You’re the one not saying weird stuff to Oppa!”
She glared daggers too.
Judith gaped, shocked.
“O-Oppa...? Y-you, you, you?!”
Soon, face twisted in betrayal, she exploded.
“I’m not Oppa! I’m a year older!”
“You’re shorter than me—what Oppa?!”
Glancing back, Yang Tae-ho stared skyward, Kim Yul pinched his side—both stifling laughs.
I wasn’t much better.
My face ached from clenching to hold it in.
Watching them bicker over nothing melted my heart.
Their spat wrapped up.
“Don’t interfere—scram!”
Irena shooed Judith with fierce eyes and hands.
Then huffed, turned, peeked at me.
Fidgeted with clasped hands, toed the ground with her shoe tip.
“Good grief.”
“Sinner of a man...”
Yang Tae-ho’s sigh and Kim Yul’s mutter from the side.
I elbowed Kim Yul’s thigh hard.
Shut up with the nonsense. Thankfully, he did.
“W-well...”
Irena swallowed, then spoke.
“Wanted to say thanks, for sure.”
Her ears red, head dipping lower as she went.
“For saving us, comforting me then...”
Mumbling by the end, but clear enough.
“A-and thanks to you, I’m much better. No more nightmares...”
“......”
“And finding us a place to stay... it was you, K-nim... Truly grateful.”
“Truly grateful!”
As if rehearsed, the kids chimed thanks in unison.
Not some ploy for favors.
Pure, unadulterated sincerity.
For some reason, their honesty made me feel small.
I’d always second-guessed for gain, calculated endlessly.
Even volunteering as their guard was calculated.
Knew a mission would pop for their safety.
Not purely for the kids.
I’d sneered at others’ hypocrisy and selfishness but held back blame—because I’m no different.
Using people, weighing profits: wisdom and the way of the world I’d learned surviving.
These kids, led by Irena, hadn’t learned that yet.
“Ah.”
That clicked something I hadn’t realized.
I knew I was soft on kids.
But not why.
Just chalked it to projecting my little siblings from childhood.
Hadn’t mattered much till now.
But today, it hit me.
‘Wanted to protect them...?’
Unstained by the world, kids are pure.
That purity lets them face others with full sincerity.
And that’s the past glory I’ve lost.
I can’t treat others with pure heart anymore.
So I wanted to safeguard what I’d lost.
That hidden wish made me lenient and gentle with them.
I closed my eyes to hide my turmoil.
But realizing that buried desire made my cheeks tremble faintly.
I’d told myself enough was enough with the kids, it’s not my business anymore.
That’s why I kept repeating it.
Damn system