Chapter 185
Chapter 185
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: Chapter 34: Fishing (4)
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“While I’m gone, check her level out a bit. I’ll grab a few textbooks on my way back.”
“That’s a good idea. Korean, English, math... It ain’t easy to make progress unless ya sit ‘em down proper-like. How ‘bout we check that too?”
“No, our training schedule’s too tight for that much. For now... let’s start with history.”
“Korean history and world history?”
“Yeah, and we can teach hanja and English alongside it.”
“Sounds good. History’s my wheelhouse, so leave it to me.”
“Wait!”
If this kept going, my already packed schedule would get study time crammed in too.
Sensing the crisis, Kim Yul piped up with fierce opposition.
“Why’s my studying suddenly coming up?”
“Well, since we’re livin’ together, as your guardian...”
“I don’t need a guardian, okay? Even if you’re some study whiz, who are you to butt in and tell me what to do?!”
It was a desperate flail, bordering on pathetic. Unfortunately, she’d picked the wrong angle.
“Didn’t ya know? Tae-ho hyung finished his master’s.”
“Master’s...?”
What was that? Something like history, since they’d mentioned that?
She blinked blankly, and K explained.
“...Bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate. Degrees—they’re qualifications for folks who’ve gone past undergrad.”
“Oh, the... second one?”
“Yeah, out of all of us, Tae-ho hyung’s got the highest education. Major’s history.”
Kim Yul’s eyes went wide as Yang Tae-ho flashed an awkward smile beside her.
“Ain’t nothin’ special. It was a local uni, and I dropped out after the kid came along anyway.”
K let out a shallow sigh and continued.
“We’re not sayin’ go to school right now. Surviving comes first over studying. We get that much.”
“Uh...”
“But when this shitty game ends?”
The unexpected topic left her speechless.
“You’ll wanna take the GED by then. Or even if not, you plannin’ to stay buried in Bihar forever? No thoughts for your future on Earth? Ignoring the common sense and knowledge from there ain’t smart. This game ain’t your whole life.”
Kim Yul shut her mouth, out of rebuttals.
‘When the game ends...’
The words she’d never considered sank deep into her mind.
Even as Kim Yul fell silent, K kept talking.
Mostly nagging advice.
Don’t skip training, stick to the hunting schedule, call if something urgent comes up, and so on.
He chattered away busily, but his hands were doing something else entirely.
Kim Yul stared at him, caught in a strange mood.
Left hand eating, right hand scribbling nonstop.
‘Taking notes on chats.’
K had wide connections to the Association through Club 249.
Which meant plenty of info flowing in from them.
‘Heard he started that group.’
He’d gathered standout players from the early days, forming a network.
Every mealtime, he sorted the incoming info and shared what they needed to know.
‘And he’s probably community searching too.’
Checking rumors among players, incidents, rivalries between big parties scaling up to hundreds strong.
‘And more...’
Kim Yul folded her fingers under the table, counting K’s tasks.
‘Taking anonymous tips on world governments, compiling and posting them.’
Plus irregular game guides with tips for latecomers, never slacking.
‘All while doing personal training, sparring with holy knights, gathering mana from hunts, and visiting the orphanage regularly?’
She wondered how his daily schedule even fit together.
Amazed anew, she stared at K for a moment.
Then she typed “Kj” into the still-open community search bar.
A decent number of posts popped up.
Varied topics: sightings, comments on his looks, his recent haircut.
Idle chatter, even serious breakdowns of his strength.
Pretty noisy for a regular player comparison.
Kim Yul didn’t stop there—she deleted the “j.”
“Whoa...”
An involuntary gasp escaped.
The results were at least dozens of times more.
Even subtracting the Kj posts, the noise was immense.
K everywhere, everyone talking about K.
Amazing his identity hadn’t leaked amid all this attention.
‘He’s seriously meticulous.’
No wonder governments kept striking out when he hid on purpose.
Lost in thought, Kim Yul mulled deeper on who K was.
‘He’s not bad with people, doesn’t avoid them.’
Not the type struggling with social stuff.
Smooth with Club 249, the Association, church folks.
But he wasn’t out seeking crowds either.
‘Put him alone, and he’s just as productive.’
Fits in fine with groups, thrives solo too.
Seeming contradictory, but backed by ruthless self-discipline and time management.
‘Makes sense he’d say that.’
About the game ending—forcing it to end.
Ending the game meant ending the war.
Kim Yul felt her chest stir inexplicably.
Rubbing it, unsure what the feeling was, a knock came from the living room.
K, just finishing eating, stood.
“I’ll get it.”
Watching K leave the kitchen, Kim Yul felt eyes on her.
She turned to meet Yang Tae-ho’s gaze.
She would’ve dodged before.
“What? Why?”
Now she just got snippy, trying to get along.
No more pointless rivalry with Yang Tae-ho.
“Ya done eatin’? Wanna spar?”
“Suddenly?”
“If I don’t level up my blunt technique this time, that side’ll really eat me alive. Help a bit?”
“...Well, if you’re askin’ like that.”
He and Yang Tae-ho had just finished eating too.
They cleared dishes and headed to the living room.
The moment they stepped in.
“If you wanted a warm welcome, you shouldn’t have schemed behind my back like a dog.”
K’s sharp voice rang out.
Kim Yul whipped around, eyes narrowing.
Open front door, K blocking the way, and beyond him...
‘Priest robes?’
An Agnotia priest stood outside the door.
* * *
The morning meal had barely ended when a guest showed at the base: Rashar.
Problem was, she had company.
“Sorry. Tried to stop her, but she was too pushy...”
Maybe from keeping distance at the inauguration, Rashar seemed more wary of me now.
“Figured with me here, she won’t pull anything...”
Our casual chats had stopped—she no longer approached first.
At most, we crossed paths discussing church business.
Her post threads had gone quiet too.
Meaning she hadn’t brought the uninvited guest willingly.
‘A priest.’
I glanced lightly at the Agnotia priests standing firm behind Rashar.
Normally, I’d chase them off without a second thought.
But I had business with them anyway, so I planned to let them in.
“I am Romeo, servant of Agnotia. Leaving first-time guests at the door ain’t exactly hospitable.”
But this cute little Romeo priest scratches my nerves with fresh bullshit?
Snorting, I gladly took the bait.
“If you wanted a warm welcome, you shouldn’t have schemed behind my back like a dog.”
Romeo’s face stiffened, mid sanctimonious lecture.
“Beg for your life and I might consider it—but stiffening up like that? Bad idea.”
“What...”
“Rushing here like your feet are on fire? Guess you’re dying to know how much I dug up through Somir Isha.”
I sneered fully, then shrugged and turned.
“Don’t wanna waste time on bullshit, but you came all this way, so I’ll hear you out. Come in.”
I stepped aside. Romeo strode in, face rigid.
But he didn’t enter the base proper.
Right as he crossed the threshold, I stuck out my leg, blocking.
Romeo glared down at my leg, then snapped his head up.
About to demand what the hell.
I beat him to it, eyes crinkling in a bright smile as our gazes met.
“Crawl.”
Brief silence. Romeo’s face flushed beet red.
As he opened his mouth to yell.
“You...!”
I stepped back.
“Jeez, can’t even joke around.”
Just messing, and he overreacted like that—what was I, the villain?
Blaming him though I’d started it. Just like what he’d done to me.
“What’re you waiting for? Come in.”
After the proper humiliation, I let Romeo into the base.
Party members emerged from the dining area just then; I waved them off lightly.
They glanced at Romeo and headed upstairs.
I sat on the sofa first. Romeo glared daggers and took the seat opposite.
Rashar, who’d followed him, stood behind me.
Wanted her to sit beside, but talking to her felt off, so I ignored it.
“So, what brings you?”
No tea, no water—legs crossed, pressing for the point. Romeo’s jaw clenched.
Surely cursing me out inwardly.
“Had to clear up a misunderstanding.”
Pathetic, forcing politeness despite.
I eyed Romeo, quickly sorting the church’s power structure and politics.
‘Hose Wolprian and the moderates actually run the church.’
Locked in conflict with radicals expanding lately.
Not just one church—issue across all seven.
Senora had the strongest radicals.
‘Galonic was one too.’
Agnotia and Mephroseta had unignorable radical factions.
The other four churches had been suppressing those three’s radicals.
Temoria and Pinelpenia deserved most credit.
Palao lost power; Kallos stayed out of politics.
‘One of Agnotia’s radicals pushed for Belego’s ordination.’
Most believed sacrificing followers for the god was the true path.
In short, zealots who’d offer thousands as tribute for the divine.
‘Fanatics.’
Good the moderates still held the church.
Radicals in charge, and Bihar’d head to ruin faster.
Luckily, Hose Wolprian’s moderates held firm.
‘They took out Galonic too, who imperial authority couldn’t touch...’
Moderates eyed this chance to purge radicals.
Soon as investigation teams moved, radicals got nabbed on various charges across churches.
‘Framed it like the teams found the crimes, handed to central inspectorate.’
Not hard.
Teams 3-5 led by players.
But 1 and 2 by Temoria and Pinelpenia holy knights.
Publicly purging traitors and slavers, privately culling radicals.
So they wouldn’t block me exposing Agnotia’s kidnapping attempt.
‘Initiative’s mine.’
I could listen to their bullshit leisurely.
I nodded at Romeo. Go on.
Gritting his teeth, he fumbled in his sleeve, trembling.
Rashar behind me gripped her sword hilt.
Almost looked like a guard—nearly soured my mood.
But Romeo’s item from his sleeve stole the moment.
Thud. A box fist-sized hit the table.
“Check this first.”
His murderous glare gone, now casually poised.
‘Confident in this?’
Figured I’d bend once I saw it.
I watched him steady, reached, picked up the box.
Opened the lid—and Rashar and I both flinched.
Felt what leaked out instantly.
Short silence. Rashar reacted first.
“What... What the hell is this?!”
I just stared at the contents.
A glassy shard, shimmering silver-gold halo.
Its aura flooded the base in seconds.
‘Divinity.’
Palao’s divinity, from my extra awakenings.
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