Chapter 41
Chapter 41
“What is this...?”
The reason I was surprised wasn't because the traits were bad.
It was because one of the options was so completely out of left field.
“Immune to hormonal imbalance, menstruation, and pregnancy?”
If I understood it literally, it meant I would never have to deal with periods.
And the bonus effect was basically permanent contraception.
But...
What exactly was hormonal imbalance?
“Hmm...”
Maybe it meant things like mood swings, fatigue, weakened immunity, and all those miscellaneous annoyances disappearing.
If that was the case, it wasn't bad.
Still, it felt vague.
This was basically a quality-of-life trait for women.
Not terrible.
Just... underwhelming compared to the other two choices.
Of course, my quality of life would improve.
But was it worth giving up a trait that could make me stronger?
“Honestly... not really.”
No matter how I looked at it, the answer was no.
And pregnancy?
That wasn't happening.
Who with whom?
Why?
The thought of doing those kinds of things with a man was enough to make me feel sick.
So the pregnancy immunity was practically a nonexistent benefit.
And it wasn't as though being on my period would stop me from swinging a sword.
As for hormonal imbalance, the description didn't even explain what effects it prevented.
Maybe if I'd been born into a wealthy family and could spend my days lounging around in comfort.
But I wasn't.
Why would I pick convenience?
What was the most important thing for an orphan dropped into a medieval world?
Getting strong enough to survive.
If becoming stronger was an option, then a little inconvenience was something I'd simply endure.
It wasn't like I could afford to avoid fights because of menstrual cramps.
Besides, the other two options were absurdly overpowered.
Compared to them, the first choice barely caught my attention.
I hadn't even experienced menstruation yet, and my body was unusually healthy.
It probably wouldn't be that bad.
“No need to think about it.”
The first option was out.
It simply didn't have a meaningful advantage over the others.
That left the second choice.
Attacks appear 20% closer to the target than they look.
For some reason, it reminded me of the warning printed on car side mirrors in my previous life.
Apparently I hadn't read it wrong.
Had the stingy status window finally decided to be generous?
Surely it wasn't because I was nearing the age of my first period...
Probably not.
Regardless, this was easily one of the best traits I'd ever seen.
Among all the options I'd received so far, only the trait that granted stat points every time I aged could compete with it.
Everything else wasn't even close.
The reason I valued this trait so highly was simple.
Every battle relies on visual information.
Even for monsters among monsters.
If my attacks appeared 20% farther away than they actually were...
Then it would confuse opponents and give me an overwhelming advantage in gaining the initiative.
They would misjudge the distance.
React too late.
Block or dodge at the wrong timing.
And that mistake would hand control of the fight over to me.
To put it simply...
My chances of landing the first hit would skyrocket.
And more importantly, my effective range actually increased.
This wasn't merely an illusion.
The attack genuinely reached farther.
For example, if I swung a sword with a one-meter blade, it would function as though the blade were one hundred and twenty centimeters long.
Reach was a huge advantage in combat sports.
It was equally important in warfare.
Whoever could strike from farther away held a tremendous edge.
Humanity climbed to the top of the food chain the moment it started using spears.
That alone spoke volumes about the importance of range.
Even if an opponent somehow avoided a fatal hit, there was still a high chance they would panic from the unfamiliar distortion.
“Whoever strikes first wins.”
A timeless truth.
The physical and psychological advantage of landing the first blow was enormous.
And this was a medieval world where a single attack could cripple or kill.
The value of initiative was immeasurable.
“...”
The more I thought about it...
The more ridiculous this trait became.
There was no need for debate.
No need for doubt.
This was an absurd cheat ability.
Of course, it didn't guarantee victory.
Its effectiveness would drop in one-against-many situations or large-scale battles.
Some monsters relied on smell or touch instead of sight.
Heavily armored opponents might survive the initial strike.
“And real knights...”
They would still be troublesome.
Not the fake ones who inherited titles or gained knighthood through shortcuts.
Real knights.
Monsters among humans.
No single trait would allow me to overwhelm people like that.
Their bodies were constantly reinforced by aura.
They possessed tremendous resistance to impacts and slashes.
Even if I landed the first strike, their experience would prevent them from being easily fooled again.
Some might even counterattack immediately.
Just think about Master facing eight hundred mercenaries alone.
No matter how sturdy his armor was, surviving attacks from every direction while continuing to fight was impossible through physical toughness alone.
Yet he endured all of it.
Not only endured it, but slaughtered every last one of them.
That impossible miracle was what true knights were capable of.
So no matter how powerful this trait was, relying on it blindly would be foolish.
Even so...
It was still incredibly strong.
The reason I kept listing situations where it wouldn't guarantee victory was because those situations were relatively rare.
Against ordinary people who couldn't use aura?
I honestly didn't think I'd ever lose.
The trait distorted spatial perception and increased my actual reach.
And...
“Was my adult height one hundred seventy centimeters?”
Tall for a woman.
But this world was full of giants.
As someone with a natural reach disadvantage, this trait was exactly what I wanted.
“The last option still feels worse than the second.”
Still, I might as well consider it.
Under the right circumstances, this trait was absurdly powerful.
My current Strength was 16.
My Agility was 12.
Adding fifteen points to both would practically double them.
The bonus was a flat increase rather than a percentage, meaning it would become less efficient later.
But the numbers were so high that it would remain useful even in the future.
In terms of raw power, the third trait was undeniably impressive.
But...
“Where exactly am I supposed to get a warhorse?”
That was the problem.
The phrase warhorse changed everything.
In this world, warhorses belonged exclusively to nobles and knights.
They were basically medieval supercars.
Massive as rhinoceroses.
Strong as elephants.
Even tougher than that.
They were difficult to tame.
Expensive to maintain.
How was I supposed to get one?
Did I have the money?
Were there even any nearby?
If it had simply said horse, then maybe I could compromise with a pony or something.
But a warhorse?
“Ugh...”
Actually, there was exactly one warhorse I knew.
Master's.
The same horse that would be retired alongside him after his injuries.
Even that animal was maintained through Master's personal savings.
Whenever he ran short on money, Lady Selin practically had to give him an allowance.
This option probably appeared because I had been so impressed watching Master carve through armies by himself.
But owning a warhorse wasn't just uncertain now.
It was uncertain in the future too.
If I'd been born in a wealthy territory, maybe I could've made use of it.
But in this poor backwater?
I needed to be realistic.
And honestly, even if I somehow acquired a warhorse one day, I could already imagine myself desperately scrambling to mount it before every fight.
It felt lame.
A horse was important for a knight.
But becoming half a person without one didn't sit right with me.
I hated depending on specific conditions.
“...”
If I ever lost to someone, I knew exactly what I'd be thinking.
If I'd had my horse, that guy would've been nothing.
Just imagining it was embarrassing.
And if someone dragged me off the horse during battle, the bonus would vanish instantly.
The stats weren't permanent.
“Decision made.”
There was no reason to hesitate anymore.
The outcome had been obvious from the start.
I'd only reviewed the options out of habit.
There was nothing wrong with being thorough.
“Hup!”
With complete confidence, I focused on the second choice.
Ding!
The status window flashed and disappeared.
My arms and legs hadn't actually grown longer.
But...
“...Did it work?”
For some strange reason, they felt longer.