Strike While the Iron is Hot

Following the proverb "strike while the iron is hot," I made my way to Winri's room.

—Y-Yoo-jin? What brings you here all of a sudden…? Aaaah!

Whatever she had been doing, she clearly hadn't expected my sudden visit. A loud crash and clatter echoed from inside. It sounded like she'd dropped whatever she was working on.

'Ah… she's not going to tell me to get lost, is she?'

Even with the starting favorability boost from my parents' reputation, Winri had a pathological dislike for being interrupted while crafting. That meant my request for synthesis might not go as smoothly as I'd hoped.

Just as that thought crossed my mind, I heard a click—the lock on the door disengaged.

—C-come in.

To my relief, instead of "get out," I received permission to enter.

'…I'm actually being invited into Winri's room instead of sneaking in.'

Normally, the only way to get inside was without permission—literally like a thief. Winri never let anyone in except Kali and Gray. In the game, even maxing favorability through gifts and quests never pushed her past 60%. The only reliable method was to slip in while she was away.

Yet here I was, granted entry after knowing her for barely an hour—no, less than that. All thanks to my parents' reputation.

'So this is what their favorability buff feels like.'

I pushed the door open with a quiet sense of awe. The room looked exactly as it had in the game: cluttered with machinery, guns, and scattered materials. In the middle of the chaos stood Winri, still wearing that oversized white lab coat that didn't fit her at all. Her face was slightly flushed as she dragged the hem across the floor toward me.

"…Yoo-jin, what is it? Coming to see me so suddenly."

I didn't beat around the bush.

"Winri, I have a favor to ask."

"A favor?"

"Yes. Something only you can do—"

"No."

…What?! She refused without even hearing me out?

I stared at her in dismay. 'Didn't I have the favorability starting buff?'

No, the buff was definitely active. That was why I was even allowed inside. But refusing before knowing the request… Did that mean she wouldn't do the synthesis?

'…I'm done for.'

I'd spent so long thinking about what to synthesize. I wouldn't be able to do it now. Or maybe ever. Even with my parents' reputation, asking for a favor on the very first day might have rubbed her the wrong way.

Just as I was resigning myself to failure, Winri spoke again.

"I don't like being called 'Winri-nim.'"

…Oh. So that was the problem. Not the favor itself—just the honorific.

I let out a long sigh of relief and laughed helplessly.

"Then how about Winri noona?"

Winri nodded, looking pleased.

"Good. That's how you should address me."

She smiled contentedly and led me over to her workbench, which was even larger than her bed.

"So, what kind of equipment do you want made?"

'…Good grief. Winri's actually offering to craft something for me first.'

Feeling strangely moved, I disabled Infinite Items and dumped the materials I needed onto the workbench.

"Oh, wow! You use guns too, like Seong-jin oppa?"

Winri's eyes sparkled as she looked up at the various firearms I'd placed down.

'Whoa, I almost patted her head out of habit.'

Spending so much time ruffling Asuka's hair had apparently become a reflex. Winri's current expression was every bit as adorable as Asuka's.

"Ah, yes. It just ended up that way."

At my answer, Winri's expression suddenly turned sulky.

…Wait, why the sudden change?

"Um, noona? Why the face all of a sudden…?"

"I don't like it."

Now what didn't she like?

I sighed inwardly at her refusal to explain and asked directly.

"Noona, could you tell me what you don't like?"

"That."

"…That?"

"The honorifics."

Ah. So she didn't like me speaking formally.

'…I was trying to be respectful like with Gray noona.'

Well, nothing I could do about it. I'd just have to match what she wanted.

"Then I'll drop the formal speech? Or should I just speak casually?"

Winri's cheeks flushed pink as she nodded.

"Yes. Do that."

"Got it. I'll speak casually from now on, just like you asked."

"Mm. Good."

Winri smiled brightly and turned back to the workbench, but I could clearly see her ears burning red.

Suddenly, a message from Terra appeared in my vision. For some reason, the text felt oddly curt.

When I asked what was wrong, another message followed.

'…Come on, no way.'

Winri might look young, but she was five years older than me—an actual senior. There was no way she'd latch onto me like Asuka.

'Besides, unlike the energetic Asuka, this noona's more like a bamboo shoot that rarely leaves her room, right?'

Terra's messages came flooding in as ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if to prove me wrong.

'…Really?'

'Hey! When have I ever scattered pheromones?!'

'…….'

I couldn't argue. I knew exactly who the three were.

'…Still, Arthur's different, right?'

'…Sorry. I'll be more careful.'

I nodded solemnly at Terra's sincere advice and looked at Winri, who was excitedly disassembling the guns. Sensing my gaze, she turned to me with flushed cheeks.

"Yoo-jin! Where did you get this?!"

She pointed at the disassembled Thunderbolt (A).

"This is a pistol item! And an A-rank one at that!"

Winri's eyes sparkled even brighter.

"Firearms are already hard to come by, and an A-rank pistol?! This is incredible!"

She ran her fingers over the Thunderbolt's components as if handling a priceless treasure while firing off questions about how I'd obtained it. I gave her the answer I'd prepared in advance.

"My parents left it to me."

"Ah……"

Winri's hands froze on the parts. The excited flush drained from her face in an instant.

"…I'm sorry."

She pulled her hands away from the Thunderbolt components and set the screwdriver down with trembling fingers. Then she looked at me with a gloomy expression.

"Um, Yoo-jin… I don't think I can craft for you after all."

"…Why?"

"How could I possibly disassemble and reassemble something that belonged to your sister and brother…?"

Except the Thunderbolt was already in pieces on the table. Before I could point that out, Winri picked the screwdriver back up.

"…I'll just put it back together for you."

She actually started reassembling it. I let out a deep sigh.

"Noona."

I called her name and placed my hands on her shoulders.

"…Eek?"

I turned her around to face me.

"Noona, I'm begging you. Please upgrade the equipment with your own hands."

"Uh… u-uh…?"

Please! I need the synthesis! Upgrade my gear!

Maybe my desperation got through to her.

"A-alright, alright… I get it……"

Winri nodded frantically and removed my hands from her shoulders. After a moment of hesitation, glancing between me and the equipment, she finally spoke.

"…So you're really okay with me touching them?"

When I nodded firmly, Winri took a deep breath, determination in her eyes, and began pulling various tools from her dimensional storage. With her gaze fixed on the workbench, she pointed at the door without looking back.

It was an obvious "get out" gesture. I thanked her and left the room.

Click.

The door locked behind me the moment I stepped out. As if waiting for that exact moment, another message from Terra appeared.

'She's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not called a master craftsman for nothing. When it comes to machines, she's more serious ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠than anyone.'

So I could only look forward to the results. I returned to my room with an expectant smile.

'I wonder how much they'll be upgraded.'

&

A week after entrusting the synthesis to Winri, I spent the time hunting Corruptors alongside Gray and the members of the 9th Punitive Force. Since there weren't many Corruptors or villains in the city, we operated outside the urban area where they were more active. While building trust and coordination with the team, I finally received a message from Winri—the synthesis was complete.

I immediately returned to the base to check. (I'd borrowed the base key—a dagger—from Gray.)

At last, Death's Angel could use Holy Bullet (A) without issue.

My beloved Thunderbolt had been upgraded from a semi-automatic pistol to a fully automatic submachine gun. Since I'd lacked high-grade materials for synthesis, it had only gained the full-auto function and minor stat boosts. Still, who cared? My Thunderbolt could now fire automatically!

The final item was the result of combining OPG (A) and Ares Armor (A). The effect was so impressive that I couldn't help but exclaim out loud.

"Ha… finally."

I could escape fighting bare-handed.