Why Are You Acting Like This If It Wasn't Me?
Elena stared at the frozen members of the Jeokhyetdang with a puzzled look. She had simply answered their questions as instructed, yet they were reacting like this. She couldn't understand why.
'I didn't do anything special. I just used Recovery, that's all.'
Even though it came from a level 100 professional healer, Recovery itself wasn't some extraordinary technique. Most healer players used it, and even non-healers at high levels had similar abilities.
'They can't be this shocked just because I healed them with basic Recovery. Is it because I said I don't know the Wicked Dao Alliance?'
Completely clueless about this world, Elena wondered if she might actually be some incredibly famous figure here.
'There definitely wasn't anyone like that before. She must be a newly added famous NPC or something.'
Just as she was about to ask for more details about who she was supposed to be—
"Eminent Master."
"We failed to recognize such an exalted personage!"
The Jeokhyetdang members' attitudes suddenly turned servile.
"Even if all of us attacked you right now, we would only succeed in annoying you slightly."
"?"
"Today, out of respect for your dignity, we will withdraw. However, please remember this. The Wicked Dao Alliance will pursue you to the very end."
With those solemn words, the Jeokhyetdang members mounted their horses and fled in a panic. Elena watched their retreat with a dumbfounded expression, only for something even more absurd to happen next.
Out of nowhere, Lee Cheongryeo began praising her.
"To think you could pressure them into retreating without even releasing a single trace of your aura! Possessing such profound martial prowess and divine medical arts, yet also possessing such deep stratagems... You are truly extraordinary!"
No matter how much of an outsider she was, it made no sense for someone in the Central Plains to claim ignorance of the Wicked Dao Alliance. Lee Cheongryeo had assumed Elena was deliberately pretending not to know them as a clever tactic to drive the enemies away.
'What the hell is this nonsense?'
Elena, who had genuinely known nothing, could only stare back in utter confusion.
"There seems to be some misunderstanding. I really haven't done anything yet."
"How truly humble you are! I feel ashamed of myself for having grown so arrogant while being called the Sword Princess all this time."
'We're not even speaking the same language here.'
Feeling thoroughly awkward, Elena decided to change the subject.
"Um, now that those people have left, does that mean we're safe?"
"...I'm afraid not."
Lee Cheongryeo's expression darkened.
"Even though they've withdrawn for now, more members of the Jeokhyetdang will soon come swarming in. Just as they said, they will pursue us to the bitter end."
Having personally experienced just how tenacious the Wicked Dao Alliance could be, Lee Cheongryeo spoke with a sorrowful tone.
"My benefactor, I'm sorry, but we must part ways for now."
"Why?"
"If you stay with me, you will continue to be targeted by the Wicked Dao Alliance. I will definitely repay this kindness someday, so for now, let's go our separate ways."
Like hell we will!
Startled, Elena hurriedly grabbed hold of her.
"My benefactor?"
"Since things have come to this, let's stick together until the end!"
To Elena, Lee Cheongryeo was the first person she had met in this bizarre situation. She couldn't possibly let go of what might be an important NPC connected to all of this.
"...Hic."
It had been purely selfish calculation on her part, but Lee Cheongryeo's reaction was dramatic. Tears suddenly began streaming from the corners of her eyes.
"Ah!"
"Are you still hurt somewhere?"
"No, it's not that. These are tears of joy!"
The tears Lee Cheongryeo was shedding right now were tears of deep emotion. Her feud with the Wicked Dao Alliance had affected all her relationships. Everyone had abandoned her after she became their enemy—even those she had once helped. How unjust it had felt. How utterly miserable and wretched.
But now. This person she had met for the first time today had not only saved her life but was even willing to stay by her side until the end. What a merciful and magnificent person!
"M-my benefactor! If that is truly your wish, then this humble one shall accept it! There is a village called Muwichon nearby. Let us hide ourselves there together."
Why is this woman acting like this?
Unable to make sense of the situation, Elena felt bewildered by the sudden crying, but she followed her anyway.
A short while later.
Upon arriving at Muwichon, Elena thought to herself:
'Why does this village look like such a dump?'
It was in such terrible condition that a sigh escaped her the moment she saw it. Not a single proper house stood intact—everything was crumbling. The people wandering around the village all looked equally wretched.
"This Village of Inaction is a place where people cast out by the world come to live," Lee Cheongryeo explained as Elena stared in shock.
"It's where those who have lost their wealth or suffered catastrophic injuries, making it impossible for them to continue living in normal society, gather together."
'I see. So that's why we came here.'
Elena nodded in understanding. It seemed unlikely that pursuers would bother searching through such a ruined village. Still, a ruined village was still a village.
"Even in a place like this, we can't just stay without permission, right?"
No matter where you went, there was always someone in charge. Elena figured even this wrecked village would be no different, so she asked curiously.
"Isn't there someone who manages the village?"
"As expected, you're quite sharp. There is indeed a village chief who oversees Muwichon."
Lee Cheongryeo answered cheerfully, without a hint of worry.
"He is currently in seclusion due to injuries, but he was once a renowned hero of the martial world. The villagers here were all gathered out of his compassion."
In other words, he was both the chief and the founder of this Village of Inaction.
"If we explain the situation to him, we should be able to take shelter here for a while."
"You think so?"
"I'll go get his permission. Please wait here a moment."
Lee Cheongryeo asked for Elena's understanding before disappearing, brimming with confidence that she would surely succeed.
'I doubt it'll go that smoothly...'
Elena instinctively felt otherwise. She didn't think things would resolve so cleanly.
'It's always like this in games, right? Before you can do anything, they hit you with "first, do this favor for me" and turn it into a quest.'
Still thinking of this place as a game, Elena's mind operated entirely in game logic.
'She'll probably come back saying they strongly opposed it. Then I'll have to go with her, argue a bit, and end up getting some related quest. That's how it usually goes.'
Based on her gaming experience, that was Elena's prediction. What she hadn't noticed was that the villagers' gazes were all fixed on her.
In this godforsaken village, only those who fit the wretched atmosphere lived here. The typical lower-class residents were completely captivated by Elena's appearance.
'Someone like her...'
'Why is she here?'
Her dazzling, pure white beauty seized their attention. She seemed so out of place in a location like this that questions naturally arose. Even so, no one dared approach her or ask questions. They believed someone like themselves could never presume to approach such a being.
While all eyes remained fixed on her, a sudden crisis unfolded.
"Kueeeek!"
One of the villagers began vomiting. And it wasn't just food—he was coughing up blood. He collapsed to the ground, blood spraying everywhere.
"Uwaaak!"
"T-this...!"
The other villagers who saw this looked on with pity, but none of them helped. Or more precisely, they couldn't help.
'There's no doctor here!'
'We have neither money nor medicine!'
Everyone in Muwichon had nothing. There was no way a physician would come to a village like this. If you got sick, you simply suffered until you died. That was all.
But—
'Why isn't anyone helping him?'
Having no idea about their circumstances, Elena made a completely wrong assumption.
'...Ah, this must be a quest prepared just for me!'
Since no one else was helping, she concluded it was a quest meant specifically for her.
'The quest window isn't appearing—maybe it's a bug—but I can tell. This is the classic type of quest healers like me get all the time. There are tons of people around, but they're all just watching, waiting for me to step up and help.'
In the game, there had been plenty of healing quests designed for clerics, so her misunderstanding was understandable.
'This might even be the quest required to stay in the village. The chief who initially refused will see me healing the villagers and change his mind. Classic plot development!'
Once her mind reached that conclusion, she immediately stepped forward.
"There, you'll feel better soon."
Elena approached the villager writhing on the ground and reached out her hand. Just one second. That was all it took for the villager to become completely healthy.
"Huh?"
The man who had been vomiting blood just moments ago stood up as if nothing had happened. He blinked rapidly, clearly unable to comprehend his current state. He moved his body to check if he was truly alive, then suddenly shouted.
"I-I'm healed! My body's completely healed!"
His cry reached everyone. Since all eyes had already been on her, the entire village immediately noticed.
"I-it can't be!"
"That was my friend who was clearly on death's door!"
"H-he just touched him with his hand... how?"
The villagers were stunned by the miraculous sight. But their shock didn't last long.
"M-me too!"
"Please treat me as well, Doctor!"
The sick villagers, now regarding Elena as a physician, swarmed toward her.
"Please treat us for free!"
"Well, sure."
Elena casually accepted their shameless request.
'Looks like this quest requires healing multiple people, not just one.'
Thinking of it as quest conditions, she began treating the villagers. Some of them had appearances so horrifying it was hard to look at directly, but she paid it no mind.
'I've seen way worse things while gaming, so whatever.'
While she was calmly continuing the treatments, someone asked,
"Why? With such ability, why are you doing something like this in a place like this?"
'Why? Because it's my quest, obviously. Who else would do it if not me?'
From a gamer's perspective, it was such an absurd question that she answered reflexively.
"If not me, then who?"