Chapter 428: 10. The Final Story (9/9)
Chapter 428: 10. The Final Story (9/9)
When I opened my eyes, bright sunlight blinded me. I instinctively tried to shut them again but settled for just lowering my gaze. A strange warmth was emanating from my body.
Lim Hanna was smiling faintly. With her arm wrapped around my neck, she was sleeping soundly. Whatever pleasant dream she was having, the smile gracing her lips looked incredibly serene.
From last night until the early hours of this morning, we had been together for the first time. I had to be careful since it was Lim Hanna’s first experience, but I was relieved that we had finished safely.
My only regret was that I hadn't been able to bring Lim Hanna to her climax. Still, considering the stream of sensual moans she’d let out at the end, I’d say it was a fairly successful first time.
Careful not to wake her, I slowly sat up, and Lim Hanna’s fair, naked body came into view. I thought I had been as gentle as possible, but the traces left behind were more distinct than I expected.
Lip marks were imprinted on her breasts, and on her lower abdomen was a white, blood-tinged substance. It led to that precious place of hers.
I mindlessly reached for a cigarette, but then my eyes fell on Lim Hanna. I put the cigarette back. With the hand that was about to light it, I gently stroked her hair.
“Mmm… hh… hh…”
Lim Hanna stirred for a moment, but then her breathing evened out again as she cupped her face with her hands as if in prayer.
I watched her for a while before slipping out of bed. After placing a few articles of clothing beside her, I left the room without a sound.
Rectangular patches of light and shadow were drawn across the corridor floor. The mix of cool air and bright sunlight suggested that morning had just broken.
I stretched my arms wide before taking out the cigarette I had put away earlier. Deciding to head down to the dining hall, I slowly descended the stairs. The calm and quiet atmosphere was comforting.
However, just as I was about to finish my cigarette…
“Ugh.”
Pushing open the dining hall door, I couldn't help but be stunned.
It’s a total disaster… But what are they doing?
I had expected the dining hall to be a mess. What I hadn't expected was to see Kim Hanbyul and Lee Yoojung glaring at each other from across a table.
A thought crossed my mind. I was well aware of the nature of their relationship. Without a second thought, I shouted urgently.
“Are you two…?!”
At that moment, Kim Hanbyul and Lee Yoojung turned to look at me simultaneously. Both of their faces were bright red, a clear sign of how drunk they were.
Just then.
“Oppa…”
Kim Hanbyul slowly extended an arm and called out to me in a wistful voice. I opened my mouth, dumbfounded.
“…What?”
“I don’t know… You idiot…”
“?”
Thud!
Kim Hanbyul promptly slammed her head onto the table with a loud thud.
As I stood there blinking at the incomprehensible situation, Lee Yoojung shot up from her seat and cheered.
“Heeheehee! I won! I won! With this, the greatest drinker in Mercenary is none other than me, Lee Yoojung! Everyone, worship me! Clap, clap, clap, clap!”
The tension that had spiked moments ago deflated just as quickly. Come to think of it, several clan members were passed out around the table. It seemed they’d had a group drinking competition. All night long, at that.
After celebrating for a while, Lee Yoojung staggered toward me, still clutching a bottle in one hand.
“Ugh… Oppa~. I think I’m running a fever… I’m burning up. Ah, where on earth did you go yesterday? You just disappeared without a word.”
Lee Yoojung was still in her bunny girl—no, cat girl(?)—outfit. She pulled at the collar of her costume with one hand and blew cool air down her front. The sight of her full chest, peeking out every now and then, was quite a thing to be doing in front of another man.
“Oppa, Oppa. I won the Mercenary drinking contest! Aren’t I great? Heehee!”
“…Congratulations.”
“Oh, right. The winner gets a free pass to do whatever they want with Oppa for a day. This kind of thing, that kind of thing, anything at all.”
“Don’t lie.”
I answered firmly. Lee Yoojung muttered, “So blunt,” then winked as she swished the bottle.
“Come to think of it, you’re still here, Oppa.”
“I have no intention of drinking this early in the morning. I’ll let you rest today, so you should go back to your room and sleep.”
“Aww~. But I didn’t get to have a single drink with you during the festival. Just one glass. Huh?”
Her incessant pleading eventually wore me down, and I agreed with a sigh. Of course, I didn’t forget to add the condition that it would be just one glass.
“Heehee. Wait here. I’ll pour you a nice, pretty glass.”
As Lee Yoojung staggered away, I slowly surveyed the dining hall. A few clan members were passed out haphazardly, but some, like Jung Hayeon, Woo Jungmin, Won Hyesoo, and the Old Man, were nowhere to be seen. I figured they had probably left at a reasonable hour.
My gaze fell on Ahn Sol and Baek Hangyul, who were still slumped over the table, when Lee Yoojung’s back caught my eye. She looked around, turning her head this way and that, before shrugging and tucking something into her chest.
A wild thought occurred to me—was she planning on bringing the glass over nestled between her breasts? Her outfit certainly suggested it. But when Lee Yoojung turned back around, I was relieved. She held the bottle in one hand and a glass in the other.
Lee Yoojung held out the hand with the glass.
“Ta-da! Here, Oppa. Let’s have a toast! If you don’t down it in one shot, I’m going to use that free pass I mentioned!”
“Don’t worry, that won’t happen. Cheers.”
I let out a small scoff. We raised the glass and the bottle, and the sharp clink of glass followed.
“Ah, Oppa. Actually, I have something to tell you. I thought about it all through the festival yesterday…”
Huh?
These days, just hearing that someone had something to tell me made my body instinctively tense up. I raised the glass and downed it in one go. It was at the moment I swallowed that it happened.
『You have consumed ‘Eve’s Bloodline’! ‘Eve’s Bloodline’ is an item that increases the user’s stats based on three conditions. The effect is not immediate and can be activated whenever the user wishes.』
In that instant, my eyes flew wide open. I reflexively looked in front of me, but Lee Yoojung was gone.
“What I wanted to say was! I think it’s better if you drink that! Heeheehee~!”
A cheerful voice drifted from behind me. I spun around quickly to see Lee Yoojung shaking the bottle in her hand relentlessly. Her giggles suggested she was incredibly pleased with herself.
As I stood there, at a loss for words, Lee Yoojung’s laughter abruptly stopped.
Then, her eyes widened as she brought a clenched fist to her face. She bent her knees demurely and let out a soft cry.
“Meow~.”
…
“Kya-ha-ha-ha! I did it! Success! I tricked you, Oppa! Kya-ha-ha-ha-ha!”
I let out a deep sigh as I watched Lee Yoojung cheerfully flee the dining hall.
That girl, seriously… She doesn’t even know my stats…
Of course, I understood. Given her years of experience, Lee Yoojung would never have imagined that all my stats were over 90.
But all of my stats exceeded 90 points. And the effects of ‘Eve’s Bloodline’ came with very tricky conditions.
The first condition didn’t apply to me, and the second only partially applied. The third condition opened up several possibilities, but the risk was far too great.
To put it bluntly, if I activated the effect in my current state, all I would get was a single point in Luck.
Of course, it wasn't entirely without potential.
1. Kim Soohyun: 564 / 600~
(Remaining stat points are free stat points. A total of 6 points remain.)
[Strength 96(+2)] [Durability 92] [Agility 98] [Stamina 92(+2)] [Magic Power 96] [Luck 90(+2)]
Final option. One of the user’s six stats is randomly selected and decreases by 2 points. Then, the deducted points are multiplied by 2, returning as 4 points. These returned stat points can be distributed freely. However, if the stat you try to raise exceeds the value of the tens digit of the original stat that was decreased, there will be no effect (The base value is determined by the stat before it was decreased. Also, the tens digit is taken from the decreased stat, but the ones digit is calculated as 0).
My stats and the third option of Eve’s Bloodline. I had to examine the last part of the option carefully.
In other words, the condition treated the ones digit of the decreased stat as 0 while keeping the tens digit. Applying this condition to me, the baseline would be, ‘Stats exceeding 90 cannot be raised.’ This meant I couldn't raise any stat that was 91 or higher.
To cut to the chase, it was a fifty-fifty chance. If my Strength, Agility, or Magic Power decreased, my stats would just be cut with no benefit. As for Luck, it wasn't a stat I needed, so the 4 returned points would be useless.
However, if my Durability, Stamina, or Luck decreased, it was a different story. They would drop to 90, 90, and 88, respectively. This meant there would be room to use the 4 returned points.
The best-case scenario was a decrease in Stamina. I currently had 6 points saved up. Adding the 4 returned points would give me 10 points. With that, I could secure a Stamina stat of at least 100.
Furthermore, if I added the points from future achievements? I might actually be able to raise my Stamina to 101 or higher.
But that was only if everything went perfectly. A fifty percent chance of success also meant a fifty percent chance of failure. Considering the demons and the Steel Mountains I would have to face, I couldn't afford to waste a single point.
I soon snapped out of my thoughts. After another deep sigh, I hurried out of the dining hall. She seemed incredibly drunk, and I was worried she might hurt herself running around.
Lee Yoojung’s trail led through the corridor and out the main entrance. I quickly pushed the door open, thinking I’d give her a good spanking when I caught her.
A cold wind blew, cooling my body. The next moment, as I looked toward the main gate to see where she’d gone, I froze.
Ko Yeonju was standing there.
“Go, Ko Yeonju? When did you get…”
“Just a moment ago. And Soohyun? Just a second.”
Ko Yeonju held up a hand and glanced to her side. Slung over her shoulder was none other than Lee Yoojung.
Then, Ko Yeonju raised a fist and, with all her might, slammed it into Lee Yoojung’s abdomen.
Pow!
“Gack!”
With a single scream, Lee Yoojung’s struggling body went limp. Ko Yeonju clicked her tongue, tossed Lee Yoojung aside, and gracefully approached me.
“Soohyun. She was teasing me yesterday.”
“Teasing you?”
“She suddenly called me and started showing me the festival. Fine. That part was fine. But then she started sticking her tongue out and teasing me… sob.”
“…Sounds like she deserved it.”
“Right? I was already frustrated enough, but she just had to stir things up. By the way, what’s with her outfit? Looks like she really went wild.”
When I gave a reluctant nod, Ko Yeonju’s face brightened as she exclaimed. I thought knocking her unconscious was a bit much, but I kept that thought to myself.
“Anyway, Soohyun. I really missed you!”
Ko Yeonju then opened her arms wide and threw herself into my embrace. I hugged her back and gently stroked the top of her head.
“Yes. You’ve worked very hard.”
“Don’t even mention it. I’m never going back to the User Academy, so you know. Hmph.”
“Haha. We’ll have another festival sometime, so let’s make sure you attend then. Ah, have you had breakfast?”
“No. I came straight here without eating.”
“There should be some food left in the dining hall. You must be hungry. I haven't eaten either, so let’s eat together.”
I placed a hand on Ko Yeonju’s shoulder, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she pressed her face closer, and I could feel her sniffing me.
“Ko Yeonju?”
I called her name, but there was no reply. I tilted my head in confusion but decided to let her do as she pleased.
After rubbing her face against me for a long while, Ko Yeonju slowly lifted her head. Her face, as she looked at me, was beaming. The corners of her eyes curved like crescent moons, and her lips were turned up in a wide smile… A sudden baseless—no, a well-founded—sense of anxiety washed over me.
Ko Yeonju’s lips parted.
“Soohyun? What is the meaning of this?”
“Y-Yes? What do you mean?”
“My man smells of a familiar woman.”
“…Isn’t the line supposed to be, ‘A strange woman smells of my man’?”
“That’s right. But Sol and Hanna aren’t strange women, are they?”
For a moment, I felt as if I’d seen a ghost. Noticing my stiffness, Ko Yeonju’s smile widened. Then she began to grind her teeth. The sound of her teeth grinding while her face was smiling was nothing short of terrifying.
“That’s right. A sparrow can’t just pass by a mill, can it? Hoho, those little… I was worried, and they just had to go and do something the moment I was away?”
“Ko Yeonju, it’s not like that…”
“Oh~? It’s not like that, you say~?”
Ko Yeonju leaned in close, her voice rising as she questioned me. I instinctively averted my gaze and looked up at the sky.
“The weather is lovely today.”
Ko Yeonju laughed loudly, then her eyes widened as she lifted her head.
“Ohohoho! Hohohoho! The weather is lovely? I’m freezing to death here! Look, the sky is all gloomy, how dare you try to slyly change the subject…”
It was then. Both Ko Yeonju and I stopped talking at the same time. We kept our heads raised, our eyes fixed on the sky.
Plop. Something cold touched my face and quickly melted, trickling down.
“Snow?”
White snowflakes were falling from the sky.
“Yes. It’s snow.”
Ko Yeonju said, her voice much calmer than before.
I watched the snow fall for a moment, and then a good idea came to me.
I walked over calmly and picked up the bottle lying next to Lee Yoojung. A gentle shake produced a sloshing sound, indicating there was still some left.
I started walking again. Toward a certain place.
“Soohyun? Where are you going?”
“Ko Yeonju, I’m sorry to ask this as soon as you’ve arrived, but could you bring some food from the dining hall?”
“Hmm~. I suppose eating while watching the snow fall has a certain mood to it. But I’m not really in the mood to eat right now.”
Having reached my destination, I quietly came to a stop. Before me was a grave. I turned to face Ko Yeonju. She was glaring at me with her arms crossed. But it wasn't a true glare; her eyes were narrowed playfully, so she didn't seem genuinely angry. It was her own brand of pouting, perhaps?
“It’s not that. It’s because there’s one more person we’ve forgotten, besides you, Ko Yeonju.”
“…What?”
Ko Yeonju’s eyes widened as she asked. I tilted the bottle and continued speaking calmly.
“Shin Sangyong-ssi.”
Drip, drip. The liquid from the bottle trickled down, soaking the grass on the grave. Ko Yeonju stared blankly at the grave for a moment, then blinked rapidly.
“Ch-Cheap! D-Doing this… for some reason, it leaves me speechless!”
“I never intended to hide it anyway. Let’s talk about the details later, when Hayeon wakes up.”
“Hah… Fine. Okay. I get it. You’re saying we should eat first and think later, right?”
Ko Yeonju grumbled loudly, then hoisted the collapsed Lee Yoojung onto her back. She deliberately stomped her feet as she disappeared back inside. However, I didn’t miss the faint smile that graced her lips.
I sprinkled the drink evenly over the grave. Then I looked up at the sky again.
It must have just started, as the number of falling snowflakes was gradually increasing. I brought the bottle to my lips and took a swig. Then I slowly sat down, leaning my back against the tombstone. My back felt damp, either from the snow or the spilled drink.
After staring at the sky for a long time, I took another drink. I quietly raised my palm to the air. A snowflake landed on it and instantly melted away.
Suddenly, a light laugh escaped me.
“Haha, hahaha!”
Even as I laughed, I calmly turned my head to look at the Mercenary House. The snow falling from all directions was poised to cover the entire building, creating quite a lovely scene.
As I watched, I felt all my worries melt away like snow.
I quietly muttered to myself.
“Thanks to you, I’ve been saved for now. Thank you.”
Whoosh…
A gust of wind blew past, brushing against my body. It felt as if Shin Sangyong was telling me it was okay, like his gentle smile.
I spoke once more.
“User Shin Sangyong. If I manage to finish the second playthrough… right before I go back, I will bring you back to life. If Zero Code doesn’t work, I’ll do it by any means necessary. You’ll probably enjoy being with Vivian. Ah, and a new clan member, Sasha Felix, has joined, so it might be nice for you to get to know her too.”
The wind blew again. Feeling my hair flutter in the breeze, I gently closed my eyes.
It was just… a good feeling.
Side Story End