Chapter 3
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: A Small Warmth in the Harsh (Game) World
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After that strange first encounter, I refused to accept it as reality for quite some time. To someone like me, who had been living an ordinary life while vaguely sensing that the world felt like a game, suddenly being handed a sword like that carried heavy meaning.
"Hero, you must make a decision now. Please think of our suffering imperial citizens."
"Hero, the Sword Saint and Mage Tower Lord who will train you have already arrived. Please make your decision."
"Hero. Please make a courageous choice for our sake."
"Hero."
The emperor guy kept approaching me whenever he got the chance, pressuring me to confront the Demon God. I couldn't tell if that was all he had to say or if he was just a marionette programmed by someone to repeat those lines.
To me, who had been lounging around carefree, planning to enjoy post-discharge civilian life, it was quite burdensome. Especially since it wasn't just assigning tasks—it was demanding I kill someone else.
There was no way a modern person like me could just dive headfirst into spilling blood and hacking limbs.
"Hello, Hero?"
And that's when I met you.
"Uh... I'm Seren, a Saintess Candidate. Seren Grace. May I ask your name, Hero?"
Seren.
She was one of the few reasons I could feel any affection for Pretoria.
"Ansiu. Just call me Ansiu is fine."
Seren tilted her head at my curt reply.
"Arsiu...? Arsius? That's a nice name~"
A Saintess Candidate's words were as good as official certification, and from that moment, my name became Arsius.
I slowly opened my eyes. The sunlight filtering through the window, the modern bed and furniture, the computer in the room—it all made me nod to myself for no reason.
The faint morning light announced it was early. My romantic hope of sleeping in had been dashed by that pointless dream.
I wondered why such a familiar face appeared, but it was just a dream after all. Even though I kept wishing in my heart and words to return to Earth quickly, some memories just popped up unavoidably.
Knock knock—
The knock on my door snapped me out of my thoughts. What could it be this early?
"Come in~"
The door flew open at my words. Sihyun's eyes widened again as she spoke in amazement.
"Wow... what? You have nothing to do, so why are you up so early? You're ridiculously diligent, bro. Wait, diligent? Your habits are lazy. Weird."
"Pick one—praise or insult. And in that world, I barely had time to sleep except early in training. Probably stuck as a habit."
Aside from initial training, I was always in enemy territory equivalents for eating and sleeping, so it became my biological rhythm. My light sleeping was because of that too.
"Oh, right, you said you were a slave, bro..."
"No, not a slave—just worked to the bone."
I never said slave, so when did I get demoted to that? Who knows.
"Anyway, not the point. Bro, so you awakened, right? Yeah?"
"Awakened? Like shooting energy blasts and stuff?"
"Well... some do that. It's getting the power to hunt monsters? Those people are called Awakeners, Hunters."
Hmm.
"Then yeah, I awakened. Since I can catch them."
Just don't want to anymore.
"Okay. Then come to the Hunter Association with me quick. I forgot your rank measurement in the chaos."
"Ooh... They rank people without slaughtering them? What's your rank, Sihyun?"
"You had to say it like that... Sigh, I'm A-rank. From F to S, and above S is unranked."
"My little sis is amazing. Thanks to you, I can live easy."
"Keep the last part to yourself? Feels a bit annoying."
"Yes~"
"Anyway, hurry up, wash and get ready. Finishing early means more rest for you too."
"Got it."
Sihyun shook her head at my answer and left the room. I got up right away, tidied the bed, and headed to the bathroom.
Stripping off my clothes one by one and standing before the mirror, my body was covered in scars. Mostly lacerations from tears and cuts. Burns from fire. A hero's body regenerated fast, so most healed, but these lingered like traces of time.
Hard to erase more than this? Not sure. At least my visible arms and neck had no scars. They'd worry if they saw.
Thinking that, I finished showering, threw on some clothes, and went to the living room.
"What, you got ready fast... Bro. Dress nicer—why pick the burlap sack out of all those...?"
"It's comfy, I like it. Let's go~"
What's pretty matter? Practical is key.
I followed Sihyun to the Hunter Association. Getting stares for returning after just a day was inevitable, so I greeted them warmly.
"O~ Team Leader, nice seeing you again~ Oh, and you, sir, hello."
What's with him.
Uh, said he's here for rank measurement.
Oh. But why so hyped.
Dunno.
"Ah, bro! Hurry up!"
Sihyun grabbed my collar and dragged me to the measurement room. Of course, I didn't forget to greet people we passed.
Uh, Team Leader An Sihyun. Hello. Here for your brother's rank measurement, right?
"Yes. Measure this guy, please."
Haha, got it. Ansiu, sir. This way?
"Yep."
I waved to Sihyun and followed the staff.
But 'sir' is too much—'mister' is fine. Hmm, in Pretoria, if they called me Ansiu-nim, it'd be Arsiunimus or something. Sounds like a boss monster.
Then place your hand on the crystal orb here?
Ooh. Giant machine? No idea what it is, but there's a crystal orb in the center. I approached casually and placed my hand on it.
"Sir, what do you get for high rank?"
Hm, better than low, right? But high ranks can be drafted for dangerous gates.
Yeah. Low rank it is. I came back to be a house husband, not a laborer.
Just keep your hand steady. Almost done.
Probably measuring mana in my body, so I pulled out most of my circulating mana and energy to my other hand.
Why does it work? It just does. You should've been the hero.
Done. Check your rank sheet.
"Okay."
I took the sheet from the staff and went to Sihyun.
"Bro, how'd it go? High? Not?"
I shoved the sheet in her expectant face.
"D-rank? Why? Shouldn't it be at least B after 10 years in another world?"
"'Cause I'm weak. Destined to leech off my sis. Take good care of me."
"Well... doesn't matter. But why so annoying? Weird."
"Hey~ D is perfect middle. Being average is hardest. Take care of me, and I'm hungry—feed me."
"True... You suffered 10 years, so I should endure, but why so irritating...? No. Bro, come here."
"Ah, I'll head home first then. Samsun Jjambbong for me!"
"Hey!"
I bolted home first. Reminded me of yesterday's Legend of League—time to play again.
Fuck, eating jungle for 20 minutes? Human?
That thing's a beast bastard. I went and checked.
Wool wool?
Figuring out my identity through the game is great. Now I have justification to awaken as a house husband and live doing nothing.
What can a beast bastard do. I don't work. Feed me.
No mom?
Yeah, she passed.
Then listen to dad and live right. Slowpoke, don't play games.
Dad too.
...Sorry. Just gonna game. Sorry.
Sorry.
What. They might be good guys deep down. I immersed myself in the game, feeling a tiny warmth, a bit of affection in this harsh game world. Even the teammates who were cursing hard earlier started cheering my plays.
After a fierce 50-minute bloodbath, we won.
A precious victory through everyone's unity.