Chapter 96
Illustration
Goeunbi and Doctor Park were characters who assisted players in the initial stages of the game.
Goeunbi brought trending information, rumors, urban legends, and various gossip to naturally flow into the story for the protagonist Kang Hanbyeol and make the early game engaging for the players.
And Doctor Park, having lived in the mountains for a long time, supported the clueless Kang Hanbyeol in worldly matters and helped players understand the settings necessary for progressing in the game.
“I may have been a know-it-all in my past life, but my knowledge is limited.”
I only know the information necessary for progressing in the game.
I didn’t know detailed things like when certain events would occur, the exact timing of specific incidents, the history or culture of certain regions, or information about students not mentioned in the game.
Those roles were fulfilled by Goeunbi and Doctor Park.
It was inevitable for me to have a good relationship with Doctor Park.
“Moreover, Doctor Park is harmless like Eunbi. No, should I say even more harmless?”
While Goeunbi was lively and proactive, Doctor Park had a calm and passive personality.
As a result, unlike her, he didn’t directly cause any events.
He didn’t influence the story.
It meant he didn’t have a story that was independently related like Lisa, Minarin, Nam Yuri, or Chae Eunsol.
It could be said he had nothing to do with bad endings.
“It’s not like there’s no ending at all.”
The game didn’t only have bad endings.
Although the ratio of bad endings was high, there were also normal endings.
Among them, there was one normal ending related to Doctor Park.
It was an ending where the player minimally intervened in the story and it occurred at the graduation ceremony.
“Kang Hanbyeol.”
– Park Sa-goon.
At the graduation ceremony.
Kang Hanbyeol, leaving behind regrets about school life, dreams of living as a hunter in the future.
And after being in the same class for three years and deciding to work together as hunters, he asks his close friend Doctor Park.
“Kang Hanbyeol.”
– Are we still friends in the future?
As the dialogue ends.
An illustration of Doctor Park, smiling brightly behind his glasses, appears.
With his illustration as the background, the ending credits slowly appear.
[After graduation, Kang Hanbyeol and Doctor Park realized their dream of becoming hunters and explored the world.]
[Sometimes they fought back to back, sometimes clashed due to differing opinions, sometimes exchanged punches, and then reconciled over drinks…]
[Having spent so much time together, they came to see each other as companions in life.]
[Feeling understood, in sync, and comfortable, they find happiness.]
[They enjoy it. They are content with this life.]
[But occasionally, a sense of emptiness creeps in, and at those times, they think,]
[What would have become of us if we had lived different lives during our student days?]
[….]
[It’s meaningless to dwell on.]
[Time cannot be turned back.]
[Moving forward, they will continue to rely on each other and live, until death separates the two.]
[One day, the world came to an end.]
[─ Normal Ending ─]
Known as the friendship ending with Dr. Park.
It might seem like an abrupt world-ending, not a bad ending, but it is indeed the normal ending.
It’s labeled as normal in the game, and since there is no mention of how the world ended or how Kang Hanbyeol died compared to a bad ending.
From the players’ perspective, this was considered satisfactory enough to be accepted as a normal ending.
Anyway.
“It’s a bonus to becoming a squad leader. I can now create a connection to get closer to Dr. Park.”
Having more connections isn’t a bad thing.
I shook hands with Dr. Park, feeling inwardly satisfied.
At that moment, Lisa subtly let out a sigh.
“But, Gyungwoo, who’s the person next to you?”
“Oh, right.”
Besides me, Lisa, and Dr. Park, there was one more person at the table.
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It was Min Arin, who had become part of the same team as me.
For those who didn’t know her, a separate introduction was necessary.
“Well, Lisa vaguely knows her, right?”
Lisa and Min Arin already had a connection.
During the entrance exam, there had been an occasion when I coincidentally cooperated with Lee Gahyun’s doppelgänger.
However, the situation was so urgent at that time that we didn’t have a chance to greet each other.
Realizing this fact, I decided to officially exchange greetings with each other at this moment.
It seemed like Lisa was also hoping for an introduction.
“This is Min Arin, who happens to be in the same class as me this time. She’s our class representative. Arin, these are…”
“Suddenly, don’t call me by my name as if we’re close, please? I’m Min Arin from Mado Min Clan. Nice to meet you.”
Min Arin, who had followed me by chance, seemed disgruntled and had a sullen expression.
As I tried to introduce her, she reluctantly introduced herself bluntly, as if she couldn’t help it.
Min Arin’s personality was quite…
Despite this, Lisa remained indifferent.
“I’m Lisa Grace. We met once during the exam, right? I was really thankful back then.”
“…Grace… you say? Perhaps…”
In contrast to Min Arin, Lisa Grace introduced herself gracefully with an elegant demeanor.
Min Arin, who had been acting all high and mighty with her arms folded, turned her head towards her in surprise upon hearing the surname Grace.
Min Arin tried to ask cautiously, but Lisa just smiled without confirming anything.
Then she said, “We’re the same age, and here we’re just students, so feel free to address me casually.”
“Ah…”
Though not explicitly stated, that was as good as confirmation.
Only then did Min Arin show confusion, not knowing what to do.
“Lisa is of royal descent.”
As I informed her directly, Min Arin’s face contorted.
However, Min Arin was still Min Arin.
“Oh, you’re a princess. Yes, okay. No, okay. Since this isn’t an empire, and we’re the same age as students, let’s just be casual. Is, is that okay?”
“Yes, that’s more comfortable for me too. I’ll do my best from now on.”
“I, I’ll do my best too…”
Min Arin didn’t admit her mistake.
She knew she had been rude but tried to brush it off as casually as possible.
Her voice was trembling, though.
Meanwhile, she blamed me quietly in my ear.
“Why didn’t you tell me beforehand? If you had told me earlier, I wouldn’t have been rude. If she says something about our family, you’ll be responsible, you know?”
“Suddenly, don’t whisper in my ear as if we’re close?”
“Ugh…”
“And why should I be the one taking responsibility? Who gave them the right to judge people as they please?”
“You…”
Despite her fierce appearance,
Surprisingly, Min Arin wasn’t good at arguments, especially when criticized for her mistakes, she would be at a loss for words.
Having lived a life where she was accepted by people in Mado Min Clan, it was understandable.
She probably had never been in an argument before, or been criticized.
“Still, don’t worry about it for no reason. Lisa would never be that kind of person. Treat her casually. But don’t underestimate her.”
“Be, a pillow? How did you…?”
How did I know.
Naturally, I knew because it had come up in the game before.
Min Arin unintentionally hurt others with words different from her heart, or when she felt anxious or worried, she would angrily smack the pillow.
「Min Arin」
―Why did I do that…?
Afterwards, she buried her face in the blanket and let out a sigh.
I recalled her struggling with self-blame and shuddered.
Of course, I didn’t say anything to her.
Soon, I decided to introduce her to the doctor.
“You heard her name earlier, right? Although it’s the first time we’re meeting today…”
“I know, you’re the doctor. I’m Min Arin from the Mado family. Hello.”
“Doctor it is. Nice to meet you.”
Min Arin greeted as if questioning when she had done such a thing.
It might have been unpleasant to witness that attitude.
The doctor accepted it casually.
To him, who had familiarized himself with her information beforehand, it was a response within the expected range.
“But what were you doing?”
“I was waiting for the instructors. I came to receive instructions as the class representative, but had to step out briefly due to something that came up.”
“Both of you were?”
“Yes.”
I shifted my gaze to the desk in front of Lisa.
The desk of the homeroom teacher and the desk of the assistant teacher.
Among them, the nameplate with a familiar name on the homeroom teacher’s desk caught my eye.
Punishment Officer Suho-guk.
Fortunately, he seemed to have become the homeroom teacher of Ganghanbyeol according to the flow of the game.
“I can breathe a sigh of relief.”
It was regrettable not being able to see Suho-guk, but living in the academy, there would come a day when we would meet.
Initially, he was an instructor in swordsmanship.
I could see him enough in class.
“I hope the instructors return soon. We should head out.”
“Yes, see you later this evening.”
We couldn’t linger in the office.
We could sense the instructors’ watchful eyes.
After exchanging a few more words, I left the office with Min Arin.
Exiting the office, Min Arin walked down the corridor with Do Yeonwoo.
“Arin.”
“Why do you keep calling me so familiarly when I asked you not to?”
“We’ll be working together a lot in the future, so what’s wrong with calling you comfortably?”
“Sigh… Fine, then why?”
“Which dormitory are you in?”
“Chwiok Dormitory.”
“Really? I live there too. We can go together then.”
“…”
She said it without thinking.
In the end, Min Arin found herself walking back to the dormitory with Do Yeonwoo.
She felt a sense of defeat as she realized she had no desire to engage in conversation, only answering briefly to his questions.
‘Ugh, I really don’t want to…’
It’s not that she disliked Do Yeonwoo.
It was just that returning to the dormitory with him felt awkward, uncomfortable, and burdensome.
It was unavoidable today since they had exchanged contact information.
In her heart, she wanted to part ways here, immerse herself in contemplation, and return to the dorm alone.
Above all,
‘He’s her friend.’
The disciple of the Seven-Colored Witch, Yeon Ha-neul.
Do Yeonwoo was her childhood friend.
As someone who had been defeated by her in the past, Min Arin couldn’t help but feel uneasy about his acquaintance with Yeon Ha-neul.
Just the fact that he was her friend made Min Arin’s favorable impression of him plummet.
But she couldn’t come up with an excuse to go back to the dormitory separately.
‘Wait, why should I avoid him? I’m Min Arin.’
She wasn’t sure why, but it felt like she was the one backing down, which naturally sparked a sense of resistance within her.
Her pride wouldn’t allow it.
In the end, she decided to endure the discomfort and walk back together.
Meanwhile, he seemed oblivious to her feelings and kept striking up conversations.
“Hey, Arin.”
“I told you not to call me familiarly.”
“Arin.”
“Add ‘Miss’ before my name.”
“Min Arin, Arin.”
“Ah, why!”
By this point, it seemed like he was doing it on purpose.
That thought crossed Min Arin’s mind.
Dodging his anger and calling out her name, Do Gyunwoo’s snide tone was irritating.
“I just called you because I was bored.”
“….”
Yeah, it seems like he’s teasing her.
Min Arin felt a moment of embarrassment.
Her pride was hurt, and in a fit of anger, she almost cast a spell on him.
But he was not just an ordinary student; he was a skilled martial artist.
Without a valid reason, she couldn’t attack him recklessly.
If she were to attack him under the pretense of calling him a friend, people would surely mock her.
It was a very childish excuse, that was clear.
Considering her poor academic performance and the ridicule she faced in her family, she had to be careful.
“Fine, do as you wish.”
She barely suppressed her emotions.
With a grunt, she decided not to entertain his jokes anymore.
Ignoring him was the best course of action.
It didn’t matter if he called her by name or not.
Come to think of it, what difference does it make being called by name?
Before she knew it, she allowed him to call her by name comfortably.
“Arin.”
“Yeah, sure.”
However, the subconscious is a powerful thing.
As Min Arin got used to being called by name by Do Gyunwoo, she gradually lowered her psychological defenses.
It was partly due to his nonchalant attitude, as if he knew everything about her, and his persistent efforts.
In her mind, he became someone she was somewhat comfortable with.
And then it happened.
“Ah! Gyunwoo!”
“Gyunwoo!”
Calling out Do Gyunwoo’s name,
Two women were walking down the hallway in front of them.
One with brown hair was unfamiliar, but the other was a familiar face.
‘That’s…’
With a puzzled expression, she noticed the blue hair.
Above it were rabbit ears sticking out.
She was a disciple of the Witch in Seven Colors.
Yeon Haneul, who gave her the first sense of defeat in her life during the entrance exam.
Seeing her, Min Arin couldn’t help but stop in her tracks.
Meanwhile, Do Gyunwoo, who spotted the two women, approached them with great delight.
The young sky was the same.
She pushed aside the female student who was with him and rushed towards him.
“Gyeonwoo!”
“Yeah? What’s wrong? Is something the matter?”
“No, it’s just…”
Yeonnaneul rushed into his arms.
Gyeonwoo, placing his hand on her shoulder, was puzzled by her reaction.
Without answering his question, she lowered her head into his embrace.
By then, the brown-haired female student caught up with her.
“Haneul must have missed you so much. Right, Haneul?”
“Yeah….”
“Is that so?”
The female student laughed cheerfully.
Startled, Yeonnaneul, who had fallen away from Gyeonwoo, nodded her head with a puzzled expression.
He could only chuckle.
“But what are you guys doing here? Could it be that you…?”
“Haneul and I became class representatives. So, we’re on our way to the staff room to listen to the instructions. But seeing you guys… Gyeonwoo, are you one too?”
“I also became a class representative. It’s strange, isn’t it?”
“Really? You too, Gyeonwoo? Seriously?”
“Yeah, really, me too, seriously. Am I that good at being a class representative?”
Yeonnaneul’s face brightened instantly.
The three of them chattered excitedly about what was so fun.
“Hmm….”
Min Arin, a few steps away from them, quietly observed them.
She felt somewhat embarrassed.
It was hard to believe.
“Is that the same person?”
Even now.
In Min Arin’s memory, the image of Yeonnaneul, who had held a hammer high and brought it down forcefully on herself, was vividly etched.
The fear, terror, and sense of defeat she felt then still lingered.
But watching her act cute with Gyeonwoo created a sense of discord.
And what followed made it even more pronounced.
“Gyeonwoo.”
“Why?”
“I’m sorry…. I’m now….”
“Yeah? What are you sorry for?”
“My tail… Can you touch it?”
“Yeah? Right here, right now?”
“No. Please touch it.”
“Yeah??”
“Make me forget everything.”
“….”
Yeoneul gently tugging on Dogyeonwoo’s collar while talking to the female student.
As she whispered something to him, he hesitated for a moment and then slyly moved his hand.
His hand was heading towards the girl’s buttocks, avoiding her gaze.
Eventually.
“Uh….”
Dogyeonwoo’s hand.
Grabbed Yeoneul’s tail!
Minarin’s yellow eyes widened.
“Yeah, that’s it….”
“As expected… it’s different from the rest….”
“Sigh…. I got used to this hand, so other hands feel like….”
Yeoneul’s expression was filled with ecstasy.
Her body, curling her legs, gradually leaned towards Dogyeonwoo.
“What are they doing.”
Minarin, who blankly observed the scene, was dumbfounded.
She couldn’t understand what she had seen.
Her tongue involuntarily twisted and dried up.
Then, Dogyeonwoo took out some candy.
“Oh, right. Haneul.”
“Uh… Why?”
“Wanna try this candy? It’s a scorched rice flavor.”
“Candy? Where did you get it from?”
“I tried it and surprisingly it was delicious. So, I thought of you and brought it. It’s a gift from me.”
“Really? Thank you, I’ll enjoy it. Yum.”
“Oh! Greedy! Gyenwoo, that’s mine!?”
“Sorry, I’ll buy you one next time.”
“Just taking care of Haneul….”
Dogyeonwoo feeds Yeoneul the candy he had given her a while ago.
Once again, Yeoneul’s face changes.
Minarin frowned.
“That’s the one I gave her….”
Strangely, she felt low-spirited.
It was clearly a candy she thought she wouldn’t like, so she gave it to Dogyeonwoo, and naturally, the ownership belonged to him.
As the candy entered Yeoneul’s mouth, it felt like she was being deprived of the candy she should have eaten.
She felt uncomfortable.
At the same time, her eyes seemed to sparkle as if she had come up with a clever idea.
“Hmm…. I see.”
Even if she pretended not to, she understood.
The relationship between the two was quite unusual.
Min Arin kept her eyes fixed on Do Gyunwoo, capturing the endless sky with a determined gaze.
It was a completely different face from when she had pinned herself to the ground on Honrim Island, her eyes glowing red in the night.
“Yes, that’s right.”
If things go well, she might get a rise out of him.
Having finished her calculations in her mind, Min Arin smirked.
She walked towards Do Gyunwoo, who was engrossed in conversation.
“Hey, Do… Gyunwoo!”
“Huh? Oh, right, you were here too. Let me introduce you. You probably already know her, but this is Min Arin… Huh? What is it?”
“She’s asking us to go back together. Let’s go quickly. We have a lot to do, you know?”
“Just a moment, let’s at least say hi to them…”
“Them? We’ll see them again later. Greetings can wait.”
Swiftly.
Min Arin caught Do Gyunwoo’s arm and dragged him along forcibly.
He seemed quite flustered to have her suddenly grab his arm.
In truth, she was flustered too.
But she suppressed her emotions and tried to appear as nonchalant as possible.
Then, she looked at the bewildered Do Gyunwoo and the female student in the unexpected situation and said,
“What should I do about this apology? We have something to discuss as representatives moving forward, so I should go first. I’ll take Gyunwoo with me. Goodbye!”
“…”
Min Arin hugged Do Gyunwoo tightly between her arms as if to show off.
She smiled at the female student and then led Do Gyunwoo down the corridor.
As for the female student,
“…”,
She stood frozen in place.
Silently watching the two disappearing down the corridor.
Shadows crossed her face.
“H-Haneul…?”
“…”,
“Are you okay?”
“…”,
Standing beside Haneul, Goeunbi couldn’t help but feel the tension.
She cautiously called out to Haneul.
But no matter how many times she called, Haneul remained silent.
“…”
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The silence was becoming unsettling for Goeunbi.
It was no atmosphere for jokes.
How much time had passed since then?
A voice finally escaped Haneul’s lips.
“What’s with that woman?”
“Y-yes…. A-hahahaha….”
“Device….”
“Oh, heavens, calm down!”
The voice that flowed out was harsh and chilling to the core.
The red eyes of Yeonhae shone brightly.
Goeunbi had to remove the needle to calm her down.