Crossroads (2)

Luche. Ga-yun had a persistent side.

It’s not like there was a problem with my left foot, I just fell once.

Yet she insisted on returning to the hospital’s disinfection room to treat it herself.

Something like a moist cotton ball touches my skin.

I flinch as if electricity ran through my body.

An unfamiliar moan escapes my lips.

“Ahh…!”

“I’m sorry. Such beautiful skin, how could it get scratched. It’ll sting a bit again.”

“It’s really fine… Ugh!”

People falling is a common occurrence, and small wounds heal on their own if left alone.

Yet Ga-yun was making a fuss as if something major had happened.

As cold and damp as before.

But not too stinging, the cotton swab cleaned around the wound.

It seemed like she was applying something, but I couldn’t see it from my view.

“I’ll give you a spare, so you can apply a new one after showering.”

“Th… Thank you.”

“No need for thanks. It’s because of our dog that you got hurt.”

For a moment, Luche’s eyes turned to my nape.

My bare skin reflected in her dark pupils.

The weather has been getting a bit warmer lately.

Even I can’t always be completely covered up, so I’ve started wearing clothes that show a bit of my neck or collarbone.

Fortunately, I haven’t gotten any wounds.

By the way, she seems to be staring for quite a while.

I’d say it’s sticky.

I don’t feel any unpleasant emotions like ill intentions at all.

Still, I’ve been alone for a long time. When someone’s gaze continues, it feels quite burdensome.

Moreover, Luche is someone I admire.

It felt like I was being stripped naked, as if she could see right through me.

“Um, is there something on my neck?”

“Ah! I’m sorry. I just thought your neckline is so fair and pretty. Your skin is so clear too.”

“Thank you…”

Luche herself has extremely good skin too.

Even though she wears light makeup, it feels clean, you could say.

It was typically well-maintained skin.

Anyway, now that the treatment was over, it was time to go back.

As I tried to lift my backpack, there was a clinking sound.

Some uneasy premonition crossed my mind.

Good thoughts always miss the mark, and bad worries always hit the nail on the head.

When I opened the bag, the expected accident had occurred.

“Ah.”

“What’s wrong?”

“The… The glass bottle broke.”

It was the glass bottle I brought from the convenience store.

It must have broken inside the bag when I fell.

The bag was a mess because of the shattered glass pieces and the few remaining drops of milk.

I felt a bit depressed as if I had lost a precious souvenir.

As for the bag… I’ll just shake out the pieces here.

If I clean it thoroughly when I get back, I should be able to use the bag again.

I took out my wallet, important documents, and prescribed medicine, then turned the bag upside down.

I don’t carry much, so there wasn’t much to take out.

Shake shake shake shake. After pouring it out vigorously over the trash can, sparkling glass powder spilled out.

Luche, who had been silently helping to clean up, suddenly stopped.

“Clonazepam?”

“Ah… It’s not something I’ve been taking continuously, it was just prescribed this time.”

“I see. Da-eun-ssi, you’ll keep getting better. I’m cheering for you.”

Of course, it feels good to be cheered on.

I’ll do my best to become like you too.

“Come to think of it, this glass bottle… You really like Inbu, don’t you?”

“Yes. It’s fun, isn’t it? Congratulations on your opening match victory, by the way.”

“Thank you. Which character do you play?”

“Ah, um. A mage. I’m playing a fire mage.”

Lying makes me feel guilty.

Still, there was no option to answer ‘assassin’.

If it went that far, even Luche might overlap me with Gawol.

My body type matches almost perfectly with Gawol’s, and the voice is the same too.

If my connection device’s microphone didn’t have a slight echo, or if the performance itself wasn’t bad, I would have been found out long ago.

Actually… I feel like I wouldn’t mind if I was found out.

But since Luche is such an upright person, I felt a bit scared.

It would hurt too much if that kind face looked at me with contempt.

[You have received a mail: Infi…]

“You know, I was really grateful for the gift last time. I already thanked you by text, but I really wanted to thank you in person like this when we met again.”

“Hmm. I was worried it might have been too sudden. I’m glad it was helpful!”

“You can pretend you didn’t hear this, but when my body gets a bit better. And when the league ends and Luche becomes a bit freer…”

It’s quite embarrassing to make eye contact.

There was a mail that had just arrived, so I fiddled with my phone.

When I lowered my face a bit, it felt like my true feelings were hidden.

The identity of the mail is probably just an advertisement.

Or maybe it’s one of those privacy policy notices that arrive at all times.

Anyway, most of the personal information of Korean citizens isn’t worth much.

Things like names or resident registration numbers are traded in bulk for cheap, in units of hundreds of thousands to millions.

I was planning to just quickly check and close it since it’s worthless anyway.

That was the plan, but.

“Did something happen?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Thud. My hand lost strength and I dropped my phone.

I barely picked it up again and turned off the screen.

“…?”

“Um, something urgent came up. Is it okay if I go back now?”

“I’ll drive you. Where are you going?”

“It’s okay. It’s fine… I want to go back alone today.”

* * *

[Notice of Non-Identifiable Connection Device Usage]

Hello, customer ‘Gawol’. This is Infinity Security Team.

We are notifying you because the use of a non-identifiable connection device has been confirmed on your account.

Your connection device is confirmed to be a device without an official identification code.

As a result of checking the server log, no illegal programs or abnormal operations were found, but it is suspected that an excessively high sensory assimilation rate has been applied.

Under current law, virtual reality game operators must, for the customer’s safety…

…

Please reply with a convenient schedule, and our security team staff will visit.

We plan to support detailed device log checks, and the precise analysis will take about 2 to 3 weeks.

Please understand that you may be disadvantaged if intentional log manipulation or damage is confirmed during the analysis process.

…

If the sensory assimilation rate is too high, it can lead to fatal risks such as acute shock.

If we cannot guarantee your safety, service from that connection device may be blocked.

We inform you that access through other devices is allowed.

Considering that a long time has passed since you started using this connection device,

and the potential impact of temporary measures such as Arena participation, the access blocking measure has been postponed.

* * *

It felt like my breath was suddenly cut off.

I aimlessly moved the phone screen back and forth at the desolate bus stop.

All sorts of difficult words were written, but in the end, it was summarized into one sentence in my head.

‘I might not be able to play the game with my connection device anymore.’

The part about the logs is fine.

I just used a machine that wasn’t commercialized, I never once used a shameful cheat.

If there’s no problem that I don’t know about, nothing should happen.

The problem is with the sensory assimilation rate approaching 70%.

Sometimes people believe that the sensory assimilation rate is related to response speed… but that’s wrong.

If the character and brain communicate through electrical signals, the sensory assimilation rate is closer to the ‘strength’ of the signal.

In comparison, response speed is in the realm of ‘time’ it takes for the signal to reach.

Just like how the leg moves when you lightly tap the knee, as long as a certain level of strength is guaranteed, there’s not much difference in response speed itself.

A connection device with high assimilation rate is closer to a torture device that punishes me… rather than a special tool.

So when the topic shifts to ‘safety’, the conversation turns unfavorable.

– The examination results show no particular abnormality in the neck. It’s a bit swollen, but do you have any idea why?

– The guardian said your throat was sore and painful, right? Is that correct?

– Yes. When I came in, it was quite a scene. I saw her vomiting too.

– Oral tissue is quite important in the human body, and surprisingly fragile. It’s best to avoid inserting foreign objects or engaging in rough activities.

On the day I died for the first time, I suffered outside the connection device and even went to the hospital.

Even though I died cleanly because my level was low.

Thanks to that, I even received embarrassing misunderstandings.

Logically thinking, there’s no way such a machine could be safe.

What if one day I accidentally allow an attack on my left leg?

I can’t even guarantee myself if I could withstand it.

This was also the reason why the brain wave connection method became obsolete in the current connection device market.

But… I can’t help it. It’s not like I’m using it because I want to.

Because this damn leg doesn’t move. This method is the only way to fully realize all the movements I want to make.

“Is there… Is there anyone?”

As if possessed, I searched through my phone.

I had hysterically deleted my phone book at some point, so only a few names remained.

Mom. Dad. Master. Luche. Soolbbang. Sansae. Elderin. Dolgul.

Luche is not an option.

I didn’t want to pour out such worries to my idol.

I wanted to stand before that person only when I could stand proudly.

For similar reasons, Master is also out.

I don’t want to burden someone who has already sacrificed enough for me.

Two of the few candidates had already disappeared.

Now I didn’t have many people left. Soolbbang is busy, and Dolgul and Sansae have to work.

Without thinking, my head dialed Elderin.

– Hello?

“Ah, unni. I’m sorry for the sudden call. You see, I had nowhere else to call.”

– Mm, it’s okay. What’s wrong?

“Can we… meet right now? I know it’s sudden… I mean, ah. Sorry. I’m sorry. I’ll just hang…”

– Where should I go?

Author’s Note (Author’s Afterword)

This episode was a long-standing homework.

In fact, even in EP.12, there have been several mentions that sensory assimilation rate is not strongly related to performance.

However, the formula ‘assimilation rate = response speed’ was so firmly established… that it became a homework that needed to be solved someday.

I too have been enjoying game fantasy stories since about 10 years ago.

So I knew there were many such settings, but I think I took this part too lightly.

In this work, sensory assimilation rate and response speed are unrelated.

That’s why the reason pros maintain over 20% assimilation rate is not because of response speed. (EP.28)

If stabbed with a sword, to clearly feel exactly where you were stabbed, if there’s bleeding, if muscles are moving, a certain level of assimilation rate is needed. That’s why I mentioned it.

If the sensation is clear enough, there’s no need to play the game more painfully.

I believe it’s right to solve work settings within the work itself if possible,

and I judged it impossible to modify important settings in already published episodes (in a situation where readers have already read and passed).

So I waited for an appropriate opportunity, and it came in this episode.