Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Otherworld Cheat Harem.

Episode 62: Trauma (2)

Cheat ability.

The mysterious superpower acquired when falling from Earth to another world.

However, none of us ever questioned the reason behind our cheat abilities. Deokgu simply brushed it off, saying it was just the way things were, while the others were either too busy, too preoccupied, or simply uninterested to care.

But even with a slight interest, one could easily discern the origin of their ability. Seoyoon, who roughly grasped the structure of her ability overnight, called Deokgu and me to reveal what she had discovered.

“This is like our trauma.”

“…What?”

“Trauma, don’t you know? T-R-A-U–”

“No, it’s not like we don’t know the spelling.”

Deokgu rested his chin and pondered deeply. Even while thinking, his ability was at work, searching in a corner of his brain for people with abilities like theirs.

“Trauma, you say… What kind of trauma would result in such an ability?”

“How would I know? It’s your ability. Wouldn’t you know better?”

“If this were trauma, I would have become a superman capable of beating up thugs like Kang Hanyoung. I imagined it all the time.”

However, Deokgu’s ability was to read information recorded in the world. He could gain an informational advantage, but not a power advantage.

Listening quietly to their conversation, a question arose in my mind.

“Yoon, why do you think that?”

“…My ability changed.”

“Changed, in what way?”

“I can’t explain it in words. Just like you can’t explain your heart in words. But what’s certain is… this is a manifestation of our traumas and complexes.”

Hearing those words, I recalled my ability. [Master of Women’s Heart], which had now evolved into [One Who Dominates all Women].

‘Seriously… what kind of trauma results in this kind of ability?’

A guy who’s never even dated, let alone been with a woman.

What kind of trauma leads to acquiring such an ability?

It was more realistic to have a skill in swordsmanship, like I falsely told them.

“…So, why are you telling us this?”

Deokgu, who had picked up all the bad habits since coming to this other world, asked with a cigarette in his mouth. Seoyoon extinguished the cigarette with her ability and spoke.

“I don’t really care… but I thought you guys should know.”

“Us? Why?”

“You want to go back to Earth, right?”

Saying that, she met my eyes. Those eyes were warmer than before.

“If that’s the case, we must do anything. Anything…”

Trauma.

The dictionary defines it as a permanent psychological injury.

In simpler terms, it’s a wound of the heart.

When it gets severe, it can develop into PTSD or a complex…

‘…Not being able to meet women is a wound to my heart?’

I recalled my school days. Days filled with gray. The memories, burned to ashes, remained fragmented and incomplete.

They just remained like residues in my memory, proving that such things happened.

Days made of iron, blood, and ash.

‘Guess it was enough to be a wound to the heart.’

At that time, I had illusions about romance. I genuinely thought there might be a miraculous power that would heal my body and mind, like in comics or dramas.

I wanted to escape, even if it was in that way. If I didn’t hold onto hope in some way, I would have become a completely lifeless sword.

“Wait a minute…”

However, there was something strange. It’s one thing for me, but why do the other kids have such abilities?

‘Hanyoung is a delinquent who beats up kids when he’s bored, and… Gahee, who was an idol trainee, has singing as her ability.’

People’s minds are really hard to understand, but no matter how you look at it…

“What are you thinking about?”

A clear voice like rolling jade beads, and just as they say, a tiger appears when you talk about it, Gahee was standing in front of me.

She wasn’t wearing her usual clothes but rather a rare dress-like outfit, and I could immediately tell what it was—performance attire. In other words, the kind of outfit you’d wear during a performance.

“…Why the dress?”

“This? Isn’t it pretty? Dahee made it.”

“Dahee?”

“…Don’t tell me you don’t know?”

I didn’t know the name. However, if someone who could make her dress was named Dahee, there was only one person it could be.

Wasn’t she the girl with the ability to have her hands move twice as fast? Probably. They were always together…

‘What kind of trauma does she have to have an ability that makes her hands faster?’

Thinking that, I met Gahee’s eyes. Considering we didn’t even make eye contact a few days ago, it was a significant change for her to stand confidently in front of me now.

Reflecting on the fact that I did nothing to reconcile with her, it was quite a change.

“Why did you come?”

“…Do I need a reason to come?”

“Of course. You’re not just anyone… you’re an idol.”

A business tool following a minute-by-minute schedule.

The words spoken, the actions taken, everything manipulated for their own benefit, a manufactured star.

Having been an idol trainee, she must have received some training.

“…If you already know everything, there’s no need to act coy.”

Suddenly, her tone changed. It was as if she had become a different person in an instant. As I looked at her with a surprised expression, she shrugged as if wondering why I was so shocked by that.

“In this world, you’re like a sponsor. Even if the sponsor is a bald, pot-bellied man in his 50s, I have to pour drinks with a smile. We can’t keep bickering forever, right?”

“Since I’m the sponsor, you’ll yield?”

“That’s right. I’m an idol.”

Watching her say that so nonchalantly, I grinned. She was not like an idol, but more like a warrior with an axe heading to the battlefield.

“Impressive.”

“Impressive, isn’t it, boss? Then use some strength and push me forward.”

“How? There’s no TV or radio here.”

“There’s magic, isn’t there?”

She twirled around, her dress fluttering flamboyantly. While momentarily distracted by the swirling hem, she slowly stepped away into the distance.

“My image would be projected onto the sky. Like a hologram video! Or maybe I could fly through the sky singing… Ah, would my panties show then?”

“Hey.”

“What’s wrong, boss?”

I looked at Gahee, who smiled brightly. Her beauty was stunning. A natural appearance maintained with modern scientific cosmetics.

‘Why does someone like her…?’

Anyone could see she was a celestial idol, someone with no hesitation in her skills, so why did she have a complex about her singing ability?

Perhaps it was because I had forgotten, given the warmth and the lack of worries about survival, that Earth might be more of a hellish place than I thought.

“…Alright. Do your best.”

“So plain.”

With those words, she began to hum a tune to herself. True to her name as the Singing Princess, it was an utterly beautiful song.

A month had already passed since the newspaper’s launch. The very first issue, published in the early days, had become a rare treasure, impossible to obtain even for a premium price. Those who had once used it as mere kindling were now left regretting their actions, pounding the ground in frustration.

“Finally… the newspaper is on track.”

Dojin, while munching on snacks in Deokgu’s room, looked outside the mansion. The nobles or the merchants’ attendants who visited the mansion every day were nowhere to be seen today.

And for good reason—starting with today’s fourth issue, advertisements had begun appearing in the paper.

[желим те]

Incomprehensible letters, unreadable to those without magical talent, floated in the bottom right corner of the newspaper.

Even those who couldn’t read the letters because they lacked talent likely realized that the Magic Tower was behind us.

In this world, where all conveniences operate under magic, no one wants to offend the Magic Tower, which holds authority comparable to that of the papacy.

“Yeah, for now, they might only see the influence of the Magic Tower… but soon, people will realize the positive functions of the newspaper.”

“And if other merchants start making their own newspapers…”

“My ability just increases.”

Deokgu’s ability was a wiki written by the unconscious minds of people. The more people knew about the information, the stronger his ability would become.

This was one of the reasons for creating the newspaper. Even if other merchants copied the medium of the newspaper exactly, it wouldn’t be a loss.

Of course, there was concern about false news tailored to the tastes of the nobility spreading… but such things couldn’t be prevented, newspaper or not.

What we could do was distribute the newspaper as widely as possible, so that many people would know the correct information.

That was the best we could do.

“Now that the main issues are resolved… Gahee is the problem.”

“…That’s right.”

“Why did you even promise to support her idol activities?”

“It just happened.”

Deokgu felt a slight annoyance towards Dojin, who only seemed to create more work, yet ironically, he found fulfillment in these challenging days.

“Master, I brought the tea…”

“Oh, thank you.”

A maid approached the weary Deokgu and handed him tea. She also offered it to Dojin, but he shook his head and declined.

Then, he looked over at her face. Her plump cheeks were hardly comparable to when Deokgu first brought her.

She grew so quickly; it seemed as if she was stealing Deokgu’s flesh. Deokgu began to smile warmly, as if her appearance was pleasing to him…

‘This guy, he bought her with the intention of having a harem, yet he doesn’t even touch them…’

Watching him, one might be confused whether he was building a harem or playing Princess Maker.1

Dojin, observing Deokgu, turned to look out the window. In the distance, carriages were approaching one by one.

Dozens of carriages, each with different merchant symbols.

“They’re coming.”

“The merchants are late.”

“Aren’t they rather early? Ah, could you bring some refreshments to the reception room?”

“Sorry? Yes! I understand!”

Dojin and Deokgu, having steeled themselves, made their way to the reception room. Before long, the room was bustling with merchants eager to place advertisements in the newspaper.

Dozens of carriages halted in front of the mansion. Orion gazed at the scene intently from afar.

‘A dangerous individual.’

The reason for investigating the mansion’s owner, Dojin, was quite trivial. His career was exceptionally unusual.

The more she learned, the stranger he seemed.

He suddenly appeared in Dungeon City five months ago.

He achieved Level 2 within two months.

He had a record of imprisonment, but no record of release.

He had connections with the Saintess and the Magic Tower.

By spreading information through the medium of newspapers, it also contained special details that would be impossible to know unless one belonged to that particular race.

For example, elves had ears as erogenous zones.

For example, beastmen had tails as erogenous zones.

For example, the monster Arachne had silk-spinning holes as erogenous zones.

‘Why do they only write about stuff like that…?’

However, one thing was certain: Dojin had informants connected to each race.

And that meant he was a very dangerous existence.

To the extent that she contemplated taking Dojin’s life…

‘Who exactly are you?’

Orion’s eyes followed Dojin as he moved around inside the building. Simultaneously, he quickly turned his head and locked eyes with her.

“What the…?”

Startled, she hid behind a tree, cautiously peeking out to check.

Dojin had already vanished from sight.

ED/N: A Japanese simulation game where players are tasked with raising a young girl into adulthood. ↩️