episode_0022

Episode 22:Big Gain

[Sub Quest: 『The Clever Girl’s Misunderstanding』]

Actually, Lee Aram was also a quest for me.

For reference, the quest details were as follows.

[Details: Lee Aram misunderstands you as a dangerous person. Lee Aram is friends with the Han Somi, Yoo Eunha, Hong Jahee group. Before a small misunderstanding causes big trouble, resolve the misunderstanding with her friends.]

As you can tell from the explanation, Lee Aram is one of Han Somi’s friends.

And excluding Lee Aram, everyone else had spoken to me at least once.

And the Status Window must have recognized them as my first friends.

“Friends, huh.”

I clicked my tongue softly and ended up chuckling to myself.

I had people I met and worked with on a business level.

But I had no one I could call a friend.

But now, in my 2nd round, I’m finally getting friends.

“I’m not sure.”

Honestly, I’m not sure if they’re even friends.

With Han Somi, I was desperate to lower my loner-ness at the time.

I just helped her, who had taken it upon herself to clean stubbornly alone.

With Yoo Eunha, we were in the same group during the morality class group discussion class.

It was just a discussion, so we couldn’t help but talk.

With Hong Jahee, we did play several rounds of games together.

So I suppose she’s the closest existence to a friend.

“First of all, the definition of a friend is ambiguous.”

Not Justice but Definition.

The definition of a friend.

Usually, kids who worry about things like this are loners like me who don’t have friends.

But always, in physics as well as math.

Definition is important.

If you can trust and rely on each other, are you friends?

Are you friends just by hanging out together?

“Even after signing the marriage registration and stamping the seal, I was betrayed and so on.”

I was talking about my life in the 1st round.

Like this.

To define ‘friend’ in a single sentence, there are too many exceptions and counterexamples.

Perhaps like the Peano axioms for defining 1+1=2 in mathematics.

It might be followed by countless axioms and their corollaries.

In the first place, I don’t really like math.

Maybe physics, but not that.

Anyway, honestly, that Lee Aram quest.

The content about resolving misunderstandings with friends, and so on.

I didn’t particularly feel like doing it.

“But it got cleared?”

[Quest successfully cleared.]

Just now, it had just cleared as I left Lee Aram in the faculty office and came out first.

On the other hand, I hadn’t specifically tried to clear the quest.

It wasn’t because I was trying to defy the Status Window.

It stemmed from my 37 years of life experience.

A misunderstanding is like a tangled thread.

The more you try to untangle it, the more complicated it tends to get.

So rather than trying to untangle a thread that’s become tangled and tangled.

It feels more refreshing to just cut it with scissors.

Or just leave it alone, not caring if it gets tangled or not.

If it’s going to get tangled anyway.

I might as well tangle it myself and throw it away.

So I did the exact opposite of what the quest details instructed.

Rather, I tried just doing whatever I wanted to do, letting the misunderstanding pile up more.

But it got cleared anyway?

[Clear Grade 『Sub A-』]

And with a not-bad grade of A- at that.

Well, whatever happened with Lee Aram.

It’s a huge gain for me.

Ding!

Because from A grade clear onwards, you can get additional rewards.

[You can choose one of two rewards.]

During the group discussion class, it was S grade range, so I could choose one out of three.

This time, since it was A range, the choice was one out of two, with one fewer option.

“Haha, just as I thought.”

But looking at the reward selection window that popped up, whether it was two or three didn’t seem to matter much.

[1. 『Back in the Day Essential Item for Ins-sa: North Face Himalaya +3 Enhancement』]

[2. 『Beginner Life Point Jar』]

Aside from the fact that there was one fewer option to choose from.

The reward from the group discussion class was perfectly identical, including the content.

For reference, when I cleared Hong Jahee’s quest at the PC Bang, the same thing appeared.

It was so absurd that I had also put that reward on hold.

And the same thing popped up again this time.

“Honestly, tell me, Status Window.”

At this point, no matter how dense I am.

I think I get it now.

“You’re a NorX Face part-timer, aren’t you?”

This bastard Status Window.

You’re really determined to make me wear the Himalaya, huh.

What on earth is that coat that you’re making such a fuss about it being an essential item for Ins-sa?

Even now, when I walk around the hallways, the kids who are like “I’m pretty cool~” are all wearing North Face padding in various colors like Popeye.

But I’m a regressor, so I know.

As time goes on, the number of those Popeyes will gradually increase.

And by the time it’s the 2nd year, nearly half of the guys and girls will be dressed like that.

“Okay. Does that mean you want me to join in?”

But no way.

[Continuing to hold the S+ clear reward for Sub Quest 『Group Class Together』.]

I kept only the group discussion class reward on hold, which was the first one I postponed.

[Selected 『Beginner Life Point Jar』 as the A+ clear reward for Sub Quest 『Mommy Crisis!』.]

[Selected 『Beginner Life Point Jar』 as the A- clear reward for Sub Quest 『The Clever Girl’s Misunderstanding』.]

I went all-in on the jar without thinking for the other two rewards.

The reason I specifically kept the first reward on hold was.

Because there might really come a time when I need the Himalaya because I need the stamina stat.

And also, because I wondered if that ‘Essence of a Loser’ might be useful somehow.

Simply put, it means injecting the loser energy accumulated over my 37 years into someone else, making that guy a loser like I was in my 1st round.

Ugh, just thinking about it makes me feel sorry for them.

Anyway, there’s no harm in keeping one on hold.

[Opening a jar grants an additional +1~3pt Life Points.]

[Opening 『Beginner Life Point Jar』.]

I immediately opened one jar.

Then, along with the jar-breaking effect, it flashed! and the result appeared before my eyes.

[Acquired 1pt Life Points.]

“You son of a bitch.”

I knew this would happen.

It’s written that you get 1~3, but the unwritten rule of opening jars is that you only get 1.

For reference, the person who made this should be paid their salary with a jar too.

Salary Jar, yields 30,000 to 5,000,000 won, they won’t come to their senses until they receive only 30,000 won for 12 consecutive months.

[Opening one more 『Beginner Life Point Jar』.]

[Acquired 3pt Life Points.]

It’s a joke.

The person who created jars or random boxes like this might actually be a far more fair and just being than the god who created this world.

[Life Points: 4 → 8pt]

“Seriously, I’ve accumulated a record amount.”

The 8 points of Life Points, a record amount accumulated from clearing quests so far, and from opening the jars just now.

Where should I use all of this?

The Privilege Store still sells few things, and there are no items worth this much.

Of course, there’s an answer.

It’s ‘All-in’.

[Purchased 8 『Potion of Intelligence Increase』.]

[Life Points: 8 → 0pt]

I invested all my Life Points into Intelligence.

Stamina?

If I feel like I’m lacking stamina while studying, I’ll invest then.

Charm?

Does your face feed you?

Yeah, these days, faces feed you better than studying, but.

[Used 1 『Potion of Intelligence Increase』.]

Defiantly rebelling against that spirit of the times.

I wanted to try it just once.

[Intelligence increases by 1.]

[Intelligence: 16 → 17]

And so I raised my Intelligence.

[Used 1 『Potion of Intelligence Increase』.]

[Intelligence increases by 1.]

[Intelligence: 17 → 18]

And raised my Intelligence again.

[Used 1 『Potion of Intelligence Increase』.]

[Used 1 『Potion of Intelligence Increase』.]

I kept using the Potion of Intelligence Increase.

When I had used 4, leaving 4 potions remaining.

[Intelligence stat has reached 20.]

[Further detailed sub-stat differentiation is possible.]

A pattern I hadn’t seen before appeared.

Differentiation into further detailed sub-stats?

[※Intelligence stat will be distributed into 5 stats, allowing for more detailed stat investment.]

[※If not distributed, it will be automatically distributed into the 5 sub-stats with equal weighting.]

“Hmm, roughly the difference between buying an ETF or buying individual stocks.”

I don’t understand it fully.

But maybe if I just raise the Intelligence stat without differentiating, it feels like becoming well-rounded smart.

If I differentiate and invest, maybe I can customize my intelligence as I want.

Putting that aside, what could the detailed sub-stats that make up Intelligence be?

“Okay. Let’s differentiate.”

I’ll just experience it directly.

For safety, ETF is the best.

But if you want to get better returns.

Ultimately, you have to approach it with individual stocks.

[Intelligence stat is subdivided into sub-stats.]

[The 5 detailed sub-stats of Intelligence are unlocked.]

And just like that, the 5 new stats for Intelligence started appearing before my eyes.

[Memory]

[※The ability to memorize knowledge and information as it is. Corresponds to a computer’s memory.]

[Current Value: 2]

[Calculation Power]

[※The ability to perform mathematical formulas and calculations within a fast time. Corresponds to a computer’s CPU and GPU.]

[Current Value: 2]

[Perseverance]

[※The ability to consistently expend energy on a problem regardless of emotional fluctuations or condition. Corresponds to a computer’s power source and power.]

[Current Value: 7]

[Concentration]

[※The ability to effectively draw out and utilize the currently given abilities. Corresponds to a computer’s software.]

[Current Value: 6]

[Creativity]

[The probability of manifestation of uniquely human emergent ideas that cannot be explained by any other ability.]

[Current Value: 3]

[Current Total Intelligence Value: 20]

“Wow, heck… This is insane…”

I was truly amazed.

It’s not just about getting smart by raising intelligence.

I can get smart in the direction I want.

For example, something like this.

Can you really say someone is smart just because they are good at math?

Everyone is smart in different areas.

Especially, someone might become a walking medical encyclopedia in medical school with incredible memory.

But if they go to the math or physics department with only that kind of memory, they will clearly struggle intensely.

Because math and physics are not just about memorization.

Conversely, the opposite is also true.

No matter how creative and persistent a mathematician or physicist is.

If, claiming to devise a groundbreaking surgical method, they just *poof* send a patient to heaven, their life as a doctor is over.

“Well, that’s obvious…”

Of course, I have no intention of preaching such an utterly obvious and common argument.

“Surely, this won’t apply…? No way…”

The part that truly amazed me was, surprisingly, something entirely different.

Woong.

I take out a potion from my inventory.

Not the Potion of Intelligence Increase, which I bought a lot of earlier and used 4, leaving 4 remaining.

[『Potion of All Stats +1 Increase』 1]

The Potion of All Stats +1 Increase I received as a basic reward from the morality class group discussion quest last time.

I took that out.

Originally, I knew it would increase Intelligence +1, Stamina +1, Charm +1.

Increasing by 1 each like that.

But now that Intelligence has been differentiated into 5 detailed sub-stats?

“Surely, truly…”

Gulp!

Carrying anticipation, I swallowed the Potion of All Stats +1 Increase in one go.

Woong!

It was right after.

Ding! Ding!

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Ding! Ding!

The Status Window started popping up one after another before my eyes.

[Stamina has increased by +1.]

[Memory has increased by +1.]

[Calculation Power has increased by +1.]

[Perseverance has increased by +1.]

[Concentration has increased by +1.]

[Creativity has increased by +1.]

[(※Intelligence stat has increased by a total of +5.)]

[Charm has increased by +1.]

“Alright! This is amazing!!”

I cheered right there.

At the same time, I jumped up and down as if doing double dutch jump rope.

Minimum effort and maximum gain.

In other words, tremendous efficiency.

For a true hardcore science type like me.

It’s only natural to get goosebumps and even feel ecstatic over things like this.

“Hey, hey, why is he like that?”

Then I soon realize.

“That’s that kid from Class 10… Han Gyeongjun…”

“Let’s take the long way around via the middle stairs even if it takes longer. There’s nothing good to come from getting involved unnecessarily.”

That where I’m making a fuss in real-time is still the middle of the hallway.

“…What on earth are you doing there?”

And the fact that Lee Aram, who was returning to the classroom belatedly, had been watching everything right behind me.

“…”

Of course, she didn’t notice that I was actually a regressor.

And a guy who lives an easy life because he can see the Status Window.

That’s also understandable because only I can see the Status Window.

In the first place, even if I told her, she wouldn’t believe it anyway.

And she would immediately treat me like a crazy person.

“You saw.”

However, I’m not ashamed.

Because I completely stopped living while worrying about what others think, after the 1st round.

So, with the most serious expression of my life.

Looking at the clear sky beyond that window, I proudly told her.

“Even if I told you, you probably wouldn’t understand.”

“…I don’t even want to know… Really…”