Ch.44Request, Demon Hunt (12)

As soon as I returned to the lodging, I immediately crawled into my warm sleeping bag. How nice would it have been if this were a real bed?

Still, this is plenty warm enough. Is there some kind of temperature-raising magic cast inside the lodging?

Whatever the case, I’m going to get some sleep first. I’m incredibly tired after all the exhausting events since dawn.

Just as I was about to fall asleep comfortably, enjoying the warmth with a happy expression, Ha-eun suddenly spoke to me.

“I wonder where the senior I used to know has gone…”

“Inside this sleeping bag.”

I can’t see outside since I’m wrapped in my sleeping bag, but based on past experience, Ha-eun is probably looking at me with contempt.

“…Now you’re just completely like a girl.”

As if to prove it, Ha-eun spoke in a voice that sounded like she found me pathetic. It’s been a while since I heard this kind of nagging.

…But why did she suddenly blurt that out?

“I’m exactly the same as usual.”

“Not really. You’ve lost all your former charisma.”

Even if muscles were my biggest characteristic, I don’t think it was to that extent. At least I should have some charisma left, right?

“How bad is it exactly?”

“Before, when you were about to sleep, there was this feeling of ‘don’t disturb or else.’ Now it just looks like a cute girl trying to sleep.”

“…”

“Anyway, you’ve really become cute. It’s hard to believe you’re the same charismatic senior from before.”

“…Why are you doing this to me?”

The psychological shock I’m experiencing right now is no joke. I’d almost rather have Agath sexually harass me than this.

Even though my muscles are gone and my body has become incredibly weak, is it really that bad?

There’s definitely a difference in basic build. So her reaction is natural, but I think my aura hasn’t changed from before.

If that’s the case, wouldn’t I regain some recognition for my charisma if I acted more masculine like before?

“But what about me was charismatic?”

“Obviously your build.”

“Anything else?”

“Well… just your everyday conduct had charisma.”

As soon as I heard that, I made a decision. I’m going to show my usual conduct right now and prove that I’m the same as before.

Even if my body has changed, after being called a girl, I absolutely cannot let this slide.

So I immediately got out of my sleeping bag and said:

“Alright, it’s time to return to being that muscular senior from before.”

“But why is there still no charisma?”

“Just wait a bit, it’ll come soon.”

With that, we went outside the lodging.

***

I failed. And it was a miserable failure at that.

Regain my charisma? Far from regaining it, what little charisma I had left completely disappeared. Or was there any left to begin with?

Anyway, here’s what happened…

“Senior, you really can’t lift that?”

“No, I can. Just wait a little longer.”

“You can’t even lift three books?”

“But these books are ridiculously thick.”

“I can carry up to five of those books.”

“Then why don’t you try it?”

I couldn’t even lift three books because they were too heavy. Meanwhile, Ha-eun lifted them with ease.

Anyway, Ha-eun immediately looked at me as if I were pathetic and said:

“You’re so charismatic, Senior.”

“…I can really do other things well.”

Of course, what happened next was also a disaster. Here’s what happened…

“…Why is that so high?”

“Come to think of it, not only did your build shrink, but you also became much shorter, Senior. Just like a girl.”

“No, I can really reach it if I try a little more.”

Due to my reduced height, I couldn’t get a book from the high shelf. Of course, Ha-eun then used magic to get the book for me.

“…Isn’t that cheating?”

“Your frustrated look is really charismatic, Senior.”

Ha-eun said that while looking at me even more pathetically than before.

That’s when I learned that Ha-eun could use magic. I tried to learn magic but couldn’t understand it at all, so how did she get it?

Is this what they mean by the class valedictorian being different? Form is temporary, but class is permanent—is that what it means?

But why have both my form and class become such a mess?

Anyway, the last thing that happened completely shattered what little self-esteem I had left.

“Senior, at least you succeeded in getting a confession like you wanted.”

“…Could you please just be quiet?”

“But wasn’t that the first confession you’ve ever received?”

“Please just leave me alone…”

I received my first confession from someone. The problem was that it wasn’t from a woman, but from a man.

At the time, I was looking for something to prove my charisma. Then the injured person I had seen yesterday came looking for me.

And suddenly, right to my face, he said:

“I like you. Please go out with me.”

Damn, why is this world doing this to me? Before I died, I never received the confession I wanted so badly, but here I get one from someone I just met yesterday?

Even worse, the reason for the confession was absolutely terrible. I felt like I wanted to kill myself right then and there.

“Excuse me, what exactly do you like about my senior?”

“Besides your kindness and gentleness, there’s also your cheerfulness…”

I still remember what happened then because it was so awful. This guy was clearly blushing as he said:

“…seeing how cute and fragile you are, I felt like I wanted to protect you.”

This is seriously messed up. Now other people are proving that I have no charisma. And it’s someone I just met yesterday!

“…But we haven’t seen each other since we met yesterday, have we?”

“…I’ve been secretly following and observing you. I’m really sorry.”

That’s so disgusting. I’d always welcome a cute female stalker who likes me, but I absolutely do not welcome a guy like that.

Stalking is a crime, a crime! And is it okay for someone who claims to be a clergyman to commit such a crime?

To do such a thing while bearing the name of the Goddess—people like that should be struck by divine punishment.

Still, I decided to hear his reason before judging.

“Why were you following me?”

“I was guarding you to prevent Agath from doing anything strange.”

Fortunately, it wasn’t a weird reason. At least he didn’t tarnish the Goddess’s name. So he’ll narrowly escape divine punishment.

But even if the Goddess forgives him, I absolutely cannot. No matter how good the reason, I never said it was okay to stalk me.

Still, if he hadn’t confessed, I would have been willing to let it go. But the moment he confessed, that act turned into a great sin.

“But then why didn’t you help me at dawn?”

“Did Agath do something strange to you at dawn?”

“No, nothing happened.”

Fortunately, it seems no one else heard that conversation at dawn. But if he was guarding me, why didn’t he protect me at dawn?

Well, I did leave the women’s quarters urgently without any warning, so that’s probably why.

“Anyway, I’ll make you happy from now on. Please go out with me.”

I answered with a bright smile at that time.

“Please get lost right now.”

I think I was out of my mind because I was so upset.

And now we had come to a place a bit far from the temporary base. Here, at least the guard wouldn’t be able to follow us.

“But is this place really safe?”

“Yes, there are some clergy watching this area from over there, but they won’t eavesdrop on our conversation.”

“…How do you know that?”

“With my clones.”

That’s an incredibly useful ability. I wish I had something like that instead of just a gun…

…But with this body, I probably wouldn’t have much use for such an ability anyway.

“By the way, how are you planning to fight the Demon King? Ju-an said he would fight with a sword.”

“I plan to fight with magic.”

“…With that useless skill?”

“Senior, you remember what my supernatural power is, right?”

It’s definitely the ability to create clones. But what does that have to do with magic?

“Wouldn’t it be stronger to just have all your clones attack together?”

“I can create up to nine clones. And my strength gets divided by the number of clones I create.”

“Then isn’t that ability just useless?”

“But my intelligence doesn’t get divided. And magic always has a fixed power.”

That would be really useful in daily life. If I were writing a novel, I could write ten times more than others.

If it’s not novels but office work, efficiency would increase tenfold. No wonder I’m still envious of that ability.

“But I heard magic is useless in combat because of the long casting time.”

“If there are ten mages, wouldn’t the casting time naturally be reduced by a factor of ten?”

“…That’s true.”

“Senior, you’ve lost your charisma but you’re still as stupid as ever.”

The charismatic, stupid, muscular senior has turned into a weak, stupid girl. Why is life so miserable?

Still, I just need to endure for three more weeks. After defeating the Demon King in three weeks, I’ll return to being the muscular senior…

…But how am I supposed to defeat the Demon King now?

Well, I’ll figure something out. For now, I’ll do my best. Though my best might just be persuasion.

“By the way, what wish will you make when you defeat the Demon King?”

“I’ll wish for three more wishes.”

“Stop joking around. What will you really wish for?”

“Well… I think I’ll ask for about 100 billion won.”

“What will you do with that money?”

“Obviously live a life of leisure. And build a magic tower too.”

Suddenly, something strange came out of Ha-eun’s mouth. A magic tower? What nonsense is this?

So when I looked at Ha-eun with confusion, she calmly replied:

“At first I was really frustrated, but learning magic turned out to be surprisingly fun. Would you like to learn too, Senior?”

“Do you think I have the brains to learn something like magic?”

“You’re right. Even basic magic would be too much for your brain, Senior.”

I got hit with another insult out of nowhere. Where has my status as a senior gone?

I’d like to discipline her, but if I did, I feel like I’d end up being the one put in my place. Life is truly miserable.

After chatting with Ha-eun for a while, we returned to the lodging. This time, I’m really going back just to sleep.