Former Hero, Solo Play Oriented – Chapter 114

On a weekday morning, there weren’t many customers in the cafe.

“…”

Chris was sitting at a cafe table in front of ‘Hana Games’ headquarters in Gangnam, Seoul, looking out the window.

Ding-a-ling-

Not long after, the person Chris was waiting for appeared at the cafe entrance.

A beautiful woman with bright and glamorous blonde hair, wearing office attire.

Chris thought her own appearance wasn’t inferior anywhere, but this woman’s appearance was no less impressive.

The woman looked around the cafe, then smiled and approached after spotting Chris, sitting across from her.

Then she stroked her chest with an exaggerated gesture.

“Whew~! Really… You suddenly asked to meet, it was hard to make time, you know?”

“I’m sorry for making such a sudden request.”

“What are you saying! It’s a request from Chris-nim, senior researcher of Klaus Capsule Corporation, KCC! I should make time even if there isn’t any! As long as you work in this industry, it’s important to get acquainted with people from the world’s largest capsule company, right?”

“Hehe, we’re already acquainted, aren’t we?”

“Huhu, that’s true.”

The blonde woman smiled brightly.

“I have a lot I want to ask.”

Chris returned a meaningful smile.

“Team Leader Han Yeoreum.”

Han Yeoreum.

Marketing department team leader of Hana Games.

The person from Hana Games who first contacted Rain to propose an advertising model.

There’s nothing special in her career history.

But it felt out of place.

It felt like something unnatural was inserted into reality.

A similar feeling to when checking Rain’s personal information.

Who are you?

What do you know about Rain’s past?

Han Yeoreum just kept smiling brightly.

Chris stared at her intently, then glanced around the cafe.

It was unexpected that Team Leader Han Yeoreum suggested meeting at a public place like a cafe.

Chris was planning to have a secretive conversation that would be difficult to speak about publicly today. Of course, if they lowered their voices, their conversation wouldn’t be heard by others.

This place isn’t good.

How should I bring up the topic?

Han Yeoreum, who was observing Chris’s mood, smiled brightly and spoke first.

“What are you worried about? You’re going to talk about catching clouds anyway, right?”

“What?”

“It’s not about virtual reality development technology, right? Aren’t you curious about Miss Rain?”

“…!”

Chris was surprised.

How much does she know already?

Han Yeoreum nodded to herself.

“How did you come this far? Is it because you’re next to her, the irregular? Anyway, I got rough permission from my superior, so I can talk about it appropriately.”

“Superior? Do you mean AO Director Shin Kyunghoon? Or is it the CEO of Hana Games…”

“Ah, not that superior. Strictly speaking, not a superior but. Ah, you can put it here. Hmm~ Iced Americano even in winter, huh?”

Han Yeoreum smiled brightly as she sipped the iced coffee placed in front of her. Then she propped her chin and opened her mouth.

“The story I’m about to tell is about a hero who saved the world.”

“Hero?”

“You can take it as a story from a fantasy novel. That would be better for both of us.”

“…”

It was a story Chris couldn’t understand at all.

It lacked reality.

Rather, would it have been easier to accept if Rain had undergone human experiments by them and had the game’s worldview injected into her head?

A hero reincarnated from another world?

A hero who defeated the demon king but lost her companions and was broken herself?

A hero who returned with both mind and body wounded?

“…It’s a novel story, right?”

“Yes. You can think of it that way.”

Chris felt something boiling up inside her.

Her head couldn’t accept it, but her heart was filled with pity and anger.

“What about the goddess of that world!? Why did she send the hero back in such a broken state?”

“Even if we want to complain, there’s no one to ask. It’s troublesome for us, no, the original world side too, to suddenly take charge of an existence from essentially another world reborn in this world?”

Han Yeoreum made an expression like she had a headache.

“The higher dimension aims for a world that runs without gods. To be promoted to a higher dimension, gods should just exist, not interfere with the world in the form of performing miracles. But lower dimensions need gods to intervene to maintain the form of the world. Well, it appears in the form of divine power or the power of holy swords and such. Ah, of course this is all worldview talk from fantasy novels?”

“…”

“Anyway, that hero’s story is continuing in another world. Haah~ It’s the duty of beings in charge of the higher dimension to normalize a world in danger of being tainted by evil, with only its shell remaining, but we have to do it in the most natural form possible, without affecting this world.”

Chris clutched her chest.

“…But, the hero is now.”

“Mentally unstable. But she’s a hero, right? She’ll overcome it.”

And Han Yeoreum, with a gentle smile.

“It seems the hero, an irregular existence that’s like an impurity inserted into this world, has gained a mental pillar too.”

She looked at Chris with a reliable expression.

“The person connecting Rain and Lee Seulbi. The person who can make the hero ‘Rain’ exist in this world as ‘Lee Seulbi’.”

Chris shook her head in bewilderment.

A cruel story.

From the beginning, it was a difficult story to understand for her living in the product of advanced science.

Though she prepared her mind, actually accepting it is a different matter.

She had no choice but to dismiss it as a story from a novel.

“I, I don’t know.”

“Follow the hero’s footsteps slowly in the world we’ve prepared. Then someday, you might be able to accept it. Huhu, though we said it’s a world everyone saves together, it seems she’s obtaining the power she should have on her own.”

* * *

“Sister Elaine, I won’t be able to visit for a while. You shouldn’t feel lonely because you can’t see me, okay? Ah, you have your friend spirits next to you though.”

I stretched out my hand, caressing the green sphere.

Though I can’t touch it directly, as if handling something precious.

“Soon, we’ll be able to talk again. Just once, I was in your arms before. Do you remember? Hee, I’ve been through so much hardship, so this time I’m going to stay in your arms for a really long time. Though I’m in this form now. Do you have to appear in your original body? It’s fine if not, umm… I just want to hug you. I hope it’s a body I can touch.”

We’ll be able to talk.

I wanted to see Elaine’s white hair again.

I wanted to see her gentle smile directed at me again.

“Well then, I’ll be going.”

I stood up, glanced at the green sphere one last time, and turned around.

At that moment.

Woong!

The green sphere emitted an even stronger light and resonated.

The light extending from it wrapped around my waist, soon becoming a belt.

[World Tree’s Belt]

[Elite]

[Strength +50 Agility +50 Intelligence +50]

[Unique Ability: Blocks fatal damage once. However, maximum HP is fixed at 1% until combat ends afterwards (Cooldown 30 minutes)]

“Heh.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

Right, it was a game.

But Elaine’s gentle heart could be felt through this belt.

Her desire to protect me was clearly conveyed.

I bowed my head towards her.

“Thank you. I’ll protect the elves and the World Tree.”

The thick demonic fog cleared.

I walked that path silently.

And the ‘Tree of the Abyss’ that revealed itself before my eyes.

The huge hole pierced in it was slowly opening its maw.

I looked around.

Numerous heroes had gathered to stop this tree.

‘Astria Online’s first 12-person raid dungeon.

User raid parties have been formed.

Everyone will proceed with the conquest according to each raid party’s schedule.

And, one person who approached my side.

“Chris unnie.”

“Rain.”

She was looking at me with an expression like she was about to cry.

Then she hugged me tightly.

I blushed.

“Ah, unnie. People are watching.”

“Are you really going alone? Even though it’s a 12-person raid dungeon?”

“Yes.”

I nodded while in her arms.

Chris wanted to form a raid party centered around me, but I was stubborn.

This is my duty as the hero of the Astria continent.

I can’t borrow the power of people from another world in retrieving my companion.

I, as Elaine’s companion, must do it.

I looked at Chris’s face and smiled brightly.

“I’m a solo play-oriented user after all.”

“Sniff, unnie will believe Rain even if you say you’re making soybean paste with red beans, so tell me when you want to! Even if I can’t believe suspicious blondie’s words, unnie will believe Rain’s words!!”

“…?”

Suspicious blondie?

Chris held my hand tightly.

“Even if I tell you not to overdo it, you will, right?”

Nod nod.

Chris hardened her gaze.

“Alright, so Rain doesn’t overdo it more, unnie will take care of it quickly.”

Behind her, the Red-White guild members could be seen.

They all had confident smiles.

Chris let go of my hand and moved her reluctant feet towards them.

I watched her back and turned my head.

‘Raid Dungeon’.

It’s certainly not the type of dungeon that will be cleared easily in a day. It might take several days.

What’s waiting for me here is likely a demon army commander.

In the past, I faced army commanders together with my companions.

Now I’m alone.

Can I, who doesn’t have the hero’s power now, defeat an army commander alone?

But I must do it.

I looked at the ‘Tree of the Abyss’ that had finally opened its maw completely.

[Entry Level 50]

[Raid Dungeon (12 people recommended)]

[Tree of the Abyss]

[In 29 days 23 hours 59 minutes, the World Tree will completely lose its vitality]

[In 29 days 23 hours 59 minutes, this area will be covered in extreme cold demonic energy]