Chapter 383

Chapter 383

Chapter 68: Growing and Accumulating (3)

Tap, tap, tap, tap-tap.

The slow sound of typing on a laptop keyboard continued.

“Siwoo…where is this…ah, here it is. Si, woo.”

It was Raschar typing one character at a time with the hunt-and-peck method to complete her search query.

When she finally pressed enter, the information she was looking for poured in.

Articles about the protests written today.

Faces of people demanding a crackdown on players.

And various mockeries centered on players.

As she took in the world on the laptop screen, raschar’s expression gradually hardened.

She found herself biting her lips unknowingly.

‘… This is too much.’

What sort of hatred do they harbor against players?

How could they be so harsh to those who struggle for peace?

She was filled with resentment that abruptly turned to self-sarcasm.

‘Perhaps it’s nothing new…’

Even in Bihar, there were many who mocked and ignored the Resistors maintaining the front lines.

It felt no different whether it was Biharin, her hometown, or the unfamiliar Earth.

Just as Hyunwoo had told her when she first crossed over to Earth.

– Don’t overdo it. People live the same here as they do there.

It was a time when Hyunwoo, whom she’d met in passing at the guild, had briefly looked over her notebook and left her this advice, easing much of her impatience.

Raschar looked away from the laptop screen and gazed at the ceiling with the bright fluorescent lights.

Thinking of Hyunwoo made things more complicated in her mind.

‘What do I want to do with him?’

She didn’t dislike him as he approached with outright affection.

In fact, saying she was pleased would be more accurate.

To Raschar, Hyunwoo was someone special.

But envisioning a future with Hyunwoo wasn’t easy.

Every day, as time passed, she had to confront her situation anew.

‘When the war ends and the guild disappears, I’ll lose my job.’

Even if she found another job, it would take time.

She would inevitably fall behind when competing with people who had grown up in this world their whole lives.

Relying on someone’s help is just temporary.

Without independence, she would ultimately crumble.

Raschar knew that, as did every Biharin.

The difficulty of that independence was something even a passing dog knew.

‘For now, our roles are acknowledged only reluctantly during wartime.’

The situation of non-combatant Biharin was not good.

Raschar, using most of her salary to support them, knew the reality of the situation better than anyone.

There was more anxiety and fear than hope for the future.

Raschar was already overwhelmed with worry for her immediate future.

Yet, was it right to not refuse Hyunwoo as he approached with affectionate interest?

Her emotional instability made it impossible to judge clearly.

In the end, she let out a deep sigh, almost as a habit.

Bzzzz-!

The smartphone on one corner of her desk vibrated.

Startled, she checked the device, seeing Hyunwoo’s name on the display.

The hesitation was brief.

“Hello…?”

『What are you doing, are you busy?』

Hyunwoo’s voice on the other side of the smartphone was comforting.

All the worries she had been cycling through just now flew away in an instant.

Raschar replied, feeling relief but also helplessness.

“Just…”

Would saying she was resting seem too idle?

But she wasn’t really training, so she couldn’t lie.

“I was resting…”

After deliberating, raschar decided to tell the truth.

Hyunwoo’s laughter reached her ears.

『Then would you like to come out for a bit? I’m in front of your place.』

In that moment, she felt an enormous presence nearby.

Though it soon faded, it felt as if he was truly there.

Raschar gulped and gathered herself to stand up.

“Ah, okay… I’ll be right out.”

『Take your time.』

His voice, mixed with laughter, faded as the call ended.

Raschar closed her laptop and moved toward the door.

When she opened the door, she heard the chatter from the living room.

Guild-affiliated female players she lived with were watching a drama in the living room.

When Raschar emerged from her room, their attention focused on her.

It was almost 10 PM.

As she headed to the entrance, her roommates initiated the conversation.

“Shar? Where are you going?”

“Is it urgent? Do you want us to come with you?”

Normally, raschar got along with them without any awkwardness.

“Ah, just…just outside for a bit… I’m not going far, just stepping out for some air.”

But today, she stammered, unsure how to explain her sudden outing.

“Okay, be careful.”

“If anything happens, contact us right away. There are more people picking fights these days, so we might be better off together.”

“Oh, okay!”

With a hurried reply, raschar left the dorm.

After descending to the first floor and glancing around the area, she quickly spotted Hyunwoo calmly sitting on the rim of a nearby flower bed.

At the sight of Raschar, he immediately removed the hat he was wearing.

Thanks to this, raschar noticed the long scar on Hyunwoo’s cheek.

“What…?”

Though it didn’t seem deep enough to be called a serious wound, it was definitely a cut.

“Are you hurt? Why didn’t you heal it with potions…!”

As Raschar hurriedly went to his side, Hyunwoo’s lips curled up.

“I lost a bet. I’m banned from healing until tomorrow.”

“A bet?”

With confusion, raschar asked again, and Hyunwoo reached out to pull her by the arm.

“We had a bet on who could perform better—me dodging or Madam Shamel trying to hit. I lost.”

Before she knew it, raschar was drawn to sit on Hyunwoo’s lap.

“She seemed delighted that I lost.”

Raschar blinked, trying to comprehend the situation.

“Ah, today’s the count’s turn…”

She instinctively muttered a typical response, right when Hyunwoo wrapped his arms softly around her waist.

He even leaned his face on her shoulder with a thud.

If she wanted to push him away, she could have.

But she didn’t want to, honestly, and so she stayed still.

The warmth on her back seemed to erase all her surrounding worries.

She couldn’t help but feel tense with the intimate contact.

“That Madam really has a nasty personality once you get to know her. She’s like a pervert, enjoying pushing around those weaker than her.”

Unlike Raschar, who was stiffened with surprise, Hyunwoo continued in a casual tone.

“Not that I’m blaming you for introducing her. I acknowledge her skills. Among the Biharin knights I’ve seen, there wasn’t anyone who wielded a spear as well as her.”

Thanks to her, he had reinforced his spear technique from the basics, he said.

“It’s just that her bad nature clashes with me.”

“Did you come all the way here just to say that…?”

Managing to force her tongue to move, raschar asked, and Hyunwoo playfully added.

“Not really, I just wanted to see you.”

Feeling her face heat up, raschar lowered her head.

“I also have some news to share.”

“News?”

“About Biharin, your hometown.”

“What about it?”

“… It’s gone now.”

Raschar was speechless at the completely unexpected news.

The silence left by her surprise was filled by Hyunwoo, who had brought the unexpected news.

“After the war ends…”

Startled, raschar didn’t notice Hyunwoo, who had his eyes closed, nonchalantly speaking.

“Personally, I recommend gathering the Biharin after the war.”

“… Huh?”

“For now, since supporting refugees is difficult, you’re spread out, but when the war ends, it might be better to unite the Biharin. There are issues with discrimination and hate crimes… If you shift the focus externally, there might be more cohesion internally toward establishing an independent nation.”

“Saying to establish a nation, what do you mean…?”

The clarity of mind that had been hazy after learning of Biharin’s destruction snapped awake.

“The Biharin deserve to demand land to settle on after all their struggles, don’t they?”

The powerful figures dispersed across nations and even the lords of the Atar Empire stationed in Europe had suffered significant losses, shedding a considerable amount of blood.

“Many countries’ governments have collapsed, so negotiations shouldn’t be too difficult. The Association will mediate. Gradually establishing a base and infrastructure… If the Biharin form a unit, it’ll be easier to adapt as you can share your cultural traditions.”

“…”

“Moreover, by uniting, you’ll monopolize Elemental Magic users. If you involve yourselves in solving environmental pollution issues, no country could easily ignore you. It was a significant problem worldwide before the war, after all.”

The void and sadness she felt a moment ago had significantly dissipated.

In fact, even the sense of that presence seemed to have faded.

The words Hyunwoo spoke were so impactful.

‘Building a country, and living among other Biharin…’

To Raschar, who had felt her future was bleak, it was like a ray of light.

Perhaps because the light was so dazzling, she was almost dazed.

But while she remained silent, Hyunwoo misunderstood the silence and added unexpectedly.

“It’s a bit shameless to say this after destroying your home, but that was the best I could do. If I was to return to that moment, I would make the same choice.”

He expressed that he had no intention of apologizing, as it was an action carried out with certainty.

Hyunwoo, who had spoken with some assertiveness, swallowed dryly.

“… Are you very angry?”

“…”

“Say something.”

Hearing the slightly stiff tone in his voice, raschar found herself more at a loss for words.

‘What is he talking about?’

Could he possibly think she’s angry at him, is that it?

Raschar was taken aback by the startling revelation.

‘How can one think like that?’

He was a benefactor who saved over a billion Biharin.

Through Gileenios, raschar had heard about the events between the two dimensions and had some understanding.

She knew well that Hyunwoo had clashed with Earth’s god to bring billions of Biharin to Earth.

How could he think she would be angry?

Especially today, when Hyunwoo had even presented a future she hadn’t dared to imagine.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had given her the strength to move forward.

Angry at such a person?

“I’m not such a shameless person!”

Raschar was so shocked that she shouted in a burst of emotion.

At the same time, she stood up abruptly and turned around, meeting Hyunwoo’s slightly surprised gaze.

Damned System.

**New Elements and Characters:**

– 라샤르 = Raschar (she)

– 현우 = Hyunwoo (he)