Offline (2)

You should respect me.

I am the winner of the national kendo championship, and recently I’ve also won the Infinity Arena.

At the same time, I’ve never dropped from the highest tier since I started InBl.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that I’m undoubtedly the best assassin user at this point.

Also, I’m a proper adult, and I can prove this with the ID in my wallet.

Although my body may look young on the outside, the fact that I’m an adult over 20 years old doesn’t change.

So, so…

Can you just move away a little bit?

I think you’re too close.

“Da-eun’s hair is really nice. What shampoo do you use?”

“The cheapest one… from the internet.”

“Eek. That’s a crime. You should use something better for hair like this. It’d be a waste if it gets damaged. What about conditioner?”

“I buy it with the shampoo. Usually, it’s discounted as a set…”

“I really should report this. I think I’m getting jealous now.”

This won’t do.

I just can’t ask them to move away.

I was confined in Sansae’s, I mean, Kim Sin-a’s embrace.

It’s not like I was physically restrained or anything. It’s just that we were so close our bodies were touching.

Moreover, Sin-a was gently arranging my hair.

Yet, the reason I was acting as if I was tied up with rope was… because of the soft flesh pressing against my back.

I couldn’t say anything about this.

My face felt hot, so I just kept my head down.

I’m still a man after all. It’s not that I dislike it… but I felt guilty about enjoying it too much.

The feeling of strength draining due to the prick of conscience.

If I’m not careful, I might just melt away like this.

“Can I touch your cheek?”

“Yes…”

“Ooh, I thought so. It’s totally baby skin. It feels good, so soft. You’re not wearing any base makeup now, right?”

“I put on some lotion.”

“How can the world be so unfair?”

Sansae’s hand caressed my cheek.

She pressed my cheek firmly with her fingers gathered, then stretched it out along her index finger.

Meanwhile, Elderin started to neatly braid the side of my hair.

From the looks of it, it seems no one intends to save me.

Elderin was focused on her delicate hand movements.

Uncle Dulgul was just watching with eyes like he was looking at his daughters.

Even if I asked for help, he’d probably just laugh “Hehe” and do nothing.

Soolbbang… I’m not sure. That guy seems to be as awkward as me.

He kept glancing this way as if he wanted to look but didn’t have the courage.

So, a savior had to appear from outside.

Just before all my vitality was drained away.

A restaurant employee came in, and I could breathe again.

“Your ordered meat is here. This cut is…”

The tray he brought was full of delicious-looking meat.

The marbling spread like a white net between the red flesh, drawing my gaze.

As expected, it seems expensive restaurants grill the meat for you.

He kindly explained how to eat each cut to make it tasty, and which sauce to dip it in for the best flavor.

Instinctively stimulated in the realm of appetite, my mouth watered.

Elderin, I mean, Serin, glanced at my face and smiled gently.

I must have shown my delight too obviously.

The host of today’s gathering proposed with a triumphant face.

“Shall we start eating first?”

“Yes!”

* * *

My sense of taste is now more sensitive than before.

I can detect very detailed flavors, like the savory taste of melting fat, or the deep flavors permeating the meat.

So the beef was delicious.

So much that I forgot to manage my expression, and the corners of my mouth lifted widely.

I understand why women like exploring good restaurants so much.

If I could feel this happiness at every meal, even I would be obsessed with finding new delicious places.

However, as much as my sense of taste became more sensitive, there was one part that became weaker.

“Hoo-eup, haa. Hooooo.”

It’s that I can’t eat hot food well anymore.

Unlike in the past when I could eat anything well, now I had to blow on hot soups like stew several times before I could eat them.

I put the salty soybean paste stew in my mouth.

The orange-tinged soup moistened my tongue, and I even sucked the spoon clean, afraid I might spill.

After swallowing a mouthful of white rice, I smiled brightly once again.

In the midst of such happiness, there was one thing that couldn’t be missed.

“Should we order a few bottles of alcohol? Da-eun, are you allowed to drink?”

“I told you I’m an adult.”

“Hmm…”

Everyone’s making faces like they don’t believe me.

It’s true though.

The suspicion surrounding me only ended when I took out my ID.

I, Han Da-eun, am already twenty-three years old this year.

As the atmosphere warmed up, the ordered alcohol arrived, and a buzz started in my head.

Sansae, Sin-a’s embrace was warm.

I liked the arm wrapped around my waist as if hugging me, so I placed my hand on top of it.

It’s warmth. The warmth I’ve longed for so much.

The warmth that can only be felt between people has finally come to me.

It was so much warmer than any shower water.

As my body warmed up, there was something that bothered me a bit.

It was Soolbbang. It seems the women are more comfortable with me, and now I’m even in Sansae’s embrace.

Soolbbang, lacking in social skills, seemed unable to speak up easily.

That’s not right.

Right now, I’m feeling incredibly good!

This big sister will give you a chance to speak too.

“Come to think of it, what are you all planning for the next season? Especially Soolbbang, you were originally in castle sieges too, right?”

“Ah, in my case, I was just in a mercenary guild that took subcontracts, you know?”

“Yeah. It’s hard to aim alone, but not completely powerless either. Pfft, it’s just because the guild master is weak.”

“Hey! I’m pretty strong, you know!”

“I don’t think so? Prove it with strength then.”

“On second thought, I might be weak after all.”

Soolbbang laughed at his own words.

That was funny, so I laughed too.

“This time, our guild, Sin-a noona’s guild, and Serin’s guild, the three of us are going to challenge a rural territory. Dulgul hyung will wrap things up soon and come to my side.”

“Hmm, so you’re going to try independence this time?”

“Well, something like that. I think there’s a possibility.”

With the next patch announcing multiple small-scale siege areas, mid-sized guilds have the opportunity to become independent.

As securing resources became more important, the need for more personnel increased.

Siege warfare, which used to be the exclusive domain of ultra-high spec users, has become more accessible to a wider range of people.

The fact that the number of participants has increased means the situation has expanded.

It was natural that the existing powers’ grip has weakened.

Now, with Soolbbang’s level of influence, they might be able to aim for a territory in the borderlands.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You’ve become too big of a deal to just ask to come. You must have received offers from much bigger guilds by now, right?”

“Well, that’s true. Hmph…”

Elderin picks up some meat with chopsticks and brings it to my mouth.

I’m not a child, no matter how you look at it.

But I’m in a good mood now, so I quickly ate it.

Of course, joining a big scene means getting big rewards.

But that’s the reward the guild receives, which is different from the scraps that fall to me.

I didn’t want to choose one of the two powers that have been dominating the siege scene so far.

If possible, I’d prefer to take requests from both of them.

It’s best for me to just extract the honey pot from a place that won’t have a big impact on the overall situation.

“Hmm…”

“Don’t answer now, do it later when you’re sober. We’d feel uncomfortable if you accept now. It’d seem like we made you drink for this purpose.”

“I didn’t suspect that. I’ll do that then.”

Elderin’s consideration is quite thoughtful.

Indeed, this wasn’t an issue to promptly answer just because I’m feeling good now.

I should think about it a bit more.

That’s the end of the next season talk.

Whether intentional or not, everyone tried to change the topic.

Even then, the subject didn’t stray from the game.

Since we gathered to celebrate my victory, naturally, Arena talk came up.

Moving past the second preliminary round stories to the group stage of the main tournament.

We got to the battle with Reaper.

“Hmph, back then, so many people said I would lose.”

“Right. You made a promise too, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. I said I thought I would win. I was really confident.”

“If you hadn’t won then, were you really going to reveal your face?”

“I don’t know. Why would I worry about that when I was absolutely not going to lose?”

I must have been wanting this.

Of course, I was happy when I won, but having these few people congratulate me by my side made me much happier.

Maybe it’s because I’m tipsy.

Drunk me seems to have become a bit more emotional.

I keep grinning even at small things. I smiled happily, wondering how long it’s been since I laughed like this.

The conversation flowed along with the passage of time.

Like when I silently exchanged daggers with Reaper, or Crow’s corpse bombardment.

There were stories that only I, who fought there, could tell.

The fortunate thing was that no one at the table asked about my swordsman.

It was probably consideration. Anyone could see I wasn’t in a good state then.

However, there was something we all overlooked.

“But why did you cry after winning?”

“Huh?”

“You did well in the interview but suddenly cried because of salmon. You’re more tearful than I thought?”

That drunk me had become more sensitive than I imagined.

And as Soolbbang said, this body of mine is extremely tearful.

To the point where even I can’t control it well.

A joke that would have been just a bit mischievous normally.

But when he mentioned salmon, I suddenly thought of my mom for some reason.

I even started feeling depressed, thinking I was being made fun of.

“Why, why are you teasing me suddenly…? Hic. Sob…”

“Huh? Hey, are you crying? No, I just… I didn’t mean to go that far. I mean…”

“What are you doing!”

“Da-eun, come here. Big sister is here.”

Soolbbang received scolding from the two women for over 30 minutes.

This… might be quite nice.

Is this why they say a woman’s tears are a weapon?