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002.

Romance Hero Academy.

It’s a female-oriented role-playing (SRPG) game that I played in my past life.

The plot of this game goes like this.

The female protagonist, Jin Soyeon, becomes a hero by defeating monsters and villains threatening the world with handsome and talented male protagonists.

It follows the typical storyline of a female-oriented romance game.

But there’s a slightly unique fact here.

That is, Romance Hero Academy is a game that skillfully combines romance and RPG elements.

Halfway through promoting RPG, the balance of strategy, combat, and nurturing is excellent, and the emphasis on exploration and collection elements is high.

From dungeon conquests, monster hunting, villain suppression, character strategies, and more. The quality of this female-oriented game is truly excellent.

I, too, as a gamer in my past life, stumbled upon the opportunity to play it with a mix of worry and anticipation.

But what’s this?

Captivating characters.

Great level design.

Threatening and powerful enemies.

A fantastic setting in Korea.

Although I didn’t have high expectations, wasn’t it more fun than I thought?

So, I played it as if I had met my first love, completely immersed in it.

I watched all the endings, collected all the CGs, found hidden elements, farmed all the items, achieved all the achievements, repeated it dozens of times, played various concept plays, and even uploaded a 100% completion video on the internet…

I was really hooked on this game for a long time.

I was so immersed in this game that I could recite the profiles of the main, supporting, and minor characters and the world settings by heart.

I searched the internet for fan fiction, novels, setting books, and Easter eggs one by one.

Well, honestly, I was half crazy about this game, wasn’t I?

However, if you were to ask me if I wanted to be reborn in the world of Romance Hero Academy, I would definitely answer ‘no.’

Because this world is a dangerous place filled with monsters and villains.

If you’re really unlucky, you could be in danger in an instant.

But why.

How come.

Am I.

Reborn as an NPC, Lee Jinhyuk…?

“Again, again. Look at you spacing out.”

“Ah.”

Startled.

I regained my senses at the clear voice of a young girl.

After snapping out of my useless thoughts, I slowly turned my head to realize that the familiar beauty was looking at me with curiosity.

It was Jin Soyeon.

The female protagonist of this world.

“Do you know you’ve been acting strange lately? Always spacing out like that.”

“Sorry, sorry.”

I replied with a faint smile to Jin Soyeon, who was expressing her doubts with a gentle expression.

“I have a lot on my mind.”

Although I had a lot on my mind, it would be rude to just think about something else in front of Jin Soyeon.

Let’s focus on Jin Soyeon now, putting aside unnecessary thoughts.

“On your mind? What’s on your mind?”

This place is Jin Soyeon’s room.

A white desk and chair, a single-sized bed, various types of cosmetics, a penguin doll I gave her as a gift in the past, and so on.

For a girl’s room, it may seem somewhat simple.

“Are you worried about academy life?”

Jin Soyeon sat on the single-sized bed, hugging a large penguin doll to her chest.

Then, she buried her face in the penguin doll for a moment before lifting her head.

It was a face that seemed to suggest she had something to tease.

“Well, our Jinhyuk barely made it through the entrance exam, so it’s understandable~.”

With a mocking expression, Jin Soyeon was teasing me, but her words were not wrong.

Because the setting of Lee Jinhyuk in the game was truly the worst.

Childhood friend NPC Lee Jinhyuk.

Talent at the level of an ordinary person, with no background.

Parents have passed away, and not much wealth.

Even with poor physical condition, despite training for a long time, growth is minimal, and the unique ability remains unawakened.

The fact that I was able to enter Union Academy was purely a stroke of luck.

It was only thanks to high written test scores and tactical simulation evaluations that I barely made it through the additional admissions announcement.

Truly the lowest of the low as a hero aspirant.

Not to mention that Jin Soyeon had no hill to belittle even the male protagonists.

Comparing abilities, wealth, background, appearance, etc., is absurd in itself.

“Oh~ Well, there’s nothing we can do. Don’t worry too much, I’ll take care of you. After all, I’m ranked 257th, you know?”

At this point, there may be one question.

Why is the setting and treatment of NPC Lee Jinhyuk so poor, a small question.

Well, the childhood friend setting is quite popular, so it is common to give it a high proportion and treatment.

But I am different. And NPC Lee Jinhyuk is different.

Because the NPC named Lee Jinhyuk was created with the premise of ‘Retire’ in mind.

“If you’re 257th, you’re barely in the upper-middle ranks. You don’t seem to be that great to be showing off like that, do you?”

“Yes~ Next is the last place~.”

To put it more bluntly, he is a character sacrificed for Jin Soyeon’s mental awakening.

Well, why.

Isn’t it a common setting in the hero genre?

When a hero’s family, lover, friend, etc., die, they awaken hidden powers and defeat their enemies.

Also, handsome and cool men comforting the woman protagonist who is crumbling from loss and gradually opening her heart.

It’s really a part that can be called a cliché.

I remember playing this game in the past and thinking, ‘Ah, it’s so cliché,’ but… if it’s my story, the words change.

Rather than being cliché, it feels like my heart is pounding so hard it might burst.

‘Of course, there is a route to survive…’

“Anyway, I’m glad you got into Union. If only I had passed too.”

At that moment, Jin Soyeon hugged the penguin doll tightly and lay down on the bed.

“Isn’t that right?”

I quietly watched Jin Soyeon, who was smiling broadly, with her head turned to the side.

She seemed happy to have passed Union Academy together, but for me now, my feelings were mixed.

“Jinhyuk, you were your dream, right? To get into Union and become a hero.”

“That’s right.”

In the past.

“That’s right? Why are you talking in the past tense?”

“Just because.”

To be precise, it could be said that it was a dream until about a month ago.

To get into Union, the best hero training institution in South Korea, and become the best hero.

But now, that’s not possible.

Because about a month ago from now.

I realized one thing.

“I barely passed as the last place, just like you said. I started to wonder if I really don’t have the talent to be a hero.”

“Huh? Why are you acting so unlike yourself, Jinhyuk?”

Past life.

I recalled the damn memories of my past life.

“Surely I didn’t back down just because of a few words I said, right? Right?”

“There’s no way.”

As someone who knows that this world is very, very similar to a female-oriented game, I could no longer enjoy academy life aiming for just a hero.

Because I knew about the many incidents and accidents that would happen at Union Academy in the future.

And what might happen to me and Jin Soyeon.

I knew everything.

“That aside, Soyeon.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

I quietly gazed into Jin Soyeon’s clear eyes for a moment before mustering up the courage.

Her questioning pupils shimmered with a golden hue.

It seemed as if her eyes possessed a bewitching power that could draw a man in.

“I have something to say to you.”

“Something to say?”

I bit my lower lip lightly after hesitating slightly, knowing that once words are spoken, they cannot be taken back.

But after carefully contemplating for a month since awakening memories from my past life, I concluded that it was necessary to have this conversation.

For the sake of both Jin Soyeon and myself, and to establish a new relationship with her in order to lead a normal academic life.

“What’s wrong? Why are you hesitating so much?”

Jin Soyeon blinked her eyes.

Her head tilted from side to side, looking adorable with just that simple movement.

“Huh?”

Suddenly, it clicked.

“J-Jinhyuk, are you…?”

Jin Soyeon’s expression turned surprised, wrapping her arms around herself.

What’s with her sudden change?

“I didn’t see it that way…!”

“What?”

And then, slowly.

She moved her hips, creating some distance between us.

“Are you trying to take advantage of your mom being away on a business trip…?”

“…”

“Kyaa~ Pervert~! Beast~! Jinhyuk, I never thought you would have such thoughts! No matter who you are, some things are off limits…”

“…”

“Uh, um. Jinhyuk? You’re not going to accept it?”

“…”

As I stared at her with a bewildered expression, Jin Soyeon gently scratched her cheek with a smug look.

“Hmm. People are so unpredictable.”

I stared at Jin Soyeon, who was twirling her hair absentmindedly and lost in her own thoughts.

Muttering to myself, “Why isn’t she playing along these days,” I observed her.

Avoiding my gaze, Jin Soyeon cleared her throat and mustered up the courage to speak again.

“S-So, what did you want to say, Jinhyuk?”

“Oh, well… it’s nothing special.”

Thanks to Jin Soyeon’s unexpected joke, there was a slight delay, but I knew I had to say it anyway.

But thanks to Jin Soyeon, the atmosphere had lightened up a bit, which was fortunate.

“Soyeon.”

“Yeah?”

“Let’s break up.”

“Huh?”

On the day of the academy entrance ceremony, right after the start of the game.

I declared my breakup to Jin Soyeon, the heroine and female lead of the romance novel aimed at women.