episode_0013

Episode 13. A Crazy Woman’s Karma.

“······.”

“······.”

A chilling silence lingered between them and us for a moment. They must have expected a refusal, but not such a firm one.

The man in front looked okay, but the man with glasses behind him, who was listening to the conversation, turned red.

“Hey······ You could have just said no, did you have to say it like that?”

“I just said no.”

“Ha, people don’t just talk in words······.”

He probably wants to talk about the attitude. I understand. Her attitude is hard for normal people to understand.

“Let’s go. Mr. John. I don’t think we need to listen anymore.”

“Yes.”

We immediately walked past them. I felt their piercing gaze on my back. It felt like I was facing the hot summer sun head-on.

I could hear them muttering something behind me. Saying she’s a crazy woman and stuff······ I agree.

But isn’t it stranger not to go crazy after so many suicides?

I think she’s amazing for maintaining this level of personality. If it were me, I would just······

‘I don’t think I could treat people as people.’

A life that can be restarted over and over again. What’s the difference between that and a game? The people around you are the same. You’ll just feel like they’re NPCs in a game.

Thud─ Thud─

***

Now, a familiar blue mass rushes into the space between the skull’s eyebrows.

Whoosh─ Crack!

[You have acquired 51 gold.]

“Behind!”

Rustle─

At my signal, she stretched her sword backward without even looking. Her sword goes first, followed by her waist.

The power transmission is insufficient, but it is a way to produce a rapid attack.

Now the only skeleton left was the one charging toward me. A stupid skeleton, gnashing its teeth and throwing a punch.

Thud, the skeleton’s fist is blocked by the shield. It’s a much better shield than before.

There was almost no vibration transmitted to my body. I stabbed the long sword into the skeleton as it was.

Thwack!

Unlike soft and elastic muscles or fat, a hard sensation traveled through my hand and into my brain. Soon the skeleton collapsed powerlessly.

“······.”

“······.”

After defeating all the monsters, she and I squatted down and disassembled the skeleton’s big toes. It’s a quick task, so the two of us stood up in no time.

Sara Kim said.

“That was easy. Even with eight.”

“Yes.”

Better equipment, and combat skills that have improved in just one day. Thanks to that, we achieved exponential growth. I quietly opened the status window.

[Gold – 5621]

A considerable amount of gold has been accumulated. Thanks to the senior I met at the guild. I had originally planned to buy equipment today, but I decided not to buy it.

I still have the dagger I had, but I disposed of the shield. That’s because I got a better shield from the senior.

‘The big toes I’ve collected so far are worth 300 gold. Just a little more to go.’

The goal is 10,000 gold. With that money, I can buy a [Magic Book]. Although it is low-grade, it is much appreciated for me now.

‘The more skills, the better. It means I have more cards to play.’

Of course, it’s not just wizards who can get skills with money.

Warriors and archers can also learn skills by visiting instructors residing in the Adventurer’s Guild. Most will charge 10,000 gold, though.

‘Is it impossible to achieve today’s goal? But it’s definitely possible tomorrow.’

I have to think about food and renting a room, so I can’t spend all the money. It’s probably going to be difficult today. It’s okay. We have tomorrow.

At that moment, I felt uneasy.

Whoosh─

I immediately turned my head and looked at the source of the feeling. There was a dense thicket of grass tall enough to hide a person.

“······.”

Are there any birds? Still, Marim is still a forest, so there are animals like ordinary rabbits. Although there weren’t many of them.

But I ruled out that possibility.

‘A person. It was definitely a person.’

There is a habit that I developed after coming to the tower. It was the habit of scanning the surrounding scenery every certain period of time.

It was a disposition that I didn’t have in reality, but I’ve always been doing it since I awakened my perfect memory ability.

Even if I only take a quick look, the scenery I see is imprinted on my brain like a video, and this is a very useful act.

In everyday life, I used this habit to catch pickpockets, and in battle, I could grasp the entire situation of the battlefield in a matter of seconds.

‘Traces of a person. It definitely wasn’t there before I caught the skeletons.’

I’m sure. I can guarantee that I have already surpassed computers in terms of remembering things. I can’t be wrong.

‘······I need to be careful.’

This wasn’t Earth. I must always be vigilant and cautious.

“Ms. Sara.”

“Yes?”

I quietly whispered to her. That someone was watching us, to be aware.

“······Yes. I understand. This is all thanks to that trait, right?”

“Yes.”

“But let’s keep hunting for now.”

“Okay.”

Her expression seemed quite calm. As expected of an infinite regressor. She and I turned our steps again to find new skeletons.

***

Fortunately, I didn’t feel the gaze anymore after that. Of course, I didn’t let my guard down. Basically, I trust myself very much.

I thought it was a trace of a person, so it must be a person. Well, it might not have been a nefarious purpose. Human minds are unpredictable.

Two days have passed since we started hunting in earnest. Fortunately, because we moved to a room with two beds, there was no more chance of getting saliva on her chest.

“Shall we go? Mr. John?”

“Yes. Please wait a moment.”

“Okay.”

It’s already the 4th day since I fell to the 1st floor. The tower still hasn’t sent any messages.

I felt a little uneasy, but there was nothing I could do. I’m just getting stronger day by day.

She and I headed to the outskirts of the city with familiar steps. Now it felt like I was going to work. So is this my first job?

“Good work.”

“Yes. You’re cleared.”

After passing the familiar-faced guard, we walked through the field toward Marim. Then suddenly, I turned my head back.

“Huh? Ms. Sara?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Don’t you think there are more modern people these days?”

She turned her head slightly following me, but immediately looked forward again. She didn’t seem very interested.

“Yes. I guess so.”

But I was quite interested.

‘Modern people and natives are mixed together?’

They even seemed to have formed a party together. This was the first time. Well, it could be up to this point. But why particularly······

‘They’re the natives I encountered after finishing my first hunt. The four-man group. Next to them is the five-person party that offered to join us on the 2nd day.’

There are many strange coincidences in the world, but somehow I kept getting nervous. It felt like they were joining forces targeting us. An unpleasant feeling crept up from my toes.

‘Tsk, it doesn’t hurt to be careful.’

I felt like I made eye contact with one of the men in the group, perhaps it was my imagination.

Thud─ Thud─

However, thanks to the increasingly lush trees of Marim, the guy was no longer visible. I walked forward while keeping an eye on the back until the end.

.

.

.

“That guy, that guy. I think he noticed?”

“Huh? What?”

“You know, that pale guy next to that crazy woman. He looked like a gigolo.”

“Ah~ that self-proclaimed swordsman?”

“Yeah. That guy.”

The man who made eye contact with John said, looking to the side. There was a huge man with fluffy white fur on his chest.

“Brother Bao, didn’t you say you definitely heard it? That a super rookie who uses magic appeared in the guild?”

“I heard it. I was able to hear it vividly because there was an acquaintance drinking alcohol at the house.”

Bao continued.

“He’s definitely the one. Noble-like white and smooth skin, and a black-haired bitch next to him. He was definitely said to be a magician. Not a swordsman.”

At those words, the man started laughing.

“Wow, is it okay to lie to someone from the same hometown like this? Brother? You’re really too much.”

“I agree. I heard you guys came from a village far away in the east? Truly, the most precious thing in a foreign land is not money but the bond of hometown. You’re a foolish guy.”

“Hehe, that’s right, Brother Bao. My heart hurts so much. How should I soothe this wounded heart?”

Then Bao grinned, revealing his yellow teeth. It was not much different from an animal’s teeth.

“Truly, a man heals his heart through women. Just trust this Po-Bao’s words.”

“By any chance, am I the nth one, Brother?”

“We have to go fairly. The guy who kills that pale son of a bitch is the first.”

“Oh! As expected, you have a big heart, Brother.”

Bao smiled satisfactorily at the man’s flattery and raised his finger to point at Marim.

“Let’s go. It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten such a high-quality bitch. I’m going to get some nourishment.”

“Yes. I understand, Brother.”

Soon, they headed into the forest with lewd smiles hanging on their lips. The man muttered, already touching his heavy lower body.

“Hehe, just hold on a little bit.”