Chapter 5

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“Huh?”

At the calling of her name, Atsbel raised her cat-like eyes.

Confirming Han-bit, she reacted with a slight frown on her eyebrows.

“What’s with you? This is my first time seeing you.”

A voice and speaking style exactly identical to his memories.

The words saying it was her first time seeing him weren’t shocking at all.

It was because it was something he experienced every time as he went through regressions, possessions, and reincarnations.

‘Phew.’

Even within that familiarity, his heart felt complicated.

Han-bit, who had paused for a moment, gathered his thoughts as he looked at Atsbel’s appearance.

‘Now I know the timeline for sure.’

From what point in time of that world this game was based on was an important issue.

If by chance it was a timeline he hadn’t experienced, the information would be twisted.

Fortunately, this place was exactly the same as the time when Han-bit first stepped foot into the other world.

Such memories that were far too familiar and slightly nostalgic came rushing in.

Ending his brief silence, Han-bit returned his expression back to normal.

“Of course, since it’s my first time here. Aside from that, I’d like to learn some magic.”

“Magic? Why should I?”

– Cut.

– She’s still prickly;

– I really got cursed out when doing the catch the thief quest.

– But you caught her, right?

– Yeah, a false charge.

Han-bit had no interest in the chat window that began fighting again.

Atsbel’s refusal was a far too obvious occurrence.

However, he had already finished one solution to this problem.

“Wait… Don’t tell me you are Black Dragon?”

Quietly inspecting Han-bit, Atsbel’s expression gradually changed.

It was because of what was omitted in the cutscene.

The guards had probably investigated Atsbel’s shop and gathered various testimonies and evidence.

“That’s right. Julio was trying to frame you as a thief.”

“That garbage-like bastard… I knew he would do that someday.”

Grinding her teeth, she let out a sigh.

It was because she had continuously felt the malice Julio had been emitting all this time.

Sweeping back her hair, she changed her expression as if feeling refreshed.

“Anyway, thank you. Thanks to you, I didn’t have to see a dirty sight.”

“He’s a person I dislike too.”

A light conversation shared while shrugging shoulders.

It was sufficient as a reward for catching Julio.

Because narrowing the distance with Atsbel even a little bit was what mattered.

“So, you said you were looking for a magic book? But this one is…”

“Wait a minute.”

Han-bit cut off her words as she tried to divert the conversation.

To learn true magic, this level of distance wasn’t enough.

He needed to take one large step closer.

“What is it, what’s wrong?”

Atsbel looked at Han-bit with a puzzled expression.

Taking a brief pause, he indirectly threw out a question.

“You’re looking for a cure, right?”

“… How do you know that?”

“It’s plainly visible on the desk.”

On Atsbel’s desk, books of all sorts of medicines and herbs were stacked up.

It was evident just by looking at the worn-out spines and covers that they weren’t for sale.

“… Tsk.”

Trying to cover the desk with her hands, she raised her head.

Frowning slightly, Atsbel spoke to Han-bit.

“Do you know a lot about medicine?”

“I know it well.”

“You’re overflowing with confidence. Then a symptom accompanied by blue-dyed pupils, dizziness, and vomiting. Do you know what it is?”

Narrowing her eyes, she asked in a slightly sharpened voice.

Meeting that gaze straight on, Han-bit threw a different question.

“Who is suffering from it?”

“… My mother is suffering from it.”

“Is that so? Then I’ll get the cure for you.”

“The cure? Really?”

Atsbel took a step closer with a drastically changed expression.

However, her emotions quickly subsided.

“You’re just throwing words around, right? Do you know how many times I’ve been fooled?”

Past memories surfaced for Atsbel.

The treatments attempted by self-proclaimed experts who came to visit and their successive failures.

The money, time, and effort blown away were even hard to calculate.

It didn’t take long to realize that expectations become poison.

Knowing that past very well, Han-bit brought out other information.

“She doesn’t even feel hunger, right? Potions and recovery magic won’t work on her at all either.”

“How did you…”

At the symptoms she hadn’t even told him, Atsbel’s eyes widened.

A desperation felt just from that reaction.

Someone like this was a first until now.

“Do you know what disease it is?”

“It has no name. I just happen to know how to cure it.”

“…”

Becoming confused, she tapped the desk with her fingers.

Contemplation lasting in the silence.

And a moment later, she looked at Han-bit as if she had made some sort of decision.

“Alright. Just in case you do help me, I’ll pay you back properly as well.”

Ding.

[Quest]

You have uncovered Atsbel’s deep concern.

Try to find a way to treat the illness her mother is suffering from.

Might you obtain something around Edlen?

Objective: Obtain the correct cure.

Reward: 2,000 Gold, Atsbel’s Fireball Magic Book (Rank 1 – Hero), 3 Stat Points, 500 Experience Points.

– Hero?

– A guaranteed Hero rank?

– Insane. Lol.

– Julio you son of a b*tch!

– Turning on the game right now.

– I’m going too.

In an instant, the chat window flared up intensely.

Looking at the reaction, it seemed it really was a quest appearing for the first time.

The slowly increasing viewers had already surpassed 50 people at some point.

If Atsbel was still on the map, they would still have the qualifications to challenge it.

Beep.

After pressing the accept button, Han-bit looked at Atsbel.

“I’ll go get it and come back.”

“… Okay.”

She, who had always tried to save her mother.

It was difficult at first, but after figuring out the method, he had helped her every regression.

That’s why he knew very well just how important this matter was to Atsbel.

“Ah, a guaranteed Hero rank is truly ridiculous!”

While leaving the store, Yeon-woo said with a tearful face.

If he had already finished the catch the thief quest, it couldn’t be helped.

“What is that Hero thing anyway? There’s something called Rank next to it too.”

Han-bit re-examined the notation on the quest window.

[Atsbel’s Fireball Magic Book (Rank 1 – Hero)]

An element of the game different from the other world.

Because techniques were simply divided into 1st class, 2nd class, and so on, it was a bit unfamiliar.

“Rank is the stage interval, and Hero is the grade indicating rarity and performance. Things like items and skills are all divided into the same system.”

“You mean the performance is different even for the same magic book?”

“Of course! That’s why people raise such a fuss trying to get higher grades.”

The rank divided by intervals was similar to the stages used in the other world.

The difference was the grade.

According to his explanation, the types were like this.

[Common – Uncommon – Rare – Hero – Unique – Epic – Legendary – Mythic]

Divided into 8, the grades were a classification commonly used in games.

It was a concept that didn’t exist in the other world, but this too was easy to understand.

“How good is Hero?”

“It’s incredibly good. I didn’t even know there was a Hero grade at Rank 1! And for it to be guaranteed! It makes no sense!”

The skill at the starting point of the skill tree is Rank 1.

He said that for this segment, no matter how hard you tried, Rare tier was the ceiling.

He’d have to use it himself to get a feel for how good it was, though.

“As long as it’s good, that’s fine. Let’s go.”

“If it’s a cure, we’re finding something like herbs, right?”

“That’s…”

Thump! Thump!

Right then, vibrations and noise that shook his body rang in Han-bit’s ears.

And an urgent voice of his mother followed.

“Kang Han-bit! Why did you lock the door! Kang Han-bit!”

“… Ah.”

His mother’s return from work, which he had completely forgotten about.

Han-bit said to Yeon-woo.

“My mom’s here. Give me a second.”

“Huh? Hyung, suddenly…”

Click.

The game terminated right along with the notification.

Taking off the gear, Han-bit quickly opened the locked door.

“Mom, you’re here?”

“Phew…”

Seeing her son’s face, his mother let out a deep sigh.

Because for a moment, her mind went blank wondering if something had happened.

“Why did you lock the door! A guy like you who had never done that before.”

“Well… I received a gift.”

“A gift?”

“You know Yeon-woo? He gave me a game console as a discharge present.”

As he pointed at the bed with his finger, his mother’s gaze followed.

The gear that looked like a sprawled helmet and a charger.

His son’s wrists and ankles had rings attached to them.

“Is that Record or whatever?”

“What, you know about it too, Mom?”

“It’s on the news frequently.”

A bag that she still hadn’t taken off was slung over his mother’s shoulders.

Han-bit took it off for her and placed it on the dining table.

“I’m just going to play it lightly when I have free time. Since my internship starts straight away from tomorrow.”

“Internship? Did you really do that?”

“I have to add at least one more line to my cover letter. Besides, the period is short so if I prepare for employment at the same time…”

Smack!

A fierce palm flew onto the back of Han-bit, who had been continuing his words.

“Ah, Mom!”

Twisting his body, he looked at his frowning mother.

However, the palm flew in one more time.

Tap!

“I blocked it, right?”

“Blocked my foot!”

Smack!

He caught one hand, but his mother’s other hand was fast.

It was to the point of recalling past memories of facing martial arts masters.

“I said I’m preparing for jobs, so why are you doing this?”

Squirming and touching his back, Han-bit asked as if puzzled.

Letting out a sigh, his mother looked at the military uniform in the laundry bin and said.

“What kind of mother brings up employment to a son who just got discharged? As if that’s not enough, an internship starting tomorrow? Does that make sense?”

“Mom, it’s my graduation semester. I have to get employed fast while I’m a student… Ah!”

Whoosh!

His mother, about to smack his back again, stopped her hand in midair.

She knew very well how harsh the job market was from hearing it through all sorts of media.

Since her son matured exceptionally fast, it was fully expected that he would pour out effort without rest.

However, she wanted her child who constantly exerted himself to act pampered at least once.

Though it might be an impossible luxury under incompetent parents.

“Sigh.”

At the sorrowful reality, his mother exhaled a deep sigh.

It was obvious he’d strive out of sight if she forced him to quit it.

It would rather ease her mind to support him by his side.

“You said the company’s in Songdo, right? What time are you going to wake up?”

“Uh… There’s a bus that goes directly, so 7:30 should do.”

Guarding against her palm, Han-bit nodded and answered.

Checking the clock, his mother approached the refrigerator and opened the door.

“Wake up at 7. It’s your first day of work, so you ought to arrive 30 minutes early.”

“Got it.”

“And don’t even think about skipping breakfast because you’re bothered. I told you meals are the most important thing, right?”

“I won’t skip it, Mother. I told you it became a habit in the military.”

“Habit my foot? You think I wouldn’t know you didn’t eat today?”

The conversation returning back to their daily lives continued comfortably.

A moment later, his mother finished organizing, grabbed her bag, and went into her room.

“Phew.”

Han-bit exhaled a breath of relief at the smoothly passed storm.

It’s not that he didn’t know his mother’s feelings, but it couldn’t be helped.

Because he’d need to get a job to eat and live properly.

“I should go to sleep early.”

Checking the time, Han-bit quickly made a judgment.

He wanted to check out the world inside RP more, but tomorrow was the first day of his internship.

Reality wasn’t easy enough to reduce his sleep just for that.

“Come to think of it, I was broadcasting.”

The flow that abruptly snapped right before earnestly proceeding with the quest.

Although there weren’t many viewers, he felt concerned about Yeon-woo who was left alone.

“It would become even more ambiguous if I log in now.”

If he earnestly began to help Atsbel, he truly wouldn’t be able to cut it off midway.

It would be better to rather proceed with it properly tomorrow.

It would suffice to give the viewers, who had to wait a day, some material to kill time.

Finishing his thoughts, Han-bit began to rapidly draft a message to send to Yeon-woo.