Chapter 87

EP.87 I know what you did last summer night.

After the Berserker's awakening, I'm not sure if it can even be called an awakening, but in any case, our team was able to secure victory with surprising ease.

Because the combination of the Berserker, who slaughtered enemies without discrimination, and me covering his risks was something that could not be stopped without the guidance and strategy of a highly skilled person.

Indeed, every time I was paired with him on the same team, I thought that we were a perfect match.

I wanted to say, "Why didn't you play properly from the beginning?" but I held back.

Because there was something more important now.

『You have successfully earned the right to promotion by rising from countless battlefields!

As a Great Hero, you must now embark on a journey to find the Hero's Emblem scattered across various battlefields.

Accordingly, the next five matches you play will determine your promotion (Yellow -> Orange).

Wishing you victory!』

A message window appeared on the black screen.

Even though all I would gain from success is a change in color, it still made my heart race.

Any gamer would understand that.

How long has it been?

Due to many variables, my fingers didn't move well, and as a result, I had plummeted to Yellow 4. Not only did I manage to recover my rank, but I was also aiming for the peak of my life again.

Apart from my swollen throat, which made it hard to speak, the situation was fine.

On the contrary, because of that, I was free from the pressure of filtering my words for the viewers of my stream, so I could focus entirely on the game.

Therefore, my condition was at its peak, better than ever.

There was no need to hesitate.

I pressed the next game match button.

...

...

...

I've already said this many times,

I was afraid of people.

I was afraid of meeting people and being in their gaze.

I had no self-esteem because I had nothing to be proud of,

and I always harbored the instinctive belief that others would think I was insignificant and useless.

Please don't look at me.

Don't look at me with those condescending eyes, those eyes that seem to mock and criticize, those eyes that pity me...

Please.

I knew it was paranoia.

Even as a child, I knew that people on the street had no interest in me at all.

But mental illness is not something that heals just because you are aware of it.

Naturally, I ended up locking myself in my room.

With only the hand that was extended to me for my own sake now gone, it was a natural result.

Locked in my room, I became engrossed in games.

Was this a natural result too? I'm not sure.

There was no trace of my wretched self in the game's Holy Maiden, so my paranoia was dormant.

I was engrossed, but not for the sake of winning the game. I just did things to draw attention to satisfy my base desires.

As if trying to compensate for the diminished self-esteem caused by my psychological issues in reality.

Look at me more.

React to me.

Pay more attention to me.

Please care for me.

Clearly crossing the line, my actions, or rather, the Holy Maiden's actions, sometimes made people uncomfortable, and at times, they even shuddered in disgust.

But that didn't matter.

The criticism was directed at the Holy Maiden, a game character, not at me.

However, the situation is a bit different now.

It has changed.

I have become the Holy Maiden.

Not to the point where I can't distinguish between the game and reality, but the Holy Maiden and I have the same appearance in the game.

It seems I've come to the same conclusion as before.

So now, the actions and reactions directed at the Holy Maiden are, in a sense, directed at me, the opposite of what used to happen.

If someone treated me the same way they did before my body changed, my face would turn bright red with embarrassment,

and I couldn't bear the embarrassment, so I would smash their heads and tell them to be quiet, which was becoming almost a daily occurrence.

But now, something I haven't experienced yet, at least not yet, was happening.

Right now.

I muttered under my breath, overwhelmed by the mounting pressure.

"Don't look at me like that..."

The frail voice that barely came out from my swollen throat echoed off the walls and came back to me.

The people didn't react at all to my words.

Ah.

The microphone was off.

The in-game voice chat was also, of course, deactivated.

I shrank my shoulders at the gaze directed at me, the Holy Maiden.

Just one gaze. I said just one, but it was too persistent to be just one.

In fact, there were plenty of characters looking at the Holy Maiden.

The Holy Maiden was a well-designed character that everyone acknowledged, so anyone who glanced at her customization, even just once, would do so.

But this time, it was a bit different...

There was one character who looked at the Holy Maiden as a whole, not just her face, chest, or any specific body part, and kept her entirely in his pupils.

No matter how I moved the character to avoid it, he would follow and stare intently again.

I couldn't concentrate on the match because of the distraction.

Why are you looking at me like that?

In reality, I would have lifted my chin proudly and moved on, saying, "I know I'm pretty," but this was a game.

Still, I kept the possibility in mind.

Fifteen minutes into the game.

The bald warrior, who had never taken his eyes off the Holy Maiden, might be doing this for the common goal of our team, which is to win the game...

"..."

No way.

I tried to avoid that gaze as much as I could, but it was reaching its limit.

The battlefield was an urban warfare setting.

The deepest, darkest alley where the night's veil lingered.

There was no place to run, even if I took a step back.

The Holy Maiden, who had been moving to avoid that persistent gaze, was finally cornered.

At the same time, I felt a strange emotion.

If I were being stalked in reality, I would probably feel this way.

I couldn't help but type in the chat.

[Holy Maiden: Don't look at me like that...]

The shadow fell over the Holy Maiden's frail shoulders, and her head drooped.

Because a giant man was blocking her path.

It looked like a thug was about to do something nasty.

[Holy Maiden: Huh?]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: Are you pretending not to know?]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: I know what you did last summer.]

"..."

What, scary...

I get that you want to sound like a title from an old horror movie, but I definitely have nothing to do with you in the summer.

We were just matched in the same game and ignored each other, doing our own things.

...Before the tournament started.

Anyway, the Holy Maiden has nothing to do with you, not some little girl.

[Holy Maiden: Huh?]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: Are you pretending not to know?]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: Whatever.]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: I will expose your true self someday.]

[Cardinal Albert: Your choice of words is too suggestive.]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: I will dig into your insides thoroughly.]

[Cardinal Albert: It sounds like something from a pornographic novel.]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: I will reveal the most embarrassing part of you to the world.]

[Cardinal Albert: Are you doing this on purpose?]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: I will strip you naked.]

[Cardinal Albert: Your expressions are becoming more and more explicit...]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: I will lift you up and do unspeakable things.]

[Cardinal Albert: This guy is enjoying it...]

[This guy is good.]

[I'll support the Barred Warrior from today.]

[We can't do sexual harassment because the streamer might get mad, so we'll just say 'do it'.]

[You're our village's hero!]

[Why do people want to sexually harass the streamer in a game stream?]

[It's because... the streamer is cute...]

[If you're cute, just give compliments.]

[The streamer is cute because... she blushes when harassed...]

[Oh my...]

[The streamer is so cute! As cute as the Holy Maiden's breasts shaking without restraint!]

[The streamer is doing so well! Subtly making the Holy Maiden's breasts bounce!]

[The streamer's voice is so beautiful! More beautiful than the Holy Maiden's sexy moans!]

[Are you guys really giving compliments?]

[I can't believe I'm in the same boat as these trash...]

Facing the chat from both the game and the stream,

the temperature in the room, which had clearly dropped with the arrival of winter, made me feel uncomfortably warm, and my face turned red.

What, what are you all saying?

I was almost in a panic and typed rapidly.

[Holy Maiden: What are you saying!]

[Holy Maiden: It's uncomfortable!]

[Holy Maiden: I don't like it!]

The other person's reaction was intense.

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: Huh]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: D]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: .]

Did my strong resistance reach him?

The bald giant finally moved his body, which had been blocking the Holy Maiden's path.

He squatted in the corner and dug at the ground with his index finger,

which seemed to be a waste of his massive size.

What are you doing, man?

When I approached and looked closely, I saw him using his thick finger to draw 'ㅠㅠ' on the ground.

"..."

Oh, are you hurt...?

What, unexpectedly cute.

With a fierce face and such a large body, and most importantly, being bald, why are you cute?

I felt a bit sorry and tried to make peace.

[Holy Maiden: Excuse me]

[Holy Maiden: It was just a slip of the tongue.]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: My female doesn't like me...]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: ㅠㅠ]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: After spending such a hot night together]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: Why are you pretending not to know? ㅠㅠ]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: You're actually feeling the urge too...]

[Cardinal Albert: What urge?]

[Barred Warrior 6 Years of Training: CEX]

"..."

Who is a female!

Besides, I've never spent a hot night with you!

And sex, ah, it's embarrassing to say it so bluntly.

Then intercourse, no, that's even more embarrassing.

Then mating? ...Are you an animal? I do animal-like things every day, but...

Anyway, others might misunderstand. I've never done anything like that with you!

Lastly, why are you changing your tone so arbitrarily! Stick to one!

Feeling betrayed, as if by someone I trusted, I was overwhelmed by a wave of emotions.

I input the appropriate action key and typed rapidly, just as I did before.

The Holy Maiden took out the mace she was carrying.

[Holy Maiden: This is sexual harassment!]

Clang!

The bald giant's head caved in, and he fell to the ground, growing cold.

Author's Note:

The weather suddenly got much colder.

Don't think it's just a usual statement; take care of your health, everyone.

If you catch a cold, you'll suffer like I did...

Publishing two additional chapters during the weekdays is not as easy as I thought.

I, the author, get impatient with the pace of the novel and often get greedy,

but it's tough.

Still, I can keep going because you all enjoy it. Thank you.

Thank you for reading this chapter.

I'll be back on Saturday night!