Chapter [NaN]: đ˘ New! Donation Section - Support early translations!
Chapter [NaN]: đ˘ New! Donation Section - Support early translations!
While pondering what to do about the situation, he felt a sense of emptiness as he watched Merilda suddenly charge in without thinking.
Crash!!!
âŚShe didnât even use the open terrace door but instead broke through the window. Seeing this, Ryu involuntarily closed her eyes, feeling dizzy.
Naturally, Giral, who was watching from the side, felt the same way.
Of course, both Giral and Ryu had been listening to Kim Hyunwoo from a distance.
They heard him talking about gathering all the former heroes of Lartania and asking about Merildaâs whereabouts, though they didnât know why.
To be precise, before he could even ask where Merilda was, she had already broken through the window and entered, leaving no time for proper conversation. In this situation, the two could only shut their eyes tightly.
Of course, they werenât the only ones feeling bewildered.
ââŚMerilda?âKim Hyunwoo, who had been talking, also looked at Merilda in shock as she crashed through the window.
Adria, who knew Merilda was on the other side of the hill, also couldnât have imagined she would break through the window just as her name was mentioned, especially before the conversation had even ended.
And above all.
ââŚMaster! I-Iâm hereâŚnow.â
Unable to hold back, she broke through the window, but as soon as she realized what she had done, her face turned pale with embarrassment, leaving Merilda equally flustered.
Ironically, the culprit behind all this, Merilda, felt her mind go blank as she saw Kim Hyunwooâs dumbfounded expression.
âUh, ah, I mean, itâs just-â
She began to ramble incoherently, then realized she had just broken through the window.
âUh, uh, Iâm sorry, MasterâŚI was in such a hurry that I made a mistake, yes.â
She then lifted the cross-shaped window frame that had remained intact despite the glass shattering, carefully placing it back where she had broken it.
âŚOf course, trying to fix the cross-shaped window frame was pointless, and even if she managed to reattach it, the shattered glass made it ineffective. However, in her panic, she diligently tried to fit the frame back in place.
Thud-! Crack-!
As soon as she let go of the frame after setting it in place, it fell right through the window. Kim Hyunwoo and Adria could only watch in disbelief.
And then.
âS-sorryâŚMaster, please donât abandon meâŚâ
âUh, uhâŚ?â
âŚMerilda suddenly began crying in a panic, so Kim Hyunwoo had to force his mind to start working again.
In the end, Kim Hyunwoo quickly sent Adria away and spent a long time calming down Merilda, who was crying uncontrollably by the broken window.
ââŚAre you feeling better now?â
âThank you, MasterâŚIâm okay now.â
Kim Hyunwoo, noticing that Merildaâs face had turned red as she realized what she had done, sat down awkwardly in front of her.
Silence.
Kim Hyunwoo felt a strange sense that meetings with the former heroes of Lartania always seemed to end up like this. He looked at Merilda, whose face was now bright red, and thought absentmindedly. ęŚ
âSheâs pretty.â
Merilda was indeed beautiful.
Ten years ago, Kim Hyunwoo might have lost in the gacha, but he had chosen this hero because of her looks, which perfectly matched his tastes.
As he recalled this, Kim Hyunwoo also remembered just how powerful the restrictions placed on him had been.
âUm, Master.â
Merilda spoke.
âYes, go ahead.â
Kim Hyunwoo spoke comfortably.
Merilda hesitated for a moment, glancing around nervously, then spoke.
âIâm
âFor what?â
âFor breaking the windowâŚâ
Kim Hyunwoo noticed how her ears drooped as she glanced at the window, clearly disheartened, and he wondered if she had always had this personality.
[The 'Beast King' is angry because you did not give her a gift!]
[The 'Beast King' scoffs because you did not give her a gift]
[The 'Beast King' is angry because you did not give her a gift!]
[The 'Beast King' scoffs because you did not give her a gift]
[The 'Beast King' is angry because you did not give her a gift!]
[The 'Beast King' scoffs because you did not give her a gift]
....
...
..
âHmmâŚâ
Although he had never actually spoken with her, he recalled the notifications that constantly tormented him in the game, reminding him that her personality was anything but weak. So he spoke.
âItâs no big deal. We can just replace the window.â
âR-reallyâŚ?â
Though her mood seemed to improve a bit, Kim Hyunwoo noticed her ears hadnât perked up yet and wondered where to start.
âOriginally, I planned to bring up the recruitment topic as soon as I met Merilda.â
But at that moment, Merilda looked utterly defeated.
In other words, it didnât seem like the right time to discuss recruitment, so Kim Hyunwoo hesitated.
âUm, MasterâŚâ
âYes, what is it?â
âI heard you were looking for meâŚâ
âOh, now that you mention itâŚâ
Kim Hyunwoo thought for a moment, then asked curiously.
âHow did you know?â
âAh, wellâŚyou seeâŚâ
Merilda glanced around nervously.
âSpeak freely. Iâm not going to do anything.â
Kim Hyunwoo, feeling sorry for her as her ears drooped, spoke, and she glanced around with her red eyes before speaking.
âI heard itâŚfrom outside.â
ââŚFrom outsideâŚ?â
âOver there, on the hillâŚâ
Kim Hyunwoo followed Merildaâs gaze and saw the cliff that overlooked the territory from the hill.
âYou heard it from there?â
âYes.â
âYou have good ears.â
Kim Hyunwoo commented, impressed.
âSo you just happened to overhear it while passing by?â
âNo, thatâs not it.â
âThen?â
ââŚI was up there.â
âYou were there? When?â
Merilda hesitated, her red eyes darting around, before stammering out a response.
âI-itâs beenâŚover half a year nowâŚâ
ââŚHuh?â
âNo, actuallyâŚif you calculate it exactly, itâs been about nine monthsâŚâ
Kim Hyunwoo calmly calculated the months in his head and then stared blankly.
After all, nine months was exactly how long it had been since he first fell into the world of Arteil.
ââŚSo from the very beginning?â
âYesâŚâ
âWhy?â
Kim Hyunwoo asked, unable to understand.
After all, there was no reason for Merilda to sit up there for nine months watching Lartania.
Even if her feelings were the same as before, sitting there for nine months would have been incredibly difficult.
Seeing Kim Hyunwooâs puzzled expression, Merilda cautiously continued.
ââŚI wanted to come backâŚbut I couldnâtâŚâ
âSoâŚâ
As she spoke, Merilda suddenly grabbed Kim Hyunwooâs hand.
âM-MasterâŚ! Please take me backâŚjust once moreâŚ! Okay? Iâve grown up now, I wonât ask for gifts anymoreâŚ!â
She began to speak.
âEven on my birthday, I donât need a giftâŚ! Just being by your side is enough for meâŚ!â
She continued.
âI wonât say anything if you give gifts to other heroesâŚ! I wonât even show itâŚ! So, okayâŚ? Just onceâŚâ
She kept pleading.
âCanât you take me back, just this once?â
Tears had welled up in Merildaâs eyes, which had seemed calm moments before.
Her ears were folded back, and her tail drooped, reflecting her feelings.
Seeing her like this, Kim Hyunwoo felt his guilt multiply several times over and involuntarily closed his eyes, feeling dizzy.
It was the same with Charyll; Kim Hyunwoo had never wanted them to suffer like this.
At the same time, Kim Hyunwoo realized that he had been thinking of this world from an overly omniscient perspective.
And he realized that this sense was slowly fading as he re-recruited the former heroes one by one.
Therefore.
[â â â â â â Would you like to offer recruitment to the hero 'Beast King'? Y/N]
ââŚDonât worry, even if I canât always give you gifts, Iâll make sure to get you something on your birthday.â
ââŚ!â
With those words, Kim Hyunwoo accepted her into the Lartania territory.
As he smiled at Merilda, whose expression had brightened and was now wagging her tail like a happy puppy, Kim Hyunwoo asked,
âOh, by the way, Merilda. Do you know where the Crimson Dragon is?â
âI know!â
âReally? Where?â
âAdria?â
âAdria? âŚThe leader of the Tienus Merchant Group? The one who was here earlier?â
âYes! That dragon is sharing a body with that woman!â
ââŚ???â
Soon, Kim Hyunwoo couldnât help but make a puzzled expression.
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