Chapter 130: Fate - (3)
"I hadn’t even thought about the quest at all. But if it’s a low-success-rate quest, it’s definitely worth doing."
It felt like I had one more choice.
Until now, I hadn’t really felt the merits of quests. The rewards were too stingy.
But that only applied to quests that had been repeatedly strategized and had an established standard approach.
For quests like the Blood Tower, where there were many sacrifices, the system steadily increased the rewards. It was a lure.
That was why most players recognized the system as an essential structure for them.
At the same time, they also saw a darker side, as in the case of quests, where it seemed to maintain the overall number of players at an appropriate level.
Sanghyun agreed with that thought.
The Player System.
The existence that created this system and applied it to humanity had not done so purely out of goodwill.
"Training starts tomorrow, huh…."
As Sanghyun closed his increasingly heavy eyelids, he reviewed the schedule for the next day once more.
It was time to meet Ham Jiyeon and train in ice attributes.
This was essential training that had to be completed before the large-scale raid with Do Kyungsoo.
Snore-. Snore-.
Sanghyun quickly fell asleep.
For the first time in a long while, he met someone dear to him in his dreams. And they had a long conversation.
He also realized something.
Now that he had regressed.
If he lived well and carried on like this?
Someday, he might be able to meet that person again. But ironically, he wished such a thing would never happen.
"......."
A single tear trickled down the side of Sanghyun’s sleeping face.
It was a tear filled with indescribable emotions, a tear whose meaning only Sanghyun could understand.
The next morning.
As soon as Sanghyun arrived at Ham Jiyeon’s orphanage, she rushed toward him, waving both hands energetically.
"Sanghyun!"
"I sent a surprise gift for the kids. How was it? Was it okay?"
"You should have told me beforehand! I almost sent it back, thinking it was a mistake!"
"I thought the kids would like it."
"Of course, they loved it! It’s just that a food truck suddenly pulling up at the orphanage surprised everyone."
"Haha."
"Anyway, thank you so much. The kids have been singing praises of Uncle Sanghyun all morning!"
"That makes me happy."
Thanks to the food truck Sanghyun sent in the morning, the children were eating all the food they wanted.
Even Ham Jiyeon, the director, was holding an entire pizza in one hand, enthusiastically eating.
Knowing that her enormous appetite was due to the influence of a celestial being, he was now used to the sight.
On the other hand, she looked somewhat cute, like a chipmunk with full cheeks.
Just then.
The orphanage’s deputy director and Jiyeon’s close friend, Jung Mihye, ran over to Sanghyun and bowed deeply.
"Thank you so much. Your pure-hearted kindness toward the children will surely be rewarded someday."
"I’m not doing it for a reward. Just like you two, I feel happy when I see the kids happy. That’s all."
"Wow! It’s Uncle! Uncle!"
Recognizing Sanghyun, the children rushed toward him, clinging to his thighs and legs.
Seeing their innocent faces calling him "Uncle," a smile naturally formed on his face.
He could understand why Ham Jiyeon felt happiness just thinking about the children and why she never regretted this work.
The saying that children are living angels.
He didn’t know who first said it, but he thought there was no phrase closer to the truth than that.
"Go on and eat more of what you want. If you want to take some home, just ask that uncle over there."
"Hehe, okay! Oh, right! Uncle! You know Jiyeon-noona? Before you arrived, she ate three whole pizzas!"
"Hahaha!"
"Hehehe!"
The child imitated Ham Jiyeon stuffing her face with pizza in a comical manner, his acting skills top-notch.
Seeing this, Ham Jiyeon’s face turned red.
"Youngtae! There was no need to mention exactly how much I ate!"
"Noona, you pig! Hehehe!"
"Ugh..."
After delivering a critical hit to Ham Jiyeon, the little child, Youngtae, quickly fled the scene.
Holding her throbbing forehead, Jiyeon put on an embarrassed expression.
"Well, I did eat a lot."
"Jiyeon, go take care of business with Sanghyun. I’ll handle the kids."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course! Why are you acting so hesitant? We talked about this since yesterday."
"Hey..."
"Haha! You two, enjoy your time! Kids, let’s head to the playground! Move, move!"
Jung Mihye tactfully took the children away, giving them some space. Though rather than fun time, it was training time.
"Here. An Americano with an extra shot."
"Oh my. How did you know I always get an extra shot?"
"You mentioned it once in passing. Just an unnecessary memory, I guess?"
"Oh my, what attention to detail. Thank you so much. I feel like I’m always indebted to you."
"There’s no such thing as debt between us. So don’t overthink it."
Walking side by side at a close distance, Sanghyun and Ham Jiyeon enjoyed a morning tea time.
Both were dressed comfortably for training.
So they looked naturally at ease, like a couple heading out for a morning workout.
After a brief silence, Sanghyun spoke first.
"Isn’t running the orphanage hard?"
"Not at all. Just watching the kids makes any hardship melt away. I’ve never regretted this once."
"That’s really amazing. I truly respect you for it. Taking care of so many kids isn’t easy."
"Haha, thank you. Though... there are some challenges."
"Such as?"
"There are more and more kids who need help, and that means we need more funds."
"Is it difficult with your current earnings?"
"Ah, I never mentioned it before. I only run one orphanage here, but..."
"Wait, don’t tell me?"
Sanghyun's reaction came from the suspicion that she might be donating to or supporting other orphanages as well.
It seemed almost too selfless a way to live. That was why he said "don’t tell me."
"I fully fund three more orphanages. One in Sudan, one in Haiti, and one in the Philippines."
"At that rate, even if you work hard as a player, it must always be tight."
"That’s my biggest worry lately. I took on more than I could handle, but my capacity..."
Seeing Ham Jiyeon's uncharacteristically troubled expression, Sanghyun felt a twinge of surprise.
The corners of the mouth of someone who always seemed to be smiling were now turned down.
Ham Jiyeon was a mage specialized in ice magic.
With her level of skill, there were plenty of dungeons and gates where she could earn at least several hundred million won per job.
However, since she only worked as a player within an extremely limited network, things were gradually becoming tighter for her.
'It is for my own benefit, but I should also look for dungeons or gates where I can make good use of her.'
Rather than letting her remain idle.
If there was a need for her in team play, Sang-hyun thought he should bring her along.
Ice abilities were quite useful in dungeons. It was just that Ham Jiyeon was not well-known among players.
"Shall we start training now? This isn't something that can be finished in a short period; we need to train consistently and persistently."
"Yes, I came fully prepared! For the time being, Mihye will be covering for me, so I need to make the most of this time and train hard."
"Are you mentally prepared as well?"
"Of course! I'm actually more worried that I might end up bothering you, Sang-hyun."
"I will be bothering you as well. There’s a lot we need to do to build resistance against the ice attribute."
"Let's make this a win-win situation!"
Thus began their training, which they both approached with full enthusiasm and a combat mindset.
The scheduled training period was until the day before Sanghyun was to participate in Do Kyungsoo’s large-scale raid. About five days remained.
According to the report Do Kyungsoo had sent in advance, there were many ice-inducing monsters inside, making resistance crucial.
Do Kyungsoo’s Sword Demon-Sword God team seemed to have planned to rely on artifacts rather than separate resistance training.
'I'll choose a method that is both continuous and reliable.'
Sanghyun was firm in his decision.
Relying on artifacts for resistance made it impossible to respond flexibly in unexpected situations.
However, if one built a solid resistance from the start, it allowed for much more adaptable responses.
Thus, Ham Jiyeon began training to better counter sword-wielding players.
Sanghyun started training to build strong resistance to ice attributes.
It was a grueling, hellish regimen where every moment except for meals was devoted entirely to training.
Time flew by in an instant, and five days passed.
Sanghyun and Ham Jiyeon were so immersed in training that they lost track of time.
Although Ham Jiyeon had offered to let him use her room, Sanghyun dismissed the offer and instead slept in a small storage room.
Even though it was a storage room, to Sanghyun, it felt as comfortable as a spacious room. It was likely due to the contrast with his past life.
2045—a time when everything had turned to ruins. Back then, just being able to close his eyes for a few hours was paradise.
A bed? A room? Those concepts held no meaning.
Wherever he could lie down became his resting place.
Even if it was a rundown stable or a cemetery filled with corpses, it didn’t matter.
"……."
Ham Jiyeon stood outside the closed storage room door, looking at it, knowing that Sanghyun was asleep inside.
Of course, she couldn't see anything beyond the door, but she naturally found herself thinking about Sanghyun inside.
'Before, just seeing a sword-wielding monster in a dungeon would terrify me. But now, I feel more confident.'
Five days of training.
It might seem short, but to Ham Jiyeon, it had been an incredibly long time. Moreover, it was deeply meaningful.
Through her training with Sanghyun, she was able to completely rid herself of her fear and trauma regarding swords.
It was thanks to Sanghyun's guidance, tailored entirely to her level.
Advice? Suggestions? No.
It was guidance and teaching.
It was clearly an instructor-student relationship, to the point where one could call it hierarchical.
Sanghyun possessed an insight and experience that Ham Jiyeon couldn't even begin to predict or assume.
That’s why, no matter how tricky her questions were, Sanghyun always gave her the 'correct answer'—without exception.
'It feels like he understands me.'
That was what Ham Jiyeon thought.
His experience was vast and deep, allowing him to see through the minds and postures of those he trained.
And there was more to gain.
Sanghyun taught her 'how to think.'
Minimizing unpredictable variables as much as possible and responding calmly even if such variables arose.
For the past five days, Ham Jiyeon had thoroughly trained her mind in these areas. So much so that she regretted their impending separation.
'He's not just a skilled player with great techniques. He can teach someone at a deep level and even understand their emotions.'
After five days had passed.
Ham Jiyeon no longer simply admired Sanghyun—she now looked up to him with reverence.
The fact that she had a higher level than him?
It meant nothing.
She might have a higher level in terms of numbers.
But when it came to foresight, experience, and wisdom, Sanghyun was far beyond her.
Maybe that’s why.
"I don't want to part ways."
Ham Jiyeon felt that the morning when she would have to say goodbye to Sanghyun was unbearably cruel.