I Gave Up Being Stronger

Until recently, Muenne was engulfed in contemplation.

‘Han Sae-Rin is proving to be an outstanding Ruler and an excellent Navigator.’

Though her abilities were not yet comparable to those of the Arvis rankers, Sae-Rin’s potential was immeasurably vast.

‘Mole Man not only serves as a Navigator but also excels as a Miner.’

Moreover, a shocking event had just occurred.

‘Lessefim has become the first honorary Chul-Soo Lander!’

Lessefim managing to gain the approval of ninety percent of those fastidious Chul-Soo Landers made Muenne anxious.

‘I, too… want to become an official Chul-Soo Lander.’

Muenne was fine with becoming the second honorary Chul-Soo Lander. She coveted that appointment letter and plague so much that she would steal them if she could.

Muenne did not possess any unique skills. From her childhood, she had trained as a Paladin, focusing solely on spear-fighting to reach her current position. It was the elite path she had followed. ‘I should have picked up a hobby.’

However, brooding alone would provide her with no answers. Therefore, she contacted Lessefim through Marshmallow, seeking direct advice.

“I want to be recognized like you, Lessefim,” Muenne said.

“Hm… it’s not easy. But I am well aware that you, Muenne, have accomplished some great feats.” At this moment, Lessefim was the undeniable superior and Muenne the subordinate. “I was forced to learn alchemy from a young age, but you followed the elite path, didn’t you? Other than your lance, you don’t have any other useful skills, do you?”

“...”

Lessefim deeply empathized with Muenne; the desperation and the longing to become an official Chul-Soo Lander were feelings every Chul-Soo Lander had experienced. She offered Muenne the sincerest advice, standing in her shoes. “Let’s try some self-reflection. Muenne, what is the greatest strength you possess?”

“It’s hard for me to speak of my strengths…”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. I just want to help you. I understand your feelings very well, believe me.”

Their conversation flowed smoothly.

‘Indeed! There are no villains among those who like Kim Chul-Soo!’

‘If you like Chul-Soo, you are bound to be a good person.’

They thought that if the world were filled with Chul-Soo Landers, it would overflow with love, despite the recent Harkoen incident.

Soon, they quickly became friends.

“Since my youth, I have tirelessly worked to develop a strong mind, to not waver under any temptation, aiming to be a respected Paladin. I have strived to possess a will of steel and have partly achieved that,” Muenne said. She showed Lessefim the congratulatory notes she had received from her subordinates on her last birthday.

[I learned a lot from you, Captain.]

[Your unwavering path toward justice, not compromising with evil, is admirable.]

[Captain, you are the first person I’ve seen with such a strong spirit. Thank you for being my mentor!]

“Hm… good. With such a personality and strengths, you will definitely find something that can be of help to Chul-Soo. I will help you find it,” Lessefim said.

Then it dawned on Muenne. “I’ve got it!”

“Huh?”

“I think I can be of great help to Chul-Soo!” Muenne briskly stood up. “I will have to let Chul-Soo seduce me, for his growth! Thank you, Lessefim. This was a meaningful time. I think we can become good friends.”

As Muenne walked away, Lessefim murmured, “I’m kinda jealous of her!”

***

Rejected by Cha Jin-Hyeok, Muenne barely managed to keep her composure and asked, “Can you… tell me why?”

She continued, not waiting for his reply, “Since my youth, I have devoted myself to developing a strong mind. I can be an excellent practice partner for you.”

“I don’t seduce my fans. That’s the rule.” No matter how Jin-Hyeok thought about it, using seduction techniques on Chul-Soo Landers was not right. He could not resort to using such techniques against people who genuinely liked him.

While Muenne felt a deep sense of regret, she was once again profoundly moved by Chul-Soo. ‘That statement about him not seducing his fans resonates with my very soul!’

“I’m sorry to say this, but secondly…” Jin-Hyeok said while scratching his head, “Your mental strength doesn’t seem all that strong.”

Muenne gulped hard.

Fyurel burst into laughter. “Haha, you’re right! It seems like you’re already in love with Chul-Soo!”

Muenne felt a great sense of inadequacy. She had been confident in her mental fortitude above all else, and now, even that seemed to be of no help to Chul-Soo.

‘I am… of no help to Chul-Soo… This means I can’t become an honorary Chul-Soo Lander!’ The world around her seemed to sway. She asked with a voice as if she had lost everything, “How can I be of help to you, Chul-Soo?”

With a look of desperation, she pleaded again, “Please, let me help you.”

***

Fyurel rose from her seat.

“Delicious things should be savored slowly over time.” She licked her red lips while looking at Jin-Hyeok.

Although her gaze was full of seduction, Jin-Hyeok was not tempted in the slightest. It was not just a lack of temptation; he was more on the side of being cautious. After all, all things pretty and cute in this world were to be approached with utmost caution.

“Let’s meet again, Chul-Soo. It seems we will be seeing each other often.” With a pop and a spark, Fyurel disappeared into thin air.

Muenne breathed a sigh of relief. “I can’t believe nothing was destroyed after that madwoman stayed this long.”

Of course, that was not entirely true. Some destruction had occurred when Muenne and Fyurel first collided, spreading fragments of light around and damaging the surroundings.

Chul-Soo continued his recording in a calm tone, “Well, considering everything, the restaurant is relatively intact, isn’t it?”

A few tables were shattered beyond use, a few were partially destroyed but could be repaired, and several chairs had been reduced to dust. The walls had a few small holes, but that was not enough to bring the building down.

“However… The chandelier on the ceiling is shaki—” He thought the building was not going to collapse, but then it did. A thick beam fell right above Jin-Hyeok’s head. With a loud crash, a cloud of white dust billowed up. “And just when I thought it was okay, the building did collapse. It’s nothing serious, but I think that’s it for today’s livestream. Thank you!”

***

Jin-Hyeok, who had returned to Earth after several days, lay in bed. ‘Home sweet home!’

The comfort he felt was something only a home could provide. ‘During my Sword King days, I lived oblivious to such pleasures.’

Back then, he was too obsessed with the sword. He could have taken the time to look around, to see and feel more. ‘It’s good that I have come to my senses now.’

As he cherished this momentary leisure time, he suddenly smiled, feeling the gaze of someone looking down at him from the ceiling.

‘An Assassin?’ Although he was already awake, he pretended to sleep to see what the Assassin would do. ‘When are they planning to strike?’

Since they had infiltrated his home, they had to be highly skilled, as they had definitely passed the Guardian Tree’s protective barrier.

‘I need to be on alert.’ The moment the Assassin attacked would be the best opportunity for Jin-Hyeok to counterattack. Jin-Hyeok waited for the attack with a racing heart. ‘But why aren’t they attacking?’

No matter how much he waited, the Assassin made no move. Feeling a strangely familiar presence, he cautiously opened his eyes to see a rodent-type Beastkin clinging to the ceiling. It was Brick.

“Oh, you’re finally awake, Sir Chul-Soo. You were sleeping quite soundly.”

“You weren’t planning to stab me?”

Brick tilted his head. “Is that what you wanted?”

“Well, no. Not really.”

“If that’s what you desire, I can oblige! I owe you a great doubt, Sir Chul-Soo.”

“No, that’s not what I want.”

“You are always acting so strange. Your eyes seem to want it, but your body and mouth say otherwise.”

Jin-Hyeok shook his head. “Only madmen look forward to assassinations. I am different.”

“Indeed, Sir Chul-Soo is different!”

‘You are crazier than most madmen!’ Brick would have said that any other day, but today, he kept his mouth shut. ‘It’s rude to offend the person who saved Neilson.’

Brick leaped down from the ceiling, landing on Jin-Hyeok’s bed. “I have been hearing that your livestreams are quite trending these days, so I sneaked a peak at a few. And I have discovered something.”

“What’s that?”

“While it’s true you have many excellent companions whose skills are rapidly improving, why do you neglect Assassin-type Players?”

Now that Brick mentioned it, Jin-Hyeok realized that was indeed the case.

“Farmers get plenty of support from your foundation! Miners are the same. Wood King? Martial King? Saint of Freedom? Angel Girl? They’re all great. And the firepower of Shin Yu-Ri is quite impressive!”

“You know a lot for just sneaking a peak at a few.”

Brick’s whiskers twitched as if he had been caught in the act. “B-But look at the Black Thorn Alliance! You haven’t done anything for them! Seedlings need proper support to grow, Sir Chul-Soo.”

Brick proposed that he could train and nurture them. He handed over a proposal to Jin-Hyeok.

Jin-Hyeok read the key points out loud. “Training intensity is very high. Practical training is preferred. Poor welfare. Significant chance of becoming disabled. High possibility of death. No training fees. A consolation prize is provided upon death, but this needs to be discussed with the MK Foundation…”

These conditions would shock most people. However, Jin-Hyeok was somewhat impressed. “Not bad.”

“Right?”

“If I had aspired to become an Assassin, I would have definitely applied.”

***

Brick’s plan was quite detailed. “While we can’t set up a training camp right away, I have an ideal place in mind for training the recruits. It’s none other than Lady Harkoen’s mansion! The mansion is filled with various barriers and mazes, making it the perfect training ground. Since it’s yours now, wouldn’t this be the perfect use for it?”

“Oh, using it that way does sound good.”

“Of course, taking those who aren’t from Arvis to Lady Harkoen’s mansion won’t be easy, but it’s not impossible. The chief of security in Muren City will go out of her way to help you.”

This reminded Jin-Hyeok that Muenne had begged him to let her help. This was a good opportunity to give her a chance.

‘But given her emphasis on principles, it feels somewhat unscrupulous to ask her.’

This required some thought. Whether Brick knew of Jin-Hyeok’s hesitation or not, he excitedly continued, “According to my research, under the condition the recruits don’t leave private property, including Lady Harkoen’s mansion, temporary visas can be issued for special education purposes. If the administrative officers can be a little accommodating, it’s entirely feasible, Sir Chul-Soo.”

“That’s true.”

Brick straightened his narrow shoulders. “Hmph! As an Assassin, one ought to have this level of information gathering capability.”

Jin-Hyeok asked, “So, what do you want in return?”

Brick’s shoulders slumped again. “Have you seen through my intentions, Sir Chul-Soo? As expected… you are impressive.”

“Tell me. What is that you want?”

“Well…”

Jin-Hyeok could not help but smirk at Brick’s next words. ‘So, this is what he wants.’

Jin-Hyeok felt like unexpected events were unfolding from unexpected quarters.

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