Chapter 22: Beginner's Request 2
Grace was a masterpiece, a result of the artwork team's utmost dedication.
She was a beautiful girl from a rural village where even a proper bath was a luxury.
Her beauty was astonishing; it was hard to believe that the small girl from the village could grow up to be so stunning.
It was no wonder the viewers couldn't help but react to her charming smile.
Perhaps because of this, Han Se-ah, who was on her way to the tower after receiving a request, continued to chat with her viewers.
"Is Grace trying to seduce Roland? They do look good together. And mods please ban that person who made the NTR joke. I'm getting along well with Grace, don't spoil the mood."
If Han Se-ah were a male player, it might have been an issue.
However, she was a tactician more interested in NPCs who could assist her in climbing the tower than in attractive ones.
Unaware of the camera, Grace was subtly signaling to me, which Han Se-ah brushed off.
Well, that's the normal reaction.
Who would genuinely fall in love with an NPC they had only met three days ago in a virtual reality game? The initial posting of this chapter occurred via Ñøv€l-B!n.
Right now, all that occupied her mind must be how to deal with the Horned Wolf on the 10th floor, not the peculiar atmosphere between me and Grace.
"What? Getting married and retiring? If a 6 NPC disappears like that, users will gather in front of BB Games headquarters and create a tent village."
At this point, I became curious about the chat conversation, but what concerned me more was Grace, who had stealthily approached me, rather than Han Se-ah, who was looking directly at the camera drone.
Grace, who had pretended to be drunk to gather courage last night, was acting as if nothing had happened and was behaving like a party member.
Well, if she blatantly clung to me, it could become troublesome.
I was genuinely grateful that a beauty like Grace had developed feelings for me because I saved her a few years ago, but I didn't want to ruin the quest that had begun after 10 years because of that.
...Is that a terrible thought? Well, pretending to be innocent while flirting with multiple women is laughable.
"What are you thinking about?"
"I'm calculating how much protection I should provide when we hunt the Horned Wolf."
"Do you have to calculate that too?"
"If I use too much force, it could be dangerous."
"...Are the Horned Wolves that strong?"
"No, it's not that they're strong. Last time I encountered one, I deflected its horn with my shield when it tried to stab me, but I misjudged my strength and ended up breaking both its horn and neck."
It's a situation where a max-level warrior is tanking in front of the tutorial zone's boss monster for a beginner.
Even a regular attack, not to mention a skill, could result in the boss dropping dead if it goes wrong.
Grace, who perhaps hadn't expected my answer, stops walking for a moment.
She mutters something akin to admiration and touched my arm before retreating slightly and moving back to Han Se-ah's side.
"Hanna, what were you thinking about that made you fall behind? Are you organizing your inventory?"
"Something like that. Today's lunch is Marianne's stew, sis."
"Usually, novice adventurers fill their stomachs with her stew for almost 2, 3 years."
"Does it take that long?"
Han Se-ah, who had abruptly cut off her conversation with her viewers, begins to talk with Grace. Naturally, their topic is on the life of a novice adventurer.
As a player, Han Se-ah is ignorant about the life of commoners in this world.
Therefore, Grace seems to view her as 'a young witch overflowing with talent but lacking in experience.'
It also appears that Grace's maternal instinct is triggered by Han Se-ah's lack of real-world knowledge, which is why she always sticks close and takes care of various things.
While I watch them, I clap my hands loudly at the entrance of the tower, causing the two to look at me.
"Now, we're going to enter the tower. I've prepared lanterns for the two of you that record up to the 10th floor."
Raei Translations
***
"What do you think, leader? It turned out to be more manageable than you expected, right?"
"Indeed, the lower floors are quite welcoming to newcomers."
As evening approached, our pouch of herbs grew heavy, and the lowest-grade magic stones we had acquired were exchanged for coins.
I thought about taking Han Se-ah and Grace to a caf to treat them to something sweet then call it a day.
"Let's head to the caf today. I'll treat you both."
"A caf?"
Surprisingly, it was not Han Se-ah but Grace who showed interest.
After all, Han Se-ah, being a modern-day person, could visit a caf whenever she wanted.
However, Grace was a hunter who had recently lived in a rural village.
It was understandable that she would be intrigued by the mention of a caf.
This world, constructed upon the foundation of a mobile game, was an intriguing blend of RPG elements and inconsistencies.
Marianne's inn served a mixed stew while the neighboring establishment offered flavorless fried chicken.
Despite being a fantasy medieval era, modern cafes were in operation, and a masterful baker meticulously sold perfectly baked macarons, resulting in a world setting that seemed somewhat absurd.
Before realizing that this was all designed as content for the players, I used to view this world as nothing short of ridiculous.
"We're going to buy desserts to bribe Ellis, the receptionist. I thought I'd treat you guys while I'm at it."
"Ah, the blonde."
"Remember her face. She's quite influential among the receptionists, and it'll be convenient if we're friends."
We headed to a peculiar caf that served espresso despite the absence of Italy and iced Americano despite the absence of America.
The item to purchase was a box of 24 macarons to bribe Ellis.
Once I give these to Ellis, she distributes them among the receptionists, creating a positive cycle of sorts.
In this world, it's amusing to see macarons being sold.
They were considered luxury items; this single item is equivalent to five of Aunt Marianne's stews.
With a gift set box, you could indulge in sliced steak and a glass of wine at the Lucky Scoundrel.
"Sweet...!"
"They actually sell these? And they taste just right...."
Han Se-ah exclaims in disbelief, engaging in a conversation with her viewers about the macarons she discovered in this fantasy world.
Meanwhile, Grace, thoroughly enjoying the delightful flavor, bids me farewell with a cheerful wave as she strolls away.
Coming from a rural village, Grace looked incredibly happy.
Maybe later on I could take Grace on a culinary tour...
***
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