NoveLight ™
“Welcome.”
A noisy convenience store, fitting the rowdy vibe of its surroundings.
For the first time today, "Sulbbang" Kang Yuhan felt a sense of relief amidst the place filled with a few drunks wandering around.
It wasn’t exactly a healing spot, but for now, there wasn’t any other place where he could feel at ease.
Just as the mood was setting in, he’d left the restaurant, mumbling that “chocolate milk after drinking is a must.”
It wasn’t that he felt uncomfortable or disliked the place.
But his heart was racing too much, so he needed a moment to calm down.
Han Da-eun, sucking on a straw and spacing out.
The way she smiled happily, unaware of the expression on her face…
“Stop it. Don’t be such a mess, Kang Yuhan. What’s with you, getting like this over a girl you just met?”
Especially since it wasn’t just anyone, but Gawol.
This pounding in his chest was unsettling, and he couldn’t understand it.
Gawol in the game was a troublesome character.
A disaster that came without reason or cause.
If you were a streamer focused on PVP, you’d inevitably cross paths with that kind of malice.
And lately, there was something clingy about her.
It was as if she was emitting a deep, twisted—yet strangely warm—sensation.
That unsettling vibe left Sulbbang with a mix of complicated feelings.
Since he’d been targeted continuously, there was no way he could’ve had a good start with her.
If it hadn’t been for Elderin, he probably wouldn’t have been so tangled up.
But now... he couldn’t just hate her anymore.
It wasn’t just because of her looks.
The hand scratching at her throat until it bled during the final match.
It wasn’t recorded, but she had mumbled something darkly.
Even someone as dense as him could sense her instability—it gave him a reason to sympathize.
Had she torn at her throat with that miserable look on her face?
Today, the Gawol he saw was quick to smile, easily swept up by the mood, finding joy in small things, and even crying like a child.
Han Da-eun, though embarrassed at first, turned out to be a girl who craved connection with others.
He didn’t know her story.
He couldn’t ask, nor should he.
While Gawol hadn’t committed any crime, it wasn’t wrong for people to dislike her.
But there are people like that in this world.
Those who, even when they can’t ask for help, grip a knife in their hands.
Who cut themselves on their own blade, and are grateful that they’re not alone, despite the harsh gazes they receive.
…Was that too much conjecture? Yuhan let out a sigh.
He placed five chocolate milks and a few other items on the counter.
“Please ring these up.”
“Sure, that’ll be 13,950 won. Do you have any points or rewards?”
“No, just ring it up.”
“Actually, I do. Can I use mine?”
“Huh? Well, sure. I didn’t know you were here.”
He hadn’t expected to hear that voice, and Sulbbang quickly calmed his startled heart.
He recognized it immediately—the clear tone was unmistakable.
With flushed cheeks, like a white first snowfall.
She was the most beautiful person he’d ever seen, yet she looked somehow fragile and sorrowful.
With tears still clinging to her lashes, her lips curved into a gentle smile.
It was Gawol. No, it was Han Da-eun.
“You could’ve just stayed instead of going back.”
“Heh, I’m sorry. You kept teasing me because I cried.”
“Why would you apologize? I was the one at fault.”
“Well, yeah. You were at fault.”
“….”
If there was one thing similar to the game, it was this irritating way of talking.
And that characteristic mischievous giggle.
She looked like Gawol stepped straight out of the game… her features were similar, but subtly different somehow.
She was so close that her unique, soft scent surrounded him.
Even through the alcohol, this warm scent held its own.
Without revealing any skin, Da-eun’s bare white neckline was somehow seductive.
Who knew a person could look as beautiful as a game character?
It was astonishing, almost to the point of awe.
But Gawol and Da-eun were more different than alike.
“You can walk a little faster, you know. I can keep up.”
“No, it’s fine. Let’s take it slow, clear our heads.”
“Alright.”
The Gawol he knew was an assassin, always moving faster than anyone.
With a face full of confidence, she was a force to be reckoned with, wearing that mischievous grin.
Gawol was cheerful, aggressive, a woman who seemed like she could handle anything on her own.
But on the way back to the restaurant, Da-eun matched his steps.
In Sansae’s presence, she looked like she’d found a campfire in the middle of winter.
Han Da-eun was shy, struggled to handle her emotions, and seemed fragile somehow.
He remembered the moment she first walked into the restaurant.
Compared to the well-worn braces and crutches, the bandages looked unnaturally clean.
She claimed it was just an injury, but that was probably a lie.
Unlike in the game, she seemed a little clumsy in real life.
But those legs, hmm.
Could those slender legs have been the ones that choked him to death?
Thinking about it made his face feel hot, so Yuhan fanned himself with his hand.
He could feel the soft laugh from behind, tickling his ears.
“What? Are you hot?”
“A little.”
“Want me to buy some ice cream at the convenience store? I’ll treat you.”
What the hell? You’re not my “hyung.”
You’re younger than me and not even a guy. Yuhan chuckled, finding it ridiculous.
When they got back to the restaurant, the others were waiting.
The five of them, riding the momentum, headed to a karaoke room.
Definitely in their element. Sansae and Elderin sang beautifully.
The problem was Da-eun.
How could she sing so badly with a voice that sweet?
With just a bit of rhythm, it could’ve sounded passable.
But her taste… it was terrible.
A large ship passed through the "Unyielding Storm."
In-game, this voyage took three weeks. In real-time, it took 15 minutes to cross the storm.
The ship, having weathered the storm, docked at a hastily constructed port.
Immediately after the patch, they arrived at a new area.
The southwestern frontier, Zephirion, had the feel of a barren wasteland.
There were landscapes and people he’d never seen before.
All the facilities looked hastily thrown together, and the merchants who’d sailed across the sea were openly overcharging.
Consumables were especially problematic. Everything was of lower quality and cost twice as much as on the main continent.
What was more concerning was the lack of guards.
With a lingering question in his mind, he entered the village.
Almost immediately, a red warning appeared at the top of his screen.
[You have entered a conflict zone.]
[Warning: Outside of safe zones, other players can attack you.]
[Warning: Upon death, you may lose up to 20% of your carried gold.]
“Nice.”
The dry words felt strangely cold.
He closed the notification window.
While some might find those warnings chilling, he was different.
He’d always treated regular fields like conflict zones anyway.
Any gold lost would go to the pockets of a killer, which practically made PK rewarding for him.
The field had suddenly turned into a gold mine.
Once the bounty system activated, it would become a new source of income.
Of course, he might end up with a bounty on his head, too.
“Let them try to kill me if they can.”
As he continued exploring the village, a commotion broke out nearby.
Flames roared as fire magic stirred up a red-hot gust.
This was definitely the work of a player.
As he got closer, he heard raised voices.
“Are you crazy?! PKing in the village?!”
“Don’t you see there are no guards here, you idiot?”
A person in a magical girl costume was wreaking havoc in the village.