Chapter 107 – LV.? Mage Troll – [Four]

Arnold swung his greatsword alone and recalled the GM. That frustrating Korean guy who, to an infuriating degree, didn’t respect his teammates’ freedom.

The GM—even though the team had gathered after watching so-called ‘otaku’ anime—sowed discontent from the start by preventing one teammate from playing a female elf mage character, and absolutely refused to create the beautiful NPC someone requested. He said it was disgusting for guys playing a game together to even think about romancing a virtual woman.

He even heavily interfered with the lines the teammates spoke for their characters, forcing everyone to only speak solemn and serious lines, saying things like, ‘You are a noble paladin, you are a devout priest, there’s no way you’d say something vulgar.’ It was only very natural that all the other teammates dropped out early.

I stuck with it out of a sense of obligation, but as I kept playing, it became somewhat fun. That’s why I played along with the GM enough for my barbarian warrior character to reach level 19.

But around that time, the character’s growth rate must have slowed, and in reality, I became too busy making a living to spare the time separately. Having already fulfilled my obligation sufficiently, I said I was quitting too and cut contact.

But it must have been genuinely enjoyable, because later, while watching a shooting star, I ended up making a wish like wanting to become the barbarian warrior Arnold. Damn it…

After the world ended up like this, I tried hard to find that GM. It was a desperate struggle to find another culprit besides myself who made the world this way.

Weren’t we people who met while watching the same anime—anime about becoming one’s own TRPG character and living well? I judged there was sufficient probability they had made the same wish as me.

The fact that the GM didn’t have a character he himself wanted to be was a sticking point, but still, you never knew.

Wasn’t he the GM who was so obsessed with the scenario he prepared that he wouldn’t give up the session even when only one teammate remained?

From memory, the scenario he prepared wasn’t entirely used up, so he might have had the will to continue the session even alone. After all, solo play isn’t completely impossible. He might have created a character to use as the protagonist later…

Of course, these days, I thought that was too insane a speculation and had given up on finding the GM.

Now, it was about time to fully accept that all this responsibility lay with me.

Seo Yun pondered. Should she praise Oh Haengbok for knocking down an Epic Level being, or praise the mage who survived being hit by a warrior with 11 Strength?

The troll still seemed physically intact even after being struck by that massive hammer. Then again, high-level mages don’t wear just one or two protection spells on their bodies. That single blow probably didn’t strip away all those spells. Moreover, that race was the troll, famous for its transcendent vitality.

Indeed, the troll still seemed to have a bit of energy left. It moved its jaw while slumped over, but before its mouth could fully open, Oh Haengbok swung the Spell Shatterer.

The warhammer struck the troll’s chest once more.

Oh Haengbok struck three times in quick succession with the hammer. It was likely a rapid combo to quickly remove the protection spells on its body.

The troll raised its arm to block the hammer, but its arm just broke. And along with its arm, its ribs seemed to break too, as its breathing became ragged.

After the troll was completely incapacitated, Oh Haengbok stretched out his hand.

A giant gray hand choked the troll’s neck.

Lifting the troll’s massive body with one arm, Oh Haengbok spoke.

“I know you’re stronger than me. I also know you could easily crush someone like me later if you set your mind to it. Out of fear of retaliation, killing you now might be the best option…”

To Seo Yun’s ears, all of Oh Haengbok’s words now seemed carefully chosen to avoid hurting the opponent’s pride. It was clear that for someone who had won so easily, he was greatly wary of the Epic Level mage before him.

Oh Haengbok continued.

“You’re a benefactor. It seems you helped us in ways we don’t even know. You’re just a bit excited right now, you don’t seem like the type of villain who would try to harm innocent people… If you promise not to seek revenge later, I’ll let you go.”

When the troll didn’t answer, Oh Haengbok said.

“If you promise, nod your head.”

As he said this, he seemed to loosen his grip slightly, allowing the spirit to return enough to nod.

And at that moment, the figure of the troll, still held in that hand, vanished.

Seo Yun quickly assessed the situation. He fled.

The moment a bit of energy returned, he must have used Blink or a Return Spell. Most likely, he used a Return Spell to go back to his own village.

Oh Haengbok blinked, then, as if realizing the situation a half-beat late, let out a deep sigh. He looked this way and said.

“Seo Yun? Take Gaeulbi and run.”

“Run?”

“Yeah. No telling if that troll will come back determined to cause harm, and if he does, I’m not confident I can win again. Get out of here before that bastard returns!”

Where to? There was no time to ask in detail.

She decided to follow his words for now. Seo Yun took off the bracelet the troll had given her and threw it away to hinder tracking, then grabbed Gaeulbi’s wrist.

Oh Haengbok kept shouting.

“Go anywhere, just get as far away as possible where you won’t be caught! Come back later after some time has passed or something!”

As Seo Yun tried to pull Gaeulbi outside the tent, Gaeulbi didn’t move. The girl, her face pale, looked back and said.

“I think I should stay… If the troll comes back and I’m not here, who knows what he might do, demanding I be handed over.”

Then Oh Haengbok said.

“I made you a promise when I recruited you to the village.”

“What promise…?”

“The promise that if the troll tried to catch and kill you, calling you thieves, I’d at least help you escape. This is roughly a similar situation, so a promise must be kept, hurry!”

At that moment, Seo Yun was casting a spell on herself. The Heroism Spell.

“Come quickly!”

With amplified strength, she forcibly dragged Gaeulbi along. Before completely exiting the tent, she quickly said to Oh Haengbok.

“If that troll comes back later, tell him I’m willing to keep working together from now on. Then maybe he’ll restrain himself even if he considers causing trouble. Got it?”After confirming Oh Haengbok’s nod, Seo Yun stepped out of the tent. Grabbing Gaeulbi’s wrist as she cried out that this shouldn’t be happening, she ran toward the village warehouse.

She shouted to Han Siwoo, who was running alongside her.

“Han Siwoo, bring the Bag of Infinity!”

Han Siwoo seemed overwhelmed by the flow of events, but he silently nodded. True to his habit of wearing the Bracelet of Haste even for daily tasks, he dashed toward his own tent like a cheetah.

Escaping the village required various preparations. While waiting for Han Siwoo to return, Seo Yun set aside potatoes, dried provisions, a pot, toilet paper, and other items to take from the warehouse.

When Han Siwoo returned with the Bag of Infinity, she instructed him to put the items inside, then strode through the village to attend to her own tasks.

She abruptly entered Mage Oh Haengun’s tent. It seemed no major commotion had occurred apart from Oh Haengbok’s roar calling him a ‘son of a bitch’ during the recent fight. Oh Haengun looked at her as if he knew nothing.

“Hello, Seo Yun? What’s the matter…”

Seo Yun picked up a keychain placed on a shelf and asked.

“This has the Chase spell on it, right? The one you made a while ago.”

“Yes, but why?”

“I’m taking this and leaving the village! If anything happens, tell the Chief to contact me.”

“Huh? Okay, got it. But it sounds like you’ll be gone for a while. Did you get the Chief’s permission?”

“I got it!”

There was no time to explain what was happening or to bid a careful farewell to the villagers before leaving. Seo Yun gathered necessary items like fuel for the car from various places, greeting only those she encountered.

“Juri, I’m leaving!”

“Mister, see you later!”

“Park Taeyang, you son of a bitch, treat the kids well!”

During this, she also ran into Kim Jihyeok.

“Jihyeok, Mom’s leaving!”

When Seo Yun shouted, Kim Jihyeok nodded half-heartedly.

“Huh? Yeah…”

It felt harsh, not knowing when she’d be able to return. Grumbling internally, Seo Yun started the engine of the Two-and-a-Half-Ton Truck.

Han Siwoo seemed to have packed all the luggage into the bag and brought Gaeulbi with him.

“Both of you, get in the front seat!”

She seated Gaeulbi in the middle to prevent her from escaping and placed Han Siwoo beside her. Seo Yun drove the Two-and-a-Half-Ton Truck out of the village.

Thus, the three of them left Happy Village. She had resolved to leave someday, but she hadn’t anticipated leaving so abruptly, even if it was finally happening.

Since they had to leave the village in haste, they hadn’t decided on a destination. They only knew they shouldn’t head toward Gyeonggi Province, as there was a troll village there.

Seo Yun drove wherever the road was open, wherever the wheels could take them, driving and driving.

After driving straight for a while, she only slowed down when she judged they were far enough.

Even as they gained some leeway to talk, silence flowed. It was a dreary and uncomfortable silence.

Glancing sideways, Gaeulbi wore an expression as if she might burst into tears at any moment. Seo Yun cautiously spoke up.

“Are you okay?”

Gaeulbi answered with a look that was anything but okay.

“No… I’ll manage to escape on my own now, so can’t you two go back?”

“Just the two of us?”

“Seo Yun, there’s no need for you to leave too… Siwoo, you should stay in Happy Village too, okay?”

“She’s talking nonsense. How are you supposed to survive alone in this cold season?”

At Seo Yun’s rebuke, Gaeulbi couldn’t retort and began to sob.

She seemed to regret things turning out this way, having likely assumed she’d just be captured by the trolls and that would be the end. Seo Yun stopped the car for a moment and spoke.

“To be honest, I am annoyed wondering why you did something you were told not to do and let things escalate this far.”

Han Siwoo looked at her with a startled expression, and Seo Yun continued.

“But that’s it. I’m not angry enough to throw things and yell at you asking why you did it. I’m saying this for my own sake—do you really think I’d throw a tantrum? So if you want to apologize, do it later to Han Siwoo here, who ended up leaving along with you because of that guy Oh Haengbok.”

As Gaeulbi sniffled, Han Siwoo also repeatedly said he was fine, that they were a team.

What a commendable kid. Seo Yun patted Han Siwoo’s shoulder and grinned, but Gaeulbi continued to sob.

“I’m sorry…”

“I said it’s okay.

“I was too…”

“I’m not just saying I’m okay. I actually wanted to leave that village anyway.”

“But it’s the best village to live in in Korea…”

Gaeulbi spoke as if they might never be able to return if they left now. Seo Yun thought to herself. Maybe that’s true. But so what…

“I’m a Level 9 Noble Priest. Not to boast, but stating an objective fact—I’m too noble an existence for there to be any place in the world that would cast me out. Anywhere but Happy Village would welcome me, so what does it matter where I go?”

Beside her, Han Siwoo muttered, “Noble existence…” but Seo Yun decided to tolerate it with a generous heart. She would also willingly tolerate this chimpanzee’s recent impulsive action.

It wasn’t a lie that she was only annoyed because that chimpanzee didn’t listen, nothing more.

She understood why such an impulsive action had been taken. Hadn’t she herself been anxiously worrying for quite a while that Oh Haengbok might target her? Gaeulbi’s mind was probably filled with worry that a teammate might experience something similar, as that day’s events were etched too deeply in her memory.

‘Though claiming all the troll’s actions had sinister motives seems like a trauma-induced assumption…’

Seo Yun forced a smile, trying not to sigh.

“I’ll say it again, I’m really fine. And thank you for worrying about me. You must have made a tremendous resolve to do so…”

Gaeulbi began to weep. Seo Yun looked sideways and shouted.

“Han Siwoo? Sing a song to lighten the mood!”

“You sing it…”

“I have to drive. Come on!”

Only then did Han Siwoo start singing awkwardly, and Seo Yun cursed internally about how badly he sang while humming along.

She started the car again.

Snow was falling today as well. After driving continuously through the snow, the Two-and-a-Half-Ton Truck finally left the sacred land of Incheon.