Chapter 26: I Don't Tell Jokes Like This To Just Anyone
Deciding to help Merilyn, I headed to an adventurers’ guild located in a different district from the one I had used before.
Although the work and affiliation were the same, the need for division and management was evident due to the sheer number of adventurers.
Well, given this side’s infamous reputation, going to another place would likely cause confusion if I entered as rashly as before.
“May I take one of these masks here?”
As I harbored such concerns, I came across a marketplace on my way.
Finding a suitable item there, I pulled out some coins from my pocket, handed them to the stall owner, and quickly hid my face behind the mask I received.
“Did you buy a mask?”
“Ah, yes. That… Given what happened at the tavern before, you might have noticed, but I am somewhat infamously known.”
“Ah, now that you mention it, something about being a hero killer…”
Merilyn tilted her head slightly, trailing off her sentence.
Then she tilted her head to the other side and asked me.
“Did you really kill a hero?”
“…If I had really killed someone, I’d be in prison by now.”
Public authority does not act without evidence.
Even if a story that was nothing more than a rumor spread as if it were true, unless I had directly killed someone, there would be no reason for them to come after me.
Even though others might judge and suspect me based solely on infamy, Merilyn simply continued to smile without asking anything more.
“Hehe, well, that’s a relief then.”
Whether she was not particularly interested or trusted her own perception of me wasn’t clear.
Either way, she didn’t seem to care much, as her interest soon shifted to the stall where I had bought the mask.
“Speaking of masks… Now that it’s come to this, I think I should buy one too.”
“Really? You too, Merilyn?”
“Memories are important. Even if it’s something I’ll use briefly, keeping it helps to reminisce, so it’s good to buy a memento to remember today.”
She handed the clerk some coins and reached for a transparent cloth hanging beside the masks.
As I watched, she chuckled and draped it over the front of her hood.
The cloth, tightly woven, shimmered with a white sheen.
With her attire already pure white, the addition of the cloth began to remind me of a traditional dress from our world.
Yes, it reminded me of what was commonly known as a ‘wedding dress.’
“How does it look? Does it suit me?”
Merilyn flashed me a bright smile as she gently brushed the cloth aside.
Observing her slightly pursed lips after she spoke, I felt an inexplicable flutter in my heart.
The image of a bride typically looking like this at a wedding crossed my mind.
“Ah, yes…”
Damn it, Woo Hyo-sung. What are you thinking?
No matter how alluring the other person might be, fantasizing about marriage was going too far.
“It… it suits you well.”
“Hehe~ Thank you for the compliment.”
Merilyn laughed, seemingly oblivious to my internal turmoil.
Feeling guilty, I quickly shifted my focus and hastened toward our intended destination.
A nervous sense crept over me that if I lingered on these thoughts, I might begin to envision us together till death.
Fortunately, our arrival at the adventurers’ guild was uneventful.
Although I possessed the ability to be unforgettable, it only worked if the person I encountered fully acknowledged my existence.
“So, Merilyn, have you registered as an adventurer?”
I asked as we approached the clerk, who would facilitate the process.
To answer my inquiry, Merilyn nodded and produced something from her pocket.
“Yes, I’ve wandered beyond this area before, but I thought it prudent to gain adventurer status to operate within the empire, so I applied. Here’s the proof.”
She showed me a card indicating her adventurer status.
It featured her portrait and basic personal details, but some sections remained unfilled.
“…Your class is blank.”
“Class?”
She seemed unaware.
Since a class could only be inscribed upon joining a guild, it made sense for a newcomer not to know about it.
In fact, the class was also inscribed in the status window, but this also required a visit to the guild and the completion of the relevant procedures.
“Since I also need to change my class, it would be better to do it together now.”
Seizing the perfect opportunity to help, I asked the clerk to prepare the necessary documents and tools, which he promptly placed before me.
Next, he provided the documents required by the adventurers’ guild for recording personal details and the charm needed for acquiring or changing a class.
I picked up one of the charms, affixed it to my hand, and focused on the power that emanated from it.
“When this charm is attached to one’s body, the magic within it activates, resulting in a semi-permanent engraving.”
“An engraving by magic… Will it change my body?”
“Well, it’s more of a minor buff effect than a grand transformation.”
In normal society, a class signifies a job according to one’s major, and in games, it often determines the character’s overall direction.
However, in this world, adventurers could be anyone regardless of conditions or background, so supplementary means were provided to allow applicants to be immediately viable in practice.
One of these was the semi-permanent buff effect granted by this ‘class-changing charm.’
If authorized by the adventurers’ guild to use this charm, one could receive bonuses for abilities or adaptability based on the desired class.
“For example, with my original scout class, my intuition improved slightly, and my senses became sharper, helping with tasks like tracking or dismantling traps.”
Professionally, it could even accommodate the roles of treasure hunters or scouts, but beyond that, it was perfectly suited for finding a safe spot to hide when the party was in combat.
This was why the scout class was mostly chosen by porters, but I felt the need to change my class since I aspired to be an adventurer, not a porter.
“How is it? Was the class properly applied?”
“Yes, it seems to have been applied well.”
After the clerk’s words, I jumped on the spot and felt lighter than before.
Although not enough to withstand attacks on the front line, it was perfect for a support role in close combat.
Furthermore, when I grabbed and swung the spear on my back, it felt much more comfortable to wield than before.
It was as if I had been using such a tool for a long time, a sense of familiarity enveloping me.
Even if I wasn’t highly skilled yet, it would greatly help me get the feel until I became proficient.
Yes, all that was good, but…
Reincarnate Woo Hyo-sung
Class: Spearman
…Damn it.
I had asked for a class that used a spear, but why was the status window modified like this?
“Excuse me, Mr. Clerk. Isn’t the class name a bit odd?”
“Yes, we are aware, but… the class-changing charm handled by the guild is based on records accumulated so far, so it’s currently impossible to modify the recorded name.”
“…What does the record have to do with the name?”
“The class-changing charm we provide internally records the activities of those who use it and adopts a method of generalizing that information to be passed on to other users.”
In short, the minor buff effect from the class change was based on the activities of those who previously used the charm.
Though not revolutionary, as data accumulates, the effects become more efficient and objective.
However, the problem was that this fact applied not only to the abilities of the charm’s users but also to mandatory notations like the status window.
“Also, a lesser-known fact is that historically, classes were often distinguished by appending gender-specific terms to their names. Like ‘Male Warrior,’ ‘Female Warrior,’ and so on.”
“…So, you mean the perceptions and customs from the past also affect this charm?”
“Yes, which is why spear-using classes, for example, haven’t changed their names, remaining largely unpopular since ancient times.”
Why didn’t they explain that before?
Here I was, having chosen a spear because it felt right in my hand, only to be duped like this…
Wasn’t it unjust, as if the world’s chaos had specifically targeted me?
“That guy over there. Did he choose the class Spearman?”
“Spearman, huh? It suits him well.”
“Everyone, look at that man! Isn’t he the epitome of a Spearman?”
“Let’s celebrate the birth of the great Spearman! Hahaha!”
At that moment, other adventurers in the guild began to giggle and laugh at me.
Even the veterans among them were aware of the situation, yet they withheld no mockery.
But to change it, I would have to wait a one-month grace period due to concerns about abusing class changes… Damn it, if I had known this would happen, I would have chosen a warrior class with similar benefits instead of letting the system decide for me.
“So, Mr. Woo Hyo-sung, you’ve chosen to become a Spearman.”
Merilyn approached and asked this just as I was about to vent my frustration over being singled out.
She tilted her head and rested her chin on her hand, a gesture that projected pure innocence, seemingly oblivious to its implications.
No way.
Despite how innocent she appeared, wouldn’t an adult understand the implications?
“Ah, yes. Well, it’s a job that involves using a spear, so they call it Spearman.”
“Hmm, then should I choose the same class as you, Mr. Woo Hyo-sung?”
“Yes, then… excuse me?”
Her casual reply momentarily stunned me.
My eyes widened, believing I had misheard, but then she repeated what she had said earlier.
“It seemed the class-changing charm’s effect was based on records of past adventurers’ activities, and from what I’d heard, there were hardly any adventurers who had chosen a path like mine.”
“Well, yes, since you go out to the field to work, non-combat jobs are not easy to pursue.”
“But, unfortunately, my talents and interests lie solely in cheering others up… There’s no merit in switching to another profession, so I thought it best to choose the same class as the person I’m with.”
That made sense.
Choosing a class was one of the benefits given to adventurers, and once chosen, it couldn’t be changed for a month, but there was no real downside to it.
Yes, in that context, it wasn’t an incomprehensible choice…
“So, I thought it would be fine to become a ‘Spearwoman’ like you, Mr. Woo Hyo-sung. Would that be okay?”
“What are you saying with such a cheerful face?!”
“Ahaha~ Just kidding~♪”
Merilyn laughed off my outburst as if it were nothing more than a simple joke, chuckling as she saw me in discomfort.
“Having wandered the continent before coming here, I’m quite knowledgeable about these matters, but it seems my playful nature, developed from such experiences, inadvertently caused you trouble, Mr. Woo Hyo-sung. I’m sorry, especially since you have serious concerns…”
“Ah, yes. It’s okay. It wasn’t that serious.”
Of course, even her apology didn’t seem sincere, but how could I spit in the face of a smiling person?
I wanted to just let it go, thinking it was a light jest, but…
“…No, it’s not okay after all.”
“Excuse me?”
“Merilyn.”
Gently, I placed my hand on her shoulder and turned her body toward me.
Even with my face masked, I hoped my feelings would be conveyed to her.
“Please value yourself more.”
“Excuse me?”
“Merilyn, you are an attractive person. Even if it’s a joke, such careless jesting might lead others to misunderstand.”
In this harsh world, many would take advantage of a vulnerable woman under any pretext.
As I spoke with that concern in mind, she gradually erased the smile on her lips and started to look at me intently.
“Are you worried about me?”
“…Of course, I am worried.”
Relieved that my meaning had been conveyed, I momentarily removed my hand from her shoulder.
Soon, she smiled again and chuckled, closing the distance between us.
“I’m sorry for causing you worry, Mr. Woo Hyo-sung. But please be assured…”
The moment she came close enough to embrace me, my body stiffened.
Sensing my tension, she whispered softly in my ear.
“I don’t make such jokes just anywhere. It’s only for someone I have feelings for.”
“I see… What?!!”
She has feelings?
What does that mean? Could it be…?
“Ah, your ears are red~”
“…Uh!”
Realizing it was a jest from her subsequent words, I quickly created distance between us.
Only then did I clearly see her face beyond the mask.contemporary romance
Her giggles, with her hand covering her mouth, portrayed the image of a woman thoroughly enjoying herself, evident to anyone who saw her.
“From the moment you apologized, I knew it, but Mr. Woo Hyo-sung, you really are an interesting person. So cute~”
“…No, don’t tease me.”
Was her admission of having feelings merely an opportunity to tease me?
It was such a fine line between teasing and sincerity that it was difficult to discern one from the other.
Continuing to interact in this manner might cross a boundary. With that thought, I quickly approached the clerk to create some distance.
“…Could you please assign the scout class to Ms. Merilyn, and recommend a task suitable for two newcomers?”
“Yes, a task suitable for two newcomers… Ah! There’s this one here. How about trying this one?”
He immediately responded and handed me a notice.
The task described was suitable for a novice spearman and a non-combatant like a minstrel.
The moment I saw it, I had an intuition.
Perhaps it was such an unremarkable task that even my future self could have unwittingly accepted it without sensing impending doom.
done.co