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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: bchen3
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“Hmm…”
“Why the long face? You did well.”
“Ah, it feels worse than I thought.”
After sparring with the Manga-Ripped Delinquent, I was reviewing the fight as usual when Luna approached.
“What is? Him?”
Luna looked at the Manga-Ripped Delinquent, who was having his bones reset by the priests and receiving a healing spell.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, he had been unconscious the entire time, eyes rolled back.
“I’ve broken people’s bodies in games…you know, low-sensitivity games, but this is the first time I’ve experienced such a high-sensitivity situation. It feels like I actually broke someone’s joints… Honestly, I did it because I thought it was necessary, but the sensation is a bit gruesome.”
“It is a bit gruesome. Now that you mention it, I have noticed something lately.”
“What is it?”
“Since we started sparring in training, I’m okay because I use a shield, but some of the people who use swords are afraid to point their swords at their opponents. There are some people who are afraid not only of being hit, but also of attacking others. Most of them are women, but there are quite a few men too.”
I sighed at her words.
‘I certainly hadn’t thought of that.’
With the increased reality, I had only considered the difficulty of the controls and the content.
But in this game, which was almost indistinguishable from reality except for the status window, the problems couldn’t be limited to structural difficulty.
‘People are afraid of being hurt, but they also suffer mentally from hurting others.’
In sports, it was surprisingly common for the person who inflicted an injury to be more mentally affected than the injured person.
Even if you hand someone a knife in real life, not many people can actually stab someone.
It wasn’t for nothing that cartoon rendering and flashy games were popular even after virtual reality became mainstream.
Because they could greatly reduce the psychological burden of fighting an opponent.
“Quite a few people confidently stabbed without thinking at first, then saw their opponent in pain, and ended up traumatized.”
“…I thought everyone was unusually distracted today, so there was a reason.”
“It’s a good thing though.”
“Yes?”
“Honestly, the other side was in the wrong, but it’s a bit much if someone breaks all their limbs and is completely unfazed, right? What’s that called? Psy…”
“Psychopath.”
“Yes. Psychopath. No matter how competent a colleague is, it’s a bit off-putting if they seem like that…”
I nodded.
“Still, considering our current situation, we’ll need to get used to it until we become indifferent. Accidents can happen in actual combat. Maybe, when it comes to combat, a psychopath who doesn’t care about hurting others might be more capable.”
“I guess so. …Ah~ I really hate this. I was so happy to be invited as a special guest to a game I’ve been looking forward to for years. I don’t know what’s going on all of a sudden.”
“Tell me about it.”
Luna and I sighed, looking at each other.
“Morning training will end here. Please gather again at the designated time after eating and resting.”
“Let’s eat for now.”
I said to Luna, watching people collapsing and breathing heavily here and there as the instructors spoke.
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“Mmm~ I’m so glad.”
“Glad about what?”
“The food. I’m Japanese, so I don’t feel satisfied unless I eat rice.”
“Koreans and Chinese also eat rice as a staple food. These days, quite a few people eat bread, but that’s usually the case for us too. We’re all in Asia.”
“Oh.”
“Japanese people sometimes do that. Like thinking only Japan has four seasons, or that only Japanese people eat seaweed.”
“Oh. Oh.”
Luna, putting rice in her mouth, blushed as if embarrassed.
“…Sorry.”
“It’s nothing to apologize for. But I agree that I’m glad about the meal. It tastes familiar, even though it’s a bit different.”
I said, looking down at the tray below.
Rice, seasoned seaweed, dried fish, miso soup with tofu and seaweed, and rolled omelet.
It was a Japanese home-style meal.
Of course, there were people who ate bread.
There were even hamburgers.
“Honestly, it’s a really nonsensical world, isn’t it? Just as I’m about to get immersed, it throws me off.”
“That’s true, but it’s good that they didn’t fuss about historical accuracy, so we don’t have to struggle with the food.”
‘…Although it seems some people are in despair because of it.’
I remembered the first time I ate at this dining hall.
“Uh…uh? They already have miso and soy sauce?”
A male user who looked like a high school student, who had chosen Alchemist as his class with a Hero Rank of B, was amazed, his jaw dropping.
Not only that, but when he saw tofu, natto, and the ketchup and mayonnaise in the hamburgers, he had a look of despair for some reason.
It wasn’t surprising that such things existed, but it was a bit strange for them to be in a game that appeared to be medieval Western.
The head servant who guided us to the dining hall kindly explained the situation
“It has already become a legend, but it is said that these things were spread by the Heroes summoned from Zipangu before your time.”
“Ah…”
It seemed like the reason he chose Alchemist was to make the things he used on Earth here.
‘…He should have just chosen a normal class. In RPG games, it’s common sense to choose a character that is generally good, rather than a niche pick that’s only good in specific, limited situations.’
He had been an unusual fellow from the start.
“This class is the strongest. First of all… this and… that…”
However, after this incident, the Alchemist high schooler became noticeably gloomy.
Unlike priests, it’s a class that’s difficult to be immediately useful as a support role, so some users suggested that he change to another class.
“Ignorantimmoralstupidapesdon’tunderstandmygrandplan…mumble mumble.”
He had fallen into darkness.
For the record, this world already had soap, shampoo, and conditioner.
They had been popularized long ago, and I had tried them once. The quality wasn’t bad.
Even the toilets were flush toilets. Thank goodness for that.
As evidenced by the shampoo and conditioner, bathing culture was also developed, and hygiene was quite good.
I didn’t know if it was just the royal palace, but the difference from modern times was surprisingly only the lack of electronic devices, at least within the palace.
“So, have you decided on any candidates for party members?”
Luna asked, picking out fish bones with her chopsticks.
“Um, roughly. I’m planning to approach them soon. If I’m too late, they might all be snatched up.”
“Who is your top priority?”
“The Japanese kid. No, the one called Kudo.”
“Ah- that quiet kid. He’s certainly good with a sword.”
“I estimate he’s S-rank.”
“Hero rank?”
“Yes.”
“…Weren’t there only two of them?”
“That’s only what’s been revealed. Some were reluctant to disclose their information.”
Luna tilted her head.
“But how did you know?”
“That’s…”
I almost said that Hero rank seems to be based on talent, but I stopped myself.
Firstly, I wasn’t sure, and if it was true, it wouldn’t explain why I was A-rank.
“A hunch. A pro gamer’s hunch.”
“Hmm~.”
Luna’s eyes narrowed like a flounder’s.
Then she chuckled and picked up a grain of rice with her chopsticks, putting it in her mouth.
“Well, even if I don’t know his actual rank, I can agree that his sense is S-rank. No one seems to have beaten him. But…”
“But?”
“Will it be okay? Honestly, he doesn’t seem like the cooperative type.”
Luna said with a worried expression.
Definitely.
I nodded.
Since this game started, all sorts of people have emerged.
People like the Doraemon Trio, who called this world another world.
People like the Manhwa Thug, acting violently and trying to control other users, who were generally introverted.
People who, contrary to the Manhwa Thug, displayed leadership in this crisis, reassuring and leading others.
People like us, who were sincerely focused on strategy.
People like the Alchemist high schooler, doing useless things.
And people like the Japanese kid, who had become a lone wolf, showing off his belated chuunibyou like he was the main character.
‘I hope no one starts ranting about spreading democracy. The king we met at first didn’t seem like a very user-friendly AI.’
If democracy was a trigger, I’d rather not get caught up in it and lose my head.
“He’s a valuable asset, so we should try to persuade him. And he looks like an elementary or middle school student, so as adults, we can’t just let him die.”
I said coldly.
Every action and play requires a rationale.
Gambles, clever moves, super plays.
The most important thing is to avoid situations that require such plays in the first place.
How far could a Samurai with only damage and no utility go alone in an MMORPG?
From a certain point, they would have to overextend to fill the gaps in the other positions.
If he went solo, he’d have no one to help him in a crisis, so one slip-up would be the end.
“During puberty, you might have a black flame dragon or two sealed in your hand. You think you have more talent than others, and with this situation, you feel like the main character. Normally, I would laugh it off, but…”
“Now lives are at stake.”
“That’s right. It’s too heavy a price for a young kid to pay for a wrong choice made out of youthful ignorance.”
“Hmm… Thinking about it that way, I do feel a sense of responsibility as an adult. If you go to persuade Kudo, can I come along?”
“Luna?”
“Hmm… It’s embarrassing to say it myself, but wouldn’t persuading a pubescent boy be much easier if a pretty older sister went along?”
“Oh. Definitely.”
I nodded at Luna’s persuasive words.
Tall and beautiful.
Definitely that level of destructive power.
A teenage boy’s libido wouldn’t be able to withstand it.
Less so than Goddess Hespada, though.
“Then who’s the next candidate for a companion?”
“Ah, the next-”
“It seems like you are looking for companions. Would you mind if I joined the conversation?”
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