I Gave Up Being Stronger

Chapter 300

Marshmallow whispered a piece of advice to Jin-Hyeok, very softy, “Be ready to activate your Broadcaster’s, no, Absolute Barrier at any moment. I will help defend with my artifacts.”

After walking steadily, Fyurel now stood face-to-face with Jin-Hyeok. She looked up at him, her demeanor reminiscent of someone about to slap another.

Marshmallow quickly intervened between them. “Fyurel, wait. Let’s talk. Ah! It’s hot!”

Feeling as if his soles were on fire, the Arvis Streamer hopped around like a rabbit. Even in this situation, he felt a chill run down his spine.

‘She targeted my feet! That’s a cheap move!’

Although he thought it was a cheap move, he knew deep down that Fyurel’s actions were exceptional. Marshmallow was covered in artifacts resistant to fire, and his feet were the only exposed weak point. Therefore, Fyurel had already figured out all of Marshmallow’s weaknesses. If such a monster was after Chul-Soo, Chul-Soo had no chance.

‘I can’t let that happen!’

He had to protect Chul-Soo, even if it meant pushing himself. The first principle of Chul-Soo Land was ‘Always protect our Chul-Soo!’

However, Fyurel’s reaction was oddly calm. “Go ahead. Seduce me.”

Marshmallow doubted his ears. ‘Why is she talking so gently to Chul-Soo? It wouldn’t surprise me if she just slapped him across his face.’

Although her choice of words was gentle, her tone wasn’t exactly so.

“I have never seen such an idiot blatantly trying to seduce me,” Fyurel said.

“Was I too rash?” Jin-Hyeok asked.

“Sometimes, rash seduction can be good.”

“...”

“I will give you ten minutes. Make me blush.”

Jin-Hyeok nodded. He reflected on his experiences with various types of seduction techniques. Yet, when it came time to act, he found the seduction technique to be unfamiliar.

Jin-Hyeok decided to brainwash himself. ‘I like using seduction techniques.’

He had just learned from Marshmallow that, to become an excellent Eltuber, he had to be okay with using seduction techniques. He decided to start with the technique he had used earlier.

“Fyurel.”

“...”

Jin-Hyeok called out her name with all his might, but there was no significant reaction.

‘Am I doing it wrong?’

***

Fyurel was fluttered. ‘Wow, he’s pretty good.’

From the moment she faced Chul-Soo, she had been feeling fluttered. She understood why Harkoen was so obsessed with Chul-Soo and why even Muenne, one of the Seven Paladins of the Helen Empire, had gone crazy about him.

“I will give you ten minutes. Make me blush.”

She had already been fluttering when she said that.

When Chul-Soo said her name, she almost responded. It was strange that merely hearing her name could affect her so much. She had never experienced anything like it before.

‘Wait, he’s holding my hand?’

Jin-Hyeok took Fyurel’s hand, and she did not pull away. Jin-Hyeok was trying a technique previously used by other Assassins. Many Assassins initiated physical contact or held hands as a first move.

An awkward silence passed between them. Trying a seduction technique for the first time, Jin-Hyeok kept thinking, ‘Am I doing it wrong?’ Meanwhile, Fyurel vowed not to show her true feelings.

Marshmallow, who was filming this, could not help but laugh at this absurdity. ‘Chul-Soo looks so awkward right now! Can this be even called a seduction technique? He instinctively hates seduction techniques.’

That was why Chul-Soo’s actions were undeniably awkward, akin to wearing clothes that did not fit. The silence between Chul-Soo and Fyurel was so embarrassing that Marshmallow felt awkward on their behalf.

‘But...’ Marshmallow still thought it was strange. ‘Is it working?’

Although the two involved seemed oblivious, as an observer, Marshmallow could see that it was working.

‘It doesn’t make any sense!’ Marshmallow was overwhelmed. ‘But, at the same time, it makes sense!’

An inexplicable sense of defeat washed over him. ‘The world is unfair!’

***

Ten minutes had passed.

“You failed to make me flutter, Chul-Soo,” Fyurel said.

“It seems so.”

Brick hopped up and down in place. “I disagree with you two, Sir Chul-Soo, Lady Fyurel.”

“I didn’t ask you, Assassin.” Fyurel tossed a small fireball toward Brick. The tiny flame gracefully flew and nestled into Brick’s chest. It was not an offensive Spell.

“It feels so warm!” Brick’s expression melted like a snowman on a spring day. Lying down as if to say he would no longer interfere, he cradled the flame and giggled with delight, enjoying its warmth.

Marshmallow continued the livestream, taken aback, “It\'s not the storm that removes a traveler’s coat, but the sunshine.”[1]

Though it was a simple truth, Fyurel summoning the sunshine was astonishing.

‘To think she would resort to such a peaceful method,’ Marshmallow thought.

Having dealt with the meddlesome Brick, Fyurel continued, “Since you have failed to seduce me, I am going to punish you.”

“What’s the punishment?”

“Tomorrow evening at six o’clock, come to Elpagon Restaurant on 17th Street in Muren.”

Elpagon Restaurant was a quite famous dining spot in Muren. Marshmallow could not shake off a feeling of unease.

‘That doesn’t sound like a punishment, but like she is asking him out on a date!’

***

[Legacy of the Forsaken Queen]

[The Forsaken Queen cherished and loved a disciple. This disciple’s name was Carvington. The queen imparted all her knowledge and wisdom to Carvington. Even at the moment when he betrayed her, Veselity loved him.

<Scenario Unlock Condition>

*The life of a Carvington family member.]

The universe-level Scenario ‘Legacy of the Forsaken Queen’, which had not yet been fully revealed on Jin-Hyeok’s livestream, became partially unveiled, allowing him to grasp how it would progress.

‘I guess the pieces come together to reveal the entire content.’

Carvington was one of the Seven Great Heroes[2], known as the Alchemist of Creation. Thanks to Yolin, Jin-Hyeok already knew who Carvington was.

“The founder of her family was named Carvington. But if you read this in the ancient pronunciation of the Helen Empire, it’s roughly read as Kihekton. This Kihekton was one of Garbinu’s close aides.”

“So, the start of Lady Harkoen’s family and the start of Katrina’s family almost overlap. The founders of both families were Garbinu’s colleagues. However, the information is strangely lacking in details as if someone hid the records.”

‘This means...’ A thought flickered through Jin-Hyeok’s mind. ‘The next piece might be related to Katrina’s family.’

Then an odd thought struck him. ‘But didn’t the Seven Great Heroes become the founders of each family, leaving behind the Seven Great Families of Arvis? By that logic... is Katrina also a member of the Seven Great Families?’

This was a fact not widely known even before his regression. He knew Katrina was a master jeweler of great skill, but not that the jeweler was from one of the Seven Great Families of Arvis. It was highly likely that Katrina had hidden his identity. Most people would have wondered how Yolin, a mere employee, could have discovered this, but Jin-Hyeok readily accepted it.

‘Yolin is studying intensely!’

Jin-Hyeok felt he had to give Yolin a generous bonus at the end of this year. He nodded in satisfaction and checked his inventory. Inside it was an ancient parchment he had received as a reward for progressing through the Scenario.

‘Hm... a scroll.’

It was a type of Skill book.

[Veselity’s Mudra]

[The Forsaken Queen was fond of using mudras.

She left special markings with these mudras on all her legacies.

To obtain her legacy, one must be able to form her mudra.]

The problem was that it was unusable.

[Your understanding of alchemy is too shallow.]

[You cannot use ?Veselity’s Mudra?.]

Jin-Hyeok found himself in a quandary. ‘Should I start studying alchemy?’

However, he simply did not have the leisure for it. Even refining his seduction techniques, which he had started recently, was almost tearing him apart, physically and mentally. There were not enough hours in a day for him to focus on livestreaming, let alone add the study of alchemy to his plate.

“What should I do?” Jin-Hyeok asked.

“What else? We must find a trustworthy Alchemist for your party,” Han Sae-Rin replied.

“An Alchemist?”

Unfortunately, he had no outstanding Alchemist allies nearby. Even if people with such Skills existed around him, finding a trustworthy ally among them was truly difficult. However, Sae-Rin seemed to have already found a suitable candidate.

“I have someone in mind.”

***

[We cannot overlook Kim Chul-Soo’s misdeeds.]

Some individuals collectively criticized Chul-Soo’s actions. Among them, a prominent group was the Alchemist Association.

[Lady Harkoen was a great Alchemist and a central figure for Alchemists worldwide.]

The Alchemists argued that Chul-Soo’s killing of Harkoen was excessive.

[Lady Harkoen loved alchemy and was a sincere researcher. She treated Chul-Soo with love and passion for her studies. Although some ethical issues emerged in the process, she was pure at heart. Killing her was an excessive act of violence.]

The Arvis Alchemist Association publicly declared Chul-Soo as an enemy.

[To anyone who brings us Chul-Soo’s head, we will offer a reward of ten billion Dias.]

However, this statement was later removed. Their announcement lacked justification, and Chul-Soo was an honorary citizen of Arvis. Instead, the Alchemist Association pressured Chul-Soo in other ways.

[From now on, our Alchemists will not assist Chul-Soo in any way. If any Alchemist helps Chul-Soo, we will take appropriate action. For the crime of murdering the Mother of Alchemy, Chul-Soo shall be deprived of the benefits of alchemy for life!]

Harkoen’s legacy included numerous research materials, and analyzing and fully absorbing them required the help of Alchemists. This was an unwelcome situation for Jin-Hyeok.

[If Chul-Soo intends to sincerely apologize, he should not privately exploit Lady Harkoen’s precious legacy but donate it all to contribute to the advancement of alchemy.]

Of course, their true intentions were transparent.

-That’s a load of bullshit! They’re just pissed that Chul-Soo got all of Harkoen’s legacy, LOL!

-It’s all Chul-Soo’s now, and there is nothing you guys can do about it. GG!

Regardless of the reason, Jin-Hyeok found it difficult to receive help from Alchemists. However, one person did not care about the Alchemist Association at all; it was the Player whom Sae-Rin recommended to Jin-Hyeok—Navigator Lessefim.

“Yeah, I don’t care about the Alchemist Association. Let them say whatever,” Lessefim said. Being a Navigator, she did not need to worry about the Alchemist Association’s opinion.

Her eyes sparkled. ‘I’m so glad.’

She had been feeling uneasy, thinking she was not as helpful as other Chul-Soo Landers. Now, she could offer help through alchemy. She smiled. “It’s one step closer to our marriage.”

“Huh?”

“No, never mind.” Lessefim quickly looked around, worried that Chul-Soo Land No.2 might have heard her.

‘If the manager of the Chul-Soo Land hears this, I will be banned for life!’ Lessefim thought.

There was an unwritten rule in Chul-Soo Land—love Chul-Soo fervently, but do not monopolize him. A person saying they wanted to marry Chul-Soo was akin to trying to monopolize him, a betrayal of Chul-Soo Land.

Lessefim hid her true feelings and said, “I am happy I can contribute my part.”

It felt like she was finally pulling her weight.

“I have something for you,” Jin-Hyeok said.

“Is it a ring?”

“No, a scroll.” Jin-Hyeok took out Veselity’s Mudra.

Lessefim’s eyes widened. “W-Wait... isn’t this...?!”

1. This is from one of the famous Aesop’s Fables, The North Wind and the Sun. ☜

2. Previously, the author wrote this term as the Six Great Heroes. Here, I believe the author is adding Shaquil as one of the Great Heroes. ☜