After my master and the senior Slayer Squad members returned to their duties, we spent an entire day addressing media and press requests.
To be honest, most of the heavy lifting was done by Shin Se-hee while I recovered from muscle pain and fatigue.
"Since we're here anyway, how about delaying our return to the academy for a bit? We could rest and relax for a while."
Unlike Korea, which was still chilly, Hawaii's warm weather made it a perfect place for a winter break.
My suggestion was met with cheers from the party members, who clearly needed a break after the stressful gate expedition.
But then, the atmosphere suddenly grew tense.
"So, who's Jin Yuha going to hang out with first this time…"
"I have something to discuss with him privately."
"Yoo-ri, you got to go first last time. Maybe it's my turn now?"
'Hmm, looks like everyone is trying to figure out who will spend time with me first. But this time, it's already decided.'
"Sorry, but this time, I'd like to spend time with Shin Se-hee first."
Normally, I wasn't the type to make the first move in such situations.
But I was curious.
The party members looked visibly disappointed, their eyes filled with longing, but they soon nodded in understanding. They, too, realized that Shin Se-hee had changed since this gate.
"Hehe, for Jin Yu-ha to choose me first—this is unexpectedly delightful. Alright then, Jin Yu-ha. Let's take a break together."
Shin Se-hee smiled brightly and nodded.
.
.
.
The next day, on a cliff overlooking the sea, Shin Se-hee and I entered an upscale Hawaiian restaurant, "Ocean Prime."
I had booked the entire restaurant in advance, but the owner, upon seeing us, exclaimed in disbelief. She said she never thought Jin Yuha would actually show up and promised to pour her soul into preparing the meal.
"Wow, the view here is stunning!"
Shin Se-hee marveled as she gazed out the window.
Through the glass, the setting sun painted the sea in hues of red.
"You were the one who booked this place, Shin Se-hee," I said, chuckling at her reaction.
"Well, yes, but it's my first time actually coming here. I always thought I'd visit someday, but I never imagined I'd come with Jin Yuha," she replied, a hint of excitement in her voice.
Just then, a waiter with neatly combed blond hair approached.
"What kind of wine would you like?"
"Hmm, do you have a 1982 Château Lafite Rothschild?"
Shin Se-hee replied as if she were accustomed to such settings.
"An excellent choice. You have impeccable taste," the waiter remarked.
"Hehe, I'll leave it to you," she replied.
Soon, appetizers and wine were brought out.
"Jin Yuha, how did you feel during the battle with the Spider Queen?"
Shin Se-hee asked while gently swirling her wine glass. The ruby-red liquid sparkled in the glass.
"Hmm? You saw everything, didn't you? You were coordinating the whole time."
"Yes, I saw it. But I want to know how you felt. What was going through your mind in those moments?"
"Well, I guess... I just thought I had to win. If I fell there, it would all be over. I was just desperate to survive, nothing more."
Shin Se-hee's voice took on a slightly hollow tone.
"Desperate to survive... I see. Even when the clones appeared?"
"Well, I used muah so intensely back then that my memory's a bit hazy... I don't really remember. By the way, did you see Lee Min-young's broadcast? What was up with her?"
"Hehe, Lee Min-young's popularity is off the charts right now. I needed someone to handle broadcasting since I was busy with coordination, so I brought her along. But now..."
Our conversation flowed naturally. As the sunset deepened, the candles in the restaurant grew brighter and more prominent.
'Hmm, when should I ask about her rank-up?'
Just then, the food arrived—vividly red, steamed blue crab and a perfectly cooked steak, steaming on pristine white plates.
"What do you want to eat?"
"I'll go with the steak. Why don't you take the blue crab, Jin Yuha?"
"Sure, let's eat and then swap dishes later."
"Sounds good."
I instinctively pulled the steak plate in front of me.
Shhkk—
I channeled a bit of energy into the knife and lightly touched the meat. The blade effortlessly sliced through the thick steak without scratching the plate. Precision was essential to avoid damaging the plate while cutting the meat.
"I have a question, Jin Yuha."
"Hmm? What is it?"
Shhk shhk.
I was focused on cutting Shin Se-hee's steak as I answered.
"Is it customary in your world for men to cut women's steaks for them?"
Her question made me jerk my head up in surprise.
There she was, her expression playful, her face slightly flushed, as she propped her chin on her hand.
"Si, Shin Se-hee. What are you saying right now...?"
In that moment, I felt as if my soul had frozen solid.
It was so sudden that I couldn't even manage my expression.
"I want to know. About Jin Yuha's original world."
"...Ah."
And at that moment, scenes from the time when I had fallen into a state of trance played out in my mind like a panorama.
What exactly had I said back then...?
-"A one-star trash. Lowest physical ability, swordsmanship specialized at E rank. A uniquely worthless character that makes you want to reset your account the moment you draw them. Honestly, I think Jin Yuha was released just to annoy the players. Otherwise, why would a game full of beautiful characters release someone this useless?"
-"You see... I'm not originally from this world. I came from a place where there are no monsters, a completely peaceful world. I lived a normal life in a city with neon lights, just playing games."
-"How great would it have been to possess someone with more potential? Seriously, why of all people did it have to be someone with no redeeming qualities like this...?"
-"If not that, then maybe they could've at least given me a free gacha once a month. Then I wouldn't have had to suffer like this."
The words echoed in my ears like a curse.
"No... no way."
Yes, Shin Se-hee had heard.
And she must have realized what those words meant.
'What should I do?'
'Should I deny it outright, saying it's ridiculous?'
'No, just looking at her expression, she's convinced. Otherwise, she wouldn't have brought it up in the first place.'
Even as someone who had spent over 10,000 hours, perhaps even more, playing Velvet, I had no idea how to handle this situation.
My mind went blank, and my fingertips started trembling.
The red liquid in the wine glass on the table rippled faintly.
"Not foresight, but transmigration? I truly didn't see that coming. I'm really shocked."
Then, Shin Se-hee spoke with a languid smile.
"But thinking about it like that, all the oddities I found suddenly make sense. During battles, you knew not just the enemy's patterns but even the lines they would say. You seemed to know everything about each party member's past and future as if you'd seen it all firsthand."
She fiddled with her lips as if organizing her thoughts before continuing.
"Especially when we first met. You treated me like someone you'd known for a long time. It all makes perfect sense if you were someone who played the game and controlled these characters."
I could only stare blankly at her lips, unable to say a word.
"In that game, what kind of character was I? I suppose I wasn't very good, was I?"
It felt like I was laying my neck on a guillotine.
"Heh, from your expression, it seems you remember everything now. Hmm, I did think about keeping this to myself after hearing it from you... but I decided not to."
I was terrified of what words might spill from her crimson lips.
"Or rather, you could say I'm preparing insurance to avoid any issues later."
She savored a sip of wine before continuing.
"I think you'll recall saying those words, whether it's during an ordinary day or after everything has ended. Perhaps even during a life-and-death battle. And if that happens, you might lose focus in that critical moment, putting yourself in danger. Or, even if it's not that, I believe you'd distance yourself from me and the other party members because of those memories."
Her words pierced my heart like sharp arrows.
Shin Se-hee narrowed her eyes and let out a soft hum.
"Still, since Jin Yuha now knows me as much as I know him, why don't I try guessing what you're thinking right now?"
Whether it was because of the sunset or the light of insight, Shin Se-hee's eyes glowed red.
"I'm someone who doesn't belong to this world."
Her voice was quiet.
"And I wore someone else's skin, deceitfully fooling the precious people around me."
I couldn't breathe. It was as though she was reading the thoughts swirling in my head.
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