Chapter 83

00083 A Thousand Miles in One Rush

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“I think Mr. Shin Sang-yong’s proposal is a bit difficult.”

Shin Sang-yong had an expression I had already anticipated. However, the others were all looking at me with wide eyes. Still, accepting such a proposal without hesitation was something only beginners would do. I knew they weren’t such people, but I didn’t want to create a distance that might make them feel underestimated.

“We currently have a goal. Appointing the valuable talent Vivian as Mr. Shin Sang-yong’s advisor could significantly hinder our goal achievement.”

“Of course. I understand. I didn’t intend to make such a request without consideration.”

I looked at Shin Sang-yong with a steady gaze.

“With the failure of this expedition, I have nothing left. While I can still manage to eat and live, that’s all. Most importantly, I feel that I have finally hit a wall. I was lucky to survive this time, but I think it will be difficult to rely on such luck in the future. That’s why… I want to join Kim Su-hyun’s group from now on.”

I saw Jeong Hae-yeon sigh from the side. Indeed, Shin Sang-yong was a very pure person. He had just entered the crucial part, but he didn’t know how to speak indirectly. To put it nicely, he was pure, but to put it harshly, he was the type who could easily be taken advantage of.

When I didn’t respond, he hastily added:

“I may not be the best, but I’m confident that I can be useful. I can contribute with just one orthodox magic spell. I won’t be a burden. And….”

He paused for a moment, then continued with a determined tone:

“I won’t expect any benefits while traveling with you. I will be content with seeking advice from Ms. Vivian and occasionally receiving guidance from her. In return, I will work hard as a guide to help achieve your group’s goals.”

He had nothing to offer now, but he was staking his future on his current abilities. I suddenly remembered that I had the book to become a Chimera Alchemist. At that moment, it felt like a bolt of lightning struck my head, and I immediately turned my gaze to Vivian.

“Vivian.”

“I’ll do what Su-hyun tells me to.”

Vivian answered immediately when I called her. It was a very commendable response, but that wasn’t what I wanted to ask. I was about to ask what conditions were needed to become a Chimera Alchemist, but I ultimately kept my mouth shut.

The Harmony Magic Circle is undoubtedly a remarkable innate ability. If used well, it seems to have a high compatibility with the Chimera Alchemist. Moreover, this is just my speculation, but if Shin Sang-yong becomes a Chimera Alchemist, he might be able to generate a new special ability to replace the one he lost.

I’ve only heard stories, but it’s said that when upgrading to a Secret Class or a Rare Class, abilities can sometimes evolve in new ways. While it’s a different case, each class has its own minimum special and latent abilities.

Typically, users can learn one special ability and four latent abilities. Users with innate abilities lose one latent ability slot. I have an innate ability, but I retained one special ability and four latent abilities as a reward for my achievements.

However, there are exceptions. For example, if a user becomes a Spirit Summoner, they must learn summoning spells, but if they have already fully developed their special, latent, and innate ability slots, that class would be incomplete. However, Shin Sang-yong’s situation is different. For some reason, his special ability evolved into an innate ability.

If he develops one latent ability and then upgrades to a Rare Class, there’s a low probability that he might generate a new special ability. It’s just a possibility, but…

However, I can’t just hand over the book to become a Rare Class based on a good first impression. Since he requested it himself, it’s better to observe him a bit more and then decide if he’s trustworthy.

Nonetheless, Shin Sang-yong’s proposal was very appealing. I could lend a user with decent abilities to Vivian under the condition that he join our group. And with the book to become a Chimera Alchemist, incorporating him into our group wouldn’t be difficult.

I turned my gaze to Jeong Hae-yeon. Originally, I planned to pair her with Shin Sang-yong if he made such a proposal, but now that wasn’t necessary. More precisely, there was no longer a need to use Shin Sang-yong as bait to attract Jeong Hae-yeon. With the Harmony Magic Circle, Shin Sang-yong had been elevated to a user of equal value to Jeong Hae-yeon.

Of course, she was still a very attractive user. However, I had no reason to pursue her. By my standards, I was still the best in the Hol Plain. If I had been so attached to Jeong Hae-yeon, I wouldn’t have let Kim Han-byeol, a Secret Class user, go.

Jeong Hae-yeon’s face, which was already deep in thought, became even more serious as she seemed to understand the intent in my gaze.

The statements “I will do everything as a guide” from Shin Sang-yong and “I will do what Su-hyun tells me to” from Vivian carried significant meaning. In essence, Shin Sang-yong declared that he would follow my lead as the leader from the moment he joined our group, and I showed my position through Vivian’s response.

He had a good reason to train in the non-mainstream alchemy. However, Jeong Hae-yeon didn’t.

With her level of skill, she could join a verified caravan or apply to join a clan. While it seemed she had no such plans, the future was uncertain.

I took the opportunity while she was thinking to activate my Third Eye. I wanted to see her information in more detail.

< User Information (Player Status) >

1. Name (Name): Jeong Hae-yeon (2nd year)

2. Class (Class): Normal Mage Expert

3. Nation (Nation): Babara

4. Clan (Clan): -

5. True Name · Nationality: Dewdrop of the Lake · Republic of Korea

6. Gender (Sex): Female (26)

7. Height · Weight: 166.5cm · 42.8kg

8. Alignment: Lawful · Good

[Strength 34] [Endurance 38] [Agility 40] [Health 32] [Magic 87] [Luck 80]

< Achievements (0) >

< Special Abilities (1/1) >

1. Lake’s Blessing (Rank: A+)

< Latent Abilities (4/4) >

1. Orthodox Magic (Rank: A0)

2. Magic Circuit Application (Rank: B+)

3. Rapid Incantation (Rank: B+)

4. Magic Resistance (Rank: B0)

After carefully examining Jeong Hae-yeon’s abilities, I smiled inwardly. Her latent abilities followed the standard for a mage, and her special ability, Lake’s Blessing, was a rare ability that suited her characteristics. She was likely skilled in water-related magic.

I was particularly pleased with her Rapid Incantation and Magic Circuit Application. These were skills that required excellent memory and calculation, and she had achieved B+ ranks in both. Among the users I met in the small town of Muel, she was definitely a big catch.

As I and Jeong Hae-yeon looked at each other, the others waited with tense faces for her response. The kids had already been told that I would accept Jeong Hae-yeon, so they guessed that her decision would determine Shin Sang-yong’s treatment.

After a moment, her tightly closed lips slowly opened.

*

“Good morning.”

“Ah, Leader. Good, good morning. Haha.”

As I opened the door, I saw Shin Sang-yong yawning and climbing the stairs. I greeted him, and he responded with a lively smile. His polite words made me smile slightly, and I said:

“You don’t have to call me Leader. It makes me feel awkward every time I hear it.”

“Still, a leader is a leader. Did you just wake up?”

“Yes. But it seems you stayed up all night again.”

“I’ve been very busy lately. I’ve been reviewing what I learned from my teacher and practicing on my own, to the point where I barely have time to rest.”

Shin Sang-yong looked genuinely happy. Feeling a bit envious, I nodded.

“It’s good to work hard, but please take care of your health. We plan to leave the city and explore again tomorrow morning.”

“I was planning to go to bed on time today. But hearing that from you, the leader, feels a bit strange.”

Shin Sang-yong was pointing out my much tighter schedule. I had nothing to say, so I just chuckled. We both burst into laughter, a pleasant sound after a long time.

Seeing him yawn repeatedly, I felt bad and moved aside to let him in. After watching him bow and enter the room I had just left, I turned around. The thought of finally having a proper group made me hum a tune.

As I moved to the lobby, I saw the empty tables and Go Yeon-ju, who was sleeping. She looked so exhausted that I tried to be as quiet as possible and found a suitable seat. I thought about the new members, Shin Sang-yong and Jeong Hae-yeon.

In the end, both decided to join our group, but Jeong Hae-yeon had set a different condition. She said she would work for the group and not expect any benefits, just like Shin Sang-yong, but added:

“I would like to be able to leave freely if I want to in the future. This is my minimum condition.”

I immediately agreed. We weren’t a formal clan, and it was common for caravan members to leave. I told Shin Sang-yong the same, but he only nodded, showing no intention of leaving anytime soon.

Originally, I planned to leave for the next expedition the day after they arrived, but I changed my mind and decided to stay in the city for a few more days. This was a consideration for Shin Sang-yong, who was eager to start learning immediately.

Thanks to this, the happiest person was Vivian. Shin Sang-yong called her teacher and treated her with respect, and most importantly, the harassment from Yu Jeong had significantly decreased. As a result, she had been showing a cheerful demeanor more often in the dungeon.

Observing them over time, I was very, very, and extremely satisfied. It might sound a bit exaggerated, but after always cleaning up after the kids, seeing users who could handle their own affairs was deeply moving.

Shin Sang-yong and Jeong Hae-yeon joined at the same time, but their behaviors were completely different.

Shin Sang-yong was living a very busy life. Since he and I had different professions and he was already at a certain level, I didn’t have much to teach him. However, he started meditating early in the morning.

From his lifestyle, I could tell whether he was doing this to impress me or if he had been consistently diligent. While it might seem naive, I felt a sense of affection for his efforts. He wasn’t a genius, but he was struggling to climb higher. In a way, his efforts were quite similar to my first playthrough, which made me feel a natural affinity.

On the other hand, Jeong Hae-yeon’s life was a continuous cycle of meticulous planning. Honestly, even I would get tired of living by the minute. She kept to a strict schedule for waking up, eating, sleeping, and personal time. She showed an intense focus during her waking hours, but she also showed flexibility in adjusting her schedule when needed.

In a way, their lives might be a stark representation of the Hol Plain. Despite their efforts, the possibility of becoming a top-tier user was still low. The kids also seemed to have gained a lot from observing them. While they also trained hard, these two were living each day with a sense of desperation.

Seeing the kids’ attitudes change for the better after their arrival, I felt positive. Desperation is never too much.

“Now that I think about it, it’s about time for them to come down.”

As I finished my thoughts, I heard a door open upstairs. The sound of steady footsteps followed. I smiled faintly and pulled the chair loudly. It was time to wake up Go Yeon-ju, who was sound asleep.

============================ Author’s Note ============================

Hello, I’m Ro Yu-jin.

As you all expected, Shin Sang-yong and Jeong Hae-yeon have joined the protagonist’s group. This concludes the New Face chapter. Why did Jeong Hae-yeon join the protagonist’s group? Hahaha.

Anyway, now that we’ve had enough rest, it’s time to go on another expedition. The title of this chapter is “A Thousand Miles in One Rush.” Thank you to everyone who has shown interest and support for Memorize. I always appreciate it. :)

『 Reader Comments 』

1. Apple Juice: Congratulations on first place. This is the famous read-first-comment-later, isn’t it? Hahaha. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

2. Shin Yu-jin: I’ll try to speed things up a bit from the next chapter. (?!)

3. Bejimil: I’ve been thinking about revising the introduction but haven’t done it yet. How should I revise it? ㅜ.ㅠ

4. Tangryong: Questions are always welcome. There’s a saying that a woman’s heart is like a reed. Hahaha. To be more specific, at the beginning, she had a slight inclination towards Ahn Hyun (but it wasn’t a crush). After the protagonist started leading the group, her feelings clearly shifted towards him. Her attitude towards other male users and towards Su-hyun is clearly different. However, she’s a straightforward person in general but a novice in matters of love, so she can’t express her feelings as boldly as her personality. :)

5. Amishu: Thank you for the feedback. I’ll check it out. If it’s really bothersome, I’ll revise it immediately. If not, I’ll revise it all at once when I decide to remake it.

6. Fallen Pigeon: Hahaha. It seems different readers resonate with characters to different degrees. Some find it a bit awkward, while others find it very clear. I’ll try to improve. I appreciate your continued interest and support.

7. Refill: Yes, about four people have mentioned this. I’ve been thinking about revising the introduction, but when I try, I feel lost. How can I revise it so that it gets good reviews? ㅜ.ㅠ

8. Human Life: No, I definitely didn’t hit you. But you made the motion. I’m not a bad person. Sob.

9. Lamude: A harem mercenary group. Hahaha. I don’t know how many women will end up with the protagonist. After the popularity vote, I’ll decide whether to go for a pure love story or a harem, and if it’s a harem, how many people.

10. Latyin: Oh, if you do that, I’ll be so curious. If I can’t sleep tonight, it’s all your fault. So please tell me quickly! (Desperate plea!)

Your recommendations and comments are the driving force behind my writing (this is a fact).

I always read all the comments.

Please don’t be too disappointed if you’re not mentioned in the reader comments.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to send me a message, and I’ll respond!

I’ll wrap up for today.

I hope you always read the story with a comfortable mind.

I always welcome pre-reading, recommendations, comments, reviews, and questions.