Chapter 15

### Chapter 15: Baek Ayoung

"Ah, you stupid kid."

Just like realizing a mistake made while drunk the next morning, it wasn't until Saturday morning that I realized what I had done.

I was so frustrated with myself. To fall for such a trap.

What can I do? It's already over.

On the bright side, I've formed a connection with the professor. If I do well, it will be fine. It just means I have more studying to do.

"Haah..."

There are no regular classes on weekends. Most students would either rest, catch up on training, or go out with friends, but I had a lot to do.

First, I needed to go to the black market, then to the orphanage.

Right, I also have a date with Rumi on Sunday.

"I have so much to do."

It's complicated. I need to organize my thoughts.

———

### Goals

1. Get stronger. (For my own safety)

2. Charm the heroines. (To survive)

———

Ultimately, I have two goals. Charming the heroines is important, but so is my own strength.

This weekend, I'll focus on charming the heroines.

I've been training all week, and it will be a while before any life-threatening events happen.

"I need to make some money, but how?"

Should I sell information? But to whom? I could sell it to the Information Guild, but those meticulous guys wouldn't trust my information if they can't verify its source.

I could try my luck, but I don't really want to gamble.

"I'll just work hard and get a scholarship. I need to go out now."

I have to work hard to avoid the expulsion ending.

After finishing my thoughts, I went to the bathroom to get ready to leave.

*

### Around the Academy

While the sunny side of the academy has a well-developed infrastructure, the shady side, between the buildings, is dark and eerie.

"Where am I?"

I combined the bits of information I saw in the game.

The location of the large buildings, the position and angle of the shadows described in the game, and the details of each utility pole, which I remember vividly if they appeared even once in the game, led me to a similar spot.

Creak—

"I found it."

The alley between buildings 23 and 24.

The only door that opens among the closed ones. It's a bar that opens only at night, but in reality, it sells black market entry passes.

Even in broad daylight, the bar's atmosphere was like night. A single dim light illuminated the dark space.

Squish, squish

On the other side of the bar, an old man with white hair was cleaning glasses.

The old man glanced at me and sighed deeply.

"Huh, all sorts of kids come these days. I don't know where you heard about this place, but if you don't want to see something bad, you should leave."

Ignoring the old man, I sat at the bar and ordered a cocktail.

"Whatever, just give me any cocktail. Make it as strong as possible."

I placed 1.5 million won in cash on the bar.

The old man looked at the money, then silently served a cocktail and took the money, heading to the kitchen.

Under the cocktail glass was a small coin.

"What a pointless method."

I pocketed the coin and left the bar, heading back to the street.

The atmosphere here was completely different, bright and lively.

At the center of this atmosphere was the Samro Department Store. I headed for its emergency stairs.

The side door leading to the basement was marked "No Entry for Non-Staff." I ignored it and opened the door, heading down.

Two large men were blocking the entrance to the underground market, but they moved aside when I showed them the coin.

The underground market, filled with the smell of dampness, had shops waiting for customers to enter.

'Let's see, where's the pharmacy?'

The place I was looking for was the 'Pharmacy.'

Of course, I wasn't there to buy cold medicine.

"I found it."

A shabby pharmacy with a sign that looked like it was about to fall off. I remembered that in the black market, the only store with the name 'Pharmacy' was this one.

Creak. Ding-ding-ding—

I pushed open the glass door, and a pharmacist in a white coat greeted me.

"It's been a while since we had a customer. Please come in. What are you looking for?"

"...Um, some love potion..."

"Oh, you've come to the wrong place. We sell sleeping pills and drugs, but not love potions. If you get caught with a love potion, it's really the end."

"I know all that. I just want to see what kinds you have today."

"We like making money too. We'd love to sell love potions, but they're hard to distribute and don't leave much profit... We specialize in drugs."

"I came on the recommendation of Park Hyunseok. I just want to see what you have today."

"Damn, you should have said that earlier. Damn brat. Haha, spit."

"..."

Click, click.

The pharmacist spat on the floor, then took a cigarette from his pocket, put it in his mouth, and lit it.

"Phew, hoo."

A surprising reaction. By the way, Park Hyunseok is an extra who gets caught using a love potion later.

"Sorry about that. The association sends a lot of undercover customers, so I was rude. Here, take this."

He took a pill from the opposite pocket and handed it to me. Is he telling me to take it to relax?

"It's a sample. It's about a level 3 out of 10. Try it and see."

I have a good idea what the levels mean.

"...How much does it cost?"

"300,000 won per pill. The better ones are more expensive, but once you try it, you won't think it's a waste of money."

Since it's a sample, I'll take it. Free is always good.

"We have different forms, like powder that's hard to detect, but... looking at your face, you don't seem to be in a situation where you need to have sex without consent, so I gave you this. Do you want to change it?"

"No, I'll take this one."

"I thought you were a useless kid for coming here, but you're a polite young man. I feel bad for cursing you earlier."

"Really?"

What the hell is he saying all of a sudden? Does he have anger issues?

"Here, take this too."

"No, you said it was a sample, so one is enough, right?"

"That's a real relaxant. It will calm you down and make you feel better."

"..."

"Hehehe..."

What a crazy old man.

Well, whether it's a relaxant or a sample, I don't know when I'll use it, but it's not a loss to take it.

"See you. Anyway, customers who try the sample usually come back."

Leaving the creepy pharmacist behind, I left the black market.

"...I feel a bit uneasy."

I didn't want to come back, but life is unpredictable. It's good to have a familiar face with the pharmacist.

Next is the orphanage.

I'm really going there to volunteer.

The gate that appeared in the heart of Gangnam, Seoul, caused massive casualties and property damage before disappearing. The city center became a barren plain, and the Victoria Academy was established on that land.

Due to its location in the heart of Seoul, the surrounding commercial areas were already well-developed, and there were many facilities like orphanages and shantytowns on the outskirts.

The place I'm going to is 'Sunlight Orphanage.'

It's an orphanage that takes care of orphans whose parents died while hunting in the gate or dungeons.

And it's where the heroine 'Baek Ayoung' volunteers on weekends.

On the way, I bought some snacks that kids would like from a convenience store and called to let them know I was coming.

I changed out of the casual clothes I wore to the black market and put on my academy uniform.

The building was surrounded by a white fence. I opened the main gate, went in, and pressed the doorbell at the entrance.

"What brings you here?"

A woman who looked like a childcare teacher came out. She didn't seem suspicious because I was wearing the Victoria Academy uniform.

"Hello. I'm the one who called earlier. I, I want to sponsor personally."

"Oh! You must be Lee Hoyeon. Please come in."

The inside of the orphanage was neatly organized. It wasn't very large, but the children and teachers looked happy, so the atmosphere seemed good.

"This way to the director's office. Go in and talk."

"Okay."

Knock, knock.

"Come in~."

I opened the door and found a kind-looking man sitting in the director's office.

"Welcome. Oh, Hoyeon. You sound young, and you're a Victoria Academy student?"

"Yes, as I mentioned on the phone, I want to sponsor, even if it's not a large amount. I also plan to volunteer when I have time."

"We're very grateful. We were worried about the decrease in donations lately, so thank you. Would you like some tea?"

"No, thank you. Can I see the children right away? I want to know who I'm sponsoring."

"Phew, we don't usually let outsiders take care of the children... but since you're an academy student, I'll trust you. Follow me."

"Thank you."

Volunteering at an orphanage is not easy.

If you stop because it's too difficult, it can hurt the children, and there's also the risk of crimes against children.

It's hard to judge if someone is trustworthy at first glance.

This time, I was lucky because of my academy uniform.

"By the way, a famous hunter is also volunteering here today. Hey, kids! A new big brother is here!"

The children playing in the orphanage yard turned their attention to me.

Among them, Baek Ayoung was looking at me with a "Who's this?" expression. She seemed popular, surrounded by children.

"Hey, kids, hello?"

I mustered the courage to greet them, but the response was lukewarm. They were probably too old to be surprised by the academy uniform.

———

### Sub-Quest Transmitted

Baek Ayoung wants someone who enjoys helping others, just like herself!

Successfully complete the volunteer work with Baek Ayoung and gain her affection!

- Reward: 2 random stats

———

But I have a trump card prepared for this.

"Hehe, the kids still seem a bit awkward with you, Hoyeon. It's normal at first."

"It's okay. Kids, do you want to see this?"

Whoosh—

Three balls of fire appeared in my hand.

The children, who had been hesitant to come close, all focused their attention on me.

"Let's go?"

I threw one of the fireballs in my left hand up, and as I threw the one in my right hand up, I caught the one I had just thrown. I repeated this, juggling the fireballs.

"Wow!"

"Whoa! Big brother, amazing!"

"Big brother! Can you do four?"

I practiced juggling for 30 minutes this morning. It wasn't that hard because I controlled the fireballs with mana and caught them with my hands, but the positive reaction made me feel good.

"Big brother also brought some snacks. Who wants to eat?"

*

The sun is already setting.

The children are tired and resting inside the building.

"Thank you for your hard work, Hoyeon."

"No, Ayoung worked harder."

"Hehe, that's not what someone who juggled for over an hour should say."

### Quest Completed!

Baek Ayoung and I are sitting on a sofa inside the orphanage, resting. We naturally became closer while playing with the children.

"Why did you come to volunteer, Hoyeon? I heard you're also sponsoring. Do academy students have money to sponsor?"

Baek Ayoung is inherently a good person. She does volunteer work like today purely because she wants to. As a result, she feels affection for people like herself.

"I'm splitting my living allowance for now. I've been interested in volunteering for a long time."

"The living allowance isn't much, and academy students don't have much time to study, right?"

"You're really prying. Haha. It feels a bit strange. What do you want to do with a student like me? Is that a crime?"

"I graduated from the academy not long ago. Haha."

"I was joking. Joking."

"You're really interesting, Hoyeon. The volunteers I've met at the orphanage all lost interest in the children when they saw me, but you were more interested in the children than me."

Of course, it was intentional. I saw it in the game and got a hint from the quest. Baek Ayoung wants someone who volunteers purely out of a spirit of service and enjoys it.

I'm not like that, but if I know the conditions, I can act.

We got along well, and now it's time to play on her emotions. I rubbed my eyes to make them red, as if I was about to cry.

"Actually, I'm an orphan too. I lost my parents in the gate."

"Oh, that's why you came to Sunlight Orphanage... I'm sorry. I was prying into your pain, Hoyeon."

"I don't really remember. Anyway, I was from an orphanage. I worked really hard to get into Victoria Academy. I thought everything would be fine once I got in, but it wasn't."

"..."

"It was hard financially, but emotionally too. I couldn't laugh when others did, I worried about my balance every time I ordered a drink at a cafe, and I only drank water for a while after eating an expensive meal with friends. Haha, it ended up being about money. Anyway, I didn't want other children to feel the same way."

It's a story that could make even me, the actor, choke up. Of course, in the game, Lee Hoyeon's parents died in the gate, and he is an orphan. He probably grew up in an orphanage somewhere.

"These kids didn't do anything wrong."

Smirk. A faint smile and the final emotional line.

Baek Ayoung's eyes started to tear up, and her gaze towards me became warmer.

"Hoyeon... don't worry. Everything will be fine. I'll definitely help you."

Strike!

★ Heroine Status

- [Affection: 50]

- [Lust: 30]

- [Hunger: 20]

- [Fatigue: 70]

Current Status: Very happy about the connection with an academy junior

Crazy, we just met today, and her affection is already at 50. This is worth acting for.

"It's getting late. You look tired, Ayoung. Shall we go?"

"Yes. But you said you're a freshman, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Then I'll see you soon. Haha."

"Really? Where?"

"No, no~. See you next time!"

She left the orphanage with a cheerful step.

I know when we'll meet next. During the upcoming dungeon training, association hunters will come to support. It's natural for Baek Ayoung, a healing hunter, to be among them.

"I should go too."

I left the orphanage. Playing with kids is harder than I thought. Maybe I should just send money and not come for volunteer work.

"Big brother! Goodbye!"

"Big brother! Show us five next time!"

I turned around to see two kids who followed me the most, waving at me.

"Sure! See you next time!"

Well, I can't be suspected by Baek Ayoung, so I'll come a few more times.