HG Ch 17

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[SYSTEM] You have completed the prerequisite quest. A new main quest, “The Prophecy Book Wandering the Village,” has begun.

At this rate, this game was really going to kill him.  Waving his hand to dismiss the system window, Eunho hurried toward the butterfly.

There were times he disliked it, times it annoyed him, but in the end, it was his butterfly. Watching his guide being scolded by Yoon Iseo didn’t sit well with him. He quickly cupped the butterfly in his hands.

“Now that we’ve officially teamed up, let’s head back into Seonyeok Village.”

Before Yoon Iseo could say anything, Eunho strode forward with long steps. Whether Yoon Iseo didn’t notice that Eunho was deliberately changing the subject or simply chose to go along with it, he quietly followed behind. That was a relief.

Since the “Sworn Companion” quest had taken place near the entrance of Seonyeok Village, it took them less than five minutes to return inside.

Seizing a moment when Yoon Iseo was looking elsewhere, Eunho discreetly slipped the butterfly into his sleeve and let out a small, deliberate cough. The strange silence stretching between them had been making him uneasy. Was it normal to feel this burdened when a conversation lulled while in someone else’s company?

He hoped so. It would be far too unfair if he were the only one who felt this awkward and ended up speaking just to fill the silence.

Once again, Eunho couldn’t hold back and opened his mouth.

“Uh, hyung-nim.”

He had spoken on impulse, without much thought, but strangely enough, Yoon Iseo was already prepared with a response, as if he were used to Eunho’s sudden conversational shifts.

“Why ‘hyung-nim’? There are plenty of other options.”

“Huh? You’re a whole twelve years older than me, so calling you ‘hyung’ feels a bit off. Maybe… uncle?”

“Nice try. I was just about to suggest using my in-game name instead.”

“Come on, how am I supposed to say that out loud? Dee-two-zero… Oh-four-five…? Actually, I’ve been wondering about this since the beginning. Hyung-nim, why did you put so much effort into customizing your character’s looks but why is your in-game name like that?”

Yoon Iseo narrowed his eyes in amusement. As expected of a master of character customization, he seemed rather pleased with the compliment.

“I didn’t put that much effort into it.”

“No way. From what I can tell, that must’ve taken at least six hours. Did you start sculpting the moment you possessed your character, without even freaking out?”

A short chuckle escaped Yoon Iseo’s lips.

It was the first time he’d heard Yoon Iseo actually laugh aloud, rather than his usual mocking chuckles. Caught off guard, Eunho stared at him blankly.

Mimicking Eunho’s tone, Yoon Iseo quipped, “Nope. I just hit random.”

“There was a random option for that?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow, talk about winning the lottery. No way that was just random.”

“I consider myself very lucky.”

“So, you half-assed the customization and the in-game name? Do you always play games so carelessly?”

“Oh, how gracious of the master of customization, who also happens to have a ridiculous in-game name, to acknowledge my so-called carelessness. I am deeply honored…”

“Ugh.”

To be honest, Eunho had always thought his looks were decent enough to hold his own anywhere. But this was a virtual reality world where even beggars had celebrity-level appearances.

And even in this world, Yoon Iseo stood out.

So when someone like him called Eunho a “master of customization,” it only felt like sarcasm.

As someone who prided himself on maintaining an unfiltered, natural online presence, Eunho felt incredibly wronged.

Hey, do you even realize how honest and straightforward I am? I don’t even use skin-smoothing filters.

Eunho carefully distilled all those chaotic thoughts into a single sentence.

“…My face is naturally random too.”

At that, Yoon Iseo let out something between a laugh and a scoff.

***

Annoying as he could be sometimes, choosing him as his Sworn Companion had been the right decision.

That was Eunho’s final conclusion.

“Ehehe~ The repair fee comes to 30 nyang^[1]!”

“Here you go.”

Handing the money to the leatherworker, Eunho reequipped his Tiger Leather Gaiters for Gunners, now polished to a gleaming finish. He smiled in satisfaction.

How long had it been since he last walked around the village this freely?

Ever since taking Yoon Iseo in as his Sworn Companion, the royal guards had scattered, and the weirdos who had been following him around had finally stopped.

After a fierce struggle, Eunho had at last reclaimed his peaceful daily life, and his eyes glistened with emotion.

Now that he’d restocked on healing items and had all his gear repaired, he felt much more put together. At last, he turned his attention to the updated main quest.

[Main Quest: The Prophecy Book Wandering the Village (In Progress)] [SYSTEM] Rumor has it that a mysterious and ominous prophecy book of unknown origin has been circulating among the villagers. Let’s gather information from the people of Seonyeok Village.

How long had it been since he’d gotten a new main quest?

Ever since he hit a dead end with the Sworn Companion selection quest, Eunho had felt like he was withering away. But at last, a new chapter had begun for him. Now, he even had a party member to fight through to the ending together!

It really feels like I’ll be able to escape soon!

Overcome with emotion, Eunho found himself staring silently up at the workshop ceiling. The system window shifted to match his gaze.

It felt almost like it was pressuring him to hurry up and get on with the main quest.

[Main Quest: The Prophecy Book Wandering the Village (In Progress)] [SYSTEM] Rumor has it that a mysterious and ominous prophecy book of unknown origin has been circulating among the villagers. Let’s gather information from the people of Seonyeok Village.

I got it, okay? I’m going to do it. It’s like when you’re about to study, but someone nags at you to study, and it just ruins your mood.

As he lowered his gaze again, he suddenly noticed a faint glow emanating from the leatherworker, something that hadn’t been visible before.

Oh, right. Since the leatherworker is a resident of Seonyeok Village, he must know something.

With that thought, Eunho spoke up.

“Excuse me, may I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

The leatherworker, who had been expertly skinning a bear hide after completing Eunho’s request, responded belatedly. Since Eunho had just paid him a hefty sum, his tone was noticeably friendly. Thanks to that, Eunho felt comfortable enough to ask his question.

“I’m curious about the prophecy book that’s been circulating lately. Do you happen to know anything about it?”

However, the moment Eunho mentioned the prophecy book, the leatherworker’s cheerful expression vanished. His voice turned cold, as if he had never been friendly in the first place.

“Well, I wouldn’t know anything about that.”

“…Still, try to think about it. Isn’t there some prophecy that’s been spreading around the village lately?”

“I already told you, I don’t know anything. If you have no other business, please leave, sir. I have other requests waiting.”

And just like that, Eunho found himself practically thrown out of the workshop. He stood on the street, looking baffled, when—

“Looks like you’re done with your repairs?”

Yoon Iseo approached, the hem of his robe swaying elegantly.

For someone who had declared he had things to do and taken off without a second thought, he sure had a habit of showing up again whenever he pleased. It reminded Eunho of a wild animal that refused to be tamed.

Yoon Iseo, standing like a towering wall before him, studied his expression. As he did, dark bat-shaped shadows fell over Eunho’s cheeks and hands, cast by the four bat emblems embroidered onto the brim of Yoon Iseo’s gat.

Absentmindedly brushing a finger over the shadow on his hand, Eunho responded, “Yeah. Looks like you’re done with your business too, hyung-nim?”

“Mm, I’m done.”

“I see.”

But in truth, Eunho’s mind was elsewhere.

How am I supposed to progress this main quest?

No matter how he looked at it, the leatherworker clearly knew something, but getting him to talk was another story. On top of that, this quest wasn’t one he remembered from the novel, so he had no prior knowledge to rely on.

Lost in thought, Eunho barely registered his own half-hearted response. Yoon Iseo seemed to notice, letting out a low hum before leaning in slightly.

Their gazes, which had been slightly misaligned, locked perfectly.

Yoon Iseo observed Eunho’s expression and remarked, “That’s strange. When you got your new firearm at the forge earlier, you were all grins. But now?”

Only then did Eunho realize something glaringly obvious.

Oh, right, I have a teammate, don’t I?

He had been so used to soloing everything that it hadn’t even occurred to him to ask for help.

Eunho’s eyes lit up.

“Hyung-nim! Let’s take some time to put our heads together!”

Waving Yoon Iseo over, Eunho headed into a side alley near the workshop and plopped down on the ground.

Yoon Iseo, standing beside him, simply tilted his head slightly. Then, with his hands clasped behind his back, he nudged Eunho’s thigh lightly with the toe of his shoe, his gaze devoid of expectation.

“Do you know what one plus zero is?”

What the hell? That was kind of insulting.

Eunho declared confidently, “What are you talking about? I could be the one, and you could be the zero. Don’t come begging me for answers later.”

“But right now, the one begging for help is you, Joo Eunho.”

“……”

Ugh, this is why I hate sharp-witted people.

Eunho, who had just been so full of confidence, suddenly hesitated. Yoon Iseo laughed.

“Why are you laughing?”

“The way you look when you’re begging is hilarious.”

Excuse me, this is my real face, not some character customization. Quit hurting my feelings already.

“Forget it. I’ll just do it on my own. Not like you’d know anything useful anyway.”

“I actually know quite a lot.”