Chapter 50

Not everyone's tastes can be the same.

If there are 100 people, there will be 100 different preferences.

The Velvet's operation team, responsible for creating and selling this terrible game, understood this very well.

So, the strategy they adopted was:

'There's bound to be something among these options that suits your taste.'

This production philosophy had been maintained from the game's launch until the end of the main story.

Kang Do-hee, who exudes the charm of a tough, strong woman on the outside but has a soft heart within, like a Chihuahua.

Shin Se-hee, with her sinister personality, occasionally displaying foolish and pathetic moments.

Lee Yoo-ri, always dependable and trustworthy, like a bowl of warm rice.

While their personalities varied in degree, they did evoke mixed reactions among players.

This was understandable, given that everyone has different preferences.

However, there is one character trait that rarely sparks controversy: kindness.

A character with a smile that conveys understanding and acceptance, embracing and comforting others no matter what.

Lim Ga-eul embodied all these traits.

'Normally, she would become a playable character in the next semester, but without the gacha system, we get to meet her earlier.'

Another benefit of not having character gacha.

"Why… why is she so expensive?"

Yoo-ri, being dragged alongside me, asked with a wavering gaze.

"Is she incredibly picky or… or does she only eat expensive, high-quality food?! Or maybe… she's a mukbang streamer, and all that food goes there?!"

Yoo-ri glanced at Lim Ga-eul's chest, her eyes widening.

It was a convincing hypothesis, I had to admit.

"Don't worry, it's not like that."

I shook my head with a soft laugh.

"If it's not that, it's even more worrying! What if… what if she's into loans and gambling, and she's in debt for tens of millions?!"

Hearing about the expense involved, Yoo-ri began to spin wild fantasies, imagining the worst-case scenario.

'Why? Because she's a high-tier character. You have to pay every time you use her abilities.'

I wanted to explain her abilities to Yoo-ri in detail, but we had already arrived right in front of Lim Ga-eul.

"Hello, senior."

I greeted Lim Ga-eul.

The woman with neatly braided green hair, known as the 'short-lived hairstyle', turned her head, looking flustered.

"Huh? Are you two in line for me?"

Her voice was clear and soothing.

"Yes, we're a Tanker and a Dealer. Do you have any open spots left?"

"Well, there are, but… may I ask why you came to me specifically?"

Even though she had freshmen standing before her, she seemed embarrassed and turned her head away, covering her cheek with her hand.

'It seems like Support Party leaders aren't very popular.'

Usually, Tankers or Dealers who take the lead and stand at the front are preferred as party leaders, so it seemed like people weren't flocking to her as a Support character.

However, for Yoo-ri and me, having a reliable Support would enhance our performance.

When I first spotted her during today's training, I had rejoiced inwardly.

"Because you seem trustworthy?"

"Th, thank you for saying that, but no. Umm… it's a bit embarrassing for me to say it myself, but I'm not that popular among seniors?"

"Then they must be blind."

At my words, Lim Ga-eul's narrow eyes widened, revealing her clear green irises.

She let out a soft, airy laugh, "Ha ha ha, flattery won't get you anywhere♪"

She waved her hands dismissively, looking embarrassed.

"Anyway, don't you need to form a team with freshmen too?"

At my question, Lim Ga-eul looked around.

Most of the freshmen had already formed groups with other seniors.

She sighed softly, resigned to the situation.

"Well, we'll see how it goes today. Starting next week, you can join someone else's group if you want. Don't feel too bad about it."

Lim Ga-eul said in a slightly unsure tone.

"Okay, then. Nice to meet you—"

Just then,

"Ga-eul!"

A female voice interrupted from behind.

"Huh? Ah-ram?"

Lim Ga-eul turned around, looking surprised.

I turned my head, curious about the familiar name, and my eyes widened in surprise.

The owner of the voice threw herself into Lim Ga-eul's arms.

"Ga-eul! I knew you'd be here too!"

'…Choi Ah-ram? Why is the Tutorial Boss here?!'

.

.

.

Choi Ah-ram buried her face in Lim Ga-eul's chest, and Lim Ga-eul gently stroked her hair.

"Ah, so you ended up failing a year…"

Lim Ga-eul looked at her with sympathetic eyes.

Choi Ah-ram sighed softly.

"I guess I had no choice. I just didn't have the skills… I thought about quitting, but then I thought you might be here…"

"It must have been tough."

"It's fine. It's fine. Well, it'll be a bit awkward being mixed with the first-year students, but at least I have you here."

Choi Ah-ram forced a smile.

As I watched this scene unfold, I felt a mix of emotions.

'…Tutorial Boss, Choi Ah-ram. A second-year student who failed due to lack of skill and couldn't adapt to the Academy. That face, it's definitely her.'

A small frame, pink hair, and pink eyes.

Sharp, upward-slanting eyes.

I knew her.

The so-called 'Pinkie Brat'.

During the first weekend of her freshman year, she caused a stir by turning into a Demon.

In other words, the person responsible for the Demon incident a few days later was this very woman.

The reason for her fall was simple.

Inferiority complex and jealousy towards her peers.

-If I become strong… no one, no one will be able to look down on me!

Unable to accept her failure, she sought power and conspired with a Demon.

-Kukuku! Ahahahahaha! You fools, living in a fake world! Power is so easily obtained and so sweet!

The lines she spouted after turning into a Demon were reminiscent of a middle schooler with a black dragon tattooed on her left arm, earning her the nickname 'Pinkie Brat'.

'So, we were supposed to fight Choi Ah-ram as our first party activity this weekend…'

Following the main story's flow was the right choice, after all.

But now, the boss had appeared right before the weekend.

'…I'll just watch for now.'

If she had already turned into a Demon, the appropriate course of action would be to defeat her and hand her over to the Hunter Management Bureau.

However, she didn't seem to have turned yet.

And if possible, it would be better to prevent her from becoming a Demon in the first place.

Choi Ah-ram continued to cling to Lim Ga-eul for a while before suddenly lifting her head.

"Anyway, Ga-eul! There's a spot for a Dealer, right? No, wait. Your group always ends up with whoever's left at the end anyway. Who cares about the combination?"

Lim Ga-eul's eyebrows furrowed.

"I already have a Dealer…"

"Hmm? Really?"

Lim Ga-eul gestured towards us.

Choi Ah-ram, realizing our presence, turned her head, her pink irises widening in surprise.

"Hello, senior. I'm Jin Yuha, a new student."

"Lee Yoo-ri."

Yoo-ri and I bowed briefly in greeting.

"New students…?"

"Yes, we're a Dealer and a Tanker, and we plan to join your group, Senior Lim Ga-eul."

Choi Ah-ram looked taken aback and opened her mouth.

"You don't know what kind of person she is, do you? Oh, you're a freshman, so you might not know yet."

"…"

"Let me tell you about her. She's the worst among second-year Supporters. The worst. Even though I failed a year, there was barely any difference between us in the last semester of our first year."

As I listened to her words, my brows furrowed.

Choi Ah-ram was gaslighting Lim Ga-eul as if it was second nature.

Hmm. This Pinkie Brat was showing her true colors right from the start. It seemed like the best course of action was to treat her as a Demon.

However, there was something that didn't quite add up.

I narrowed my eyes and glanced at the green-haired woman standing behind them.

Her trademark eye smile remained, but there were slight wrinkles at her temples, and her lips were quivering.

She was clearly angry.

'Hmm? Lim Ga-eul is kind, but she's not the type to just stand there and take insults…?'

While she was incredibly compassionate and benevolent, that didn't make her a pushover.

Lim Ga-eul knew how to stand up for herself and express her opinions logically when something was wrong.

'…So, this brat's words are true? Lim Ga-eul was the worst among Supporters?'

Even though her low point was low, she didn't deserve this kind of treatment.

She was a precious 5-star Support character that you'd bow down and thank the heavens for if she showed up in your party.

Even though she had some issues with enemy compatibility, she was one of those characters you'd gladly accept and make use of.

'…Come to think of it, that short-tempered girl I met earlier also called Lim Ga-eul a retard…'

At the time, I thought she was just judging Lim Ga-eul based on her kind personality and her role as a Support Party leader…

'Could it be that she still doesn't know how to utilize her abilities properly…?'

It seemed like Lim Ga-eul, who wasn't yet a playable character, didn't know how to make the most of her skills.

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