Tutorial again (1)

As soon as I peeled off something that was tied up in my mouth, "Wait a minute!"

There were several things that could pop out of my mouth, so it wasn't easy to speak. I took a breath first. Nana was looking at me with her head tilted.

"First, Nana, do you remember me?"

Nana nodded.

Did I just say 'nodded' out loud? That's unexpected.

"... Second, I'm not cute."

"Huh. Then, what should I call you?"

"My appearance isn't really considered cute."

Nana seemed a little 4-dimensional. I remember that wasn't the case in her character setting...

"Hmm. Master!"

"... What. Why."

Master? Oh, this is a bit creepy. It sounded like something, now that I hear it.

"Anyway, let's talk later. Now is the moment to run away...."

"Ah."

I could see the slave soldiers running towards us from afar. Nana was definitely right.

"By the way, Master, I said I have some memories, right?"

"... But."

"Well, those memories were considered like 'dreams,' so in fact, I didn't bring people with me...."

Now that I think about it, there was no one else. Only Nana was there.

"So-!"

"Die!"

In an instant, the body of a slave soldier swinging a vicious weapon next to Nana was split in half.

"Wow-."

I couldn't even shout out that it was dangerous. I immediately swung to the side and cut the enemy's body into pieces.

"Let's talk about the details later when we get there."

"Uh, okay."

"... Hyun-jin, Master! Heheh."

Name. Just hearing the name made me forget the cruel moment in an instant.

Nana caught my attention. Her image overlaid in my mind.

"Why are you so strong?"

Nana, the tutorial character, wasn't supposed to be this strong. Almost not.

My level of strength that I raised...

"Kill him!"

"You're the one who's going to die."

Nana grabbed her weapon and ran towards another approaching enemy. A vicious sword strike flew horizontally, ripping the enemy's body apart.

"You there! You're wearing an aura!"

"What the hell are you doing in this remote place?" "Shit!"

Thwack!

Arrows flew towards us. Another one flew towards us with a hiss. I caught one in front of my eyes and smashed it with a snap before throwing it to the ground.

"We have to go quickly."

"... Nana?"

"Haaaa, don't worry. I'll protect you!"

Oh my god. I'm terrified, but why does hearing those words make me feel relieved? Is there something wrong with my head?

Snap! Nana untied the rope that was binding my hands and feet and showed me her back.

"Get on, Master."

"Isn't it... heavy?"

"Oh, come on. It'll be okay!"

Suddenly, she lifted me up.

Me? How? By fitting me in beside her?

"Let's run away somewhere!"

"Huh?"

We started running. Wait a minute, I feel like I'm being carried like a sack of potatoes.

"I'll run, so put me down!"

"Hey, Master! You must be tired, so take a break! Let me use some power!"

"No, it's not that, it's too-"

The jostling went up to a whole new level. "Oof!" Now, she lifted me up to her shoulder. In an instant, my position was transformed into a level of "log."

"Hey!"

"Okay, okay! Use my hair as a handle!"

"Nana!"

"... I'm glad I could meet Hyun-jin like this."

While running quickly, I heard something.

... It was something.

"Well, can't you put me down, at least?"

"Oh, come on!"

"It's making me jostle!"

She kept running, ignoring my pitiful request. Then, suddenly, we experienced a moment where the scenery was pulled towards us as if using some kind of "teleportation technique."

"Wow."

It was surprising, but the problem was...

"Ugh."

I felt nauseous. I was going crazy.

"Help me!"

***

Nana kept carrying me until we reached the front of the village and finally put me down.

Really. It was a bit too much, to the point where I wondered if there was a gentler way.

But...

"Well, Hyun-jin, you don't like people dying, do you? When we leveled up, you sent us to a 'dungeon' that decreased our efficiency."

"I remember that."

I learned for sure from this conversation.

"In this tutorial situation, Nana, the tutorial character, is already at the highest level."

What about the other characters? If the other characters are also at the highest level...?

It's definitely an advantageous situation.

After I brought up this topic, Nana was scratching the ground with her toes as if she was embarrassed about something. But now is not the time to draw circles on the ground.

"And Nana, you know that I've possessed you."

I looked around.

Heaven Village. Just like in the CG illustration, it gave off the feeling of a peaceful countryside.

If things go in the next order...

"I'll meet the first character soon."

How do I meet them? It seems to start with a rescue, but the intermediate process is omitted in the game, so my memory is a bit fuzzy.

If there's any information in my head, I can listen to each "character story."

"Nana had a family, right?"

"Yeah."

"Her mom and dad were there."

"And a younger brother too!"

The younger brother wasn't mentioned in the story.

In other words, even the character story is not complete.

I must venture forth. I'm not sure why I suddenly became trapped in this game, but...

"...Thank you, Nana."

Looking at the character in real life, I feel like something lies ahead.

"If my purpose in being trapped here is to prevent the 'destruction' in the game's story...?"

If that's the ending that's given, then I'm willing to follow through.

"A moment!"

"Hmm?"

I was making an introspective vow when Nana suddenly spoke up.

"We're really dirty. Shouldn't we wash up?"

"...Wash up?"

"What, does Hyunjin not wash up?"

Of course, as a modern intellectual, it's natural to take a shower. But when she suddenly suggested it, the atmosphere cooled down like a truckload of reality was dumped on us.

"Would you like to come to my house...?"

Shuffle, shuffle. It looks like she drew a flower with her foot.

Is this why she was embarrassed? It's only natural to feel ashamed about bringing a man from outside into her home.

"Okay then."

"Great!"

"Of course, nothing will happen! Um..."

"Y-yes, that's right!"

Of course, I say these affectionate words to Nana. My heart still races when I see her face.

Moreover, I'm currently wearing the tutorial costume, in other words, the maiden costume. Later on, I'll wear more seductive or cooler costumes.

But to actually see it in real life...

"Hmm..."

I'm full of anticipation.

Think about it.

If the character I had loved so much was actually right in front of me, how should I react?

The only reason I could stay calm was because of the situation. But there was no denying that I was feeling excited.

I had never seen Nanah's house even in illustrations before, so it was quite interesting. It was a two-story house, and I'm not sure if there were two-story houses in the medieval era, but Ad Libertum's world was fantasy after all.

"Here we are."

"Uh, okay."

Anyway, while we were walking here together, I suddenly thought, "Did Nana grow this tall?" This thought - if I had actually shrunk in size, everything would fall into place.

So maybe that's why Nana called me "cute". I felt like my body had become like that of a little kid.

As we walked hand in hand like that, I felt like the reason she held my hand was because she was treating me like a child. Even if I let go, she continued to hold on.

Creak -

"I'm home, Mom!"

The door opened. And then...

"Oh, who's this?"

"My friend - no, not a friend, a guest!"

Nana almost said "my boyfriend" but stopped herself. Anyway, I took a good look at her mother.

"She looks just like Nana..."

She looked so much like her daughter. But there was a slight difference - her eyes seemed more polished, which wasn't something like skin or wrinkles.

"A friend? I thought you were following your little brother."

"Hello."

"Nice to meet you. What's your name?"

"My name is Sim Hyun-jin."

I answered correctly. First impressions are often made from things like this, aren't they? Even if you're a hardcore gamer, you still need some level of social skills.

"Oh my. He speaks so well and is so cute!"

Cute? That wasn't the reaction I was hoping for.

"Anyway, Nana. Why did you wake up so early and go out today?"

"Oh, nothing. I just did some exercise."

"Exercise? ...There have been rumors circulating in the village lately about human traffickers hunting people to kidnap and enslave them. Be careful."

Um, it looks like Nana's parents don't know how strong she is.

If the game's story goes as planned, Nana receives a 'divine revelation' and starts attacking slave traders with the villagers.

"Yes."

"...Do you know why Nana suddenly started doing 'exercise'?"

"I have no idea."

"Why is she suddenly doing that?"

But Nana's mother scanned me from head to toe as if she had something to say.

"Hyun-jin."

"Yes?"

"You should dress nicely. You can't wear that kind of clothes."

"Yes."

Nice? I have no intention of becoming a girl.

"Nana, isn't it time for you to show off your cooking skills?"

"Mom's cooking is better~"

"Oho-."

This conversation between the women. Something- Something is making my skin crawl.

Nana's mother was a woman who looked young for her age.

***

"Phew."

She gave me a room.

It was the guest room, but it turned out that Nana's mother was a "wardrobe" who even high-ranking people secretly came to visit.

"The room looks fancy. I guess it has to be this neat since high-ranking people have to stay here secretly."

Maybe that's why Nana is so good at making clothes. It's also written in her character story that she gives her handmade clothes as gifts to others.

I walked to the window to clear my thoughts.

It's a two-story building, so I could see people moving far away.

"I really came into a game world."

Heaven Village is just a tutorial town.

The outside was full of life and energy. Everything was breathing.

"Yeah. This is reality..."

Seeing "Nana's family" who only existed in my character story made me feel even more emotional.

Family... What kind of people are they?

... And, what are the characters I raised doing right now?

"Status window."

Pop-

[ ]

The status bar is empty, it would be nice to have something written there.

In-game, the status bar doesn't appear immediately when you start the tutorial. At least until you meet the first character you rescue, 'Charlotte'.

If we think about it like in the game, there's no need to feel discouraged that the status bar isn't open yet.

Moreover, I've already spent money before coming in.

"My balance is... around 2,000 Apeiron."

That's the hidden power worth 2 million won. Even though I'm just a kid, I can still play the role of the 'player' sufficiently.

'Besides, judging from Nana's state, everyone should be at max level.'

This is a problem that can be gradually understood through Charlotte.

I feel excited.

Great.

Since I'm here, let's make sure to do this properly.

'Maybe... my desire to see my own children was bigger than I thought.'

If I'm going to meet them anyway after clearing the game, it would be perfect.

-Toktok

"Hyunjin~ Can I come in?"

Wow.

It's amazing to hear my name being called by Nana's voice again.

"Sure, I'll open the door."

She said she prepared clothes for me to change into. Maybe she prepared it for my younger brother.

So, I stood in front of the door.

-Creepy.

What's this?

Why does this door feel like a Pandora's box that shouldn't be opened?

Why are all my peripheral nerves screaming, "You're screwed now"?

Kkik-

"See? This is the Schmisse I made with my very best effort. I never imagined Hyunjin would let you wear it-"

"... A dress?"

"A dress. Did you want to wear a dress?"

"No, not that thing you're holding. That's not a dress, is it?"

What's Schmisse?

"This? It's women's sleepwear... Wait, you don't know what Schmisse is?"

"Why did you make women's sleepwear?"

"Well, because Hyunjin thinks you're a cute girl, of course."

Ah.

I'll turn around and leave.

My hand naturally went down.

It wasn't there.