Chapter 160. Attribute change, and... (2) (1/2)
“I, I wouldn’t say I’m treating you well….”
Seo Yuhui looked around with a wandering gaze, but when she saw Seol Jihu staring back with unwavering eyes, she stopped the meaningless avoiding.
Looking back at the youth with a complicated gaze, she spoke.
“Are you suspecting that I have an ulterior motive?”
Seol Jihu shook his head.
“No. I am grateful for everything you’ve done. I simply don’t understand what you expect from me to treat me so well.”
“I didn’t say that what I did was because I’m expecting you to treat me a certain way.”
“Then that’s even more strange. You aren’t expecting me to do anything, yet you’re going so far…. Of course, I already heard how generous and charitable you are, but then again, I can’t help but think this is excessive.”
As this was an objective truth, Seo Yuhui became speechless for a moment. Realizing that Seol Jihu wasn’t in the mood to back down, she let out a quiet sigh.
Then after a brief moment of silence….
“…By any chance…”
Seo Yuhui opened her mouth with hesitation.
“Have you heard of this saying?”
“?”
“Memories become the nutrients to live another day.”
Seol Jihu furrowed his brows at her cryptic reply.
“When I went to support the villagers of Ramman Village who entered Haramark, how should I say this…? They looked really happy. Children were smiling brightly even in a world like this, and adults were watching them play around with pleased expressions…. Many of them even cried from being overwhelmed.”
“Why are you suddenly bringing up that—”
“I could empathize with them. Unable to do anything, living every day trembling in fear and despair, then suddenly having a prince carry them into the castle…. These villagers from Ramman Village will probably carry this memory with them until the day they die.”
“Seo Yuhui-nim.”
“And—”
Seo Yuhui suddenly raised her voice, making Seol Jihu shut his mouth.
“I also…”
She slowly put her hand over her chest.
“…have memories that help me live another day.”
Her reminiscing eyes shone with such intense light that Seol Jihu thought he was seeing an illusion.
“Memories… that I can never forget. Never.”
Emphasizing the word ‘never’, Seo Yuhui slowly put her hand down.
“You see, I wasn’t as kind back then.”
“….”
“I said hurtful things because I was too proud… and I purposely made someone worry because of my poor personality…. Now that I think about it, I’ve committed quite a big sin.”
Seo Yuhui smiled bashfully.
Looking at her somewhat sorrowful face, Seol Jihu opened his mouth with a slightly hoarse voice.
“I don’t get it.”
“….”
“I don’t know who you are talking about… but at the very least, I don’t recall making such memories for you.”
When he said this, Seo Yuhui stared at him for a long time with a barely visible smile. Then, she let out a long breath.
“Then let’s do this.”
“?”
“I’ll make a few more requests. But, the one I made earlier will be included as well.”
Seol Jihu felt an inexplicable resoluteness from Seo Yuhui’s ‘but’.
“You mean about us getting closer?”
When he asked awkwardly, Seo Yuhui immediately nodded her head.
“Yes. We’ll start with the ‘-nim’… it’s kind of embarrassing.”
“Ah.”
Not expecting to hear back the same words that he said to Marcel Ghionea from Seo Yuhui, Seol Jihu looked as if he’d been dealt a good blow.
“I understand. Then what should I call you from now on?”
“Mmm.”
Seo Yuhui blushed slightly and smiled broadly, looking like she was thoroughly enjoying this situation.
Seol Jihu tilted his head.
“This might sound too forward, but… Yuhui-ssi.”
“Huh? But people who are close don’t use ‘-ssi’ with each other.”
“Then Yuhui-yang?”
“No, I want something more affectionate.”
“Affectionate? Yuhui-chan?”
“No fooling around.”
“Mom?”
“I’ll scold you.”
Seo Yuhui raised her eyebrows and turned serious. Seol flinched and smacked his lips.
“Then I’ll just go with Noona.”
Seol Jihu mentioned fleetingly since Seo Yuhui was refusing every other name, but veins swelled up on Seo Yuhui’s forehead. From the way the corners of her mouth were wriggling, she was clearly unhappy with the title.
“Why, why do you think I’m older than you…?”
Her tone was several notches higher than normal.
“You’re not? I’m 26….”
Seo Yuhui dropped her head. She then nodded her head somewhat vexed before biting her lower lip as though she had come to some sort of a decision.
“Yes, okay. Since I’m the noona, can I talk to you more casually?”
“Of course.”
“Then I will. Ji… Jihu.”
“Yes. Noo… na.”
In the next moment, the two of them looked away as if they’d promised each other to do this beforehand. Saying the new names out loud, they found the names more embarrassing than they imagined.
Seol Jihu could feel his face heating up, but he mustered up the courage to ask.
“Noona.”
“H, Hm?”
“What are your other requests…?”
In truth, Seol Jihu wasn’t too concerned with honorifics, casual speech, and the like.
Seo Yuhui opened her mouth with a look of apprehension on her face.
“You see, I’m currently Level 7.”
“7?”
“Is that surprising?”
“Yes, I thought you were Level 10.”
“Hehe, 10?”
Seo Yuhui chuckled.
“There isn’t even a single Level 9. And there is only one Level 8 Earthling.”
Seo Yuhui was only awkward at first and had no problem switching over to casual speech.
“For me to become Level 8, I need to resolve two problems.”
“Could the problems be experience points and contribution points…?”
“No. I have more than enough of both of them. Starting from Level 5, leveling up isn’t just a simple increase in power. It is equivalent to a whole class advancement.”
To be completely honest, Seol Jihu had no idea what that meant, but he still nodded his head.
“The same goes for Unique Rankers. For me to advance to Level 8, I need to prove that I am qualified by meeting certain conditions.”
“Conditions?”
“The first condition is two bring back two items. The second condition is to increase my Luck stat by a single stage.”
In other words, Seo Yuhui wanted him to find these two items and help raise her Luck stat. Interpreting her words as such, Seol Jihu asked.
“What are the two items?”
“They’re both tokens the ancient Empire passed down to their saintesses as a symbolic gesture. One looks like a crucifix that Priests often use, and the other looks like a ring.”
“The ancient Empire…? Wait, what are they called?”
Seol Jihu began to talk fast.
“If I remember correctly, the crucifix artifact… is called the Proof of Castitas.”
Seeing Seol Jihu’s jaw drop down, Seo Yuhui calmly added another line.
“I’m not telling you to go find it for me now. It’s an item from hundreds of years ago, so it’s naturally extremely rare and precious. I’ll give you the Flower of Soma for now, so when you have time, you can come with me to….”
However, Seol Jihu wasn’t dazed because finding this artifact was difficult. In fact, it was the opposite.
[I know what that token is. It is called the Proof of Castitas.]
[It’s the proof of one’s chastity. It is one of the artifacts given to a saintess.]
“So….”
Remembering Ian’s words from all those months ago, Seol Jihu clenched his fists, half in doubt.
“I just have to help you with these?”
“No, I’m not expecting you to help me raise my Luck. To be honest, I’ve half given up on rising to Level 8.”
Hearing Seol Jihu speak as though he was confident in resolving her problems, Seo Yuhui continued while tilting her head.
“Of course, it would be nice if I could raise my Luck stat soon. It will give me a bit more breathing room to prepare for the upcoming danger….”
“I’ll give it to you.”
“M, Mn?”
“Proof of Castitas is the crucifix artifact, and the ring is called the Proof of Devotion, right?”
Not expecting Seol Jihu to know about the items in such detail, Seo Yuhui’s eyes opened wide.
“Y-You’ve heard of them?”
“I can help you raise your Luck stat too.”
“What?”
“I mean I will help you advance to Level 8.”
When Seo Yuhui put on a dumbfounded expression…
“Trust me.”