Chapter 6: Tutorial (6)

“S-so, that’s what happened.”

After hearing Yoo Ha-na’s story, I was speechless. More than speechless, I was actually lightheaded.

“A-after I ran away, I suddenly remembered what Hyun-joon said. About waiting by the plaza fountain five days later, in the morning…”

Seeing my silence, Yoo Ha-na looked down at the ground like a child who had done something wrong. It was a typical reaction of someone with low self-esteem.

“Gaslighting…”

“W-what?”

“Ha-na, you were gaslighted.”

“…Is that so…?”

What Yoo Ha-na experienced was a classic case of gaslighting. A subtle manipulation that eroded her confidence and self-esteem, fostering dependence.

Her former party members had likely intentionally chipped away at her self-worth to fulfill their own desires.

Look at her. The Yoo Ha-na who had looked at me with such a haughty and discerning gaze just five days ago was now a shadow of her former self, like a rained-on puppy.

It wasn’t easy to break someone down like this in just five days. It was truly malicious.

“Um… How about we get something to eat? A good meal and a shower will make you feel better.”

“…Okay.”

There wasn’t much I could do for her in her current state. I knew from experience; she had to overcome this on her own.

Offering empty platitudes would only increase her dependence on me. While her dependence wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing for me,

I didn’t want that, and if Yoo Ha-na became overly reliant on me, it might create animosity with Lee Han-seong, the protagonist.

So, the priority was to feed her, let her clean herself up, and give her some space to recover.

“Owner, are you there?”

“Oh, it’s you. Is it payday already?”

“I’m not here for that. I’d like two bowls of Seolleongtang. The one with rice.”

“Ah, you’re here for a meal. Alright, just a moment.”

Even though it wasn’t during business hours, the owner didn’t refuse my request. Of course not. How could he refuse a request from the person who made him rich? Thanks to our deal, I enjoyed a warm, hearty bowl of Gukbap every morning.

Meanwhile, Yoo Ha-na fidgeted nervously, looking around. As if she had never been in such a nice establishment before, her slumped shoulders drooped even further.

“Here you go. Enjoy your meal.”

“Thank you. Is it better than last time?”

“Ha! Of course! No more gamey smell!”

“That’s good to hear.”

The owner placed two wooden bowls of steaming Seolleongtang before us, its milky-white broth giving off an enticing aroma.

It was a shame it wasn’t served in a ttukbaegi (stone pot), but I couldn’t complain about having Seolleongtang in the Tower of Proof. Yoo Ha-na’s eyes widened in surprise when she saw the soup.

“It’s on me, so don’t worry about the cost.”

“B-but…”

“It’ll get cold. Eat up.”

Only after my repeated urging did Yoo Ha-na begin to devour the Seolleongtang. It was a taste of home after days of subpar food. No wonder she couldn’t stop eating.

“Sob… Sniff…”

“I can order more if you’re still hungry. Eat slowly, you’ll get indigestion.”

Seolleongtang with tears. Her appearance evoked a strange sense of camaraderie. I had been there. It was a past I didn’t want to remember, but the memories remained vivid.

Unwarranted contempt and disdain fueled anger. But that anger eventually faded, leaving only fear and resentment.

And when even those emotions disappeared, only despair remained. Like a Pandora’s box of spicy flavors.

Hope remained at the bottom of Pandora’s box, but at the time, the deepest recesses of my being held only despair.

A despair so profound that I wanted to “regress.”

So, the taste of that tear-soaked Gukbap was unforgettable. The warm broth, the rich flavor… it reminded me that my life wasn’t over.

The halmeoni (grandmother) who ran the Gukbap restaurant didn’t even charge me. She even gave me extra sundae (blood sausage) as a service.

I knew. Today’s Seolleongtang would become a soul-stirring experience for Yoo Ha-na.

“I… I’m finished…”

“Me too.”

The meal ended quickly. A hungry person and a big eater sharing Gukbap meant it disappeared fast.

Perhaps it was the tears she shed while eating, but she looked a little better now than before. However, her eyes still held a lingering anxiety.

“I think we’ll have to change our plans. I was planning to head out to the field in the morning, but we should postpone it until noon.”

“I-I’m sorry…”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. Checking on a party member’s condition is a given. Anyway, let’s get you cleaned up. My room has a bath, you can use it.”

After the meal, I took her to my room at the inn. I sent her up first and bribed the maid with some coins to bring clean clothes and hot water.

“Ha-na, is the water alright?”

“Um… I-it’s fine.”

We conversed through the closed bathroom door.

I was alone in an inn room with a woman, yet it felt strangely calm. A testament to her pitiful state.

“Okay. Take your time. After you’re done, we’ll go shopping for supplies. And we’ll get you some armor as well. Then we’ll head out to the field.”

“Y-you don’t have to do that…”

“No, when you’re in a party, your safety is my safety. Proper armor is a necessity.”

“B-but… I don’t have any money…”

“I’ll lend it to you. You can pay me back later.”

Silence followed my words.

She was probably scared. I had fed her, let her bathe, and now I was offering to buy her equipment. Unconditional kindness could be frightening.

“W-why… Why are you being so nice to me?”

Her voice trembled as she spoke, proving my point.

More frightening than open malice was veiled kindness. It was easy to fall prey to, and difficult to escape.

But Yoo Ha-na, you were mistaken. My kindness wasn’t unconditional. But I wasn’t expecting payment in the form of your body, either.

You were the compass guiding me to the regressor, the key to extending my meager existence.

And to do that, you needed to regain your confidence. You needed that confidence and pride to secure a spot beside Lee Han-seong.

“Ha-na, don’t get the wrong idea. I expect you to repay every single coin I’ve spent on you today, with interest. So, regain your confidence. Only when you can stand on your own two feet will you be able to repay your debt.”

I offered her not comfort or encouragement, but a declaration. But sometimes, harsh words were what it took to rebuild a shattered ego.

“Sniff… Sob… Waaah…”

May your tears wash away your pain.

I offered a silent prayer to a nonexistent god, her sobs serving as my hymn.

“Equipment check, bag check, food check, first-aid kit check. Perfect. How about you, Ha-na?”

“I-I’m ready.”

Fully prepared, we stood before the gate. Beyond it lay the field. Within the town walls, we were protected from monsters and outlaws by the guards and fortifications. But in the field, we were on our own.

Monsters, outlaws, and even the natural environment would test us relentlessly.

One moment of carelessness could cost us our lives. And death might not be swift or merciful.

But it had been five days. Without the status window, I had trained relentlessly and prepared meticulously. I had no regrets.

If I died before even taking my first step, then that was my limit. So, I had to give it my all.

Even if it was just a muddy brawl between lagging newbies.

“Let’s go.”

With resolve and preparation, I led Yoo Ha-na through the gate.

“Wow… This is the field…”

“Ah, this is your first time, Hyun-joon? Then I’m your senior here.”

I must have looked like a country bumpkin, because Yoo Ha-na smiled, displaying a newfound confidence. It didn’t matter to me.

Her spirit had been shattered into dust by malicious gaslighting. A little confidence was a good thing.

“It feels like an MMORPG field.”

[TL note: MMORPG = Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game, a type of video game where large numbers of players explore open worlds, fight monsters, and complete quests together online.]

“Ah, I know what you mean. It does have that vibe. Always teeming with monsters, even though I don’t know where they come from.”

The field resembled a game map. Monsters roamed the vast landscape, and countless climbers were busy hunting them.

“Hmm, since this is your first quest, Hyun-joon, we should start with kobolds. Why don’t you check your quest log?”

“Alright.”

As instructed, I checked my quest window. Unlike the status window, which was inaccessible due to the ‘Curse: Proof of Beginner’s Mind,’ the quest window appeared without a hitch.

[Tutorial Quest 1: Monster Hunt]
[Time Remaining: 15 days 17 hours 30 minutes 54 seconds]
[Hunt the following monsters in the 1st-floor field:]
[Kobold 0/600] [Elite Kobold 0/30]
[Gnoll 0/500] [Elite Gnoll 0/15]
[Goblin 0/150] [Elite Goblin 0/10]
[Orc 0/60] [Elite Orc 0/5]
[Quest Completion Reward: Beginner Climber Set (Weapon) (Unacquirable), 2nd Floor Access Permit]

The numbers were ridiculous. Enough to form a small army. I began to question whether this quest was even designed for humans.

“Wait a second. Why is there an ‘unacquirable’ item listed as a reward?”

As I was reading the quest details, a strange phrase caught my eye. The quest reward was unacquirable.

An unacquirable reward? It didn’t make sense. I tapped the quest window for more information.

[Unable to acquire quest rewards due to ‘Curse: Proof of Beginner’s Mind’.]

“Son of a b*tch!”

My enthusiasm evaporated, and my excitement turned to ashes.