Chapter 24: Want Help?

‘If I were a truly brave and righteous Hero, what would I have done the moment I realized others were being harmed because of me?’

Wouldn’t I step forward boldly, saying I couldn’t cause any more trouble and that I’d face the dangers alone from now on?

But I’m neither brave nor righteous.

So I never even considered something as insane as handling everything on my own.

Which means, I fully intended to keep mooching off Inas, even though the trade had been cut off because of me.

Call it selfish if you want. It couldn’t be helped.

If I left out of consideration for Inas, I’d just end up dying like a dog. Why would I do something that stupid?

“Haah…! Ugh! Ngh…! Ggh…!”

But I wouldn’t be able to avoid it forever.

Someday, I’d come face to face with someone aiming for my life. So I made up my mind. When that day comes, I’ll fight.

Thinking I could just keep living like this, clinging to him in peace, was the real problem. I was the idiot who dismissed Idel’s actions as nonsense and ignored them.

If I had been just a little more cautious, an innocent person wouldn’t have lost their life…

“Ugh! Nghhh! Ghk! Haaah, haa…!”

I was being shameless toward Inas too. Sure, I did housework, but if he hadn’t sold potions, I would’ve starved long ago.

Inas had been living fine on his own, no, more accurately, he had somehow been surviving without dying, and yet he got dragged into trouble because of me.

Was he now doomed to die? Either starving, or executed for harboring a Hero.

“Haah…! Ngh!”

So I made a decision. At the very least, I would protect Inas from those targeting me. I wouldn’t run, I’d fight and win.

I couldn’t let him die meaninglessly like that merchant.

Someone dying because of me…

That was something that should never happen.

‘I’ll get stronger…!’

That was why I was training so intensely early in the morning.

“Hraaah…!”

“…What are you doing?”

“Gah!”

Crash!

My body, which had been doing push-ups, collapsed noisily.

Of course, it was because Inas had appeared like a ghost again.

“You’re loud, Seongyeon…”

Is he actually a ghost? How can he be this silent? Did he fly in again this time?

“Why are you like this…”

Inas looked extremely displeased.

Meanwhile, his well-kept blond hair swayed lightly.

Before, I had no idea how he even managed his hair, it looked messy and unkempt, but now, it almost made me want to reach out and touch it. Maybe it was because I still vividly remembered what it felt like when I patted his head.

Between the neatly grown strands, his blue eyes were visible. Every time I looked into them, I felt like I was being pulled in…

“Seongyeon.”

“Ah- yes!”

…That was close. I almost lost myself.

“Ah, what did you say? That I’m loud?”

I deliberately avoided his gaze. I needed a moment to get a hold of my sanity.

“Was my voice really that loud? Loud enough to reach your room?”

I finally calmed down, but at the same time, a question arose. His room was far from this one. Even if I screamed at the top of my lungs, it shouldn’t reach.

I had specifically chosen the room farthest from his to avoid disturbing him, and, honestly, because it was a bit embarrassing, but now he was saying I was loud. What is he, some kind of super-hearing freak?

“No.”

“Then?”

Where did he hear me from to come all the way here just to complain? Was he bored?

“I got here before you.”

“…What?”

“I was sleeping, and you disturbed me.”

“…Huh?”

Inas replied in a tone full of dissatisfaction, completely different from what I expected.

Now that I looked at him, he really did seem like he had just woken up from a nap…

“You were sleeping here?”

“Yeah.”

“Instead of your perfectly good bed?”

“It just happened…”

“It just happened…?”

How does one “just happen” to sleep in this room, far from both his bedroom and his lab?

To begin with, this room didn’t really have a purpose. Its only advantage was that it was a bit spacious. So it had become a place where I dumped miscellaneous junk, too awkward to throw away, but too useless to keep properly. Basically, a storage room.

I had organized it shortly after moving in, but I had already been planning to clean it out again.

‘Did he come looking for something?’

He probably rummaged through things, got tired, and fell asleep as is. The scattered mess was proof. No matter how roughly I cleaned, I wouldn’t have left it like that.

“Doesn’t your back hurt?”

I should reorganize it later. There’s no way I can find whatever Inas is looking for anyway, I don’t even know what most of it is. Especially the magical formulas written on those parchment scrolls…

“What are you doing, Seongyeon?”

“Ah.”

Ugh, whatever. Stop thinking about it.

“I’m working out.”

Since I decided to fight, I needed proper training to match that resolve.

I did have buffs, but since they were just given to me without effort, they didn’t feel like mine. It didn’t give me any confidence that I could actually do anything.

I was already a coward, if I lacked confidence too, then when something happened, I’d just try to run away first. But now, I had someone I needed to protect. I had to eliminate that option entirely.

First, I’d build up my basic stamina, then restart sword training based on what I learned at the palace…

‘If only I had seriously learned taekwondo when I was younger…’

I only ever hovered at the entrance of a dojo before quitting. My own fault.

I should’ve at least trained properly at the palace. But honestly, I barely paid attention. I did it because I was told to, but I couldn’t focus, always wondering why I even had to do it…

‘At least I should’ve tried harder…’

Regret was useless now.

“…Do you want to work out with me?”

“…”

At my casual question, Inas didn’t respond at all. I hadn’t expected much anyway—he was someone who found even lifting a finger bothersome.

“I’m going to continue, so since you’re awake, you can go. Or go back to your room and sleep.”

“Hmm…”

“If you stay because you’re too lazy to move, you’ll be the one at a loss. I’m going to be noisy.”

At least we had some stored ingredients, so we wouldn’t starve immediately. Though it’d only last a few days… If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve stocked up more.

Why did I assume things would just keep going like this? Idiot.

Anyway, for now, I’d focus on training, then look for food nearby when I got the chance. Idel wasn’t always around, so I could take advantage of that. And any traps would probably be handled by that system that helped me escape the palace…

“Seongyeon.”

“Yes?”

Why isn’t he leaving? Surely he’s not planning to watch me work out. Is he really that bored? Has Inas ever even been bored before?

…Wait.

“I-Is that really you, Mr. Inas?”

“Hmm?”

“Hold on… ahh! That hurts…!”

A sudden wave of unease hit me, and I pinched my cheek hard.

What if I was still being toyed with by Idel?

“Ah, damn… I almost tore my cheek off…”

I had failed to control my strength and nearly ripped my own flesh—a minor accident.

“Idiot.”

Well… it doesn’t seem like a dream.

“I keep telling you, you’re the last person I want to hear that from.”

I snapped back immediately and looked at my hand. It still didn’t quite feel like mine… but since I did receive those buffs, I should at least understand my current condition properly.

Just judging from my running speed alone, it wasn’t realistic. I was fast enough to scare myself while running. It felt almost like car speed…

“Why me?”

I didn’t even get a chance to gather my thoughts. Inas asked with genuine confusion.

“What do you mean, why…”

Does he really lack that much self-awareness?

Honestly, aside from his face, what does he have going for him? Zero life skills, and it’s a miracle he hasn’t caused a disaster somewhere. Of course my pride would take a hit being called an idiot by someone like that.

It’s amazing he’s even alive…

“What are you thinking?”

“…Huh?”

“You look like you’re thinking something very rude and nasty.”

“Ah…”

I had just been thinking he was a bit pathetic… did it show on my face?

Caught off guard by his uncharacteristically sharp observation, I quickly waved my hands.

“No way, what bad thoughts would I have?”

Technically, I wasn’t wrong, it was just stating facts. The problem was I couldn’t say it out loud.

“Anyway, you’re not leaving?”

I quickly changed the subject.

“I called you.”

“Ah, right.”

I had forgotten because he was acting so unlike himself.

“Why?”

“Haah….”

At my delayed question, Inas sighed as if I were frustrating.

Him finding me frustrating was kind of…

“Do you want to get stronger?”

…My thoughts stopped at his blunt question.

Right. He’s not completely clueless. He can be perceptive too. The problem is he only sees what he wants to see…

“Well… yeah, you could say that.”

I clicked my tongue lightly, but my answer was sincere.

“I don’t want to cause trouble for someone I owe. And to do that, I need to get stronger.”

“…”

“I know working out won’t suddenly make me super strong. But it’s better than doing nothing.”

For now, my goal was to avoid Idel and secure food supplies. I wasn’t even expecting Inas to help.

There was no guarantee he’d always be safe either, so I didn’t want to rely on him. Objectively speaking, it was better for me to take action myself.

“Anyway, that’s how it is, so-”

“Want help?”

“…What?”

Just as I was about to wrap things up, Inas said something strange.

If I heard that right… he said he’d help…

“…Haha… ha… you? Help me?”

That was a bizarre joke. Inas wasn’t someone who made jokes like that.

As I thought…

“…Is this Idel?”

This doesn’t feel like Inas at all.