If I didn't have sex, I would die.
It was such a vulgar quest that I doubted whether I was the spouse of the World Tree.
Clearly, these tree folks enjoyed the thrill of having their fiancés stolen.
But of all things, it was about sex.
Couldn't this quest be filtered out? A feeling of injustice surged within me.
'Do these bastards have some weird fetish?'
The sudden question was worth reconsidering. NTR. If it wasn't for this preference, the World Tree was definitely deceiving me.
It was a fact I was trying to ignore. The World Tree supposedly loved me.
But it wanted to kill me if I failed the quest?
No matter what, where in the world would there be such a contradiction?
Lately, because of this discrepancy, I have been thinking that maybe all the feelings and attractions were fake? As if everything was deceiving me, like a movie.
The evidence was substantial. Half of my knowledge of this world was forcibly injected by the World Tree of Purity when I arrived here.
Right. Those old trees never loved me from the start. It was a world without true love.
'Damn curiosity. If I had just not touched that tree back then.'
Looking back, it was clear that the World Trees were a race that couldn't be trusted.
I even had to doubt the knowledge I possessed. It was laughable.
"Sigh."
[The 'World Tree of Purity' opens its eyes in response.]
I stopped walking.
Lost in thoughts, I realized I had reached the bar.
I placed my hand on the cold doorknob. Just before opening it, I asked the World Tree in a whisper,
"Are you on my side?"
[The 'World Tree of Purity' nods continuously.]
"Then why the hell is the quest like this?"
[....]
No answer came.
Either there's a reason, or it was trying to deceive me.
From my perspective, facing imminent death, I couldn't take it positively.
"Sigh. I'm not even a real husband."
-Creak-
Opening the door, a strong scent of alcohol wafted out.
The noisy pub. Familiar faces of students who came for a drink after classes with mentors.
"Hey, it's Shiheon!"
Guseul, whom I recognized first, waved with a bright smile.
"Hello~"
"Hi."
"Hahaha."
When I responded, Guseul laughed heartily.
I adjusted my mask. I couldn't take it off for a while.
My current charm level was around 7. The maximum charm I could achieve with the mask was 8.
Although my physique was getting better, my appearance hadn't reached its peak. Once my physique improved, the decreased charm level would return. To maintain a full charm level of 9, I needed to continually benefit from the mask.
Walking a bit further, I noticed Siwoo smiling brightly at me.
"Shiheon is here? Sit here."
The atmosphere changed with my arrival.
Did they wish I hadn't come?
Anxious, I joined the table, and a peculiar tension arose.
"...."
It wasn't a hostile stare. Rather, it was a look of curiosity and intrigue.
There were nine people sitting around a table surrounded by three sofas.
Names I remembered, but individuals I hadn't conversed with.
Maybe I could make some new friends here.
If things went well, I might even find a girlfriend or have a one-night stand.
Despite being an academy, its atmosphere wasn't different from colleges in my world. Bluntly speaking, even group sex occasionally occurred during MTs (Membership Training) at this academy.
'Technically, aren't all the people here from prestigious schools?'
As the students became more familiar, the unique term 'academy' faded.
"Hey, you became a hero, didn't you? Haha."
At that moment, Guseul shouted in a cheerful voice.
"Tell that story to them. You all saw the articles about what happened in this mentoring session, right?"
Once the conversation started, the students around us began to perk up their ears.
"How was it?"
"I heard Spring Peach Blossom is an elite group. How many were there?"
At first, the conversation was a bit awkward with formal language, but as a few drinks were had, it soon shifted to informal banter, just like any other group of college students.
"How was Baekdo?"
The girl sitting right next to me asked with eyes full of admiration. I shuddered.
"Whoa, hey. Don't even mention him. You know what she did? She asked me whether I like hard peaches or soft peaches, seriously."
I said I liked the soft peaches, and she glared at me as if she was going to kill me, then started treating me differently in training. Recounting the story, utilizing my narrative skills from internet forums, the students burst into laughter.
"No way, you're exaggerating!"
"No, seriously, it's true."
But her skills were really something else.
I added.
Describing how she easily defeated huge Ents, the students gasped, seemingly visualizing Baekdo's prowess and shuddering.
Some of the girls even cooed,
"I'm so jealous~"
It made sense to think that Baekdo was the epitome of a girl crush. But honestly, she was not like that. She was mentally just a kid. As I teasingly complained about Baekdo, the students laughed even more.
"You're really funny. I thought you were really quiet."
"I have some introverted tendencies."
"I thought you were just a total introvert when I first met you… Oops."
"Damn."
"Hehehe."
Did this mean I could now properly blend in with my peers?
I realized once again how important a person's reputation was.
I looked at Siwoo, who was smiling warmly while listening to my stories.
"You've done a lot too, haven't you?"
"Me? Just cleared a few dungeons."
There were gasps of astonishment from the group.
"You're such a liar."
"You're too modest!"
"No, seriously, you all can do it soon too!"
As Siwoo argued, the girl next to me, was it Kim Sooyoung? She coldly replied,
"Soon?"
Siwoo hesitated and finally said,
"… Maybe 3 years?"
He implied that they had a long way to go to match his talent. But the students just stuck out their tongues, already used to such banter.
"Still, Shiheon and Jonghyun might catch up to me soon."
Following Siwoo's words, everyone turned to look at Jonghyun and me alternately.
"True. Jonghyun is… from a prestigious lineage."
"Considering Shiheon helped Spring Peach Blossom, isn't his skill good?"
There was an atmosphere of acknowledgment. Jonghyun, who had been silently sipping his drink, seemed genuinely happy at Siwoo's words, exuding the vibes of a classic bad boy.
"Wait for me, punk. I'll catch up soon."
"Ooh, Jonghyun~"
"Are you teasing?"
After a brief exchange with Siwoo, Jonghyun laughed coarsely, and our eyes met.
"But for Jonghyun, it's understandable, but Shiheon? What was your entrance rank?"
His question seemed simple on the surface, but the undertone of condescension was palpable to me.
Did he also look down on me?
Although his comment could ruin the mood, his rugged appearance saved him. Some of the girls even seemed to appreciate his straightforward demeanor.
Shin Jeonga, as she was called, seemed completely smitten by him.
"My rank? Wasn't it 152nd?"
"What?"
"Huh?"
When I answered honestly, there was a sudden, surprised reaction from those around me. On reflection, it was absurd to think that someone who recently aided in a cult incident and was trained by Baekdo was ranked 152nd.
"152nd? Then what about those articles?"
Jonghyun's words carried a clear tone of mockery. However, he then laughed, seemingly having formed his own conclusion.
"Ha, isn't that ranking a bit generous for a mere human?"
"Hey, don't belittle humans."
"Siwoo, aren't you a prospective husband for the World Tree?"
I was also a prospective husband. I wanted to retort, but I kept my words in check to keep the atmosphere light.
"You'll climb the ranks soon. It's only been a few months since you awakened, right?"
"Heh. Anyone who saw Shiheon fight back then can't say he's lacking in skill."
Siwoo responded to my words when Sooyoung suddenly raised her hand.
"I saw it! It was where you were with Dallae and Sansuyu."
"Really?"
Sooyoung, the girl next to me, giggled at my unexpected reply.
"Don't you remember? You saved me, then. Actually, you, Siwoo, and Sansuyu saved almost all the students there."
I didn't remember. I was too busy fighting. I might've saved a few people, but it didn't feel real. I was mainly preoccupied with Lee Seonghan, who was particularly persistent then. My shoulder, which was injured at that time, still throbbed now.
"I did?"
"You really don't remember. I'm hurt."
"Oh, sorry."
"Why are you apologizing? Hehe."
She seemed eager to talk to me from the beginning. Thanks to her, I could easily fit into the group. I smiled slightly, and in response, she animatedly made a peace sign with her fingers.
"What are you two doing?"
"Ah, Guseul, you're clingy again?"
"Hehehe. Shiheon is my best friend. We've been friends since the first day at the dormitory."
"Really?"
Sooyoung looked at me with wide eyes, seeming genuinely curious. Jonghyun seemed to have forgotten his earlier question, busily drinking with others.
'I don't think she sees me as a friend, though.'
Rather than denying it, I just nodded. In response, Sooyoung offered her hand with a bright smile.
"Then, let's be best friends too."
Wait… what? Was this a green light?
Maybe I had unintentionally saved a girl and gained her favor. Or maybe I had naturally increased my popularity during the drinking session. Anyway, I shook her hand and then focused on my drink.
Conversations flowed as everyone got a bit tipsy. I was also able to naturally hear about the lives of other students.
The cute cat that was on the first floor of the dormitory. How a particular professor should get a poor evaluation. Simple, mundane topics, but they were great for bonding.
Listening to these everyday stories, I wondered what had bound me since I came to this world.
Of course, I had been bound by the World Tree's twisted whims.
But now, discussing such mundane topics brought warmth and comfort, as I had previously been caught up in fantasy and surreal adventures.
'I should live a bit more leisurely from now on.'
Of course, that would start after figuring out how to get the three individuals into a motel room.
"Hey, let's toast. Cheers."
Cheers!
Without worrying about spilling alcohol, we all drank. Time seemed to fly, and by the time the moon had moved significantly across the sky, Siwoo stood up.
"Who's up for round two?"
"Me! Me! Shiheon's coming too."
Guseul was the first to energetically raise her hand.
"Why am I?"
"Just come!"
I still wanted to enjoy the night, so I didn't complain. Siwoo, reading my face, nodded in understanding. Once Sooyoung saw that I'd attend, she quietly raised her hand.
"I want to go too."
Our second round of drinks consisted of Sooyoung, Siwoo, myself, Guseul, and a slightly chubby boy. Was his name Oh Deokha? He gave off a slightly familiar vibe.
"Five people? Hmm. It'd be nice if we had one more."
Siwoo swiftly pulled out his phone and skillfully made a call.
"Hey, Dallae. How have you been? No, nothing much. We're about to move to the second round of drinks. Do you want to join?"
Jin Dallae.
Upon hearing that name, the slightly intoxicated guys seemed to perk up.
"Should I, should I come too?"
"I'm kind of in the mood for a second round…"
Dallae seems quite popular, huh?
Looking towards Siwoo, I could hear a somewhat playful voice coming from the other end.
-… I just got home. You're so mean.
"Really? But it's so fun here."
-Uh, I kind of want to rest.
Siwoo replied with a disheartened tone.
"I invited Shiheon, especially for this. Ahh…"
-…
"You rest up then. Should I hang up?"
-Where are you?
I only caught bits and pieces of the rest as it became muffled. After a brief exchange, Siwoo closed his phone and grinned.
"Let's move to the second round."
He truly had the refreshing demeanor of a sociable person.