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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Secret Sharing
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Honestly, for me, "Velvet School Life!" held a quite special meaning.
There's no end to getting sentimental about it, but to summarize:
I was an orphan, just like Jin Yuha in this world, without parents.
Because of that, I lived a dull life from a young age, just repeating the cycle of work and home.
My only hobby, if you could call it that, was cooking,
but since there was no one else to eat it, it all just went into my own mouth.
In other words, it was such a harsh life that I didn't even have the luxury to make friends, let alone a girlfriend.
As I gradually grew exhausted from that cold reality, wondering if this was truly living,
I encountered "Velvet School Life!"
A vibrant world where characters with diverse charms exchanged cheerful jokes at the academy.
To me at that time, it was truly a new world.
Despite the bleak worldview, they never lost their courage or their smiles.
As a player, I was merely a user within it.
That is, I was just a supporter, watching over them from behind.
Nevertheless, seeing them grow without succumbing to reality,
seeing them overcome seemingly insurmountable enemies,
and seeing them shed their past selves, emerging from cocoons like butterflies to fly away.
Those scenes comforted me.
Someone might scoff, saying I was overly invested in just a game, but what do I care?
I was that deeply immersed in the world of "Velvet School Life."
However, in the end, this game was a character collection game.
The basic premise was to pull characters through gacha and raise them.
If you pull mindlessly, you're bound to get characters you won't use.
But I truly disliked abandoning characters I had pulled.
'It feels like I'm ostracizing them for being unnecessary.'
So, I established a principle.
Unless there's a character I really, really want, I won't do character gacha!
Gacha is only for resources and equipment!
And once I've pulled a character, I'll raise them and make use of them no matter what!
This was my playstyle that I stuck to while enjoying the game.
Of course, I didn't even use Jin Yuha myself.
Anyway, what about now, with the game having become reality?
'Temporarily add party members, then when they're no longer useful, say, 'Mr./Ms. OOO can no longer accompany us'?'
If I hadn't added them as party members from the start, it might be different. But such a statement was not permitted by my principles.
"Someone to stay with till the end... *Ahem*, *ahem*! But is there a reason you're saying all this?"
Shin Se-hee cleared her throat and asked me.
Of course, from her perspective, using people and then discarding them would have been natural. So, it was a perfectly understandable question.
'...Rather than getting all sentimental and rambling on about this and that here, it's probably better to give a rational reason, right?'
I briefly organized my thoughts and opened my mouth.
"First, it's because of our party's reputation."
"Reputation?"
"Yes, our party isn't known at all right now, but we'll become quite famous in the future."
At that, everyone nodded as if in agreement.
They had worked together during the tutorial boss fight, which was certainly enough time to understand the synergy they could create.
"And when that happens, like it or not, many eyes will be on us."
"...Ah."
"Actually, most people will react positively, but this world isn't filled only with people approaching with good intentions. And there are also the Demons."
Shin Se-hee's face hardened.
This part would probably resonate most with her.
It was also related to her personal story, which would come out later.
"Someone might join our party temporarily, trying to break us apart somehow, or to secure a permanent spot. Even if they don't join with such intentions, others might approach them."
I met the gazes of Kang Do-hee, Lee Yu-ri, and Im Ga-eul, in addition to Shin Se-hee, as I spoke.
Im Ga-eul seemed a little flustered, hearing this for the first time today.
Well. If we fought the tutorial boss together, we're a party. No take-backs.
"So, I want to form a party only with people I can trust, my own people."
"Yes, I understand."
Shin Se-hee nodded.
"And the second reason is that our party's growth rate will be quite fast."
This part was unavoidable.
A party led by a user inevitably gets involved in various incidents occurring in this world.
Even if there aren't many growth resources, experience points naturally accumulate by continuously defeating such enemies.
"So, from an efficiency perspective, rather than people who temporarily join and leave, we need talent optimized for our party from the start."
Well, even with this explanation, they probably weren't entirely convinced.
After all, it was true that recruiting other characters in the early stages was generally better.
So, I mixed in a bit of my true feelings and spoke.
*Ahem!*
"And finally... it's just because I want to. Hmm, I don't know how this will sound, but..."
As I tried to speak, I hesitated a little.
But I had already brought up the topic.
If a man says something, he has to see it through, even if it means kicking himself in frustration later.
"I find it a bit difficult to meet people casually and then part ways. To be honest, it's a bit of a stretch, but could you please try to understand this part...?"
I scratched my cheek, feeling awkward for no reason.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
I glanced sideways, trying to gauge their reactions.
The party members stared at me with blank expressions.
'Tsk, was that too forced after all...?'
My face flushed hot, and I urged them away.
"Alright, th-then everyone, dismissed! You all worked really hard today! Classes start again tomorrow, so! See you tomorrow!"
* * *
After leaving Jin Yuha's house,
the women walked together in silence.
Lee Yu-ri recalled her first visit to Jin Yuha's room a moment ago.
'...He definitely said he was poor when we first met.'
The Forest of Carmella.
He had given the reason that he had no money to live in the academy when asking to join there.
And after confirming his skill, she had thought that someone with such skill couldn't possibly be poor.
'I just thought he was making an excuse to protect me...'
But today, seeing Jin Yuha's shabby clothes and the single, lonely moving box with nothing else in it.
Even that was too pitifully small to be considered personal belongings.
Even she, whose financial situation wasn't great, had brought a considerable amount of luggage.
'...Did he perhaps have debt?'
Perhaps he had an immense debt that he couldn't repay without taking on dangerous Black Hunter jobs.
'He seems to have paid off his debt now, though...'
But then, if she thought that way, it seemed strange.
If so, why did Jin Yuha readily give a top-grade magic stone to a senior he had just met, when he should be investing in himself and enjoying his freedom?
And why was he so eager to take care of her, whom he had just met that day?
'This too...'
Lee Yu-ri gazed at the tattoo on the back of her hand, lost in thought.
She wondered if she had ever had such a person in her life.
As she tried to recall, her thoughts suddenly turned to the place where she sent money every month.
"...Family."
The word slipped out of her mouth unintentionally.
Everyone's gaze turned to Lee Yu-ri.
"!?"
Lee Yu-ri covered her mouth with a flustered expression, but the words that had already escaped could not be taken back.
Shin Se-hee, who had been staring intently at Lee Yu-ri, finally spoke.
"You're probably all wondering why that man thinks of you so specially."
Shin Se-hee's voice was low and hushed, as if choked.
"And there must have been many parts of the process that you didn't understand."
Words that neatly pulled out what was in everyone's heads.
They slowly nodded.
"I know the reason, but it's difficult for me to tell you myself. It's related to Jin Yuha's secret. And even more so because I found out by chance. You'll have to hear it from him later."
Shin Se-hee swept her gaze over those gathered beside her.
Lee Yu-ri, Kang Do-hee, Im Ga-eul.
'Jin Yuha can see the future. So, these must be special individuals in the predetermined future he saw.'
And originally, she wouldn't have been among them.
He had shown her an inexplicable, strong aversion from the very beginning.
Shin Se-hee unconsciously bit her lip.
'Still, Jin Yuha said he would trust me.'
Though a surge of jealousy wellled up inside her.
Shin Se-hee clung to that one phrase and tried to calm her heart.
"But there is something I can tell you now. This is also personal information, so it's a bit... but it's so you don't make a mistake unknowingly."
When she had first decided to recruit Jin Yuha,
she had investigated him.
Of course, that investigation had been completely botched, with nothing from start to finish being accurate.
But one thing.
One fact could be properly confirmed.
"Jin Yuha's parents... when he was very young, they were attacked by monsters... and they passed away. Both of them."
Those words were enough to plunge everyone into shock.
A heavy silence fell.
"...So, that's why it was like that."
"Ah, so, that's what it was..."
Lee Yu-ri and Kang Do-hee nodded, understanding belatedly.
"Oh!"
Suddenly, Im Ga-eul gasped.
"What, what do I do?"
"Huh?"
"I, I... just told him I have a lot of mothers...!?"