Chapter 24: The New Hero, Yi Ga-ram
Chapter 24: The New Hero, Yi Ga-ram
Adventurers.
In an era filled with unrelenting dangers and incidents, they were indispensable. Yet, from the perspective of the leaders, they were nothing more than substitutes or aids for heroes.
This perception was widespread, even among the heroes who received support. Consequently, newly arrived heroes in this world made it a point to visit the adventurers guild, a custom rooted in this mindset.
Um Is this really okay?
Why not? We are heroes, after all.
You saw it right when you arrived in this world~ Even the nobles and royals bow down to us.
Well, thats true, but
Youve had your struggles in the original world, havent you? Dont you think its a waste not to enjoy the fortune youve stumbled upon here?
Lets face it. We are more special than anyone else.
I-I am special
But perhaps it was because she was still a teenager who had not even received her ID in her original world?
Yi Ga-ram, who had only arrived in this world a few months ago, couldnt shake off her anxiety despite following the advice of those who came here before her.
No matter how much this worlds powerholders idolized her, the notion of having the right to manipulate the public simply because of tradition felt surreal to her.
This is a tavern frequented by adults
She remembered the curiosity that had flooded her when she first stepped into the place and the hostile glances thrown her way.
Though somewhat daunted, those whom she had expected to start a quarrel quickly diverted their attention back to their drinks upon recognizing her identity.
It was a revelation of how those accustomed to hard and gritty work regarded the beings known as heroes.
As the atmosphere slowly mollified her anxiety, Yi Ga-ram found her lips curving into a smile without realizing it.
Hehe Can I really do anything?
Her initial hesitations started to fade, replaced by the assured voices of those who had come to this world before her.
She recalled their words. She was the protagonist. Those around her were mere NPCs, and enemies were nothing more than sources of experience points.
-Tiriring
As she grappled with anticipation and lingering doubts, the sound of a lute began to play.
Drawn to the voice accompanying the lute, her gaze shifted to the woman continuing her performance in the center of the tavern.
She was a minstrel. Her performance was as pure and beautiful as her appearance.
She found myself unwittingly charmed by her performance, but this interest was quickly overshadowed by the advice of the senior heroes, making it not entirely pleasant.
Once youre in a guild or tavern, its best to grab the most noticeable person and beat them half to death.
Beat them half to death?
Yes, the impact is greater when you damage someone whos getting attention~
It doesnt matter what reason you choose. As long as you dont kill them, the nobles who support us will shield us anyway.
Heroes were considered superior to adventurers.
To imprint this hierarchy, she had to assert herself, not just as a choice but as a duty.
What if I make a mistake?
A mistake? A hero getting outplayed by adventurers?
Ha, thats unlikely, but if it does happen, youll lose your hero status. See those guys lined up outside the window? If youre summoned and dont get properly recognized as a hero, you might as well be treated as a slave.
To think that even with a protagonists fate, there was a risk of falling into slavery.
Feeling the urgency, Yi Ga-ram quickly gathered strength in her hands.
-Thud!
As the chair was pushed away by her force and fell in the middle of the tavern, she wondered if she had exerted too much power.
However, Yi Ga-ram decided to push through and shouted with force in her voice,
Hey, whos making all this noise here?!
As her hearts fluttering settled, everyone at the scene began focusing on her.
Their gaze was a mix of recognition, bewilderment, and fear, but still, no one dared to speak hastily.
As the senior heroes had said, realizing she was a hero, everyone clammed up in fear.
Excuse me
But did the minstrel not understand the atmosphere?
Seemingly still not grasping the situation, she wore a dazed expression and slowly turned her delicate gaze toward where she stood.
Was that comment earlier directed at me?
The minstrel asked back with genuine confusion.
Her confident demeanor made her hesitate momentarily, but finally, Yi Ga-ram overcame her astonishment and raised her voice in response.
Youre asking because you dont know? Who else but you could be bothering me here?
What? Bothering you?
This isnt your personal space, is it? Isnt it strange not to feel disgusted when singing such a mediocre song so boldly?
The moment these harsh words left her mouth, she wondered if she had gone too far.
To hide her anxiety, she crossed her arms and swaggered as the minstrel, puzzled, turned her head toward the manager at the counter.
Its strange. The manager said he would offer a meal if I sang
Ah, miss, you might not understand since youre new to this empire, but for now, just go along with them.
Why? I had clearly obtained permission from the manager to perform
The minstrel, apparently not sensing the malice directed at her, turned her slender eyes back to her.
Did I do something to offend that little kid over there?
Confronted with such innocent questioning, Yi Ga-ram twitched and scowled.
K-kid? Are you referring to me?
Indeed, she was quite small in stature.
Unlike other heroes, she was not yet an adult, and her growth was slower compared to her peers.
In her previous world, she would have endured such remarks.
Hahaha. What did you just say? Kid, me?
Far from feeling patient, she was now ready to let her emotions run wild.
Unlike her past self, she no longer needed to endure anything.
Before coming here, she had even heard she could do whatever she wanted. So why endure feeling humiliated?
How dare you, just a guitar-playing entertainer, disrespect me, a hero?!
Right after letting go of those angry emotions, she was about to unleash the strength that had gathered in her grip
-Thud!!
A loud thud echoed, causing her to flinch and turn her gaze to the side.
The moment all eyes fixed there, it overshadowed the presence she had emitted.
The man who grabbed attention by slamming the end of his spear on the ground, clad in smoothly polished armor, had just barged in.
You.
As this man entered the silent scene, he glared at her fiercely and said,
What are you trying to do to my woman right now?
He spat out this fierce threat.
Wh-what?
Yes, it was a threat.
As she involuntarily flinched at this unexpected act, the crowds attention that was on her earlier quickly shifted to him.
Goodness! That guy?
Whats going on?
Woo Hyo-sung that guy is Woo Hyo-sung!
It was a name Yi Ga-ram did not recognize.
After all, she had only been summoned to this world a few months ago and had spent that time focusing on her duties under the patronage of nobles and socializing with other heroes.
That meant she had no way of knowing whether the rumors circulating among the adventurers were true or false.
Woo Hyo-sung? Whos that?
Havent you heard? The heroes in the party he joined all died!
Could it be the hero killer?
A hero killer appearing before a hero.
Twitch, twitch.
Her body reacted reflexively to the voices, and the number of cold sweats trickling down her face began to increase.
To think that someone labeled as a hero killer, now stood before her, filled with confidence.
It was an unavoidably frightening situation.
Hey, kid.
However, his attention wasnt on the noisy crowd but it was solely on her.
Soon, he addressed the dazed figure before him with a harsh tone.
You dont seem to have been summoned here long ago. It would be wise to back off while Im still being polite.
The man blocked the path in front of the minstrel, clutching his spear, getting ready to attack anytime.
Ive seen countless people die, relying only on their abilities and acting arrogantly, just like you.
No one present thought that the voice that resonated from him was merely a bluff.
Even Yi Ga-ram felt overwhelmed by the atmosphere for a moment.
This is dangerous
Without knowing the specifics, his name alone was known as one who killed heroes.
Moreover, the surrounding onlookers focused their attention on him, not on her.
Knowing the basis of that rumor, even a hero might feel intimidated by the protagonist of such tales at least once.
If you dont want to end up a slave, its better to turn things around properly~
But her confusion was fleeting.
For the young girl, what resonated more than the baseless rumors was the overt malice that had manifested before her.
Timid and passive.
If she, who had only exhibited such anxious behavior, didnt produce tangible results, she would undoubtedly be disregarded and mocked in this world.
Damn it! What does it matter if youre a hero killer or whatever?!
Yi Ga-ram cast aside her immediate worries with a surge of fear and shouted.
As her will commanded, every piece of furniture in the tavern began to swirl around, forming a tumultuous vortex.
Ugh! Watch out!
This is insanity!
-Crash, bang!
The tavern descended into chaos, and a strong sense of alarm echoed through the commotion.
Feeling it against her skin, Yi Ga-rams smile grew wider.
Yeah! Theres no need to be afraid! With this kind of power, who could challenge me?
Her newfound power was the manipulation of objects.
She had the power that could be called the manipulation of phenomena, different from the psychokinesis fueled by mana in this world.
With this power, she could target anything that caught her eye and lift and twist anything her hand touched.
However, there was an exception. Beings with a will could not be controlled by psychokinesis, but she could interfere with the tools they used if they were caught off guard.
Why are you just standing there? I havent even started yet. Dont tell me youre regretting it now?!
Thinking youre something special because others have flattered you, huh? I dont believe in such rumors at all! If you really are the so-called hero killer, then come at me properly!
Swoosh!
The spear, ensnared by her psychokinesis, soared into the air amid the chaos.
Yi Ga-ram flicked her finger, pulling the spear towards her, attempting to manipulate its trajectory to point it back at its owner.
Her aim was to threaten him by sending the spear, controlled by her power, back towards its wielder.
Its too late for regrets! Youll pay dearly for underestimating me Huh?
But why?
Despite her clear manipulation of the power, the spears direction did not change.
Instead, it straightened and hurtled towards her, gaining momentum as it flew.
Wait, why is that spear coming at me?
Yi Ga-ram was baffled by this unforeseen event.
She couldnt find an answer to her question, even as the spear she had drawn with her power loomed right in front of her face.
Her ability, the manipulation of objects, was supposed to exert perfect command over objects without will.
She was certain that objects without will would undoubtedly succumb to her control.
Boom!!!
The spear upended her assumptions, crashing beside her head with force.
Realizing the threat it posed, Yi Ga-rams face instantly turned ashen.
Eh, eh?
The impact was so potent that the spear not only struck the solid wall but also partly buried its handle in it.
The result was possible not only due to the sharpness of the spear but also because the spear itself exerted its own force.
What would have happened if such an attack had hit her head directly?
Thud, thud.
The imagination of such a scenario gradually became more real
The owner of the spear approached her as she lay on the ground and firmly grasped the handle embedded in the wall.
You.
He showed no hesitation as he pulled out the spear and reclaimed it.
Even in the presence of a hero feared by everyone
If you go any further, youll really die.
His statement taught her that he could end it at any time.
His cold gaze was fixed straight on her.