The Main Characters That Only I Know

Chapter 16:

Chapter 16

“Hmm, this is so delicious.”

Kang Hye-rim, who had a bite of a sweet slice of cake at the cafe, made a blissful expression and rejoiced. 

I, who was sitting across from her and sipping an americano, asked her curiously.

“Is it that good?”

“Of course! I never thought I could eat such a delicious dessert in my life.”

“Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration…”

As someone who knew her future, I was sure that it wouldn’t be the case, but when I thought about it, Kang Hye-rim was currently living in a tight financial situation.

She didn’t know her own abilities, and she was worried about her future and living day by day. 

Then, she suddenly awakened her talent and achieved a brilliant feat.

It was something that happened in just a few days, and it was natural for her to be happy about such a change.

Did I not understand how she felt? 

The ambition that Kang Hye-rim had deep in her heart was almost no different from what I had.

In some ways, Kang Hye-rim was similar to me. 

That’s why I could empathize with her situation.

“Still, don’t be too much over a cake. If you keep succeeding, you’ll be able to eat cake for every meal.”

“Really?!”

“Well, that’s up to you, Ms. Hye-rim. It’s ultimately the collector’s freedom to decide where to spend the points they earn. And to be honest, it’s embarrassing, so please stop.”

In the process of Earth being incorporated into the mixed world, society inevitably underwent a great change.

There was also a point exchange center in the lower world, including Earth, where collectors could exchange points for cash if they needed money.

However, it was impossible to exchange cash for points in reverse.

Kang Hye-rim earned about 5,000TP from clearing the Kobold Mine this time.

Even if she only cashed out a small portion of it, it was obvious that her quality of life would increase significantly.

Right now, low-ranked collectors like Kang Hye-rim had no way to make money other than exchanging points, but later on, she would earn so much money that she would regret spending the points she exchanged.

Then she would be able to do as she wished, pile up sweet desserts like mountains and eat them.

“Of course, don’t forget that gaining weight is also your responsibility.”

“Ugh!”

Kang Hye-rim, who was about to take another bite of cake with a fork, groaned and then glanced at me slightly.

“You know that’s rude to say to a woman, right?”

“I don’t know much about that because I’m a teller.”

“Tsk.”

She couldn’t win against me in a verbal fight, so she couldn’t even be annoyed.

Then Kang Hye-rim seemed to remember something and changed the topic.

“Oh. By the way, you said you knew about my trait. I felt it too when I swung my sword, but what exactly is this Goryeo-era swordmaster trait?”

Through the previous Kobold hunting, Kang Hye-rim realized that she had a trait called [Goryeo-era Swordmaster].

However, apart from realizing that, she still didn’t know what her trait was.

She didn’t even know where the origin of that ability came from.

“I was going to tell you.”

Now that we were on the same boat completely, I had to force-feed her even if she didn’t want to hear it.

“Do you know Cheok Jun-gyeong?”

“Uh… um…”

Kang Hye-rim hesitated to answer. 

That reaction alone was enough.

“Well, it’s understandable if you don’t. He wasn’t even covered in the common historical dramas. Unless you know the details of history, anyone would have a similar reaction.”

“Is that so?”

“But once you get to know him, you’ll never forget him.”

Cheok Jun-gyeong.

He was a low-ranking military officer and scholar from Goksan Cheok clan during the Goryeo era.

However, he was famous for his enormous feats that surpassed human beings in the war against the Yuan dynasty.

He climbed up a castle wall occupied by Yuan soldiers alone and swept away the walls.

He broke through the encirclement of thousands of enemies by himself

He bravely charged into tens of thousands of enemies and came back after taking their supplies unilaterally.

These were not just exaggerated stories but facts recorded in official history.

His single-handed prowess transcended human beings and those who knew him jokingly called him ‘Swordmaster Cheok’ or ‘Goryeo-era Swordmaster’.

The trait that Kang Hye-rim had was the trait that implemented the story of that ‘Cheok Jun-gyeong’.

When she heard my explanation, Kang Hye-rim opened her mouth wide.

“Oh my! He was such a great hero? But why didn’t I know that? Usually, if someone is so amazing, it wouldn’t be strange to make a drama out of it.”

“Uh, um.”

I hesitated a little to answer that obvious question.

Well, it wouldn’t be strange to make a drama or a movie out of him if he had such amazing martial arts skills. 

But Cheok Jun-gyeong’s end was also that he helped Yi Sagyeom’s rebellion and was executed as a traitor and met his end as a villain.

“His friend’s name is a bit… you know.”

“His friend’s name? What’s his friend’s name that makes you say that?”

“I can’t say it with my mouth.”

“Oh come on, why do you keep making me curious? Huh? Tell me.”

Kang Hye-rim crossed her arms and pressed her lips tightly, pouting at me and urging me to answer. 

When I kept not answering, she nagged me like a child.

Eventually, I couldn’t stand it and snapped at her.

“Ah, come on. If I can’t say it, then just accept it. I’ll report you for sexual harassment.”

“What?! Are you going as far as sexual harassment?!”

“Just look it up yourself if you’re curious. Do you carry your smartphone around for show?”

“Ah! Right.”

Kang Hye-rim seemed to remember then and took out her phone from her pocket and started searching. 

I sipped my americano with ice with a slightly uncomfortable look.

When I glanced at Kang Hye-rim, she looked at the phone screen and soon her face turned red like a ripe persimmon. 

She took her eyes off the smartphone and shouted at me.

“Pervert!”

“Why are you saying that to me?”

“That’s… still… this is too obscene!”

“I didn’t say it myself and it’s a real person’s name. Well, what can I do. Anyway, think of it as his friend’s name being so bad that he wasn’t made into a media. But his prowess is not going anywhere. The power of the trait that Ms. Hye-rim has is much more amazing than you think.”

“…”

She needed to know more about her trait. 

How amazing the power she had was. 

She needed to imprint it clearly for the future.

Kang Hye-rim finally accepted her trait properly and became serious.

“So, I have a really amazing trait?”

Kang Hye-rim asked with pride in her voice. 

When I nodded my head, she couldn’t contain her joy and smiled brightly.

Seeing her like that, I could tell what kind of personality Kang Hye-rim had.

She was the type who would shrink when others criticized her, but become overly arrogant when praised.

As if to prove it, she raised her nose and imagined her bright future.

‘How is this the future swordmaster?’

Was the image I saw in the past also an act? The haughty and cold eyes and expression?

I glared at Kang Hye-rim with a sour look.

“Hehehe.”

She was making some strange laughter, with her mouth wide open. 

She was dressed like a typical unemployed person.

I felt embarrassed as her contractor to think that she would show this to the public. Collectors had to show their stories to the spirits. 

Image management was essential.

“First of all, this won’t do. Miss Hye-rim. Get up.”

“Hehe… Yes, yes?”

“Wake up and get up. I think we need to speed up the plan a bit.”

“Pl-plan?”

“Image making.”

I couldn’t let her act like that any longer. 

No matter how excellent her swordsmanship was, if she looked like that, the spirits might not be able to stand it and leave the library.

The second priority for a protagonist who represents the library was to have a refined demeanor, after having the ability to present a proper story.

“Let’s go buy some clothes first. You can’t keep doing this, right?”

“Oh, that’s true.”

Kang Hye-rim nodded her head, as if she realized it. 

Good. 

She felt the need for it, so all I had to do was execute it properly.

I nodded my head satisfactorily and created a catalog on my hand and handed it to Kang Hye-rim.

“Huh…”

Kang Hye-rim looked uneasy at this familiar process.

She naturally threw me a look that asked what this meant as she took the catalog from me.

I smiled at Kang Hye-rim and said.

“You earned some points, right? You have to invest for your future self.”

The catalog I showed her had equipment that suited her.

Of course, I only picked out reasonable ones that she could afford with her points.

She trembled as she looked at the points written on the catalog.

“Don’t be like that. Do I look like I’m going to eat you? Or rip you off? I’m doing this for your sake, Miss Hye-rim. You know that, right?”

“Yes, yes…”

Kang Hye-rim trembled pitifully as if she was seen by a third party, but she had nothing else to do but nod her head.

***

“Hmm, this should be enough.”

I nodded my head satisfactorily and clicked the [Open Library] button.

[The library is open.]

[Viewers visit the library.]

[The Pursuer of Thousand Ears…]

As soon as I opened the library, spirits poured in as if they were looking forward to it.

The reason why I expressed it as pouring in was because there were much more spirits than those who watched my painting in the previous Kobold Mine.

[Current viewers: 63]

[Current subscribers: 45]

When I finished the first episode of Swordmaster Chronicles, there were 34 viewers. 

But this time, there were 63 at the start. 

And even the number of spirits who subscribed to my library increased significantly.

‘It’s usually considered a high level of painting if the number of subscribers is 30% of the viewers.’

In my case, it was over half and about 70%. 

An overwhelming ratio that didn’t make sense. 

It was quite a spectacular start for me.

‘And since the last painting, rumors have spread and spirits are increasing.’

Maybe they were spreading word among themselves.

‘They’re mostly looking forward to the story I’ll show them.’

They finally got a story that sparked their interest in the boring and repetitive world. 

Of course they would be curious, wouldn’t they?

That’s why I had to work harder to meet their expectations.

As part of that, I tried to change Kang Hye-rim’s image.

[The Wind Spirit widens its eyes.]

[The Hut Man of Arun Gol opens his mouth.]

[The Drunkard of the Tavern rubs his eyes in disbelief.]

…

…Including the new spirits, the spirits who participated in the last painting showed an amazing reaction.

They probably wanted a different story in the first place. 

Not just catching and breaking fantasy bodies, but piercing through the stories of those worlds and dealing with their origins. 

A heroic tale like that.

So they came expecting what kind of painting I would show today.

So I showed them right from the start.

The ‘properly’ dressed Kang Hye-rim.

I smiled silently as I watched the astonished reactions of the spirits.