Chapter 179: Merry Christmas Online (1)

Chapter 179: Merry Christmas Online (1)

Yoo Ha-Rin lightly shook her sword to flick off the blood and glanced up at Kai.

She was known for being extremely reluctant to reveal any personal information to others, so Kai found it surprising that she was there but didn’t feel particularly threatened by her presence.

Does she know I’m Kai?

She probably did not. After all, most players still didn’t know what Kai’s face looked like.

Once NET Media releases the footage of the Battle of Bir Plains this Christmas holiday, people will start recognizing my face.

That would inevitably draw more unwanted attention. Only a few top ten guilds knew his face currently, but even that was already troublesome.

Right now, Yoo Ha-Rin and I are complete strangers.

There was no relationship between them—no reason for her to be hostile, nor any reason to be friendly. At least, that was what Kai thought.

But it seemed Yoo Ha-Rin thought differently.

"...Oh."

She let out a small gasp as she stared directly at Kai, then walked over to the fallen Triple-Headed Ogre and began looting its corpse.

As expected, she’s ignoring me.

Kai, with an awkward smile, thought that this was typical Yoo Ha-Rin behavior. But then, she approached him with long strides.

Is she coming over to me? Why?

According to rumors, Yoo Ha-Rin usually ignored players when meeting them in person, which had earned her the nickname Cattitude Goddess.

As Kai tried to figure out how to interpret Yoo Ha-Rin’s sudden approach, she held out her hand.

“This is... the Triple-Headed Ogre’s hide?”

Kai slightly furrowed his brows and thought deeply about her intentions in offering him the hide.

Is she threatening me into buying the hide from her?

There would be no other reason for a stranger to suddenly hand over a rare hide!

After some thought, Kai nodded to himself.

Well, it’s not a bad deal for me either. A hide from a level 310 boss monster is Rare material. I should buy it and have winter gear made for Blizzard and Mimic.

Having made up his mind, Kai carefully raised a finger. “How about... this much?”

Yoo Ha-Rin silently stared at his finger for a moment, then shook her head.

Does she mean 100 gold isn’t enough?

Feeling slightly shocked, Kai raised a second finger. “Then perhaps 200...?”

She shook her head again in firm refusal!

As Kai seriously considered whether he should raise a third finger or back out of the deal altogether, Yoo Ha-Rin gently placed the hide on Kai’s shoulder.

“It’s a gift in return.”

“Huh?” Kai couldn’t believe his ears.

Yoo Ha-Rin spoke to me? And to me, of all people?

If her fan club heard about this, they would probably send private guards to hunt him down!

Moreover, her words carried weight.

A gift in return? In return for what?

By definition, a gift in return, was something given in return for receiving something else—an exchange of favor.

Oh... Could it be...?

Kai stared at the cold corpse of the Triple-Headed Ogre.

Is she offering me part of the materials because she managed to kill it after I cleared the western area... and since she gained XP and merit points, she’s sharing the loot?

Given the circumstances, that interpretation made sense.

To that, Kai waved his hand dismissively. “Come on, there’s no such thing as whose is whose when it comes to monsters wandering the area. You don’t need to give me anything.”

Yoo Ha-Rin shook her head firmly and spoke clearly, “I was taught that when you receive a gift, you must always return the favor when you meet again.”

“Oh, I see...”

What an admirable upbringing!

Lost for words, Kai awkwardly smiled as he patted the hide. “Well, I’ll gladly accept it then. Wow, this hide is really soft. It’s warm too.”

“Oh... that’s right. When you wear monster hide over your shoulders, it keeps you warm.”

As the conversation turned to the topic of hides, Yoo Ha-Rin’s voice grew more lively, and she began to speak faster.

“The warmest hide of all is the yeti hide from the snowy mountains. It’s amazing when you wrap yourself in it. The fur is fluffy and feels great, and the hide has natural insulation properties, so you feel like you’re melting in warmth.”

“Ah, I see...”

“But the best for value is orc hide. It’s a bit smelly and tough, but the hide from strong orcs keeps the cold out well. Kobold hide doesn’t work—it’s too thin and lets the wind in. Gnoll hide is tricky though...”

After giving a long speech about hides, Yoo Ha-Rin seemed to realize her enthusiasm and was embarrassed, slowly stepping back.

“W-Well then, goodbye.”

Then, she dashed off, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, and disappeared into the distance without looking back.

“...What a night goblin of a woman she is.”

Kai scratched his head and looked at the huge hide draped over his shoulder, trailing on the ground, and chuckled.

[With the effect of Witness of the Sun, you have gained an additional +5 Benevolence.]

[+15,000 Fame.]

"Ahem."

With just one speech, Kai had captivated not only the citizens of Castle Baden but even a god with his miraculous eloquence!

Feeling satisfied as he looked at the message windows, he opened his stat window.

[Kai]

Class: Solaris Cleric

Level: 318

Title: Envoy of God

HP: 49,400

Holy Power: 121,200

Stats

Strength: 1156 Stamina: 494

Intelligence: 386 Agility: 354

Holiness: 1212 Dignity: 336

Benevolence: 203

Poison Resistance +30

Magic Resistance +40%

Nature Affinity +200

Damage dealt to demons/undead +50%

"Level 318. That’s pretty good."

Although he hadn’t quite reached level 320 because he wasn't the one who defeated the Triple-Headed Ogre, the massive level increase from the Invasion Event made it a worthwhile venture.

Even though my contribution points are lower because I didn’t close as many Hard Gates, I probably gained the most in terms of levels.

Count Hind approached him while he was comforting himself with such thoughts.

"Commander of the Holy Blood Order, Kai. I’ll formally express my gratitude to you through the main Church of the Solarian Church."

"It was no problem. Any person in my position would have made the same choice."

"Haha, just like Baron Arsen said—you are truly humble. Everyone he sends my way turns out to be exceptional."

"Oh, speaking of which..."

Count Hind had mentioned in passing before that there was another adventurer who had come with a recommendation from Baron Arsen.

Baron Arsen never mentioned anyone else to me... Who could it be?

With his curiosity activated, Kai carefully asked, "What kind of person was the adventurer that came before me?"

"Hmm... She was the most beautiful adventurer I’ve ever seen."

"Beautiful... you say?"

"Yes. That silver-haired swordswoman was a master of swordsmanship. She stopped by because she was concerned about Castle Baden and left a letter behind. Have you perhaps encountered her on the battlefield? Her name is Yoo Ha-Rin... She’s unforgettable once you meet her."

Kai tilted his head after hearing Count Hind’s words.

Wait a minute. So, Yoo Ha-Rin, the former number one player, once met Count Hind through Baron Arsen’s recommendation?

He had assumed he was the first player to meet with the lord of Castle Baden, as no other player had mentioned such a meeting.

But it makes sense if it’s Yoo Ha-Rin.

She was like a lone wolf that rarely communicated with others, so naturally, no rumors would have spread.

But if it’s Yoo Ha-Rin...

Suddenly, a memory resurfaced in Kai’s mind. On the day he had finished the orc expedition mission and enjoyed a dinner banquet at Baron Arsen’s mansion, the woman he had met there had also been stunningly beautiful, and her name was Yoo Ha-Rin.

Once might be a coincidence, but with so many similarities...

Kai’s eyes lit up.

There’s no way it’s just a coincidence. They must be the same person.

Kai let out a small laugh as he looked at the Triple-Headed Ogre hide in his inventory.

"...Wait, that means she knew all along."

She had known that he was Unknown and that he was currently the top-ranked player.

And yet, she didn’t make a big deal out of it.

Instead, she had given him the hide of a level 310 boss monster as a thank-you gift for some orc hide.

For someone who had always been the one helping others, it was probably the first time Kai had received such a generous act from someone else.

"Yoo Ha-Rin, huh..."

After chuckling softly to himself in disbelief for a while, Kai stretched and looked up at the sky.

"She fooled me completely, but I don’t feel bad about it. In fact, if we meet again..."

He had a feeling that next time, they could interact more casually, like good friends.