I Became a Genius Swordsman in the Pretty Girl Game

“······So, yeah. After that, you know the rest. I followed Chairman Lina, came to Velvet Hunter Academy, trained, and organized the Demon Slayer Squad to hunt Demons.”
“······.”

I looked at my master quietly.
She averted her eyes slightly, feeling a bit awkward sharing such a personal story.

It seemed like the first time I was hearing such a personal story from her.

I understood why she had become the leader of the Demon Slayer Squad, a group that specialized in dealing with Demons in the shadows.

‘It’s because of what happened back then.’

Having experienced firsthand how terrifying it could be when humans with great power lorded over others, it was no wonder she detested such people.

And I also learned how she became so close with Chairman Lina.

From Lina’s perspective, it would have been a waste to let such a talent slip away.
The moment she picked up a sword, she overwhelmed the villains.
She must have felt like she had stumbled upon a gem lying on the street.

After I fell into this world,
Among the characters who didn’t have a separate narrative in the game, she was the only one I had grown close to, so every story she shared was new to me.

‘Indeed, this world is not just a game.’

I realized anew.

If this were just a phone game, there was no way they would have included such a narrative for the character Baek Seol-hee.

Anyway.

“So, your sense of taste was also lost back then…”
“Yes. Because of the poison that woman fed me, I lost my sense of taste from then on.”

I couldn’t help but feel sorry for my master.

She had completely lost one of her five senses.

It would have been a significant loss, something she would have felt every time she ate or drank anything.

Noticing my concern,
Baek Seol-hee chuckled.

Unlike her usual stiff demeanor, she looked more natural and relaxed.

“It’s not that big of a deal. I can feel how much you care for me very well.”
“······.”

Shush─

Baek Seol-hee reached out and ruffled my bangs.

“It’s true. After eating the meal you prepared for me, I feel much warmer and lighter than before. It’s definitely because you put your heart into cooking for me.”

My master tried to comfort me, saying it was fine,
But there was no way I could just let it go.

‘Is there a way to restore Master’s sense of taste?’

What if I keep feeding her stimulating and experimental dishes? I have a knack for experimental cooking, and I know a lot about the ingredients in this world.

‘Rejected.’

I shook my head inwardly.

If it could have been solved that easily, Chairman Lina would have done so already.
Something more was needed.

Something that could restore her lost senses…

‘Ah? Restore her lost senses?’

Suddenly, something flashed in my mind.

It wasn’t certain yet, but it was definitely worth trying.

“Master.”
“······Hmm?”
“I will definitely find a way to fix you.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ve lived like this for so long, and it’s not that inconvenient.”
“No, I will definitely make you taste my cooking and hear you say it’s delicious.”

When I looked at her seriously and said so, my master sighed softly.

“I guess I shouldn’t have brought this up. It seems like I’ve stirred up unnecessary thoughts…”

My master shook her head, indicating she didn’t want to continue this conversation.

Well, I just made a vow to myself, and I didn’t plan to keep pestering her about it, so I changed the subject.

“Oh, but I’m curious about something. What about your parents…?”
“Hmm, they’re both alive and well. It’s been over five years since I last saw them, but… because of the nature of my work, there are quite a few people who hold a grudge against me.”
“······Ah.”

It seemed like I was stepping on landmines with every topic we touched upon.

“I’m sorry. I brought this up because being here in Jeju Island reminded me of the past…”

As she said this, there was a hint of nostalgia in her eyes.
I suddenly realized,

‘She couldn’t help but think of it…’

“Um, is your hometown Jeju Island? And are your parents here too?”

At that, my master widened her eyes in surprise, then clicked her tongue and pointed at me.

“Now there’s one more person who knows my weakness. Just you and Chairman Lina. That’s it.”
“Ah······?”
“Yes, this is my hometown. And my parents run a lodging business here in Jeju Island.”

My master then expressed her gratitude to me.
She said that because she had consciously kept her distance, she hadn’t realized how dangerous the situation in Jeju Island had become, and thanks to me, she had been able to prevent it.

Honestly, it was unlikely that my master’s family would have been in any real danger.
Chairman Lina wouldn’t have left them unprotected.

However, what concerned me was something else.
The fact that my master hadn’t seen her parents in over five years.

“Master. I have a request.”
“Hmm. What is it?”
“Let’s go tomorrow.”
“······Where?”
“You said you haven’t seen them in over five years. Let’s at least go and see them.”

At that, my master’s eyes widened in surprise, as if she had heard an unimaginable suggestion.

“Wait a minute. Don’t you have work to do here?”
“With your help, I think we can finish everything by tomorrow afternoon. And the original deadline for the request was three days anyway. So let’s take a day off tomorrow.”
“Ah, but I······.”

As she hesitated, I urged her again.

“Let’s go together. It’s different to just hear that they’re doing well and actually seeing them for yourself.”

I knew what my master was worried about.
As the Slaughtering Maniac of the Demon Slayer Squad, she had a notorious reputation among the Demons.
She didn’t want to give them any reason to discover her weakness.

“I know what you’re worried about. But, to begin with, it was because of my insistence that we came to Jeju Island. And didn’t you say your parents run a lodging business? If we happen to stay there, no one would suspect the relationship between you and your parents, would they?”

At my words, Baek Seol-hee showed an unprecedentedly flustered expression.

.

.

.

The next day dawned.

The dungeon raid began again.

Swoosh─
Swoosh─
Chyak─

Jin Yuha wielded his sword with lightning speed.
In contrast, Baek Seol-hee’s sword was slower than the previous day,
But the two of them balanced each other out, maintaining a similar dungeon clearing speed as the day before.

Swoosh─

I wiped away the sweat and flicked the blood off my sword.

“Hoo, that’s the last one.”
“······.”

My master had reluctantly agreed to my request, but her face still looked troubled.

‘No matter what, it’s not right to go on without seeing each other’s faces.’

I had been an orphan before falling into this world,
And I was an orphan here as well, so I honestly didn’t know what it was like to have a warm family bond.

But. I knew that they were precious people who formed the foundation of my master’s life.

Because I had such people in my life too.
Utopia Party members, and people like my master.

If I had to be separated from them for five years… Honestly, I thought it would be painful.

“Then, since we’re done, shall we go?”

I knew my master was troubled, but I pretended not to notice and said so anyway.

.

.

.

「Seolhwa Garden」

A lodging business with a good reputation among hunters who came out of the dungeon raid in Jeju Island.

At Seolhwa Garden, a group of hunters were raising their voices.

“Hey, lady! We’re not staying here, okay? Some weird guys have cleared out all the dungeons, so we’re canceling!”
“Well, if you cancel on the day······. There’s a 30% cancellation fee…”
“What the hell! I don’t care about the cancellation fee or whatever. We’re not staying here, got it? Why the hell do we have to pay? Are you seriously running a hunter lodging business like this?”
“Well, that’s······.”
“Damn. How can you treat hunters like this when it’s thanks to hunters like us that Jeju Island is so peaceful─!!”

The owner of Seolhwa Garden,
Baek Sun-hee, bit her lip.

Of course, she didn’t forget her gratitude towards the hunters.

In fact, Jeju Island, an island that had been completely cut off from law and order due to the gate crisis, had become a lawless land where villains ran rampant.

It was thanks to Chairman Lina and other hunters who never gave up and worked day and night that Jeju Island became peaceful as it is now.

And how could she resent the hunters?

Even though she couldn’t speak up, she always worried about them.
Because they did dangerous work, and her proud daughter, Baek Seol-hee, was a hunter herself.

Her daughter was far beyond what she and her husband could handle.
So Baek Seol-hee entrusted her to Chairman Lina,
And they, along with their daughter, decided to help hunters in their own way by opening a pension that offered discounts and accommodations to hunters.
They had been doing this without regret.

But every time something like this happened, she felt a little discouraged.

Not all hunters in the world were like Chairman Lina.
Rather, there were many who demanded to be treated better because they had been given power.

So it was common sense for businesses like this to be run by awakened hunters.
Because if someone like that showed up, you’d think twice before doing anything to them.

But for Baek Sun-Hee, a powerless civilian, it was not easy to resist or rebel.

“······All right. I’ll let you stay for free──”

Just as she was about to bow her head and give in to the hunters,

“Wow──. Is this the infamous troublemaking hunter?”

A man, who seemed quite young, butted in.

“And who the hell are you, you shi─! Hey?”

When he looked up,
Baek Sun-Hee’s eyes widened in surprise.

There stood an unrealistically handsome man with black hair.
A hunter who was now known to everyone in Korea.

“Me? I’m the one who cleared out all the dungeons you were just talking about.”

It was Jin Yuha.

“······.”

And behind him was
Her daughter,
Baek Seol-hee, with an intimidating expression on her face.