NOVEL WEB Chapter 5
“Newbie! What the heck are you doing?!”
“Ah, it’s okay. I was just about to fall into a pit and you saved me.”
“Really? Who in the world would dig a pit around here…?”
The people who rushed over breathed a sigh of relief.
By the time the Priestess awkwardly smiled and explained herself…
I was frozen in place for quite a while.
‘Oh, filthy? Smell of a commoner?’
Something’s off.
Jill Diner has devoted countless efforts to help the poor.
Yet, here she is, grimacing and muttering about being dirty right in front of the person who rescued her?
That’s a serious character breakdown.
Something is definitely wrong.
Naturally, that conclusion comes to mind.
The only saving grace is that at a perfect moment, Jill’s face was obscured by my back, so the others didn’t see it.
“Oooooh! Newbie, do you have a crisis detection sensor or something?”
“Hehe, thank you for saving me. What’s your name?”
“It’s Yoo Jin.”
“Thank you, Yoo Jin. I almost got hurt. And about what just happened… if you tell anyone, you’ll die.”
“……”
With a gentle smile, Jill wrapped her fingers around my dirty hand and whispered quietly in my ear.
Even while doing that, Jill maintained a look of unparalleled benevolence.
If I were to say here that Jill had called me dirty and threatened me, I’d be committed to a mental hospital in no time.
That’s how mismatched Jill’s image and her earlier line were.
‘This crazy system…’
It’s clear who’s playing around here.
It’s probably just another setup created by the system’s adjustments.
Even while writing Jill’s lines myself, I’ve wondered if such a perfect superhuman really exists.
I’ve felt that the dialogue is fake more than once.
Moreover, all the people around her, including Jill’s close aides and bodyguards who supposedly don’t discriminate by class, are all nobles.
No matter how you look at it, there’s a gaping hole in the plausibility, yet not one of the game players questions it.
However, the adjustments made in the process of transferring the game to reality seem to require fitting all plausibility together.
Everything seems to be explained clearly by the setup that the Priestess is a hypocrite who pretends to love commoners to gather support from them.
‘No! My heroine!!!’
It’s not particularly conflicting with the existing setup.
The setup states that the Priestess advocates for the abolition of the class system.
In reality, it wouldn’t be a contradiction if the added setup reveals that she actually couldn’t care less about abolishing classes.
That’s right. Priestess Jill Diner pretended to love the common people just for appearances, but in reality, she despised them.
This is really ridiculous.
Even if flawed characters are generally more popular than perfect ones, does it really have to include the ridiculous flaw of being a hypocrite?
‘Doesn’t this mean I can’t even become a bodyguard?’
If Jill does indeed hate commoners, my chances of being selected as a bodyguard converge towards zero.
The protagonist in the game was also looked down upon for being an adventurer, but he was, after all, of noble birth.
To Jill, the difference between the game protagonist and me is probably like the difference between a scruffy beggar and a neatly dressed monkey.
It’s grim.
Knowing all of Jill’s personality, tastes, and little habits, I thought the conquest would be as easy as pie.
At this rate, I might as well be completely cut off from approaching her.
“I’ll take my leave now. Everyone, enjoy your meal.”
“Please take care, Priestess!”
Jill climbed back into the carriage, receiving 90-degree bows from the workers.
If I wasn’t just imagining things, just before the door closed, she definitely flashed me a sweet smile.
Once again, it was probably a warning.
To forget about what happened earlier.
If I spill it, she’ll kill me.
One might doubt what power the Priestess has to kill someone.
But considering the influence she holds, it wouldn’t be hard at all to socially destroy a commoner.
“Balancing things like this… crunch.”
I’m grinding my teeth.
It seems that conquering Jill Diner will be a long-term project.
There’s a lot to prepare.
…
Haaah…
A deep sigh fills the auditorium.
In the empty hall, Jill rubbed her throbbing head as she scanned through the stack of resumes.
“Nothing seems quite right.”
The tournament lasted two days.
In fact, calling it a tournament, it was just a short interview followed by a swordsmanship demonstration after receiving resumes in advance.
Even though the individual assessment time didn’t exceed ten minutes, it felt like it took ages.
About 200 people had gathered.
Some had even come from other countries, so the selection competition attracted a lot of people.
However, none of them caught Jill’s eye.
“There’s one person. I have a feeling about him.”
There was indeed one person.
That’s the one! The guy who submitted his resume first and secured the very first interview slot.
Jill failed miserably at managing her expression as soon as she saw him.
“Good day, Priestess. I am Yoo Jin.”
“Ah…”
Yoo Jin.
The filthy worker who had the audacity to grab Jill with his dirty hands and twist her expression just days ago.
I nearly didn’t recognize him.
Yoo Jin showed up looking neat with a clean face and clad in chain armor.
He had a wealth-appropriate outfit, a charming way with words, and excellent manners.
When I inquired a bit, it seemed like his educational level was quite high as well.
With a background like this, it’s hard to find such a candidate even among nobles.
No need to draw a sword.
What Jill needs right now is a good-looking bodyguard to help with her image, and top-level skill isn’t necessary.
If his skills are seriously lacking, she can just train him herself.
If there’s a family secret handed down that can turn him into a knight-level warrior, that wouldn’t be impossible.
“It’s a no…”
But Jill had to grit her teeth and eliminate Yoo Jin.
Since he knew about my shame, I couldn’t keep him close.
If something goes wrong, I’d have to sabotage him, and socially ruining someone who’s my own bodyguard wouldn’t look good at all.
“I understand. Farewell, Priestess.”
He didn’t ask why he was eliminated, nor did he protest, leaving the auditorium in silence.
He didn’t even bring up the incident from before to attempt blackmail.
It was as if he had no lingering feelings at all.
It was a clean exit, making me wonder if he was really the same person who came here with nothing to do from Hameln four weeks ago.
Since he left, Jill faced countless candidates, but she couldn’t erase Yoo Jin from her mind.
Many candidates showcased better swordsmanship than him.
There were several well-groomed nobles too.
Normally, I might’ve picked one of them as a bodyguard.
However, remembering that Yoo Jin was dropped on the first day, first round…
“It’s a no.”
“It’s a no.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s a no.”
None of those candidates suited Jill’s eyes.
If a bodyguard had to be chosen, he must be one that visually surpasses Yoo Jin.
But how on earth could I find such a man in this barren Hameln?
What a wasted opportunity.
Especially after failing to hide my expression in shock at that moment…
“Even if I dislike commoners, it’s not that I hate smart and polite ones…”
I never expected that filthy worker would turn out to be such a decent person.
I probably left him with a bad impression.
That man would likely live the rest of his life with a fixed perception of the Priestess.
All because of my momentary blunder.
Jill covered her face with both hands and shuddered in embarrassment.
“Priestess. The cathedral has been completed. They’re requesting the consecration ceremony.”
“Please tell them I’ll be there shortly…”
Even though my heart is troubled, one must carry out their duties.
Jill gathered her thoughts and stood up.
She could find a bodyguard later.
In the end, having a bodyguard is just for show.
Having just the guards would suffice in Hameln.
“You’ve arrived already! Please come inside. Everyone is waiting.”
“……?”
As soon as she arrived, a priest rushed over to greet Jill.
Everyone is waiting?
The consecration ceremony usually just involves the Priestess sprinkling holy water and infusing mana into the foundation, finishing it all quickly.
But since it’s the completion of the cathedral, did a lot of people gather to witness this ceremony?
It seems this time, it can’t be wrapped up hastily.
While grumbling inwardly, Jill followed the priest down the wide hallway.
“It’s rather dark, isn’t it?”
“It’s because the lighting hasn’t been installed yet.”
After passing through the dark hallway, they arrived at none other than the church’s ossuary.
Seeing hooded figures gathered, it seemed they intended to hold the ceremony here.
Jill thought it was a slightly odd choice of venue, yet without suspicion, she stood in the center to prepare for the consecration ceremony.
However, every time she glanced at the unmoving audience, she felt a chilling discomfort.
“Excuse me, priest. What’s your name?”
“Uh? Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”
“I’m just curious under which priest you are serving…”
At that moment, one tall man among the audience suddenly rose and headed toward one corner.
He opened the casket lying on the floor, revealing a coffin just big enough for one person.
Despite seeing that chilling act, no one gazed at him with suspicious eyes.
In this circumstance, it was clear to Jill that she wasn’t naïve enough not to realize what was going on.
“This… you’re quite perceptive.”
“……”
The audience gradually stood up and revealed daggers hidden in their garments, showing their true colors.
It’s indeed an assassination attempt by the anti-Priestess faction.
Jill had long been aware of the existence of those who denied the existence of the living Priestess.
But she never imagined they would take such drastic measures.
“If you believe in God, you surely know this isn’t right.”
“……”
Jill gasped and stepped back in surprise, but her escape route had already been blocked.
The soldiers brought for her protection were all waiting outside.
If she screams for help, she’ll die.
Staying quiet, she’ll die.
In this hopeless situation, with only death as the conclusion…
“Ask yourself inside. Is what you’re doing really right?”
“……”
She knew they wouldn’t be stopped by such naive persuasion.
She just had to buy time.
Because, for now, she was still waiting for some hero to appear and save her.
“Ugh…”
The tall man who opened the casket strode over and grabbed Jill’s wrist.
Ah. I’m going to die.
I’m going into that coffin.
At that moment, I felt like my mind was going blank, realizing that the rough hand gripping my wrist felt strangely familiar.
“Priestess, we need your cooperation.”
“What…?”
The man pulled back his hood to reveal his face.
The face that emerged was all too familiar.
Since that moment I’d seen the previous day, it had stuck in my mind and troubled Jill ever since.
It was Yoo Jin.
“What the heck is that guy? Why is he acting like that all of a sudden?”
“Listen carefully, Priestess. You have to trust me completely from now on. And you have to rely on me. That’s the only way you can survive. Do you understand?”
“Hey! That guy isn’t on our side!”
Thud.
As the assassins quickly sensed something was off and lunged at Yoo Jin…
Despite daggers flying from all directions, Yoo Jin’s gaze remained steady and resolute.
As Jill met his eyes, she took hold of his hand.
In this situation, there was no choice but to believe him.
Even though his frail arm was far from reassuring, there was no alternative.
For now, he was Jill’s bodyguard.
Bam!
“What, what the?!”
“They vanished all of a sudden!”
The assassins’ daggers cut through thin air.
The scenery shifted so abruptly that Jill felt dizzy, grasping her head.
And right after that…
Jill realized that Yoo Jin had pulled her back a single step.
It had all happened in the blink of an eye.
“Yoo Jin…?”
His condition seemed strange.
He appeared fine, yet I thought of him as a weakling barely capable of wielding a sword.
Now he was effortlessly supporting Jill with bulging muscles as if he could burst at any moment.
The aura radiating from Yoo Jin was unmistakably not the same as his usual self.
At that moment, Yoo Jin also sensed the change in his body and thought to himself.
[The trait ‘Guardian Knight’ is activated.]
[Stats]
[Strength: 9(x5) *Guardian Knight effect applied]
[Stamina: 7(x5) *Guardian Knight effect applied]
[Mana: 12(x5) *Guardian Knight effect applied]
[Agility: 18(x5) *Guardian Knight effect applied]
[Luck: 14(x5) *Guardian Knight effect applied]
This is a cheat-like, ridiculous trait.