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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Gukbap Tanker Lee Yuri (1)
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The setting of Velvet School Life is modern-day.
Cars, subways, smartphones—it's a Korean game, so the locations are familiar, and on the surface, it seems no different from the world I used to live in.
Of course, given the gender reversal, it's a bit unusual to see more women in suits, but it doesn't feel strikingly out of place.
However, there was one thing.
Just one peculiar point that, whether I liked it or not, forced me to realize this wasn't the world I knew, but a world within a game.
That was the weapons.
In this world, not only Hunters, who possessed status windows and wielded mana, but even ordinary citizens carried weapons.
Equipment like shin guards and elbow pads were standard.
I turned my gaze to observe the people riding the subway.
A nervous-looking male student with a shield shaped like a backpack strapped to his back.
An elderly woman dozing, her head resting on a long spear propped upright.
A high school girl had a cute, pink, rabbit-shaped holster strapped to her thigh.
And nestled in that holster, utterly out of place, was a hand axe reflecting a chilling blue light.
Of course, everyone had wrapped the blade parts in cloth or silicone to make them safe.
They said it was for self-protection in emergencies, given that gates could open anywhere, at any time...
The everyday abnormal.
Was it the result of a desperate struggle to live, even while constantly threatened by monsters?
Honestly, coming from a world where carrying weapons was legally forbidden, I couldn't help but feel a sense of incongruity.
'Don't they worry someone might suddenly go crazy and stab the person next to them...? Ah, is this why the Demons can operate so freely?'
Their safety complacency seemed truly severe.
I grumbled to myself, but...
Well, I couldn't really say anything.
After all, I was also in a tracksuit, with Moonlight strapped to my waist.
I'd rummaged through the closet for a Hunter uniform, but I'd gotten bigger and couldn't fit into it.
So, what I was wearing was the training uniform provided by Velvet Academy.
It was a navy blue tracksuit-like outfit, stretchy and durable.
On the chest, the Academy's symbol, a purple belt, was elegantly embroidered.
They said it had a function where vital areas would harden when mana was infused, calling it new technology of the Gate Era.
[ This stop is Sindorim, Sindorim Station. The doors are on your left. this stop is sindorim, sindorim. the doors are on your left. ]
As I curiously watched people heading to work in the early morning, armed with weapons, I realized we had arrived at the station.
I took out my phone and checked the time.
"The appointment was at 7 AM, so I arrived about 30 minutes early."
Beep—
I tapped my card at the turnstile.
"We agreed to meet outside Exit 4, right?"
After taking the escalator up and exiting, a wide, quiet space greeted me.
It had a park-like atmosphere.
And on a bench, a little distance from the exit.
A black-haired woman sitting there caught my eye.
Her cute hairstyle was tied up with a blue hair tie.
She wore black, legging-like bottoms that clung to her body, and a khaki airport jacket over them.
Clutching a shield large enough to completely obscure her small frame, she rested her chin on it, looking at her phone with a serious expression.
3-Star Tanker, Lee Yuri. Commonly known as Gukbap.
She was exactly as I remembered her from the game.
I let out a small chuckle.
"She's already here. So diligent, as expected."
Feeling pleased, I strode purposefully towards Lee Yuri.
Then, I heard her muttering to herself in a serious voice.
"...That damn Hyeji, she took the entry fee and ran off, leaving me to foot the bill. Ugh, I really don't have any money as it is. I need to save as much as I can before going to the Academy... I won't be able to do Hunter work for a while once I'm in. I absolutely have to hit the jackpot today... He's a guy, will he do well? But he's a prospective student, so he should at least pull his weight, right? Surely, he's not lying about being a prospective student?"
Even though I had approached quite close, Lee Yuri was still engrossed in her phone.
A mischievous impulse suddenly struck me.
So I whispered, right next to her ear.
"I *am* an Academy student, you know?"
"Eek! I-kki-yah!?"
Lee Yuri let out a peculiar shriek. She seemed truly startled, flapping around like a freshly caught flounder.
However, because of that, she dropped her phone.
"Oh, no!?"
The sky-blue phone flew into the air.
"My, my! M-my installment plan!"
Lee Yuri cried out about her installment plan, staring blankly into the air. Her posture, hugging the shield, made it difficult to move.
Thwack—!
I snatched the phone out of the air and placed it back into Lee Yuri's hand.
She immediately began checking her phone for any damage.
I also subtly leaned in.
Just in case I'd misjudged my strength and broken it.
It seemed fine, turning on and off smoothly.
Lee Yuri also let out a sigh of relief.
"Is your phone not broken?"
When I asked, she seemed to flare up for a moment, lifting her head sharply.
"No! But! If it wasn't for you! Who are you, suddenly speaking to—!"
Our faces were closer than I expected.
Close enough that our lips might have touched if I'd moved wrong.
"Hic! Hiccup!"
Lee Yuri's eyes trembled.
In an instant, Lee Yuri's face flushed crimson.
"Ah, I was just worried your phone might be broken too. My apologies. That was a bit close."
I took a step back and said.
She was already a prickly person, and I'd approached her too casually out of sheer delight.
Then, a flustered voice burst out from in front of me.
"Th-that… Ah… N-no, hiccup! No, who, who are you?"
"Aren't you Ms. Lee Yuri?"
"...Huh? Yes, I am? How do you, hiccup! How do you know me?"
"We're supposed to go to the gate together today, you know."
At those words, Gukbap's eyes went wide like a rabbit's, seemingly surprised.
"Oh...? Then, are you Mr. Jin Yuha?"
"Yes, I'm Jin Yuha, the one who contacted you yesterday."
I smiled and greeted Lee Yuri.
* * *
I placed Moonlight in the back of the small truck Lee Yuri had brought and sat in the passenger seat.
Beside me, Lee Yuri was buckling her seatbelt, her face stern.
"I'll tell you on the way. First, a situation briefing. Hiccup! Ugh, why won't this hiccup stop?"
Lee Yuri picked up the water bottle that was in the car and drank from it.
Gulp, gulp, gulp—
And then she started the car.
Vroom—!
"Whew. The hiccups stopped. Mr. Jin Yuha. You know the gate we're heading to is Carmela's Forest, right?"
Lee Yuri shifted gears and said in a businesslike tone.
A professional demeanor, unlike the flustered, silly person she was just moments ago.
'She's definitely different when she's working. I feel reassured already. Though her hiccups were cute.'
Choosing Gukbap was definitely the right call.
"Yes, I looked it up yesterday."
"Then the explanation will be easier. Carmela's Forest is an E-rank gate. The monsters that appear are goblins. You need to be careful, as Naikis occasionally show up."
"You mean the snake-like ones, right, the Naikis?"
"Yes, they're hard to distinguish because they're similar in color to grass, so be careful."
Lee Yuri skillfully turned the steering wheel.
"There are five of us in total. I'll be at the very front as the tanker, and Mr. Jin Yuha and another dealer will be in the middle. The healer will be in the rear."
"So, the last person is a porter?"
"Yes, they don't have combat ability, so they'll be in the middle of the formation. Your role today, Mr. Jin Yuha, will be to protect the porter."
Indeed, as I was urgently slotted in, there was no time to coordinate, so it seemed they were entrusting me with the porter's escort.
As I wasn't confident in leading the charge and fighting monsters yet, it was a welcome assignment.
I nodded.
"Understood. Will we be joining the other party members at the gate?"
"Yes, they should all be waiting."
Throughout our conversation, Lee Yuri remained focused on driving, her gaze fixed straight ahead.
Watching her from the side, a sudden question popped into my mind, so I asked.
"By the way, how did one of the dealers end up dropping out?"
"That b-bitch... No, that unnie suddenly ghosted us yesterday without a word."
"...Without any contact? What if she suddenly contacts you today?"
"Ha, it's already too late for her, even if she contacts us. She broke trust on a matter involving money."
Just as expected of Gukbap.
She's merciless when trust is broken.
Lee Yuri, who had been silent for a moment, opened her mouth with a slightly apologetic look.
"...Mr. Jin Yuha, you were actually urgently slotted in due to our situation. We should really be taking better care of you... Hmm, but since Mr. Jin Yuha is a man... It might be a bit difficult. Still, I'll make sure you get at least as much as a regular party member."
It seemed Lee Yuri, for her part, tried to look out for me. But the other party members seemed to have objected.
Was it because she heard I was poor yesterday? She really doesn't need to worry about me that much.
Actually, my goal today was less about money and more about gaining experience fighting monsters, and getting closer to Gukbap.
It would be great if we could go through gates together for a month, become friends, share meals, and even go to the Academy together.
I let out a small chuckle and said.
"It's fine. As I said yesterday, I only need to be paid for what I contribute. If you feel my contribution was lacking, you don't have to pay me at all."
When I conveyed my intentions, Lee Yuri subtly shifted her eyes and looked at me with a strange gaze.
"I'll trust you, Ms. Lee Yuri. I have a good eye for people, you know. Thank you for looking out for me."
As our eyes met, she hastily turned her gaze back to the front.
"Ahem! R-right! If you truly show proper skill, everyone will be convinced. W-we've arrived!"
Near the gate, a civilian access restricted line had been established.
Soldiers armed with guns densely surrounded the gate.
'According to the setting, guns aren't very effective against mana-infused monsters, but there's nothing quite like a gun for ganging up on one of them.'
Lee Yuri, having slowed down nearby, placed her hand behind the passenger seat, turned her head, and skillfully reverse-parked.
"You can get out now."
"Yep."
Thwack—
As I opened the car door, high-pitched voices pierced my ears.
"Team Leader—!!!!"
"Unniee—!!!"
"Gukbap-ah!"
Who was that last one?
'I thought she was only called Gukbap by players, but does she go by Gukbap among people here too?'
The owners of those voices seemed to be the party members I'd be joining.
I checked to see if there were any Velvet-S-related named characters, but they were all unfamiliar faces.
"I told you not to call me by that nickname!"
Lee Yuri yelled, grabbing the yellow-ponytail girl (who appeared to be a dealer) in a headlock.
Her tone had been stiff when talking to me on the way here, but towards her party members, she was notably more familiar.
"Cough, cough! Surrender! I surrenderrr! So, where is he!? You said he was a guy! Is he handsome?"
The yellow ponytail girl tapped on the arm wrapped around her neck and spoke in a lively voice.
"Is that really what's important right now?"
"Then isn't that important to Gukbap too!?"
"I told you not to call me that—!"
"Cough! Ah, I won't! My bad! Forgive me! So where is him?!"
"Haa, he's right there. And he just heard everything you said."
Lee Yuri let out a heavy sigh and gestured towards me with her head.
Three pairs of eyes immediately turned to me.
"..."
"..."
"..."
For a moment, a heavy silence settled between me and them.
"...Hello?"
When I broke the silence and greeted them first.
The yellow-ponytail girl, still caught in Gukbap's arm lock, opened her mouth with a blank expression.
"...Excuse me. Why are you a Hunter?"