Even A Tired Villain Has Circumstances

It wouldn’t matter if Woojin died. He was a game character who would lose data and come back to life even if he died 100 times. But if my life depended on it, the words would be different.

Drrring.

This damn game set off a new quest window with an alarm, not wanting to give me time to calm down.

[Special quest 1: We’re good brothers]

[Difficulty level: SSS]
Clear conditions: ‘Recover your relationship with your brother with your own efforts until you choose a base.
Time Limit: Must be cleared before the ‘Base Selection’ moment.
Reward on success: ???
Penalty for failure: Death
※ Note: The restored relationship must be maintained until the time limit for success.]

This is how it felt after reading the quest carefully.

So maybe, ‘if you twist, you change the story’. Is this the situation?

I took a deep breath and tried to think rationally. If the system worked, the character’s ability could certainly be used. I fumbled and pressed a button supposedly on the menu window. As expected, the explanation window opened up.

[Search information of ‘Baek Woojin (Seo Hangyeol)’]

[Name: Baek Woojin (Seo Han-gyeol)]
Age: 23 (29)
Title: Sample of ‘I have a brother better than my brother.’ (Persistent player)
Skills: “*** Lv99”; “Moon Sword Lv35”; “Weapon Adaptation Lv30”; “Spear Sword Lv30”; “Lightning Protector Lv28”; “Future Reading Lv1”; “Attribute Stealing Lv1”; (see more)
Traits: Possession*, Pioneer
Condition Abnormality: Inferiority complex, Late Eighth grade syndrome**
Assimilation rate: 5%]

[*T/N: Baek Woo-jin’s body is currently in Seo Hangyeol, our protagonist’s possession. That’s probably why one of the traits is possession. And for “Pioneer”, I think it’s because he is the first one to enter the game.]
[**T/N: Occurring during middle school, and particularly the second of the three years (the equivalent of eighth grade in the US), it is a term used to describe children that suddenly show delusional behaviour.]

Among Baek Woo-jin’s information that I had previously seen while playing the game, there were items added that I saw for the first time, and among them, there were skills that were marked so that I cannot not read them.

‘Especially, I don’t know what’s wrong with this condition.’

It was certain I would face the penalty because of the abnormal conditions, but it was even more ominous because it is impossible to know if it’s true.

“Hyung, I’m coming in.”

[T/N: Hyung- Older brother in Korean.]

I was lost in my thoughts when suddenly I heard a heavy voice with a knock. Baek So-hyuk was the only person in the world who could call Baek Woo-jin ‘hyung’. I hurriedly turned off the status window and looked at the guest.

‘I don’t think the status window will be visible to the other person, but just in case.’

His hair was slightly bleached, his handsome appearance that seemed to shine even more next to the actors, and his body thick enough to look good on. In front of my eyes, a perfect creature that I only saw in pictures was embodied in 3D. However, Baek So-hyuk’s sculpture-like face remained stiff. It seemed that the time I possessed was not a time when the two had a very good relationship.

“Are you really leaving the house? If hyung wants, hyung can join our guild.”

Oh, I guess it’s been a while since our parents passed away. Baek So-hyuk made and raised his guild pretty well, and Baek Woo-jin started to get on the wrong side in earnest because of his inferiority complex.

‘Isn’t this the best time to improve our relationship?’

I was quite nervous because the difficulty level was SSS level, but it might be easier than I thought. Why don’t you not leave this house and show your brother your brotherly side? It was a problem that could be solved if only Baek Woo-jin did well.

‘I got emotional and said the wrong thing. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to stay in this house. Are you okay?’

This answer was a perfect 100 points for the textbook. But…

[Situation abnormality: “Inferiority complex” and “Late 8th grade syndrome” will be activated. The corresponding line is corrected and passed to the other person.]

“Why do you want to pretend you care now that your hyung is leaving? Or are you sad that you don’t have anyone to laugh at? If you kneel down and beg, there’s nothing that can’t happen.”

The moment the words popped out of my mouth, Baek So-hyuk’s expression and my face were distorted. It was simply the worst.

‘Damn it, I’m screwed.’

There was a reason why the difficulty was SSS. No, So-hyuk-nim, listen to me, only the vulgar words lingered in my mouth.

“You know that’s not what I meant. Why are you taking it so crookedly?”

That’s what I was saying. What’s wrong with Baek Woojin? Who gets 8th grade syndrome at the age of 23? It was also fortunate that puberty came on time.

‘Should I just say that was a joke that wasn’t even funny?’

[Status abnormality: The statement has been corrected due to a lack of Inferiority complex and will be delivered to the other party.]

“Why, I guess your little pride doesn’t allow you to kneel down and ask me?”

As soon as I decided I had to say it, the words went out in a mess again. I had to stop this snout or else I wouldn’t have my life.

“It’s always like that. Last time, you said you’d think about joining our guild if I missed out on the important dungeon subjugation. Don’t you remember selling information to competing guilds?”

‘You b*stard, did you lose your fear because of your inferiority complex?’

I knew he was quite a pushover, but I didn’t expect him to be this much. The courage to be this cheeky to a strong, one of the top 10 hunters in Korea, was enough to be admired.

“Don’t be silly. That’s all I can do for you, thinking about the past.”

That word doesn’t end with a warning, so it’s scary. It was behind the monitor, but after seeing Baek Woo-jin die 100 times, I knew better than anyone else that Baek So-hyuk was sincere.

‘I’d like to beg you right now that I’m at fault…. It hurts my self-esteem a bit, but my life is more important. Besides, Baek So-hyuk was trying to save Woo-jin even while losing his face. If we show that we can’t stand each other, wouldn’t that be a tie?’

However, I held it in because I understood that I would only spit out lines that upset the other person whenever I opened my mouth for no reason. While Baek So-hyuk’s gorgeous face was looking at, my face distorted more than his. The face looked strangely lonely, and I did nothing wrong, but I felt guilty.

“Come back if you change your mind. I’m giving you one last chance.”

Baek So-hyuk, who spoke quietly, left the room with a sigh. It wasn’t until I was alone that I could breathe. As the owner of the body changed, my heart pounded loudly because I was afraid that now the gut was as big as beans.

“Wait, can I see the quest again?”

I was able to find the quest window easily as I rummaged through the status window that I got used to while playing the game.

[System quest 1: Create your own harmonious guild!]

The modifier “harmonious” was somewhat annoying, but the difficulty of the system quest was low. Even though he was timid, Baek Woo-jin, an A-class hunter, was not weak. In a rough estimate, it was difficult to manage a large guild, but it was enough to be a small and medium-sized guild leader.

‘I hope the bad reputation didn’t spread far.’

This is the time before the real deal was done in earnest. Then it won’t be hard to find a partner.

‘It’s such a nonsensical special quest that gives me a headache.’

I shook my head and got up. What I can do at a time like this is…

“Right, it can’t be helped. Let’s write a letter!”

It was the best way for disingenuous people to use. No matter how much Baek Woo-jin has 8th grade syndrome, he can surely write a letter saying sorry with his early morning sentiments. Without further hesitation, I hurried through the drawer.

“Just in case, there’s no way there’s such a thing.”

I closed the drawer containing weapons and some books and searched the room wondering if there was an ordinary A4, but there were no shreds of paper. I also checked the inventory just in case, but I only got one fountain pen with a name engraved on it. However, I can’t tear up the book and use it as a piece of paper, so I have to go out.

‘I had to go outside to get a guild member anyway, so let’s think of it in a good way.’

I was reluctant to go outside without knowing what would happen, but avoiding it was not a good idea.

When I looked in the mirror, there was a man who had a handsome appearance, but looked somewhat depressed. It’s enough for him to be neat, so I won’t be insulted for what he looks like outside.

I left the room and looked around the living room, and there was no sign of Baek So-hyuk, it seemed like he had already left. I also went out and saw that the two-story house with a garden was pretty good. It was not difficult to imagine a happy past, even for a remarried family that would have suffered from some prejudice. However, when I saw the closed door, a worry suddenly came to my mind.

‘Just because I am leaving the house, you won’t alter Baek So-hyuk’s code, right?’