Chapter 51 – #16. Guild (3).

#16. Guild.

Arrived at room 505.
Elena was sitting alone in an empty lecture hall with nothing special.

They welcomed us with their armor fully on.
For some reason, I felt a sense of intimidation, so I couldn’t get close and hesitated.

“Are you here?”

Elena’s tone was not lacking in back and forth.
Tolerably, she tended to treat newbies with respect.
Except when you’re alone with me.

Everyone spoke respectfully except for me.
In particular, it feels more polite to Dahee Yoo.

“Elena-sama… May I call you?”
“No, there is no need to raise your voice. Dahee is the benefactor of Princess Elisha.”

She could tell from Elena’s attitude how precious Elisha was.
Elena’s attitude towards Yu Da-hee was not much different from how she treated her VIPs.

On the other hand, the eyes looking at me are not zero.
I wondered if I could express my hostility so blatantly.
I wish it came out a little harder.

Drooling-.

The door is open.
There were three elves outside the classroom.

“Captain Elena!”
“Princess.”

Elisha opened the door and appeared.
And Elroin, Elbarun.
Maybe it’s because everyone got a good rest, so their faces are smooth.
Because she’s an elf, she’s naturally handsome and beautiful.

Elena checked on Elisha and got up from her seat.

“Everyone is gathered.”

The five of us decided to become a team.
To be precise, it was to become a member of Elena’s guild.

The average level of the five of us is in the low-mid range.
I feel like I hit a lot with this too.
The actual level of force is low.
Thanks to the three elves, I was able to avoid being in the bottom ranks.

When you get out of the first-floor academy and arrive at the ‘First City’, the reality is that three elves and two humans are tough because there are a lot of puppies that come from different races.
It’s safe to say that it’s the worst combination.

Because?
All parties lower than us were dead, so we became the worst combination.

‘Because that’s not what’s important to me.’

Think of the 2nd floor rather than the 1st floor.
The first floor is to play on land, but the second floor has to pass through the sea.

If you take the Hidden Peace on the 1st floor, you can gain the upper hand as a race and Nabal on the 2nd floor.
It means that you can slash the back of the fools who are ignorant.
I plan to go get it from now on.

How do I induce and take him?
I’m suffering from a headache with that idea.

You’ll probably have to go back several times.
If the starting point does not change, it is a process that will collapse many times over.

“And I will go too.”
“Yes?”

Elena said while manipulating the ‘system’.
In response to the shocking remark, I unknowingly questioned it.

“Why? You have to protect the academy.”
“… Academy? I don’t need any of that. For me, Princess Elisha comes first.”

I understand.
If the knight doesn’t protect the princess, who the hell will protect it?

When I recalled the humiliation Elisha suffered on the 0th floor, I could understand Elena’s overprotectiveness.
It is Elisha’s destiny to be raped and killed in episodes where Dahee Yoo does not save her.
I can’t be sure that I won’t be in such a situation just because I’m on the first floor.

[‘Admin’ will be changed.]
[‘Helena Trigard (8★)’ ▶ ‘Bold X (6★)’]

I didn’t know if I would really give up.
The manager of the academy.
It is a position where you can become a king by receiving recognition from the system.

“I already told you everything. I will follow Princess Elisha.”

Authority to pass.
8 star player Elena Trigard.
There was a reason why the top layer raiding team kept courting Elena.
If it is 8 stars, it is within 10 fingers in the situation where it is currently stopped on the 7th floor.

‘It’s fucked up.’

By the way, BoldX is the academy’s manager?
No shit
What a dog-like situation this is.

‘If that bastard from Bold X seizes the academy, it’ll be damned?’

This is the kid who ordered the Battle Royale with the ant whisk.
Newbies can’t survive.

There is no such case in the novel, so I don’t know how to react.
It means that there is no situation itself where Elena puts down her academy ‘admin’.

When Yoo Da-hee tries to break through the 8th floor, she drops off the academy and comes up.
But Elena just gave up on being an academy ‘admin’.
For Princess Elisha.

“If you belong to a guild, you can graduate from the academy under the authority of the guild master. It means you don’t have to be here.”

Elena said lightly.

“Princess Elisha, the knowledge taught at the academy is the basic of the basics. You can learn that much in a week by traveling with me, and I can tell you more.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah. You can stay if you want to make memories at the academy, but I don’t recommend it. You can grow much faster if you go outside and hunt monsters.”

No matter how much you roll at the academy, it’s easier than cutting a knife outside.

Even if she was taken by force, she was in a situation where she had nothing to say, but Elena asked Elisha for a doctor once again.
I feel like I’m seeing the right master-servant relationship, so I feel nervous with Juji.
I want to have a subordinate like that too!

“Um, how is Dahee? Do you mind if I leave?”
“I don’t care. It’s better than being here.”
“Then let’s go! Captain Elena, I want to go outside after graduating from our academy.”

What should I say?
It looked like Yu Da-hee was standing at the top of the food chain.

“… I knew you would, so I arranged for graduation in advance.”

Elena must have felt it too, she mumbled.

So who is at the bottom of the food chain?
I glanced at Elroin and Elbarun.

‘Because those bastards are there.’

I’m not.
Beneath me are Elena, Elroin, and Elbarun.

‘Third place.’

It’s not bad.
If you set your mind to it, you could become number one, but that’s not good.
The right location is comfortable and good.

We followed Elena out of the academy.
On the way, numerous players asked and asked about Elena’s decision.
Every time that happened, Elena meekly told me the reason.

“Someone I knew came up. Of course I have to go too.”

The players had no choice but to agree while looking at Elisha.

No matter how much I liked Elena over Bold X, I couldn’t deny Elena’s decision and be stubborn.
Elena’s time is solely Elena’s.

“You worked hard, Miss Elena!”
“You worked hard!”

Several players stood in front of the portal leading out of the academy.
I was waiting to say goodbye to Elena.
Most of the instructor players who live in the academy.
They are living a life where their freedom is partially controlled because of the constant influx of newbies.

If we break up here, I know that it will be hard to see you again, so I struggled to come out.

Elena greeted her briefly and shook her hand.
As long as she resigns as ‘System Admin’, she will never return to the academy.
When she returns, she has no place of her own.

We stepped on the portal and went out of the academy.
Outside the academy was a huge forest.
A forest with a single narrow dirt road.
The tall trees completely blocked the sunlight, and the far-off darkness swept over us as if to eat us.

“It’s boring.”

It’s fucking scary.
How can nature be so frightening without a single monster?

Suddenly, a question arose.
Elena, who was an academy administrator, might not be recognized by everyone.

“But, if you just go on like this, won’t everyone recognize you?”
“… It can be covered by mana management, so don’t worry about it.”

Elena dismissed her as if she hadn’t to worry.
I shyly scratched my head and backed away.

From now on, this is the starting point.
Joining the guild meant graduating from the academy.
Whether it’s an early graduation that skips the process or a normal graduation, it means going out of the academy.

“I will give you the right equipment. It will be less dangerous if you wear it.”

Elena took out countless pieces of equipment from her inventory.
Most of them are 2 stars, the same as our last name (★).

Players may not wear equipment that measures more than their stars.
The “System” Defines it that way.

I picked up my sword and shield and donned my breastplate.

—
[Old Iron Sword (2★)]
[Faded Shield (2★)]
[Crude Breastplate (2★)]
—

There were many other small things, but I thought more than this was a luxury.
The breastplate is also fucking uncomfortable, but wouldn’t it be suffocating if it covered the head or lower body?

Rather, it was better to obtain defense-related skills or artifacts and items.

“Will that be enough? Kim Jin-woo, it’s safer if you don’t want to die. You should also wear a helmet.”
“…”

Da-hee Yoo, whose whole body is wrapped in iron plates.
Watching the limping, it seemed that there was no spectacle.

I want to say something…

“It would be more inconvenient. It’s because the restrictions on movement are getting bigger.”
“Ah… Is that so?”
“Attack that can be avoided is better avoided. It’s slow, but if you receive a heavy attack with your body, it’s rather a loss, right?”

Just in time, Elena did what I wanted to say instead.
Elena’s soft eyes.
It gave off an atmosphere as if giving advice to a newbie.

How would I have come out if I had been like that?
He must have taken off his armor while looking like an idiot.

Tung-!

Dahee Yu put down the heavy iron plates one by one.
The way it gets lighter and lighter is strangely strange.

“Will this be all right?”
“… Yes. I think it would be okay if Kim Jin-woo also wore a helmet.”

Yu Da-hee even wore a helmet on his breastplate.
Putting iron plates on the lower body was more damaging if you were not a professional tanker.
Especially for newbies like us who couldn’t adapt, it’s a fucking minus.

“I don’t wear a helmet.”
“… Do whatever you want.”

Elena didn’t have to force it either.
I won’t care if I die or not.
Wouldn’t I rather wish that I died.
I must have already received seeds in my womb, the moment I am pregnant, my existence is close to an obstacle.

Sssss-.

The wind blew hard.
I haven’t even entered the forest yet.

“Princess Elisha.”
“Why are you calling me? Captain Elena.”
“I’ve followed, but I’m not going to step forward.”

Elena looked at Elisha with worried eyes.

“This ‘Tower of Struggle’ is a very dangerous place. You don’t know when or where they’ll attack you. Still, that’s why, you shouldn’t just be protected. The princess must be strong enough to fend for herself and not need anyone’s help. To do that, you must not rely on me.”
“I know what you mean.”

Elisha met Elena’s eyes and nodded.
A bold nod, compared to that, a merciless sway.

Eloin sneaks up next to me and whispers while gripping my forearm so damn hard.

“You bastard, where are your eyes?”
“It’s the princess’s heart.”
“This guy… !”
“I am the friend of your princess’s benefactor. Behave right.”

I whispered the same.
So that my voice cannot be heard by those women who are a little further away.

Eloin’s fist trembled.
Elena is also glaring at me.
Of the women over there, only Elena seemed to hear me.

So what.

Said Elena, trying to contain her rising anger.

“I’m willing to help when it’s really dangerous, but other than that I won’t lift a finger. Please move as if I don’t exist. Princess Elisha.”
“I see. Still, I can’t help but feel that strong feelings come first rather than anxiety.”
“…”
“Captain Elena…”

Elena wiped her eyes with her hand to see what was so touching.
The eyes were red.
Elisha’s voice was also watery.

I can’t keep up with the emotions of these elf bitches.

I just poked my nose.
It tickles me.

Elena, somewhat regaining her feelings, glanced at us.

“Mr. Dahee, Princess Elisha, Jinwoo Kim, Eloin and Elbarun. You are now a member of this party. We have to climb the ‘tower’ together.”
“Five!”
“… I will assist behind the scenes. From now on, you move yourself. You can follow the information or trust your senses and move on. You just have to go in the direction you want.”

After that, we put our heads together and started discussing.
The conclusion is simple.

“Let’s go over there. There is also a road.”

The fact that the dirt road was opened in the mountain means that many players have already come and gone.
There was no reason not to go.

We moved along a dirt road.
Elena followed our decision without saying a word.