Chapter 35
With his eyes turning into heart-popping emojis due to the profanity filter, Shotgun fired his gun wildly in all directions. True to his nickname, he chose the Gunner class among Rangers and chained his skills together with almost divine combos.
However, no one nearby paid any attention to him. That’s because they were in town, and even if they were hit directly by skills, their HP wouldn’t decrease.
[Party] Sinu: Girmu, did you lower your skill effect transparency?
[Party] Girmu: Yes, yes haha
[Party] Goyounghee: Lololol Girmu is also good at ignoring him
[Party] Shotgun: —
[Party] Girmu: Haha;
[Party] SaltySalt: When you lower effects, Gunners look like they’re doing some exorcism dance O_O
[Party] Shotgun: Why would you even lower effects while playing?? Y’all don’t know style
[Party] Goyounghee: That’s why you can never see boss animations
[Party] Shotgun: Lolololol only people who aren’t confident in their control lower effects, right?
Shotgun demonstrated his exorcism-like movements as SaltySalt had described, deliberately firing his gun here and there to show off. Even with lowered skill effects, there was still some light bursting from the muzzle and ear-piercing gunshots, so Beodeul went as far as to uncheck skill sound effects in the sound options.
When his ears became comfortable, he belatedly noticed that the flow of conversation had drifted elsewhere. Just moments ago, everyone was asking him to join the event together, but now they were chattering about skill effects and control.
“Haha…”
Beodeul rubbed his eyes and laughed. He hadn’t felt lonely for a single day since leaving the Dalkeum Guild, all thanks to these people.
It was almost ridiculous how he had expected to go back to playing the game alone after leaving the guild. How could he, with such lively people around him?
[Whisper/Girmu] Sinu: Let’s go while they’re distracted
Right on cue, a whisper came from the main instigator who had made all the commotion around Girmu.
[Whisper/Sinu] Girmu: Where to?
[Whisper/Girmu] Sinu: ?
[Whisper/Girmu] Sinu: You need to go hunting
[Whisper/Girmu] Sinu: I’ll switch to Inu, and we can level my alt character together
Right… Beodeul remembered the hunting that had been put on the back burner due to the event. When Sinu logged out to change characters, everyone who had been chattering put up question marks.
[Party] Shotgun: ? Finally got rid of him
[Party] Girmu: Sinu said he’s coming on his alt haha
[Friend – Inu has logged in.]
[Party] Shotgun: Fk
[Party] Goyounghee: Lololololololol
[Party] SaltySalt: Captured that, nice job O_O
[Party] Shotgun: ??? My cat typed that
[Party] Goyounghee: ? You don’t have a cat
[Party] SaltySalt: I love how you instantly react when cats are mentioned lolol
[Party] Goyounghee: Lol of course, speaking of which, how’s Huchu doing? Is he well??
[Party] SaltySalt: Yeah lolololol he’s busy beating me up every day O_O
[Party] Shotgun: I’m the only one without a cat again–
Shotgun once again fired his skills randomly. With the rampaging Shotgun in the background, Goyounghee secretly approached Girmu’s side.
[Party] Goyounghee: Girmu seems like
[Party] Goyounghee: Someone who would live with a super gentle doggy
[Party] SaltySalt: Hmm I think Girmu would suit a really grumpy cat too O_O!
[Party] Girmu: Me?
[Party] Goyounghee: Yes haha. Do you have any pets?
[Party] Girmu: No T_T..
When Beodeul responded with a crying emoji, Goyounghee also used a ‘crying’ motion. Then she casually began revving up her pride in her cat.
[Party] Goyounghee: My cat always climbs onto my lap when I play SOG haha
[Party] Goyounghee: He’s a chonky cat so he’s a bit heavy, but in winter like this, he’s warm… His name is Goding haha! Short for mackerel!
[Party] Girmu: Wow that must be so cute T_T
[Party] Shotgun: And occasionally turns off your computer
[Party] Goyounghee: H.. that’s also true
[Party] SaltySalt: Our Huchu doesn’t do that O_O
[Party] Girmu: Huchu?
[Party] Goyounghee: Yes yes, SaltySalt’s cat is named Huchu. A tuxedo domestic shorthair T_T
Salt and pepper. Somehow the sequence of names revealed their naming sense. Unaware of what Beodeul was thinking, SaltySalt was going wild with “Isn’t he cute O_O!”
[Party] SaltySalt: Our Huchu doesn’t stimulate me directly when I’m on the computer O_O
[Party] SaltySalt: He just drops things one by one from behind lol
[Party] Shotgun: Lolololololololololol he’s asking for attention
[Party] Goyounghee: Your room must be a battlefield when you play for a long time lololol
[Party] SaltySalt: I know.. that’s why my room is clean, I clean it every day O_O
[Party] Shotgun: Don’t know if that’s good or bad lololol
[Party] SaltySalt: It’s very effective for someone like you who absolutely never cleans their room O_O!
[Party] Shotgun: ? What nonsense, I don’t tolerate a single speck of dust in my room–
[Party] SaltySalt: ? Wait then where are you gaming from O_O?
[Party] Shotgun: ??? My room, of course
[Party] Goyounghee: Ah lololololololololololol
[Party] Girmu: Haha…
[Party] SaltySalt: How can you be in your room when you’re a giant dust ball yourself O_O?
[Party] Shotgun: Lololololol f1ck
When Shotgun fired his gun at SaltySalt, SaltySalt also caused a commotion as if refusing to lose. Meanwhile, Sinu, who had returned as ‘Inu’, didn’t even pay attention to the two causing a ruckus and just went with it, which made Beodeul burst into laughter again. As expected, these people were completely unpredictable.
[Party] Girmu: The Grace members seem really fun
[Party] Goyounghee: Oh! Would you like to join our guild?
[Party] SaltySalt: O_O! Want to apply for our guild?
[Party] Inu: Lol would you like to?
[Party] Shotgun: What lololol everyone’s so quick lololololololol
When Goyounghee and SaltySalt simultaneously proposed guild membership without missing a beat, Sinu, who had just joined the party, also casually slipped in a question.
Beodeul wasn’t sure why a comment about them being fun led to an invitation, but unlike the previous time when he immediately declined the second offer, he took a moment to consider.
[Party] Girmu: Hmm..haha I’m not sure
[Party] SaltySalt: Is fun not enough O_O?
[Party] Goyounghee: Would you be tempted if I showed you pictures of my Goding?
[Party] SaltySalt: Huchu is also trying to tempt you O_O
[Party] Inu: Why suddenly your cats;
[Party] Shotgun: Idk I think Girmu likes cats
[Party] Inu: Oh really?
A little while later, Beodeul burst out laughing when he saw a Voice Code message from Sinu.
[SN: (photo)]
[SN: We don’t have a cat at home, but we do have a cat plushie]
[SN: T_T]
Not knowing that Sinu had sent the uncharacteristic “T_T” and was now anxiously waiting for a reply, Beodeul zoomed in on the plushie in the photo. A snow-white, flat cat plushie was shining its black eyes brightly. Its six thin whiskers also looked quite three-dimensional.
‘It kind of resembles Sinu… doesn’t it?’
Recalling Sinu’s all-white character, Beodeul compared it with the cat plushie and replied without any particular meaning.
[Girmu: Is that your plushie, Sinu?]
[Girmu: It looks like you haha]
[SN: ?]
[SN: Like me? This?]
[SN: You’ve never seen me though?]
[Girmu: ?? Oh I meant your character haha]
[Girmu: Did I upset you?]
[SN: Ah lolololol]
[SN: No, that’s not it]
[SN: I look the complete opposite lololol not similar at all]
Beodeul didn’t know. He didn’t know that Sinu had entered his absent sister’s room to get the plushie, and that his sister cherished that plushie very much. Nor did he know that Sinu had immediately thrown the plushie away after getting goosebumps.
[Party] Shotgun: Why did these two suddenly go quiet?
[Party] SaltySalt: Yeah O_O
[Party] Girmu: Oh, Sinu sent me a photo haha
[Party] SaltySalt: ?
[Party] Goyounghee: What kind of photo???
[Party] Girmu: A cat plushie photo
Girmu’s comment caused a stir among the Grace guild members.
[Party] Shotgun: Plushie???????????
[Party] SaltySalt: Lololololololololololol
[Party] Inu: What’s the big deal?
[Party] Goyounghee: Oh! So you two have opened up contact info…?
[Party] Inu: No no
[Party] Inu: I sent it through Voice Code
[Party] SaltySalt: Then I want to send you Huchu photos too O_O!
[Party] Goyounghee: Ah me too! Would you like to see photos of Goding too?
[Party] Girmu: I’d love to haha
[Party] Shotgun: What is this, when I asked to see them you all said it was too much trouble–
[Party] Goyounghee: Did we?
[Party] SaltySalt: I have no recollection of that O_O?
[Party] Shotgun: Should I hold a hearing right now?
[Party] Goyounghee: Haha Girmu, please tell me your nickname and code!
[Party] SaltySalt: I’m already friends with Girmu O_O~ I’ll send first lol
[Party] Shotgun: — I’ll add you too, I don’t have cat photos but,,
And so, Beodeul unexpectedly added the Grace guild members he was partying with as Voice Code friends and received lots of cat photos. Among the many photos, the most impressive was one of SaltySalt’s cat, Huchu, looking like a liquid in a hammock-like place, dozing off.
“So cute…”
When he zoomed in, the squished cheek was even more visible. While Beodeul was immersed in Huchu’s cuteness, Sinu, who was a member of the “I’m the only one without a cat” faction, kept poking at the party members for no reason.
[Party] Inu: Cats are not the issue right now
[Party] Inu: Girmu needs to go hunting, stop bothering us and move aside
[Party] SaltySalt: Did you just tell us to g1t out O_O?
[Party] Shotgun: I’m not the only one who read it that way lololololololol
[Party] Goyounghee: I was wondering why you came as a Saint, would you like help hunting with Girmu?
[Party] Inu: Yeah
Sinu’s casual affirmation surprised the others even more.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
