Memorize

Little by little, the city was regaining its tranquility. Of course, it was still in the process of doing so. The clamor of the streets still lingered.

As I passed by the tavern at the end of the main road, I saw groups of players clinking their glasses together in small clusters. Watching them engage in heated discussions, I could guess what they were talking about without even trying to listen. In the past, I might have clicked my tongue, thinking it'd be more profitable to just sleep, but now, no such thoughts crossed my mind. Only one fact filled my entire being.

The portal at the Inn of Beginnings had opened.

In Hall Plain, the importance of the Inn of Beginnings cannot be overstated—it's a topic that could make your mouth ache just from talking about it. Whether viewed from the perspective of the entire continent or within a clan, the emergence of new players is an extremely sensitive matter. This is because, whether many or few, among the incoming players, at least one is likely to have the potential to grow to a high level.

There's a saying in the Northern Continent, often thrown around as a light joke: 'One well-raised player is worth more than ten ordinary ones.' Of course, numbers can be a key strategy, but the saying means that a single exceptional player is far better than ten mediocre ones.

It might be an extreme example, but I can point to myself. When I first left the Morning Sunshine inn, I met a female player with twin tails—her name was Kim Dahye, wasn't it? Even if there were a hundred players of her caliber, they wouldn't be able to match me. Recruiting a new player with high potential carries that kind of significance.

This is just something I've heard, but long ago—before the Player Academy was established—Hall Plain supposedly existed. Back then, they say an unimaginable number of players flooded in, incomparable to now. There was even a time when there was no Rite of Passage, and I heard there were eras when a thousand or two thousand players arrived at once—something unthinkable today.

Of course, these are just oral stories from the early days of Hall Plain, with no living witnesses to confirm them.

But as time passed, the intervals between portal openings grew longer, and the number of incoming players sharply declined. This made new players all the more valuable. Even if they're handled a bit strictly at first to help them adapt, there's a reason why they're treated well later on.

Whoooosh.

"…"

I looked up as a gentle night breeze softly wrapped around my hair. The wind seemed to sweep away some of the chaos filling my mind. Letting out a long sigh, I quickened my pace. I passed between the neatly lined streetlights and the bridge I had hurriedly crossed earlier. Feeling the breeze, I forcibly calmed my mind. It felt like I was regaining a bit of the rationality I had momentarily lost.

As I walked slowly through Babara's night streets, I recalled the information I had seen earlier through the Third Eye about the Inn of Beginnings.

Inn of Beginnings

- Rite of Passage Participants: 587

- Rite of Passage Survivors: 252 (as of Day 7)

- Rite of Passage Deaths: 335 (as of Day 7)

- Currently Completed: 2 (completed on Day 5)

Let's think about this. There are five Inn of Beginnings in total. On average, each inn produces about ten to thirty survivors. Based on recent figures, this means roughly 100 new players enter Hall Plain.

Now, let's focus on the Rite of Passage. There are two conditions for passing: reach the warp gate within seven days or survive for seven days. Out of the 587 participants, it's now past Day 7, and 252 have survived. That's a whopping 252 survivors, with two having passed through the warp gate on Day 5.

Since it's past Day 7, at the very least, over 200 players will likely make it through. What's more, two players proved their qualifications in just five days—an astonishing feat.

This leads to two possible scenarios depending on whether the boss monster has respawned. Seraph said it herself: the boss monster in the Rite of Passage is not meant to be defeated. It can only be overcome by escaping, with the sacrifice of at least a minimum number of players.

If there's no boss monster, it makes sense that 252 survived. Without a boss, the difficulty of the Rite of Passage drops significantly, which also explains how two players completed it on Day 5. However, it's a bit concerning that only two managed to pass through the warp gate after seven days.

If we assume the boss monster is present, things get murky. It's hard to believe 252 survived, let alone that some completed it on Day 5. It's possible they escaped by sacrificing others, but it still raises questions. Or perhaps there's some unknown way to deal with the boss monster…

The moment that thought crossed my mind, I shook my head vigorously. No matter how much I pondered, it lacked realism.

I tried thinking from every angle, but each direction had one or two flaws. A perfect answer eluded me. On top of that, when I considered the current flow of Hall Plain, my mind began to tangle in complexity again. The anxiety I had forcibly suppressed resurfaced. It was my obsessive tendencies flaring up.

I love making plans. When it's unavoidable, I have no choice, but preparing for every possibility and acting accordingly is the only way I can maintain peace of mind. However, when unpredictable events like this arise, irritation surges, and my heart grows uneasy. But right now, there was no clear solution. That might be why it felt even more frustrating.

In the end, with insufficient information, I had no choice but to prepare as best I could. If a twisted future approached, I'd have to find a way to bend it in my favor. It wasn't an easy task.

Lost in these thoughts as I walked, I soon arrived at the Morning Sunshine inn. I debated whether to smoke a cigarette before going in or just head inside. My hand reached into my pocket, rummaging, as I steadily closed the distance to the inn. That's when I spotted a familiar player near the entrance.

Dropping the cigarette I had barely grabbed, I approached closer. There, pacing around with her arms wrapped around herself in a thin gown, was a woman with short hair. It was none other than Jung Ha-Yeong.

"Ha-Yeong-ssi."

When I raised my hand and called out, Ha-Yeong turned with a startled expression. Upon recognizing my face, she let out a soft breath and spoke.

"Oh… Su-Hyeon-ssi. You're back. Were you out?"

"Yeah. Were you waiting for me?"

"Just… I didn't see you around, and I was a bit worried."

I wasn't exactly the type to warrant concern. But receiving someone's worry, unexpectedly, didn't feel bad at all.

"There was a bit of a commotion. I went to check on the situation."

"Oh, I heard. They said the portal to the Inn of Beginnings opened."

"Yeah, you heard too, huh? Phew."

"…"

It was just a meaningless sigh, born from my complicated feelings. But she seemed to take it differently, looking up at me with gentle eyes. Then, with small, hesitant steps, she approached me.

"Su-Hyeon-ssi."

"Yes?"

"Your face doesn't look good again."

"Huh? No, it's nothing…"

Mid-response, I instinctively averted my gaze. Whether it was Go Yeon-Joo or Jung Ha-Yeong, they had an uncanny knack for reading my mood. Looking into those clear, caring eyes made me feel an inexplicable guilt. What was the source of this guilt?

"I told you before, didn't I? You have a tendency to push yourself to the limit."

"Ha, Ha-Yeong-ssi, it's not like that. It's a misunderstanding."

"You seemed to be doing better lately, but seeing you today, it feels like it's happening again. What's making you so anxious?"

"It's just… my head's a bit cluttered. I'm not anxious."

I quickly soften my expression and spoke in a gentle tone, but she didn't seem convinced. Narrowing her eyes, she gave me a slight glare before grabbing my hand and pulling me along.

"Let's go inside. Go in and get some sleep."

"Alright. You should head in too, Ha-Yeong-ssi."

I replied readily to her words, not wanting to worry her further.

Led by Ha-Yeong's hand, we entered the inn and immediately climbed the stairs. It might not be exactly a privilege, but I had a room to myself. As we reached my room and I was about to bid her goodnight, she opened the door as if it were the most natural thing and pulled me inside.

"Ha, Ha-Yeong-ssi?"

Ha-Yeong didn't respond. Instead, she gently let go of my hand, climbed onto the bed, and knelt softly.

"Ha-Yeong-ssi, this is my room."

"I know. Come to bed and lie down here."

Following the direction her slender finger pointed, I saw her delicate thigh. As I stood there, blinking in a daze, her voice came again.

"Y-you're going to stay up all night if you're alone, aren't you? I-I'll let you use my lap as a pillow, so… s-sleep here."

Ha-Yeong stumbled over her words before finally managing to finish. Then, she lowered her eyes slightly, pouting her lower lip. Upon closer inspection, her thin eyelids were trembling faintly, and her earlobes were flushed a soft red.

"Um…"

Feeling awkward, I scratched my head but slowly approached her. I didn't think it would help much, but saying no would likely hurt her feelings. Even at a glance, Ha-Yeong was clearly embarrassed herself.

"You don't have to do this. I can sleep fine on my own."

"Don't lie. It's not like we haven't slept together once or twice."

"Huh? Wasn't it just once or twice?"

"Hehe. Including the laboratory, it's three times."

Muttering as I rested my head on her thigh as she requested, I received a prim response. Lying on her thigh felt surprisingly comfortable on the back of my neck.

"Alright. Close your eyes too."

Her prim voice soon softened into a gentle tone. Her soft hand covered my eyes. When I deliberately blinked a few times, her palm twitched slightly, as if tickled.

As I lay there, I soon felt her cautious hand stroking my hair. I couldn't help but smile inwardly. It was certainly comforting, but I wasn't a child. There was no way I'd fall asleep just because of this.

Still, I felt grateful. Ever since I saw the Inn of Beginnings, my mind had been in turmoil—complex, forcibly calmed, then anxious again in a repetitive cycle. But as she offered her lap as a pillow, the tangled mess inside me began to melt away. My overcrowded mind started to empty, and my heart naturally felt at ease. And then…

… … … …

Lost in a state of thoughtlessness for a while, I suddenly noticed my body sinking deeply. The hands covering my eyes and stroking my hair felt like a dream. It was as if I were floating in the middle of the ocean, slowly sinking downward. Honestly, it felt good.

But I couldn't stay like this forever. She needed to sleep too. Just as I was about to open my eyes and tell her it was enough, I felt a strange sensation near my head as my consciousness stirred slightly. When I gently opened my eyes, my vision was blurry.

Startled, I blinked rapidly. With each blink, my hazy vision gradually cleared. Once my sight fully returned, I gasped in shock.

"Ha-Yeong-ssi?"

I called out to her, but no response came. In fact, I couldn't even see Ha-Yeong's face above me. Bolting upright and looking around, I noticed the blanket that had been covering me slide down.

Feeling deeply flustered, I calmed myself and slowly surveyed my surroundings again. The moment my gaze reached the window, I saw bright sunlight streaming through it.

"…"

Could it be… Did I… actually fall asleep?

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