1.

Rest was always a good thing. No matter how mentally strong someone was, stress accumulated and had to be relieved. Proper rest made the work that followed more efficient, and besides, his body was pleasantly relaxed.

"A hot spring trip is the best," Kim Buja muttered, lounging in his first-class seat.

Jeong Seora watched him and asked, "Do you normally like onsens that much?"

It was the first time she had seen the real Kim Buja outside of his videos, so it was a curious sight. He always went to the bathhouse after clearing a dungeon. Of course, those baths were infused with expensive medicinal herbs from dungeons, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars per use, and were highly effective at relieving fatigue and healing wounds. But for someone like Kim Buja, who strolled through dungeons as if they were parks, it was just an expensive sauna.

He could go as casually as someone hitting the sauna after a soccer game, and since the cost probably felt like pocket change to him, it might not matter. But going every single day was a hassle. It implied he must really love saunas. It was a question she'd wanted to ask for a while, and it just came to mind.

"Hmm."

The question made him think. Did he like saunas? After leaving home and before his awakening, he could barely afford a warm shower, let alone a sauna. It was unlikely he would have picked up such a hobby. Then again, maybe that was precisely why he was so attached to the warm water that languidly enveloped his body. But when he thought about it, the reason he went to the bathhouse wasn't for the bath itself, but because it was the perfect place to settle his accounts.

It was a place where no one would disturb him. Since it was a therapeutic facility, not just a sauna, no one thought it was strange for him to stay for a long time. The water wasn't plain, so his skin wouldn't get pruney, and it genuinely relaxed his body, allowing him to sleep soundly. He liked the bathhouse for a combination of reasons. It seemed Seora had gotten the wrong idea when he'd insisted on a hot spring.

It would be nice to have such a hobby, but he decided to clear up the misunderstanding.

"I go to the hospital so often, not because of the sauna, but because I have a lot of accounts to settle. I like the sauna, sure, but I can concentrate best when I'm sorting things there."

"Ah!"

He had been revealing secrets about his class to her one by one, so he didn't see the need to be evasive. At this rate, it might be better to just tell her everything, but since she didn't press him for more, he let it be. From her perspective, it might be more fun to piece together the puzzle from the clues he dropped, like a game of twenty questions.

"And the Japanese hot spring… well, it was nice, but I'm not romantic enough to go seeking them out. I just enjoyed being in a hot spring with you, Seora. Haha."

"Did you get your wish, then?" she teased.

"Not yet. I didn't expect you to be so cheap as to wear a rash guard into a hot spring. If it were a public bath with other Japanese people, you would have been kicked out a long time ago."

"If that were the case, it wouldn't have been a mixed bath, would it?"

"Tsk."

In a way, she was also tossing him bits of bait, one by one.

For Kim Buja, Jeong Seora's appearance was certainly a large part of her appeal, but he was growing more fond of her as the fan who had silently supported him during his struggling days, and as the colleague who respected and helped him now.

So he wasn't in a hurry. He had too much to accomplish to be ruled by his instincts.

"Next time, have mercy and maybe wear a bikini…"

He would make progress, little by little, amidst his busy schedule. His subtle whisper was cut short by the announcement that they were about to arrive.

* * *

Upon his return, Kim Buja immediately opened the Gold Mission window.

"Time to get back to work."

Come to think of it, a month had passed while he was busy with the event, and he hadn't even checked his next mission. As he thought back, a forgotten figure—no, a face—came to mind.

'I wonder if she's doing okay.'

He had stocked that cave with enough food to last at least a month, with a wide variety so she wouldn't get bored. For the first week, there were dishes that wouldn't spoil, followed by canned goods, snacks, ramen, and drinks. He had piled up so much food—including some things he had never even seen before—that she wouldn't get tired of it.

And that wasn't all. He had installed a simple shower and a toilet on one side of the cave, using up all his remaining gold. He had even bought comic books so she wouldn't be bored. There was no particular reason for it.

'It's just that the Gold Mission might not proceed if she dies.'

There was no guarantee he would return to that place as the chapters continued. But with the chapters divided into 1-1 and 1-2, the probability of being sent to an entirely new world seemed low. Besides, the quest title itself, "Rescue the princess," implied a continuation.

'She's probably alive, right?'

It was definitely not because he wanted to see her again and make her keep her promise. And it wasn't because he liked her. Firmly denying it to himself, he checked the mission details.

[Gold Mission]

▶ Chapter 1

# 1-1: Rescue the princess

# 1-2: Choice

[Choice]

▶ Grade: Chapter 1-2

▶ Content: Choose between two factions: the Empire and the Allied Forces.

→ Details: If you choose the Empire, safely guide the princess to the Imperial army. If you choose the Allied Forces, guide the princess to the allied army.

▶ Reward: Level 2, 2 Stat Points

"Oho."

A choice, following the rescue. Only two chapters had been opened, but it felt like a real story was taking shape. He liked the mission content, too.

'A story I create with my own choices.'

Kim Buja loved this type of quest, where the story and ending changed based on the player's decisions. The reality of modern games made it a rarity, which made him all the more pleased. It was a common frustration among gamers. A story based on choices sounded great in theory, but it meant the developers had to create all the corresponding branching paths, including bad endings. The dedication and ability required to create such a complex setting were often beyond human limits. But here, in a world not made by humans, he could lead the story as he saw fit, free from any systemic restrictions.

He had opened the Gold Mission simply to level up, but now, a spark of curiosity was kindled. Where was this quest headed? Judging by the title, it seemed likely to lead to the victory of either the Empire or the Allied Forces. That meant he had to choose carefully.

'In a normal game, they'd force you to side with the princess on hard mode.'

The revival of the Empire. That would be the player's mission in a typical game. But here, he had a choice. He had rescued the princess, but now he could decide her fate. Since he wouldn't be living in that world, he could just hand her over to the Allied Forces and feast on the spoils of the fallen empire. There would be no penalty. In fact, the mission might even proceed more easily. His only concern was that it might end too quickly, potentially reducing his rewards.

"Hmm."

But there would surely be a countermeasure for that. Putting that worry aside, the most convenient path was to hand over the princess.

"Hmmmm."

He was conflicted. The image of the princess in his mind led to a scenario where he wouldn't hand her over to the beastly Allied Forces, but would instead help her, win her favor, and revive the Empire. But the thought of the risks he would have to take for that sent a chill down his spine.

'Is there really a need to play hero alone in a world where there's no one else and court death?'

Unlike in reality, the enemies in the Gold Mission were not limited. The slave traders alone had been opponents he couldn't defeat. That meant siding with the princess would immediately crank the difficulty up to hell mode. The mention of "Imperial forces" suggested that a remnant of the once-great empire still existed, so if he could somehow reach them, there might be hope.

He deliberated for a long time, but the answer didn't come easily. It was too difficult a decision.

'If I choose the princess, there will surely be greater rewards. But even if I choose the Allied Forces, I can create my own opportunities and gains.'

In gaming terms, it was the difference between real money and in-game currency. Should he aim for more real money, or more game money?

"I'll decide when I get there."

In the end, the outcomes would likely be similar. In situations like this, though they were rare, Kim Buja usually just went with his gut.

[Activating Gold Mission Chapter 1-2 'Choice'.]

He would see how the situation unfolded and let that guide his choice. Then, whatever he decided would feel natural.

'Flash!'

His vision flared, and a landscape that was still unfamiliar, yet etched in his memory, spread out before him.

* * *

The princess was in shock.

"How is this even possible…?"

It wasn't the flush toilet that surprised her. It was that he had installed it inside the cave with a single gesture. And a simple shower stall, too. He had camouflaged a water tank outside the cave, providing more than enough water for a month. With no hygiene issues, there was no need to leave. The bed and the mountains of food were simply astounding.

"Who in the world are you?"

She didn't eat much, so even after a month, a considerable amount of food remained—enough to last at least another month. But she wasn't settling down to live here. The princess had her own goal. She was simply waiting.

"You will come back, won't you?"

She had never wanted to rely on anyone. But after meeting Kim Buja, she had become certain that with him, she could rebuild the Empire. Not through his power alone. But if he helped her, if he was by her side…

"Why…?"

Why had such a feeling taken root in her? The princess was a woman of unshakable will. Even as her parents were killed by the Allied Forces, she had followed her father's last wish for the future of the Empire and escaped the palace. Even when captured as a slave, she had never revealed her identity. And yet this woman, whose sole purpose was to revive her empire, had been waiting a month for one man.

Perhaps it was because he had appeared and saved her at the lowest point of her life, and she had spent the entire month thinking of nothing else. Not that it mattered. He was an enigma. If only she could see him again.

Today, she finished another comic book, her eyes constantly darting toward the mouth of the cave. She made a mental note of yet another question she wanted to ask him. She had a whole day's worth of questions ready for when he appeared. If only he would appear.

"Is he not coming back?" she whispered to the empty cave. 'Was he captured by the Allied Forces? He might even be dead.'

She wanted to wait longer, but a month had already passed. It was time for the princess to make her move. She organized her things and packed her bag. 'Just one more day. Just two more days.' She couldn't break the promise she'd made to herself.

It was a pity, but the Empire was likely crumbling with each passing day, and she couldn't afford to waste any more time on a wait with no end in sight. As she was packing, a voice reached her ears.

"What the...? You were still here?"

It came at the most dramatic, most heart-wrenching moment possible.

* * *

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