165 – Training Method of the Nymphs #6
Late at night.
The nymphs gathered one by one somewhere.
It was a spacious basement, but it felt so pleasant and cool that one wouldn’t even realize it was underground, and the space was filled with freshness.
The lighting and air conditioning were superb.
The floor, covered with a red carpet, was plush.
All the paintings hanging on the walls were high-quality, and the water cooler dispensed ice.
“Hehe, it’s definitely a nymph-friendly place…! I, Illinois, want to name this spot the ‘Nymph Meeting Hall’…!”
Illinois took out a very expensive-looking chair and sat down.
Soon, Inoi and Coris also took out chairs and sat down.
“I’d like to start today’s regular report…! The owner has safely begun training to step onto the ‘Hero’s Path’…! And Ahn Ahn’s hyper evolution has also been achieved…!”
As she spoke, Inoi puffed her chest out proudly.
Whenever the nymphs gathered, there was always one prominent nymph that emerged.
Inoi declared herself the prominent nymph, and the thought of her partner, Haildo, becoming a famous hero was enough for Inoi to be considered the prominent nymph.
“I, Coris, have also heard about the ‘Hero’s Path’…! Many heroes have walked it, including Hercules, Theseus, and Odysseus…!”
Coris placed her hands on her cheeks, greatly impressed.
Coris was a nymph with a wealth of knowledge mixed with many unknowns.
Then she made a slight frown.
“More importantly, I think I’ve forgotten what we were supposed to do today…! Now that I think about it, I forgot to hit the owner a lot…!”
“Hehe, I, Illinois, was just thinking that…! Let’s do it…!”
The nymphs clenched their fists and stood up.
Startled, Lee Joon-Hun, who was watching TV in his secret hideout, was taken by surprise, not having a moment to react as the nymphs’ fists flew at him.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang—
“Ahhhh~.”
Lee Joon-Hun was beaten for a while and became completely exhausted.
Only when his beloved squirrel, Binnari, came over and barked, “Kang-Kang,” did he finally come to his senses.
‘These nymphs, not only do they frequently invade my secret base, but they also hit me every day! How did I end up like this—.’
Lee Joon-Hun had no idea where his life had gone off track.
However, to the nymphs, such matters were unnecessary, and after happily hitting Lee Joon-Hun as much as they wanted, they began to chatter about whatever they wanted to discuss.
“Hehe, while the house master entering the ‘Hero’s Path’ is impressive, I, Illinois, have nearly raised Core Yerim to the ‘Core Prime’s Path’…!”
Core Prime.
High-level Core.
Many Cores existed in the world, but high-level Cores could leave their names in history or myth.
Illinois spoke with immense pride, and Inoi was similarly amazed.
“Indeed, Core Yerim’s ‘Core Technique, Side Pinch’ was absolutely perfect…! Teaching high-level Cores and marrying them off is a great joy for the nymphs…!”
The nymphs lived much longer than palm trees or larks.
In their long lives, they enjoyed all sorts of fun things, from raising human women like princesses to marrying them off to princes or heroes, to turning men into heroes or kings, which became a great pastime.
This was still true in the 21st century.
“The battle of the Cores culminates in a victory for Core Yerim, raised and sustained by me, Illinois…! Then all the nymphs will sing of my achievements…!”
Illinois envisioned her victory.
Inoi also exclaimed, “If Core Yerim perfectly reaches Core Prime, the game is essentially over…!” in admiration.
Soon, Coris laughed, “I even taught Jin-A the ‘Core Technique’…! It’s a powerful ‘Arrow of Passion’…! It’s an Eros arrow that can capture any opponent…!”
“The Arrow of Eros…!”
“Truly excellent…!”
Inoi and Illinois expressed their admiration.
“Core Technique” was a very powerful skill and hard to acquire; the famous Cores ‘Helene’ and ‘Psyche’ were said to have mastered at most two techniques.
Only the archetype of Cores, ‘Ultimate Core – Persephone,’ was rumored to have five or more techniques, including ‘Core Technique, Pomegranate Gluttony,’ ‘Core Technique, Safe Abduction,’ and ‘Core Technique, Take Over the Bedroom’—
—after all, she was a goddess who inherited the blood of the gods, so excluding her from comparison was justifiable.
“The ‘Core Technique, Arrow of Passion’…! This is a premier technique that I, Inoi, have only heard about, never seen…! Compared to the owner, we could say it is an S rank technique…!”
Most “Core Techniques” were incredibly powerful, but each was also easy for some to learn, widely recognized, or had weaker effects, with their effectiveness varying greatly.
The nymphs ranked such “Core Techniques” as ditch-water level, creek-water level, and seawater level, with the “Arrow of Passion” evaluated as a high-level technique, alongside “Drug Smile,” at the seawater level.
“I cannot predict how this battle will turn out…! It may be that many women will entangle the owner and prevent him from ascending the ‘Hero’s Path,’ leading him to sink…!”
Inoi was worried about her master, Haildo.
If this continued, Haildo might end up surrounded by women, failing to become a hero, living off the money of women, and leading a luxurious yet ordinary life as a mere house husband.
Just then, someone clicked their tongue.
“The Hero’s Path is completed through the muddy squabbles over women…! The death and downfall caused by women are the essence of a hero…!”
“Ahh, that one is a wicked muddy nymph named Morales…!”
“Such a bad nymph…!”
Inoi and Coris frowned at the sudden appearance of a brown-haired nymph.
Illinois exclaimed, “Oh, is she the muddy nymph…? It’s been a long time since I’ve encountered a muddy nymph…!”
Of course, the muddy nymph Morales corrected, “It’s not ‘muddy nymph,’ it’s Morales…!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but we have to hit you! A muddy nymph deserves to be hit…! I know that…!”
“Good idea…!”
“Let’s do it…!”
Bang bang bang bang bang bang—
“Hyieek…!”
The nymphs beat Morales, the muddy nymph.
Morales shed tears from the nymph sisters’ bullying and beating, and Lee Joon-Hun, who was watching the scene, was utterly bewildered, unable to understand what was happening or what would happen next.
But one thing was certain: Haildo’s future, entangled with these bizarre nymphs, the women who followed them, and the strange animals, would be messier and more chaotic than mud.
“Hang in there.”
Lee Joon-Hun decided to cheer for Haildo’s future while petting his beloved squirrel, Binnari.
# # #
“Bang—♥.”
Wink-.
When Lee Jin-A winked, my heart shook like it had been shot. Of course, I had never been shot, but if I were, I felt this was exactly how it would feel.
“Ugh!”
It was literally a dizzying sensation…
My body seemed to be swaying out of control like a reed blown by the wind!
“The ‘Arrow of Passion’ is a skill that maximizes the target’s favor towards me for a certain time upon hitting them. In terms of game skills, it’s similar to ‘Charm.'”
Lee Jin-A’s voice resonated in my ears.
I couldn’t comprehend what had just happened to me, but I could at least understand that I had been hit by a very powerful attack.
“The effect is quite strong. Haildo, since you’re experiencing it firsthand, you can surely tell. How is it? Powerful, right? Doesn’t it drive you crazy?”
Lee Jin-A laughed heartily, clearly intoxicated.
I was taken aback by such Lee Jin-A.
She seemed to possess an even more intense presence than usual.
“Haildo, I’m thirsty since I’ve had a drink. Buy me strawberry milk. Strawberry milk. I’ll give you a thousand won, so buy the strawberry milk and bring back 1500 won…!”
In the late hours of the night, the figure of Lee Jin-A from behind seemed to glow, her face shone like a goddess or angel from ancient myths, and every action and demeanor appeared graceful and noble.
Normally, I would have retorted, claiming it ridiculous to ask how to buy strawberry milk with a thousand won and to bring back 1500 won…
But now, I felt as though I had to do anything for Lee Jin-A.
Lee Jin-A looked at me with a flushed face from the drink and laughed heartily.
“Look at that expression of yours. If you don’t want to buy the strawberry milk, you might as well come over and rub my feet. From now on, you’re my slave number one. Come on—.”
Nod, nod-.
Lee Jin-A sat on the chair, crossing her legs and swaying her foot in its slipper.
Watching the slipper precariously dangling from her toes, I felt a sting to my pride.
“Ugh…!”
Thus, I exerted strength in my body to intensely resist the desire rising within my heart.
But I was slowly moving toward Lee Jin-A, and at this rate, I might really have to rub her feet as if I were her subordinate!
“Release.”
Snap-.
At that moment, Lee Jin-A snapped her fingers.
Suddenly, I felt a chill running through me, and the blood that had gathered in my face sank.
“What was that?”
“How about it? I have one more skill aside from this one—. Now you should understand how powerful I really am, right? Huh? I’m not just sitting around idly, you know.”
Indeed!
It was a very powerful skill.
To captivate the opponent.
Such a technique could be utilized in various aspects of both fracture suppression and life.
In that moment, I felt just how Lee Jin-A was a promising candidate, equaling S-ranker Cha Yura and upper A-ranker Han Joo-Ryun during her training days.
Lee Jin-A was simply a talented individual who hadn’t been trying hard!
The protagonist of “Our Girl is Smart but Doesn’t Work Hard” was none other than Lee Jin-A!
What an unfair world it was!
“Also, it’s really hot. Global warming is annoying.”
Flutter, flutter-.
The intoxicated Lee Jin-A began to take off her shirt, exposing her white shoulders and arms. Now, it seemed she was genuinely drenched in sweat, so her comment about it being hot wasn’t just a drunken remark.
“Hot…!”
However, Lee Jin-A didn’t stop at removing her shirt, now attempting to take off her tank top and dolphin shorts!
My heart raced in shock, and I could hardly help but stop her!
“Hey! You’re too drunk!”
“What are you talking about? I’m not drunk! You jerk. What are you trying to do by saying I’m drunk? Trying to make me stay overnight, huh?”
“No, you’re drunk, so it’s only natural that you can’t drive and should sleep over. Since there’s an empty room, go sleep there. It’ll be a big deal if you drive now!”
“You sly one-. People who pretend to have no interest like you are the more dangerous ones.”
As she said that, Lee Jin-A suddenly toppled over.
Vrrrr—
Soon enough, a steady breathing sound could be heard, and it seemed like Lee Jin-A had fallen asleep.
“How can she, old enough to know better, collapse like this at a guy’s house? If you were my sister, I would have set a curfew at 5 PM and given you a hard time every time you came home late. Damn.”
After wrapping Lee Jin-A in a blanket, I carefully moved her to the empty room, only to hear her mumble, “For every coin that dies and comes back, a kiss….” Was it drunken rambling or sleep talking?
She kicked off the blanket with her long legs.
“…….”
This was definitely an awkward situation.
“I can’t believe she’s the same age as my sister.”
My sister, Hirae, still looked babyish with her baby fat, while Lee Jin-A seemed so mature…
No, I turned my eyes away as if to dismiss my thumping heart.
The effect of the “Arrow of Passion” still seemed to linger.
