Chapter 52

Here’s the English translation of the provided novel excerpt, adhering strictly to the glossaries and maintaining the original tone and style:

—

### Episode 52

Star of Sodomora, Hassan

052 ? Star of Sodomora, Hassan #3

Even breathing was a struggle, but somehow, I managed to plant my sword into the ground and push myself up. Honestly, I wanted nothing more than to stay lying down.

But the fear of collapsing here and becoming the laughingstock of my life spurred me to move.

As a slave, I wouldn’t have cared about being mocked.

But as a free man, I could never allow myself to be reduced to a joke. That stubborn pride—or recklessness—fueled me to stand before her.

“Hah…”

“Wouldn’t—it—be—easier—to—stay—down? You’ve—done—enough.”

Hippolyte’s voice, adjusting her stance, was also fading into incomprehensibility.

How long had it been since I last experienced this kind of violent silence? Probably not since middle school, when I got beaten for stealing from my father’s wallet.

No—wait. When I was captured by hunters and enslaved, I was beaten unconscious then too. Though, frankly, I’d rather not remember that time.

d*mn it. I managed to stand, but… can I actually win this? I’m screwed. What do I do?

Just as I exhaled a hesitant breath—

“You seem to be having a tough fight. Need a little help?”

A vivid voice pierced through the ink-like blur in my ears.

It was an unnervingly confident male voice, booming inside my skull like a battle cry.

“You look too exhausted to answer. Just nod.”

I had no idea what was happening, but ever since coming to this world, I’d encountered countless things beyond my understanding.

Maybe this was another magical phenomenon—or perhaps a mage was hiding among the spectators.

Either way, in this desperate situation, any help was better than none. Too drained to think, I slowly nodded.

“You refuse? Didn’t see that coming. Why?”

Why? I’m not stupid enough to blindly accept suspicious favors.

As I’ve said before, nothing in this world comes free. Everyone has ulterior motives, disguising their traps as kindness.

And whoever was speaking had enough power to project their voice directly into my ears. They’d probably demand something outrageous in return.

I’d rather lose fighting fair than be used like that.

Just as I tried to step forward—

“You’re an interesting one.”

With those words, the world itself began moving in slow motion—until it froze completely.

The wind-scattered sand, the crowd’s uproar, the flying birds, the falling leaves—everything hung suspended in midair.

My body, of course, was no exception.

The only things still free were my eyes and thoughts. But no matter how much I observed, nothing made sense.

What the hell? Some new kind of life-flashback? Even this shitty world’s d*ath visions s*ck.

Then—

Whoosh— Thud.

Something dropped from above, landing lightly between Hippolyte and me.

First, I saw a red cloak, then long, flowing brown hair beneath a helmet, and finally, a tanned face peering from under it.

A man clad in form-fitting armor stood in the frozen world, grinning at me with gleaming white teeth. His laugh was hearty, but for some reason, my spine tingled.

“Ah, seeing you up close is even better. First, thank you for choosing me over Minerva—she was furious. Consider this my small repayment.”

With a flick of his wrist, he reached for the knot of Hippolyte’s armor.

Ting.

Like pulling the pin of a grenade, he plucked it free with his fingers.

“Any more would violate Hypos’ laws, so I’ll take my leave.”

With that, he leaped away, vanishing beyond my sight.

The fluttering red cloak disappeared—and the frozen world lurched back to life, slowly at first, then rapidly regaining speed.

Tink. Clang—

In that instant, Hippolyte’s armor clattered to the ground, exposing her tanned skin beneath.

“Wh—what?!”

Seizing the moment, I pushed through the pain and lunged forward.

I didn’t know what had just happened, but this was my chance.

The suffocating agony and aftershocks could wait. Who knew when an opportunity like this would come again?

“d*mn it—!”

Hippolyte clicked her tongue, hastily covering herself. Even she seemed caught off guard.

For the first time, panic flickered in her fiery eyes. One hand shielded her chest while the other reached to grab me—a perfect reflection of her torn instincts as both a woman and a warrior.

“Where do you think—?!”

She tried to intercept my hand as it shot toward her waist, but her hesitation made it impossible.

Got her!

My fingers closed around the cord tied around her waist. One good yank, and it’d be over.

But the next moment, something strong and unyielding coiled around my wrist.

What the—?

Crunch.

An agonizing grip clamped down, forcing a scream from my throat.

Holy hell, since when do hands feel like industrial vices?!

“Ghk—! Gah—!”

My grip on her waistband faltered, and with a brutal twist, I was forced onto my knees.

“Surrender. Any more pressure, and your bones will shatter.”

Shatter?! Healing magic existed, but could it really piece together pulverized bones? Becoming a one-armed cripple in this world—with no disability benefits—would be a d*ath sentence.

“I—I surrender! d*mn it!”

“Hah.”

Only then did Hippolyte release me with a sigh.

f*ck. Tears welled up from the throbbing pain. Did she break it?

Luckily, no fractures—but if she’d squeezed any harder, my arm would’ve been dust.

Throb. Throb.

This was unreal. Were her muscles and bone structure just built differently?

“Hah. I lost myself for a moment. You caught me off guard—but regardless, you lost. Still, you’re the first man to ever grab my waistband. Be proud.”

Clank.

She picked up her armor, scowling at the torn straps before glaring at the sky.

—

“Doesn’t seem too serious.”

Daphne, the receptionist, assessed my swollen, red handprint-marked arm with a clinical eye.

I was just stunned that a human palm could leave such a vivid mark.

d*mn, what was I thinking, challenging her? This is why men should always keep their dicks in check. Stupid pride leads to stupid fights.

But despite the pain, my other throbbing issue refused to settle down. Ever since catching a glimpse of Hippolyte’s bare skin, it’d been relentless.

Hey, d*ck, learn some humility.

Anyway, I lost spectacularly. Though, something weird had happened mid-fight.

What was that? Everything was so chaotic, I barely remembered. Just the impression that it was something extraordinary.

As I zoned out, Daphne spoke again.

“Grabbing Hippolyte’s waistband, huh? That’s impressive. You could add it to your lifetime achievements.”

Lifetime achievements? I pictured the adventurer bulletin boards where people boasted about their exploits.

Could I just slap on [Hassan: Grabbed Hippolyte’s Waistband]?

“Is it really that big a deal?”

“Imagine sticking your head into a sleeping lion’s mouth and coming out alive. Wouldn’t you brag about that?”

Her analogy made me picture it. Yeah, that’d be a lifetime bragging right.

“It’s on that level. Might even help your adventurer rep.”

“Ah—speaking of, when’s the next request?”

Even fresh off an expedition, I was still hungry for cash. Living without a home, bouncing between inns—it was miserable.

Paying just to sleep? This world’s insane.

I needed money, a house, and a promotion to Silver Tier. My own space.

Maybe Luna and I could open a small Health Center? She brews mead and potions with her bees, and I could offer massages. Synergy.

We’d have, like, ten kids. Since I’m not the one birthing them, why not?

Though… Luna’s petite. Could she handle that many? Maybe compromise at five.

“Hassan, your face is disgusting. What are you thinking?”

d*mn it.

“Daphne, can’t you just think that and not say it?”

“I usually would, but it was too disgusting. Anyway, next request’ll take a while. Paperwork backlog.”

She sighed—something she’d been doing a lot.

At first, I thought it was work stress (understandable, given her workload), but this felt different.

“You feeling okay?”

“Huh? Oh, just a little indigestion. That greasy lunch didn’t sit well.”

“Ah, stomach trouble. Here, give me your hand.”

“…Why?” Her gaze sharpened.

Given our history, I braced for backlash—but I couldn’t pass up a chance to grind some task points.

“N-nothing weird! You know about my blessing, right?”

“Oh, right. Just tired of pervs using excuses to touch me. Maybe I should quit.”

Reluctantly, she offered her hand. Slender, elegant fingers—but her palms were surprisingly rough.

“Noticed this before—have you wielded swords or weapons?”

“How’d you know? Stalker!”

“What?!”

“Pfft. Kidding. Yeah, I used to be an adventurer. A bad shoulder injury ended that. But they let me handle desk work as a courtesy.”

“Ah.”

Like a veterans’ association for wounded adventurers.

I lightly pressed my fingers to her wrist.

Ding.

Text appeared:

[Name: Daphne Lv. 6

Status: Indigestion》Hyperhidrosis]

Huh. Last time, it was just indigestion. The sweating thing was new.

“Hassan, how does holding my wrist tell you anything?”

“Pulse diagnosis. Think of it as… reading your Karma flow. Mind if I press your palm?”

“Go ahead.”

I targeted the fleshy mound between thumb and forefinger—the Hegu pressure point. Good for digestion.

Press.

“Ow! That hurts!”

“I barely pressed. Your meridians must be clogged.”

Press. Press.

“Ngh—! S-stop! Th-this feels weird! Hnn—!”

Wait, what?

Startled, I jerked back—

Ding.

[Daphne’s Indigestion] healed.

[Task Points +10]

[Current Task Points: 47]

“Burp.”

Daphne’s face flushed.

“…What… was that?”

—

### Author’s Note

Posted on schedule!!!

Huge thanks to sponsors G)MK, pulu, Kadeom, Sorauso, and PotatOServer!!! And to those who sent manuscript coupons—thank you so much!! Mwah!! (ㅠㅠ)

—

### Key Notes:

– Tone & Style: Maintained the raw, unfiltered narration with Hassan’s vulgar/internal monologue.

– Glossary Adherence: Used all provided terms (e.g., Hypos, Karma, Silver Tier).

– Cultural Nuances: Localized idioms (e.g., “lifetime achievement” for boasting rights).

– Action Flow: Kept the fight’s chaotic energy and abrupt humor (e.g., d*ck jokes).

Let me know if you’d like any refinements!

---