406 - People Preparing for Winter #4

Paranoy seemed to want to create something called a Nymph Choir.

He said that if Nymphs gathered and sang together, something amazing would happen.

"For us Nymphs, many people will send donations and congratulations-imnidat...! It will be a money-maker befitting Hassan-nim, the God of Gold and Wealth-imnidat...!"

At his words, I pictured Nymphs resembling Paranoy gathered together, singing. Would it be like a youth choir?

━Little stream, little stream water-.

━Little brook, little brook water-.

I did find myself quite interested.

Then Paranoy added a few more words.

"But it's not easy to entice wary Nymphs-imnidat.... These days, there are many people who give Nymphs candy, so you can't lure them with just candy anymore-imnidat...."

"I see."

Perhaps because of Paranoy, or because those Nymph Relief Foundation folks are working hard.

I heard that these days, many good people give candy or food to Nymphs passing by on the streets.

It's probably because Nymphs generally look like cute girls.

They're the Nymph version of cat moms, Nymph moms.

With so many of them around, has it really come to the point where you can't lure Nymphs with just candy anymore?

"So, I, Paranoy, am researching the elements and actions that Nymphs like-imnidat...! The research has yielded some results-imnidat...!"

"Oh, what do Nymphs like?"

"I heard that Ignoie was lifted high by Bacchus-imnidat...! I don't know why, but it seems to be a really pleasant experience-imnidat...!"

Bacchus, huh.

Nymph Ignoie truly loved Bacchus, her Chief Deity.

After he passed away, she cried so much that she became a Nymph of Tears.

Then Paranoy added a few more words.

"But, to like being lifted high. It's funny for me to say it, but other Nymphs are really foolish-imnidat...! That's why they're looked down upon by those pointy-eared Elves-imnidat...!"

"That's true."

I recalled the many Nymphs I had met. Like fairies of youth, most of them were delicate, naive, and often appeared foolish.

The difference was so great compared to the intense and agile foreign Elves. Honestly, it even felt rude to compare the two, as if they were on completely different levels.

At that, Paranoy passionately spoke.

"What on earth makes Nymphs so spoiled, like children? I, Paranoy, have no choice but to investigate-imnidat...! Therefore, I hope Hassan-nim will also lift me up and down-imnidat...!"

"What? Are you asking me to lift you high right now?"

"Compared to other naive Nymphs, I am mature, so I don't like such childish treatment-imnidat...! However, I just have a personal interest-imnidat...! There's an important reason to understand Nymphs' preferences in order to create a Nymph Choir-imnidat...!"

What the fuck are you talking about, you bastard.

What kind of conclusion is that?

But I could tell that Paranoy simply wanted to act spoiled towards me.

This fellow had looked enviously at Doris, who slept on Luna's lap, or Ignoie, whose hair was being brushed by Hippolyte.

Since Paranoy has a strong desire to grow differently from other Nymphs, he can't openly act spoiled like those other Nymphs, which is why such a complicated procedure seems necessary.

Of course, it wasn't a difficult task.

When my younger sister was much smaller than me, in her childhood, I often gave her airplane rides or carried her around on my back.

But after she grew older, such things stopped.

In her childhood, she used to follow me around, which was quite cute.

But after she grew up, she became a rude brat who would growl at me every chance she got. It was almost to the point where Gloria seemed cuter.

No, maybe not that.

Anyway, now wasn't the time for such talk.

"Alright, well, lifting you high isn't difficult."

At my permission, Paranoy raised both hands high. Then, with a rather serious and stern expression, he exclaimed.

"I repeat, you must understand that I, Paranoy, absolutely do not like such childish, coddling behavior-imnidat...!"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, you brat."

And so, just as I was about to extend my palms towards Paranoy's sides.

Udeuk-.

No, wait.

I instinctively put the brakes on my actions for a moment.

My current strength was in a state that even I couldn't gauge.

In this state, if I accidentally grabbed Paranoy's side, wouldn't his bones break, or would he suffer a serious injury?

That would be a fucking terrible thing.

"...."

Of course, Paranoy might be stronger than an egg, but to me now, at Level 45, there wasn't much difference between little Nymph Paranoy and an egg.

So, as I couldn't easily move my hands-

"...Actually, I wasn't very interested-imnidat...! I don't think other Nymphs would like it much either-imnidat...!"

Paranoy, somehow understanding my intention, slowly lowered his arms.

"I have a lot to do, so I'm busy-imnidat...! As the Chief Follower and High Priest, I, Paranoy, shouldn't be away from my post for too long, so I should hurry back to work-imnidat...!"

And then, as he seemed dejected and was about to run off somewhere, I grabbed Paranoy with a 'screw it' attitude and lifted him up.

Sreureuk-.

Then Paranoy floated up to my height.

"Aah...! I, Paranoy, have floated high-imnidat...! No Nymphs have ever seen a view higher than I, Paranoy, have-imnidat...! I, Paranoy, have become closer to the sky than anyone else-imnidat...!"

He struggled as if the sight from a height far surpassing his own, with his feet off the ground, was wondrous. Of course, the more he struggled, the more I felt he might fall, so I had no choice but to hold his side.

"Heu-iik-!"

At Paranoy's scream, I was startled. Had I controlled my strength too strongly? I thought I had reduced my strength as much as possible?

"Heu-hi, heu-hihi, my sides are ticklish-imnidat...! Let me down, let me down-imnidat...!"

What the hell, so it was because he was ticklish.

Paranoy seemed to be very ticklish. He asked to be lifted high, and now he's asking to be put down.

The problem was that his struggling was quite vigorous, and I, who had completely relaxed my grip, ended up letting him go.

"Aah...!"

As a result, Paranoy, who was falling headfirst towards the ground, was in great peril.

If he hit his head like this, many of Paranoy's brain cells might die, and his IQ might drop.

Shit, I have to prevent that.

What I needed now was agility.

In Karma, the agility stat signifies reflexes and quickness.

Thanks to my agility, which had reached 15, considered the human limit, it made it seem as if the fleeting moment of Paranoy falling to the ground had stopped.

Even I thought it was truly incredible momentary concentration.

"Aaaaaah-. Faaaaalling-."

To the point where Paranoy's voice sounded foolishly drawn out.

And if it were me now, I would be able to reach out and grab Paranoy's body within that slowly stopping time.

Indeed, my hand was moving faster than I thought to grab Paranoy's body.

Cutting through the slowly flowing time, my grip, moving just as slowly yet precisely, was just about to seize Paranoy-

...He wouldn't burst like an egg, would he?

If I grabbed him like this, I suddenly feared he might shatter like the hundreds of eggs I'd broken since yesterday morning.

Shit, what should I do. Should I just let him fall?

In that fleeting moment, I thought in parallel.

I looked back at my half-century of life, listing all the knowledge I could use in this very instant.

Then, a smooth armpit flashed before my eyes.

Th-this armpit, it's definitely that.

This is the answer-imnidat!

"Jigeone-!"

I moved my left hand and forcefully pressed the Naegwan acupoint on my right wrist. I intended to damage the muscle and drain strength from my arm.

At the same time, with my right arm, now devoid of strength, I grabbed Paranoy's ankle.

"Aah...!"

And so, when time began to accelerate and flow again,

Paranoy was caught in my hand, hanging upside down, at a precarious point where his nose almost touched the ground.

He was like a tuna that had been caught.

But the surprising thing wasn't just that.

Even though I was tightly gripping his ankle, I hadn't damaged it.

Had Paranoy perhaps mastered the secret of invincibility without my knowing?

No, that couldn't be it.

It would be better to assume that I had unconsciously manifested a way to control my strength.

And now, I felt like I understood what that method was.

According to Hippolyte, there are cases where one gains enlightenment in real combat or dramatic situations, and I was exactly in such a case now.

* * *

"Hassan, what is it today? Aren't you visiting our house too often these days? You even came yesterday evening, you know."

Hippolyte showed a welcoming yet slightly wary attitude at my visit. Hearing a bubbling sound from inside, she must have been cooking.

"Unnie, the water's boiling! You need to put in the noodles!"

From behind, Antiope's voice could be heard, and something small rustling indicated Ignoie was also there.

"Unnie, Ignoie is tearing up the sofa again! Come quickly and stop her!"

It was utter chaos.

Hippolyte also urged, saying, "I'm busy right now. If it's not urgent, could you tell me briefly?"

Of course, I didn't want to speak at length either.

So, I took out an egg I had in my pocket and showed it to Hippolyte.

Sreuk-.

At that, Hippolyte opened her narrow eyes.

"You can already hold an egg in your hand? I thought it would take at least a week. You're quick to grow, and quick to achieve, it seems."

Hippolyte seemed surprised that I had reached the stage of holding an egg without breaking it.

She'd be even more surprised if I showed her the next thing.

So I tossed the egg in my hand into the air. Then, I alternately tapped it with my chest, knee, right foot, and left foot, performing a trapping maneuver.

Five, six, seven-.

With each increasing count, Hippolyte's brow furrowed more and more.

"No, this doesn't seem like a level one could reach in a single day. What method did you use?"

At that, I kicked the egg back into the air and caught it with my hand. Then, I decided to briefly explain how this method came about.

First, I needed to show my body.

Therefore, I quickly stripped off the leather clothes I was wearing, or Regulus's hide, revealing my appearance.

"Wh-what, suddenly, why are you taking off your clothes?"

Hippolyte, startled by my action, stammered in confusion and her face began to flush even redder.

Then, speaking just loud enough for me, who was right in front of her, to hear, she added a few very small but clear words.

"Hassan, even so, I didn't think you were such an ill-mannered person. Surely, if you intend to disgrace me in front of everyone, I won't stand idly by...!"

What was that.

It seemed Hippolyte had misunderstood my taking off my clothes. Since Hippolyte was always one to misunderstand things, it was understandable.

At that, I pointed to my torso and forearms with my thumb.

"Look at this."

"Hmm? On your body, red spots have appeared."

Only then did Hippolyte seem to notice the changes in my body.

Indeed, it was no exaggeration to say that five red spots had appeared from my chest down to my abdomen.

These were the acupoints: Cheondol, at the center of the front of the neck; Danjung, between the breasts; Jungwan, near the solar plexus; Singwol, above the navel; and Danwon, located near the Dantian.

I had forcefully pressed and massaged these basic points, which run through the center of the body, with my thumb. And my current status was exactly this:

『Name: Hassan Lv. 45 → 30

Strength: 16 → 11

Agility: 15 → 10

Stamina: 14 → 9

Karma: 920 → 20

Blessings: 《Shining Hand》 《Armor of Night》 《Dark Eyes》 《Tanned Skin》

Condition: 《Mark of Life》.』

I had once used Jigeone near Hippolyte's armpit to suppress her by lowering her physical abilities. You can think of it as doing that to my own body.

In other words, it's fair to say that I lowered my physical abilities with this 'Mark of Life'.

It would be more accurate to say that I pressed and locked the centers from which strength springs in the human body, but I didn't bother explaining such difficult terms to Hippolyte.

However, Hippolyte seemed to skillfully understand what I had done.

"It's a type of sealing formation. To think of suppressing your own strength to control it. It's an excellent method, but I wonder if it's too extreme and dangerous."

"That's true. But nothing else came to mind right away. It's also easy to undo. All I have to do is press the acupoints-."

"I see. I had never even thought of such a method."

"For now, I'm thinking of gradually releasing the seals one by one and getting used to the strength. For that, nothing beats real practice, it seems. Could you perhaps help me with that?"

"Indeed, that's true. But, Hassan, unfortunately, we don't have much time. Antiope, do you have that newspaper from earlier?"

At Hippolyte's question from behind, a long scroll-like object was placed in Hippolyte's hand with a Sreuk- sound from somewhere. Hippolyte then held it out to me.

On it was written this:

『Breaking News! Scylla and Charybdis, who dominated the Southern Sea, have been subjugated-! Thus, after 50 years, communication with the beautiful islands in the Southern Sea is now possible-!』

『This achievement, accomplished through the commissioned cooperation of Gloria, the Black Lion of Kairos, and Natatos, the Second-in-Command of the Temple Knights, the Spear Dragon-.』

『The beautiful island where pink-haired angels live. Ideope real estate available for pre-purchase-.』

『Jungle Island Ideope Tourism-. Purchase now for entry to a luxury restaurant and a complimentary exclusive ride-』

The things written there were quite unbelievable stories.

No, I had expected it to take at least a month.

As I slightly furrowed my brow at that, Hippolyte said.

"It seems Byeokryeokje's Temple Knights decided to move. It appears Gloria was able to launch a joint attack at the same time those guys started subjugating Monsters everywhere."