Breaking Up with the Heroine of the Female-Oriented Game - Chapter 35

Chapter 35 – Preparing for Farming (2)

After lunchtime ended, I was on my way to the group combat training room for the next class.

“…”

“…”

Our footsteps echoed quietly.

Jin Soyeon was walking silently beside me, unusually subdued today.

Normally, she’d be chatting away.

I glanced at her profile; she was nibbling at her cute lips, sneaking peeks at me as if she had something to say.

When our eyes met, she shrugged her shoulders awkwardly and quickly looked away, feigning indifference.

I smirked inwardly.

What’s with her?

It’s oddly endearing, really.

“You’ve been acting strange since earlier, what’s up?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Jin Soyeon awkwardly twirled a strand of hair, trying to play it cool, but I continued.

“Is there something you want to say?”

“Ah… Was it that obvious?”

“Obviously. You keep glancing over here.”

“I guess so.”

Jin Soyeon scratched her cheek with an embarrassed look.

“Hey, Jinhyuk.”

She hesitated for a moment, then carefully parted her lips as if to say something important.

“Perhaps…”

Jin Soyeon quickly glanced around at the other kids.

The others were laughing and chatting in groups, heading toward the training room.

Lee Siwoon and Yoo Seolhyun were, as usual, surrounded by several students, bombarded with questions, so they didn’t seem to have time to notice us.

As we were walking a bit apart from everyone else, it seemed like speaking in a low voice would keep our conversation private.

Jin Soyeon seemed to realize this too, as she turned back to me and began to speak.

“…Yoo Seolhyun, you see…”

“Yeah?”

Yoo Seolhyun?

Why is she bringing up Yoo Seolhyun’s name?

Was there some incident between them?

Curiosity and concern filled me as I continued to watch Jin Soyeon closely.

Jin Soyeon glanced back at Yoo Seolhyun, who was encircled by other students.

“…What if she’s interested in you?”
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“?”

Her question was unexpected and strangely phrased.

Blinking in confusion, I looked blankly at Jin Soyeon.

Jin Soyeon coughed awkwardly a few times and then added,

“I mean, it seemed like you were interested in Yoo Seolhyun too… If she’s interested in you, then…”

“Soyeon.”

“Huh? Yeah?”

“Did Yoo Seolhyun say something to you?”

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“Ah, well, um…”
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Jin Soyeon’s lips faltered with a confused gaze before she fell silent.

From her reaction, it seemed like she had heard something odd from Yoo Seolhyun during assembly earlier.

So Yoo Seolhyun said it was just a little chat, huh? Typical of her to throw in some mischievous comments.

“Yoo Seolhyun said she’s interested in me?”

“…A little?”

I laughed it off.

“Come on, you believe that? Yoo Seolhyun wouldn’t be interested in me.”

“Still, you two have been hanging out a lot lately.”

“Huh? Jealous?”
T h i s wa s c o p i ed f ro m ki n g m tl .o r g

“Don’t say weird stuff, really.”

Jin Soyeon frowned deeply and grumbled, while I smirked internally.

Jealousy, jealousy…

Well, it’s plausible.

‘If I were in Jin Soyeon’s shoes, wouldn’t I feel a bit neglected and jealous?’

After all, her close friend who always hung out with her began to avoid her under the pretext of being busy yet found time to sneak around with someone else.

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Besides, Jin Soyeon and Yoo Seolhyun didn’t get along.

If her friend suddenly became close with someone she disliked, it would feel pretty unsettling.

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So, it made sense for Jin Soyeon to be a bit uncomfortable with me having a good relationship with Yoo Seolhyun.

‘…Of course, there might be another reason.’

According to the character setup, Jin Soyeon ‘unknowingly’ liked me.

The ambiguous term ‘unknowingly’ made it tricky to define how much and in what way Jin Soyeon thought of me.

“What exactly did Yoo Seolhyun say to you?”

“Just that… well…”

Jin Soyeon hesitated and then continued, looking at me once more.

“…She said she’s kind of interested in you.”

“Really? Well, she might be.”

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I responded nonchalantly.

“She seemed interested in my strategic and tactical abilities since the performance evaluations. And she was somewhat helpful during the dungeon raids too.”

“Ah, the dungeon raids…”

Jin Soyeon looked down as if deep in thought.

“Yoo Seolhyun did say she received a lot of help from you… It’s strange to hear that even among professional heroes, you’ve been such a help.”

“I’m pretty strong when it comes to theory and tactics, aren’t I?”

“Theory and tactics…”

Jin Soyeon mulled over my words with an expression of mild disappointment, then suddenly lifted her head and looked at me directly.

“…Is there, maybe, another reason?”

“Another reason? Who knows?”

I answered casually, and Jin Soyeon hesitated before forcing a wry smile.

“Well, if there isn’t, then there isn’t.”

“Anyway, Soyeon…”

Thud.

We heard a sound like someone falling.

“Huh?”

“What’s that?”

We turned our heads in surprise and saw a girl sprawled on the ground a short distance away.

Her papers and textbooks were scattered everywhere.

‘…Wait, isn’t that…’

I hesitated, recognizing the familiar figure.

Pink hair flowing down to her collarbone.

Eyes reminiscent of a clear blue sea.

Long, thin eyelashes stretched out elegantly.

A refined face with a distinctive, listless expression.

And that oversized heart (?) pouch.

‘…It’s Roxanne.’

Roxanne Han.

A half-blood with the surname Han.

An orphan who, despite losing her parents, was adopted by the priest Han Seongwon and is currently active as a nun in the Church of Noon.

A character of some importance in “Romance Hero Academy” and a typical saint-like figure you’d find in fantasy subculture genres.

‘Never thought I’d see her here.’

She was an NPC who had been popular with many male players during the game.

Known for her pure heart, stunning beauty, and being one of the saint candidates, with one of the top beauties in the story.

Her stats were also considerable; if she had been a playable character, she would have been a must-pick for any team.

A character that men would naturally be drawn to, but…

‘…I shouldn’t get involved with her.’

I was quite hesitant to get involved with Roxanne.

Being involved with her could be very dangerous.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Why didn’t you watch where you were walking?”

“Oh my, all the handouts have scattered. What now?”

The laughter of nearby girls reached my ears.

About half a dozen were snickering at her.

They seemed to be students from Roxanne’s class.

“…”

Roxanne lifted her head to look at the girls.

She viewed them with a disinterested expression for a moment, then quietly started to gather her handouts without showing any signs of complaint or dissatisfaction.

It was clear one of the girls had tripped her, but Roxanne didn’t seem to care.

“Ah, we’d help but we’re short on time, so we’ll go ahead, okay?”

“Hurry up, will you?”

The girls were about to leave when it happened.

“Hey, wait.”

Our protagonist, Jin Soyeon, frowned, unable to just stand by and watch.

Typical of the meddlesome hero often seen in comics, she seemed unable to just ignore what was happening.

Well, it’s just like Soyeon.

But we couldn’t afford to stir up unnecessary trouble with those girls.

“You guys, stop bothering her…”

I promptly put my hand on Jin Soyeon’s shoulder.

She flinched and turned toward me with a ‘Why stop me?’ look in her eyes.

“Soyeon.”

“…”

I shook my head slowly from side to side and gestured towards Roxanne, who was still picking up her handouts.

Jin Soyeon sighed deeply after observing the scene.

“Okay, got it.”

She seemed to realize that arguing with those girls would only make things worse for Roxanne.

I spoke to the girls, who were looking at us with evident distaste.

“Sorry, it’s nothing. You can go.”

“Tsk.”

The girls clicked their tongues, seemingly irritated, but they understood that it wasn’t worth fighting in the middle of the corridor and left obediently.

I watched them leave and then turned back.

By now, Jin Soyeon was helping Roxanne pick up the scattered pamphlets.

I also moved to help gather the textbooks and handouts.

“…”

Roxanne watched us with an untroubled face and then moved her lips.

“…Thank you for the help.”

“No worries. It’s nothing.”

Roxanne nodded slightly with gratitude, her voice clear and refined, but with a hint of sharpness.

Jin Soyeon brushed it off with a smile as if it were no big deal.

I just quietly observed them.
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“…But really, there’s no point in helping me.”

“Huh?”

While receiving the handouts from us, Roxanne offered a cautionary word, but Jin Soyeon just tilted her head, not quite understanding.

“Is it because of those girls?”

“…”

Jin Soyeon slightly furrowed her brow and gestured towards the hallway where the other girls had left.

But Roxanne said nothing more, only bowing her head again and saying goodbye.

“No need to worry about me. I’ll be off now.”

“Huh? Oh, sure.”

Jin Soyeon seemed at a loss for words against Roxanne’s clear refusal and simply nodded.

Roxanne then glanced at me, bowed her head too, and began packing her things into a box before walking away.

Her pale pink hair swayed as she disappeared in the distance, and Jin Soyeon silently watched, then let out a deep sigh.

“Ah, seriously.”

She seemed frustrated, fiddling with her hair.

“Hero candidates, really? Such stupid bullying.”

“…”

If it were just bullying, that would be one thing, but what Roxanne was facing was different from mere ostracism or exclusion.

“I wish I could help, but…”

“Soyeon, we’ll be late for class. Let’s go.”

“Huh? Oh, right.”

Roxanne belongs to Class 1-3, which also includes Seong Yura, a saint candidate and villain.

By now, Class 1-3 was firmly under Yura’s control, and it seemed no student would dare to cross her.

After all, Yura was no ordinary character.

Using her status as a young saint candidate, she engaged in all sorts of corruption and malpractice, expanding her influence.

She led one faction within the Church of Noon and wielded significant power.

By now, she was involved in bribery and lobbying with various corporations, wealthy individuals, and political figures.

Yura, a villain who could be called a major evil.

Yura had always been jealous, envious, and resentful of Roxanne, a fellow saint candidate.

Roxanne, who had maintained her purity and honed her talents despite a miserable background similar to Yura’s.

Roxanne’s undying kindness and refusal to hate her circumstances or others were ideals unreachable and unattainable for Yura.

A warped attachment and desire born from lost ideals and envy had forged the current Yura.

Thus, Yura sought not just to torment Roxanne but to crush and humiliate her spirit, ultimately dragging her down to evil.

The decisive trigger for Yura entering Union Academy was none other than Roxanne herself.

‘According to the setting, even if selected as a saint candidate, one must not publicly announce it or misuse the position.’

Yet, Yura and several other candidates took advantage of their power and position for personal gain, expanding their influence.

Only Roxanne truly adhered to the old doctrines.
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That’s why Roxanne, one of the saint candidates, was subjected to such torment.

Roxanne kept her candidacy secret, sought no help from outside, formed no factions, and steadfastly refused support from within and outside the church that came with strings attached.

Consequently, she was isolated.

Because in clear waters, fish seldom live.

‘Come to think of it, Roxanne will soon undertake the ‘Path of Austerity’.’

Saint candidates by tradition must bear karma, endure long hardships, and persevere.

Throughout history, they had to endure tough, harsh trials, praying at specific sites, a practice commonly known as the Path of Austerity.

Of course, I have no idea where Roxanne goes to pray. I never cared during the game.

‘Anyway, getting involved with Roxanne now would likely incur Yura’s wrath, so it’s best to be careful.’

Yura was a typical villain, a psychopath.

If one crossed her, with the numerous villains under her, one could easily be bidding the world goodbye.

She even employed assassins.

She’s a villain meant to be dealt with in the later parts of the story.

Messing with her now would be like throwing eggs at a rock.

‘If left alone, Roxanne will eventually be corrupted.’

The saint’s fall from grace, a main story episode in the latter half.

Subjected to Yura’s incessant bullying, losing everyone around her, Roxanne falls into despair and becomes corrupted.

As a villain, the fallen Roxanne becomes a powerful foe for the protagonists.

That’s right.

In the game, Yura’s role was to bring about Roxanne’s fall to villainy.

Yura was merely a mid-boss, a tool to corrupt Roxanne.

‘But even knowing that, there’s nothing I can do right now.’

As I said before, getting involved with Yura is too dangerous now.

Better not to meddle and attract her attention.

Once I gather various items and recruit the male leads as allies, I’ll be able to confront her.

For now, I have to pretend not to see.

‘…Still, it’s troubling.’

It’s a pity to see a character like Roxanne inevitably descend into villainy.

I know her future but can’t help her, feeling a twinge of sympathy and pity, but I’m too busy taking care of myself.

More importantly, I have Jin Soyeon to look after.

Let’s not endanger ourselves or Jin Soyeon over Roxanne.

I can ignore her.

‘Still, sorry, Roxanne.’

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I silently offered an apology in my heart and walked on with Jin Soyeon.

There was no intention of risking danger for Roxanne’s sake.

‘Ah, but I do hope the items Yoo Seolhyun is acquiring for me arrive soon. Then I can head down to Yuksung Mountain in Chungnam to farm those items.’

If the items arrive quickly, maybe I can go farming this weekend?

***

Inside a grand mansion, Seong Yura wore an inscrutable smile.

“Roxanne is heading to Yuksung Mountain to follow the Path of Austerity?”

“Yes.”

Interesting.

She’s going back after what happened last time?

Great, then what sort of accident shall I arrange for her this time?

Or rather than an accident, should I attack her more directly this time?