Is this Hero for Real?

[Act 7] And Your Reputation?

The evil goddess’s curse made it hard to level up. The only way I could be strong was to learn martial arts.

Taekwondo, judo, kendo, muay thai…

However, as  ‘gunpowder’ was the downfall of martial arts on Earth, so was ‘magic’ in the fantasy world.

One strong blow!

There were results before one could get a chance to show their honed techniques.

The Blessings were also a problem. 

“The Culinary Blessing…? Cooks that made the same effort as everyone else won’t even have a chance.”

Human effort was nothing in front of the gods’ Blessings.

“Are you still complaining after a good meal?”

“It’s not much of a complaint.”

The restaurant Kogmos strongly recommended was the most famous in the city.

The restaurant advertised everywhere that their cook had a Culinary Blessing, and a D rank at that. As expected, everything was good.

“You have some pretty obscure Blessings, by the way.”

“Which one?”

“Stubborn bastard! Do you know how much the bill was because you ate so much?”

“It happens.”

[Outsider]

I couldn’t feel full no matter how much I had, and I ended up overeating.

But I didn’t feel like it was a waste of money. Wasn’t that enough?

I’m sure god would think the same…

[A certain god is hurt by the obscure comment.]

[A certain god mumbles ‘obscure lone wolf in the wild’]

…hello?

Was it okay for the almighty god to break so easily?

I didn’t understand how this fantasy world hadn't already collapsed.

“Kang Hansoo, $.”

“Yes.”

Lady A, who received attention everywhere she went for her beauty and fashion, called me from behind.

She was an apprentice of a famous mage and went to the same academy as her friend, Lady B.

Was she about to keep following me?

“$# # [email protected]#% $# [email protected] # % [email protected]”

“She asks if you’ve ever been to the mercenary guild.”

“I haven’t.”

“He says he’s a country bumpkin who’s never been.”

“…”

‘That damn demon keeps translating like shit.’

“$ @# %#$. %$ @%$ $ ^% $ ^#$%.”

“…Lucky bastard. This world is unfair!”

“You’re spewing nonsense, not translating.”

“Hmph! You’ll know when we get there.”

***

Oh Hanwoo was extremely optimistic.

After all, in fantasy genres, there were plenty of main characters who were thrown out with contempt because they were weak in the beginning.

The only thing left for him was to rebound.

“Excuse me.”

“Sir, I’m busy at the moment… oh! A legendary Hero! Welcome!”

The manager of the slave market switched attitudes as soon as he saw Oh Hanwoo’s status window.

[Hero]

That’s because it was a special Blessing that couldn’t be obtained unless they were a ‘Hero’ chosen by the gods. 

That wasn’t all.

He’d heard the Heroes that left the Temple were ‘rich’.

“I’m here to buy a slave.”

“What kind of slave would you like? A warrior for a comrade, like the other Heroes from before?”

“A strong female warrior.”

“A strong female, you say… it’s hard to find, but we do have them.”

“Ooh!”

Oh Hanwoo smiled with contentment.

Opportunities are in critical moments!

He would get a cute, lovely comrade from the slave market.

[Special]

The manager honorably led him to the restricted area.

Wipe wipe.

Slaves were washing and getting dressed outdoors without partitions to cover them, and they waited to be displayed.

The manager pointed at a woman, asking him,

“Hero. How do you like this slave?”

“…What?”

For a moment, Oh Hanwoo didn’t know who he was pointing to.

“The warrior looking down in front of you.”

“…”

“She’s a heroine who would boldly rob in the northern part of the Knight Kingdom. She was betrayed by her subordinates and captured as a slave.”

“Ah…”

“She has the inhuman strength to single-handedly swing an axe even a full-grown man can barely swing with both hands. Hey, Merasi. Show the customer your status window.”

“…”

Level 1 Oh Hanwoo looked at the slave’s status window.

[name] Merasi

[Level] 17

[Blessings] Mercenary B, Warrior E, Equestrianism E, Mettle F

[Curses] Slave F

Level 17…

It looked like she was quite an exceptional mercenary before becoming a thief.

But what about now?

[Slave]

> You, having handed over all your rights, are property.

> You will feel pain every time you disobey your owner’s orders!

It would be no use for the slave to get free from their shackles and escape—their Curse would stay branded on them.

It was a foolproof way of imprisonment.

The manager explained with confidence.

“Those who swear to the gods to give up all their rights get the Slave’s Curse. As long as you give the right orders, she won’t be able to betray you.”

“Um…”

“Don’t worry about the price. I do not wish to make an unfair profit from a Hero on holy grounds. I will sell it to you close to the flat cost.”

“It’s not that…”

“Please, feel free to tell me anything.”

“I want a strong and dainty woman…”

The slave the manager had confidently recommended was built like a bodybuilder.

Her iron fists and thick limbs were weapons on their own! Even her pectorals looked sturdy.

In other words, everything about her except her sex was different from what Oh Hanwoo wanted.

“Hm.”

The manager, who had come across customers with various preferences, was lost in thought.

For once, he was at a loss for answers. 

“Are you not a mage with the Magic Blessing?”

“Yes, I am.”

He’d never used magic before, but he did have the Magic Blessing.

“Then won’t you need a strong shield to protect you until you activate your magic?”

“You’re right.”

* * *

* * *

Like the pretty girl Yoo Bora stole from him, he needed a beautiful slave who would protect him at all costs.

The manager barely controlled his face as he explained further.

“Dear Hero. Are you saying you are going to use a dainty woman who hasn’t trained to be strong, as a shield?”

“I… um…”

Beautiful, dainty companions were in every fantasy genre.

But he sounded like a total douche after listening to the manager!

But Oh Hanwoo didn’t give up or compromise.

[Special]

After all, he was the main character. He was a special entity where common sense nor logic applied to him.

He gave up getting a recommendation from the manager.

“May I choose for myself?”

“Go ahead.”

The manager gladly agreed, thinking that would be better for both of them.

How could a mere merchant understand the Hero’s deeper intentions?

Oh Hanwoo was surprisingly quick to choose after looking through all the slaves.

“I’ve decided!”

“Hm.”

He had chosen a total of three slaves.

The manager looked at the status window of the strongest slave he chose.

[Name] Lusa

[Level] 6

[Blessings] Charm F

[Curses] Slave F

“…Hahaha! I was wrong. They really are dainty girls who are stronger than you.”

The manager accepted his mistakes and laughed.

Strength is relative, isn’t it?

There was no doubt they were the ‘strong and dainty females’ the Hero wanted.

“But…”

“Is there anything more you would like?”

“No. Nevermind.”

The prices of all the slaves Oh Hanwoo picked himself combined were cheaper than the slave the manager had recommended.

Was it because of her high level?

He didn’t think too much about it and paid for the women.

Clink!

His thick pouch was thinner than before, but he didn’t think it was too expensive or a waste.

The manager spoke gravely to the girls.

“Sera, Kana, Lusa. I renounce all the orders I have given to you. From now on, Hero Oh Hanwoo is your new master.”

“…Oh? Is that it?”

“Yes, since I’ve declared everything needed as their owner. A word of advice, slaves can do whatever they want if you don’t give the correct order… Even murdering their master or escaping.”

“I'll keep that in mind.”

But Oh Hanwoo didn’t keep the manager’s advice in mind.

Betrayal didn’t apply to the main character, who would take care of the girls with love.

“Follow me, Sera, Kana, Lusa!”

“…Yes.”

“Yes. master.”

“Alright…”

Oh Hanwoo heartwarmingly watched the girls obediently following him. 

He headed to the blacksmith’s workshop to arm the girls.

[A certain male god is anticipating.]

[A certain immature god of dice snickers.]

[A certain evil god looks for their popcorn.]

[A certain god…]

***

I thought all I had to do was register as a mercenary, but there was a serious problem.

“I have to learn how to read…”

I couldn’t write anything on the registration form the mercenary guild clerk gave me.

I had to read to write anything!

They told me ghostwriting made it invalid, so I started by practicing how to write my own name.

“Don’t be embarrassed. There are plenty of mercenaries who can’t write their own name.”

“Shut up.”

As a cultured Earthling, the humiliation of being illiterate was unbearable.

“Copy this.”

“You say it like it’s easy.”

“Stop complaining. It’s getting annoying taking care of a toddler.”

“…”

I found out later, but I was registered as “Kkang Hansue” because I wrote too crookedly.

It was a tragedy caused by a demon who was too lazy to point it out.

Anyways,

[Name] Kang Hansoo

[Level] 1

[Blessings] Outsider F, Fairy C, Mercenary D

[Curses] Hero E, Slaughter E

[Dividend] 5.78

I acquired the Mercenary blessing from a few simple registration procedures.

Normally, the newbies would start by getting an F rank ‘slime level’, but I got a D rank ‘gnoll level’.

Thanks to my greatness.

“Thank the two ladies. They swore on the mercenary rank to vouch for your skills.”

“Yeah. Tell them I said thanks.”

“Tell them yourself if you mean it. Stubborn bastard!”

“I gotta know the language first.”

“I’ll drop by the bookstore later and buy you a picture book. Read and learn.”

“You’re treating me like a total child.”

“It’s just the right level for someone who doesn’t even know what a mill is.”

“…”

I needed to have a serious talk with him with my fist once we were alone.

“Kogmo, $. Kang Hansoo, # $#@ $% #?”

“We didn’t say anything important, my friend here just wants to learn the language soon.”

“$#! %$ &$^. % Kang Hansoo # $# ^#%.”

“…I’ll ask him.”

The demon turned to me after a cordial conversation with lady A. He looked extremely uncomfortable.

“What?”

“She says she has experience teaching her little sibling the language. It’ll be a lot of help for someone like you, who knows nothing but violence.”

“That means she has to come with us.”

“And? Be grateful and accept it, unless you’re a eunuc— kekkek?!”

“You really do have a death wish, don’t you?”

“H-help me- gurgle?!”

I left the mercenary guild WHILE shaking the neck of the demon who HAD crossed the line.

Of course, since I went all the way there, I was assigned a simple task.

Orc subjugation… 

The task was to periodically decrease the number of orcs to suppress their reproduction.

As simple as the task was, the reward was small, so it was a task mercenaries avoided.

But I was different.

“I like it.”

Unlimited exp for each orc head I brought?

There wasn’t even a frequency limit.

[Outsider]

Was it not the perfect task for someone like me, who didn’t get tired from hunting all day?

I even had excellent bait to lure in the orcs.

“$ #$”

“#$ @#”

Ladies A and B returned my gaze with a smile.

And I started to get ready.

“Wow…”

The ladies, who would play a key role for the task, relentlessly swept all the camping and hunting supplies from various stores.

They bought it all if it looked even a little useful!

Just how much money did they have?

[A certain god asks if you’re going on another killing spree.]

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

I was going to exterminate them.