Chapter 7
“…Sorry. I should have thought that you might come here to wash up, Alben….”
Once the situation finally settled down, Ornica, now hastily clothed, bowed her head repeatedly.
Of course, I, too, covered my body with the blanket she had brought.
I tried to tie it around my lower body like a makeshift skirt, but since my upper body was exposed again like during our first meeting, Ornica hurriedly wrapped the blanket around my neck.
‘…The blanket’s a bit small, though.’
Thanks to that, if I didn’t squat, everything below would be visible.
So I ended up curling up into a ball on the ground.
“It may sound like an excuse, but I really didn’t mean to see anything….”
“No, no, it’s my fault for being careless.”
“But still… I’ve seen a man’s naked body without permission….”
…This is strange.
Shouldn’t it be me who should be apologizing here?
Even though Ornica was at least partially clothed while I was completely naked, so our levels of exposure were different.
‘Is that really all it takes to make her react like this?’
Right now, Ornica’s condition is rather amusing.
The cold and idealistic Ornica I knew from the game was nowhere to be seen.
“Ugh….”
She fidgeted like a soaked puppy, nervously glancing at me for my reaction.
At the same time, she would sneak peeks at my neck or shoulders and blush furiously.
She probably thought she was being subtle, but from where I was sitting, it was all too obvious.
‘…No way?’
An idea flashed through my mind.
Yes, if I think about it, everything seemed unnatural.
The woman in front of me was Ornica from Valdeon Saga, from her name to her appearance.
But in the smallest details, she showed a different side than the character I knew.
‘It’s worth testing out.’
“Haa… It’s a little hot in here.”
I muttered to myself and loosened the blanket I was holding.
My chest and collarbone were now fully exposed.
“…Ah!”
Ornica turned her head sharply, her ears turning red.
‘It’s confirmed.’
Something definitely felt off.
Normally, she wouldn’t have had any reaction to a man’s naked body.
But then again, I’m someone who has seen every single original ending of Valdeon Saga.
It’s not like I’ve never seen this side of her before.
‘She likes me.’
To be precise, she likes Alben.
And right now, I am Alben.
Ornica blushing like this only happened in the 78th and 102nd runs, where she was made a heroine.
‘Ha, this is troublesome.’
I wasn’t being conceited—I meant it.
For some reason, this difficult-to-conquer Ornica was already conquered.
Honestly, if such a beautiful girl liked me, I would welcome it with open arms, but….
‘The problem is that this is Valdeon Saga.’
In Valdeon Saga, once you become entangled with an NPC, the probability of encountering them again in a story-related event increases dramatically.
For example, you might meet an NPC you hunted bandits with in the past at a tavern, or run into a woman you spent a night with when you later rescue her from an orc camp.
There’s no official term for it, but the community calls it “Fate Mechanics.”
[What the hell is with these Fate Mechanics?]
(A picture of a hooded female thief capturing a man)
“FML. I was trying to go for the Second Princess heroine route by taking the princess rescue quest, but I ended up meeting the female thief NPC I teamed up with early on. Got forced into marriage. I put so much effort into the princess build-up, but damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it.”
Among all these factors, the highest fate potential is this emotion called Romantic Affection.
Once you successfully seduce someone, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll run into them again in the future.
If you reunite for a good reason, it can be beneficial, but it’s not always the case.
If I think back to the endings of the 28th run, where I flirted with the youngest daughter of the underworld, or the 57th run, where I spent a passionate night with a saintess….
‘Suddenly, my neck feels cold.’
Anyway, what’s done is done.
For whatever reason, the current Ornica isn’t just a game character but a living, breathing person.
There’s a saying that even though you can predict ten depths of water, you can’t know one depth of the human heart.
There’s no definite reason why someone likes another person, after all.
‘Maybe Ornica’s type is this kind of cute-looking guy.’
So, I should take advantage of whatever I can.
…And I just thought of a good way to do that.
What she saw just now was a completely unclothed body.
No matter how much she tried to erase it from her mind, it remained vivid.
The clearer Alben’s image became, the more her guilt and desire tangled together, turning her head into a mess.
She glanced over.
Without even realizing it, her eyes kept drifting toward Alben.
He was sitting there, soaking wet and clutching the blanket around himself dearly.
‘Ah….’
She felt like she was going insane.
Could such a creature truly exist in this world?
‘I want to have him… I want to embrace him….’
She wanted to grab those slender arms right now and push him down.
She wanted to climb onto that small body and leave marks everywhere, claiming him as hers.
As those thoughts reached that point, Ornica abruptly stood up.
“I-I’m going to head back…!”
If she stayed here any longer, she wouldn’t be able to control herself.
It would be better to leave before she did something irreversible.
Just as she was about to dash away—
Grab!
A hand pulled at her sleeve.
“…Please don’t go.”
“Wh-What do you mean…?”
“I have something to talk about.”
Alben.
He was the one who stopped her.
…….
There’s an old saying on the continent.
“All Women are Beasts.”
It’s a saying meant to warn men not to get involved with women they don’t know.
Every time she heard that phrase, Ornica felt a bit wronged.
She might be a woman, but she didn’t go around attacking men just because she couldn’t control herself.
Unlike those who were consumed by their desires, she was someone who could keep her urges in check.
…At least, she had been able to until just now.
Just look at him.
‘This is seduction, isn’t it…?’
Half-naked, asking her not to leave.
If she resisted now, she’d lose her title as a woman.
‘…Ugh!’
But Ornica held back once more with superhuman patience.
“Wha… What is it you want to say…?”
“It might be a bit of a rude request.”
He gently loosened the blanket.
The sunlight streamed through the gaps in the fabric, highlighting his pale, glistening navel and the wetness of his chest.
“…Could you pierce it for me?”
Click.
Something snapped in Ornica’s mind.
“Yes… I’ll pierce it for you.”
“Really?!”
“Of course… I’ll take responsibility….”
Ornica, her gaze unfocused, slowly approached Alben.
Whatever lengthy history might have been written here at the stream that early morning ended rather quickly, thanks to Erina and Galli arriving to check on the two people who had been away for far too long.
***
“Are you talking about the Danjun?”
*T/n: Danjun Piercing (단전 뚫기) – The process of opening the Danjun in order to become a swordsman.*
“Yes. Is there any other kind?”
“….”
“Ornica?”
“Just… Let me stay like this for a moment….”
Having returned to camp, Ornica buried her face against a wooden post and let out a long sigh.
“…Sometimes, I’m not sure if the captain is a fool or a genius.”
Having been briefed on the situation, Erina clicked her tongue and shook her head.
Then, as if remembering something, she turned to me and spoke.
“By the way, Alben. Do you really want to get it pierced? Your Danjun?”
In Valdeon Saga, there are many builds, but they can be broadly categorized into two types:
‘Mage and Swordsman.’
To become a swordsman, one must pierce their Danjun.
“Yes. I’ve been prepared for this since I decided to learn swordsmanship.”
“Wow… But how did you know that information? You wouldn’t know unless you really dug into it.”
A small pang of guilt.
“Ah… Ahhh…! I just feel like I remembered a little bit of something~ Maybe… like I read a book about swordsmen a long time ago….”
“Oh! That’s great news! Congratulations!”
Seeing Erina giving me a thumbs-up with such genuine happiness made me feel even guiltier.
“Hmm… Well, considering Alben’s level of talent, I suppose it’s fine to open your Danjun this early.”
Corinne closed her eyes slightly, as if deep in thought.
In truth, in Valdeon Saga, this is the moment when your initial build gets established.
‘Will you open your Mana Heart or your Danjun?’
Whichever choice you make, they have one thing in common: you can’t open them by yourself.
To unlock your Mana Heart, you need at least a 5th Circle Mage to activate your heart.
To open your Danjun, you need a swordsman who has fully unlocked their upper Danjun to pierce your lower Danjun.
“And in our squad, the only swordsman who has unlocked their upper Danjun is the captain!”
Galli let out a hearty laugh.
“Captain, looks like you’re out of luck.”
“…Be quiet.”
Ornica, having recovered her energy, approached where we were sitting.
For some reason, she couldn’t make eye contact with me.
“Alben, opening your Danjun is entirely your choice, so I won’t stop you. But… I do feel like it’s a bit too early for you to make this decision.”
I knew what she was worried about.
Opening your Danjun is no easy feat.
Even in the game, completing the Danjun-opening event would leave your HP at 1.
‘It’s a little scary, to be honest.’
Still, it’s best to open the Danjun as early as possible if given the chance.
More importantly, if Ornica felt more than just affection… if she felt “love” for me—
Then I should get it done quickly before those feelings fade.
In Valdeon Saga, the Danjun-opening event happens very early in the game.
That’s why there’s hardly any time to build a bond with NPCs before it’s rushed through, which is why not many people know about it.
‘But there’s an Easter egg.’
If, before the Danjun-opening event, you successfully seduce the other party—
If the one who feels love for you opens your Danjun—
Then something interesting happens.
“Please, Ornica.”
“Ugh….”
“Please, Pierce my Danjun.”
—
**T/n: “Danjun” (단전) is a Korean term used in traditional Korean martial arts, meditation, and Eastern medicine, which refers to specific energy centers in the human body. These energy centers are believed to be locations where Qi (기, life energy) is gathered and stored. In traditional practices, the Danjun is divided into three primary regions:
- Upper Danjun (상단전): Located in the forehead or head area, it is associated with the mind, spirit, and higher consciousness.
- Middle Danjun (중단전): Found in the chest region, it is linked to emotional energy and heart functions.
- Lower Danjun (하단전): Located in the lower abdomen, about two inches below the navel. This is considered the most important energy center, responsible for physical vitality and the cultivation of foundational Qi energy.**
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