In the days when Velvets was a game, I wasn't part of any of those so-called groups that fanatically obsessed over one character and refused to tolerate any others.
I wasn't part of the group who fawned over Lina, who wasn't even a playable character, or the Fan Club who loved Shin Se-hee more than anyone else, yet deliberately chose options that lowered her affection, capturing her contemptuous expressions to create a 'Contempt Bible'.
Well, they were a bit much. They called me a traitor for not being obsessed with a single character.
Anyway, I didn't obsess over a single character, but I did have my own preferences among the characters. One of them was Lee Yoo-ri.
Even the Fan groups, who were notorious for their malicious slander and nitpicking, gave Lee Yoo-ri the delightful nickname 'Soup' and had no qualms about adding her to their party. This shows how much Lee Yoo-ri was loved by Velvets players.
And, well... Lee Yoo-ri, the tank character, held a special significance for me personally.
She was born as a 3-star character. To be blunt, her innate talent was average. Her stats weren't particularly outstanding even among the entire Velvet Hunter Academy. Well, she did have the awesome skill 'Taunt', but other tank characters also had their own unique abilities. If you compared her to them, she was a one-trick pony with just Taunt, so performance-wise, she was a bit lacking.
However, despite her average nature, Lee Yoo-ri had to grow up from a very young age. The massive debt her family had accumulated, the bullying she faced, and the burden of responsibility on her shoulders demanded more from her than she had. The precocious child realized early on that her talent was ordinary and that 'effort' was her only option.
'She's a genius of effort, despite being an ordinary talent. Her character is like a human anthem.'
But why was Lee Yoo-ri so significant to me? 'Because she was the reason I got hooked on
Velvets.'
It was a sense of camaraderie. I had experienced it all: absorbing all the misfortunes around me, and the endless cycle of hardships. I had gone to school without paying for lunch and filled my stomach with water. While other kids made noisy plans after school, I'd say, 'I have to work, so I'll be going,' and leave, making the atmosphere awkward.
I couldn't help it. I was born an orphan in South Korea, where people would take advantage of others at the slightest opportunity. It wasn't easy to become a cog in society without any connections, whether it be through school, work, or family.
I was always anxious about people finding out I was poor, and while I was conscious of how others viewed me, I also felt a sense of self-loathing because I had to go out and earn money, a situation I couldn't change.
It was honestly heartbreaking. It wasn't a coincidence that when I first met Lee Yoo-ri in Camelia Forest, I saw her sitting alone, tearing into a plastic-wrapped meal with a stoic face while the other kids ate, and I rushed over to take care of her.
So, what was the main theme of Lee Yoo-ri's personal story? It was 'spoiledness'.
Because she had to shoulder heavy responsibilities and never had the chance to be spoiled as a child, Lee Yoo-ri had a deficiency in relying on and leaning on others. 'In her personal story, Lee Yoo-ri leaned on and was spoiled by a sudden sponsor.'
At first, she was wary and burdened by the goodwill and luck that came her way, but as she gradually opened up and began to rely on them, that change was truly heartwarming.
After reading Lee Yoo-ri's personal story, I became completely immersed in Velvet School Life, becoming a Velvets 'evil spirit' who played the game without sleeping during my free time after work.
As I waited for Lee Yoo-ri outside her house, lost in my thoughts and chuckling to myself, Lee Yoo-ri came out, looking a bit disheveled. I tried to greet her warmly but couldn't help but stiffen my face.
'What's wrong with her?' Her arms were bruised, her hair was messy despite her attempts to fix it, and there were even knife wounds. 'Did someone attack her while I was in the room?' "Yoo-ri, are you hurt?!"
Startled, I approached Yoo-ri, and she let out a rare scolding.
"Tsk, it's all your fault!!!"
.
.
.
Ha.
Yoo-ri leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, and I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.
I wondered how worried they must have been about her.
He had suddenly said he needed to think and locked himself in his room, not answering any calls. Then, he suggested a 1-night, 2-day trip, and when asked when, he replied, 'Right now.'
That's why the other party members were so concerned.
Of course, Yoo-ri quickly nodded,
[Yes, I'm in. What should I prepare?]
She replied at the speed of light, but that almost led to a life-threatening battle with the other party members.
'I almost got killed by Kang Do-hee and Instructor Baek Seol-hee.'
If it weren't for my taunt skill, I would have been hit by Do-hee's Avat of Fire and sliced by a sword.
It was Shin Se-hee, the most level-headed among us, who stopped the tense situation.
"Grr! Everyone, just wait a moment. I need to think for a bit. It won't take long."
'He suddenly proposed a 1-night, 2-day trip to Yoo-ri? What's the intention behind this? Grr! Did he choose Yoo-ri? No, he's not that kind of person. If he had, he would have gathered all of us and explained. It's more likely that he made a plan and immediately executed it.'
'Oh, did he say he needed to think and then come back? Did he think we would take his words literally? He's so clueless!'
'Why did he choose Yoo-ri first among us? Grr! I'm not sure about this part. And if it's a 1-night, 2-day trip, does it mean he's going to cross the line now that he's confirmed his feelings? No, he's not that kind of person.'
'Did he choose her because she was the first one he met? Yes, that's reasonable. While the order of meeting doesn't necessarily reflect the order of his heart, Grrr!!! That's at least understandable. He must have considered the order to minimize hurt among us. And again, no explanation! He's so clueless!!!'
After muttering to herself with an eerie expression for a while, Shin Se-hee finally calmed down and explained her thoughts to the party members.
"I think Jin Yuha wants to spend time with each of us, and he started with Yoo-ri because she was the first one he met. So, Yoo-ri."
"Huh?"
"First of all, can you stop that twitching smile? I feel like casting a fireball at your head. Anyway, when you meet Jin Yuha, ask him if Do-hee is next, and let us know as soon as you find out. That's the only way our party can survive."
Shin Se-hee said with a bright smile, and Yoo-ri nodded like a woodpecker.
.
.
.
"Because of me? What do you mean by that... But more importantly, you're injured."
While Jin Yuha was fussing over her, Yoo-ri rolled her eyes and opened a pocket dimension to take out a potion and apply medicine.
"It's fine. I'll be fine after applying the medicine. But Yuha, I have one question."
"What is it?"
"Is Do-hee next after me?"
"Of course."
Jin Yuha tilted his head to the side and replied.
"In the order we met?"
"Yes. I think that's the fairest way."
I wanted to scream, 'Why didn't you explain this in advance?!' but I held it in and sent a text to Shin Se-hee.
[It's Do-hee. In the order we met.]
My fears that Jin Yuha might have changed turned out to be unfounded, and my hopes that I might be the first one he thought of were also dashed.
To be honest, it would be a lie to say I wasn't disappointed, but the survival of the party was also at stake.
This was so typical of Jin Yuha.
Yoo-ri looked at Jin Yuha with a resigned expression.
"Well, at least the tension is gone now. But since I'm the first one, it's fine."
"Yes, you're the first."
"Haha! I like the sound of that. So, Yuha, where are we going now?"
Yoo-ri asked with a cheerful laugh.
"Today is for you, so we'll go wherever you want."
"Where I want to go?"
"Yes, let's go camping."
Yoo-ri's eyes widened at Jin Yuha's answer.
"Camping?"
The reason for doing personal storylines in the later stages is simple.
The quality of the rewards differs between the early and late stages.
Of course, favorability plays a huge role, which gives the later stages an advantage.
But honestly, that only applies to small-spending users like me or non-spending users.
If you become the ultimate wallet warrior, spending real money and spinning the gacha endlessly, you can shower her with gifts so extravagant that maxing out her favorability early on is entirely possible.
However, even those vanguards of ruthless capitalism frequently say, "The personal storyline is best tackled in the later stages."
"When you get to the late stages, you can skip the early storyline."
Every newbie player starting their first run who raises Yoo-ri inevitably follows the sluggish early storyline, all the while chanting, "My tear button, Yoo-ri! Wahhh!"
For example,
Yoo-ri, who just enrolled in the academy, juggles numerous part-time jobs to pay off her debts and tuition.
In one event, you can comfort Yoo-ri when she's worn out from a rude customer's harsh words as she leans against a lamppost.
Or, you can go the extra mile and investigate that rude customer's details to serve them a lesson in justice.
Another time, you might subtly tip her off about a lucrative dungeon.
When Yoo-ri, who uses every minute of her day, accidentally falls asleep from exhaustion, you can even send another student to cover her part-time job.
You also help her deal with debt collectors when they storm her house, handling things legally.
As her supporter, you act like Yoo-ri's personal "tall uncle" figure.
Yes, Yoo-ri's storyline is good.
But once you've gone through it all and start your second run, it's a different story. Repeat that sluggish early storyline?
Running the game like that wouldn't work for second runs.
Especially when Yoo-ri isn't the only character you need to care for.
That's why players replaying the game who don't want to rewatch the same storyline just focus on building favorability and level her up to unlock her personal storyline in the later stages.
That way, you can immediately trigger the awakening events.
"Anyway, by the later stages, you're guaranteed to pay off all her family's debt."
Just look at Yoo-ri now.
Who would think of her as the eldest daughter struggling with family debt?
Yoo-ri's family?
They're living worry-free on one floor of a luxurious mansion.
Even her younger sister, Yuna, is now getting private lessons to follow Yoo-ri into the academy. What else is there to say?
Anyway.
If you unlock personal storylines in the later stages, you can skip all the early events and enjoy only the awakening events.
And at the same time...
"Unlocking personal storylines in the later stages mixes the essence of demon gates."
That's right.
From then on, even normal gates start producing monsters tainted by demonic energy.
In mobile games, isn't it common to reuse the same monster models, only to make them darker in color and call them "tainted by demonic energy"?
Sure, the monster looks the same as before, but the difficulty is much higher— a longstanding dark tradition in the gaming industry.
If you're upset, go ahead and send a protest truck to Velvet Studio.
Anyway, what does it mean when monsters tainted by demonic energy appear in gates designed for Yoo-ri's growth?
Simple: it's tougher, but the rewards are far better.
With that in mind, I watched from the sidelines, arms crossed, as Yoo-ri fought hard.
Thunk!
"Soup, focus! You're supposed to block that side!"
Of course, backseat coaching is free, so Soup should understand this much, right?
.
.
.
"You said camping! You said camping!!"
Boom! Crunch!
"Ack!"
Yoo-ri bit her lip as she blocked a heavy attack with her shield.
How is this camping, exactly?
"Military training camp" would be a more accurate term.
Of course, knowing Jin Yuha's personality, I wasn't expecting a sudden romantic vibe.
But honestly...
We've already confirmed each other's feelings.
And maybe, just maybe? Just a teeny tiny bit? Since we're not high schoolers anymore? I did have some expectations for an event like that.
I even packed some strawberry-flavored candy, shaped like Vitamin C tablets, bulging in one pocket.
But where did Jin Yuha take me when he suggested camping?
Not a well-decorated campsite, not a peaceful forest where we could be alone.
"Wait, there was a gate like this only 10 minutes from the academy…?"
The monsters emerging from the gate were goblins, orcs, gnolls, and werewolves.
Their appearances were only slightly darker than before, but their difficulty was on a whole other level.
And on top of that, he expected her to fight alone, without any damage dealers.
"I even did my makeup for once and wore a dress I've hardly ever worn because I was afraid of stains!"
"Yoo-ri! Up front!"
Clang!
"Ugh─!"
Boom!
Yoo-ri shoved her shield forward with all her strength, sending a goblin flying like a cannonball into a rock, where it splattered into a mess.
Panting heavily, she glared at Jin Yuha with eyes full of betrayal.
"How is this a date? Where's the romance in this?"
.
.
.
A spectacle of monsters pouring out so overwhelmingly it could be called a "wave."
Since Yoo-ri held only a shield without any other main weapon, she had no choice but to fight in an inefficient manner—pushing, crushing, and slamming monsters with her shield.
Though she had undergone extreme training that no ordinary human could withstand, fighting for over six hours against a flood of strong enemies with just a shield was bound to tire her out.
At first, she felt a wave of resentment, thinking Jin Yuha was doing this to mess with her.
But ultimately, this was a battlefield.
There were monsters in front of her and someone behind her that she had to protect at all costs.
That alone was reason enough to raise her shield.
How many monsters had she defeated like that?
Before she knew it, night had fallen.
Her mouth was dry, her body drenched in sweat, and she was too exhausted to speak.
In the forest, now shrouded in darkness, the monsters stopped coming.
But Yoo-ri, still on edge, kept scanning her surroundings with sharp vigilance, ready for another attack.
That was when Jin Yuha, who had been silently watching her the whole time, finally stepped forward.
"Are you tired?"
"…Huff… Is that… huff… even a question?" "You worked hard."
Swoosh, swoosh—
Jin Yuha, wearing a playful smile, reached out to gently pat her head.
Annoyed, she tried to shake his hand off, but Jin Yuha spoke before she could.
"You've used up all your strength, haven't you? So much that you can't even lift a finger now?" "…Yeah."
"Feeling like you just want to collapse and rest all day without doing anything?" "Exactly!"
"Great. Now you're just where I need you to be."
"What do you mean, where you need me to be!?"
"Well, now you're in a position where you can't do anything but rely entirely on me." "What?"
With a smirk, Jin Yuha suddenly strode over and scooped her up in his arms.
"!?"
A bridal carry...!?
Yoo-ri looked up at Jin Yuha with a face that had turned bright red.
Startled by his bold move, she tried to squirm out of his grasp, but to her surprise, her body had absolutely no strength left.
"Jin Yuha! P-put me down!"
"Nope."
"Let go!"
"Why would I? Now that I can do whatever I want with you, there's no reason to."
Looking down at Yoo-ri in his arms, Jin Yuha spoke in a teasing tone.
Gulp—
"D-do whatever he wants with me?"
She had heard before about people who enjoyed taking the upper hand in such situations. Could this be that kind of preference?
"…Should I… just go along with it?"
As if reading her mind, Jin Yuha spoke again.
"Today, you can leave everything to me."
"…Everything?"
"Yeah."
*****************
Holy sh!t my fingers hurting doing such a big chap, this chap has 29 page worth materials!!! 3486 fukking words ! 2 chap worth materials.
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