I Became a Genius Swordsman in the Pretty Girl Game

“Si, Shin Se-hee. What are you saying right now…?”

In that moment, I felt as if my soul had frozen solid.
It was so sudden that I couldn’t even manage my expression.

“I want to know. About Jin Yuha’s original world.”

“…Ah.”

And at that moment, scenes from the time when I had fallen into a state of trance played out in my mind like a panorama.

What exactly had I said back then…?

-“A one-star trash. Lowest physical ability, swordsmanship specialized at E rank. A uniquely worthless character that makes you want to reset your account the moment you draw them. Honestly, I think Jin Yuha was released just to annoy the players. Otherwise, why would a game full of beautiful characters release someone this useless?”

-“You see… I’m not originally from this world. I came from a place where there are no monsters, a completely peaceful world. I lived a normal life in a city with neon lights, just playing games.”

-“How great would it have been to possess someone with more potential? Seriously, why of all people did it have to be someone with no redeeming qualities like this…?”

-“If not that, then maybe they could’ve at least given me a free gacha once a month. Then I wouldn’t have had to suffer like this.”

The words echoed in my ears like a curse.

“No… no way.”

Yes, Shin Se-hee had heard.
And she must have realized what those words meant.

‘What should I do?’

‘Should I deny it outright, saying it’s ridiculous?’

‘No, just looking at her expression, she’s convinced. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have brought it up in the first place.’

Even as someone who had spent over 10,000 hours, perhaps even more, playing Velvet, I had no idea how to handle this situation.

My mind went blank, and my fingertips started trembling.

The red liquid in the wine glass on the table rippled faintly.

“Not foresight, but transmigration? I truly didn’t see that coming. I’m really shocked.”

Then, Shin Se-hee spoke with a languid smile.

“But thinking about it like that, all the oddities I found suddenly make sense. During battles, you knew not just the enemy’s patterns but even the lines they would say. You seemed to know everything about each party member’s past and future as if you’d seen it all firsthand.”

She fiddled with her lips as if organizing her thoughts before continuing.

“Especially when we first met. You treated me like someone you’d known for a long time. It all makes perfect sense if you were someone who played the game and controlled these characters.”

I could only stare blankly at her lips, unable to say a word.

“In that game, what kind of character was I? I suppose I wasn’t very good, was I?”

It felt like I was laying my neck on a guillotine.

“Heh, from your expression, it seems you remember everything now. Hmm, I did think about keeping this to myself after hearing it from you… but I decided not to.”

I was terrified of what words might spill from her crimson lips.

“Or rather, you could say I’m preparing insurance to avoid any issues later.”

She savored a sip of wine before continuing.

“I think you’ll recall saying those words, whether it’s during an ordinary day or after everything has ended. Perhaps even during a life-and-death battle. And if that happens, you might lose focus in that critical moment, putting yourself in danger. Or, even if it’s not that, I believe you’d distance yourself from me and the other party members because of those memories.”

Her words pierced my heart like sharp arrows.

Shin Se-hee narrowed her eyes and let out a soft hum.

“Still, since Jin Yuha now knows me as much as I know him, why don’t I try guessing what you’re thinking right now?”

Whether it was because of the sunset or the light of insight, Shin Se-hee’s eyes glowed red.

“I’m someone who doesn’t belong to this world.”

Her voice was quiet.

“And I wore someone else’s skin, deceitfully fooling the precious people around me.”

I couldn’t breathe. It was as though she was reading the thoughts swirling in my head.

“What if the party members feel betrayed upon learning this? What if they discover that I was nothing more than a pitiful person with nothing to offer? What should I do? I just want to run away. Should I ask Lina for a memory-erasing spell? Should I use the favor I owe her to make it happen? But I’m supposed to save that for a critical moment. Even if the memories are erased, I can’t look at the party members the same way again. What if there’s no going back? I… I… What should I…”

I swallowed hard. Her words were an exact match to the thoughts dominating my mind.

But then, in the next moment,

Shin Se-hee smiled brightly and opened her mouth to speak.

“It’s okay, Jin Yuha.”

Her words made my eyes widen.

Her tone was firm.

“No matter who you were in the past, what kind of past you had, or what kind of world you lived in—none of that matters to me.”

Shin Se-hee set down her wine glass and continued.

“Of course, I was surprised at first. But being honest with my feelings, I found the answer surprisingly quickly.”

She pointed her finger at my face.

“You’re the one who saved me. The one I desire and hold feelings for is you. The one I love is you—not your past self, but the you standing in front of me right now.”

Her words made me look up, and with great effort, I managed to open my trembling lips.

“…Th-then, Se-hee, what do you think of the current me—”

My voice shook terribly.

“What do I think of you now?”
“Um…”

“The original you was, honestly, unreal. Hard to believe. You commanded battles perfectly, were stronger than anyone else even in a man’s body, and were a leader who earned everyone’s respect and admiration. It was hard to believe someone so perfect could even exist!”

Shin Se-hee furrowed her brow.

“So sometimes, you didn’t feel real to me. It didn’t seem possible for someone to be so perfect. Like a hero from legends or fairy tales. Back then, you felt… a bit distant, I guess? Like I was always chasing after your back.”

But.

She paused briefly.

“Now I understand. You weren’t perfect. A one-star trash, lowest physical abilities, swordsmanship specialized at E rank.”

Her gaze deepened as she repeated the words I had once said.

“Oh, so that’s why you worked so hard to overcome it.”
“…”
“You trained until you coughed up blood every day, burned yourself out for us…”
“…”
“It must have been tough. It must have been heavy. Behind the great hero’s back was a desperate, struggling, fragile person.”

A wave of emotion surged within me.
I clenched my teeth to stop it from spilling out.

But Shin Se-hee seemed determined to keep speaking.

“Now I see your true self. It wasn’t because you were perfect. It was because you knew your shortcomings and worked harder to overcome them. That’s what made you more beautiful.”

Her smile became clearer in my wide, astonished eyes.

“That’s why I’ve fallen for you all over again, Jin Yuha.”

I was speechless.
A single tear rolled down my face and dropped from my chin.

A moment of silence followed.
Languid jazz music flowed between us.

Shin Se-hee looked at me warmly, as if to say I had worked so hard.

I hadn’t realized it.
That the moment I feared so deeply could turn so warm so suddenly.

Swoosh—

Abruptly, Shin Se-hee stood up.

“By the way,” she said.

She walked slowly to my side. The atmosphere of the restaurant, filled with jazz, felt sweet.

Standing close, she met my eyes and smiled.

“Since I’ve laid all my cards on the table for you, don’t you think I deserve a little gift in return?”
“…A gift?”
“Well, I had an excuse ready about wanting to ease my anxiety about you. But that feels a bit cowardly now. The truth is, I just want to do this.”

I furrowed my brows, unsure of what she was about to say.

And then—

Smooch—

Shin Se-hee brushed aside a stray lock of hair, leaned down, and lightly pressed her lips against mine.

The contact was brief, but her lips were as sweet as wine.

I stared at her with dazed eyes.