*****
NOVELASIUS
- TL: the guild
- Discord: https://discord.gg/GBKEa55867
- Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/topasius
Thank you for your continued support of this series. As we’ve recently taken over the translation, there may be minor errors or inconsistencies in this chapter. We’re committed to delivering the best possible experience, so if you spot anything that doesn’t seem right, please let us know on our Discord server. Your feedback helps us improve and ensures the quality of future translations.
ENJOY~ PYUUN~
*****
Perfect Plan (3)
To the north of Mercabah City, there lies a small mountain.
Known as Sowolbong, it’s a popular spot for the Moonrise Festival during special holidays, and its gentle slopes and stunning views of the city attract many hikers.
Recently, however, a new attraction has been making waves along this hiking trail, especially among middle-aged women.
“He’s really there, I’m telling you. And his body… it’s amazing, just… oh! Incredible!”
“I heard he’s a student from Guardian Academy.”
“I’m telling you, just trust me and come along! It’s good exercise too!”
And so, when one woman led her three or four friends to the middle of Sowolbong, they witnessed a peculiar sight.
“Alright, one-two! One-two! Shout it out…! Heave-ho!”
“Heave-ho!”
“Heave-ho!”
“Your voices are too weak, ladies! Is this the best you can do? Louder!”
“Heave-ho!!”
“Heave-ho!!”
“On one, drop to your knees! On two, touch the ground! On three, jump! Heave-ho!”
“Heave-ho!!”
“That’s it! Keep it up!”
It was a bizarre scene.
A young man, clad in tight spandex pants and a sleeveless shirt, was leading a group of nearly a hundred middle-aged women in synchronized exercise.
“What… what is this?”
“I heard he’s a knight student from Guardian Academy. He’s been teaching exercise routines here lately.”
It all started about two weeks ago, around the time the Academy students were preparing for their finals.
A young man in a sleeveless shirt began jogging along the popular hiking trail of Sowolbong.
Even though it’s a small mountain, the sight of him leaping effortlessly along the trails led the hikers to nickname him the Flying Squirrel of Sowolbong. It took only three days for him to start leading exercise sessions halfway up the mountain.
At first, the hikers were drawn to this handsome newcomer out of curiosity. After all, hikers are often eager to help out young newcomers with anything they might need.
What began as friendly exchanges soon evolved into a full-fledged community, thanks to the young man’s natural charm and way with words.
“Korin, your body is in such great shape. Is it because you’re a knight?”
“You don’t have to be a knight to achieve this. With consistent exercise and a proper diet, you can do it too, sisters. How about I teach you some exercises?”
“Oh, we’d love that.”
“Do you mean we could really have muscles like yours?”
“Trust me. How about we start with an InBody check and then work on those abs?”
Being a student of Guardian Academy was not only relatable but also a mark of being a promising elite.
Who wouldn’t want free exercise lessons from an elite knight?
Word spread quickly, and before long, over a hundred people were flocking to see this Academy knight student. The majority of them were middle-aged women.
“Oh my~ Korin, look at those muscles.”
“I’ve never felt muscles so firm before.”
Women fussing over a well-built young trainer is a common sight in gyms.
If you want to make a living, especially as a personal trainer, you endure this to encourage as many PT sessions as possible. For someone like Korin, who was naturally good with people, it was all part of the job. In fact──
“Oh my!”
“Did you just make your chest muscles pop? How did you do that?”
“Oh my goodness! Look at that chest move!”
“Hehe, behold the Muscle Magic Show, just for you, ladies!”
Korin Lork.
Former national team candidate and personal trainer.
A natural people person, Korin took the flirtations from these women in stride and even offered fan service with a laugh.
Thanks to this, he became the most popular trainer at his gym, leading what the locals jokingly called the “Auntie Brigade.” His group workouts even outnumbered the yoga classes.
The gym owner where he worked had once clung to Korin’s leg, begging him.
“I’ll hand the gym over to you when I retire. Just promise to work here for life, okay?”
“Boss, please, don’t do this.”
“I won’t say a word if you date Hanbyul!”
“???? What does Hanbyul have to do with this?”
Korin’s innate charisma and social skills made him a natural at dealing with the neighborhood ladies.
Of course, his obliviousness to their advances often left them frustrated.
“Shout it out! Get ready for a chest bump…!”
“Oh my!”
“Kyaaah! Take me, big brother!”
After wrapping up a fantastic fan service session, Korin concluded the day’s workout.
“By the way, sisters and brothers, you know about the Harvest Festival coming up, right?”
“Yes, we heard about it.”
“It’s supposed to be a big event for the kids, right? My daughter said she wants to go and check it out.”
Good, now for the main topic. Korin smoothly shifted the conversation and began handing out the pamphlets he had prepared.
“I’ll be cooking up some food that day. If you stop by, I’ll give you a discount. A big 10% off, just for you!”
“Oh, really?”
“If Korin is cooking, we have to go and support him!”
“We’re looking forward to the Harvest Festival!”
After sweet-talking the women, Korin moved on to the men who had come for the workout. They were enviously eyeing his ripped muscles.
“You guys need to get in shape for next summer.”
“How could people like us build muscles like that…”
“I’m so jealous…”
“It’s not that hard. Just trust me. After three months of proper diet and exercise, you’ll have a solid foundation. After that, with just a little effort, you’ll be ready for a summer body profile, and you know… hitting the beach like, oh yeah, you know what I’m talking about.”
“Do you really think that’s possible?”
“I’m telling you, it’s possible! And here’s something I wasn’t going to mention because it’s a bit embarrassing, but… if you build muscle, it’s great for your nighttime performance too.”
“Hahaha! Korin, my friend!”
“That’s a bit personal, don’t you think?”
“No, seriously, if you exercise and take this… oh yeah, it’s really good for men, but… oh… I shouldn’t be saying this.”
Something good for men.
Throughout history, no man has been able to ignore those words. Their ears perked up at the thought.
Korin, having piqued their interest, pretended to hesitate before shaking his head.
“No… never mind. I should keep this to myself. If word gets out, the price will skyrocket.”
“Now hold on a second! You can’t just leave us hanging like that!”
“Yeah, come on, share the secret with us!”
“Ahem… well, you see…”
Whispering conspiratorially, Korin finally revealed his secret, leaving the men astonished.
“Wait, you’re saying it’s that good for men?”
“That’s right. I get it in small quantities from a supplier I know, so I don’t have much. I’m planning to sell it at the Harvest Festival to test the market.”
Some of the men looked at Korin with skeptical eyes. It sounded a lot like a sales pitch.
“Are you just trying to make a buck here?”
It wasn’t Korin who responded but the townspeople who defended him.
“Hey, brother! Galon! Is that any way to talk to Korin?!”
“This guy’s a great friend who takes care of even the smallest missions for us city folk!”
“Oh, um… no, that’s not what I meant.”
“If this guy hadn’t taken care of those water demons lurking in the sewers last summer, do you think we would’ve made it through the monsoon season in one piece?”
“Exactly. And remember when that freak was kidnapping girls from Baymber’s 4th Avenue? Korin handled it quickly before anyone got seriously hurt!”
Korin Lork is, at his core, a good person.
Being aware of the future, he often steps in to resolve issues early, even if they don’t seem profitable.
His reputation as a good man spread because he would take on even the small, thankless missions from the common folk.
“Ahem… I apologize for doubting you.”
“Hey, it’s fine. These days, the world’s a tough place. It’s understandable.”
Korin, feeling a bit guilty from their enthusiastic defense, graciously accepted the apology.
“Well, see you at the Harvest Festival, everyone! Let’s work together and make it a success!”
Having planted the seeds, Korin headed to the next stop: the salon.
The network of connections he had woven throughout the city was far broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.
As the Harvest Festival approached, Mercabah City also began its preparations.
Mercabah City is the largest and most prosperous of the central cities surrounding the royal capital.
In a world where monsters and demons run rampant, safety leads to development, and it has become a place where people naturally gather.
The upper echelons of society formed here naturally, each sponsoring Guardian Academy. Managing and entertaining these patrons was one of the Headmaster’s key duties.
“Haha, you look absolutely stunning, Headmaster Erin Danua.”
“Do you have any plans after this?”
As men’s flirtations continued, Erin endured the dull moments of greeting and mingling with the sponsors of the Harvest Festival.
“Ah~ I miss my student.”
“What? What did you just say?”
“Oh, nothing. By the way, will you be attending the festival again this year, Master of the Guild?”
Quickly covering her slip, Erin smoothly continued the conversation.
This kept happening lately. She kept shaking her head to clear the image of a certain boy that hovered in her mind.
“And by the way, Headmaster Erin, that necklace looks wonderful on you.”
“Doesn’t it?”
The man thought he was being clever by bringing up the necklace, but it was a mistake.
“My student gave this to me for my birthday. Isn’t he thoughtful?”
“I-Is that so…”
Erin’s attitude shifted as she eagerly launched into her favorite topic: bragging about her student.
“My student is so handsome and sweet, always thinking of his teacher. And his achievements? If I teach him one thing, he learns ten──”
The man eventually fled, overwhelmed by Erin’s relentless praise for her student.
“Phew~”
During a break, Erin retreated to the restroom, scrubbing her face with her hands. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, which showed a face without a trace of makeup.
“Hmm… did I go too bold today?”
She was wearing an open-shoulder dress that accentuated her figure.
It was a simple black open-shoulder dress. She could have worn something more elaborate, but she considered that too bold for her age.
Despite this, the sparkling gold jewelry she wore was the one accessory that made her feel good about dressing up.
“Hmm~ Hmm… But I still look pretty good, don’t I?”
Erin whispered to her reflection, blushing slightly at her own words.
But then, her student’s voice echoed in her mind.
“You look beautiful. You should dress up like this more often.”
“Hoo…”
What was it about that one sentence? Erin sighed deeply, trying to calm her racing heart.
…
…
…
Leaving the lively banquet behind, Erin stepped out onto the terrace. The party celebrating the eve of the Harvest Festival was in full swing.
“Another year… another Harvest Festival.”
Erin is one of the few remaining gods who remember the thousands of years of history of this land.
She knew that this festival had been held long before she was born, with a deep and noble history.
Originally, it was a festival to offer thanks to Dagda, the Earthly God of Harvest.
During this grand festival, various gods would receive their turn to be honored.
First, thanks would be offered to Dagda for the earth’s bounty.
Next, to Nuada of the Sun and Lu of the Light, who nurtured the crops.
Then, to the Water God, who governed rivers and rain, and the God of Music, who brightened the festival.
The festival would culminate in the final event: the crowning of the Lady of the Harvest, who would be blessed by the God of Beauty.
Erin remembered those times when all the gods worked in harmony to bring prosperity to the world. But now, those ancestors who once stood beside her… her family, were nothing more than distant memories.
“It’s been 2,000 years… I thought you were dead back then.”
Erin spoke, turning to face the handsome man who had stepped onto the terrace.
“It seems my little sister is still holding a grudge.”
Ohad Bres, the God of Beauty.
For all those long years, Erin hadn’t even known if he was still alive. And for good reason, too──
“Ever since Nuada banished you, you disappeared. I never imagined you’d find refuge with the Northern Gods.”
“It wasn’t refuge. It was conquest. I returned late because of the gods’ end times over there. But, thanks to that, we get to meet like this again.”
The extreme demonic realm, now known as the North Kingdom.
Erin was well aware of the tragic end that took place there. She had once taught the Valkyries of the Supreme God during their exchanges, and their demise was a sorrowful memory for her.
“Why now… and why would you involve yourself in the mortal world by becoming Tates’s subordinate?”
Erin swallowed back the anger that surged when she thought of what he had done to her student. If she voiced that, she felt she might just drive a spear through him.
“Because one way or another, Balthazar will win. That’s why the Frost Giant is supporting Balthazar.”
Bres took a sip of the wine provided freely at the banquet before tossing the rest aside in disdain.
“When this battle is over, the world will finally understand. They’ll learn the truth about their false gods and the existence of real gods.”
And it would happen surprisingly soon──
It wasn’t about who would win.
He was sure of it.
“Your outdated era of justice is coming to an end. A new era will dawn, led by either light or the sun.”
“And…”
“Unlike justice or beauty, light and the sun are on a whole different level of necessity.”
*****
NOVELASIUS
- TL: the guild
- Discord: https://discord.gg/GBKEa55867
- Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/topasius
*****
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