Several years ago, when the time came for Yeon Haneul to choose the weapon she would use as her mainstay.
She considered a weapon that would combine a demi-human’s developed physical abilities and hand-to-hand techniques with magic, allowing her to support me in battle.
Grateful for how she felt, I recommended a sword or spear, while Hong Yena recommended flails and firearms.
―If it’s a sword, our family has plenty of good swords, and there’s a swordsmanship hall nearby where you can take lessons, so it’s easy to get into. Or I think a spear wouldn’t be bad either. You can fight while keeping your distance by using its long reach.
―Flails and firearms are the same in that they let you fight at a distance. Compared to other weapons, flails are simple to use, and above all, they have a strong impact. They’re effective for keeping enemies from approaching or taking them out. Firearms are convenient too. Being able to fire repeatedly from afar is also an advantage. That’s why combinations of magic and firearms are getting popular these days.
Every weapon had its pros and cons.
So Hong Yena and I couldn’t blindly force her to choose one.
We only hoped that Yeon Haneul would think it over deeply and decide on a weapon that suited her.
As a result, after trying out all sorts of weapons with the help of the Regulus Clan, the weapon she chose was a sledgehammer.
―I think… I like this one.
―…A sledgehammer?
―Yeah. It has a decent reach, and the impact feels pretty good too. Most of all… it kind of feels like all my stress just melts away.
―Ah… right….
Even thinking about it again now.
The memory of Yeon Haneul shyly hugging a sledgehammer bigger than herself comes back to me vividly.
The smile she showed me when I respected her choice and gifted her a sledgehammer someday was just as clear.
―Thank you, Gyeonu. I’ll take good care of it.
―…I’m glad you like it. Next time, I’ll get you something even better than that.
―No, I like this more than enough. It’s a gift you gave me because you were thinking of me.
―….
―Gyeonu? What’s wrong?
―It’s just… my face feels hot….
―What!? Don’t tell me you have a fever. That’s why I told you not to walk around dressed so lightly when it’s cold out…. This won’t do. Come inside. I’ll make you some warm cocoa, so drink that and warm yourself up before you go. If it’s serious, I have fever reducers too….
―No, I’m fine…. I only came to give you that today, so I’ll head back now. See you tomorrow!
―Then I’ll put it in a thermos, so you can drink it on your way home! Gyeonu, Do Gyeonu! Come back!
Since then, Yeon Haneul had been using the sledgehammer I gave her as her favorite weapon.
A sledgehammer with no effect to raise her physical abilities, merely imbued with a lightening spell and possessing a high mana conductivity, all this time.
As someone who had yet to give her a better weapon, it weighed on me.
If I could, I wanted to use my game knowledge to change her weapon for her.
The problem was that there were hardly any sledgehammers in the game, none of them were suitable, and I couldn’t obtain any right away.
Thus, the best option was to acquire good materials and craft a sledgehammer that had never existed in the game.
No, the true best option was to obtain the sledgehammer in front of me.
[Mountain Echo]
◆ Equipment Classification
―Warhammer
◆ Detailed Description
―A sacred relic of the Oxfolk.
―It is said that the sound it makes when brought down resembles a mountain crying out.
―It has excellent mana conductivity.
―It is imbued with a lightening spell.
―The Fighting Demon Seo Jeongjin plundered it from the chief of the Oxfolk in Grace.
◆ Detailed Effects
―Strength +2, Agility +2, Magic Power +2
―Mana operation ability increased by 5%
―Critical chance increased by 5% only when striking directly
―Skill 「Shock Wave」
―(Unlock condition: Strength 60, Magic Power 60 or higher)
It had been the same in the game, but in this world as well, arms that raised physical abilities possessed exceedingly rare value.
It wasn’t easy to obtain one at all.
Arms without restrictions on their stat-increase conditions were even rarer.
And the value of arms that grew alongside their owner went without saying.
In that sense, as far as I knew, it was hard to find a sledgehammer with performance comparable to Mountain Echo.
‘If Haneul gets this….’
Her Strength, Agility, and Magic Power would each rise by 2, becoming 55, 60, and 86 respectively.
In the case of Magic Power, which rose at an incredibly sluggish rate, it would increase by 2 in one go.
Because of that, even knowing that I couldn’t obtain Mountain Echo, I found it hard to move my feet.
On top of that, the built-in skill drew me in as well.
‘If she had that, it could reduce the burden of battle on Haneul….’
Shock Wave, which released a shockwave over the area by bringing down a mana-infused blow and had a chance to put beings touched by the shockwave into a stunned state.
Although the mana consumption was considerable, it wouldn’t be an obstacle for Yeon Haneul, whose internal mana was vast.
Having thought that far, I couldn’t help but be deeply captivated by Mountain Echo.
That was why Kang Hanbyeol’s offer tempted me.
“You seem to like that one. Do you need it?”
“….”
“You want to give it to Haneul, right? I can tell just by looking at your face, Gyeonu. I also think it’s a weapon that would suit Haneul well.”
“If I say I need it… will you give it to me?”
“It belongs to Master in the first place, so I can’t say I’ll give it away as I please. But I can lend it to you.”
Kang Hanbyeol spoke in a refreshingly straightforward tone.
Then he shrugged and quietly waited for my response.
Having received an unexpected proposal, I fell into thought for a moment before asking.
“What do you want from me? What are your conditions? You’re not saying you’ll give it to me for free, are you?”
“…As expected, Gyeonu, you really think things through. Well, yeah.”
As befitting the protagonist of the game, Kang Hanbyeol was a kind, righteous, and good character.
However, just because he was good didn’t mean he was a pushover who would blindly show goodwill even at his own loss.
He was someone who pursued the golden rule in human relationships, receiving fairly in proportion to what he gave and, conversely, acting in proportion to what he received.
It would be a mistake to judge him simply as someone overflowing with chivalry and passion.
Unlike Yong Haerang, he was a person who possessed both reason and rationality in balance.
So there was no way he would show me favor without compensation simply because I was his friend.
Sure enough, with an expression that seemed to say he was glad I understood, he answered.
“It’s not like I’m trying to ask for anything grand…. I don’t have enough coins to withdraw that sledgehammer too. So could you pay the coins for that portion?”
“I’m the one giving it to Haneul, so of course I should. As thanks, I’ll also pay the coins needed to withdraw your demon sword.”
“Ah, really? Still, I’ll just accept the thought. It’s not like I don’t have coins, and I can’t gouge a friend for more than what’s fair. So I’ll ask for something else.”
“Something else?”
“Mm…. It’d be easier to check directly. Follow me. It should be nearby.”
Kang Hanbyeol jerked his chin and turned around.
After taking Mountain Echo out of the glass case and changing it into a metal plaque, I followed after him.
As he walked toward the accessory section, he explained the situation.
“Master mentioned it before. He said there’s an artifact in this vault that only takes effect when two people wear it.”
“Ah….”
By coincidence.
The artifact Kang Hanbyeol mentioned was one I knew very well.
Not only that, it was also the one I had been keeping in mind next after the Demon Sword Lucid.
‘In the game, it was treated as essential for early growth….’
Since Kang Hanbyeol’s thoughts aligned with mine.
For me, who had been planning to persuade him somehow, this was fortunate.
It saved me the trouble.
“Ah, here it is. This one.”
“….”
Before long, we were able to find the artifact we were looking for.
A pair of silver bravelets set with green gems.
I brought up the information window for the artifact Kang Hanbyeol pointed at.
[Sharing Know-How]
◆ Equipment Classification
―Bracelet
◆ Detailed Description
―A bravelet made to commemorate friendship with a comrade-in-arms.
―It acts through the bond between its wearers.
―The deeper the relationship, the stronger the effect it displays.
―The Fighting Demon Seo Jeongjin plundered it from a certain pair of lovers.
◆ Detailed Effects
―Luck +1
―Share experience points with partner
In the game, it was an artifact you equipped on two characters so they could share the experience gained from combat or classes.
Of course, since Kang Hanbyeol, the owner of the artifact, had to wear it no matter what, it effectively could only be used on one character.
In the early stages, it helped grow characters whose progress was slow because they couldn’t contribute in battle.
Among players, they even crudely described it as letting someone ride the bus.
‘But the fact that he showed this to me means….’
Unlike me, who could read the message, Kang Hanbyeol had read the explanatory text about the artifact, and that was when he opened his mouth.
His voice was serious.
“What I want to ask isn’t anything special. Gyeonu, I want you to wear this artifact with me.”
“Why… me, of all people?”
It was the very thought I had already been plotting anyway.
I had intended to share the experience Kang Hanbyeol would mainly acquire from now on.
But I hadn’t expected him to propose it first.
Even though it was something I had hoped for, I couldn’t help but wonder about his intentions.
Then, smiling refreshingly, he replied as if it were nothing.
“Because I thought the experience I’d gain from you would benefit me the most.”
“….”
“Should I call it… intuition? For some reason, I feel like there’ll be a lot I can learn from you, and if I stay by your side, I’ll go through all kinds of experiences. It feels like incidents and accidents won’t ever stop happening.”
So let me ride your bus a little!
Kang Hanbyeol chuckled in a joking tone.
Seeing him shake his shoulders, I was so dumbfounded that I clicked my tongue.
“This kid’s treating me like a troublemaker…. The troublemaker isn’t me, it’s you.”
Did he even know that he had been born with the fate of a protagonist who dragged incidents and accidents everywhere he went?
Kang Hanbyeol, who laughed without knowing that fact, was nothing but pitiful.
It was practically a comedy.
I let out a bitter laugh.
“It’s not a request I can’t grant. Fine, let’s wear them together.”
“Thanks! I’ll be looking forward to the experience points we’ll get from now on!”
“I’m the one who should be looking forward to it, not you, Kang Hanbyeol. I’ll enjoy riding your bus.”
And so.
We put on Sharing Know-How.
* * *
Since there were more than enough coins anyway.
If I could, I wanted to withdraw equipment for the others too.
However, there was a limit to the number of times items could be withdrawn from the vault.
“With Student Kang Hanbyeol’s current credit, you may only borrow three items. If you wish to raise your borrowing limit, please raise your credit rating.”
“How do I raise my credit rating?”
“By building renown and proving your skills.”
It was Seo Jeongjin’s arrangement, telling him not to rely on high-performance arms but to devote himself to training.
It was also something that had existed in the game to regulate the pace of content consumption.
In the end, we could only borrow the Demon Sword Lucid, Mountain Echo, and Sharing Know-How.
Then we left the vault.
“Ah! Gyeonu, Gyeonu’s here! I was bored waiting! Play with me!”
“Guys, welcome back! And we’ll enjoy dinner, of course! We waited for you like this, so isn’t it only natural that you two should treat us? Now, everyone, applause!”
“Were there a lot of arms inside? A vault belonging to the Fighting Demon… I wonder what it looked like.”
“Do Gyeonu! Kang Hanbyeol! What did you choose in there!? Were there any martial arts secret manuals!?”
“Did you get anything good? We were talking about what you two might pick down below. If it’s all right, could you show us?”
“You’re back? How was it?”
“Munch….”
On the surface, the people who had been waiting for us greeted us warmly.
At the same time, they showed curiosity about what we had brought back.
In response, Kang Hanbyeol took out his device to show them directly.
“I brought this. Device on.”
The metal plaque regained its original form, and the Demon Sword Lucid appeared.
Everyone examined the sword, which held an extraordinary aura, from here and there.
I had taken a step back from them as they let out exclamations.
At that moment, Yeon Haneul, who showed no interest in the sword, quietly approached me.
“Did you take that bracelet out of the vault too?”
“Ah, this?”
“Yeah. You and Hanbyeol are wearing matching ones?”
Yeon Haneul’s rabbit ears perked up.
I showed her the arm wearing Sharing Know-How.
Taking hold of my wrist, she carefully examined the bravelet.
Soon, she nodded at my explanation.
“To think you can share experience points…. Experience points are kind of an ambiguous concept, but artifacts like this really exist, huh.”
“Well… yeah. I’ll have to test it out little by little to see how effective it is.”
“So that’s why you looked so happy?”
“Me?”
“Yeah. You had a big smile on your face from the moment you came out of the elevator. I thought something good had happened.”
“Mm… It wasn’t because of that….”
If she meant when I came out of the elevator, then it was probably when I’d been excited at the thought of giving Yeon Haneul Sanullim.
Hearing her say that made me feel oddly embarrassed, and I touched my face.
Since it had come to mind, I decided to hand Sanullim over to her.
“Here, take it.”
“What’s this?”
“A present.”
I took the Device out of my pocket and held it out to Yeon Haneul.
She tilted her head.
Deciding it would be better to show her through action rather than words, I recited the activation phrase.
“Device On.”
“….”
The metal plaque emitted light and transformed.
Before I knew it, Sanullim was in my hand.
“This is….”
Seeing the snow-white metal hammer, Yeon Haneul murmured as if entranced.
I said to her,
“The metal hammer you’re using now is already several years old. It kept bothering me, so I wanted to replace it for you, and this just happened to catch my eye. So I asked Hanbyeol and got it from her.”
“You’re… giving this to me?”
“Who else would I give it to but you?”
“….”
“Come on, take it.”
“Ah….”
I tilted the handle so Yeon Haneul could take it.
But she didn’t react, so I forced it into her hands.
Only then did it seem to feel real to her, and she carefully hugged the metal hammer to her chest.
“Thank you. I’ll treasure it and use it well.”
Yeon Haneul looked up at me shyly and smiled softly.
Meeting her gaze head-on made my face heat up for no reason.
“Gyeonwoo? What’s wrong?”
“It’s just… My face feels hot….”
“What!? Don’t tell me you have a fever. Come here, let me check if you—”
“No, I’m fine. More importantly, sell or throw away the Device you used before. You can melt it down and use it as crafting material later, too.”
“What? How could I do that? You gave it to me because you were thinking of me.”
“….”
“I won’t be using it anymore, but I’m still going to treasure it and keep it safe.”
“…Fine, do whatever you want.”
As if expressing her dissatisfaction, Yeon Haneul pouted with a sulky face.
She puffed out her cheeks and glared at me out of the corner of her eye.
At the same time, her gaze was filled with emotion brimming with trust.
I found myself dazed by the sight of her pretending to sulk, only to smile softly.
‘Seriously….’
As expected of someone who was called the game’s mid-boss.
Yeon Haneul was far too dangerous.
She was so deadly she could bring about the end of the world.
“Gyeonwoo! You’re only giving one to Haneul? Don’t you have anything for me? Huh? What about me!? Eunbi!? What about Eunbi!?”
“That’s right! Don’t you have anything for me too!? Yuri!? What about Yuri!?”
“Um, well…. Is there… nothing for me too? What about me? I mean…. Lisa? What about Lisa?”
“Yam. …Eunsol?”
“I don’t know why everyone’s doing this, but I can’t be left out! Haerang…”
“Sagun…”
“Don’t refer to yourselves in the third person. No, just don’t do it at all.”
“Gyeonwoo, um… Haneul…?”
“….”
“Can Haneul… do it?”
“…Don’t tease me.”
Yeon Haneul peered around me as I averted my eyes, trying to meet my gaze.
My childhood friend kept threatening me.
* * *
Midterms were not far off.
After realizing her powerlessness at the club experience event, Min Arin had devoted herself to preparing for midterms from that day on.
Lately, she had even cut down on the time she spent sleeping.
Scratch, scratch.
The library on the grounds of Geumgang Academy.
That day as well, Min Arin remained until late at night and immersed herself in studying.
At last, after finishing her review of one subject, she took a certain book out of her bag.
“As long as I have this….”
A grimoire with a thick cover, decorated in geometric patterns.
It was a treasure of the arcane Min family, which she had received to commemorate her enrollment in middle school.
With a determined look in her eyes, Min Arin opened the grimoire.
‘No one will look down on me.’
With this grimoire, she would prove her excellence.
Min Arin began reading the contents written in the grimoire.
The first sentence was as follows.
「Arrogance creates magic. It also gives birth to ruin.」
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss