Chapter 18

They said that once you joined an alliance, usually you moved your base inside the alliance territory and lived together with the other members. That way, it was advantageous in both defense battles and attacks.

So ShinJadu explained in detail how to relocate his base into alliance territory, where it would be good to move it, and all that. They also explained that if he set up voice chat for battles like Siege War, he could use it just by pressing a hotkey.

“There are so many alliance rules.”

Was it because their ranking was high? It was more complicated than he’d expected, and it was a little overwhelming trying to keep up with ShinJadu, but even so—he could endure it if he could just look at Miyoung.

“Same alliance as Ms. Miyoung.”

The fact that baby rabbit and I are wearing the same title.

His heart thumped-thumped with excitement. If he died here, it would definitely count as dying happy.

(Alliance) ShinJadu: That’s everything i needed to explain—do you have any questions!!

Man, they’re really kind.

Watching ShinJadu talk to him so gently, Yeonhoo got hit with this strange swell of emotion.

He hadn’t been playing the game that long, but the years of nothing but being treated like garbage came back to him, and it made him a little sad... but now he could say goodbye to that past, couldn’t he.

(Alliance) 0momo0: Nope none!!

(Alliance) 0momo0: Thank u so much for explaining so nicely!!

If they were vice leader, did that mean they were like a vice master or something?

If someone that high up was this kind and gentle, then the people under them were probably kind too. A smile naturally spread over Yeonhoo’s face.

The busy, bustling chat window, the friendly people, and—

“Wow. I’ve got everything.”

Ms. Miyoung too, right beside him—same alliance!

That sense of belonging, something he’d never felt even once since starting the game, made his chest flutter, like he’d finally taken the first real step toward getting close to Miyoung.

“Now I can finally show her the real me.”

Kim Seongjae said he’d landed his girlfriend with his insane aim and game knowledge. Why couldn’t Yeonhoo do it too?

He was going to grow fast here, then show Miyoung how cool he was when he played well.

“Then she’ll like me, right?”

With a determined face, Yeonhoo turned his gaze toward Miu—and froze.

“...Huh?”

Now that he’d joined the alliance, the text above Miu’s head—something that had just looked like “47” until now—had changed a little. Maybe it was something only fellow alliance members could see...

<47 Master>

(Alliance) 0momo0: Master..?

That hadn’t been there earlier. What was it?

(Alliance) 0momo0: Are u a Master?

(Alliance) ShinJadu: Huh? me? i’m not??

(Alliance) 0momo0: no i mean

He hurriedly whipped his head around.

None of the other users had anything like “Master” above their heads. Yeonhoo looked at Miu with a face that said, No way.

(Alliance) 0momo0: Don’t tell me it’s Miu

(Alliance) ShinJadu: ah~ you saw the title

(Alliance) ShinJadu: alliance-related titles... not sure they mean much, but they only show in alliance territory

Then that meant—

(Alliance) 0momo0: So you’re the owner?????

(Alliance) 0momo0: The owner here???

(Alliance) ShinJadu: um yeah, well.. the leader is Miu. you didn’t know?

(Alliance) GoodLuck: what~~~ you didn’t know Miu was the leader~?

(Alliance) CheersInMyEyes: LOLLLLL wait what??

So... Ms. Miyoung was really the “owner” of the #1 alliance?

He was still processing that when Yeonhoo’s jaw fell at what came next.

(Alliance) GoodLuck: i mean~ Miu’s #1 in solo ranking too, so who else would be the leader~

(Alliance) 0momo0: Solo ranking is..

(Alliance) 0momo0: like individual user ranking right??

(Alliance) MouseTrap: yep that’s right!!!

(Alliance) MouseTrap: Miu’s #1 on the whole server hehe!!!

...What?

“So it’s not that she’s #1 because she’s adorable—she’s #1 because she’s actually good at the game?”

It was shocking enough that Ms. Miyoung was the king of a massive alliance like this, but now he was hearing she was #1 in the user ranking too. That’s when Hhumble—flat on the ground, groveling—finally made sense.

“Why is everything about her #1...?”

Now that he’d heard it, when he looked again, it felt like there was a halo shining from behind Miu. Even the outfit that had seemed simple before looked insanely imposing now.

In a brutal, terrifying game like this, how strong did you have to be to reach #1?

“And I was going to... no, I was going to protect Ms. Miyoung...?”

Without realizing it, Yeonhoo had used a thing pronoun, and he blinked at the fundamental problem.

He was going to show off in-game and make her fall for him.

“Is that even possible?”

But if the person you’re supposed to protect is stronger than you, what are you supposed to do?

(Alliance) Miu: So that’s the explanation done, right

(Alliance) ShinJadu: yesss~

(Alliance) FUNK: kind and fast jadu

(Alliance) CheersInMyEyes: LOLLLLL for real

(Alliance) MouseTrap: oh right leader!!

(Alliance) MouseTrap: are you going to titan today????

(Alliance) Miu: No, I have something to do

(Alliance) BBQ: oh? LOL you still have something to do??

(Alliance) Miu: 0

(Alliance) Miu: No—Momo

While Yeonhoo was still sitting there stunned out of his mind, the alliance members kept chatting. Even with messages pouring in nonstop, he was still frozen in shock—until Miu called him.

As if he’d never been spacing out, Yeonhoo immediately responded to Miu calling for him.

(Alliance) 0momo0: Yes yes!! I’m right here!!!

“Actually... that’s even better.”

Who cared whether Miyoung was strong or not?

Either way, right now, Yeonhoo was next to Miu. And working hard to “support” her while making his presence known was a strategy too.

“I’ll make it obvious, with everything I’ve got.”

Yeonhoo’s eyes sparkled. Showing off might be hard now, but she’d told him earlier to prove he liked her, so—

(Alliance) Miu: You have time?

(Alliance) 0momo0: Yes I have sooooo sooooo much!!!

(Alliance) Miu: Then can you help me??

(Alliance) 0momo0: Y-yes yes

(Alliance) 0momo0: I can do anything!!!!!

From here on out, he was going to make it obvious like a madman.

Yeonhoo didn’t see it.

(Alliance) 0momo0: Waaah I’m so happy!!

Watching 0momo0 beam like a fool—

(Alliance) 1Poop1: oh wow

(Alliance) CheersInMyEyes: LOL

(Alliance) ShinJadu: hmmhmm....

—the alliance members were trading strange looks, switching their gaze back and forth between Miu and him.

Without showing much of anything, Miu quietly brought over an alliance-territory-only military jeep. When Yeonhoo saw the interaction key for the passenger seat activate—

(Alliance) Miu: Get in

(Alliance) Miu: Oh—you’re already in

He’d already sat down, no hesitation.

The alliance members were amazed.

(Alliance) FUNK: what i didn’t even see him get in why is he so fast

(Alliance) CheersInMyEyes: LOLLLLLLL?

(Alliance) KimFactory: that seat next to my leader is MINE..!

(Alliance) 1Poop1: how? is? a? person? that? fast??

His movement was so fast it was basically invisible, and everyone watching couldn’t stop marveling at it. Yeonhoo just sat there grinning, because he was sitting next to Miu.

Once Miu confirmed 0momo0 was in, he started driving. Since they were moving anyway, Yeonhoo got to tour alliance territory—and he couldn’t stop being impressed.

“Alliance territory is seriously awesome.”

Even from outside, he’d thought it looked like a whole town, but it was even bigger than he’d expected.

A training ground where shared troops drilled, a power plant where the alliance advanced its science tech, resource warehouses holding massive stores, and outer walls layered over and over like they were guarding everything.

The way alliance members’ bases clustered together in all sorts of shapes was cute too, like a little village.

“They said I should relocate there tomorrow.”

You couldn’t move in on your first day—only after 24 hours. He was planning to move immediately.

“If I can, I should move in next door to Ms. Miyoung.”

Of course. The only “good neighborhood” was a Miyoung neighborhood.

(Alliance) Miu: Get out

They arrived at a hill with huge rice paddies stretching out below.

“Wow... it’s pretty.”

Maybe because the in-game time was sunset, the sky—turning red—was so beautiful that Yeonhoo blinked without thinking. And then he realized Miu was already walking ahead, and he hurried after him.

Miu kept glancing back now and then, like he was checking whether Yeonhoo was still following.

Watching that, Yeonhoo’s mouth kept spreading wider.

He looked around. No people, the scenery was gorgeous, and it was just the two of them. And if she’d personally picked him up, driven him here—

(Alliance) 0momo0: Wow this is moving super fast..

(Alliance) Miu: Huh?

Wasn’t it obvious?

(Alliance) 0momo0: Isn’t this a date?

It was definitely a date meant to check his feelings.

Miu, who’d been walking steadily, stopped dead. Yeonhoo, suddenly embarrassed, ran a hand through his hair.

(Alliance) 0momo0: You don’t even have to do this

(Alliance) 0momo0: I can show you my feelings wheneverrr...

Baby rabbit must’ve been really curious about how big his feelings were.