Chapter 4

Chapter 2: Blessings & Curses

At the very moment the tearfully filial son, Kang Han-soo, plunged from the cliff!

The unfilial children, for whom the fantasy world was more important than their families, were seated around a sky garden adorned with numerous statues of gods, listening to the Saintess’s explanation. “There are broadly two ways for you to become stronger: by raising your level with experience points gained from slaying beings that possess levels, blessings, and status windows, or by receiving blessings from the gods.” However, not all heroes were listening diligently. “This is such a waste of time…” Oh Han-woo, the hero who displayed an arrogant attitude, as if he knew everything, like a student who had already studied ahead in cram school. “Oh, gods. Grant me your blessing…” Choi Kang-min, the hero who constantly tried to engage with the gods and befriend them in order to receive their blessings.

Besides them…

“I’m getting sleepy.” “Where’s the restroom?” “When do we eat?” “I have no idea what she’s saying…”

Many heroes were unable to concentrate for various reasons.

However, the Saintess, unbothered by the distracted atmosphere, continued her explanation, as if she didn’t care what happened.

“Remember this: receiving a blessing isn’t the end. The gods are always watching over you.” “Saintess! I have a question.”

“Speak.”

“You mean the gods watch us all day?”

The hero who raised her hand and asked a question during the Saintess’s mechanical recital was Class President Yoo Bo-ra.

Class President.

Though the title became meaningless upon crossing into the world of Fantasia, the reason she held the position of class president had not vanished.

She was a diligent model student.

Even now, she was meticulously taking notes, listening attentively so as not to miss a single part of the Saintess’s explanation.

And as soon as a question arose, she immediately asked, just like she would at school.

“Yes. That’s what I said.” The Saintess, her flow of words interrupted, replied calmly without changing her expression.

“Does that mean they watch us even when we’re using the restroom or bathing?”

“There are no exceptions.” “But…!” “Hero. They are not human. Do not judge gods by the vulgar standards of humans.” “Even if you say so…”

A certain male god tells you not to mind them.

A certain god pretends to have no interest in vulgar sights.

A certain wind god claims they are like air.

…Is it really okay?

As if to mock Yoo Bo-ra’s concerns, the hero Jang Mi-yeon, with her dazzling beauty, interjected. “Class president. It’s not like it’ll wear out if you show it, right? Of course, you should get a blessing as an admission fee.” Her confidence was befitting of someone with beauty and charm that rivaled a true princess of the fantasy world.

A certain evil god gives a thumbs-up in approval. A certain god is pleased.

A certain wind god highly praises the clear judgment.

The gods’ reactions to Jang Mi-yeon’s remark weren’t bad.

They weren’t good either. A certain earth god sends a parched, desert-like gaze. A certain god is uncomfortable. A certain water god looks on with displeasure. Although opinions were divided, there was no doubt that Jang Mi-yeon was one step ahead of the other heroes.

Her status window proved it.

[Name] Jang Mi-yeon

[Level] 1

[Blessing] Hero F, Charm F

[Curse] –

[Share] 1.03

“Yay! A blessing!”

Jang Mi-yeon threw her arms wide, cheering for all to hear. “What…” “Damn!”

The two power-hungry men, Oh Han-woo and Choi Kang-min, wore expressions like defeated losers whose lead had been snatched away.

Immediately after that, Salalala~

“Sniff, sniff.” “What is this scent?” “A floral scent? Sniff, sniff.”

“It really smells good.”

The heroes began to look around, searching for the source of the mysterious scent that had suddenly enveloped them.

“What is this…”

“A strange scent…”

The holy knights and priests, who had been looking displeased at the heroes, were equally captivated by the fragrance. “Hehe!” Jang Mi-yeon smiled meaningfully as she watched them.

For she was the culprit who spread this mysterious scent.

[Charm]

▶ A captivating bodily scent is constantly emitted from your body.

▶ The probability of captivating and dominating the hearts of the opposite sex greatly increases!

Although it was an effect that didn’t help in combat, it was the best blessing for Hero Jang Mi-yeon, who had been expecting a “romance fantasy” from the moment she was summoned.

It was perfectly suited to her hobby, you could say!

A certain god earnestly urges you to keep your promise.

“Of course.”

Having received her ‘admission fee’ from the god, she struck a seductive pose she had learned at an acting academy on Earth. “Ohh…”

“Amazing…”

Half of the heroes started to get disoriented and dazed.

Seeing this scene, the Saintess spoke in a tone filled with praise.

“Hero Jang Mi-yeon seems to have already understood. Excellent.” “Hoho! Thank you for the compliment.” The Saintess, having registered the name of the first hero to acquire a blessing, warned in a serious tone. “Hero Jang Mi-yeon. Please stop the Charm blessing.” “Oh my! I don’t know how to stop it,” Jang Mi-yeon replied coyly. A certain innocent goddess dislikes impure relationships. “Oh dear… It’s already too late.” “What is? The men who are captivated by my charm?”

“Look at your status window again.” “What about my status window… Huh?! What is this—Ahhh!”

Jang Mi-yeon, whose face had been beaming with smiles just moments before, let out a piercing scream.

The heroes, who had been entranced by the Charm blessing, also startled and peeked at her status window.

[Name] Jang Mi-yeon

[Level] 1

[Blessing] Hero F, Charm F

[Curse] Punishment F

[Share] 1.83

A curse had been newly added to the previously empty slot. “Punishment curse?”

“A curse?” “We’re heroes?” “Why a curse…?” The heroes, who had only been thinking about blessings until now, were greatly shocked.

Had a demon appeared?

The Saintess spoke to Jang Mi-yeon, who was in a state of confusion, as if reprimanding her.

“Gods don’t just bestow blessings upon you. They also bestow curses upon heroes they don’t like.”

“I never heard that!”

The girl, still unable to escape her confusion, protested. “Of course. I was about to explain it now.”

“This is invalid! I didn’t know! So please remove it quickly!”

Jang Mi-yeon, with her head tilted high towards the sky, pleaded with the god, but the curse did not disappear.

[Punishment]

▶ All damage and negative appraisals you receive are greatly increased.

▶ You receive severe punishment every time you attempt an impure relationship!

The effect of that curse was akin to a lethal poison for Jang Mi-yeon, who dreamed of a fantasy romance.

[Punishment] “Kyaa~?!”

Jang Mi-yeon, though no one hit her, let out a short scream and vigorously rubbed her buttocks.

It hurts! It hurts! It hurts so much! Tears were already streaming down her eyes.

[Charm]

Salalala…

She immediately deactivated the blessing as well. It hurt too much to even dare to use it again!

A certain innocent goddess stares intently. A certain god plays dead. A certain wind god whistles.

A certain male god feigns indifference. Looking down at the girl writhing in pain, the Saintess revealed a terrible truth.

“A blessing or curse, once received, will not be lifted even in death.” “That can’t be…” Hero Jang Mi-yeon was crestfallen. To carry such a painful curse for a lifetime? Wouldn’t it be better to die now? Whether she despaired or not, the Saintess merely remained faithful to her duty.

“As the grade of a blessing or curse increases, its effect increases. And it never goes down.” “W-wait! Just a moment! An F-grade curse hurts enough to kill, and it gets more painful as the grade goes up?!”

“Yes.”

“Ahhh! I’m finished… I’m completely finished…!”

Jang Mi-yeon, who had experienced heaven and hell in quick succession and lost her mind in a short time. Was her pathetic state pitiful?

Princess Ethena, who had been silent all this time, interjected. “Hero! Don’t give up! Curses can be offset by blessings. As your level goes up, your body and mind will get stronger, and the pain will ease too.” “I-is that really true?!” “It’s true! So don’t give up easily!” “Thank goodness, thank goodness…” “Beautiful hero! Be strong!” “Yes.”

“I’ll pray every morning!”

“Huh? Yes.”

“I’ll always be cheering from your side…!” “Yes! Yes! I understand, you can stop talking now!” “Ah!! I talked too much, didn’t I? I’m sorry!” “No, there’s no need to be sorry…” As Jang Mi-yeon quieted down, the Saintess’s explanation gained momentum.

No, it would be better to say that detailed explanations became unnecessary thanks to her sacrifice, as she demonstrated it herself.

Having completed her task, the Saintess turned and bid farewell.

“I have business to attend to, so I’ll be leaving first. From now on, Prince Arthurs will lead you.” “Thank you, Saintess, for entrusting me with this glorious mission.” “May the gods’ blessings be with you.”

The Saintess left the sky garden, showcasing her noble back. Prince Arthurs, having seen her off, smiled warmly at the heroes and exclaimed. “You’ve worked hard! A welcome banquet has been prepared, so please enjoy yourselves without reservation!”

“Wow!”

“Finally!”

The hungry heroes cheered in unison. Prince Arthurs personally guided them to the dining hall and patiently explained the upcoming schedule. “The actual training will begin tomorrow. Swordsmanship with me. Magic with Princess Ethena. Heroes can freely choose whichever field they prefer.”

“Can I take both?” Hero Choi Kang-min asked in a confident tone.

“Of course. If it gets too difficult, you may give up midway.” “That won’t happen.” “I trust you.”

Prince Arthurs replied with a smile to the eager hero.

Immediately after that, “Can I skip both?” The arrogant hero Oh Han-woo asked, as if pouring cold water on the situation. Prince Arthurs replied with a look that suggested he didn’t understand the intention of the question. “If you don’t need the best swordsmanship and magic on the continent of Fantasia, you may do so.” “Oh! Then can I go outside the temple during my free training time?” “Of course.”

“Alright!”

Oh Han-woo, who prided himself on being a fantasy expert, had a plausible plan. Training?

That’s for extras who don’t have overpowered cheat abilities. As a fantasy protagonist, he planned to gather cute and lovely companions and explore ruins and labyrinths.

“Hero Oh Han-woo. Do you have any other questions?”

“No. Hehe.”

A certain childish chief god shows keen interest.

Human adaptability was incredible! Kang Han-soo, the human who was scared to even catch a cockroach on Earth. But now, he unhesitatingly converted fantasy hyenas into experience points. Though his status window remained the same. “What’s the problem?”

Still Level 1! There was no change in his level. Either it was because of the hero’s curse, or leveling up was originally difficult, or both! Whatever the cause, it was certainly bad news. “God of the lone wolf. Do you have any useful information?”

A certain god demands to be called ‘Outcast’. “…Outcast God. Do you have any useful information?”

A certain god states they cannot teach you. “Ah, yes.”

This god is really unhelpful, except for that one blessing.

But that one unique advantage is so good that I’ll bear with it.

A certain god grumbles that it’s boring to just run. “I agree.”

A certain god suggests trying something else.

“I need to find people first.”

The problem isn’t solved by just outrunning the fantasy monsters. [Outcast] Thanks to the overpowered blessing, food and rest are unnecessary, but it’s still dangerous here. Nevertheless, I’m looking for a friendly human village. A certain god yawns. “This is a big problem…”

This is a savage fantasy world.

Powerful monsters that can kill a human in one hit must exist. Even an overpowered blessing is useless if I’m not given time to recover.

“God.”

A certain god explicitly states they won’t help you. “Ah, yes.” Therefore, it’s necessary to establish a base in a safe human settlement, regardless of food, clothing, and shelter. I don’t expect a map, but it would be great if I could at least know the direction I should go…

Surprisingly, the answer was close at hand. “Smell of human!” “Meat! Human meat!” “Hungry! Meat!” Fantasy hyenas, drawn by the foul scent of their dead kin. I hid in the bushes, waiting for them to pass.

A certain god prays for the helpless outcast to fall asleep peacefully. To receive a prayer from a god! What a ridiculously absurd honor!

If they were next to me, I would have sent that flimsy jaw flying. “Outcast God. I’ve gotten a little stronger from fighting too.”

Swoosh. I toyed with the trophy held in the hand of the fantasy hyena, ‘Blue Moon Meat Cutter.’

Stiletto.

A dagger specialized for stabbing. However, the blade was an unusual, specialized product, sharp enough to earn its former owner the ominous name ‘Meat Cutter.’

“My life is truly eventful.” Just a few hours ago, I was an ordinary high school student A, busy preparing for college entrance exams.

Now, I’m fated to fight for my life against fantasy hyenas of unknown origin.

Human habitation.

If they’re creatures that spend all day looking for meat, they must know.

A certain god prays for the outcast’s soul.

“I said I won’t die.”

Although I hadn’t been detected yet, the distance between me and the hyenas, who were searching through the bushes, was gradually narrowing. It was only a matter of time before I was discovered.

So, I plan to ambush them before they discover me, but relying solely on the overpowered Outcast’s Blessing and charging in would be incredibly foolish. I am a culturally civilized citizen of Earth who has received a higher education. I plan to use that wisdom. Snip, snip. Using the dagger, I cut a nearby vine to a suitable length. Then, I picked up a hard, baseball-sized stone. A certain god squints their eyes.

“Do you know about centrifugal force?”

There’s no rule that says I can only use fantasy in a fantasy world, is there? I’ll show these savage fantasy monsters the power of science (physics).