I Gave Up Being Stronger

Chapter 304

Lost in his memories, Brick reminisced with a wistful expression. “Back then, we were truly splendid and adorable, Sir Chul-Soo. The sunlight that shone down on us, the sparkling brook!”

“So, you’re saying that Neilson was a genius, right?” Cha Jin-Hyeok asked.

“Of course, Sir Chul-Soo. Even at a young age, Neilson was recognized for his craftsmanship and skills. He was hailed as a prodigy.” Neilson’s talent was so exceptional that many families eyed him for adoption.

“Neilson’s mother wished for him to grow up in the most affluent environment possible.” One of Brick’s quirks was his tendency to veer off into unrelated tangents during a conversation. “By the way, Neilson’s dad cheated on Neilson’s mom when Neilson was just two years old. Shockingly, everyone knew this except for Neilson’s mom!”

With the poise of a seasoned Streamer, Jin-Hyeok smoothly steered the conversation back on track. It felt like practicing for a smooth interview. “What decision did Neilson’s mother make, wanting him to grow up in a wealthy environment?”

“She sent him to the Harkoen family!” Brick’s whiskers twitched. “The Harkoen Family expressed their eagerness to support Neilson. But on the day he was to head to the Harkoen mansion, he mysteriously disappeared.”

Brick clenched his tiny fist and continued, “Lady Harkoen was quite shameless, Sir Chul-Soo. While the Harkoen Family was not directly responsible for Neilson’s disappearance, they said they felt morally obligated and handed over thirty million Dias to Neilson’s mother.”

“...”

“But what’s even more absurd is that the money was taken by Neilson’s bastard father, using his biological parental rights as an excuse!”

“Did you kill him?”

“Not yet.”

Gradually, Jin-Hyeok was drawn into Brick’s story. What he thought would be a fairy-tale-like childhood story turned out to be a drama filled with sensational twists. He asked, “Why haven’t you killed his father?”

“Because Neilson disappeared! A scoundrel like that should be executed in front of Neilson. That’s true justice, Sir Chul-Soo. Besides, we have to consider the wishes of Neilson’s mother and Neilson himself. Oh, and by the way, Neilson’s mother has become mentally unstable after searching for Neilson for the past eighteen years, Sir Chul-Soo.”

“Hm...” Jin-Hyeok thought about the tragic fate of Neilson’s mother. Her husband ran away after cheating on her, her son went missing, the consolation money meant for his son was snatched by the husband, and now she was mentally unstable.

“I’m thinking of killing that bastard in the near future,” Brick said.

“Can I livestream it if the timing is right?”

“Of course!”

Jin-Hyeok nodded. ‘Wait... but what were we talking about? Ah, right, it was about Neilson.’

The next chapter of this universe-level Scenario seemed to point toward Katrina’s family. Having greatly benefited from the help of the Alchemist(?) Lessefim, Jin-Hyeok likely needed assistance from the Jeweler, making this connection with Neilson fortuitous.

Getting back on the topic of conversation, Brick continued, “As you know... I am an Assassin with many, many, enemies. Not many people think well of me. And my relationships with other Craftsmen aren’t exactly friendly...”

Hence, even though he wanted to introduce Neilson to a mentor, he found it impossible to do so.

“I know an excellent mentor,” Jin-Hyeok said.

“Usually, such excellent mentors are too busy with their existing disciples to take on new ones.”

Jin-Hyeok knew one Craftsman who had plenty of time and enjoyed his hobby.

***

Katrina greeted Jin-Hyeok with a broad smile and a robust, masculine voice. “Welcome, Oppa.”

His formidable arm muscles and imposing pectorals flexed visibly.

“Katrina, I have something to discuss.”

When Jin-Hyeok casually used informal speech, Katrina responded in a light-hearted tone, “Finally, you are openly speaking informally to me. I think I’m a bit happier now.”

Jin-Hyeok simply continued with what he had to say. After hearing everything, Katrina thoughtfully stroked his chin. “Hm... So, you are asking me to play the role of a nanny?”

“Not a nanny, a mentor.”

“It’s all the same.” Katrina heartily laughed. “Is his name Neilson? The one who went missing eighteen years ago?”

“You know Neilson?”

“Of course. He was the talk of the town in our industry, hailed as a prodigy once in a millennium.”

Jin-Hyeok noticed a brief shadow rose from Katrina’s face, a subtle and quick change in expression that only a Streamer’s keen eye could catch. ‘What’s that about?’

Katrina quickly masked his expression and laughed again. “I remember the bitch who gave birth to me wanted to adopt him.”

“...”

‘Did he just say the bitch who gave birth to me?’ Jin-Hyeok momentarily tensed up. ‘I shouldn’t broadcast something like this, should I?’

Fortunately, Jin-Hyeok was not live. Despite not containing any severe swear words, it was one of the harshest expressions he had heard. Katrina’s family history seemed quite complicated.

“Anyway, I detest being bothered. But if it’s a request from you, Chul-Soo, I might consider it,” Katrina said. He leaned in toward Jin-Hyeok somewhat playfully. “Can you try and seduce me?”

Jin-Hyeok pondered it for a moment. ‘I still think the seduction technique is not for me, and I am not mature enough to go against my instinct. And, seducing a cross-dressing man on top of that? I just can’t do it.’

This was a challenge that could be taken up only by someone truly intense.

“I am not quite ready yet to do that,” Jin-Hyeok said.

“That means there might be a chance in the future, right?”

“Perhaps if an opportunity arises... when I am more prepared to face such challenges... I might consider... seduction.” Jin-Hyeok found himself reflecting once again. If he were truly intense and earnest as a Streamer, he would not have hesitated. He would not have felt aversion toward using seduction techniques, nor would he have been reluctant to seduce a man. If he had been more intense, he would have done so.

‘I am still not intense enough.’ He felt his inadequacies every day.

“Well... that’s good enough for me. Alright, I’ll meet this Neilson guy,” Katrina said.

***

Neilson was an otter-type Beastkin, smaller in stature than Brick. While his overall appearance bore similarities to Brick, a rodent-type Beastkin, Neilson’s fur was smoother and more lustrous.

Katrina carefully picked up Neilson with his hands and rubbed his cheek against Neilson’s. “I had no idea he was such a cute creature!”

“Uh...uh.... uh...!” Neilson could not resist Katrina’s enthusiastic greeting.

After the whirlwind of a greeting concluded, Neilson, dressed neatly in a suit, bowed. “Hello, my name is Neilson.

“I know, your dad is this bastard, right?” Katrina pulled out a photo from his pocket.

Neilson’s eyes widened in surprise. “Y-Yes that’s my dad! You know my father?”

“Yeah, he is the lover of the bitch who gave birth to me.”

Neilson frowned, then tilted his head. After a moment of thought, he uttered, “Excuse me?”

“Please to meet you, brother.”

“Brother?”

“My father could also be this guy. There is a one in four chance.”

“W-What do you mean?”

“The bitch who gave birth to me had about four lovers at the time. I don’t exactly know who my father is.”

Jin-Hyeok inadvertently sighed. He had not expected to end up recording a dramatic twist while trying to introduce a mentor to a mentee.

‘This is too great,’ Jin-Hyeok thought. He felt confident this content would garner attention.

‘But...’ Jin-Hyeok stopped recording. ‘Somehow, I don’t want to turn this into content.’

Jin-Hyeok felt a sense of humanity within him.

Katrina smirked and asked Jin-Hyeok, “But usually, wouldn’t one ask if a male otter-type Beastkin and a human female can actually mate?”

“Ah.” Now that Jin-Hyeok thought about it, that seemed like a valid question. It would undoubtedly make for intriguing gossip. As a Streamer and a content creator, it was something he should have been curious about. ‘But why didn’t I ask?’

He could not find a clear answer. It was a moment that prompted a lot of reflection.

***

In the end, Katrina refused to become a mentor for Neilson. “Looking at him just brings back too many unpleasant memories.”

Katrina went inside his shop and brought out a bottle of liquor. “Do you want some too?”

“Sure,” Jin-Hyeok answered. He sat down and accepted the glass of alcohol.

Soon after, Katrina began to share his past. “Did I mention I ran away from home?”

“I thought you were just enjoying your hobbies on the Earth Server.”

“To be exact, I ran away. I stole a bunch of expensive jewels from home. Hohoho! And then, I ran away to Earth!” Katrina laughed for a long while. He said something about how those jewels were very expensive.

After silently listening, Jin-Hyeok tentatively asked, “Did you want me to acknowledge that you had run away?”

Katrina seemed startled but did not show it any further.

“So, you stole those precious jewels, left home, and even set up a jewelry shop here on Earth, but nobody from your family came looking for you.”

Though Katrina described it as running away or fleeing, his actions were quite overt. He did not disguise his face or alter his voice. He did not hide his name and openly appeared on Jin-Hyeok’s livestream.

Katrina continued with a bitter expression, “Well... that’s just how it is. Our house has so many jewels that they probably did not even notice what I took. I was an unwanted child, anyway. They probably don’t even know I ran away. Or if they do, they don’t care.”

“Are all these series of events related to your cross-dressing?”

After downing the orange liquor in his glass in one gulp, Katrina asked, “Are you thinking about turning this into content?”

“No.” Jin-Hyeok shook his head. “I turned off the livestream a while ago. I am not recording either.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

“The viewers would like this kind of provocative content. It’s perfect for your livestream,” Katrina said.

Jin-Hyeok found himself at a loss for words.

Katrina laughed again and said, “It looks like you’ve got a human heart, even if you’re a bit crazy.”

“I agree with me having a human heart, but I am not crazy.”

“The crazy ones don’t know they are crazy.”

“That’s a rude thing for you to say.”

“That’s why I am so taken with you, Chul-Soo.” As the alcohol kicked in, Katrina started rambling on. “I was called a genius too, just like Neilson. I grew up with all the expectations of my family.”

Then, one day, Katrina began to experience a deep confusion about his gender identity.

“I cursed my body because it had male genitalia,” Katrina explained that he considered himself a woman with a male body. After a long time, he wanted to become a woman and was ostracized within his family. “My family is extremely conservative. A cross-dressing man has no place there.”

“What about just becoming a woman, then?” Jin-Hyeok asked.

In a highly advanced Server like Arvis, that was possible. It was illegal due to the Server’s public sentiment, but a complete sex change was feasible.

“Exactly! I wanted to become a woman! The bitch who gave birth to me said she would understand if I came back as an actual woman!” Katrina shouted, appearing drunk.

However, there was a catch. Most of the Players and families that provided illegal sex change services in Arvis were directly or indirectly connected to Katrina’s family.

“Sorry, but I can’t help you. Try looking somewhere else.”

“Sorry, I don’t think I can do it.”

Seeking treatment from Players on other Servers was not a great option either.

“I can’t do it myself, but you must never receive treatment from an unskilled Player. Your talent could be ruined.”

“Honestly, I would like to do it myself, but I just can’t. Please make sure you get treated by a skilled practitioner.”

Jin-Hyeok nodded. He fully understood Katrina’s desire to become a woman and also not lose his talent as a Jeweler.

‘Wait a minute...’

Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok thought of a solution that would lead to a win-win situation for Katrina, Neilson, and even himself. It was a solution only a regressor could know.