Chapter 37: Chapter 37

It wasn’t my first interview.

During my pro days, I was considered a promising player. Reporters would often seek me out, and after winning the national championship, even foreign representatives started showing up. I received several interview requests after being selected for the national team.

So, there was no reason to feel embarrassed or nervous. I hadn’t been dragged here for doing something wrong—I was here as a proud winner. I knew that in my head. I understood it well.

Yet, maybe because my body had changed, my heart was pounding inexplicably, and I couldn’t calm down. Breathe. I knew how to steady my nerves. First, a deep breath. That would help.

“Inhale… exhale… inhale…”

Thankfully, it worked. My narrowed field of vision returned to normal, and I could see my surroundings again.

In another room, it seemed Reaper was also preparing for his interview. Journalists, looking just as they did in real life, started to gather around me. The empty seat next to me must be for the interviewer.@@novelbin@@

Soon, a beautiful announcer took the seat beside me. I recognized her from TV a few times. I couldn’t remember her name.

“Were you nervous? I saw you taking deep breaths.”

“Oh, no. I’m fine now.”

“That’s impressive. I was a mess during my first interview. So, shall we start?”

“Yes, I’m ready.”

“Great, let’s begin!”

A bit of small talk to break the ice. The announcer smiled, and the camera signal indicated that we were rolling.

“Here we are at the Arena finals, Group Stage E. Gawol has just defeated Rime with a 2-0 victory. Now, let’s have a word with the winner. Congratulations on your win!”

“Thank you.”

“You defeated Rime, the spear knight, just as confidently as you declared during the group draw. How do you feel about your victory?”

“Well… Rime held out better than I expected, but I’m glad I won. I’ll do my best in the next match, too.”

“Yes, that was Gawol’s victory statement.”

I wanted to sound more natural. But handling emotions in this body wasn’t easy. Even though I had calmed down, I could feel the nervous tremors creeping back.

“Gawol, you expressed great confidence facing a spear knight, a generally tough matchup. What are your thoughts on that?”

“I think… it’s just a misunderstanding. If an assassin plays well, they shouldn’t get hit. Chip away steadily, and you’ll win.”

“That was a bold answer, very fitting for you, Gawol.”

The announcer chuckled. Wait, did I say something wrong?

Thankfully, it didn’t seem like I’d made a major blunder. The interview continued in a rather relaxed atmosphere. The interviewer refrained from asking sensitive questions, which felt like a courtesy.

But they did make sure to address the key points. Like why I held back on skills in the first match, and about the dynamics of the encounter. Whoever made the questions seemed to know the game well.

“Now that Reaper has won his match, he’ll be your next opponent. Do you have any words of resolve for that match?”

“Um, well… I don’t know about resolve, but I’ll do my best to win.”

[Posted by: ㅇㅇ(314.32)]

[Title: Gawol says, “An assassin who plays well shouldn’t get hit”]

If you lost with an assassin against a spear knight, you just weren’t good enough.

Just dodge everything.

[Comments]

So this guy really dodged everything…

└ He really sticks to his word…

[Posted by: PeroPero]

[Title: Translation of Reaper’s Post-Match Interview for Arena Group E]

Q: Can we get your thoughts on your victory?

A: I didn’t feel any real difficulty in winning.

Q: You secured a dominant victory in both sets. Any tips or secrets to your success?

A: It was simply a difference in skill level.

…

Q: Gawol pulled off an unexpected win against Rime. Thoughts?

A: I’m not surprised.

Q: Anything you’d like to say ahead of your next match?

A: I’m looking forward to it. Ever since I watched the preliminary footage, I’ve wanted to face Gawol. I hope it’s a good match where our strengths clash, regardless of who wins.

[Posted by: DongtanMissyTeacher]

[Title: Gawol’s voice sounds so delicate and pretty]

[Posted by: ㅇㅇ(326.95)]

[Title: Announcer Lee Yeon-bit’s SNS is hilarious ㅋㅋ]

(Attached video: Gawol taking deep breaths before the interview)

From the side, you could see her slightly trembling, which was kind of cute. No wonder she was stuttering a bit. She must have been really nervous.

[Comments]

Trembling? That sounds a bit suggestive.

└ Sir.

└ ?

└ Sir.

I parted ways with Traveler after watching the G Group matches.

Luce’s group. She’d advanced to the winners' bracket with more skill than expected. Traveler and Luce both secured satisfying victories, spreading good vibes in the community. Even sites I usually avoided were full of positive comments. Sure, plenty of people still disliked me, but opinions in sports can shift quickly. Might as well enjoy it while it lasts.

Another day passed, and today was the day for matches from Groups A to D. Normally, I wouldn’t have any specific plans, but today, I’d decided to go out.

“No way I’m wearing workout clothes, right?”

That guy might not care, but there’s still a matter of respect. I also had to consider other people’s views.

I pulled a pair of black stockings from the drawer. At first, I’d been resistant to wearing women’s clothing, but now I didn’t have much choice. I just didn’t have many options.

After the accident in April, I was left with no living relatives. The only person I was remotely connected to was my master, who was preparing to leave the country as part of the national team. I’d convinced him to go, threatening that I’d die if he didn’t board that plane, so now no one remained in the country.

Alright, alright. Just don’t talk about dying, please.

Then go.

Will you really follow through with treatment if I leave? Promise me.

I will.

Alright. I’ll call you once a day, so make sure you answer.

It was fine up to that point… but I couldn’t leave the hospital wearing my old clothes. So, the person helping me organize my new identity prepared a variety of outfits for me. The issue was, most of them were women’s clothes.

They must have gone to a nearby mall and grabbed whatever they could in my size, so long pants were rare. Removing all the casualwear and training clothes left me with skirts. Thankfully, this one reached my knees, so it wasn’t too bad.

Clothing was a luxury when I was strapped for cash… but now that I have some breathing room, I should probably buy a few things eventually. Still, even now, wearing a skirt made my skin crawl.

The next stop is Incheon Municipal Memorial Park. Incheon Municipal Memorial Park.

I wore stockings because I had to hide my legs. There was a large scar on my left leg, unpleasant enough to cause a reaction from passersby.

I was already used to drawing attention, but with a brace on my left leg, it was inevitable. Showing bare skin would naturally catch more eyes. A utilitarian choice for everyone’s peace of mind.

Lost in thought, I reached the memorial park and quickly found my friend’s resting place, walking along the familiar path.

“Ugh… I’m exhausted. What a pain. Even in death, you’re making things difficult for me.”

At least my friend’s urn was kept in a low place, so I didn’t have to struggle to stand. I sat on the floor, glad that no one else was around.

Sitting down eased the strain on my body, and I felt a strange sense of warmth looking at his picture.

There wasn’t much I could offer in terms of a proper ritual. Knowing him, he probably wouldn’t want it either. Instead, he’d prefer me to grab a drink on a nearby bench. No point in guys getting all sentimental.

“I’m here a day early because I’ll be busy tomorrow. Just be grateful I showed up.”

It wasn’t actually his anniversary today. It was tomorrow, but since I had a match, I didn’t have a choice. He wouldn’t mind; I was sure of it.

If our roles were reversed, I’d have told him he did a good job.

“I have a tournament tomorrow. It’s not an official one, just an event match. Still, there are pros among the participants. It should be fun.”

He’d probably just tell me to focus on the game and not worry about him. I believed he’d feel the same way.

He was the first wall I’d ever encountered, my first real defeat, and my only friend. Coming here, I felt like I was borrowing some of his strength.

“I don’t know if winning will change anything… but maybe it will. It can’t make things worse, right?”

Time passed as I shared updates in a low voice. I was getting thirsty. I craved a drink.