novelraw Chapter 124: What is Happiness (2)
Chapter 124: What is Happiness (2)
Translator: Dreamscribe
Jinwoo had a lot of money.
The world’s top company, FS Games, was entirely owned by him, and the recently established company ‘HeroTech’, based on technology from Jinwoo’s Research Lab, was conducting business in prosthetic arms, prosthetic legs, and various medical ventures. It was essentially a monopoly, as it was several generations ahead of existing technology.
Though it had started as a support business for the happiness of Heroes, thanks to personnel and various other support from Ohsung Group, the company continued to grow rapidly. Moreover, several companies in which Jinwoo held shares were also launched. These companies provided health supplements and nutritional blocks for Heroes.
Money poured onto him.
And in massive amounts!
It was no exaggeration to call him the richest man in the world. Though his exact wealth was not disclosed and he wasn’t listed in rankings, every expert was calling Lee Jinwoo the de facto richest person on the planet. Considering that just FS Games alone had given South Korea a bright future, it might have been only natural.
Money on Earth had no meaning to Jinwoo.
Because he barely spent any, he appeared extremely frugal in the eyes of FS Games employees and others.
He wore suits, didn’t own a car, and didn’t wear watches because they were uncomfortable. He hadn’t even moved out and was still living in the mansion. Even his smartphone was an old model from Ohsung Electronics. Although all FS Games employees were provided with the latest Ohsung Electronics devices for free, Jinwoo continued to use the old one simply because changing it was bothersome.
He used to think Earth’s money had no meaning, but lately, that thought had changed.
‘The more money, the better.’
Now, approaching the second anniversary, he could freely spend money for the Heroes! So of course, it had meaning. Jinwoo not only used FS Games’ capital but also generously spent his own personal money to host real-life events for the Heroes.
He plastered thank-you messages everywhere they could be shown and started collaboration events with various major companies. As a special second-anniversary campaign, a device that could upgrade performance when linked with Soul Link was provided for free.
He created various Soul Link apps for the health of the Heroes and also added a personalized AI assistant. The most well-received yet infamous among the Heroes was “Heina’s Workout Class”.
"Huff! Gasp!"
“Ugh!”
Many Heroes were jogging along walking trails or exercising in various postures.
[One more! You can do it! If you give up here, who will protect Arsilan?!]
Heina’s scolding came through the wireless earbuds in their ears.
These wireless earbuds, available for purchase at the Soul Shop, were called ‘Soul Air S’. Their performance was so overwhelming that even audio experts described the sound quality as insane. The JW Sound System, which could transform even low-quality sound into ultra-high fidelity, was revolutionary.
[Are you giving up?]
“Uh, ugh! No, I’m not.”
“I can do this!”
It wasn’t Heina herself operating it, but it was being run through a massive device in a research lab connected with the Magic Tower. It offered free training for Heroes whose session time was shortened due to nutritional or health issues. Soul Air S checked their bodies and provided real-time feedback.
“Ugh!”
“Huff!”
The Heroes barely finishing their workout collapsed onto the ground.
[Well done. As a reward, you’ll receive Arsilan Gold, Platinum Coins, and a Nutrition Burger coupon. If you complete all 30 days, you’ll receive special items and rewards, so be diligent.]
Dding!
The reward list popped up on the Heroes’ smartphones.
“I-I made money.”
“I didn’t even have enough for materials... had to pay with my body.”
“Cough...”
The Heroes ate the “Nutrition Burger”, a collaboration with FS Games, and pressed the “Daily Quest Clear” button on their smartphone screens.
It was now day 4.
If they completed a full month, there would be special rewards, and even greater rewards at the 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year marks. The final rewards were rare Titles, icons, and exclusive items.
It was the moment when real-life Quests appeared for the Heroes.
Since people started saying it was a loss not to do them, even Heroes who hated exercise had no choice but to take on real-life Quests. In particular, when logging into Arsilan Saga, various Arsilans praised them. Their Affinity even increased.
“Th-Thank you for your effort. Y-You’re looking h-healthier.”
Airi encouraged the Clerics.
The customization range expanded based on the physical condition in reality.
‘I honestly think it's gross!’
She couldn't bring herself to say that out loud. She tightly shut her eyes and pressed the Affinity Increase button. When the Clerics knelt before Airi, she gently patted each of their heads.
‘This too is a trial of light....’
It wasn’t on the reward list, but somehow, Airi’s warm touch ended up becoming a reward. The Clerics’ motivation rose even higher!
Besides exercise, rewards were also given in Arsilan for certifying achievements such as licenses or improved grades. Since the results of hard work in reality were acknowledged, the Heroes generally responded positively.
Jinwoo’s family had all gathered at the mansion for the first time in a while.
Jinwoo’s older brother looked at their grandfather with a worried expression. His sister and father were the same.
“Are you okay?”
“Ahem, my body isn’t what it used to be. Don’t worry. After I retire and get some rest, I’ll be fine. Cough, cough! Ugh....”
Lee Woon-sung said that as he coughed.
Today, the attending physician was scheduled to visit the mansion and deliver the results of a health check-up. Due to health reasons, Lee Woon-sung was planning to step down from his position as Chairman. Jinwoo’s father had opposed it for various reasons until now, but with health issues involved, he had no choice.
“Grandfather....”
Tears welled up in his sister’s eyes. Jinwoo found her appearance quite surprising.
NorthernGrandDuke shedding tears!
She was originally such a kind and affectionate sister, but since he saw her more often in Arsilan than in reality, this side of her felt so unfamiliar.
“Ahem! Jinwoo. This old man is not what he used to be. Hahaha! So, is the second-anniversary event preparation going well? Before I die..., cough, I’d like to live happily for a bit.”
Lee Woon-sung even pulled a thick blanket over himself and trembled as if he were cold. Jinwoo looked at Lee Woon-sung, who seemed like he might ascend to the Celestial Realm at any moment.
“Yes, I am preparing it but....”
Just then, the attending physician arrived at the mansion.
“Dr. Kim, you’re here, hmm?”
Lee Woon-sung was startled when he saw the physician.
Lee Woon-sung’s doctor was known as the most skilled physician in Korea. He had been responsible for Lee Woon-sung’s health for a long time, and Lee Woon-sung called him Dr. Kim.
“You..., your body....”
Flex
His doctor’s coat was swelling as if it would burst. Dr. Kim grinned.
“It’s because I’m a Cleric.”
“Ah, I see.”
“A healthy body houses a healthy soul, and a healthy soul is filled with Ella-nim’s light.”
Dr. Kim was also a Hero who enjoyed Arsilan Saga!
Who would have thought he’d say such lines in real life?
Jinwoo felt very strange, but the rest of his family gathered in the mansion only nodded their heads.
‘Hmm....’
Jinwoo decided to just observe for now.
Dr. Kim took out several documents from the bag he had brought. Then, he explained them one by one in detail. The more the explanation went on, the darker Lee Woon-sung’s expression became. It wasn’t because the results were bad.
In fact, it was the opposite.
“In conclusion, you’re healthier than you were twenty years ago. You’re at the level of a very healthy athlete in their forties.”
“Th-That can’t be..., I feel like my body’s been getting worse lately.”
“You’re in excellent health.”
Dr. Kim firmly shook his head.
Jinwoo’s father, brother, and sister silently looked at Lee Woon-sung. He slightly pulled away the blanket covering him and averted his gaze.
“Haha, I-I must have been m-mistaken.”
“Father, in that case, we’ll cancel the succession of the chairman’s position. You could go on for another thirty years.”
“Ahem, th-that..., uh, hmm!”
As Jinwoo’s father said that with a big smile, Lee Woon-sung tried to make excuses and refuse, but he had no choice but to shut his mouth. He could feel the cold gazes of his family.
“Dr. Kim.”
“Yes!”
When Jinwoo called him, Dr. Kim looked at him with eyes full of respect. He looked like he might kneel at any moment. It was only natural, he had met the Creator God in person.
“I think maybe he was stressed from playing too much Arsilan Saga.”
“Hmm, that could be the case since there are many people there. He should rest for a while....”
Swoosh! Click!
Lee Woon-sung had disappeared from the room before anyone realized. He had gone to his room and locked the door.
A brief silence fell.
“Father....”
“Haha.”
“Fufu.”
Their father let out a sigh, while Jinwoo’s older brother and sister burst into laughter. Dr. Kim nodded in understanding and picked up his bag.
“You're leaving already? At least stay for a meal.”
To their father’s suggestion, Dr. Kim shook his head.
“I have a prior appointment in Arsilan. Well then, I’ll be off.”
Their father accepted it right away.
He had only said it out of politeness anyway.
After saying goodbye to everyone, Dr. Kim gave a deep 90-degree bow to Jinwoo. Then, as if he were a servant taking leave after an audience with a king, he backed away step by step.
Jinwoo looked at his family.
He felt like he had been too indifferent to them for a long time.
“Since it's been a while since we all gathered, shall we go out to eat somewhere nice? My treat.”
Though Jinwoo said this, everyone shook their heads.
“I have plans.”
“I need to go work out...”
“I guess I should start getting ready too.”
His brother, sister, and father scattered in an instant. Just as his father was about to go back to his room, he turned and approached Jinwoo again.
“I knew only Father would-”
“Do a good job with the second anniversary preparations.”
Swoosh!
Saying that, he entered his room. Jinwoo stood still in that now-empty space for a moment.
Maybe I should at least eat?
He opened the fridge to grab a meal. Inside, it was full of nutritional blocks. Even the water was a nutrient-added drink.
“Hmm.”
His family was all healthy, which made him happy, but somehow, he still felt a bit left out. Today was a bright, sunny day, perfect for going out.
Jinwoo headed to FS Games. The team leaders hard at work on the second anniversary preparations were there.
“The weather’s great. How about calling it a day early and doing a company dinner?”
Jinwoo said brightly.
“Ah, I have something scheduled....”
“Hmm....”
“If we must, I’ll participate, but...”
As the mood sank, Jinwoo let out a small laugh.
“I'm joking. You all know I hate company dinners. With the second anniversary just around the corner, we should be working!”
“Hahaha!”
“As expected of our CEO-nim!”
“Alright, alright! Let’s work hard!”
At Jinwoo’s words, the team leaders smiled happily.
Jinwoo smiled back as he looked at them.
Once in his office, Jinwoo sat blankly in his chair for a while, then headed into Arsilan.
Everyone there looked busy, too. Jinwoo, for no real reason, went to Hanu’s Sea and stared out at the waves.
“...Let’s just get to work.”
Only Arsilan’s warm sunlight and the refreshingly crashing waves were with Jinwoo, comforting him.
* * *
It was the second anniversary!
To celebrate the second anniversary, all cities and towns in Arsilan had been transformed into a festive atmosphere. Not only that, but landmarks in every country that serviced Arsilan Saga had also changed.
The Eiffel Tower glowed in golden light, and the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas displayed the emblem of the Arsilan Golden Alliance.
Even countries that didn’t yet officially service Arsilan Saga, such as the United Arab Emirates, were swept up in the wave of celebration. Dubai’s Burj Khalifa turned into a golden tower, and the full-screen display lit up with scenes from Arsilan.
[30,000,000!]
As if it had been waiting for this moment, Arsilan Saga’s concurrent users surpassed 30 million on the day of the second anniversary!
When the number passed 30 million, the cities and towns of Arsilan lit up with dazzling lights and the figure was displayed. Real-world landmarks also celebrated with brilliant fireworks.
It was an astonishing growth rate.
With an average login rate of 91%, Arsilan Saga’s influence on reality was now visibly evident. And the scary part was, it wasn’t over yet. The number of users was still increasing. Even experts could not easily predict how far it would go.
That’s how great Jinwoo’s responsibility was.
He had to make both Arsilan and Earth joyful and full of happiness. Of course, Jinwoo was confident.
[The Celestial Realm has been opened!]
[The second-anniversary special event “Meeting with the Creator God” begins at the Creator God’s Grand Temple!]
[This is not a patch announcement but a celebration of the second anniversary! No need to be nervous, come join us!]
On the day of the second anniversary.
The Celestial Realm opened once again.
“I haven’t even made it to the Giant Realm yet.”
“Hmm, I just started the summoning quest.”
“There’s a bunch of epilogue quests for the current main story, too.”
“Why do I still feel like a newbie?”
“Before the Creator God, we’re all newbies.”
Heroes, called veteran players looked at the newbies wearing kindergarten hats with nostalgic expressions.
“Ooh! Poison mushrooms!”
“Is it okay to eat poison mushrooms?”
“They say it gives you poison resistance if you eat them.”
“Aha!”
Newbies looked at everything around them with wonder. But those feelings weren’t exclusive to the newbies.
“There are still new Quests in Evanth?”
“A dungeon inside the well...?”
“What’s this underground shrine in Evanth now?”
“If you eat poison mushrooms together with larvae, it triggers a curse?”
Even veteran players found Arsilan constantly new and fascinating, just like the newbies.
A newbie Hero brought a book, glowing with a blue light, to a veteran Hero.
“Hey! What is this? I picked it up down there.”
“...What is that?”
Even the veteran Hero didn’t know what it was.
“If you open it, a skeleton pops out.”
“Uwaah! S-Scared me!”
When the newbie opened the book, a skeleton jumped out. The veteran stumbled back in shock.
Veterans had come to Evanth to guide the newbies but ended up learning from them instead.
Veterans are all washed up!
It was the moment the term “veteran newbie”, a hybrid word combining veteran and newbie, was born.
Veterans, hurt in their pride, trembled.
“Didn’t they say there wouldn’t be any updates? Did they do one secretly?”
“There haven’t been any update announcements for a while.”
“Well, it’s not high-level content, so....”
“This is so unfair! I’m level 81, part of the vanguard, and I even have a praise sticker from Leon-nim....”
If someone said, "It was hidden content from the start!", there was really nothing else to say. In any case, the Celestial Realm had opened again, and the Creator God was calling, so they had to go.
“Let’s just go.”
“Haven’t been to the Celestial Realm in a while.”
“Hey, pack your bags. We have to harvest clouds.”
“Kya! As expected of a veteran! Newbies don’t know this stuff, right?”
“...That just made me kinda sad.”
A Hero who had finally made a veteran-like comment suddenly felt a little melancholic.
The Heroes headed for the Celestial Realm.
The Celestial Realm was more magnificent than before. That was because treasures the Heroes had exchanged with Contribution Points or donated to their Domains were now on display there.
Many Heroes entered the Grand Temple.
Heroes who didn’t come to the Celestial Realm could watch through the broadcast.
The interior of the Grand Temple had changed significantly from before. It now felt like an upscale dinner show. When it reached full capacity, the space was divided so every Hero who came could sit comfortably.
As Jinwoo stepped onto the stage, the Heroes welcomed him with applause and cheers.
“It’s already been two years since you Heroes arrived in Arsilan. So much has happened, hasn’t it? I was on edge watching during the Great War too.”
Jinwoo sat comfortably on a sofa on stage.
“This is a celebration to share this joyful second anniversary with all of you. Please enjoy it without any pressure.”
With a snap of Jinwoo’s fingers, luxurious food and drinks filled the Heroes’ tables. The food was loaded with buffs. When Jinwoo raised his wine glass, the Heroes followed suit and lifted their own.
“Alcohol in Arsilan is good for your health. Now! Drink to your heart’s content.”
As the Heroes drank, quite good buffs were granted. The buff lasted for a whole week.
“Happy second anniversary! I’ll keep working hard!”
“Wow! This is delicious!”
“Kya! This is great!”
The newbies were enjoying it wholeheartedly, but the Heroes who had been playing Arsilan Saga until now didn’t relax as they stared at Jinwoo.
“Congratulations.”
“It’s been fun.”
“Long live the Creator God.”
They mechanically voiced their congratulations while keeping their eyes on Jinwoo.
Naturally, it wouldn’t end just like this.
There was no way this event was prepared only for a second anniversary celebration!
As Jinwoo set down his glass on the table, silence fell. The newbies tilted their heads in confusion at the sudden change in atmosphere.
“These days, I often think... What is true happiness?”
Here it comes.
As Jinwoo began speaking in vague, dreamy terms, the eyes of the Heroes sharpened with suspicion.
“There may be many kinds of happiness, but being able to share joy together, wouldn’t that be the greatest happiness of all?”
Jinwoo stood up from the sofa.
“I’ve heard that many of you Heroes are now married. Adventuring through Arsilan as a couple, that must be a truly romantic and happy experience, right?”
When Jinwoo asked, the reactions of the Heroes were mixed.
“Isn’t it?”
They had to answer quickly.
“Y-Yes, of course!”
“Haha! That’s right! Absolutely!”
“I’m happy!”
As Jinwoo asked again, the Heroes jumped and hurried to answer. Jinwoo gave a small smile and continued.
“There are many stories on Arsilan Worlds shared by Heroes who’ve built happy families. Recently, I saw this video.”
As Jinwoo reached out his hand, a video appeared.
A child, who looked to be in elementary school, was lying in bed with their eyes tightly closed, wearing their parents’ Soul Link device. The way the child repeatedly shouted, “Link Start!” was incredibly cute.
When the father came over and removed the Soul Link, tears welled up in the child’s eyes.
‘Take me with you too!’
‘Just wait eight more years.’
‘Waaaah!’
The mother, filming the video, burst out laughing.
Though the child cried with sorrow, the Heroes smiled softly at the adorable scene. Quite a few Heroes had to log in to Arsilan Saga discreetly because of their children.
Another video played.
A child was seen praying earnestly in front of a photo of Jinwoo. They were desperately asking to be allowed to connect to Soul Link as a Christmas present.
‘I have to go to bed early. If I stay up late, Santa won’t come.’
‘Is Santa higher than the Creator God?’
‘Well..., Mommy’s not really sure about that one.’
‘Then it’s fine. Mom, I’m going to pray, so please leave.’
The child’s mother, who was filming, quietly closed the door. The video had accumulated quite a few views.
As the video ended, Jinwoo smiled and looked at the Heroes.
“The theme of this second anniversary event is: Happiness Together.”
With a snap of Jinwoo’s fingers, the surroundings darkened and the scenery changed.