LS 41

Dohee and Knockoff each gave different answers: ‘fish-shaped pastry’ and ‘fish cake skewer.’ Two were already wrong. Dohee was getting more and more anxious. From that point on, it was just a series of wrong answers. Far from being in sync–it was shocking how different they were.

[NPC] Clara: Then, the third question! People in love often give each other gifts on special occasions. So, what kind of birthday gift would the person solving this problem with me right now want to receive?

Answer: |_______

! Note

▷ Please submit your answer by pressing Enter within 10 seconds.

This time, they gave completely opposite answers: ‘wallet’ and ‘letter.’ How could they be this off? Dohee was starting to feel uneasy. He already knew that his personality was different from Knockoff’s, but not a single answer had matched. They weren’t even similar. And since they couldn’t chat, there was no way to vent the growing frustration.

[NPC] Clara: It really isn’t easy. Here’s the fourth question. What’s your partner’s favorite color?

Answer:

! Note

▷ Please submit your answer by pressing Enter within 10 seconds.

What the hell. Are they kidding? These bastards serious?

How are you supposed to know someone’s favorite color? Are they even trying to make this possible? If Knockoff and he were actually a couple, or playing side by side, or had known each other for a very long time, maybe then. But the two of them had barely known each other for just over two weeks, and they’d never talked about stuff like this.

Of course they got it wrong.

[NPC] Clara: Last question. Please get it right this time! There are so many animals on the planet Yubriel. I’m sure you adventurers know that well. If you and your partner could raise a pet together, what kind of animal would it be?

Answer:

! Note

▷ Please submit your answer by pressing Enter within 10 seconds.

To be honest, Dohee felt pretty confident this time. Because not long ago, Knockoff had mentioned he liked cats, and Dohee liked them too.

But the answers were ‘cat’ and ‘dog.’ Completely different.

A message popped up saying they had failed the quest, and the window closed with a soft pop.

He was so dumbfounded, he couldn’t even speak.

[Party] GOingSupporter187: 8ㅅ8… Samoyed… You even mentioned it before… You said you watched NuTube vids too… ㅠㅡㅠ

[Party] AssaGo: You kidding? lol You said you liked cats

[Party] GOingSupporter187: No, I mean… ㅠㅡㅠ… I’m sorry…

[Party] AssaGo: What kind of quest is this

[Party] AssaGo: Let’s try again

[Party] AssaGo: It’ll probably be the same quest, so let’s just agree on sock answers from the start this time

[Party] GOingSupporter187: Got it!!! 8ㅅ8

Dohee and Knockoff talked to NPC Clara again. They skipped the intro part and waited for the questions.

Dohee naturally expected the same one to show up again: “If you were to go on a trip, what’s the first thing you’d pack?”

But maybe Baek Dohee had underestimated this damned game.

Unbelievably, all five questions were different from the ones before, and the two of them lost miserably again.

Just in case, they tried talking to Clara one more time, only to get yet another five entirely new questions.

How many damn questions did these insane NGA bastards prepare…?

All this trouble for a couple avatar was honestly getting ridiculous.

[Party] GOingSupporter187: What do we do… 8ㅅ8…?

[Party] AssaGo: I seriously can’t with this

Dohee paused to think. They couldn’t chat, so syncing answers was impossible. And using game voice chat? Could they really match answers in under 10 seconds?

In the end, Dohee realized there was only one solution.

[Party] AssaGo: You’re at an internet café, right?

[Party] GOingSupporter187: Yeah…!

[Party] AssaGo: Most of those have GameTalk installed

[Party] GOingSupporter187: Ah… yeah yeah!

[Party] AssaGo: Put on your headset, turn on your mic, and launch GameTalk

[Party] AssaGo: We’ll just talk it out and match answers that way

[Party] AssaGo: That’s the best option

[Party] GOingSupporter187: Oh… should we!?

[Party] GOingSupporter187: One sec!

Dohee put in his earphones and launched GameTalk.

Soon, Knockoff’s profile showed the “online” status next to it.

Dohee quickly tapped the call button.

– “Ah, hello…?”

“Can you hear me?”

– “Yeah, yeah!”

“When the NPC gives a question, just say the first thing that comes to mind right away. I’ll type that in and we’ll clear the quest.”

– “Okay!”

“It’s kinda noisy over there at the internet café.”

– “Uh… is it bothering you a lot? I can’t really tell myself…”

“Of course it is. I’m at home. You’ve got your headset on, right?”

For some reason, his cheeks felt hot. Dohee raised his hand and wiped his face.

It was probably just the heat from this damn quest getting to him.

– “Ah, there’s a noise suppression button or something! Hold on….”

“Take your time.”

– “Ah, ah. Is that better now?”

“Much better.”

– “It’s kind of cool, though.”

“What is?”

− “Your voice sounds a little different from when you called me after drinking last time…”

“Oh~ I guess it was cold back then, and I’d had some drinks too.”

− “You said it wasn’t a cold, right?”

“Yeah.”

A brief silence passed between them. Dohee felt the same, both intrigued and awkward. It was the first time he’d heard Knockoff’s voice this clearly. Honestly, he’d been more than a little tipsy during that last call, so his memory of the voice was fuzzy. He couldn’t recall exactly what it had sounded like.

Now, suddenly talking like this, it felt a little embarrassing, a little awkward. But also kind of fascinating.

“Uh, try talking to Clara now.”

− “Ah, okay!”

After telling Knockoff to talk to Clara, Dohee did the same. Clara, once again, began the quest with the same introductory lines.

Having seen them three times already, the novelty had worn off. Dohee clicked through the dialogue quickly and waited for the next question to appear.

“Whatever comes to mind first. Just say any word that pops up.”

− “Okay!”

[NPC] Clara: Now, the first question! Among lovers and family, the most common gift exchanged is flowers! If you could give a flower to the person solving this problem with you, which one would it be?

Answer:

! Note

▷ Please submit your answer by pressing Enter within 10 seconds.

Flowers? He didn’t even know many types. And it wasn’t a repeat of a previous question either.

This damn crazy NGA must’ve used its impressive talent for wasting manpower to prepare dozens of questions.

“Answer.”

− “Ah…! Roses, roses!”

Snapping out of it, Knockoff quickly gave an answer. Dohee typed “roses” into the box.

At last, instead of the usual ba-bang! fail sound, they got a ta-da! along with a quest completion message.

[NPC] Clara: I knew you two would pass the quiz in style!

[ Roses ] what a beautiful flower. Here’s your reward: a “small, sparkling brooch.” And please accept this letter. It’s from Ladenska in Rowle.

Wishing you both happiness, always! ♥

After hitting the quest complete button, Dohee asked Knockoff,

“Did you get the brooch and the letter?”

− “Yeah!”

“Let’s read the letter.”

− “Yeah, okay!”

<Event Quest>

Final Proof

This is the final quest in the “Couple Avatar Event.”

Hello, Adventurer.

I’ve heard you’ve traveled all across the continent and met many amazing people.

I’m Myeonghan, and I live in Ladenska, the capital of Rowle.

Please come find me!

There’s something I would love to ask of you.

You’ll find me in the house with the small orange door, in front of the Ladenska marketplace.

I’ll be waiting!

! Note

▷ Take the “small, sparkling brooch” Clara gave you and find the NPC “Myeonghan” at Ladenska marketplace. This leads to the final quest.

At last, it was the final chapter of this annoying couple avatar quest.

“You set your return scroll to Ladenska last time, right?”

− “Oh, right!”

“I’ve got one too, so let’s go. Let’s finish this quickly. I’ve got plans tomorrow, so I need to log off early.”

− “Uh… so you’re logging off early today?”

“Yeah.”

− “Ah…”

“What? You’re sad about that?”

Teasing, he asked with a playful tone. On the other end of the earphones, he could hear Knockoff’s flustered breathing.

− “Uh, ah, I…”

“So you’re not sad.”

− “I am sad!”

“Right. So you are sad.”

− “…”

Dohee could hear soft huffing over the earphones. Man, teasing him was way too fun.

He couldn’t help but let out a quiet chuckle.

− “You laughed…”

“I did.”

− “I’ll just go ahead…”

Knockoff said he’d go on ahead in a dejected voice, then tore his return scroll right in front of Dohee.

In an instant, his character vanished.

“What? He actually left.”

− “You’re always teasing me…”

“You make it fun to tease.”

− “I’m not that funny though!?”

“To me, you’ve been the funniest person lately.”

− “Uh…? Really?”

“Yeah.”

− “That’s… a good thing, right?”

“Yeah.”

Asking if it was a good thing was honestly hilarious. And when Dohee said yes, Knockoff just accepted it like it was obvious.

He really was just so sweet, so harmless, it made Dohee wonder what he was supposed to do with a guy like this.

Dohee tore his own return scroll to follow him and arrived in the center of Ladenska’s marketplace in no time.

“Is it uncomfortable playing while on the call?”

− “Huh? Oh! No, not at all. It’s totally fine.”

“Then… want to just keep playing like this today?”