A disciple of the Volcano Sect. The original protagonist with red hair.

To be precise, he has plum blossom-colored hair and is an orphan. He lives with his disliked master, Jinmu, deep in the secluded temple of the Volcano Sect.

An orphan disciple who is disliked by his master. Thanks to that, the two continue a humble life. I know how the protagonist will end up and what choices he should make, yet I don’t even know his real name.

— Please write the name of the protagonist of this game.

There was no default name for the protagonist.

If you don’t set one, the game won’t progress. So, just like other visual novel players, I put in my name to make immersion easier.

“Surely the original protagonist’s name isn’t the same as mine, right?”

The reason I introduced myself under the pen name Jiwoo was to avoid raising suspicion over sharing a name.

What if it really is Kang Yoon-ho? Would I end up being called the Black Kang Yoon-ho and the Red Kang Yoon-ho later on?

— Who do you think is more famous, the Black Kang Yoon-ho or the Red Kang Yoon-ho?

— One thing’s for sure, they say the Black Kang Yoon-ho is good at nighttime activities.

Surely it won’t turn out like that.

“I told them to ask the Seocheon Post Office for a name. They should let me know.”

I turned my gaze to the opened letter.

——

[To the esteemed Jiwoo.]

[Today, I visited the market to buy medicinal herbs for my master.]

[From the morning, I put in the legwork and was able to get quality herbs at a cheaper price than other places. While trying to haggle for expensive herbs, I secretly puffed up my chest, feeling like a big-time merchant.]

[Of course, I could have bought herbs at any pharmacy, but this money comes from you, Jiwoo. I can’t waste it.]

Maybe because I decided to share my true feelings, the letter started to incorporate personal thoughts, making it feel like reading an exchange diary.

[That said, I have a confession for you, Jiwoo.]

“Uh? Is something wrong?”

Is he possibly short on money?

[Actually, I bought a snack with the leftover money.]

“What on earth…”

Reading the confession-like writing of the protagonist made me smile unintentionally.

[I don’t think you know how much I deliberated in front of the street vendor.]

The following content of the letter was quite serious, contrasting my amusement.

[You definitely said I should treat myself, but wouldn’t it be wrong to buy snacks when my master is sick? I’ve been walking around all day, so can’t I at least have a piece of taffy? I pondered for quite a while in front of the vendor. The martial artist from the Volcano Sect even asked if I had business there. The vendor handed me a piece of taffy.]

[That piece of taffy, which was supposed to be a little taste, became a problem.]

[That one snack thoroughly destroyed my dilemma. By the time I realized, I was already chewing on the taffy.]

[How could a martial artist of the Volcano Sect be swayed by snacks? How could this be? I was overwhelmed with self-loathing. But amid all that, the pleasure in my mouth remained.]

[Since you said to buy something delicious with your sponsorship money, it should be okay, right?]

[Today was delicious and fun, thanks to you, Jiwoo.]

I couldn’t help but smile at the glimpse of the protagonist’s small indulgence and happiness.

Have I become an accomplice? It feels like skipping study time with a friend and we’re both in trouble together.

[P.S. I bought taffy for my master, and he liked it. I think I made a good purchase.]

[P.S. 2. My master shared half of it with me. I had already climbed up having eaten one, so I refused again, but in the end, I succumbed to my master and the allure of snacks.]

[P.S. 3. Do you like sweet things too, Jiwoo? For your next reply, it would be nice if you just say ‘yes’ or ‘no’.]

“It’s surprisingly satisfying to support someone.”

The response is so positive, it’s gratifying.

Besides, I didn’t just sponsor a kid from Somalia becoming the African pirate; this is the original protagonist who will shape the Martial Arts World.

Is this the joy of being a tall Uncle? Let’s check out the next letter.

——

[To the esteemed Jiwoo.]

[Do you know about the disciple of the inner sect?]

“It feels like being asked by a young cousin if they know what a sentai is.”

Of course, I know. It’s as predictable as a young cousin getting hyped when a cool character suddenly transforms into the sixth sentai.

An inner sect disciple isn’t a big deal.

In prestigious sects, they raise talented kids to be direct successors, but they also take money to teach martial arts. These are called inner sect disciples.

Of course, the martial arts learned by inner sect disciples are a level lower than those learned by direct successors. But even if the martial arts are watered down, they still carry the essence of the prestigious sect. They can’t be compared to third-rate martial arts learned in the market.

Direct successors remain in the sect to sustain it, while inner sect disciples leave to carry on their family legacy.

An inner sect disciple can then proudly declare, “I learned from a member of the Volcano Sect!” They succeed in the future, donate back to the sect, and create a virtuous cycle.

[There are many inner sect disciples in the Volcano Sect.]

[Rich families, high officials, and sons of martial arts generals—all the young masters who spend money extravagantly. They receive all their living expenses from home, so they splurge.]

[Thanks to that, the market near the Volcano Sect is always bustling with people.]

[On the other hand, I’m an inner sect disciple, but without relatives, I can’t spend much. Ah! Please don’t feel too sorry for me. Though I have no relatives, I have a master and I didn’t grow up starving, so I’m not too bothered.]

[And now I have you, Jiwoo! The reason I’m telling you this is that with the money you recently sent, I bought a pair of shoes!]

The letter seemed to be filled with such joy that it was almost levitating.

[My master scolded me for spending too long at the market, but I didn’t really hear him! It’s my first time buying new shoes, so I should be allowed to think about it, right?]

[When I found shoes that fit from what other inner sect disciples had discarded, I no longer have to worry about who would see me. What a delightful thing this is; I bet you don’t understand, Jiwoo.]

[Now with these shoes, I’m going to practice Light Body Movement. Thanks to you, I feel like I can finally overcome my previous hurdles.]

“Did I just buy the protagonist’s first shoes with my money?”

Good for me. It’s more of a gift, but if he thinks of me every time he wears them, that’s more than enough.

[Ah! I think I said something I shouldn’t have because I’m too excited. Please don’t mention the discarded shoes to my master. It’s a must!]

He might not care that much about his humble circumstances, but he doesn’t want to hurt his master’s feelings. That’s admirable. I flipped to the next page of the letter.

[I cried.]

“Hold on, you were just soaring with joy a moment ago.”

Why suddenly crying?

[While happily walking in my new shoes, I stepped into a muddy puddle. No matter how much I wash them, they won’t regain the brilliance of yesterday…]

The handwriting trembled. It looks like he was overwhelmed with emotion as he was writing this. Such a pity.

[Is this the price I pay for having too many desires? I was gloomy for several days, and my master worried about me.]

[I can’t let my sick master worry about me. I’ll keep wearing the dirty shoes when practicing Light Body Movement. Even though they’re dirty, they’re still new shoes, so they should be helpful for practice. I’ll only look at the remaining new shoes for now and save them for an important day that may come later.]

“It seems in the original story, he was a bit more indifferent to his poor past; is it because he’s still not an adult?”

The protagonist has a bright personality and didn’t care too much, but sometimes, tales from his childhood made the princess gasp. He was the one laughing heartily.

It seems like his bright character is still intact, but he’s not completely unaffected by his challenging circumstances.

[P.S. If you let me know you’re coming to the Volcano Sect, I’ll wear clean shoes.]

That works for me.

I helped knowing of his humble circumstances. I could dig a little deeper into the protagonist’s heart. I opened the next letter.

—

[To the esteemed Jiwoo.]

[My master taught me all day for the first time in a while. Thanks to you, Jiwoo, my master’s health seems to be improving these days.]

[Lately, I’ve been feeling weirdly upbeat. For some reason, I keep smiling even when I’m still. Why is that?]

[Is it perhaps that my master is like a father figure, and now I have a friend? I have a feeling that everything will somehow work out well!]

[P.S. Jiwoo, I called you a friend, so I hope you didn’t misunderstand anything.]

[P.S. 2. Now that I think about it, it’s strange that I don’t know the name of my friend. I hope to find out your name soon.]

“Not my name, but could you reveal yours instead?”

I’m glad he’s enjoying my support, but it looks like the simple letters of well-being won’t suffice.

“Since I told the Seocheon Post Office to ask, they should let me know.”

I opened the next letter, hoping to see the name.