Chapter 5: The pretty girl whose life was ruined(5)
I start the game, and before I know it, two hours have flown by.
My level’s already 57.
Leveling in Arksha Online usually takes forever. The cap’s 90, which seems low for an eight-year-old game, but hitting it normally takes a solid month.
It’s not like you’re treated to epic storylines or cinematic cutscenes the whole time. There’s some of that, but past level 70, it’s mostly mindless grinding.
You get a decent bit at 80 and 85, but it’s a brief spark before more grinding.
That’s why most guilds set their join level at 70. Top-tier guilds might demand max level, but that’s why I’m aiming for 70 today.
The journey to 70 isn’t exactly easy, but RPGs like this always pair big updates with growth events.
This time, it’s the Mega Burning event: 5x EXP for hunting up to level 85. Sounds flashy, but since story and daily quests make up half the EXP, it’s more like 3x on average.
In the super old final region, I blast a massive red fireball at a hulking blue orc’s head and finish the story quest that started at level 55.
I hit 59, but the quests dry up. Now it’s pure grinding to 60. Lousy level design, stupid game.
I’m hungry, so I microwave the leftover tteokbokki from the fridge. Then I feel the tissue I stuffed in my underwear as a makeshift pad getting damp.
I didn’t notice while gaming. Periods don’t give a warning like needing to pee—they just leak. Being a woman is crappier than I thought.
Rocket delivery, please save me…
I force down the tteokbokki, soggy from the fridge and soggier from the microwave. With my small frame and tiny mouth, I have to chew like crazy.
Eating’s a waste of time, so I keep one hand on the keyboard. In the mess, I spill sauce on my clothes. It looks like blood. So damn annoying.
Eventually, I hit 70. Must’ve been five hours of straight leveling. I stand to stretch, and my joints crack loudly.
I’m cutting it close to run my main, but I’m scared of Myuk grilling me. I’ll log in when they’re offline…
Time to find a guild. I reopen the regional chat I’d muted for its lame dad jokes. Looks like the update brought some newbies, and there are scattered guild recruitment chats too.
Which guild’s good? I need one with enough veterans but not too old. Old-timers won’t fall for cutesy chat tricks. They’ve probably been burned by queen bees before, and some are likely married.
A guild full of newbies is no good either. I’m not here to fleece fleas—they’ve got nothing worth taking.
I patiently watch regional chat for 30 minutes. I checked guild recruitment posts on the official site and community, but a newbie applying through those looks suspicious, so I gave up.
After some effort, I find a decent guild: “Winter,” ranked around 200th on the server. Not too big, not too small. Perfect for grabbing some items and quitting once I hit my goal.
「(Whisper)WinterVice: Hi 🙂 Do you accept newbies?」
「WinterVice: We welcome anyone over level 70 ^^」
「(Whisper)WinterVice: OMG lol I’m exactly 70!」
「WinterVice: I’ll send a guild invite ^^」
A notification pops up: “WinterVice has invited FlowerHaeneul to the Winter guild. Accept?”
I pause for a beat.
「(Whisper)WinterVice: Do I just hit accept? It’s my first time playing a game like this ㅠㅠㅠㅠ」
「WinterVice: Yup, just click it, and you’re in ^^」
The emojis at the end scream middle-aged guy.
I join Winter guild. Eighteen members online. It’s peak time, so that’s a bit low.
「(Guild)WinterVice: Welcome ^^ Please introduce yourself」
「(Guild)FlowerHaeneul: Hi 🙂 I started yesterday ㅠㅠ Please take care of me!」
「(Guild)Koronos: Welcome」
「(Guild)IBAKHA: Yo yo, nice to meet you」
「(Guild)MurderScene: Oh, a newbie」
Chat floods in. Seems like a friendly guild.
And soon, I get what I wanted.
「(Guild)WinterVice: If it’s okay, could you share your gender and age? ^^」
「(Guild)FlowerHaeneul: 24, female lol」
The bait’s set. A female newbie who just started, young for this game but not suspiciously so.
Saying I’m a woman sparks more chat than my join announcement.
「(Guild)Dekinyu: Whoa」
「(Guild)MurderScene: Oh, a girl」
「(Guild)PhilemoN: I’m 24 too lol hi」
「(Guild)Nashika: Welcome lol」
「(Guild)FLORIE: Six years younger than me ^^」
It’s a bit gross, but I’ve got to play along…
At least it’s a decently structured guild—no idiots demanding I call them “oppa.” My old guild had a guy like that who got kicked for harassing a middle school girl who started because of her brother. He was thirty. Fck.
Not that I’m one to judge.
「(Guild)FlowerHaeneul: OMG, it takes that long to hit max level? ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ」
「(Guild)FlowerHaeneul: I started because of the Mega Burning event…」
You can’t just giggle and agree too much. You’ve got to signal you might quit if pushed.
Sure enough, offers roll in—carry runs, leveling tips.
I go all-in on the act. I ask what a carry is, say I watched leveling routes on YouTube, and play up the “clueless but flirty newbie” vibe. People start fawning over me.
But maybe I overdid it, because there’s a backlash.
「(Guild)MAKOLOVE: You sure you’re a girl?」
I expected this. I reply calmly.
「(Guild)FlowerHaeneul: Yup ;;」
「(Guild)Koronos: Why you doubting her?」
「(Guild)PhilemoN: Just tell him to shove it lol」
I shrug. Ten minutes in, and I’ve got two defenders.
At this rate, my card bill’s covered fast. Maybe more. I’ve got multiple alts.
Maybe I’m good at this?
「(Guild)MAKOLOVE: Hmm ;;」
「(Guild)MAKOLOVE: What lipstick do you use?」
…Fck.
I frantically search “lipstick” on Naver. Tons of brands pop up. I pick one and name it.
「(Guild)FlowerHaeneul: Yves Saint Laurent」
Wait, that’s pricey—36,000 won? Is lipstick always this expensive?
「(Guild)MAKOLOVE: What color?」
「(Guild)FlowerHaeneul: Burgundy Temptation」
I don’t know what I’m saying but pick something from the list. I spend more time at my computer than my bed—alt-tabbing’s nothing.
But the ordeal doesn’t end.
「(Guild)MAKOLOVE: That’s not popular ; What else do you use?」
「(Guild)FlowerHaeneul: It’s my choice, why do you keep pushing?」
「(Guild)MAKOLOVE: Just tell me what else」
「(Guild)MAKOLOVE: Sorry for doubting, but if you’re really a girl, I’ll apologize properly」
「(Guild)FlowerHaeneul: I used to use Chili Delight a lot」
I pick another color from the list.
「(Guild)MAKOLOVE: ? lol」
「(Guild)MAKOLOVE: That’s this year’s new release」
Oh, fck.
How am I supposed to know that? If we’re talking new releases, I’m a week-old woman.
I’m screwed. Do I need a new account? I sank nearly ten hours into this one—how can I do that again?
So annoying. Other netkama pull this off fine—why’s this crap only happening to me?
「(Guild)FlowerHaeneul: Sorry for lying, but I’m really a girl」
「(Guild)FlowerHaeneul: I don’t use lipstick, so I said that to avoid suspicion」
「(Guild)FlowerHaeneul: I can verify on Discord」
No way I’m starting over. I’ve sunk too much into this.
「(Guild)WinterVice: Both of you, calm down ^^」
「(Guild)WinterVice: FlowerHaeneul, want to join our guild Discord?」
It’s phrased as a request, but refusing a mic now is a one-way ticket to a kick.
Luckily, my Discord name’s a random letter, no profile pic. I join the “Arksha Online Tniel Server Winter Guild” Discord.
It’s been forever since I talked to anyone.
“Ah, ah. Can you hear me?”
My voice through the cheap headset’s mic feels awkward, but it’s soft, not like some voice-changer fake.
“Sorry for lying about the lipstick.”
“Welcome!”
“You really are a girl.”
“Your voice is pretty! Sounds like some idol.”
Two sentences, and I’m dizzy.
Not from talking—it’s the situation. Chatting feels so foreign, awkward, embarrassing, scary.
“Sister or cousin or something?”
“Mako…”
“Mako, knock it off.”
Why’s this guy like this?
I’m really a girl. Others believe me. Why’s he doing this?
Can’t I just live easily now? I got turned into this pretty girl—why’s everything going wrong?
“I’m an only child…”
My voice cracks with a hint of tears.
I didn’t mean to—it surprised me. Fck.
Still, this should convince them. Maybe Mako will feel bad and toss me a costume set… I rub my eyes, trying to stay positive.
“I got burned by a netkama once. Sorry for doubting.”
Finally, Mako admits defeat. About time you backed off.
A costume set won’t cut it, though. Reselling’s a hassle—how about a clean 1 billion silver?
But he’s not the only problem.
“To clear up Mako’s doubts, why don’t you join Discord more, Haeneul?”
“Yeah, our Discord’s fun.”
“That’d be great. It’s been a dude-fest, kinda grim.”
“Fun or grim, make up your mind.”
“You’ve got a wife and still complain about the dude-fest?”
A brief chat, and I’m already overwhelmed. Fck, what?
If I back out now, it’ll leave seeds of doubt.
“I…”
I need an excuse.
But nothing comes to mind.
I’m so pissed. Why’s everyone else walking on flowers while I’m stuck in thorns? Am I trying to scam millions? I’m not a netkama—I’m a real girl. I didn’t even outright ask for items.
Yeah, I’m furious. My period’s been hell since morning, and now I’m playing nice to horny idiots at night, and nothing’s going right. So damn angry and fed up.
So angry, I can’t come up with an excuse.
Instead.
“Screw off, you fcking losers.”
I shut off Discord and the game.