Chapter 285: Trial 6



It was strange-no, outright bizarre-how a game that wasn’t supposed to exist yet was sitting there, fully playable.

[Hero’s Legacy]

The moment I first spotted it in her game library, I knew something was off…

When I returned home that evening after my initial visit, I began digging.

I scoured every corner of the internet, searching for information about the game.

Surely, something like this couldn’t exist without a trace.

And yet, no matter how deep I dove, there was nothing.

Not a single result confirmed the existence of [Hero’s Legacy] as a released game. It was as if it didn’t exist outside of her console.

Desperate for answers, I broadened my search, turning my focus to the company behind it- HeavenSoftware.

The results weren’t completely fruitless. I found some details about the company, its previous works, and even teasers for a “groundbreaking” game they were working on.

The name? [Hero’s Legacy].

But that was the thing-it was still under development, and didn’t even blow up properly in the future…

Every piece of information pointed to the same conclusion: the game wasn’t supposed to be out yet.

At most, HeavenSoftware had announced teasers and some vague concepts, but nothing about a release date.

I decided to ask mom about It as well.

“Where did you get this game?”

But…

Her answer only deepened the mystery.

“It’s always been there,” she said with a shrug. “Ever since I got hospitalized, it’s been in my library.”

Her nonchalant response felt surreal.

Years. She’d had the game for years.

A game that wasn’t even released yet.

A game that no one else in the world seemed to have access to.

[Note: Progress…70%]

….

“So, I have to save this chick?”

Helena asked, her brows arching with exaggerated curiosity as she stared at the beautiful white-haired girl displayed on the screen.

Her lips curled into a mischievous grin as she glanced sideways at Han.

“Yes,” Han replied, his voice tinged with unease.

The faint tension in his words piqued her curiosity even more, and she leaned forward, studying him with a spark of intrigue in her eyes.

“Hm, don’t want to~” she teased, stretching her voice playfully and leaning back against the couch, waiting for his reaction.

Han let out a small, irritated sigh, then, without a word, reached over and snatched the controller from her hands.

“Give me the controller,” he muttered, his tone firm but not harsh.

Helena blinked in surprise, her fingers curling instinctively as if to hold onto something no longer there. She turned to him, slightly taken aback.

For the first time since he started visiting, Han had willingly gone along with one of her more absurd gaming requests.

‘Well, he does keep accepting my requests…’ she thought, her lips quirking into a faint smile. Despite all his reluctance, eye-rolling, and muttered complaints, one thing stood out to Helena.

No matter how unreasonable or ridiculous her requests were-whether it was slicing fruit just the way she liked it, playing through every game in her library, or humoring her whims-Han never outright refused.

And more importantly, he never crossed certain lines.

Though his demeanor was often distant, and his words could be sharp, there was no real malice in them.

He didn’t lash out at her, didn’t say anything truly hurtful.

Instead, there was… restraint.

If anything, he was kinder than she had expected.

Kinder than she probably deserved.

Her gaze softened as she watched him focus on the screen, his expression one of grudging determination.

This was the first time, she realized, that Han had actually put effort into the game they were

playing.

It wasn’t just casual button-mashing or passing the time to humor her.

He was playing carefully, meticulously, like someone handling something fragile— something he needed to see through to the end.

Helena’s chest tightened unexpectedly as she looked at her son.

For years, she’d resigned herself to the distance between them, to the resentment she thought he carried.

Helena mused as a faint smile graced her lips, watching Han with quiet appreciation.

Though her blindness was offset by her psychic powers, her illness had progressed far enough that even those powers couldn’t fully compensate.

Colors, once vivid and defining, were now lost to her. She could only perceive the world in

faint outlines and energy signatures.

Still, she was grateful.

Grateful that, even in this diminished state, she could witness this side of him before her

inevitable end.

‘He looks like he’s really having fun…’

Her chest tightened at the thought again.

Seeing Han so immersed, his focus unyielding and his fingers deftly working the controller,

was a rare and cherished sight.

But…

‘How is he so good at this?’

The thought nagged at her. It wasn’t just casual competence-it was something

extraordinary.

Granted, Helena had always known that the reason Han didn’t shine in their previous gaming

sessions was entirely her fault.

Her skills were abysmal, and she had long accepted that her son was likely holding back to

keep her from getting frustrated or giving up too quickly.

But this was different.

Watching him play this game was like seeing an entirely new side of him.

His actions weren’t hesitant or experimental-they were deliberate, confident, and

calculated.

Every character he chose seemed perfectly suited to the situation.

His party composition was balanced and optimized, as though he had carefully planned each

move in advance.

Even the items he selected were precise, chosen with a clear purpose in mind.

And the clear conditions…

He met them all.

Helena found herself in awe as she observed him clear even the most complex mini-games without hesitation, hitting a hundred percent success rate every single time.

‘How does he even know this stuff?’

It was as though Han had played this game a hundred times before.

“Hey, have you played this game before?” Helena asked, tilting her head slightly as she

observed Han’s fluid movements across the controller.

Han turned his head briefly in her direction but didn’t break his focus from the screen. “No… I believe this game hasn’t officially released yet,” he replied calmly, his tone steady as he

navigated another challenging sequence.

“Hm~ it hasn’t? That explains why I’ve never heard of it before…” she murmured thoughtfully. “Well, the characters are all so well-designed, so I’m sure it’ll get popular once

it does release. But that still doesn’t explain why you’re so good at it… You haven’t been

playing it while I was asleep, have you?”

Han glanced at her from the corner of his eye, his fingers never missing a beat. “Even if I did, do you really think you wouldn’t notice my presence the moment I did so?”

Helena paused, considering his point. “That’s true…” she admitted, though her lips quirked

into a faint smile.

In truth, she wasn’t so sure she would have noticed.

Her weakened state had left her far more vulnerable than she liked to admit.

Sneaking around her wouldn’t have been impossible, but there was no need to voice that

thought aloud.

Instead, she turned her attention back to the screen, watching the vibrant, fantastical world

of the game unfold.

Occasionally, her gaze flickered to Han, who remained completely engrossed in his task.

‘Is it because he’s young and in his prime?’ she wondered, half-jokingly. ‘Maybe that’s why

he’s so enthusiastic and energetic about this game.’

But there was something more to it-something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

Han didn’t just play the game. He owned it.

Every action was deliberate, every choice precise.

He navigated the game’s intricate systems and mechanics with an ease that belied any claim

of inexperience.

Watching him was like witnessing a seasoned veteran at work, someone who knew not just the

rules of the game but how to bend them to his advantage.

‘At least I can see this side of him now,’ Helena leaned back, letting her mind drift as she observed him.

A quiet pride began to swell within her, though she didn’t fully understand why. Helena couldn’t help but smirk to herself as she watched Han effortlessly navigate the game,

making decision after decision that seemed perfectly tailored to win over the in-game

characters.

She had heard before that young men, especially teenagers, were easily enticed by the allure

of large-breasted and overly erotic-looking characters.

It wasn’t just a stereotype-it was something she’d seen in real life too. People said that a certain drive could push young men to accomplish the impossible, and she

wondered if the same logic applied to Han right now.

‘He’s even hoarding all the beautiful girls for himself in the game,’ she thought wryly, her

eyes narrowing as another scene unfolded.

“You seem awfully good at making all these made-up girls happy,” Helena teased, her voice light but probing. “Are you sure you haven’t played this before? One of them is even downright obsessed with you right now. That’s a clear red flag, you know~” Han didn’t miss a beat, his focus never wavering.

“Well, they act like an open book, so figuring out what they like and dislike in a situation is

obvious,” he replied nonchalantly, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

Helena raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly.

“I think you’re the only one who feels that way… Don’t tell me you’ve become quite good with girls over the past few years now, have you?”

Han glanced at her briefly, a faint hint of annoyance flickering across his face.

“I don’t think you can associate someone’s dating skills with how they play a romance game.”

Helena leaned back slightly, her tone laced with amusement as she watched Han’s expression. “Hmm,” she hummed, still unconvinced.

“Maybe. Or maybe you’ve just become a smooth talker without even realizing it. But why are

you making sure every girl is happy? Some of them are just hindrances right now, you know. You should go and kick off their routes. What’s the point of keeping them?”

Han didn’t reply immediately, his eyes fixed on the screen, fingers moving deftly across the

controller.

The silence lingered between them, and Helena raised an eyebrow, expecting some sort of dismissive remark.

Then, to her surprise, she noticed his mouth quiver slightly. His eyes, though still locked on

the game, carried a flicker of something deeper-determination.

“Everyone deserves a happy ending,” Han said casually, his voice steady as he continued

playing.

Helena blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected depth in his words.

“A happy ending, huh…” She let out a soft chuckle. “Fufu- I guess you’re still as naïve as ever.

Not everyone can have such a thing, you know. You’ve seen that firsthand.” Han’s hands paused momentarily, but he quickly resumed. “…That’s true,” he admitted quietly. “But what if you were given the option and ability to proceed and succeed in such an

ending?”

Helena tilted her head, her smile tinged with skepticism. “Succeeding in an illusion and isn’t reality, you know.”

“As long as everyone’s happy in the end… what’s wrong with trying?”

|| ||

The room fell into a thoughtful silence, the only sound coming from the game’s faint

background music.

Helena sighed, a mixture of exasperation and amusement curling her lips into a smirk.

“Though you say all that…don’t you just want a harem of your own?”

“…”

“My, my, is that really the case?”

“Shut up,” Han muttered under his breath, clearly flustered but doing his best to maintain his

composure.

Helena laughed softly, her shoulders shaking.

For all his attempts to seem mature and distant, there were still cracks in his armor that

revealed the boy she once knew.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep