I Became Strong At Night And Weak At Day Inside A Game

The sky was clear.

A cool breeze blew as I stared blankly at the puffy clouds floating in the blue sky.

The hem of my school uniform, which I was slowly getting used to, swayed in the wind.

I tried to straighten it out, but I gave up when I saw a bundle of fur on my shoulder.

“You really—” 

Choco, who was on my shoulder, only tilted its head.

A raccoon that takes a human shoulder as its seat.

It’s not that heavy, but it feels weird.

Let’s not worry too much.

Today is my first weekend in Broken World.

“How long has it been since I had a weekend off?”

It seems like yesterday that I was working non-stop—.

No, it was somewhere around the day before yesterday.

Anyway, it’s the weekend.

It would be nice to sleep all day in the dormitory, but the truth is that it is a waste.

For that reason, I put on my school uniform and got out of Estero Academy for a while.

It’s hard on weekdays, but I’m glad I can go out on the weekends.

I left the academy through the main gate and walked around for a while.

My vision was soon filled with the bustling city.

The road is well-maintained, and the zones divided according to the use are elaborately woven like a spider’s web.

The neatly lined-up buildings in order way look like blocks that have been put in the right place. 

Most of the buildings have red roofs, so it looks like the blue roofs of Greece. 

“As expected, the Esset is beautiful.”

It was the opposite of the natural landscape.

The beautiful scenery can only be seen because of the human touch.

If it is the capital of a country, it is already in the ranks of art.

Yes, this is the capital city of Esset.

Estero Academy is in the capital of the Kingdom of Tekat, so it makes sense that the city in front of the academy is also the capital.

I followed the road to the central square.

Esset is a city designed in a perfect circle.

The circle is divided into 10 parts, each with a clear purpose. The high clock tower and colorful fountain are like signs that point to the center of this Esset. 

Whoosh—.

The fountain in the central square was pouring water as brilliantly as it did during the game. 

The clock tower rang nine times when I stared at it with Choco.

9 a.m.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to sit on a bench like this and enjoy my leisure time watching people come and go in the central plaza. 

The mouth is naturally loosened by the luxury I would never normally have.

“But shall I walk around, too?”

I can’t go into District 1, where the royal palace is, or District 8, which is a military area where the knights are stationed, without permission.

However, most high-ranking aristocrats live in District 2, while low-ranking aristocrats live in District 9. Districts 4 and 5 are commercial districts, and Districts 6 and 7 are where commoners live and are free to come and go. 

Noble residences require separate identification, but—.

I don’t want to stand out unnecessarily today, so let’s give up Districts 2 and 9.

Because there is no particularly memorable scenery there.

For similar reasons, I will also give up Districts 6 and 7.

Then it would be best to wander around the commercial district. 

I also wanted to experience the unique atmosphere of the commercial district.

“I wanted to see the palace up close, but….” 

For now, let’s be satisfied with the appearance of the royal palace in the distance from the central square.

The Royal Palace of Tekat looked very grand when seen from a distance.

Unlike its surroundings, the Royal Palace, decorated in white, was different.

Even the steeple soaring into the sky and the exquisite arrangement of curves and straight lines had an old-fashioned style. 

Looking from a distance makes me feel like I’m in a majestic place. What will it be like to go inside? 

The Broken World devs tend to stick to the odd parts, so they were crazy about cutting polygons for each interior decoration—.

After savoring the scenery for a while through my eyes, I turned toward the commercial area.

“I’m going to enjoy what I can enjoy now.”

I left the academy after a long time.

Let’s forget about complicated things for a while and enjoy my leisure time. 

Yeah, Edmund, or a forbidden book—.

Hmm, it’s not just the unique atmosphere I want to enjoy in the commercial area.

I don’t have anything in particular that I need to buy right away, but I have a few things I’m curious about.

For example, the snacks sold at Esset’s most popular snack shop, Mali Digri.

In particular, I have been curious about the bomb bubble gum that explodes in my mouth and the jackpot chocolate that the slot machine runs in the wrapping paper on my game days. 

Theo Agrit is also the son of an aristocrat, so his pockets are thick. 

So I can buy snacks without worrying about money.

If I win jackpot chocolates, I will receive a box of jackpot chocolates. 

And if I win a jackpot of chocolates as a prize, I’ll get another box—.

It sounds like a dream, but in reality, the chance of winning was strangely high, causing the so-called “chocolate copy bug” in which chocolate multiplied endlessly. 

It could be the case here too.

There is a feeling of half anticipation and half worry.

Either way, I wouldn’t know unless I tried, so I walked slowly into the commercial district. 

“Oh…” 

The commercial district was exactly what I remembered. 

The organized arrangement of buildings is similar to other areas I’ve gone through, but it’s a little more unique.

Although the roof is red, many shops have colorfully painted walls and doors.

The signboard hung above the entrance door was full of unique paintings that conveyed the identity of the store.

There are cafes and restaurants with tables spread up on the street, fruit shops that greet customers with a smile instead of shouting, and clothing stores that are busy with customers enjoying holiday shopping, etc.

I glanced at the hustle and bustle of the lively commercial district for a moment.

What I suddenly feel is the bitterness of nostalgia and memories.

Well, lately, I’ve only been to convenience stores or supermarkets.

The last time I went to the market was when I was young.

I clearly remember eating chicken skewers every time I go to the market, holding my parents’ hand.

“They don’t sell chicken skewers here.”

Hmm, I think they’re in District 5.

I remember that they sold it at a street stand next to the arms dealer. 

All right, let’s eat chicken skewers first before sweets.

With that in mind, I moved to the arms dealer in District 5.

However, what I found there was not a chicken skewer but a familiar face.

“Oh, my friend!”

Ethan, who was looking at the arms dealer, approached me while waving his hand as big and thick as his size. 

He’s so happy that I can’t ignore it.

“Hello, Ethan.”

Play

Unmute

“Yeah, good morning! Did you come shopping today?”

“It’s something like that…you?” 

“As you can see, I’m shopping. I want to adjust a shield!” 

The shield is Ethan’s main weapon.

Although the proportion of defeating with a shield is greater than defending against an attack—.

“By the way, how did you get called by Professor Clayton on Friday? You didn’t get in trouble for giving a blank paper again, did you?” 

I flinched and unknowingly touched the paper I had put in my robe pocket. 

It is a paper engraved with runes that Edmund forcibly gave.

It’s the exact opposite of what Ethan said, but to someone who doesn’t know the situation, it might look like I couldn’t answer the 3rd-grade quiz questions, so I wrote them down on a blank sheet of paper.

“It was nothing. It was a third-grade exam, so he said he would take it.”

There was no need to correct it, so I spoke ambiguously.

So now I’m about to leave Ethan to have a nice weekend by myself.

“Well, if it’s okay with you, help me choose my shield!”

Ethan, who I was about to wave my hand at, dragged me into the store before he heard my answer. 

I was drawn into a dazed moment, but the scenery of the arms dealer was also pretty appealing.

There are all kinds of weapons and armor hanging on the walls, and scenes that can’t be seen in real life are on the shelves.

“Which do you think is better, round shield or heater shield?”

Ethan held the two displayed shields in each hand.

There doesn’t seem to be much of a difference either way—.

– You’re right. Both are papers. They sell such garbage.

Deathwise, who woke up at once, grumbled.

Anyway, this guy only comes out whenever he wants to.

– With this body, it’s okay. So, both are garbage. Come on, tell him to put it down.

Because the store owner can see it, I can’t tell him to put it down because it’s garbage.

If I could say that in the first place, would it be better to recommend something good instead?

– Hm… They’re all bad… But there’s a good one there—the mannequin behind you. 

What Deathwise said was a kite shield decorated on a mannequin.

The front of the metal kite shield was decorated with a lion’s head.

It looked quite heavy because it was all metal up to that part, but it certainly looked solid.

“That one looks the best.”

“You have a good eye, customer. That is an item passed down from generation to generation in our family. It is a masterpiece made by a certain blacksmith. The performance is certain, but it is quite expensive.” 

Pointing to the mannequin, the store owner quickly answered.

Is it an antique that is commonly referred to?

If you look closely, you can see traces of age, including minor scratches.

Nevertheless, Ethan held out the leather bag he was wearing around his waist to the store owner.

“Let’s see. Is this enough?”

“Where—”

The owner opened the leather bag.

Then, he lost his words for a moment due to the golden light from the inside.

Soon, the store owner, whose eyes were colored with gold, nodded to Ethan with a bright face.

“Of course. If you need maintenance at any time, please visit us—!”

The owner, who came out of the counter at once, hurriedly removed the kite shield from the mannequin and gave it to Ethan.

He probably doesn’t want to miss Ethan if I see that he will even provide after-sales service.

Indeed, the Mertezaker family is the leading group of giants.

Of course, Ethan would have thrown a ridiculous amount of money as he was a member of the Mertezaker.

In fact, the amount of gold coins going into that leather bag is not a joke, even though it looks like one because of the enchantment.

We left the arms dealer after being seen off by the store owner who smiled brightly until the end.

Ethan smiled as he walked, lifting the kite shield high in the sky.

“…Do you like it that much?”

“My dream was to have a proper shield! Thanks to you, I got a good one!” 

Ethan, speaking with an excited face, looked happy without a lie.

Well, seeing him like that, I can see him wielding his tail like a puppy for some reason—.

It’s probably an illusion. 

Of course. 

“Oh my!”

Suddenly something brushed past Ethan.

Ethan was pushed aside for a moment, but he didn’t fall.

“What was it?”

Ethan looked around in bewilderment.

He didn’t realize any change for a moment, but the abnormality was clear to me.

“You, shield.”

“Shield?”

Ethan looked at his hand.

He couldn’t see the shield he was holding until now.

It’s not on either side, of course, not on the back too. 

“H, huh?”

Confused, Ethan looked around. 

Reflexively, my gaze was directed at someone dressed in a burlap who was moving away quickly in front of me, to be exact, his lion-decorated kite shield hanging from that person’s back. 

“There it is.”

“Pickpocketed—!? Stop there!”

Ethan started running with a scream.

Certainly, if he runs from now on, he can catch it somehow, but the path of the Esset is as complicated as it is elaborately intertwined.

If he follows them blindly, the chances of catching them are extremely low.

Without time to say so, Ethan is already running.

If I ignore it and go buy chicken skewers—the aftertaste will be uncomfortable.

“Phew… It’s my luck…”

Then I started running after Ethan, who chased the pickpocket.

4

“Stop there!”

Ethan shouted. 

However, pickpockets quickly wandered through the alley, as if not listening. 

Pickpockets in this area clearly know the area well because they lead us deeper into the area as they walk through the alleys off the highway.

However, I am more specialized in that field.

All the paths, shortcuts, and hidden paths of the Esset are unfolding in my head.

Even if the opponent enters a deep back alley leading to the slum, it is not difficult to infer the destination and wait on the street.

I stood in front of the pickpocket who was running at just the right time without looking back.

Suddenly, when I popped out from the front, the bewildered pickpocket suddenly stopped.

Wouldn’t it be better if this person ran to me with the intention of going through me?

If the pickpocket stops even once, the victory or defeat will surely be divided.

“I got you—!”

Ethan, who followed it, grabbed the pickpocket’s shoulders.

He even took off the cloth of the pickpocket with the kite shield. 

It was a small girl who appeared under a shabby cloth. 

Blonde hair, which wasn’t properly maintained, was quite damaged, and the condition of the clothes wasn’t so good.

It’s hard to tell how old she is just by looking at whether she has not been properly nourished for a long time.

– Huh… 

Deathwise sighed.

I couldn’t figure it out in detail because of the straw cloth, but I didn’t expect it to be a child.

When I sighed inside, Ethan, scratching his back head, looked around.

The back alleys are full of filth and stink, unlike the clean downtown of Esset. 

It is easy to infer the situation of the pickpocket girl who ran away here.

Perhaps that’s why Ethan bent his knees and talked to the child.

“If you return the shield, I won’t make a problem. Will you return it?”

It must have been a kind of kindness that said he wouldn’t report anything he said while already holding the shield. 

The pickpocket child stared at Ethan. 

She’s trying to decide whether to run away or say yes.

“Hey, Felt.”

The interruption came without warning. 

A bad voice rang out from the complicated back alley.

Maybe it was her name, but the girl flinched and stared at the man beyond us. 

The man was, like, a typical bully.

A rough impression, blade on his hands, and visible scars—.

In fact, it was disturbing to see him touching the handle of the blade while looking at us.

“Isn’t the payout late this month? Or what, is it the Young Masters over there will be paying this time?”

“If you tell me everything you have, I won’t do anything harsh.”

The voice is heard from the back, not from the front.

As soon as he understood that he was surrounded, Ethan sighed quietly.

“I understand the situation.”

He doesn’t have to put it into words to understand.

Ethan stepped forward as if hiding Felt behind him. 

Then he declared coldly, clenching his fists.

“I’ll deal with you guys.”

And as if they have been waiting.

The bullies rushed at Ethan.