NOVEL NEXT 76. Continue? (5)
‘Hm? Who’s talking about me again?’
SPES Kill Screen Branch.
Sitting in the waiting room before the meeting, Hyun Siwoo scratched his ear once more.
“Hmm…”
Watching this, Neaiba grimaced.
[Ugh, didn’t I tell you to wash up? Why are you touching your ear again?]
‘I just took a shower! I just felt like my ear was itchy, that’s all!’
[Hey, don’t you think your ears are itchy too often? I’m worried there might be something wrong with them, you know.]
‘There shouldn’t be anything wrong with my health…’
Hyun Siwoo turned his head with a puzzled expression.
Even if there was something wrong with his health, he couldn’t just get examined by anyone. One wrong move and it could leak that Fides’s true identity was Hyun Siwoo.
That’s why he had been taking care of his own body all this time. Diligently consuming health potions, carefully investing in stats. Every moment was a fierce calculation of how to survive with certainty.
If he were to die now, the only regressor who knew the secrets of this world would disappear. The arduous process and reasons from the first iteration when Hyun Habin gave him the regression item – all of it would vanish into thin air.
‘Sigh. It’s not easy living without relying on a healer.’
Hyun Siwoo let out a sigh.
‘Where can I find a trustworthy healer?’
It was pure coincidence that Hyun Siwoo’s eyes fell upon a bright blonde head of hair at that moment.
A woman who always seemed to emit a soft golden glow, perhaps due to her skill effect.
Chae Jise.
Neaiba interjected in panic.
[Hey, hey, hey! Are you crazy? Even if the Chae siblings are trustworthy, that woman is terrifying! She’s incredibly sharp. If you ask her for help, she’ll uncover all your secrets!]
‘…I didn’t say anything. I just looked at her, that’s all.’
[Ahem, ahem!]
As Hyun Siwoo was about to turn his head back to its original position at Neaiba’s fake cough, he overheard Chae Jise muttering softly.
“Huh? What’s this? Jiseok took Habin to the night market?”
‘…Hyun Habin?’
At the mention of his sister, Hyun Siwoo’s ears perked up involuntarily.
◆◇◆◇◆
Chae Jise wore an expression of deep regret.
On her KakaoTalk screen was a report from Chae Jiseok. She was catching up on all the messages sent yesterday, which had piled up.
The conversation went something like this:
Brother
Took Hyun Habin to see the sunset
The paperwork after I get back
Oh, she wanted to go to the night market so we went there too
Might be late with the paperwork today
Oh, now she wants to see fireworks too, we’ll go after the fireworks
Hyun Habin wants to check out Continue, heading there now
Arrived
Communication difficult!
“You really had quite the adventure!”
[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ exclaims that it was truly an enjoyable trip, marveling that even here, there are few tourists who enjoy themselves so thoroughly!]
Jise muttered dejectedly.
“Chae Jiseok… so when are you going to hand in the paperwork?”
Did you already get influenced by Habin? Don’t tell me you forgot?
Chae Jise’s face contorted into a strange expression for a moment, seemingly dumbfounded. Then she let out a small chuckle.
“Ah, how nice. The two of them must have had so much fun exploring the night market. If it weren’t for this meeting, I’d love to join them and show my younger siblings around with gusto!”
“…You seem to have a good relationship with your siblings?”
“Huh?”
Chae Jise’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden question from beside her. Especially since it came from none other than…
‘Why is Fides suddenly…?’
The Fides that Chae Jise remembered always kept to himself. She thought he was the type to coolly say only what was necessary and then disappear.
‘And now this Fides is asking such an ordinary question?’
Perhaps interpreting her reaction, Fides quickly drew a line.
“Ah, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I apologize if I offended you.”
“No, it’s fine. I was speaking too loudly, wasn’t I?”
Chae Jise shrugged. She had gotten carried away with her envy of her siblings’ outing and spoken louder than she intended.
‘Did he ask if I have a good relationship with my sibling?’
Chae Jise thought of her brother Jiseok. Her everyday work partner. The only precious blood relative left in this world.
“…Yes. We get along well. People around us say we’re incredibly close for siblings.”
The media often talked about the Chae siblings’ affection for each other, so Fides must be aware of it. Jise added:
“Of course, we weren’t always this close. Before the Gate Crisis, we had a relatively cool relationship.”
“……”
“We became closer after going through the Gate Crisis together.”
The Chae siblings who lost their parents in the Gate Crisis.
Though they always appeared composed in the media, their emotional struggle must have been immense.
Thanks to awakening together, they relied on each other to overcome their first dungeon. Since then, they’ve always looked out for each other’s lives in dungeons and built their guild together.
‘When he rushed over in one breath because he was worried about the 50th floor, that was truly touching.’
She had such good siblings.
Siblings, plural.
‘That’s right. Habin came along to the 50th floor this time too. That kid who always found everything bothersome!’
To think that the girl who skipped training every day, saying she wouldn’t become a hunter, had come all the way there. Moreover, she even brought along Chae Jiseok, who had no way to reach the 50th floor on his own.
‘It might not be enough to repay them, but I should at least treat them to all they can eat at a strawberry buffet.’
Jise’s eyes sparkled as if she had made up her mind about something. She began tapping on her phone.
“Just you wait, Habin! As soon as this meeting is over, I’ll rush over and treat you to strawberries! I can’t wait to see your cheeks puffed up with food!”
She exclaimed in an excited voice.
Her expression was as fond as if she were thinking of a hamster left at home.
“……”
Hyun Siwoo, who had been watching this scene, felt troubled.
‘When did they all get so close?’
Neaiba didn’t miss the chance to mock him.
[Hey, you better step up your game. Doesn’t it seem like they have more of a blood relation with Hyun Habin than you do?]
‘What’s that supposed to mean all of a sudden?’
[Look at her! She’s going to rush over after the meeting to feed Habin strawberries. How affectionate is that? Meanwhile, have you even stopped by your house? Didn’t you ignore her when she told you to bring some clothes?]
‘Ah… That did happen.’
[See? See? Do you even know if Hyun Habin likes strawberries?]
Hyun Siwoo tilted his head.
‘…Did she like strawberries?’
[Tsk tsk! How can you not even know your family’s preferences?]
At Neaiba’s tongue-clicking, Hyun Siwoo defended himself in an aggrieved voice.
‘No, I really never heard about it! She always asked me to bring Melona when I came home, so I thought she liked melon flavor?’
[……]
Perhaps she likes both melon and strawberry?
‘Come to think of it, she ate everything well. I don’t think she’s picky.’
Memories of fighting over the last piece of food, regardless of what it was, when they were young started to surface.
‘Stop right there! That last rib is mine! You’ve already eaten 4 and I’ve only had 3.’
‘When did you count that?’
‘Eating 5 by yourself is crossing the line!’
As they grew a bit older, the trend shifted towards being more considerate of each other, but his sister, as he remembered her, would like anything edible that was bought for her.
‘Well… I guess I really haven’t been home much.’
Hyun Siwoo belatedly nodded. He had been so busy with work that he hadn’t even thought about going home, but it was about time he did.
‘I’m curious about what Hyun Habin is thinking these days, too.’
He really never imagined he’d run into his sister on the 50th floor of Kill Screen. And to think she even impersonated the Demon God, it seems she went there with a purpose.
‘As much as I’d like to ask why she went and how she got there, she’s not the type to answer readily if asked. I’ll have to probe carefully.’
If she was going to tell him, she would have done so already. That’s the kind of person Hyun Habin used to be. The fact that she hasn’t said anything yet means…
[Either she doesn’t want to tell you, or she can’t. Why does this kid have so many secrets? Didn’t she just hand over the regression item without proper explanation in the first iteration too?]
‘That’s what I’m saying.’
Hyun Siwoo shook his head with a troubled expression.
‘But I don’t plan on just getting caught up in this forever.’
[Oh? That’s unlike you. Didn’t you say at first that we should let her live normally?]
‘That’s what I thought at first.’
When he first delivered Ahezar and went to find Hyun Habin. When Habin said she hadn’t been able to do anything and needed to play.
‘Back then, I really thought Hyun Habin wanted to live a normal life…’
Hyun Siwoo’s eyes darkened.
At that time, Hyun Habin really seemed to want to live a normal life. Knowing how hard she had lived until then, and understanding that if she became a hunter, her future journey would be incredibly difficult, he had listened to her words. But…
‘If she’s really made up her mind to step up and is lying to me…’
[Then what?]
‘I can’t let it slide!’
That’s another strike against her!
She should be prepared for the consequences, given how much I’ve been playing the figurehead, Hyun Habin!
Unfortunately, Hyun Siwoo also had some similarities with Hyun Habin. They were the type to warmly accumulate grievances against each other whenever something happened.
Unaware of this fact, Chae Jise concluded:
“In any case, family becomes more precious in times like these.”
Neaiba chastised Hyun Siwoo.
[That’s right. So you should pay more attention to your only remaining family too.]
‘Alright, I get it…’
Hyun Siwoo turned to look at Chae Jise.
‘Didn’t she say she was going to a strawberry buffet with Hyun Habin after the meeting?’
It would be better to send her off early, then.
“In that case, I’ll try to end today’s meeting early. I’ll see you in the conference room.”
As Hyun Siwoo turned away after finishing his words, Chae Jise wore a puzzled expression.
‘What’s gotten into him all of a sudden…?’
Should she revise her evaluation of Fides again?
Well, if he’s going to end it early, that’s good for her.
After looking confused for a moment, Chae Jise nodded and turned her attention back to her phone.
◆◇◆◇◆
“Why would something like that be lying around the house……”
To think that such an extraordinary sword was found on the floor? Not even buried somewhere, but just lying around?
Corny muttered in disbelief.
Fortunately, Chae Jiseok was the first to regain his composure.
‘Ah, when it comes to Hyun Habin, nothing is strange.’
[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ grabs the back of its neck, begging you not to get used to this too!]
‘Or it could be a lie, right?’
But somehow, it didn’t feel like she was lying. Until now, when Habin had something to hide, she would either show signs of discomfort or brazenly offer absurd excuses.
This time, seeing her speak so honestly and calmly…
‘I think it might be true!’
But why would the constellation… be lying around at home…?
That’s right. The Ahezar that Chae Jiseok knew was a great constellation. Moreover, they hadn’t even revealed to Corny that Ahezar was a constellation.
Only Chae Jiseok, who knew the truth, asked in bewilderment.
‘Um, Nearest Light-nim. Could you please secretly ask Ahezar-nim if he was really found just lying around at home?’
[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ says it was quite curious about that too and will ask right away!]