The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 106

106. Lies

“I thought you’d ask about how to save Honey’s world first.”

She sounded surprised. Now that I heard it, I realized I had gotten the order wrong, but I didn’t correct myself. I could just ask both questions. Just because the owner of the Cursed Poison Dragon King had died didn’t mean this skill would be immediately lifted. It would disappear when I wanted to leave, so there was still plenty of time.

“The Future-Seeing Species, the Silent White Bird. She doesn’t belong to either side; she’s neutral. I don’t know how much you heard from Diarma, but the only being she truly loves and follows is a source whose name cannot be spoken.”

The white tree and white bird in the white snow. The image from Diarma’s memory fragment came to mind.

“I learned about the tree and the bird from Diarma. The name of the tree is—”

“Shhh.”

The Mermaid Queen put her fingertip to her lips.

“It’s best not to say the name, even unconsciously. The more it’s called and the more it’s known, the greater its influence becomes. So, Honey, please don’t tell anyone else if possible.”

She continued, her voice like a song.

“The tree where the white bird folds its wings is the Fifth Source. She circles the branches, singing songs and telling stories that we can’t hear. However, we don’t know if she’s really communicating with the Source.”

“To meet her, how do I get to where the tree is?”

“The Fifth Source is none other than the universe to which Honey’s world belongs, or, well, you could say, it’s the center and starting point of the universe. Numerous worlds are scattered around the Source, like planets orbiting the sun.”

Did I have to go on a space trip?

“The closer a world is to the Source, the greater the influence of the power leaking from the Source, like the sun’s heat and light. The closer, the stronger the magical abilities become, and the farther, the weaker, so science develops to compensate. There are exceptions, but that’s generally how it is.”

“So, the distance from my world to the Source was originally far… but it’s gotten closer? Now?”

Skills suddenly appeared in a world where there were debates about whether spoon-bending was a superpower or not. Was that sudden change because of that? The Mermaid Queen nodded at my question.

“The previous worlds were swallowed or ran away from the Source, and now it’s Honey’s world’s turn.”

“Anyway, if it’s closer, it should be easier to find.”

“Regardless of the distance, it’s impossible with Honey’s current body. I explained it as far and near, but it’s a bit different from the usual meaning. More than that, why are you looking for the star-counting bird?”

“She took my brother.”

The Mermaid Queen was silent. The volleyball rolling around stopped moving.

“The White Bird has Honey’s brother?”

“Yes. She was able to interfere because she was contracted with Diarma. So, I have to meet her and get my brother back.”

“…She wouldn’t have done such a thing without a reason, but I can’t guess at all.”

The Mermaid Queen said, sounding perplexed.

“I’ll try to contact the White Bird, but she’s currently away. She hasn’t been seen around the Source for some time now.”

“You don’t know where she went?”

“Someone who knows the future is harder to find than anyone else. I’ll try my best. However, Honey.”

Eyes like blue pearls slightly drooped at the corners.

“You can’t bring Honey’s brother back. He’s no longer a being of that world, so he’ll be rejected. One of the reasons why free Filial-Duty Addicts [devotees of the Source] can’t directly set foot in Honey’s world, unlike us, is that. If they forcibly enter, they’ll be削깎 [weakened] and削깎 [weakened] by the backlash, becoming infinitely weaker.”

A soothing voice followed.

“Honey’s brother is weaker than them, so he won’t be able to withstand the backlash and will disappear altogether.”

The rain that had soaked me felt cold belatedly.

It’s too much, really. I wasn’t asking for anything that big. It’s just a normal and natural thing. I just want to take care of my dead brother, but I can’t even do that.

I looked down at the cracked magic stone in my hand.

Even the memories of the Cursed Poison Dragon King’s owner, which he dismissed as useless, remained in my head. That doesn’t mean there’s a sharp method in them, but it could be a stepping stone to finding a method.

“I’d like to ask you to find the star-counting bird.”

“Don’t worry. We want to find out why she moved, too.”

I let out a faint sigh. I wiped the rain-streaked face with my sleeve, but it didn’t make much difference. I was still soaked, looking like a completely drowned rat.

“Then, let me ask the question I should have asked at the beginning. How can the world I live in be safe? Diarma said I was the key. What is the Source?”

“We don’t know exactly what the Source is either. If I had to explain it, I’d say it’s like a god. It certainly created these worlds, but at the same time, it’s swallowing its children. It doesn’t communicate, but it’s not entirely without will. We who tried to stop the Source were chased away and imprisoned.”

Imprisoned parricides. Conversely, those who help the Source swallow the world are Filial-Duty Addicts. When you think about it, helping parents who are trying to eat their siblings is really crazy filial piety.

“You seem to have a lot of influence for being imprisoned.”

“It’s not uncommon in Honey’s world to exert influence outside while being confined in a room, is it? It wasn’t easy to set up a system for that, though.”

Is it like the internet? Do you deliver by 택배 [courier service]? Well, if there are several beings like the Mermaid Queen gathered, it wouldn’t be impossible.

“Even if it swallows, the Source doesn’t directly open its mouth and devour it. The moment beings with the Source’s power, magic stones, occupy the world, they are absorbed along with the magic stones.”

“…We’re using magic stones for various purposes, is this okay?”

“Of course, it’s okay. Also, monsters that have become part of the skills of that world are safe, like taming. And—”

The Mermaid Queen’s fingertip pointed to the center of her chest. A faint blue light flickered there.

“Magic stones are also created in living beings who have accumulated a certain amount of power, not monsters. This is also safe.”

So Diarma had a magic stone. I hadn’t heard that magic stones came from high-level hunters, so maybe you had to be an SSS-class to get one.

“We call it running away when we block the monsters until the Source gets tired and falls asleep. It’s not completely safe. Still, we can buy quite a long time, about a hundred years. If the awakened Source targets another world first, it could be even longer.”

“Is there a way to be completely safe?”

“There isn’t at the moment. Even if we find a way to destroy the Source, there’s no guarantee that the world after that will be okay. If the sun approaches and the planet is in danger of burning, if we destroy the sun itself, the planet will lose its light.”

Comparing it that way, I thought there was no other way but to run away. At that time, the volleyball that had been rolling around 통 [onomatopoeia for bouncing] bounced up.

– There is a way to attack the Source without destroying it! If you inflict a certain amount of damage, it will spit out some of the swallowed world and become quieter for longer!

“Rookie!”

The Mermaid Queen, calling the volleyball reproachfully, tilted her eyebrows slightly and said to me.

“Don’t mind him, Honey. It’s a method that’s only possible if a Transcendental appears very rarely, so it’s better not to expect it.”

“Like you?”

The Mermaid Queen smiled instead of answering. When I thought about it, they wouldn’t have been imprisoned and labeled as parricides just for interfering. You’d have to beat up your parents to the point of being kicked out of the house and going to jail.

‘I think you’d have to be at least L-class, and Yu-hyeon said he was close to S-class, so if it took about 10 years… 10 years per class, so 30 years, that can’t be right. That’s too easy.’

It takes about 5 years for an A-class to become an S-class, so S-class is twice that, and SSS-class is more than twice that. No, I have to keep in mind that Yu-hyeon was born an S-class. The growth rate will be different, so if someone born at the S-class level was born as an A-class, they would have become an S-class in an instant. Then the multiplier for the period to go up per class could be much longer…….

Um, let’s just say it’s impossible. Besides, even the owner of the Cursed Poison Dragon King wasn’t just a simple L-class. Judging from the fact that the fear resistance skill was slightly 밀리는 [pushed back] by the pressure of the main body, he must have been in the upper ranks of the L-class.

“Is the 50 S-classes you told me to gather enough just to block the monsters? But there were already more than 50 before the regression.”

“There’s a huge difference between 50 scattered people and 50 gathered people. And you’re not going to use Honey’s skills, are you? We’ll continue to help Honey in the future. That’s why Diarma said Honey was the key.”

In the gentle voice, I repeatedly 만지작거렸다 [fiddled with] the magic stone in my hand.

It’s certain that the parricides are willing to save our world. There’s no need to refuse their help.

The 50 S-classes were definitely a lie.

In Diarma’s memory, I saw the world being swallowed several times. If it could be solved with just 50 S-classes, all those worlds would have been safe.

Why are they lying? Should I ask? Or, is it better to wait and see? If they turn around and say they won’t help anymore, I’m the one who loses.

“I feel reassured. I look forward to working with you in the future.”

I smiled back at the Mermaid Queen.

“Oh, will the Cursed Poison Dragon Species no longer appear in the dungeon in the future?”

“No. The Cursed Poison Dragon Species created by Diarma are actually a minority. However, since he died, another Addict will come. Since it’s not the Cursed Poison Dragon Species, you can’t expect the same luck as this time.”

Certainly, I was lucky in many ways this time. Or, should I say it was a stepping stone laid by Diarma? If that bastard hadn’t sent Lauchitas, I wouldn’t have gotten the Dragonslayer title.

It’s his own fault.

“So, please pay attention to the born S-classes as much as possible. It would be even better if you registered them in the keyword.”

Yu-hyeon is already registered, and Seong Hyeon-je and Liete don’t seem like they’ll trade with the Addicts even if I don’t register them.

“Who are the two people I haven’t met?”

“We don’t know exactly either. The information was hidden because the Filial-Duty Addicts contacted them first. We only know that there are five people and who contacted Honey.”

Judging from the fact that Seong Hyeon-je 튀고 [flirted] and 찝쩍거린 [hit on] Yu-hyeon, the remaining two either didn’t make a contract or refused. That dragon bastard really has no ability. I have to hope that his successor is similar, but could he be more incompetent than that guy?

After a few more questions were exchanged, I asked them to put the broken magic stone in my inventory and left the space in my consciousness.

When I opened my eyes, I saw a dim ceiling. It didn’t seem to be outside the dungeon, and the first floor castle was 갈려 나갔는데 [destroyed]. Is it the second floor?

“Han Yu-jin-ssi!”

Noah called me, almost 울먹이며 [on the verge of tears]. His eyes are always wet whenever I see him. When I raised my head, I saw Liete sitting on the large window frame that only had a frame left. When our eyes met, she raised her hand slightly and smiled. Seong Hyeon-je is also visible slightly to the side.

“Did anything happen? Haven’t I been asleep for long?”

“Yes, it hasn’t been a day. The second floor boss only appears when the moon is in the center, so we’re waiting.”

It seems they’ve already dealt with all the normal monsters. That’s fast.

I sat up, raising my upper body. When I checked my inventory, [Cracked Magic Stone] was on the list. The owner of the Cursed Poison Dragon King.

‘…Did Yu-hyeon’s contract automatically解除 [terminate]?’

Some high-level contracts are maintained even if the caster dies, so I have to check when I get out. Check.

…My brother’s face is vague. The face in the lizard 새끼 [brat]’s memory keeps coming to mind, not the current Yu-hyeon. They’re the same person, but. …Not exactly the same, but still.

“Yu-jin-ssi, are you perhaps sick somewhere?”

I shook my head at Noah’s question, saying no. It would be better if I was sick. I feel unpleasantly well. I didn’t even use potions, but there were no traces of wounds anywhere on my body. I wasn’t real, so of course there wouldn’t be, but still.

“Will you drink?”

Seong Hyeon-je, who had approached, held out a tumbler. When I took it and took a sip, a strong orange flavor lingered in my mouth.

“You’re not someone who doesn’t know that I’m tired of orange-flavored potions, but you’re telling me to drink orange juice?”

“So, is it not tasty?”

“No, it’s delicious.”

It must be terribly expensive juice. As I was sipping a little more, Seong Hyeon-je’s gaze approached as if it were fixed on me. That man’s observing gaze was always annoying. It was like being naked. He actually dug into everything.

“What are you staring at so much?”

“I’m just checking in case something goes wrong.”

“I said earlier that I didn’t have any pain.”

“Sometimes you don’t realize it yourself. I don’t want anything to happen to Han Yu-jin-gun. It’s better to be healthy, both outwardly and inwardly.”

“I don’t know what to do with myself that you think so much about me. Anyone would think Seong Hyeon-je-ssi is my guardian. Or is it because I have to be healthy to pay off my debts? A debtor with a lot to뜯어먹을 [leech off of]?”

“Rather, I think I lived 착하게 [virtuously], so the heavens gave me a customized item for me.”

…Crazy, he said he lived 착하게 [virtuously] himself. 으에엑 [Ew].

“Yu-jin-ssi is not an item.”

Noah protested, but it was lightly ignored. It’s okay, Noah-ssi. It’s 피장파장 [tit for tat] anyway.

“A 죽여주게 [damn] high-performance item is tired. Let’s finish the攻略 [raid] quickly and get out. Isn’t it about time for the boss monster to come out?”

“As you wish.”

Seong Hyeon-je bowed exaggeratedly and turned his body. He’s a really annoying human, but maybe that’s why I feel a little better.

I shouldn’t dig the ground for nothing and do as much as I can. I looked at the inventory list one more time and got up from my seat.