The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 244

242. Exclusive Manager, Mr. Seong (2)

“First, what happened? Initially, I thought Sigma was Seong Hyeonje-”

Events since entering this world flashed through my mind again. I reflexively grabbed the yarn ball spinning around me and shook it vigorously.

“From where did you see?”

[If you shake me like that, I get a little dizzy.]

“If you don’t answer honestly, I’ll unravel you completely.”

Holding the end of the yarn, I threatened. As I unraveled a loop of yarn, the emoticon floating like a picture on the yarn ball changed to ㅠㅠ.

[I’ve received all sorts of threats, but undressing me is a first-]

“What are you talking about! Why is this clothes?”

[Then what is it?]

···Even if you ask me what it is. It’s just a yarn ball, but is there something like a core inside? Then that’s the body, and the yarn is… I felt a little uncomfortable. Let’s not imagine it. I decided to pretend what just happened didn’t happen.

[I could see Han Yoojin after the first shake. Before that, I was just lightly touching the system.]

If it was the first shake, is it after installing the disc? Then at least he didn’t see my status window. ···But he saw everything after that. I wanted to throw the yarn ball in my hand with all my might. Wouldn’t hitting the back of his head make him lose some memories?

Just in case, I asked him about the status window, and he replied that he couldn’t see it.

[It’s not easy to manipulate the quest window either. Han Yoojin came in his original body, and thanks to that, he has a strong external interference force, so I could access him, but others don’t even know his location.]

So, until I called Seong Hyeonje, he couldn’t appear in this unconscious space, and messages to Yoohyeon were only possible through me.

[The range I can see is about 100 meters around Han Yoojin? That’s the limit.]

“Considering that, you’ve told me a lot through the quests.”

[That’s because I □□□□□□□□□□― Ah, it’s not working again.]

Seong Hyeonje shook his head… or rather, the yarn ball shook from side to side, but whatever.

[Right now, this place is □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□, so □□□□□□□□□.]

^^; The yarn ball made a troubled expression. There’s not much he can say properly.

[But thanks to the second shake, I was able to approach Han Yoojin like this. Are you going to keep installing those discs?]

“There are three left. The newbie said he’d tell me the [strategy] methods once I install them all. By any chance, can you contact the newbie, the volleyball?”

[Not at all. It ended with an alert saying, ‘This body and world are not real, so collect points through quests and hunting to buy the items and skills you want from the store.’]

Newbie, aren’t you doing your job properly?

[Once you install all the discs, I’ll be able to tell you more. I’m stuck right now.]

I need to install the discs quickly. But now that I’m not alone, I can finish it quickly. Moving between cities will be more of a problem than installing the discs. What if the distance takes more than a week instead of two days by car? Can’t I get a helicopter from Sigma?

Currently, there wasn’t much information I could get from Seong Hyeonje. If I tried to go into detail, □ floated around. But it was certain that he belonged to the system of this world.

‘If I install all the discs, will I get information about the system too?’

The newbie probably didn’t expect this. Originally, he would have possessed the person he chose in the world he created. I was grateful to the filial piety addict who interfered with the dungeon in this part. I feel motivated again.

“Don’t lose your memory again, and keep it safe.”

[□□□□□□ doing □□□□□□□□□□□.]

What is he saying? I held the yarn ball in both hands and turned my gaze to the screen. Before I knew it, the upper part of the building had disappeared. Dark blue flames surged like waves in the night. Even the Defense Agency building lost power, and under the moonlight shining white, an even paler blue flame soared.

Beautiful. I admired it, but at the same time, I felt bitter.

The flames of Han Yoohyeon in my memory were terribly black, so black that they even carried poison. Black blood flames blooming in falling drops of blood. I received praise. As an efficient and destructive attack skill that slowed the opponent’s recovery.

“···That blue mixed in, is it because of Alpha’s skill?”

[No, you can find out as soon as you go back and check, but Alpha uses ordinary red flames □□□□□□□□□□.]

“···Yes?”

[Even if the body is different, the foundation of handling mana is Han Yoohyeon. That’s the young master’s power.]

Seong Hyeonje put a definite end to my hopeful thought. The back of my neck felt hot.

···How should I explain this feeling? Yoohyeon and… Yoohyeon was changing, I knew it. It couldn’t be helped. So many things around him were changing, it was impossible for him to remain the same.

So I know, but.

“Before, you said that Yoohyeon was acting against his original nature.”

It was amazing to see him gather people and lead a guild. Originally, he would have been more untamed than Riette.

“Was that… a bad thing for my brother? Was it wrong to tell him to get along with people?”

[It depends on your point of view.]

The hot pink yarn ball spun on my palm.

[□□□□□□□, Han Yoohyeon would have been alone if Han Yoojin hadn’t been there. No one could approach him, and he wouldn’t want to be approached, and he would have burned himself out in the end.]

“Even himself?”

[Yes, no matter how great you are, it’s hard to last long alone in this world. Even Riette doesn’t do the crazy thing of [attacking/clearing] S-class dungeons alone, even if she doesn’t have a guild or a formal team. She temporarily forms a team or takes her brother with her. But Han Yoohyeon would have been alone until the end, and when he reached his limit, he would have faced his end alone in the dungeon. Without backing down or avoiding it.]

Seong Hyeonje said that was his nature.

[People often say that life is like a short-lived flame. Han Yoohyeon would have been even more extreme. He would be admired for achieving great things alone, but he wouldn’t last long and would eventually fade away.]

I looked down at the yarn without saying anything. My insides stung. The yarn ball smiled ^▽^ at my sigh. I wanted to punch it.

[He would have been free, though. He would have lived as he wanted, so he would have no regrets. So some people would think that’s better. On the other hand, some people would think it’s better to get along with people even if you suppress yourself. And I.]

···I? Suddenly, he stopped talking. The smiling expression disappeared.

“Seong Hyeonje?”

What, did the connection cut off? I was about to call him again when a hand suddenly popped out from over my shoulder. That hand grabbed the yarn ball. I wondered if he had made his body with a suit and gloves again, and then.

“You raised him well.”

A voice was heard. I reflexively turned around. The hand holding the yarn, the body in a suit, and the head connected to the neck. Annoyingly, a welcome face was smiling.

“I think Han Yoojin raised Han Yoohyeon well.”

“…Is it because that’s more interesting for you?”

“Because Han Yoohyeon, raised by Han Yoojin, could change.”

Seong Hyeonje lightly tossed the yarn and caught it.

“He’s not the type to hold back just because you tell him to. If he were that easy, I wouldn’t have been interested. But Han Yoohyeon accepted Han Yoojin. Even a weaker and more insignificant opponent than himself. It’s easy for the strong to persuade the weak and make them listen, but the opposite is difficult.”

My heart was pounding. I felt a little excited. Like a child expecting praise.

“So you raised him well. You raised him diligently. It would have been an impossible change if it weren’t for Han Yoojin. I wouldn’t say it’s perfect, but I’ll express my admiration. In fact, where is perfection in raising people? You just do your best, and I think you definitely did that.”

My face flushed red. I was embarrassed but also satisfied. Something warm spread from within.

“···Thank you.”

“I think Han Yoojin should be the one receiving thanks, not giving them.”

“Still. I’m honestly grateful this time.”

And I was honestly happy. The fact that Seong Hyeonje, of all people, said this made it even more significant.

I didn’t think it was perfect either. Yoohyeon’s end was definitely not something I could call desirable. But still, even though Seong Hyeonje didn’t know what happened before the regression, the words that I had raised him well with all my effort were comforting.

I was grateful that he recognized it.

“It’s about time to wake up.”

“Yes, I’ll install the remaining discs soon, so let’s talk properly outside-”

At that time, something I hadn’t noticed caught my eye. Seong Hyeonje’s one arm, not holding the yarn, had disappeared. Only the clothes were hanging down.

“W-Where did you cut off your arm?!”

“It’s hard not to have a reaction when interfering directly to this extent. But it’s someone else’s body, so the viewing fee is cheap.”

“No, even if it’s not a real body!”

“I wish you could at least spare my eyes. Then.”

Before I could say anything more, my vision turned black. When I opened my eyes again, a huge hall emitting blue light filled my vision. I quickly looked around. Yoohyeon, holding my body, was nearby.

[Would you like to revive?]

The remaining waiting time appeared along with the message. I immediately chose to revive, and I was pulled into my body. It was like reviving a real game character, with no pain and a perfectly fine body. How do they revive me?

“…Yoohyeon.”

“…Hyung?”

-Hyung!

Yoohyeon and Irin shouted at the same time.

“H-Hyung. Are you okay…?”

“I’m okay. Really. I’m perfectly fine.”

At my words that he could put me down, Yoohyeon withdrew the flames surrounding him. As soon as he put me down, Yoohyeon collapsed to the ground.

“Yoohyeon!”

-Yoohyeon!

“Are you hurt somewhere… Of course you’re hurt, damn it! Wait a minute, a potion-”

“It’s not, sob, it’s not that, Hyung-”

Yoohyeon stuttered, shedding tears.

“S-Suddenly, my legs, I don’t even remember how to stand…”

“Yoohyeon-”

First, I took out a potion and treated the wounds on his shoulders and back that were still there. In the meantime, my brother, who was still sobbing, reached out and hugged me.

“…Hyung.”

“Yeah.”

“I, I can wait too.”

Yoohyeon continued, swallowing his tears.

“I can trust you and wait, so don’t come alone. Come with Peace or Park Yerim. Don’t rush and come to pick me up safely. I’ll wait until then.”

“…Yeah, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Yoohyeon.”

I was too impatient. I told my brother not to rush, but I made a mistake.

“Are you hurt anywhere else? Is your body okay? Those bastards probably didn’t even feed you properly.”

I get angry just thinking about it. First, I took out a water bottle and dried fruit from my inventory and fed him. I should have brought more food. I didn’t destroy the building with the restaurant, so should I go there? No, there was a refrigerator and simple food in the accommodation, so the best room… Is there a way to kick Sigma out?

I picked up my brother, who was still trembling slightly. Yoohyeon panicked and clung to me.

“Hyung! It’ll be heavy!”

“I’m C-class now. It’s not heavy at all. I could lift you even before.”

Probably. Irin climbed up my arm and spun around on my shoulder.

-Hyung, Hyung! Should I show you Irin changing?

“I saw it. It was cool.”

-Right?

“But what happened? You can talk too.”

-That blue thing. Irin can talk near the Blue Hole! Because there’s a lot of mana! It suits Irin well too!

Is it thanks to the power of the mana hole? Can spirits quickly absorb the mana of the mana hole even without imprinting? Yoohyeon looked at Irin, who was chattering, with displeasure for some reason.

“Why is he calling my brother ‘Hyung’?”

Yoohyeon seemed to understand Irin’s answer. Hmm, I don’t know, but it seemed like they had something in common.

“Is it time to clap now?”

Then Sigma’s voice was heard. I turned to look at the man standing between the flames that had almost died down.

“Clap and leave.”

“I was thinking of shouting for an encore.”

“I’ll consider it if you give up your room. Or a similar level room. My brother needs to rest.”

“Brother.”

Sigma looked back and forth between me and Yoohyeon with interest.

“Alpha definitely didn’t have a brother. It doesn’t seem like a mental skill effect, so what happened?”

“Let me formally introduce you. This is my one and only brother, Han Yoohyeon. I clearly told you not to touch him. I told you to watch quietly and pick up the crumbs, but why are you overturning the table?”

There’s no [떡] rice cake in this neighborhood, so he probably didn’t understand [the saying ‘you have no interest in it’].

“The contract was clearly until Alpha was released.”

“Contract or whatever, don’t touch someone else’s brother, you bastard.”

[◑▽◑Let’s introduce your partner too!]

···You be quiet too. Someone take away Seong Hyeonje’s quest authority. But neither Sigma nor Seong Hyeonje seemed to have any intention of staying quiet.