The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 265

Water Spirit (2)

“What’s wrong, Yerim? Is something the matter?”

I asked, soothing Peace, who was clinging to me. Yoohyun and Moon Hyuna also looked at Yerim, surprised.

“I feel much better near the ocean. Wouldn’t it be better to just wait here? If an SSS-class monster appears, you can just bring it to Drosia again.”

“That’s true, Yerim, but we don’t know what might happen after all the orbs are installed. I’m too worried to leave you alone. And Noah can teleport, so he can quickly return to Drosia if necessary.”

It took a while to move because they were dragging the monster, but if they had used teleportation, they would have arrived in Drosia from Lanchea within two days. From here to Medesang is even closer, so it would only take a day.

“If you’re worried about getting weaker—”

“No, it’s not that.”

Yerim frowned slightly.

“It’s also because of the spirits.”

“Spirits?”

“Yes. Ah, well, they won’t not follow me.”

Her blue eyes glanced at the spirits that were still circling around us.

“If the spirits all leave, Drosia will be in danger, but they won’t be safe either. Leaving the water’s edge doesn’t just weaken me; it just removes my advantage, but they really weaken. And if I were to fight a monster, they would definitely interfere.”

She said that there were restrictions on spirits without a contractor. It was a restriction that wouldn’t normally need to be considered since they would never leave the water unless they were following a contractor, but now it was different.

“They listen to me pretty well, but they don’t always listen to everything I say. Even if I tell them not to come, quite a few of them will follow me, for sure.”

Yerim came closer to me and lowered her voice.

“I know it’s not real, but they really like me a lot. They all like me the best. If Uncle was in danger or Han Yoohyun was still captured, I wouldn’t be able to stay still, but right now, wouldn’t it be okay for me to stay here?”

I looked around. The spirits were sending us curious glances. It was hard to read their expressions because of their various shapes, but it was clear that they were all friendly.

I didn’t want to leave Yerim alone. If an entrance appeared right after installing the orbs, or if there was a time limit, the worst-case scenario would be that I couldn’t take Yerim out. Of course, I had no intention of leaving her behind, but it was just as important to avoid us all staying.

So, I should persuade her to come with us.

‘…Those who like her the best.’

That bothered me. It had been bothering me for a while. Yerim is still young and needs parents who prioritize her. Not that everyone has good parents, but usually, the child comes first in the family.

But I had no choice but to put my brother first. And Yerim must know that. She must, even though she hasn’t expressed any complaints. Rather, she was a generous child who even comforted Yoohyun like yesterday. But is she really okay?

I didn’t think Yerim was pretending to be cheerful. She gets along well with the hunters of Haeyeon, as well as Moon Hyuna and Kang Soyoung, and she’s still in contact with her school friends. She even bragged about how popular she was when she went to take the final exams.

Right now, she’s mainly homeschooled and only goes to school for special activities or exams. But from the second semester, they’re gradually increasing the number of school days, and if there are no problems, she might be able to attend a regular school normally. The school and parents are also welcoming her as long as she has good relationships with her friends. It’s probably because they want to protect the students with an S-class hunter.

Honestly, her social skills are twice, no, five times better than Yoohyun’s. Even compared to other people.

There’s almost nothing to criticize. Rather, she’s good at everything. Her final exam scores weren’t great, but she was busy right after awakening, so it was understandable. She did well on the midterm exams. She did well considering she didn’t have time to study. Shouldn’t we give her extra points for that? She couldn’t study because she was protecting the country.

Anyway, Yerim was doing very well in everyone’s eyes. She seemed to have no shadows at all, which was even more worrying.

“…Am I causing you a lot of trouble?”

“Huh? Uh? No, it’s nothing.”

“It can’t be helped if it doesn’t work out.”

I quickly shook my head at Yerim’s willing attitude. What do you mean it can’t be helped?

“First… let’s explain it well. You can’t stay here, Yerim.”

“Are you allowed to say that?”

“There was no rule against it. Just don’t go into too much detail and say they’re from another world. And that you’ll find a way to contract with a spirit and go together.”

Yerim’s eyes widened at my words.

“Can we take them with us?”

“I can’t guarantee it. But there’s no need to give up from the start.”

If we could contract with a spirit, it would be helpful in many ways. But before that, I wanted Yerim to have someone who valued her the most. Not everyone can have someone who puts them first. Many people live well without it.

But if she had one, it would definitely be better. It’s always good to have someone on your side.

“Then I’ll tell everyone to gather!”

Yerim smiled brightly with a relieved expression.

– Kkyauung.

“Yes, yes. It’s okay. I’m holding you tight, so don’t worry.”

Peace, who was in my arms, rubbed his nose against my shoulder and acted spoiled. It seemed he was anxious because there was water everywhere and we were even crossing a narrow bridge over the water.

“Peace has wings, hyung [older brother/male friend, term of endearment].”

Yoohyun said he was just pretending.

“He hasn’t had wings for long. He probably hasn’t gotten used to them yet.”

“He was flying well.”

– Kkyang, kkeueung.

“He must be tired from flying all the way here.”

– Kkyang!

“It seems like his wings are a skill, so he must be even more tired. It’s a world where it’s hard to replenish mana [magical energy].”

And he flew all the way here. He really went through a lot. Monsters can’t replenish mana from mana stones, so how do they replenish mana? …By eating other monsters?

“Here it is!”

Yerim said, flying to the center of the Drosia Defense Agency’s basement, which was filled with lake water. Her voice echoed off the cave walls.

“Is everyone here?”

– Almost all of us!

– I’m here too!

The spirits, who had gathered in large numbers, answered in unison. The white whale had also shrunk to the size of a palm and was swimming next to Yerim. A sea serpent with only its head sticking out of the water was also visible. After crossing the bridge and landing on a small rocky island in the center, Yerim came down next to me.

“Thank you for gathering. And, um, thank you for liking me.”

Yerim looked back at me once and continued.

“But I can’t contract with you.”

– Why?

– Why not?

– We can help you a lot!

“Guys, I’m not from this world.”

The spirits tilted their heads, looking confused, and spun around and blinked their eyes.

“I’m just temporarily in Delta’s body. I’m not the real Delta. I’m Park Yerim, an Awakened [person with supernatural abilities] from another world.”

A brief silence fell, and a shark with long, frilly fins spoke.

– We knew you were different from Delta.

– We like you even if you’re from another world.

– Me too.

The butterflies and small birds chattered. They said they could still contract with her, and that it was okay even if she was from another world.

“I want to contract with you too. I definitely don’t dislike it. But I might not be able to take you to the place where I live. I don’t want to leave you behind after contracting with you. Even if you’re okay with it, I don’t want to.”

The spirits began to whisper to each other at Yerim’s words that she would never do such a thing. Then the sea serpent slowly opened its mouth.

– The oldest spirit might know how to cross worlds.

“You mean that sparkling spirit that appeared in my dream?”

– Yes. It’s sleeping in the deep sea, but it can come here in a day.

– That’s right! It knows a lot.

– I hope we can go together.

“Uncle, they say it’ll only take a day.”

Yerim said, looking back at me. The oldest spirit, I should meet it even if it wasn’t for Yerim.

“It appeared in your dream?”

“Yes. Not long after I came here. It was round and sparkling, and it said it was glad to meet me and asked me to take good care of the spirits. It had a very old voice.”

“Then let’s wait.”

I explained to the spirits that Yerim would have to leave if there was no way, so they shouldn’t follow her. The spirits were disappointed but accepted the farewell.

– Can we go to Yerim’s world later?

“Of course! Come anytime.”

Yerim, who turned around with a bright expression, secretly sent me a look mixed with sadness. I don’t know if they will have a future.

“I hope we can find a way.”

So that Yerim doesn’t have to say goodbye again.

Since we were leaving Drosia after meeting the oldest spirit tomorrow, Yerim was busy moving around. She had to lie to the Drosia guards that she would be back as soon as the problem was solved. That it wouldn’t take long.

– Kyaung.

Peace jumped out of my arms and grew in size. He grew to the size of a sub-adult and spread his wings wide.

– Keuheung, kyareureu.

“Cool, our Peace!”

Peace turned his back to me and glared at Noah, who was leaning against the railing. Seeing this, Yoohyun said.

“Peace says he can fly now, so he doesn’t need to ride that dragon anymore.”

“…How do you know that?”

“I’m sure of it.”

– I heard that too, hyung [older brother/male friend, term of endearment]!

…Is it true? Looking at Peace’s gestures, it sounded plausible. Noah didn’t say anything, but his expression darkened noticeably. He was already troubled by Mu’s location, and now these guys.

“Don’t worry, Noah. We don’t know if Peace can fly outside yet. Besides, Noah, you have stealth and support skills, so you’re completely different.”

“It’s not that I’m not confident. But…….”

Noah turned his head and looked at the spirits swimming in the lake.

“I’m not irreplaceable. You too, Yujin, but Kang Soyoung also has a sister. And this time, I’m envious of Hunter Park Yerim……. I’m sorry, I keep saying pathetic things.”

“Pathetic things? How many people in the world have never envied others? And Noah, you are the only Noah.”

“I appreciate you saying that.”

He smiled faintly, then disappeared from sight. He was so confident when I first met him here……. Saying that the power of support-type Awakeners was so strong. Is it because meeting us again made his original world, his reality, feel more real?

In the end, he has to go back, and this place and the outside are very different. That fact may already be weighing on Noah’s shoulders.

“Noah isn’t weak at all.”

“No, he’s weak.”

“Hey, he’s definitely weaker than you.”

“The problem isn’t his strength, it’s that he gives up easily. If hyung [older brother/male friend, term of endearment] had Noah Hunter’s abilities, he wouldn’t be called weak. He would have been a threat to many S-classes.”

“Why are you going so far?”

Of course, if I were Noah, I would have taken a very different path. But that was more because Noah and I had different environments. The me who didn’t regress is different, and the Noah who didn’t have Riet as a sister would definitely be different. If I had received my parents’ protection until I became an adult, it would have been different. If Noah had grown up in a peaceful, close-knit family, it would have been different.

“Noah’s attitude isn’t his fault. It would be nice if he was more confident and stronger, but even if he stays the same until the end, it’s not wrong. There are things you can’t do even if you try. How easy is it for a person to change? Besides, Noah is a good person.”

So, at my words not to push him too hard, my brother just tilted his head. Hey, even I, who am telling you that you’re different from Noah, lived pathetically for several years. I tried my best. But that’s how it turned out.

Kwaang—!

At that moment, a hole appeared in one wall of the Drosia Defense Agency. Moon Hyuna popped out with a laugh and stood on the water, stepping on a turtle-shaped spirit. Sigma also appeared through the dust between the holes in the wall. What are they doing?

“Don’t worry, Chief Han, we’re just sparring lightly! My body is itching because I’m trying to rest for two days in a row. I’ve already told Yerim.”

At the words that she had to move a lot to master the Lambda skill, Yoohyun suddenly climbed onto the railing. His red eyes narrowed as he looked at Moon Hyuna and Sigma. My brother, really.

“Don’t cause damage to the surroundings.”

“It’ll be okay since it’s on the water.”

Yoohyun jumped into the air. Moon Hyun smiled broadly at the sight of him stepping on willow leaves and descending as if he would touch the surface of the water.

“Just practice your skills, just practice!”

“Why do I have to get involved?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t like it, Dal-ah [term of endearment].”

Well, he didn’t seem to dislike it in reality. Sung Hyunjae also fought with Moon Hyuna when they went into the dungeon together. It feels like a long time ago. I hugged the now smaller Peace and glanced at the sky.

“Send us a signal if you’re safe. Did you run out of yarn? More than that, how are you knitting with one arm?”

It’s strange that you brought yarn here in the first place. Wasn’t I the only one who came in whole? Peoong, water splashed high above the lake. Electricity spread through the rising steam, and the giant roughly pounded the surface of the water. Yerim’s cry of wanting to join in was heard from afar.

“You must want to join in too. Are you alive? You wouldn’t not be watching this.”

[^^]

A quest came. I don’t know if I can call that a quest. There was no content and I could receive the reward immediately. The reward wasn’t much either.

“Tea and cookies, and… a wing bone?”

– Kkyang!

“Are you telling me to watch while eating?”

I gave the bone to Peace and put a cookie in my mouth. They seem busy doing something, but I guess they’re safe.

– We’re here!

– We’ve arrived!

I received a message from the spirits early the next morning. Since the oldest spirit couldn’t enter Drosia, we went out to the sea. A large hole was drilled in the vast, icy sea, as if telling us to come this way. The blue seawater surging beyond the hole felt a little eerie. Is it the influence of something below that exceeds fear resistance?

– The caretaker also asked you to come.

– This person!

“No.”

Yoohyun replied coldly to the spirits’ words.

“Who knows what might happen. The water is too disadvantageous.”

“Yerim is here.”

– We won’t hurt you.

– We wouldn’t hurt someone Yerim-nim [honorific suffix] likes.

“That’s right. And can’t I protect Uncle in the water? Don’t worry and light a fire. Hyuna unnie [older sister/female friend, term of endearment] seems cold.”

“It’s a little cold.”

At Yerim’s words, Yoohyun stepped back, looking displeased.

“Be careful, hyung [older brother/male friend, term of endearment].”

I nodded and went into the sea with Yerim. A faint light was emitting from the dark depths below, and a pure white object was quietly lurking. It was an incredibly huge pearl oyster that was hard to estimate the size of.