episode_0003

[System Synchronization…35%]

What is this?

I was troubled as I looked at the blue window in front of me.

At first glance, it looks like a messenger window from a game…

Is this the status window from that novel or something?

‘Status window!’

I shouted in my heart. However, no other blue window appeared.

Should I say it in words?

I spoke very softly, almost like muttering.

“Status window.”

This time too, nothing special happened.

Isn’t this what it is? Or is it not working because it’s still syncing?

As I was tapping my fingers on the table and thinking about it, Kara suddenly popped in my face.

I was startled and pulled back.

“Oppa.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Is that what I want to say? Why is there no answer when I call? Aren’t you going to tell me about the city?”

Kara grumbled with a pouty face.

right. I was supposed to tell you about the city. I forgot about it because of the blue window in front of me.

The place I am now is Kara’s house.

Because Kara heard that I was from the city and invited me to stay at her house.

Kara’s older sister, Cerise, seemed a little reluctant, but when Kara insisted, she listened as if she had no choice.

“Oh, sorry. I was thinking about something else. What story do you want to hear?”

“Adventurer! My brother has lived in the city, so he must be an adventurer!”

adventurer.

This refers to people who register with the Adventurer’s Guild and handle requests.

It’s a nice adventure, but you can just think of it as a mercenary.

“Good. What should I tell you first…”

I told the story, adding flesh to the adventure story I had heard. Kara listened with her eyes shining like a puppy with a snack in front of it.

* * *

“Take some of this and talk.”

It was when I was in the middle of a conversation. Cerise, a beauty with blue and silver hair, handed me a bowl filled with soup.

“Thank you. But what about this?”

The soup she handed me was reddish in color, and I had never seen soup that color before.

“It’s tomato soup.”

“Ah.”

It’s a tomato. Then I guess I didn’t see it. Because I hate tomatoes.

Although I felt reluctant to move the spoon, I forced my hand to move. You can’t ignore the landlord’s kindness, right?

I put the soup in my mouth.

…?

For a moment, I controlled my face from frowning. Because it wasn’t polite to the person who made it.

But I couldn’t bear to smile. This is because the tomato scent was too strong.

I had some expectations since it was tomato soup, but I never thought it would be like this. There was no other material there.

No, there was one. Something crunchy and finely chopped.

But I didn’t know what this was, and because of it, I couldn’t drink it and had to chew it, which made my discomfort even greater.

“Ah! sister! I told you not to cut the cabbage so finely!”

It’s cabbage.

Why did you cut this into pieces?

“But Uncle Gedric said that if you cut it like this, you can feel the crunchy texture better…”

“Did you believe what that man said? That’s what he said to make fun of my sister and me. It already doesn’t taste good, so what if I add a strange texture?”

“It’s not delicious…”

Seris cringed after hearing the harsh criticism.

That sight was a little sad. You were looking at me with expectant eyes just a moment ago.

I decided to tell a white lie.

“Am I okay?”

“No. There is no need for you to worry…”

“It’s really good. No, it’s not just okay, it’s delicious.”

“…Really?”

“Yes.”

When I nodded confidently, her face brightened as if she had never been so sullen.

“Eck, oppa, are you serious?”

“Kara, I told you so many times. You’re a picky eater.”

Cerys ignored Kara’s disgust and took a large spoonful of soup. I put it in my mouth and chewed it thoroughly.

As her chin moved, the arcing corners of her mouth lowered little by little. It soon came down completely and became a subtle expression.

“…”

Cerise glanced at me and asked hesitantly.

“Yuseong, is this really delicious…?”

I put down the spoon.

“No.”

* * *

“I’m sorry. It was my first time trying it today, and I failed…”

Cerise handed the tea along with an apology. I waved as I accepted the car.

“It tasted much better than what I made. ”

It’s lip service.

“By the way, when will your parents come home? I think I should say hello.”

I asked as if I was wondering. As expected, Seris smiled bitterly.

“They both passed away a few years ago.”

I knew it.

I expected it since it had been this hour and neither of my parents were home.

When it gets dark, most people go home. Sometimes they stay out late at night at a bar, but it’s not common.

I said with a regretful expression.

“Ah… I’m sorry. I asked something pointless…”

“It’s okay.”

Cerise shook her head.

“It was very difficult in the past, but it has improved a lot now.”

“That’s a good thing. But since there are only two of you, do you think it’s okay to bring in an outsider like me?”

“Why? Are you doing something strange?”

“No, it’s not that…”

When I pretended to be flustered, Cerise covered her mouth and laughed. I ended up just staring blankly at that figure. I pinched my thigh to come to my senses.

“I didn’t think Yoosung would do that. Even if my thoughts are wrong, I can deal with it.”

“Yes?”

I ended up asking a question that was different from what I expected.

This is your first meeting with me. What on earth did you look at to make that decision?

Cerise pointed to her eyes with her finger.

“The look in Yoosung’s eyes when he saw me. It’s a bit weird to say this, but when men look at me, their eyes are… should I say, sticky? That’s right. Oh, of course, not everything is like that.”

Seris corrected me, saying don’t misunderstand.

“But Yoosung had none of those things. He just looked a little surprised.”

“Ah…”

Those eyes were sticky, and if you look at her appearance, it was worth it.

I have seen all kinds of makeup and corrections on Earth. Cerise’s appearance was so outstanding that even I was impressed.

“You mean you can handle it?”

“I’m strong.”

Seris placed her hand on her biceps and spoke confidently.

“Ah, yes… I see.”

I chuckled.

Because it was a purer answer than I thought.

I said, ‘If I scream, the villagers will come running.’ ‘There is a fence so I can’t escape. Even if you run away, the night is dangerous.’ I thought the same thing.

“It’s true. Don’t you believe it?”

Cerise narrowed her eyes and said. I think he felt that my laughter showed that he didn’t believe me.

Just as I was about to make an excuse, Kara, who was sleeping in bed, turned over and started talking in her sleep.

“Hehe, it’s Kara, the great adventurer! Everyone bow your heads!”

“…”

“…”

“Sister! Same goes for my sister. There’s no such thing as family!”

“Kara please…”

Seris, whose face was red, covered Kara with a blanket.

Kara struggled as if she was frustrated, but Seris didn’t care.

Every time Kara’s body protruded, she somehow covered it with a blanket, and in the end, Kara had to sleep with the blanket still on.

“It looks like your younger brother wants to become an adventurer?”

I said without hiding my smile. Seris sighed.

“Yes, that’s right. Why am I an adventurer…”

‘It’s dangerous…’ she muttered to herself and turned her head towards me.

“What do you think, Yoosung? Adventurer work?”

“Do I think so?”

“Yes. Since Yoosung lived in the city, he probably knows more than me.”

I’ve definitely heard a lot.

It’s just that most of the people who tell the story exaggerate it.

Still, there is one thing I can tell you.

“It will be very difficult. The work of an adventurer.”

Adventurers solve requests and earn money.

Most of the requests are to kill monsters called monsters.

As a result, there are many things where you have to risk your life, and there are many cases where you actually lose it.

“Of course, right? Haha… It would be nice if you just give up…”

Seris looked at Kara with eyes dripping with worry. Kara is sleeping peacefully, unaware that her sister is worried.

That sight felt warm to me.

I smiled and drank my tea.

Well, bitter. And it’s spicy.

“…Can I ask what car this is?”

Is “ this car? It’s made from oolong leaves.”

“Oolong leaves? This is my first time hearing it… Is it expensive?”

“Yes? No, I’m not selling this.”

“…Yes?”

“I dug it up from the mountain myself.”

“Hmm, I see. Gathering herbs is not easy, but I think my parents taught me well.”

There are many cases where plants that are picked and eaten as medicinal herbs turn out to be poisonous. As a result, the ability to properly identify medicinal herbs was valuable.

“No, I just ate it when I was young to fill my stomach, and it was bitter. So I thought I could use it to make tea, so I’m using it.”

“…”

I was at a loss for words.

You just ripped this off and ate it?

why?

Or rather, you said you used it as tea because it tasted bitter?

Without even knowing what it is?

I opened my mouth to say something, but eventually closed it. I had a lot to say, but decided not to. I held back a sigh and turned my head to find a painting displayed in a corner of the house.

It was a painting of two girls and their parents.

“How do you feel? Didn’t you draw it well?”

Seris said proudly.

As she said, it was a well-drawn picture. So much so that it could be considered a photograph.

“Who drew it? By any chance, Seris?”

“No. I don’t have that kind of talent. It’s just that a painter stopped by our village some time ago, and I drew it for him then.”

“Are you angry?”

Is there an artist with this level of skill in a town like this?

I had doubts, but soon forgot about them. Because it wasn’t that important.

“By the way, which of you two has blue hair?”

Both people who appeared to be parents had hair colored in black and white.

That’s usually done when expressing dark-colored hair, but Cerise’s hair is blue-silver. It was never dark in color.

“Neither of you have blue hair. My mother was blonde, and my father was brown.”

“…Yes?”

I narrowed my eyes at her words. Blonde and brown? Can blue-silver hair come out of that hair color?

As if she had seen through my thoughts, Seris smiled awkwardly and scratched her cheek.

“Actually, those two are not my biological parents. You saved me from wandering the mountains.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I keep thinking it’s pointless…”

“It’s okay. It wasn’t even something to hide. I’m glad I was taken in by the two of you.”

Seris stroked the picture with longing eyes. Then, as if something occurred to him, he turned sharply towards me.

“Yuseong, do you know how to read?”

“Writing? Yes, I know.”

Strangely enough, since falling into this world, I have never felt a language barrier.

There was no problem communicating with people or even reading text. It was impossible to write.

Cerise’s face lit up at my answer.

She took out a rolled up piece of parchment from under the bed.

“Can you read this for me?”

“What is this?”

“There was a hidden space on the floor of our house. I found it there. But no one in the village can read, so I don’t know the contents… I think it was probably written by my mother and father…”

According to her, this parchment appears to be a will.

Her parents must have loved their children so much that they used a ghostwriter to write their will.

“I understand. I’ll read it to you.”

I smiled and read the contents of the parchment handed to me.

‘What the fuck.’

My eyebrows furrowed.