The Girl at the Door
Ding-dong—
"What the...?"
I cracked my eyes open at the sound of the doorbell. Is it morning already? I checked the clock. Fuck my life. It was 4 a.m. If even my mom woke me up at this hour, I'd be pissed.
"Just when I'm dealing with withdrawal turning me into a total mess..."
I dragged myself to the front door. No intercom in this shitty cheap monthly rental, so I had to check visitors the old-fashioned way.
"Who is it?"
No answer. I asked again, but still nothing. I went back to bed. Probably some drunk asshole.
But then.
Ding-dong—
"Ah, fuck."
The damn thing rang again the second I crawled under the covers. I stomped back to the door.
"Who is it?"
Still no reply. Looked like I'd have to open the door to check...
"...Better safe than sorry."
I grabbed a kitchen knife from the drawer. Sure, I'm an awakener, but with just a low-grade Inventory, I'm basically a social weakling. I called out one last time, then cracked open the door with the safety chain still on.
Click—
"Found you."
Whoosh—
Something lunged into my arms. The safety chain was inexplicably gone, and I toppled backward with whatever it was clinging to me. Too late, I raised the knife over my head to swing— but then I saw it. The identity of the thing hugging me.
Moonlight glinted off her outfit. Her hair... How could I not recognize her? I'd watched her for over a year, and everything she wore was stuff I'd given her.
"Huh?"
Seiren. It was her.
"Huh? You...?"
My brain glitched like a broken computer. This situation was just too surreal.
"I won't let you disappear again... Never..."
Am I dreaming? Had to be, right? Then I might as well enjoy it.
"Nice dream."
I stroked the back of Seiren's round head. Rubbed my cheek against the top of hers. She smelled a bit musty, but affection buffs made it bearable.
Just as I felt myself starting to wake up, I drew the kitchen knife across my palm.
Slash—
Blood welled up.
"Eh?"
Fucking hurts. Shit.
The blood pouring from my hand? Seiren couldn't heal it. Hero Raiser had strict class roles—no healing or light magic. That was strictly for saintess classes.
I slapped on some ointment and wrapped it in bandages. And now...
4:27 a.m. I sat face-to-face with Seiren.
"Seiren...?"
"Yes. Hehe."
"This is really you?"
"Yes!"
"What the hell is this."
She explained everything. While only a day had passed for me since the Hero Raiser servers shut down, seven years had gone by in her world. She'd devoted that time to dimensional magic and made it here.
That's the super-condensed version. Countless hypotheses, proofs, and formulas for crossing dimensions? Way beyond me.
"You used the system as a medium between dimensions??"
"Yes. This blue window."
All I really caught was that she'd tracked my dimension's coordinates using the blue window—the system—as a medium. I remembered it, but understood? Not a chance.
"Uh, yeah. Okay. Welcome, I guess?"
"Hehe."
I still couldn't quite believe it, but with teleporters existing among awakeners, a grander scale didn't seem impossible. I nodded, sort of.
...Which naturally led to So was the Hero Raiser I played not just a game? But that rabbit hole hurt my brain, so I shelved it.
To the beaming Seiren, I said,
"No place to stay, right?"
"I'll live here."
"Ah, sure."
She said it so matter-of-factly that I nodded before I could think. I'd have to keep her around until she adjusted to this world. Not my fault the servers shut down, but after raising her, I felt a moral obligation anyway.
I asked casually,
"Can you use magic, by any chance? Show me something simple if you can?"
"Mm."
A flame sparked to life in Seiren's hand. Tiny embers bloomed on each fingertip, drifting slowly in unison, leaving trails—until they formed a perfect pentagram of fire.
"Holy shit, you're good. Real good."
"Hehe."
"Such a good girl."
"Hihihi."
Even as a worthless porter, I'd watched awakener parties up close. Precision, cast time, control—all top-tier. Good news: no shitty "isekai localization" penalty like in some stories.
For a second, I wondered if I should get her a convenience store job like some demon lord in an anime. But nah—with a bit of common sense and dungeon runs, she'd be independent fast.
I laid out the plan.
"Got it? With your skills, Seiren, you could live like a queen on Earth!"
"No thanks."
"Huh?"
"I don't wanna be independent."
"What?"
"I'm staying here forever."
"Uh... you sure?"
"Yes. Absolutely."
"...Why?"
"Why what?"
Seiren tilted her head.
"We were apart for seven years. You vanished without a word."
"Ah, about that..."
"Do you know how hard that was for me?"
"I-it wasn't my fault, but... sorry anyway."
"Doesn't matter. I'm not leaving. We're sticking together."
"O-okay."
"No more goodbyes between us. Ever."
"Mm."
"Got it?"
"Got it..."
And so, cohabitation began.
I taught Seiren modern living. Honestly? I was a little smug about it. You know the trope—medieval folks summoned to the modern world, gaping at tech like "Heeeee!" I was hyped for that.
Hyped... and then.
"This is the shower! Flip the lever up, water comes out! Cool, right? Amazing!"
"I scanned it with detection magic. Two plates—one fixed, one mobile linked to the lever. The mobile one slides along the fixed one to control flow. Intuitive and efficient."
"Ah, uh..."
"This is a hair dryer! Dries your hair fast!"
"Fascinating. Scanning... Air sucked in through the back vent, heated inside, expelled. But the suction mechanism intrigues me more. Its fuel motion mimics brainwave magic flows."
"Ah, uh..."
"This is a motorcycle..."
"Whoa, this design is genius. The cylinder—pressure-based energy transfer—"
"S-stop!"
I learned Seiren was extremely science-oriented.
"Just go wash up."
"Okay."
Buzzkill complete, I sent her to the bathroom. She'd been holed up who-knows-where for years; she was filthy.
While she showered, I hit the 24-hour discount mart for undies and clothes, handed them over.
"Too small."
"I'll swap 'em."
"Too small."
"...This too? I'll swap."
"Too small."
"...My little Iren. You're exceptional in every way."
Minor underwear upgrade fiasco aside, she emerged clean as day broke. No sleep for me, but whatever. As of yesterday, I was a time billionaire—bedtime on my schedule.
I gave her the fluffy topper, laid out my blanket.
"You must be tired. Sleep. I'll crash too."
"Okay."
She slipped under the covers. But...
"...Why?"
"It's too squishy here."
"Hm? I seem to remember putting you in fluffy beds back when I was raising you."
"Dunno. Uncomfortable."
"Hm, fine. I'll take this spot."
I moved to the topper. Then Seiren came over here.
"...Why?"
"Blanket on the floor's too hard."
"This better?"
"Maybe?"
"..."
What now?
"And it's cold."
"Cold?"
"Let's just sleep like this."
She closed her eyes. Every time I tried to shift away, she'd snuggle closer. Couldn't move.
"Fuck it~"
Too lazy to care, I passed out.
I woke around lunch. Operation "Amaze with Modern Marvels" was a flop, so next up: "MSG-Fueled Genius of Elite Scholars". Nailed it.
"So good..."
"Heh heh heh."
"Dozens of kinds...? No way..."
I showed her instant noodle varieties online.
"Heeee... Revolutionary..."
"Kuhaha."
Her belly poked out proudly. I grinned. Fed the kid, time for my business: job hunting to escape unemployment.
Luckily, a party I'd applied to yesterday called—interview today.
"Gonna head out."
"I'll come."
"Uh, sure. But first..."
I slapped a hat and mask on her. I was immune after all this time, but she was not average-looking. Objectively, hotter than most actresses. Awakeners often had their manners reset on awakening—morons everywhere. Safety first.
"Sssup..."
"What?"
Long-sleeve down to elbows, shorts to knees, ratty slippers. The grime-trinity outfit, yet my eyes still wandered. Pale skin? Anyway, good enough.
"Nah. Let's go."
We stepped out.
The interview spot: a small Open Field Dungeon in Gangseo-gu. Neutral zones dotted around made it pretty safe. Popular for porter practice interviews; even had a monster zoo with cute, harmless ones in parts.
Right there, I felt massive dread.
"Please."
"No!"
"Stay here, I'll come right back!"
"Nope! Coming with!"
She refused the nearby cafe wait. Interview time looming, I was shitting bricks.
The desperate dig the well, so I compromised.
"...Neutral zones only. No interfering, got it?"
"Yes!"
Seiren grinned, finally entering the Open Field Dungeon with me. I dropped her in a neutral zone and headed to the site. Not far—squint and you could see her. Same for her.
Anyway. At the interview spot...
I ran into her.
"Oh my, fancy meeting you here? Porter. Or should I say, Mr. Lee Hyun?"
"......"
Lee So-rin. The bitch who'd treated me like her personal slave since last year. She'd gotten me fired yesterday too.
"What a coincidence. How?"
Her hunter buddies—my interviewers—averted eyes or snickered.
"Ha."
Fuck. I'd rushed to join another party before rumors spread, but this psycho had already pulled strings. Awakener world was small—especially academy grads like her.
I ran my hand through my hair and turned to leave.
"Aw? Not interviewing? Pay's decent."
Mockery from behind. Laughter from the others. I glanced back once, despite myself.
That was it.
"Ha."
Back to the neutral zone. Composed my face from afar. Tried smiling brightly as I fetched Seiren.
Acting sucked, apparently.
"Hyun. What's with your face?"
"What."
"You look... sad."
"Sad? Whatever. Let's eat. Time to introduce you to burgers."
"Hyun. Did those people from earlier bully you?"
Couldn't whine to a girl at 31. Brushed it off. Plus, she was the kid I'd raised—even if virtually. No moping.
"Hyun?"
"Let's go."
I grabbed her hand, led without another word. Silent all the way to the exit. No loser like this loser. Admitting it sucked didn't change shit. Knew it bone-deep, so I shut up.
Just before leaving the Open Field.
"Hyun. Be right back."
"Huh? Where?"
"Bathroom."
"Ah, okay."
Perfect timing—I needed to cool off too. And I'd held her hand too long. Let go; she headed back in.
"Ugh. Fucking bitch. Drop dead."
I ranted about Lee So-rin while waiting.
Then.
BOOM—!!!
"Gah, what the fuck. Earthquake?"
Eyes to the source: deep in the Open Field. Massive fire pillar erupting.
Shock froze me. Then—Seiren was in there.
"S-Seiren! I-Iren!!"
Heart dropped. Sure, archmage Seiren could handle herself, but this was emotional. I'd raised her since she was "five"! Like parents of a fighter worrying.
My legs were already bolting into the Open Field Dungeon. Against the screaming crowds pouring out, I charged in.
"Hyun?"
"Seiren!"
Found her quick. Circling her, checked for injuries. Clothes a bit singed, otherwise fine.
"You okay!? Hurt anywhere!?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"That fire pillar just shot up!"
"Hehe~ You were worried?"
"Of course. C'mon, let's go."
"Hihi. Okay."
Grabbed her hand, hurried off.
But.
"You have a fever? Hand's hot."
"Washed with warm water in the bathroom, probably."
"Yeah? Good."
Huh. No big deal, then.