Chapter 187
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 186
Chapter Title: Interlude
‘I want you to live a happy, peaceful life, surrounded by love.’
"...in! Rain!"
"......."
I must have zoned out for a moment.
When my vision cleared, Chris, who had just been revived, was shaking my shoulders with a worried expression.
"Are you okay!?"
"Chris... sis."
My voice came out hoarse.
Tremble, tremble.
My body shivered like a leaf in the wind.
Chris checked my condition and, sensing something was seriously wrong, helped me log out.
I was back in reality.
In Iseulbi's body.
For some reason, even this body was trembling.
"Rain!"
My vision was pitch black, then the capsule's lid opened.
I saw Chris's face and heard her voice.
Chris lifted my trembling body into her arms. Then she laid me down on the bed in my room.
Then she pulled me close, holding my head against her chest.
Thump, thump.
The rhythmic sound of Chris's heartbeat filled my ears, and slowly, my mind, which had been sinking into a daze, began to return.
After a few minutes of this, the trembling in my body finally stopped.
"Hah."
Confirming that I had calmed down, Chris let out a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of the world.
"Are you okay now?"
"...Yes."
"What on earth happened to you... No, that was a stupid question. It's because of me... I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?"
I let out a small laugh and buried my face in Chris's embrace.
I knew I hadn't completely overcome it.
Still, I thought I was doing much better now, but it seemed my body didn't feel the same way.
"So that was it."
The words escaped my lips before I knew it.
I finally understood why I had always tried to be a solo player.
The sight of a comrade sacrificing themselves in front of me.
I never wanted to see that again.
Even if it wasn't real, even if my head knew that, my heart was taking it as reality.
"Rain, no... Iseulbi."
"......?"
Had Chris ever called me 'Iseulbi' before?
I lifted my head to look at her face.
"...The reason you can't help but feel the Astria Continent is real. I understand now, too."
"Yes."
"But, Iseulbi."
Gently.
Chris took my hand and placed it on her chest.
Soft.
"Ah."
I blushed a little.
The soft sensation of Chris's chest was transmitted vividly through my small palm.
Thump, thump.
The feeling of Chris's beating heart, which I had felt against my face, was now being delivered through my hand.
Chris spoke firmly.
"I'm alive. Right here, like this."
"...You are."
"I'm not going to leave your side."
Then, she grinned.
For the first time in a long while, I fell asleep in Chris's arms.
The next morning, Chris's voice telling me breakfast was ready woke me up. I sluggishly got up, quickly washed my face, and wheeled myself to the kitchen table.
As I rubbed my still-sleepy eyes, Chris, gazing at me with a look of pure adoration, placed a bowl of rice and soup in front of me.
"Yawn... We should probably take on the second Named Monster today."
"Yep. Want to try this?"
Chomp.
I accepted the piece of rolled omelet Chris put in my mouth while looking at my smartphone.
"...When did you put this in there?"
Through the 'Astria Online' app linked to my phone, I checked 'Rain's inventory and discovered a single earring I'd never seen before.
[Earring of the Resting Place]
[Legendary Grade]
[Strength +100 Agility +100 Intelligence +100]
[Critical Hit Chance +15%]
[Critical Hit Damage +35%]
[Unique Ability: 15% of Attack Power as Additional Damage]
(Exclusive to 'Drizzle Rain')
It was a bind-on-pickup, Legendary grade earring.
Chris spoke while eating so aggressively it was like she was burying her face in her rice bowl.
"Munch, munch, that's an accessory that dropped from the first Named."
"You should have geared up first."
"You do more damage than me, don't you? The stronger you are, the easier it'll be to clear the dungeon."
"Uh, umm. Thank you."
Chris grinned foolishly, a grain of rice stuck to the corner of her mouth.
I picked the grain of rice off her face and put it in my mouth.
Pop.
Chris jumped in surprise.
"R-Rain!"
"Why are you eating so fast today? So sloppy."
I looked at Chris with a mischievous smile, a finger held to my lips.
For some reason, her face turned bright red. ...Was steam about to come out of her nose? It was like the muscular Chris from yesterday was about to burst into reality.
I cupped my cheeks and recalled the awesome Chris from yesterday.
"Chris, your transformation was amazing."
"A-ahem... It's not exactly a pleasant sight, is it?"
As Chris looked away, embarrassed, I shook my head firmly.
"Muscles are cool. You can even lift me up with ease."
"...You like muscles, Rain?"
"Though my body doesn't build them very well."
I touched my own slender, muscle-less arm with a dejected expression. It was soft.
I'd swung a sword since I was young, but it never got very firm. Even if I had built a little, it must have all disappeared after my body weakened and I could barely move. Even back then, I fought by enhancing my body with the mana the Holy Sword gave me.
"I-is that so? Should I build more muscle, then? If so, I should add weight training to my routine, and, and supplements..."
"Hmm... Do you need to? I like you just the way you are now."
Muscular Chris is nice, but the current Chris, with her well-balanced and soft figure, is great too.
Chris beamed and lifted me into her arms.
"Even with these arms, I can still hold you like this."
"Hee."
Nestled in her embrace, I stuck out my tongue and gave an awkward laugh as she carried me over to the sofa.
Just then.
Ding-dong—
"The doorbell? Who could be here at this hour?"
With a puzzled look, Chris set me down on the sofa and headed for the front door.
"Siiiiigh..."
The person sitting next to me on the sofa, letting out a sigh that could swallow the earth, was Nam Da-yeon—the Mage, Beimerung, from Astria Online.
Her cute face, still retaining the fresh look of a new college student, was filled with worry.
"Well, you're about the only person who'd visit us. What brings you here?"
Chris chuckled and sat down next to me, looking at Nam Da-yeon. Beimerung and Chris, with me in the middle. Our usual formation.
Beimerung glared at Chris, her face full of dissatisfaction.
"Chris, how on earth did you manage to control those brutes?"
"...Brutes?"
"Of course, I trust your judgment of character, but I think making Jun-hyeok the raid leader was a huge mistake."
I tilted my head.
Jun-hyeok? That was Death of Death's real name.
"Why, didn't you make much progress yesterday?"
"It's not about progress, they just won't listen."
Beimerung vented her frustrations about the three 'brutes', including Death of Death, who had been turned into barbecue the day before.
"...So in the end, we couldn't even get past the first special pattern. Did everyone just lose their minds because you weren't there, Chris? All they know is how to charge ahead like bulls."
"Heh heh."
"Don't laugh like it's someone else's problem! ...I'm having such a hard time, and here you two are, all smiles on a date."
Chris, her face full of amusement, placated Beimerung.
"Looks like Death of Death is running wild without me. I didn't see that coming. Anyway, you're saying you couldn't even figure out the mechanic to clear the special pattern."
"Nope. How are we supposed to dodge all those lightning bolts? And we can't even damage the Named Monster during the special pattern."
"If you came here to ask that, you could have just sent a message."
"I came to catch my breath and get some healing in by seeing our Rain's face. I was worried you might have forgotten me while on your date with Chris."
Beimerung took my hand and smiled sweetly.
Chris and I shared the video footage of the special phase from yesterday, along with the strategy for the first Named Monster, 'Bone Dragon', with Beimerung.
"...You really cleared the first Named in one day!? W-well, I did hear that Rain cleared the first Named of the last raid dungeon on her own on the first try. This time, Chris is with you, so I guess it's to be expected...?"
"Of course. Our Rain did all the work."
"You're saying the number of lightning bolts increases as the phase progresses. We can't even see them to dodge, so will our invincibility skills be off cooldown in time? Hah, even knowing the strategy, it doesn't look easy. How on earth did you two beat a monster like this?"
"Chris transformed and pulled the Bone Dragon's bones apart."
"Hee hee, no wonder you didn't show me the video of the final phase. So you used that skill after all, even though you hate how ugly it makes you? You must have really wanted to clear it on the first day, huh? Hee hee."
It seemed Beimerung knew about Chris's muscle form. She giggled, covering her mouth with both hands as she looked at Chris.
Chris feigned ignorance and chided Beimerung.
"A-ahem, what's so funny? Anyway, the Red and White attack squad is trying again after work hours today, right? We'll be going in earlier, though."
"If only everyone was like me, a student on leave with lots of time, or you, Chris, an office worker who can take vacation whenever she wants, or our Rain, who can play as much as she wants, we could spend all our time except sleeping on attempts."
Me, who can play as much as I want?
Does she mean I'm unemployed?
I felt a little strange.
I said, as if making an excuse.
"I-I have my own economic activities, you know."
"Of course, of course. I know."
"Rain, you don't have to earn money. My money is your money."
Caught between the two ever-positive sisters, I looked crestfallen.
The gold I earn in the game is something I'm rightfully owed.
Since I saved the continent, I should be able to exchange the gold from that world as I please.