Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: How to Repay a Debt
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I slept. I slept like the dead.
I think I slept for more than fifteen hours a day. The accumulated fatigue and my weakened body demanded rest.
Whenever I was awake, Chris was always right by my side. She'd look at me with a tender expression.
Though her constant fidgeting with my hand was a little overwhelming.
Living in this world in Iseulbi's body, I could count on one hand the number of times I'd spoken to others. But with Chris, I naturally shared small conversations. I even told her, little by little, about my life in this world. She never pried into the deeper details.
Was it because Chris had cherished Rain? Iseulbi's body didn't show any signs of rejection either.
Chris never looked at me with pity or sympathy. Instead, her expressions were of pride, tenderness, and a hint of self-reproach.
And whenever she touched my hand, her eyes seemed to grow hazy, emitting a strange light.
Hmm, I'm not sure why that is.
In any case, one thing was certain: Chris cherished not only Rain from the Astria Continent but also Iseulbi.
The ticklish feeling in my chest was pleasant.
It felt as if a little color was returning to this monochrome world.
I would wake up feeling Chris's touch, and fall asleep feeling her touch, over and over.
Once the IV treatment was over, I was able to eat again. Soft foods that were easy to digest and swallow, like porridge.
Chris did ask if she should feed me, but I waved my hands and ate by myself. She seemed a little disappointed.
"You have to eat three proper meals a day, the full portion."
Chris was firm on this point. I'd put my spoon down after two or three bites, feeling full, but she insisted I had to eat this much for my body to hold up.
I was a little disgruntled, but Chris was saying it for my own good.
Hmph.
I picked up my spoon again and continued eating. It seemed my feeling of being full was just that—a feeling. The porridge went down smoothly.
"Come to think of it, it's almost time for the others to arrive."
Chris, who had been watching me eat with a bright smile, suddenly checked the time.
She told me Beimerung and Cherni had found me when I collapsed. Chris asked if it was okay for them to visit. I said it was fine.
They were the two people I'd been power-leveling with in the game. I wasn't sure if Iseulbi's body would reject them, but as a decent human being, I had to show my gratitude.
But how did they know where I lived and find me?
*Creeak.*
A short woman entered with a bashful smile. A man followed behind her.
I recognized both their faces. They looked slightly different from their game avatars, with different hair colors and features, but since I knew who was coming, I could tell for sure.
It was Cherni and Beimerung.
"Uh, ahem."
The man avoiding my gaze with a cough—that must be Cherni.
As I stared at him, feeling like I'd seen him somewhere before, I was suddenly startled.
"Ah, the convenience store clerk."
One of my questions was answered. I now knew how they had been able to find me.
Chris's junior, Cherni. He was the young man who worked part-time at the convenience store near where I lived.
For about three months, we'd known each other as customer and clerk. Of course, I just picked out my items, and he just rang them up.
"Sorry!"
Cherni suddenly bowed his head and apologized to me.
I tilted my head.
Why is he apologizing? I should be the one thanking him.
"Well, um. I was worried because I'd seen you before. If we had no connection at all, it'd be one thing, but we met again in the game, right? So, um. Your situation was really weighing on my mind. I'm sorry for coming to find you without asking first! I'd have no excuse if you reported me as a stalker!"
"Aha."
He was rambling, but it basically meant he was worried about me and had secretly checked up on me.
It's a bit awkward to say it myself, but I'm quite pretty and have a unique appearance. Plus, I use a wheelchair. I'm not easy to forget after seeing me just once.
I used my real-life appearance in Astria Online. The moment he saw Rain, he must have realized I was the customer who frequented the convenience store. Of course, it would have been awkward if he'd acknowledged it.
But knowing that I, someone his senior cherished, was living with a disability in a poor environment, he must have found it hard to look away.
A dilemma. He must have agonized over it a lot.
I let out a small smile.
"It's okay. Thank you, really."
Cherni, the convenience store clerk.
The first tenuous connection 'Iseulbi' had made in this world.
Thanks to him, Chris was able to find me. He was a kind person.
I expressed my heartfelt gratitude.
"Ahem! Ahem!"
While I was talking to Cherni, Beimerung had approached and was now standing beside me, clearing her throat a few times.
Seeing her rather cute face up close, I could definitely tell she was Beimerung from Astria Online.
But the honorifics were a problem.
Chris was older than 'Iseulbi', so she was definitely my senior here as well.
Beimerung was trickier. Rain from the Astria Continent had called her "unni" without any hesitation, but according to Iseulbi's official age, she was the same age as Beimerung, who had just become an adult.
In truth, it felt like my age had been roughly set to 'almost an adult' because minors face restrictions living alone. Whether it was the goddess from that world or this one, they were both careless.
So, while I was legally an adult with no guardian, what was my actual age?
Defining my age was incredibly difficult.
Just a soul from the modern world who died and was shoved into the body of a newly created young girl. At this point, it was debatable whether I could even call my past life memories a part of 'me'.
Does the core of 'me' follow the memories etched into the soul? Or does it follow the current body recognized by the brain? This was clearly a question with no easy answer. I was probably the only one in this world with memories of a past life.
When I first inhabited this young girl's body, I went through a severe identity crisis. But now, after all this time, I've completely adapted to this body and brain.
Roughly, the body was six or seven then? A little over ten years have passed since, so am I actually seventeen or eighteen? Even if my body hasn't grown to match.
Ugh, I don't know. It's too complicated.
I decided to just call her what Rain used to. Beimerung liked it, anyway.
"Beimerung."
"Gasp...!"
Beimerung's face was overcome with emotion. Her hand trembled, hovering in the air, wanting to reach for me but hesitating.
I gently took her lost hand.
I felt no repulsion. Just as Rain had, Iseulbi's body was telling me this person was okay.
Beimerung squeezed my hand and told me her name.
"My name is Nam Da-yeon."
"Da-yeon."
"Kyaa!"
"Hey, hey! Nam Da-yeon! Rain is still a patient!"
I was caught in the grip of the shrieking Beimerung. An annoyed Chris pulled her away from me, scolding her.
I giggled, watching their boisterous antics.
***
"Now that you've recovered a bit, you need to get a full check-up, maybe even today. You don't want to keep being sick, do you, Rain?"
"Okay. I'll get the tests."
After Beimerung and Cherni left, Chris urged me to get a thorough examination.
It seemed best to entrust myself to Chris while I was in the hospital. I could gladly accept her kindness. As long as we played the game together, I had a way to repay her.
To do that, I first needed to get healthy quickly. I had learned the hard way that neglecting my health leads to terrible consequences.
"But I'm worried about the hospital bills. I can't earn any money while I'm admitted."
There were welfare benefits, but they wouldn't cover the full amount. A private room must be quite expensive, too.
"For now, just focus on getting better. You can rely on me for a while. I've already finished the paperwork to become your guardian."
"I'm in your debt, then..."
It seemed Chris was taking care of all the costs and procedures.
I had some savings, so I could probably pay back the money, but now I owed her a huge emotional debt. How could I ever repay it all?
Chris gave me a mischievous smile.
"I'll be collecting in various ways, so don't think you're getting this for free, okay? Hehe."
"Gasp..."
Collecting in various ways?
Her words reminded me of a grim urban legend about someone being trapped in a capsule and forced to earn money in virtual reality for years.
Of course, Chris would never do that to me, but it was a scary thought.
I should never get into debt.
I headed to the examination room. Behind me, Chris's hands were gently pushing my wheelchair.
My physical condition was something I needed to address.
What would a full examination entail? In this advanced world, how much could medicine reveal about the human body and brain?
They said the tests were necessary to find the root cause of my condition and treat it, so I had to go through with it. I didn't want to collapse again.
When we arrived at the examination room, my wheelchair was stopped in front of a long medical bed. Judging by the cylindrical machine, it seemed various tests would be conducted using it.
As I was about to use my arms to move myself onto the bed, Chris's hands reached for me.
*Swoop.*
"Ah."
Chris's hands gently wrapped around my back and supported me under my knees.
I was now cradled in her arms.
The feeling of her hands on my body wasn't unpleasant.
I closed my eyes softly and let her carry me.
"Hah...!"
Chris made a strange sound. I could feel a slight tremor in the arms holding me.
My body couldn't be that heavy, but I hoped she wasn't overexerting herself.
Gently transferred from Chris's arms, my body was laid on the medical bed. With dazed eyes, Chris muttered something and left the examination room.
"1% collected..."
"?"
What did that mean?
Putting my slight confusion aside, I lay down quietly for the examination.