Chapter 5
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Meeting
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I tossed and turned all night. No, to be precise, I didn't sleep a single second.
In the darkened room, I lay there like a corpse, staring blankly at the ceiling. My heart was racing wildly on its own, making it impossible to fall asleep.
'I have to go out.'
That was the only thought in my mind.
[Roughly Cool Nick: Then just bring the medicine to my place.]
[Roughly Cool Nick: You have to see my face in person to believe it or not.]
I had dug my own grave.
There was no way I could send a chat like, "Actually, I can't leave the house lol;; sorry... lol!!" now.
If I did, not only would our years-long online friendship go down the drain, but my precious weapon would get smashed to bits too.
'...I can't let that happen.'
The +14 reinforcement from countless reforgings after switching weapons. The light of my life, the fire in my body, my soul.
If that got destroyed by some ugly NPC's hammer in the forge...
"Gaaah...!!"
As soon as the sun rose, I dragged my zombie-like body out of bed.
I opened the closet. Nothing to wear.
Everything was sized for my old body, so it was like wearing a blanket now.
'Should've bought some casual clothes.'
I picked a T-shirt that could pass as oversized and threw on a thick hoodie over it. Pulled low, it would hide my face.
I stood in front of the mirror.
"......"
A frail girl with ashen hair stared back at me with hollow cheeks.
I let out a sigh.
"...Guess I have to go."
I pulled the hood down deeper and tucked the small potion vial into my pocket.
Then stepped out the door.
*
Following the address Roughly Cool Nick sent, I arrived at their place. My breath grew short the moment I stepped out of the elevator.
[901]
Just ring the doorbell.
"......"
But my finger wouldn't move.
Facing a stranger. The mere thought made my whole body freeze like stone as that dizzying moment loomed.
'...Should I just leave it at the door and run?'
Yeah, good plan. Hang the potion on the doorknob and bolt. That's what I was thinking when—
Click—!
The door burst open with a loud noise.
"Who is it? I've felt someone out here for a while."
A woman appeared in the doorway.
Short black hair, sharp eyes, sturdy build.
Her gaze made my breath catch.
"Uh, th-that... the m-medicine... antidote...."
I barely squeezed out the words. My voice scattered before forming a sentence.
"Huh?"
Her brows furrowed slightly. She scanned me up and down, then spoke as if realizing something.
"Are you Kim Talky's little sister by any chance?"
My mind blanked at those words.
This woman was "Roughly Cool Nick," the one I'd gamed with for years.
'...A woman?'
Our conversations flashed through my head. The one where she ranted that the new boss monster's chest was too big and smelled like a chicken coop...
"No way you're Kim Talky himself. That guy's behavior screams total... well, dude."
I swallowed hard. I should deny it. Say I'm Kim Talky.
But that thought was swallowed by another impulse.
'...Wait a minute.'
She hadn't even considered I might be Kim Talky.
Of course. Who'd imagine a girl like me in this hyper-male game?
'This might actually work out.'
No need for the messy, horrific reveal. Pretending to be the little sister was way easier.
I nodded timidly.
Taking that as confirmation, she stepped aside with a "That makes sense" look.
"Come in first. Where's your brother? You came alone?"
"Th-that's... b-bro... brother suddenly had an ur-emergency...."
Way easier? What a lie. Saying "brother" from my mouth was torture beyond imagination.
As payback for sacrificing my pride, she let me in without suspicion.
"Your brother said he'd bring me the medicine himself. That why you're here?"
"Y-yes... yes!"
I whipped out the potion vial from my pocket like I'd been waiting. I wanted to end this mental torment and go home ASAP.
"This is... the medicine?"
Roughly Cool eyed the blue liquid-filled vial skeptically as she took it.
"So, what does your brother do?"
Her question hit the moment I sat gingerly on the living room sofa.
"Uh... just... an office worker...."
"Hmm. An office worker made this?"
She shook the vial with lingering doubt.
"Dies to basic patterns in-game like a noob, but skilled in real life, huh."
"Y-yeah...."
You eat invincibility pots to dodge them yourself— The retort rose to my lips. I swallowed it desperately and nodded instead.
"You're pretty quiet for a little sister. Opposite of your brother."
"......"
"That guy's a riot online. Fought in guild chat for three hours once. Guess what about? Breasts bigger than the face make a real woman, total bullshit...."
I averted my eyes, fiddling with my juice glass.
"Lately, he can't focus on the game. Makes sense. Still clinging to that trash character. Obsessed with its looks, grinding specs—how much money's he sunk in? If it were another char, he'd be top rank by now...."
"...It's not trash...."
I muttered unconsciously. So soft it was almost to myself.
Pfft—
She caught it. Her eyes narrowed.
"What was that?"
"N-no...! I-I heard brother... loves that char...."
I scrambled to cover, but too late. A faint smile crept onto her face.
"Hmm. You play Dunker too? Know if your brother's char is trash or not."
She leaned forward. Her shadow engulfed my tiny body.
"One last question. Your brother's weapon—pure luck, right? Straight +14 on a few clicks, he said."
"......!"
That was pure bullshit.
Hundreds, thousands of fails. Months grinding materials day and night, nearly smashing my monitor each failure.
She was dismissing all my effort in one breath.
"N-no, that's not... it took months...."
I blurted it out, then realized. Darkness closed in.
"How would you know that?"
Her lips curled slyly.
"You're Kim Talky, aren't you?"
Silence fell. She asked no more.
I hung my head, mumbling mosquito-like.
"...Y-yeah...."
Roughly Cool went quiet a moment. Then came a hollow laugh.
"Never thought it'd be real. The 14-year-old middle school girl bit wasn't a concept, huh."
"Uh... yeah."
"Well, I'm similar, so no room to talk."
She looked at me, incredulous yet somehow convinced.
Her gaze shifted from my face to the vial in her hand.
"So you made this medicine."
She stared at the vial. Blue liquid shimmered alluringly inside.
"Alright."
As if decided, she uncorked it without hesitation.
"Not like it'll kill me."
She downed the blue liquid in one gulp.
"......!"
Gulp. The sound echoed hugely.
I held my breath, watching. Her brows furrowed.
"Tastes bad. Like dirt in my mouth...."
Before she finished, my heart sank—something wrong?
"...Huh?"
But then she lifted her hand slowly before her eyes in shock.
Fingers that trembled faintly before were now perfectly still.
She clenched and unclenched her fist repeatedly.
Suddenly jumping up, she hopped in place lightly.
"How... is this...."
Vitality filled her voice.
Weeks of fatigue washed away, color returned to her dull face, her hazy eyes sharpened.
Miracle. Only word that came to mind.
I was lost in the surreal scene. My potion did this for real.
Seeing my dazed look, her eyes narrowed.
"Hey. Why the face? The maker's more shocked?"
"Uh, that's...."
"First time on a human? No trials, just brought it?"
Guilty, but I kept my face straight.
"Th-that's normal, of course...."
I'll test next time.
She scoffed in disbelief but dropped it. The effect proved everything.
She rolled the empty vial in her hand, pondering, then asked decisively.
"Can you make more?"
"If I have m-materials...?"
"How much for materials?"
"Th-three... 30,000 won?"
"What?!"
Her eyes widened.
"30,000 won?! Hey!! That's like paying a healer thousands for treatment!"
I flinched at the sudden shout.
"...Eek!"
"Ah, sorry."
She cleared her throat. Her excited face turned serious.
"Talky."
She looked straight at me, voice different.
"Can you supply this steadily to our guild?"