Chapter 19

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 19

Chapter Title: My Little Sister's Name is...

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My little sister's name is...

Yesterday had been such a hectic day that I turned in early without doing anything extra.

I'd given the plush single bed to Lulu and my shark girl little sister.

The next morning, after sleeping on the floor...

"Daddy-nyang! It's morning-nyang! Let's go hunting quick-nyang!"

Today, Lulu was just as cute and full of energy as ever, rubbing her fluffy fur against me.

Her eyes sparkled at the thought of entering the tower.

"Father dear. I'm hungry. The time I have left... is about thirty minutes from now."

Beating around the bush, the shark girl was telling me I only had thirty minutes of life left.

She was teaching me the value of life first thing in the morning.

"First... how about we eat and then head into the tower?"

I suggested we eat something—anything—before moving.

"Sounds good-nyang!"

"Father dear. I liked that 'Hanwoo' from yesterday. It melted so delicately in my mouth—it was one of the best lifeforms I've ever tasted."

"Little sis-nyang likes Hanwoo too? Lulu likes Hanwoo-nyang!"

"Hee hee hee... It seems our tastes align perfectly, sister."

"Lulu thinks so too-nyang!"

'Kids... think about your dad's bank account a little...'

The words rose to the tip of my tongue.

But I couldn't bring myself to turn the bright smiles of these affectionate sisters sad.

So I grilled the meat diligently and vowed to sell something to the professor later to make some money.

"Here, I made yukhoe for Lulu since she likes raw meat."

"Nyang? The meat's sparkling-nyang! It smells so good-nyang!"

"And for you, little sis... er, miss? I grilled it as rare as you asked yesterday."

"Mm. Thank you for preparing such delicious food, my father dear."

"Alright then... let's eat."

"Itadakimasu-nyang!"

"I'll gratefully partake."

Watching the sisters enjoy the meal I'd prepared,

I was midway through dipping my own meat in ssamjang and chojang sauce.

"By the way, father dear."

"Yes?"

"There's one thing that bothers me."

"Huh???"

No, little sis. What is this all of a sudden while eating...?

Ah! Did some of the meat come out medium-rare instead of rare!?

"S-sorry! I'll grill it again right now, so please don't say anything scary like you're going to eat me...!!!"

"Hm? Oh. That's not it. The meat is perfectly cooked and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠delicious. And even if you gave me human-like nasty meat, I wouldn't eat it. What do you take me for?"

"Huh? Then what...?"

"Mm. That's exactly it. The way you overly guard against me, fear me, and tremble in terror."

"M-my... attitude...?"

"Yes. Aren't we family now? But drawing lines like that and using formal speech? I don't like it."

Isn't that... obvious?

Just yesterday, she nearly crushed me and Lulu with her energy alone.

And she was the one who said she'd devour everything around her if she got hungry!

Even if she said it now with a nuance of 'I'm feeling a bit hurt...'

I couldn't exactly empathize...

"I see? If that's upsetting my little sister, maybe I can try being a bit friendlier...?"

...Of course I could!

What choice did I have?

If I didn't want to get chomped by those gleaming sharp teeth right away, I had to empathize.

If I let my T-type thinking slip out here with something like "It's your fault, you psycho!!!"

I might really end up as [Benefactor, Chewed in One Bite].

"Mm. Good. Just keep being casual like that from now on. After all, I'm just a new creation made by my father dear. So as long as you don't neglect or betray me, our relationship won't change."

"H-ha... haha... Of course... Why would I? Ever betray you???"

"Hee hee hee... Right. You wouldn't betray family."

Haa, damn. She really gives me chills.

For a second, her red eyes flashed, and I felt like she was peering right into my soul.

'That's definitely not my imagination! 100% something's up!'

Like that notification that seemed to read my thoughts last time.

It looks like whenever her eyes sparkle, I should avoid lies and stick to good thoughts as much as possible.

As I trembled inwardly,

vowing to live kindly from now on,

the shark girl tugged my sleeve and spoke.

"So father dear. I want a 'name' like big sis too."

"...A name?"

"You're not planning to call me 'little sis' forever, are you? Or... do you not want to give me one?"

"Ah... ahaha...! O-of course I'll name you! T-truth is, I thought of one the moment I saw you!"

"...Really? Hee hee hee... I see. Then I'll look forward to it."

####

Right after little sis asked for a name.

Even as she chewed her meat,

her predator's gaze fixed on me with those red eyes.

I set down my spoon and started pondering what name to give her.

'Truth is, one popped into my head right away...'

The problem was whether she'd like it.

It wasn't like Lulu's, suited to an animal.

She had a shark tail, sure.

But ignoring that, she looked like a sharp-featured seven-year-old girl.

It was a somewhat Korean-sounding name that naturally made you think, "Is that a girl's name?"

And that name was...

...this one.

'...Will it be okay?'

Would she, staring at me with those predator's eyes, like this name?

'...No idea. It's the best I got.'

I'd thought of others,

but they were all mismatches like Kim Bok-ja, Lee Jeom-rye, Park Hye-ji, Choi Su-ji.

Ah! I'm really terrible at naming! That realization hit me again.

'...Just go for it.'

What... she wouldn't really kill the guy feeding her, right?

No matter how I thought, nothing fit better than that name.

I squeezed my eyes shut and finalized it as "Arin."

"Mm. A fine name, my father dear."

"...Huh?"

Wh-what is all this...?

So many S-ranks. Doesn't this mean she could solo the tower...?

#####

After that eventful mealtime,

we gathered to climb today's tower, touching each other for entry.

"Arin-nyang! To enter the tower, you gotta cling to Daddy-nyang!"

"Like this?"

"K-kids? Dad's scared, so cling a little gently? If you squeeze now, he might snap...?"

I'd learned Lulu was strong back on floor 3.

And now I'd seen Arin's specs were off the charts.

Even light skinship felt risky.

"Nyanya-nyang! Daddy-nyang! Let's enter the tower already-nyang!"

"Yes. Shall we go in quickly, Father?"

"Uh... yeah... okay. Lulu. Arin."

Ah, and for some reason, after getting her name, little sis...

...no, one of my cutest daughters, Arin, was acting way more affectionate.

It seemed related to her skyrocketing intimacy, just like with Lulu.

"Father. Aren't you coming in?"

"Uh...?! Y-yeah!! Tower? Entering now!"

"Your flustered look is so cute. Makes me wanna bite you."

No, why are you like this...!

You weren't this character before...!!!

I had no idea why skyrocketing intimacy turned her into a whole different person like some perception app.

But we had a tower to climb today, so I shelved the question.

With Lulu and Arin on my arms, I entered the tower.

We'd entered floor 4 of the tower.

According to the professor's prior explanation,

the Tower of Struggle changes scenery every five floors, so they look similar until then.

Sure enough, it was a lush forest and lake like last time.

If I had to pick one difference...

"Daddy-nyang! The lake is suuuper big-nyang!"

"Yeah. It's huge."

Unlike the small lake before,

this one was obviously a massive great lake.

"Can't collect it all this time...?"

The Emerald Cauldron ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hadn't hit its limit yet,

but no way it could hold an entire great lake like this.

That's when,

Arin, quietly gazing at the lake beside me, spoke.

"Father. Do you want this lake?"

"Mm... I strongly sense something hidden, but physically impossible, so I was gonna give up."

My alchemist instincts were screaming.

Something was definitely hidden here.

But searching a lake this huge was practically impossible.

I was about to abandon the hidden clear when...

"Too big, right?"

"Yeah... pretty much."

"Then shrink it and store it?"

"That'd be great if possible... ...Huh? Arin?"

Arin said those meaningful words a few times,

then walked to the lake,

extended one hand straight,

and said flatly,

"[Gather]."

Red energy poured from Arin's body,

and

whoosh—!!!

the lake's water surged upward in reverse,

compressing in midair.

Soon the lakebed was exposed,

and the water formed a blue gem-like orb.

"Here, Father. Your lake. You wanted it, right?"

"Uh... y-yeah...?"

Arin casually dropped it into the Emerald Cauldron,

then flashed her red eyes and added,

"Big sis Lulu said you pet good kids' heads. This counts as good, right?"

"......"

I couldn't say a word.

All I could do was stroke her soft hair as she grinned eerily,

staring inwardly at the notification in my view.