Chapter 62

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 62

Chapter Title: Crunch Crunch

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“Oh no. I completely forgot about our important promise.”

Having finished tidying up, Yi Seo-ryeong jumped to her feet in a panic.

Her face was flushed bright red.

“I think I should head out first. Please take care of yourself, Doctor...”

Watching her retreating figure...

I took Sette Yu-wol's hand and started heading back to her quarters.

The quiet corridor.

She must have sensed our parting drawing near.

The grip of her small hand in mine tightened even more than before, as if she were afraid of letting go.

So, to make sure the farewell wouldn't feel too regrettable, I decided to prepare a little gift.

A small grocery mart on the way back to her quarters. I led her inside.

Without a word, I picked up some yogurt and chocolate.

Back at Sette Yu-wol's quarters, I headed straight to the kitchen without hesitation.

“Could you wait just a moment?”

I pulled out a clear glass cup and layered the pristine white yogurt inside.

Then I took some fresh fruits from the fridge.

Strawberries and blueberries.

I sliced the strawberries and washed the blueberries clean, topping the yogurt with them.

I crushed the chocolate and sprinkled cereal from the cupboard ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠generously on top.

Finally, I drizzled a swirl of honey over it all.

I handed the finished yogurt to Sette Yu-wol.

And gave her a spoon.

“It's dessert.”

“...Thank you.”

Sette Yu-wol's eyes were already fixed on the yogurt.

I watched her scoop up a spoonful and slowly opened my mouth.

“Our next meeting... will probably be at least a week from now.”

Her hunter test schedule was set, and only after she'd completed the basics of association training could we have our next session.

Besides, it was time to start putting some distance between us.

At my words, the spoon heading to Sette Yu-wol's mouth froze midair.

She set the spoon down, her face clouding over with melancholy.

I picked up the spoon she'd set aside.

Scooped a bite of the sweet fruit and yogurt, and brought it to her lips.

- Nom...

Sette Yu-wol accepted it like a baby bird.

Perhaps from the sweetness filling her mouth, the melancholy on her face softened faintly... only to return.

Looking into her eyes, I spoke in a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gentle voice.

“You'll meet with Counselor Dang Hee-ran and talk. And gradually reach out to the other Otherworlders in this dorm.”

I carefully tried to pull the spoon from her mouth.

But she pursed her lips tight, refusing to let go.

I chuckled at her cute resistance and added,

“Even without me, you're not alone, Yu-wol. It's time you realized that.”

I slid the spoon out again.

This time, she let it go.

Her expression was still downcast.

What should I do?

“Hmm... How about thinking of it this way?”

I shifted my approach.

“Right now, you're confined to this room, unable to act freely, dependent only on my visits.”

“But once you adapt quickly to life here, pass the association's test... you'll have complete freedom.”

Sette Yu-wol's eyes widened a little.

“Then... could I meet you anytime I want?”

“I can't promise anytime... but...”

I lifted the corner of my mouth slightly.

“You'll be able to meet much more freely than now, when you want to.”

As client and counselor.

Of course, I was certain.

Once she stepped into a world far wider and more dazzling than this dorm...

I would gradually fade from her world.

Sette Yu-wol would break free from me and live a wonderful life.

She seemed intrigued by my words.

After pondering for a long time, she nodded with a resolute expression.

“Got... it.”

Sette Yu-wol added,

“I'll... work hard.”

No need to go that far.

And in a small, quiet whisper,

“So... next week... let's meet again, for sure.”

“Of course.”

I nodded with a smile.

A bright smile bloomed on Sette Yu-wol's face at my reply.

I returned straight home.

Today's long schedule was finally over.

Sette Yu-wol was improving little by little, steadily.

No doubt about it.

It was visible to the naked eye.

There was certainly dependence on me. But considering her unique situation, it was understandable.

She'd arrived in this unfamiliar world and only met me.

At best, staff. Further out, her mother.

Among them, the only one she'd opened her heart to was me, so dependence was inevitable.

Now, we just needed to separate it properly.

And that process... wouldn't be hard.

Once she went out into the world, she'd see and feel so much more.

I roughly toweled my damp hair and sank into the chair at my study desk.

Today's schedule was done, but...

The most important thing remained.

“Friend.”

I smiled and called out to someone in the air.

- Flash

“Yeah.”

We needed to talk.

Ever since the last function update, the weird options the system offered.

Ones where probabilities didn't show properly weren't jokes.

I was starting to think presenting them wasn't an issue anymore...

“'Well, roughly, just say what the user was going to say anyway.' And this one.”

I recalled the second option the system had presented me.

“... 'Lay Yi Seo-ryeong's head on your lap, embrace her, pat her... what was it? Lips...”

“Stop there.”

I cut it off.

But it kept going excitedly, ignoring me.

“Wait, hold on... what's with you?”

I pressed my throbbing temple.

It had updated, but...

Was this a good update?

I suddenly wondered.

“Don't those two options have way too different temperatures?”

I asked sincerely.

But the system seemed to completely miss the point.

It acted like I was praising it.

Watching that cheerful explanation...

I must have misunderstood the update back then.

Most hunters have their own systems.

Back in my hunter days, when I first got my abilities and couldn't adapt, it taught me a lot and guided me.

I trusted and followed it as much as possible.

And got tons of help.

So I thought all systems were like that.

Kind guides helping novice hunters.

But once, when I casually mentioned my system to Jin Sea...

‘...Really? It talks to you that much? That's... unusual...?’

Her puzzled reaction made me vaguely realize.

‘Usually... no. Yeah.’

She said.

Normal systems aren't like this.

My ‘friend’ was very different from others’.

Strangely, after telling Jin Sea, it talked to me noticeably less.

No cute emoticons, just bland info dumps. Felt completely flat.

So I thought it had normalized.

Become ordinary like others’.

A bit disappointing, but easy to adapt.

But that lively personality returned recently.

To pinpoint... after I left Haetae and started as a counselor?

And now, it offered even more blatant options.

This update made it worse.

“...Got it.”

I understood, at least the principle behind its update.

“...Anyway, it's all for my benefit, right?”

Well, if it's for me...

“Still, don't be irresponsible like 'just wing it.' Provide normal options properly too.”

Limited options don't ruin counseling...

But this could be inconvenient sometimes.

Situations I can't figure out might arise.

I nodded.

Good enough...

Wait.

“One more thing?”

A sudden curiosity hit me.

“In our world, a counselor dating a client is taboo. Basic ethics of the job.”

My ability's name is... Counselor.

So.

“If I pick that mystery option... I'd definitely break it?”

I could guess from the content.

But I wanted confirmation.

“Okay, got it.”

That was enough.

Its last words made it clear enough.

I'd probably never pick that option.

In the quiet darkness, billions of data lines flow like the Milky Way.

This is my world.

The archive recording and watching everything about the user.

- Tap, tap.

Typing on the keyboard.

“...Hunter... yes!”

And a V-sign with a wink at the camera.

Tap tap.

- Okay, got it.

The user on the screen nodded.

Did they get my point?

Drying wet hair, turning off the computer.

Looks like that's it for today!

Then now...

My break time!

Calling up my favorite video file from the infinite data archive.

This is a recent one.

Next data...

Still far off...

Then...

Replay it!

- Crunch crunch.

No matter how many replays, it never gets old!