How Can Someone Be Named Chun-sik? (2)
How Can Someone Be Named Chun-sik? (2)
Frühling Valerie. A bizarre name you could translate as 'Chun-sik' in Korean.
I had a mountain of things I wanted to say, but I decided to start with her real name.
"Not that weird name. What's your actual name?"
"Come on, little brother. Don't you think this name is cool? It's full of romance."
"You must be a man, Master, not to understand this kind of flair. The Glutton of Spring, Frühling Valerie. I think it's a truly ladylike name."
The two of them suddenly started insulting my taste, dragging my gender into it.
...I could maybe understand it from my sister, but I didn't expect it from Chun-sik, too. To think she'd refuse to answer directly when the youngest son of the mighty Grand Ducal House was asking.
'This girl's got some serious nerve... Isn't she scared of me at all?'
Already feeling drained, I let out a heavy sigh.
"Good grief. I'm asking what your name is. Even I'll get angry if you make me ask again."
"It's Frühling Valerie, Master."
"I said your real name, your real name! The one your parents gave you!"
"Ah, it's Chloe."
"Hoo... Chloe. That's a pretty name. You could have just said so from the start, instead of that ridiculous other one."
"But it's so cool..."
Only after I applied some manly pressure did Chun-sik—no, Chloe—finally reveal her real name.
Even then, the way she grumbled under her breath made her seem genuinely unhinged. Are all beastkin like this?
"Anyway. So you could just live your life fighting to your heart's content in the arena. Why did you follow my sister to the Northern Region? From what I hear, you're a slave in name only. In reality you're more like a sponsored guest mercenary hired by the arena."
"Because I've grown tired of the arena."
Chloe then casually raised her forearm to show me.
"I don't mean to brag, but I'm quite good at fighting. I won every match I entered in the arena."
"Whoa. That's impressive."
"Thank you. But I soon grew bored. I want fun fights, but all they ever sent against me were weakling sword-slaves. After the first week, it wasn't even a proper fight anymore."
As she spoke, Chloe tapped the necklace around her throat with her finger.
"After I received this artifact in the arena, the fights were passable for a while, but even that effect barely lasted a year."
"Huh? That necklace isn't just a collar?"
"It is a genuine artifact. It has a Weakening Curse placed on it, which drastically lowers the wearer's physical capabilities."
"A debuff... And you kept winning even with a Weakening Curse on you? That really is amazing."
It was only then I remembered that the game had cursed equipment, too. Wasn't there an item that reduced a unit's stats to a quarter or less? I'd gotten one but never used it, so I'd completely forgotten it existed.
Hearing that, my perception of Chloe shifted a little.
From a weirdo to a weirdo who was so strong she could win while loaded down with debuffs. From an insolent brat to someone with the skills to back up her arrogance.
'With stats like that, she could've been a unit in the game. Maybe she wasn't because she's not an adventurer.'
"So, when my sister said she was going to the north, you got yourself bought in a hurry? Because you were bored?"
"Yes. When Lady Margarete said I'd never be bored if I came north, I quickly agreed to the transfer of ownership."
"Huh? The north is incredibly boring, though."
"Well, she said she would spar with me every single day without fail."
"...Sister, you didn't?"
"Ahaha... Honestly, I've had my eye on Valerie for a while, thinking that a spar with her would be really fun. So I took the chance to bring her along."
"......."
That was when the truth behind the whole affair finally dawned on me.
'...Mar just wanted to bring someone home for sword practice. The whole 'present' thing was just an excuse.'
For the past few days, I'd been grinning like an idiot, thrilled that my sister was buying me a cat.
And it wasn't even a cat. It wasn't even for me in the first place. Haha.
Feeling dejected, I waved my hand dismissively at Chloe.
"...Fine. You go and play with Mar. I don't need you."
"Oh? Master?"
"What good is being a great fighter to me? It's not like I can go anywhere dangerous... not like I can tease anyone...."
What was the point of winning a hundred battles in the arena? There wasn't going to be any combat breaking out at the estate, and I can't exactly wander around outside freely.
I had absolutely no need for a beastkin servant who was good in a fight. The head chef who bakes delicious cookies was a thousand times more valuable.
If my sister had brought Chloe here purely for my sake, I might have reluctantly accepted her, but...
That wasn't the case, was it?
Seeing my head hang in disappointment, Mar hurriedly spoke up.
"Little brother, it's true that beastkin servants are really trendy! I'll just borrow her for sparring, and the rest of the time you can order her around freely."
"Forget it."
"Why~! What does that make me, then? I went to all this trouble, thinking of you!"
"Hmph. Do whatever you want...."
As I talked with my sister, my voice grew thick with unshed tears before I knew it.
Hearing it, she reached out to stop me.
"Huh? Are you crying...?"
"...I hate you, Sis."
"Huh? Little brother?!"
But I shook off her hand and dashed outside.
...I had gotten my hopes up. What is this.
* * * * * *
"Oh my, young master? What's with that expression?"
"Let me hide here for a bit. Pretend you didn't see me."
"...Come in. I'll act as if I've seen nothing."
* * * * * *
About an hour later.
-Head Butler. Haven't you found Yune yet?
-No, my lady. The butlers and I have been searching the estate since earlier....
-He couldn't have gone outside the estate, could he?
-That's not possible. The security around the estate is extremely tight. We'll keep searching a bit longer, focusing on the garden.
-Ha. Fine. ...I thought he'd be okay since he's pretty plucky for a boy, but maybe I took the joke too far.
-What did you say, my lady?
-Nothing. Just talking to myself.
Voices from outside.
As I listened, hugging my knees, a plate clattered softly against the floor next to me.
"Young master. Lady Margarete is looking for you."
"I have ears."
"...Yes."
A plate piled high with cookies. The head chef, who had set it down, looked at me with an odd expression, but backed off silently after my curt reply.
-Crunch. Crunch, crunch.
And so, hidden between the sacks of flour in the small pantry attached to the kitchen, I gnawed on a cookie.
The savory, sweet taste of the cookie made the bitter taste in my mouth a little better. Whether it was the sugar hitting my brain or my head slowly cooling down, my reason started to return as well.
As I munched on the cookie, I began to regret the words I'd said earlier.
-I hate you, Sis.
'...I actually don't hate her at all. Why did I say that?'
My sister had made me get my hopes up for days, saying it was a present for me, and then foisted something completely useless on me as a 'gift'.
I had gotten choked up for a moment, remembering the things that happened to Ryu Si-u at the orphanage, and lashed out too much. But now that my head had cooled and I thought about it again, it wasn't something worth getting that angry over.
In her own way, my sister probably genuinely thought Chloe would be helpful to me and brought her here, so telling her I hated her was too harsh.
Yeah. Like a true manly man, I should go out right now and apologize to my sister.
-Ah, head chef. Have you seen Yune, by any chance?
Right on cue, my sister's voice came from very close by. Honestly, Sis. Nobility can be so impatient.
Now, I'll go out and nonchalantly apologize....
-I froze.
....
...I meant to go out and apologize, but my feet were glued to the floor and wouldn't budge.
-Why aren't you answering? I asked if you'd seen Yune. I'm in a hurry, so be quick.
-My apologies. I've been in the kitchen the whole time, but I haven't seen the young master.
-Fine. Got it. If you do find Yune, yell for me right away.
-Yes.
My sister Mar, looking for me. After a moment of silence, the head chef lied.
The sound of my sister's footsteps receded. My heart grew heavy again.
"Young master Yune. I've warmed some milk for you."
"Yeah. Thanks."
After sending my sister away, the head chef came back into the pantry and offered me a cup of milk.
I took it and drank a mouthful, and the warm, savory milk coated my throat.
But even so.
'...What if my sister is mad at me?'
Even the warmth of the milk couldn't stop my anxiety from spreading in every direction.
Of course, I know. I know this worry of mine is unfounded.
Since my sister thinks of me as her 'lovable and cute little brother,' it's more than obvious she wouldn't get angry over something as small as this.
Knowing her personality, even if I went out now, she'd just brazenly laugh and hug me, saying, 'What are you sulking over that for? I'm sorry!'
Still. What if, just what if, my sister actually hated me? Even if it wasn't that bad, what if she thought, 'Ugh, how tiresome, whining over something like this'?
From then on, my head and my heart began fighting each other, presenting completely opposite arguments.
There's no way she hates me. My sister loves me.
She might hate me. I told her I hated her.
-Sip.
I took another drink of milk. One sip, two sips. Then I kept going until the cup was empty.
But why was it? Even after downing the milk in one go, my mouth still felt rough and parched, like sand.
-I don't recognize this face. Who are you?
-Excuse me for a moment. Move aside.
-Wait, that area is...!
As I stared vacantly at the bottom of the cup, a commotion suddenly arose outside.
Right after, the pantry door swung wide open.
"Whew. Almost couldn't find you because of all the food smells."
"Chloe? What are you doing here?"
"What are you doing in there? Come out quickly. Everyone is looking for you, Master."
Chloe had appeared, the same Chloe I had so bluntly dismissed earlier.
With a wide smile on her face.
"Forget it. Go away. I'll get up now."
Since my sister Mar had obviously sent her to find me, I was about to dust myself off and get up. If I'm going to be dragged out anyway, it's a hundred times better to walk out on my own two feet.
But then.
"...Master?"
"Who's your master? I'm not your master."
"Oh, come on, Master~."
Instead of helping me up, Chloe suddenly strode over and plopped down right next to me.
Abruptly, she shoved her face close to mine.
——And dragged her tongue across my face.
-Slurp.
"...!?!?"