Crushing Debt and Faraway Friends
At some point, a debt so enormous that even a lifetime of labor couldn't repay it had piled up. But I couldn't exactly rip open my gut in atonement. I had no idea if I'd ever pay it all back, but I intended to give it everything I had until I dropped.
'Gotta tighten up my schedule even more.'
I'd wake up an hour earlier each morning. Shave ten minutes off every mealtime. Fine-tuning my routine like that, I picked up the trowel to dig dandelions when Han Yeoreum approached from the side.
"Gyeowol."
"Y-Yes...?"
Looking up at her, she felt incredibly intimidating. I knew she was a good person, but that massive debt hanging over me turned her into an authority figure.
"This is yours, Gyeowol."
Han Yeoreum showed me the contents of her pocket. Inside was a large crystal orb containing a red bead, along with about fifty mana stones from horn rabbits. Horn rabbits weren't supposed to drop mana stones normally. Maybe it was because of the special dungeon that blocked mana, or because they came from the dungeon—either way, they'd dropped.
"Wh-what's all this...?"
"This came from the boss. We agreed the mana stones go to you since you made catching it possible."
As she stepped closer to hand over the stones, I instinctively backed away. I might have earned the rabbit stones, but I had no right to the boss's byproducts.
"We all split roles to take down the boss... Even without me, someone else would've gotten it..."
"Sure, we would've gotten it eventually, but there'd have been more casualties and injuries. This was the first dungeon with mana blocking, so adapting took a real effort."
"It was completely new?"
Han Yeoreum nodded at my question.
"Yeah. World first. Guild's even rewriting the training curriculum because of it."
I see. No wonder even top hunters struggled against mere horn rabbits without mana—it all made sense if no one had experienced a mana-less fight before.
"Still... this came from the boss. Shouldn't we split it evenly?"
"We already did. The boss horn rabbit had plenty besides the mana stone to go around."
Ah. So they'd divided everything else, and my share was the mana stone from the boss rabbit. No reason to refuse at that point. I carefully accepted the pouch she offered. It felt satisfyingly heavy, packed with mana stones.
"But what's this crystal orb for?"
"Dunno."
"...You don't know?"
"Nope. Detection magic doesn't work on it. Guessing it might be the source of the mana block."
An item that blocks mana. To the people of this world, it was like deadly poison.
"If it's a mana-blocking item, isn't that super rare...?"
"Rare, yeah. But it suits you perfectly, Gyeowol."
"Me?"
Why would a mana-blocking item suit me? I racked my brain but came up blank. I decided to ask her instead.
"You're the best at fighting without mana, right?"
"Ah...!"
Exactly. The people here weren't prepared for no-mana situations. In a fight like that, I'd have the edge.
'It's really an item for me.'
I hoped the crystal orb truly had mana-blocking powers. Clutching it tight to my chest, I let that wish linger.
"Thanks for the item. I should get back to work now."
"Al-already? You just ate breakfast."
"Gotta pay off the debt..."
Brew and sell tea, run dungeons. If double shifts weren't enough, I'd go for triples. I scanned around busily for dandelions.
"Gyeowol, um... about the money... Can your big sis help with anything...?"
"N-No, just rest. I'll handle it all."
Asking the person I owed money to for financial help? That'd be conscience-shattering. I seated Han Yeoreum by the campfire and headed off toward the dandelions. My steps felt heavy, weighed down by that astronomical sum I might never repay.
Squelch!Squelch!
Seated by the campfire, Han Yeoreum watched Gyeowol's back as she dug for dandelions. The sight of those drooping ears and tail only deepened her guilt.
"Hey, Gyeowol. Want your big sis to help...?"
"Ah, no... I'm done now. Just rest, Yeoreum-nim..."
Yeoreum-nim. What was with the sudden formal distance? Han Yeoreum's jaw dropped in surprise.
"No need for the '-nim' with my name."
"Then what should I call you?"
"Hm... How about just 'Yeoreum unnie'? It's easy and nice."
Hehe. Han Yeoreum smiled with her eyes, but Gyeowol recoiled in horror.
"I-I'll just stick with '-nim'..."
"Ah, okay..."
Wasn't "unnie" supposed to feel friendly? Feeling awkward, she scratched the back of her head.
'Mountains beyond mountains.'
Maybe she should've lied about the blessing's price. Knowing Gyeowol's personality, why'd she have to be so brutally honest? Argh. Han Yeoreum silently screamed, clawing at her hair—right as Sophia approached, cane tapping.
"Feeling better, are we?"
"Body's fine... but my heart's not..."
With a sigh, Han Yeoreum slid down the chair until her head hit the seat.
"I've noticed it before, but 'tis passing strange."
"...What is?"
"Gyeowol treats money matters with obsessive thoroughness, like a compulsion."
"Yeah, she's got that side."
Even told she didn't have to repay it, she'd insist. She'd shared the goblin mana stones from her solo kills with everyone. The beastkin trio, with no real expenses, could only save the money for her sake.
"Perhaps 'tis from living alone so long."
"Why would solitude breed a money obsession?"
"Money was the only thing she could rely on. Any compulsion makes sense under those stars."
Even then, she couldn't earn much. Han Yeoreum's eyes widened at Sophia's afterthought.
"No way. Gyeowol's got friends to depend on."
"...Foolish child."
Thump. Sophia lightly tapped Han Yeoreum's back with her fist. She knew it was a scolding.
"Wh-why?"
"As if she truly had friends. She's just embarrassed to admit having none."
"Huh...?"
No way. Gyeowol had seemed evasive about something, but her claim of friends rang with conviction. Han Yeoreum was sure Sophia was wrong this time.
"Should I go ask her?"
"Leave it be. You'll only make things more awkward."
"Come on, you're underestimating Gyeowol too much."
Even someone as tough as Gyeowol must have friends. Hunting grounds, free soup kitchens—plenty of spots to build community.
'But how's she gonna explain her body change to those friends?'
Pondering that, Han Yeoreum dashed toward Gyeowol—missing Sophia's tsk-tsking behind her.
"Gyeowol!"
Focused on digging wild greens in the tree shade, I startled at Han Yeoreum's loud voice. I'd been practicing blocking my heightened senses, so I hadn't noticed her approach in time.
"What...?"
Turning with a bunch of greens in hand, I met her smiling eyes. Had something good happened? Blinking up at her curiously.
"You haven't met friends since your body changed, right?"
"Friends...?"
"Yeah. You said you had some."
I did. On the other Earth, not here. A fact I couldn't share with these people.
"Yes. I have friends."
"Did you tell them about the change?"
"N-No...?"
To tell them, I'd have to cross dimensions. Impossible for an ordinary human.
"Want unnie to help? Must be tough alone."
"It's fine. No need to tell them."
"Huh? You can do it yourself?"
"No. My friends are in a very faraway place."
I couldn't reveal coming from another world, but admitting no friends here was okay now. Han Yeoreum wasn't a bad person—she wouldn't mock me for it.
"Very faraway...?"
"Yes. Too far to meet."
Well, if a gate connected right, maybe I could walk there? Lost in that idle thought, I noticed Han Yeoreum's face draining of color in real time.
"Um..."
"...?"
She trailed off, mouth agape. Had I said something weird? Why the sudden reaction? Racking my memory turned up nothing. I waited quietly for her to speak.
"...Unnie's sent a friend far away once, too."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I miss 'em a lot sometimes. How about you...?"
Han Yeoreum placed a hand on my cheek, stroking gently. The touch felt oddly awkward.
"I'm okay. We'll meet someday for sure."
"Y-You'll meet?"
"Yes. I'm always ready."
Gates linked all sorts of worlds these days. I had no doubt mine would appear eventually. People had to stay positive, after all. To navigate gates freely, I'd need to become a top hunter. Steeling myself that way, I looked up—only to find Han Yeoreum's face frozen stiff, like she'd seen a ghost.