Chapter 226
Chapter 226
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 226
Chapter Title: My Little Brother (4)
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Coco let out a sigh in her mind.
*Haaah… Yeah, if you think about it, this isn’t entirely Duran’s fault.*
Of course, this whole mess had started with Duran.
He shouldn’t have put the Elixir on the special draw board in the first place.
But who in their right mind would imagine some lunatic reserve knight swimming all that way to enter the draw?
And that same lunatic scraping together 200 million points over a grueling year of waiting.
Who could’ve predicted he’d actually pull the one sheet out of thousands?
*This… is just the result of that guy’s sheer determination.*
Coco shook her head as she watched Yuri gleefully kneading Moochi’s jowls.
*By the way, I wonder if there’s another Elixir?*
From what she knew, even that one had been hard to come by.
It was a rare item even among the Bone Tribe, so it wouldn’t be easy to find another.
*Well, that’s not my problem.*
If anyone had to clean up the mess, it should be Duran, the one who caused it, right?
With that thought, Coco waved her hand dismissively.
“If you’ve got what you want, how about heading out now?”
The ten minutes for the special draw board had ended long ago, and now Coco was looking forward to ringing in the new year with a relaxed drink.
Yuri hopped off Moochi’s back with a grin at her pointed glance that screamed *please just go*.
“Nah, go where? We’re just getting started.”
Coco wasn’t the only one startled by that—Moochi whipped around to stare at Yuri too.
“W-Wasn’t it over?”
“What are you talking about? We’ve only drawn 26 times.”
“…Huh?!”
“Let’s do exactly 100 more from now on!”
There was no need to use up every last point, but who knew when another chance like this would come?
Yuri planned to leave some points in reserve and go all-in this time.
*From what I can see, the momentum’s on our side right now!*
She had to ride this wave and draw everything she could.
Yuri shot Moochi a gentle look.
“We already got what we wanted anyway, so from here on out, just draw with a clear mind.”
“…For real?”
“You bet!”
Moochi read the greed hidden behind Yuri’s sweet smile.
Her instincts also screamed not to take those words at face value.
*B-But she did say we got what we wanted.*
She had no idea what that 300,000-point item was, but it must’ve been what Big Sis Yuri desired.
Since she’d drawn it, Yuri wouldn’t complain too much about any losses, right?
With that in mind, Moochi reached into the box.
The result?
-Lecture Application 10,000P
-Lecture Application 10,000P
………
……
…
-Lecture Application 10,000P
She drew blanks twenty times in a row.
“Uh… Um……”
Yuri smiled at Moochi, who was anxiously watching her reaction.
“I-It’s fine! Come on, don’t get down—keep drawing!”
Moochi desperately ignored the faint tremor in Yuri’s smile as she said it was okay.
Then another thirty draws.
In those fifty total, the only worthwhile pull was a single top-grade recovery potion worth 1 million points.
Cold sweat trickled down Moochi’s back amid the rising killing intent.
At the same time, a pale hand landed on Moochi’s shoulder.
Snap-.
“…Know when to quit.”
“Eek!”
Moochi’s neck instantly stretched like a turtle’s.
“You know that, right?”
“Huh?”
“The lid on your coffin just popped open again.”
“I-I’ll do better!”
Moochi, pale as a ghost, hastily pulled out a paper and unfolded it.
Inside was a high-grade elixir worth a whopping 10 million points.
Yuri’s sour expression softened a bit at the rare useful item after so long.
But just a bit.
“You’re not satisfied with just this, are you? Do you know how much we’ve blown so far?”
“I-I’ll do even better!”
With that, Moochi drew from the luck box with full determination.
She pulled out more useful items in a row.
Yuri’s face relaxed again.
“Good, just like that!”
“Yes!”
But the moment those words left her mouth—
-Dried Rations Bundle x30 25,000P
Moochi drew trash again.
Yuri’s face turned fierce once more.
“You little……”
“I-I’ll draw again!”
After that, Moochi pulled something decent again.
Around twenty draws later.
Yuri tilted her head.
*Huh?*
Something felt off about the situation.
*…Good stuff comes out every time I chew her out?*
When she eased up, Moochi drew something weird right away.
But whenever Yuri scolded or tormented her, out came something useful.
*What the hell is this? Does she turn lucky if you smack her around like a magic pouch?*
Yuri stared at Moochi in wonder.
Just to test, she experimented a few more times.
*Oh ho?*
Sure enough, Yuri realized Moochi got luckier the more she was bullied.
*Well, well?*
Good stuff really came out every time she tormented her?
Eyes gleaming, Yuri casually asked Coco beside her.
“They sell whips here too?”
“…You think she’s some animal?”
Coco instantly grasped why Yuri wanted a whip, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Ignoring Coco’s incredulous stare, Yuri stuck to Moochi’s back and began tormenting her in earnest.
“You… is this all you’ve got?”
“Uwuu……”
“With that pathetic willpower, you made it into the Cradle?!”
“Eek!”
“Put some real effort into it!”
“Yes!”
Every time Moochi drew, Yuri scolded her once.
The torment continued, and miraculously, the results got better and better.
When just the fateful 100th draw remained.
“You wanna show that pathetic display to your mom and dad up in heaven?!”
“Uh… Um… They’re both still alive, though?”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah.”
“Then why were you living with your grandpa?”
“Our house was nearby, so I was just visiting……”
“Anyway, you wanna show that lame-ass sight to your mom, dad… and grandpa?!”
Moochi had no idea what this paper-drawing had to do with being lame, but she didn’t want to show that side of herself.
“I can’t let that happen!”
“Then focus and draw. It’s the last one!”
“The last one! Hyaah!”
Coco, watching Yuri and Moochi’s antics, tossed out a remark.
“…What a pair of clowns.”
Drawing from a simple luck box, and acting like that.
She shook her head.
“It’s out!”
“Wooooah, it came out!”
Yuri and Moochi clutched the final 100th paper, howling in triumph.
Coco blinked at them.
“…It came out? For real?”
That clown show actually worked?
No way!
Whether they heard her skeptical mutter or not, Yuri and Moochi scampered over and thrust the paper at her.
“We did it!”
“Fuck yeah! Life’s all about that one big hit!”
Coco’s eyes went wide at the paper they held out.
-Special-Grade Mana Enhancement Elixir 150,000,000P
The one and only special-grade elixir sold all last year.
It was more than enough to recoup every point they’d spent—and then some—right there in their hands.
“Senior, I did good, right?”
Yuri turned solemnly to the beaming Moochi.
“Moochi.”
“Yeah?”
“Senior? That hurts my feelings. Are we really that distant?”
“We are?”
“Call me bro, dude!”
“R-Really?”
“Damn straight! From now on, anyone bullies you, tell me! Your bro here’ll handle it all!”
Who dares bully my little bro who scored me an Elixir *and* a special-grade elixir?!
Just let them try—I’ll smash their skulls!
“You’re set for smooth sailing in the Cradle from here! Just trust your bro!”
“Yeah, Yuri bro!”
“And if you need points, say the word—your bro’ll lend ’em to you interest-free, special deal!”
“Wow! Thank you!”
“You got it!”
“Uh, but bro.”
“Hm? What? Anything—shoot!”
“Um… what are points?”
“……”
Yuri flinched at the question.
The holed silver coin she’d gotten from the Forest of Beginnings was a point.
Moochi had no clue what value it held or how precious it was.
She didn’t even grasp the meaning of the hundreds of millions in points Yuri had burned through—she’d just done as told.
Yuri patted Moochi’s shoulder.
“…There’s this thing, yeah! Super good stuff!”
“Oh, sounds great!”
“I’ll explain later in detail! For now, just enjoy the moment! Hahaha!”
“Yeah! Hehehe!”
Coco lit a cigarette as she watched the two grinning at each other happily.
Puff-.
*…I give up. I don’t even know anymore.*
Long exhale of smoke.
Beyond it, her eyes looked oddly weary for some reason.
* * *
“…Hairy Poppi?”
“For real?”
“Hungry?”
That was Arin, Theresia, and Poppi’s first words upon seeing Yuri, who should’ve been in the Forest of Beginnings by now but had somehow returned.
More precisely, it was about Moochi, clutching a huge sack on her back behind Yuri.
Yuri had appeared out of nowhere, spouted some nonsense like “This kid’s my little bro now—take good care of her!” and vanished.
Left alone, Moochi faced Theresia and Arin’s curious stares.
Poppi poked Arin.
“…Hungry.”
“Oh? You ask her? Got it.”
Arin approached Moochi.
“You one of the Yum Tribe too, by any chance?”
“Nope? I’m pure human! Hehe.”
Moochi laughed heartily, scratching the back of her head.
Theresia glanced sidelong and asked about the sack in Moochi’s arms.
“But what’s that?”
“Oh, this?”
Moochi opened the sack.
Lecture applications, dried rations, clothes, recovery potions, and more spilled out.
The assorted junk from the luck box just moments ago.
Moochi beamed innocently as she showed them.
“Yuri bro worked hard, so she gave it to me!”
The three froze in shock.
“Yuri…?”
“Gave it… away? That Yuri?!”
“Hungry?!”
Good lord.
Yuri Holland—of all people—gave her stuff to someone else?
For free?
They couldn’t move, stunned by the unbelievable event.
Misreading their reaction, Moochi pulled out a few items from the sack and handed them over.
“I’ve got plenty—wanna share?”
Rations first, then lecture applications.
And recovery potions.
Not even knowing their uses, she handed a bunch to each.
They stared blankly at what they held.
Then Moochi seemed to remember something, jumping up and bowing deeply.
“Oh, right. Haven’t introduced myself properly. Hi! Nice to meet you officially—I’m Moochi Schnell! Just turned 15, and I’m thrilled to meet the amazing Cradle seniors!”
Theresia’s eyes widened at the pure, earnest self-introduction.
“S-So… pure?!”
In this Cradle, you couldn’t find eyes that innocent even if you scrubbed the place clean.
Not like the wicked, corrupt underclassmen around.
A fresh, wholesome junior who actually felt like one—Theresia clamped her hands over her mouth in emotion.
But then.
“I’ll strive to become an outstanding Cradle knight by emulating you seniors!”
Theresia yanked her hands away and yelled at Moochi’s bold ambition.
“No, don’t!”
“Huh?”
“There’s stuff worth emulating and stuff that isn’t!”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, don’t learn that kinda thing. Just… no, nope.”
Theresia resolved herself.
Sure, the kid was a bit big, but she’d protect this pure baby sister’s innocence.
No matter how rough the road, she’d do her best.
As Theresia steeled her resolve, Yuri reappeared.
“Waited up!”
Hands full of heaping plates of food.
Arin and Poppi reflexively drooled and scampered toward her.
Yuri naturally booted them away.
“Argh, get off me! Scram!”
“Gimme some too!”
“Hungry!”
Yuri scowled at their protests.
“No share for you two here.”
She piled all the food in front of Moochi with a gentle smile.
“There you go—waited long? Dig in!”
“Ah……”
Moochi glanced at the feast before her, then at Arin and Poppi drooling behind Yuri, and timidly offered a plate.
“Sh-Shall we share a bit?”
“Really?”
“Hungry!”
“Whack! Baloney! Where do you think you’re—!”
Yuri kicked away the lunging Arin and Poppi again, then turned sternly to Moochi.
“Moochi, lemme teach you the number one rule for life here.”
“What’s that?”
“Everything that happens in my domain requires payment. Even this food you’re eating isn’t free.”
“B-But I haven’t given anything yet……”
“It’s fine. You’ve more than earned your meal today.”
Hell yeah, and then some.
Yuri clapped Moochi’s shoulder.
“So don’t worry about it today—eat your fill!”
“Yes!”
Starving half to death already, Moochi stopped holding back and dove into the food.
“D-Delicious!”
“Yeah? I’ll make more if you want! Eat up!”
“Yes!”
Now like a horse off the reins, Moochi devoured the dishes.
Yuri watched fondly.
The others, watching from a distance, could only gape.
“Good lord… Yuri?”
“Why’s she… being nice?”
“Hungry?”
Yuri, who’d never given them anything without a price, was feeding someone for free?!
Everything was baffling, their eyes clouding with confusion.
Meanwhile, Moochi spent the day eating well and resting easy in Yuri’s “demon castle.”
January 2nd morning, just before dawn.
Creak—thud!
A massive black ship docked at the pier.
The 51st Batch, having passed the Forest of Beginnings trial, disembarked onto Cradle’s mainland.