Chapter 9
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Why Are You Like That?
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[6] Why are you like that?
I took Ellie with me to the rib joint.
Ellie had been waiting downstairs on the first floor, but she looked kind of down.
"Ellie."
"Yes, Master."
"Something wrong?"
"No. Nothing happened."
Ellie smiled like that, but there was a chill in her eyes somewhere.
Something must have gone down. Probably that father of mine pulling some stunt again.
"Yeah?"
"Yes."
Ellie hooked her arm through mine.
"More importantly, shall we go back and eat that food we couldn't finish earlier?"
"Nah."
I pointed in a different direction.
"Let's go get some meat."
"Meat, you say?"
"Yeah. Ribs."
I patted my pocket.
The card with barely any balance left was nagging at me.
I should really be saving it. Living expenses were tight this month.
But.
'Gonna spend today.'
Ellie looked upset, and pizza just wouldn't cut it.
Instead of our usual all-you-can-eat spot, I decided on a proper rib house.
Anyway, now I had a reliable way to make money, so splurging once in a while didn't seem so bad.
"Master, is this okay? Isn't it expensive?"
"It's fine."
"But..."
"Today's a special day, isn't it?"
I turned to look at Ellie.
"Our first date."
Ellie's face flushed red.
"D-Date?"
"Yeah. Date."
"...Hehe."
Ellie smiled happily.
Fortunately, that cold look in her eyes from earlier was gone.
"Alright, let's go. I know a famous spot."
It was a place I'd gone to with the family very occasionally back in the day.
One of the few good memories from a rough childhood.
I wanted to share it with Ellie too.
"Here it is."
"It's not that big."
"That's 'cause it's a hidden gem only locals know about."
We stepped into the rib house tucked down an alley.
It was small but clean.
"Welcome!"
The owner greeted us warmly.
"Table for two?"
"Yes."
We took our seats.
Ellie glanced around curiously.
"Smells good in here."
"Right? The food's amazing."
I opened the menu.
The prices were pretty steep, as expected.
But I'd psyched myself up for today. For the partner I'd be with from now on, a few plates of ribs were nothing.
"What do you want?"
"You pick, Master."
"Okay, fresh ribs for two, and some soybean paste stew. We'll get some marinated ribs later too."
"Yes, got it."
In the meantime, Ellie was fiddling with her couple tee.
She was grinning ear to ear at the half-heart design.
"Ellie."
"Yes."
"You sure nothing happened earlier?"
Ellie froze for a moment.
Then she tilted her head.
"Hmm..."
"What?"
"I just talked a bit with Father-in-Law."
"With Dad?"
"Yes. It was nothing."
Ellie smiled as she said it.
She was definitely hiding something, but since she was brushing it off herself, I decided not to pry.
"More importantly, something came to mind."
"Something else?"
"Two more might come looking for you besides me."
"What?"
I set the menu down and looked at her.
"Two more?"
"Yes. Summoned Beasts."
"Two more Summoned Beasts?"
Ellie nodded.
Looks like the Summoned Beasts I'd commanded weren't just Ellie.
"They fought alongside you too, Master. In that other world."
"I see."
Honestly, I didn't remember well.
It would've been nice if these memories hadn't faded.
Everything was blurry.
"You don't remember, do you?"
Ellie looked a little sad.
"Sorry."
"It's okay. Memories get hazy when you return from the other world. It's normal."
I appreciated that. That she understood my situation.
Two more, huh. Guess I had more friends out there.
"They were comrades who fought with you. Me, and two others. They all liked you, Master."
"Liked me."
"Yes. They'll probably come find you like I did."
She looked so certain.
"It won't be long."
I believed her.
I might not remember, but Ellie had no reason to lie.
And since she'd come, the others could too.
"Two more..."
My emptying wallet came to mind.
"Master?"
"I'm good."
I shook my head.
Worries about money could wait.
They were fated to meet eventually, so for now, I'd focus on the Ellie right in front of me.
"Here you go, fresh ribs."
The owner brought out the ribs.
Thick cuts went onto the grill.
Sizzle sizzle.
Oil popped, filling the air with a mouthwatering aroma.
"Wow..."
"Tastes great, right?"
"Yes, Master."
Ellie gazed happily at the grilling meat, like a kid.
I flipped the ribs with the tongs.
The outsides were turning golden brown.
"Order more if you see something you want."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Ellie thought for a second, then shook her head.
"No. This is plenty."
"Yeah?"
"Yes. Anything's delicious when I'm with you, Master."
How could I not buy more after that?
I flipped the meat while mentally planning the next order.
On the afternoon of the day those two were leisurely strolling the streets.
Cheers and applause erupted from a crowded spot.
"Strike!"
"Nice!"
"Crush it!"
She stood in the middle of the noisy crowd.
From the chatter around her, this seemed to be a baseball game.
Baseball.
A game from this world, huh.
She tilted her head.
'No trace of my Soulmate here. Where did he go?'
She'd chased that man all the way to this unfamiliar world.
Through a rift in dimensions.
It had been a long journey.
But for her Soulmate, she'd go anywhere.
"Hey! Quit standing there and sit down, cosplayer freak!"
Someone yelled from behind.
Realizing it was directed at her, the woman quickly took a seat.
Everyone was facing forward.
People on the wide field were throwing and catching a ball.
'What a weird place.'
Her Soulmate must have come from somewhere like this.
She'd tried sensing his mana trail, but nothing.
Too many people.
Too chaotic an energy.
"Wooooaaahhh!!!"
"He hit it! He hit it!!"
One side cheered, the other wailed.
"I said get one out, not make a meal of it, you bastards!!"
"Disband the team, you morons!"
The clash of emotions built to a fever pitch.
"Home run!!"
"...!"
The woman stood up too.
She had no idea what was going on, but mimicking the crowd seemed safest.
But.
"This is...!"
Suddenly, her heart pounded fiercely.
The heat from the crowd.
The people's cheers.
The roaring passion.
That moment felt eternal.
Had she ever witnessed a scene this hot before?
She'd lived her whole life in cold isolation.
Suppressing emotions, wearing masks, deceiving everyone.
But at some point, she'd realized.
Something was missing from her.
'Heat.'
That's what she sought.
Something to set her ablaze.
Something to thaw her frozen heart.
Her Soulmate was one such thing.
In that other world, he was called the Miracle. He probably went by the same here.
'Gi-hyeon.'
The days fighting and being together.
Those moments burned hot.
Her heart raced.
She felt alive.
And now.
Here at this baseball stadium, she felt something similar.
Heat.
Intensity.
A storm of emotions.
The crowd's roars.
All blending into one.
"So close!"
"Focus!"
The fervor of emotions.
"...Ah."
The woman found herself glued to the game.
The pitcher threw the ball.
The batter swung.
Crack!
The ball soared.
"Hit?!"
"Damn it!"
The crowd groaned.
She sighed along with them.
'Why am I even...?'
It was strange.
This had nothing to do with her.
Strangers playing a game.
The next batter stepped up.
His eyes met the pitcher's.
Tension hung in the air.
The ball flew.
The batter swung.
Thwack—
The ball left the ground for a moment.
Soaring toward the sky, then arcing toward the outfield stands.
Shock rippled across nearby faces.
Then an unnamed player dove, body ablaze, and caught it.
"Phew..."
The woman let out a relieved sigh without thinking.
She didn't know the rules or anything.
'So hot.'
She watched the game for quite a while longer after that and realized something.
'He lives in a place called Seoul, right? This doesn't seem like it.'
The spot she'd been summoned to had a famous baseball team and the nation's best bakery—a region pretty far from Seoul.
'Guess I'll earn some money and do some sightseeing for a bit.'
At the very least, she wanted to show up next time with her arms full of bread.