Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Cola with Sleeping Pills
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"...Wake up, Yun."
"Mmm..."
Where the hell is this? The moment I opened my eyes, I saw an ornate ceiling bathed in a soft orange glow.
I definitely remembered falling asleep in the car. I'd finally passed out from exhaustion after dealing with Ju Hana and Han Yu-rim, who had completely flipped their switches.
And now here I was. The blanket and pillow gave off a faint, musky scent. It felt strangely comfortable and warm.
"Where... is this?"
"Ahem, ahem..."
"?"
An unfamiliar voice. I turned in surprise to see a woman kneeling demurely beside me.
"Wh-who are you...?"
"Oh, Yun. This is..."
"I'm Na Hye-eun. I'm the... big sister to the girls here."
"B-big sister...?"
Seong Ha-neul stared at the woman calling herself Na Hye-eun in horror, but she just quietly turned her head away.
"...Ahem, ahem. Yes, big sister."
"Right."
"......?"
What was that? For a split second, I felt a shocking chill.
"Uh... okay. Hello?"
"Hah...!"
"?"
Why's she suddenly clutching her chest? Does she have heart problems or something?
"A-are you okay?"
"Y-yes, I'm fine... I just got startled for a moment..."
This reaction was a first. It was oddly amusing, so I leaned in a little and looked up at her sympathetically.
"So, can I call you Hye-eun Big Sis too?"
"Y-yes. I'd like that..."
Na Hye-eun's voice trembled. Was it my imagination, or did she look thrilled?
"Yeah, Big Sis."
"Ah, ah."
Seemingly unable to stand the mood any longer, Ju Hana quietly placed a hand on my shoulder.
"That's enough of that. Master... I mean, Big Sis. We'll step out for a bit."
"Uh, uh...? Oh, sure."
Step out? Where? Suddenly?
"Yun. Can you stay here with Big Sis for a little while?"
"...Huh?"
Leaving me behind? Here?
"It won't take long. We just have something to take care of. It'll be quick."
"B-but..."
I'd be fine on my own, sure. But leaving me all alone like this?
'...Sounds great?'
If they all left, I'd at least get some peace for a while. Na Hye-eun was here, but she wouldn't suddenly try anything, right?
"O-okay."
"Good boy."
She patted my head and stood up.
"Big Sis, take good care of Yun, okay?"
"Mmm... Sure."
Her tone still sounded awkward when she said "Big Sis," but whatever. Ju Hana had mentioned some terrifying old lady, though.
'Nah, no way...'
This kind, gentle-looking big sister being some scary old hag? Hard to believe.
"We'll be back."
"Uh, yeah."
In the end, Ju Hana, Seong Ha-neul, and Han Yu-rim left the room, leaving me alone with Na Hye-eun.
"So, how old are you, Big Sis?"
"...Huh?"
"It's just... I've never seen Hana call anyone Big Sis before."
I knew asking a woman's age was rude back in my previous life, but maybe it was fine here?
"Sev... 22."
"Ah..."
Did she just say seven? What?
"Wait, just now you said..."
"Hey, want something to eat? Big Sis will make it for you."
"Uh..."
Not really. I wasn't hungry.
"N-no, I'm not hungry."
"Oh... really?"
"Yeah."
"......"
Guess we've run out of things to talk about. Now what?
"Ahem. How about we go stargazing?"
"...Stars?"
It was blazing sunshine outside.
No, more importantly, her pickup line was to go look at stars? Lame as hell.
"Yeah, I'll show you."
"Uh... sure."
No point staying cooped up in the room anyway. I figured I'd play along and follow her out.
"Here, stand right there?"
"...Okay."
Hold on. She didn't mention it'd be a place like this.
Mist shrouded the rocks and dirt everywhere. Wait, clouds? That wasn't a cliff down there, was it? It was insanely high.
And yet, despite the thick fog, everything was bright. Shouldn't it be dark?
Not to mention the trees—why were they growing so huge? Could trees even get that big in ground like this?
'...Analysis.'
[Mana 60%, …….]
"...Huh?"
What kind of tree has 60% mana?
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing."
"Okay?"
Na Hye-eun smiled and raised her hand upward.
"Now, watch closely. This is..."
Woooong—.
The atmosphere shifted. Darkness suddenly draped over us. The sky, which had been bright moments ago, grew dim and pitch black.
"The stars that only I in this world can show you."
Soon, light began to fill the area again—not harsh sunlight, but a soft, cool glow.
Twinkling lights dotted the sky, gazing down at me.
"What do you think?"
"Th-that's..."
But think about it—this scene was created by the power of just one person.
...That's terrifying!
Even Ju Hana and Seong Ha-neul, who seemed insanely strong to me, couldn't pull off something like this. They'd have bragged and shown it off if they could.
In other words, they couldn't. But Na Hye-eun just did.
"It's... pretty."
"Right? See?"
Na Hye-eun looked at me proudly.
'Sc-scary...'
I wish she wouldn't look at me like that. This is seriously scary.
"What should we do next? Wanna see that mountain crumble?"
"N-no..."
What the hell? That's even scarier.
'Ah... I miss them already...'
I was already missing Ju Hana, Seong Ha-neul, and Han Yu-rim.
'Hmph, hmph. This should make me look pretty cool, right?'
Males are instinctively drawn to strong females by nature. Ones who can safely bear and protect their young. Ones who won't let anyone steal their seed.
That's what pulls males in.
'Hana, Ha-neul, and... Han Yu-rim, was it? I'm better than those hags. Heh heh.'
She couldn't compare to their youth, of course, but so what?
Her innate vast mana and prodigious talent had drastically slowed her aging. Living in this mana-rich environment had practically frozen her body in time.
And that was just the start. Social maturity only comes from mingling with people over time.
Having interacted with only her two disciples for centuries, her mental age wasn't much different from theirs!
"Wow, B-Big Sis is amazing... Heh heh..."
"Heh heh, right?"
So, being called "Big Sis" by this young boy was perfectly normal for her.
"What should I show you next? Anything you wanna see?"
But Na Hye-eun was overlooking one thing: what she considered "strong" was, to Yun—who was no different from an ordinary person—a natural disaster beyond comprehension.
Fear or terror was the normal reaction, and that's exactly what he felt.
Only Na Hye-eun here failed to notice.
"N-no, it's fine, Big Sis. I... I want a drink."
"A drink?"
"Yeah..."
"Sure, a drink sounds good. Shall we head back?"
It wasn't really about the drink—he just wanted out of this situation ASAP.
"What do you like? Cola? Or soda?"
"Uh... cola, please."
Even in these high mountain valleys, they had stuff like that. That was Yun's random thought amid it all.
"Here you go."
"Th-thank you..."
The cold cola in a glass. As he gulped it down, bubbles fizzing up, Yun felt an inexplicable familiarity.
"Ah..."
"What's wrong?"
"N-nothing."
Not really any particular reason.
'This tastes like Hana's...'
No wonder drinks hadn't appealed lately. He'd been chugging those sweet, unique elixirs way more than water—who'd crave soda after that?
Yun quietly looked up at Na Hye-eun.
"Mm..."
She seemed deep in thought. Afraid he'd trigger another awkward moment like before, he kept quiet and sipped his cola.
'Ah, what do I do...?'
Of course, it wasn't as dire as Yun imagined.
Na Hye-eun was observing him through senses beyond sight—her transcendent senses picking up everything so he wouldn't feel stared at.
The way he gripped the cup tightly with both hands and gulped the cola.
The natural scent from his skin and the aroma of his breath.
The slight twitch of his hands and slender body whenever he wanted to do something.
'What a little demon...'
A boy born to enchant women—like a fox spirit or incubus.
She'd even checked for the unique monster aura, but nothing.
Of course—if he were a monster, she'd have pounced without guilt.
The era when Na Hye-eun was active still treated Awakeners and non-Awakeners, men and women, as equals rights-wise. Making a move was trickier back then.
"Ahem, all done?"
"Y-yeah."
"Want more?"
"...Sure."
He accepted meekly, unsure what she'd do if he refused—but that backfired.
'Hmm, just in case...'
Na Hye-eun wasn't known for patience, even admitting she lacked composure.
Her lust-addled, lonely brain lit the already short fuse.
'Just checking, just checking...'
Her mind knew he was innocent, knew he was human.
But what if? The thought tempted her hand to the shelf of medicine bottles.
Plop.
"...Here."
"Thanks."
Her superhuman hand slightly sweaty as she handed him the glass, Na Hye-eun watched anxiously as Yun drank the cola.
"...Ah."
"Wh-what's wrong?"
"N-nothing... just..."
With those final words, Yun collapsed onto the spot.