Chapter 12: Precious Little Sister
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 12: Precious Little Sister
A new environment, new people, and young men and women.
Doesn't just hearing those words make you think of all the potential flings?
It’s also the season when couples—the kind that "gentlemen" like us want to see drop dead—start popping up like mushrooms after a rain.
As someone as handsome as I am, I should naturally be part of that crowd, but because of this Comedy Duo, no girls will even come near me.
"Normies should all just die."
"My apologies. I’ll be one of them soon, so please don't kill me. I need to enjoy this happiness for a long time."
"Cut the crap. You’re talking about Mio, right? I heard she’s dating a guy from the class next door."
"…Normies should all just die."
I didn't know who Mio was, but Rio’s relaxed expression shifted into something terrifying at Masayoshi’s words.
With these smelly bastards stationed around me like a defensive perimeter, how is any girl supposed to approach?
Sometimes I suspect these jerks are blocking me on purpose.
"I wonder who my soulmate is."
"She probably hasn't been born yet."
"That’s a relief. At least it means she will be born."
"Probably in about twenty years."
"It’s not my fault Mio is dating someone else. Why are you cursing me… wait, actually, that’s even better."
Rio and I stared at the perverted lolicon bastard as he suddenly fell into serious contemplation.
Whatever delusion he was having, Masayoshi didn't care about our stares and just grinned to himself.
Just as I was debating whether killing this guy now would be the right thing to do for the sake of the world's future young girls, Yukina approached and looked down at me.
"… …"
Instantly, Rio and Masayoshi went silent, freezing in place with their eyes averted.
Honestly, these guys are useless in front of girls.
But… what is it?
Yukina just stood there, looking down at me without saying a word.
"Hurry up and apologize…" Rio whispered, nudging my side with his elbow.
"Apologize for what?"
"You must have done something…"
"Do I look like you guys? I don't go around stealing girls' panties."
When I exposed their criminal records, Rio and Masayoshi jumped in shock, glanced around nervously, and then slunk away.
"Alright, now that the nuisances are gone, go ahead."
"Nuisances…?"
"Weren't you embarrassed because people were around? Is that—a gift for me?"
When I pointed to the small shopping bag in her hand, Yukina’s brow furrowed.
"It’s not a gift. It’s just… the money for the chicken skewers yesterday."
Yukina practically tossed the shopping bag onto my desk and hurried back to her group of friends.
A red-haired extra made a fuss, teasing Yukina, then caught my eye and winked.
Even the extras are this cute; what a wonderful world.
Opening the bag, I found some cookies and 150G.
Since the amount was exact, she must have gone back to check the price herself.
And to include cookies as an apology… she really is a good kid.
* * *
Even though she was just returning the money for the chicken skewer mistake from yesterday, Yukina felt her face burning.
I don't even like that guy, so why am I like this?
Yukina was someone who could commit murder for the Organization without hesitation, yet she felt nervous and her heart raced over an act she had never done before.
"Yukinyon~ Did you get his number?"
"Number?"
"Oh, stop playing dumb. You’re interested in Yeon-woo, aren't you?"
"Me? Why?"
"…Looking at your face, I guess you’re really not."
Seeing the cold look of disgust on Yukina’s face, Mary looked away awkwardly.
Then, another girl from the group, Jade, spoke up while looking at her phone.
"Actually, I don't get why you hate him. He’s insanely handsome. His personality was… a bit of a mess during the test, but I heard he’s actually quite kind normally."
"Right?! Yeon-woo is seriously good-looking. When I first saw him, I thought he was an idol or something."
"He’s super photogenic, too. Look at this. I just took it, and it looks like a professional photoshoot."
"Whoa—candid shots! What a great hobby! Share it, quick."
Yukina couldn't understand their reaction.
He was definitely handsome, but his face filled her with a sense of revulsion every time she saw him.
…?
Yukina tilted her head, trying to figure out why she felt that way.
She thought she loathed his pampered, sheltered aura, but that was the kind of life Yukina herself longed for and envied.
Jealousy? No. If she were that prone to jealousy, she would feel the same way toward Mary and Jade.
Unable to understand her own emotions, Yukina turned her head to look at Yeon-woo.
As if sensing her gaze, Yeon-woo looked up, gave a bright smile, and held up the shopping bag.
"Looks like Yeon-woo is interested in you. If you guys date, can you share him later?"
Mary whispered with a sly look from behind, but Yukina just scowled at his handsome smile.
She definitely hated that guy.
* * *
"Don't I look handsome?"
"…I see you still have the energy to chat. Do two more sets."
Hey, I just asked one question. I’m dying here.
Frey bullied me while leisurely sipping the coffee I had bought for her.
That’s strange. I retrieved her Heirloom, so her affinity should have skyrocketed. Why is she treating me so harshly?
Of course, I skipped all the other events and went straight to the final one, but this is reality, not a game.
Why am I being tormented when I’m the one who brought back the Heirloom while Akito was busy making out with everyone else before the final event?
Even though I bought her coffee—a cheap and easy affinity gift—every time we trained, Frey’s attitude didn't change.
And no matter how much I thought about it, my pain didn't change either.
I forced myself through push-ups, my arms trembling violently.
Frey was sitting on my back with her legs crossed, but there was a heavy weight plate between us, so I couldn't even feel the sensation of her butt.
But why does everyone hate me? Shizuka is one thing, but why does Yukina hate me so much? It’s not just being on guard; her expression makes it clear she just plain dislikes me.
Things were a bit rough during the test, but Yukina even complimented me then.
Could it be that I smell? Maybe the item changed my appearance but didn't get rid of the "pig" smell.
"Don't I smell fragrant?"
"One more set."
Thanks to my excellent PT instructor, Frey, I collapsed at the end of the session, unable to even stand.
"Get up. You need to gather mana."
The demon tapped my head and sat down in front of me.
I managed to crawl up and sit down, only for Frey to look at me with a dissatisfied expression.
Again. She’s doing it again.
"Trust me."
"You have to be trustworthy first."
"I’m an elite who got into Yggdrasil based on my brains alone."
Since my magic skills were so pathetic, I told Frey I passed because of my intelligence.
She didn't believe me at first, but after I showed her a trick to block charm magic, she had no choice but to believe it.
She had dismissed it as something I probably saw on the internet, but after testing it at her company, she came back with an excited expression, asking how I knew. Her face was so cute then.
I mean, how hard did I play this game? I’m a "gentleman" among "gentlemen." I know almost every trick in the book.
It’s just that there aren't many tricks that actually apply to reality.
"Honestly, I think that concept is nonsense."
"Hey—I told you to trust me."
"Well, I’m not the one who’s going to die anyway. If you die quickly, the contract ends early, which is fine by me."
What a curse.
Ah, I want to scream it out loud.
I’ve played this game!! A lot!!
Because of the forced multiple playthroughs, I cursed the whole time while collecting every scene and seeing every ending.
By the mid-game, I know a broken build that can crush the final boss with a single finger, and I know exactly how to raise my stats.
It’s just that I keep hitting the wall of reality.
For example, how does evasion work?
In the game, you dodge automatically based on your stats, but here, I have to see it with my own eyes and dodge manually.
So, the build I came up with was the "Masochistic HP-Tank One-Punch Man" build.
I didn't name it; some guy writing guides on a community forum did, so you "gentlemen" can mock the tacky name all you want.
Even mages have human bodies, so they die if they’re stabbed.
Instead, there’s a concept of a Mana Barrier that acts like HP.
As long as the Mana Barrier remains, there’s almost no impact, making assassination difficult in this world unless you can pierce the barrier in one shot.
And if you can take someone down in one shot, that’s not an assassination; they were just too weak.
Anyway, with HP—the Mana Barrier—you don't die and barely get hurt.
Add a spell that deals damage proportional to lost health—ugh, that doesn't roll off the tongue—proportional to the lost Mana Barrier, and even the final boss isn't scary.
It’s the perfect build for someone like me who isn't used to killing and being killed.
However, Frey, who had never heard of such a combat style, couldn't easily accept it.
"I’m telling you, I’m a genius. Trust me."
"Fine, I understand the theory, but it requires too many conditions to complete, and the efficiency is poor. How are you going to find and learn counter-type magic? That category is niche, so there are very few specialized spells."
"I even got the Crimson Blossom of a Hundred Echoes, didn't I?"
At my words, Frey fell silent.
Games—no, life—is all about money.
And even if you don't have money, there are plenty of ways to obtain things.
Having nothing left to say, Frey instead worked me to the bone for several more hours.
* * *
Yukina’s expression inside Yggdrasil was different from when she was outside.
The moment she stepped out of Yggdrasil, she killed all her emotions as a tool of the Organization.
However, there were times when she showed emotion even outside.
"Big sis!!"
"Haruna, have you been well?"
Her young sister, Haruna, ran toward Yukina the moment she saw her and gave her a big hug.
The nanny, an Organization member tasked with protecting and monitoring Haruna, stepped back without interfering.
Though the nanny wore a kind smile, Yukina knew she was a cold-blooded killer who wouldn't hesitate for a second to kill Haruna if the Organization ordered it.
Yukina suppressed her emotions in front of Organization members, but she couldn't hide them from her sister.
The Organization only allowed them to meet very rarely, so Yukina was busy taking in the sight of her sister after so long.
How many months had it been? Her sister seemed to have grown so much every time they met, so she had to look closely and remember everything.
Stroking her lovely sister’s hair, Yukina smiled warmly.
"That’s a pretty hairclip."
Yukina complimented the hairclip, which had a large yellow ribbon and a character’s face in the center.
It was a character she had never seen before, but seeing Haruna wear it so proudly, it must be a recent trend.
"Yeah, isn't it pretty? A handsome oppa gave it to me last time."
"A handsome oppa?"
While Yukina was trying to recall the faces of Organization members, Haruna answered.
"Yeah, he was kind and sooo handsome. I’ve never seen such a handsome oppa before. I wish you would date him, sis."
"What are you talking about? Why would I date him?"
"But that oppa said he liked you, too. And he’s the same age as you."
Yukina, who had assumed it was an Organization member, froze at the mention of him being the same age.
There were no men her age in the Organization.
Well, there were, but they were tools like her, and their faces were half-melted from drugs, so they always lived in hiding.
"Seo Yeon-woo…?"
"Yes! That’s right! It was Yeon-woo oppa. You know him too, sis! Did you meet him? Is he your boyfriend?"
Why the hell was that guy here?
Though momentarily flustered, Yukina didn't let her sister see her inner turmoil and played with her.
After playing for a long time, Yukina tucked the sleeping Haruna in, closed the door, and went out to the living room to glare at the nanny.
"What happened?"
The nanny, who always wore a kind smile in front of Haruna, returned to a cold expression and sighed.
"We don't know yet if it was a coincidence or not."
"I’ll be the judge of that. What happened? Why did that bastard meet Haruna?"
Yukina feared for her sister’s safety more than being caught by Yggdrasil or being purged by the Organization.
Listening to the nanny’s explanation, it really did seem like a coincidence.
Yeon-woo hadn't come looking for Haruna; he was already at the park when the two of them went there.
The nanny was on her way home with Haruna, and Yeon-woo was reportedly playing soccer with the neighborhood kids.
A Yggdrasil student hanging out with much younger children was enough to draw attention, and Yeon-woo’s appearance was far too handsome.
Naturally, there were many onlookers, especially women, and when Haruna begged to see what was going on, the woman playing the role of the kind nanny couldn't refuse.
The nanny hadn't thought it would be a problem, but somehow they ended up interacting with Yeon-woo.
"Somehow? What exactly is your job?"
"It’s monitoring your sister."
"Then do it right. Before I kill you."
"Before you kill me, your sister will die by my hand. You bitch."
As Yukina continued to press her, the nanny scowled and spoke harshly.
Regardless, Seo Yeon-woo, who was playing soccer, had smiled and waved at Haruna, and that seemed to have won the girl over.
Even when the nanny said they had to leave, Haruna kept wanting to talk to him, and Seo Yeon-woo had granted her wish.
"Did you fall for that bastard’s face, too?"
"…As if. I’m a professional."
However, the nanny slightly averted her gaze.
Haruna was Yukina’s hostage, and the nanny was an Organization member.
Naturally, she should have tried to remain inconspicuous and cut off any potential issues in advance, but she hadn't.
Unless it was a recruitable character, even the nanny, a professional, had momentarily let her guard down due to the devilish charm of Yeon-woo’s looks and made a mistake.
"What does the higher-up say?"
"Since nothing’s been confirmed yet, they decided to just watch for now."
Seo Yeon-woo, who had been loitering near the Organization, had now appeared near her sister? This was no coincidence.
Since Yukina hadn't reported meeting him before, the Organization still thought it was just a chance encounter with a Yggdrasil student.
Of course, the Organization was wary of even that.
Why would a student who should be in City A come all the way to City D to play soccer with neighborhood kids?
It was suspicious in many ways, but the Organization decided to wait and see rather than escalate things by touching him.
He was an irrelevant man anyway.
Whether that bastard lived or died didn't matter. Haruna was more important.
Yukina’s expression vanished again.
She claimed not to care, but she didn't realize that the more she repeated that to herself, the larger his presence grew in a corner of her heart.