A Week of Hospital Care
I've been staying at the hospital thanks to the overprotective care of our eccentric family for a whole week now.
I'm not complaining, but I can't figure out why I'm the one who's feeling embarrassed.
“I'm truly sorry.”
“What? If you're such a pretty and kind young lady, then it's understandable. Hahaha.”
Because I felt so guilty, I bought a bunch of juice and went around to give my parents an apple-style apology before discharge.
Fortunately, everyone understood and I was grateful.
I swear this hospital is never getting visited by me again.
The house I returned to after discharge was still completely empty except for me.
“Phew. That was rough.”
“Never go to the hospital again, you hear?”
“We'll get protective gear for you.”
“I heard carbon fiber is the best. I'll look into it myself.”
Why are they all so worried?
Sigh.
“From now on I'll be careful. Sorry for troubling you. I'll go up first.”
“Yeah. You must have been scared. Rest more.”
Scared? It was just embarrassing and tiring.
I greeted them and headed back to my room. Something felt empty even though noona had been cleaning every day.
“Huh?! Dolmaeng-i! Workshop!”
What the hell! How could I forget my friend?
《DONG-》
The workshop I left for a week had been cleaned up perfectly while I was gone.
In the center of that clean workshop stood my friend in perfect condition.
“Did you return safely? What kind of work would you like to do today?”
“Ah….”
Hearing my friend speak so calmly was really heartwarming. I forgot about you and you're not even sad?
“I got back.”
Somehow I felt so grateful and guilty that my eyes started watering.
“I tidied up the workshop while you were away. What should I do with the bracelets you made?”
That's not important, right?
I ran to my long-lost friend.
《Wooong-》
Dolmaeng-i is shorter than me.
When I hugged him, the joint motors hummed in a way that felt oddly comforting.
His body felt cold, giving me goosebumps, but his heart is so warm. Why?
“This kind of action could cause injury. Too heavy. Output insufficient. Switching to combat mode.”
What the hell? This guy?
Suddenly I'm pissed off?
… … … Where the hell did they get this outfit?
“Uwa, it's so heavy….”
“Don't complain and always wear it in the workshop. If you don't, I'll block you from entering.”
“Yes….”
“Knee pads, elbow pads, gloves, vest, helmet. Strongly recommended to wear all of it.”
Wow. Mom can't even keep up. Even the robot is scolding me. The world has turned upside down.
What I'm wearing now is the protective suit I received saying I must wear it while working.
Because the family's hearts are filled with it, it's incredibly heavy.
There are soft paddings on the knees and elbows like baby clothes, special safety goggles on the vest, gloves, and shoes.
I can put up with that much, but this pink helmet that looks like a Ping-Pong ball is too much?
“Mom, the other things are fine, but this helmet? No other colors?”
“The one that suits me best. And it's visible. Or should I get red?”
Aigoo, red or pink, same difference.
Wearing this outfit, it's not like the kind that skateboard kids in the park wear?
Knees and elbows, maybe take some out… sigh.
When I looked in the mirror, I saw grandma.
“Eh?”
“What's wrong?”
“Why is my outfit so pretty?”
“Hup. Do I look pretty?”
“Uh? It's not that!?”
No? Why doesn't it suit me?
“While researching internet materials, I learned the most important point of fashion is ‘the completion of fashion is the face.’ If you’re doing it knowing people’s attention is drawn, you’ve succeeded. Such people are called ‘attention-seekers’.”
Um… Dolmaeng-i? Are you complaining about me?
‘Dolmaeng-ah. Did I abandon you for a week? I told you I was in the hospital because I was hurt, right?’
“There are two errors in calling you ‘hyung’. Ian-nim is female and I am genderless. Women generally call older people ‘oppa’ or ‘unnie’.”
‘Women also call people ‘hyung’ sometimes, right? And older people? You’re in your second year now?’
《BEEP- Error. Ian-nim’s production year is 2007 at 23 years old. My production year is 2004 at 26 years old. I am older than you.》
Wow… Waaaaaaaah!!!
I can't let this slide. I need to add a speaker. Other people don't know how talkative robots are, right?
This is outrageous. Outrageous.
Robots don't need to sleep, but they browse the internet every night. What are they learning?
Oh right. Dolmaeng-i can't use Wi-Fi.
It was made as a computer-based AI algorithm, but after integrating with the mana circuit, it can't directly connect to computers?
That's why, even as a robot, it types on an analog keyboard and searches.
So, dressed in work clothes, I went to work with Dolmaeng-i today!
“I'm heading out!”
“Be careful.”
“Yes!”
I opened the door with a bang and what was waiting was an electric cart.
I could drive a car, but for safety I decided to use the electric cart.
《Uuuuuung-》
When I stepped on the accelerator pedal, the old cart rumbled forward.
Because it's an open car, the speed gives me goosebumps.
“It's quite fast after all.”
“Speed is 13 km/h. Slower than an adult sprinting.”
“…”
“……”
This guy… definitely a human. One day I'll do an autopsy.
“Look ahead. Accident risk.”
“Hey, isn't driving safer?”
“Impossible.”
“Considering cognitive ability and reflexes, wouldn't you be better?”
“You're right, but since I can't reach the pedal, it's impossible.”
“Hah….”
I won. Hahaha.
“Since Ian-nim doesn't have a driver's license, the cart is dangerous. It is strongly recommended to walk.”
Ah… this hits the nail on the head again. That's why I take the electric cart, not a car.
No license… but I don't need one, right? When I need to go out, I can just ask to be driven.
If I say something simple like 'I'll go eat tonight and get a ride', I'll be so popular that eighteen hands will raise. That's the truth.
By the way, our family is twenty people including me.
“We're here!”
“Since the distance is so close, riding the electric cart dangerously is inefficient.”
“There is such a thing as feeling! Feeling!”
Even though my grandpa's house is big and has a wide yard, it's not like a theme park.
The management building is only a five-minute walk from the main building.
《Druruk-》
Still, walking gives a strange feeling like I'm commuting. For a rewarding day, I opened the factory door with energy and went in.
“Let's work hard today too!”
“I can do the work, right?”
“Don't argue. Work hard. Soon there will be a place to sell.”
Right now I'm working hard on mana cuffs.
Dad is investigating the gates, but legally it's complicated, so it's not easy.
《Tatatak-》
I typed on the keyboard, commanded the 3D printer to manufacture,
《Ddeolok》
Then took out the finished cuffs and lined them up on one side of the factory.
《Ziiiiing-》
Then checked if they were completely cooled, and polished the rough parts with a polishing machine.
“Huaaam….”
“It would be better if you were at home.”
What are you talking about? I have no one at home.
Right now the work is all being done by Dolmaeng-i anyway.
When I started working seriously, I realized the infinite possibilities of modern civilization.
The robot was fundamentally different from the stupid golem I knew from my past life.
I could also operate computers and run the 3D printer, and with hands I could delicately manipulate things to take out objects.
Making mana cuffs is something Dolmaeng-i is doing now.
I'm just yawning beside him.
“Whoa! Even I have to be here to activate it? You can't do it, right?”
“Correct. But would it be okay to gather and do it all at once?”
That's not wrong, but when you only say the right things, you get angry….
“Yeah, you're full of crap.”
“Error. I do not perform defecation. Correct me.”
I'm getting used to swearing a lot….
Thanks to Dolmaeng-i, even if I was alone in the factory a lot, I wasn't bored.
《Zzaggrang zzaggrang》
The mana cuffs stacking one by one.
But is there really anyone who will buy this? Is dad doing well?
… And that evening time.
“Ian and this gentleman, let's eat dinner and talk a bit.”
“Yes.”
Grandpa, who is holding the weight extremely.
A bit scary.
It would be nice if it wasn't a serious matter, but his expression is really bad.
‘What did you hear?’
‘I was busy running around too, but I didn't get any separate contact.’
‘What happened?’
I poked my dad's side while he was sitting next to me, but he said he didn't receive any contact.
‘Did you do something again?’
‘What kind of accidents do I do?’
‘Yeah. Ordinary?’
How many accidents have I caused in my life for you to fabricate like this?
I don't know if rice is going in my mouth or nose because I was staring.
I really didn't do anything….
《Druruk-》
While dad and I were whispering, grandpa got up from his seat after finishing his meal.
‘Let's go.’
‘Prepare the car too.’
‘It's better with cold.’
‘Okay.’
Just in case, to cool his anger, I carried iced tea on a tray.
Ubi ubi, right?
… The study I entered following grandpa is full of the scent of old books.
The interior and belongings are expensive, but they feel the sincerity of the owner.
This is the space where grandpa's taste is best reflected.
《Dalgrak dalgrak》
It seems like something happened outside, so he was calmly organizing his thoughts while drinking the iced tea.
“Is finding suppliers for this item going well?”
“I'm trying, but there isn't much response. It seems everyone doesn't really believe it's possible and aren't even thinking of testing.”
I thought the police or authorities would contact me first since I can detain criminals.
But instead, the government offices were even harder to approach if you didn't have connections in politics.
“Ian. Is the product reliable?”
“Yes. I wore it and experimented.”
“Why do it yourself. It's dangerous.”
“At first, since I'm the only Awakened in the house.”
It's not particularly dangerous. I made it, and wearing and adjusting it is too easy.
When I did my maximum, I sat down with a sense of loss and crawled on the floor a bit.
If someone else was there, they would have been dragged to the hospital and caused a commotion.
“Soon it will be in the news, but there was a big accident at the Awakened Prison today.”
“No way? Was there an escape?”
“Fortunately it wasn't the worst. The military and Awakened around there dispatched and suppressed it, but many people were injured.”
Even if I put on my mana cuffs, it shouldn't happen. What are these public officials doing?
Is having connections in politics that important?
“Let's supply this item to the government.”
“Isn't supplying good?”
“We can't make profit.”
“Ah….”
“The item is necessary, but we want to receive it at cost price.”
These scoundrels?
They want to take my item for free?
“Because it would lead to trouble and complicate things. The item is necessary but they can't afford to buy it.”
Ah. They're delaying the supply of our item in politics to buy time, and trying to make copies with the escaped sample.
“It seems difficult to earn money.”
“Then shouldn't you close the business?”
Somehow I got angry and my voice came out sharp.
Grandpa didn't do anything wrong.
“Hahaha. Ian seems upset. As a businessman? Yeah. Closing is right. But business is different.”
“Father. I will listen.”
Did dad understand what he said?
“First, we can get three things.”
“Three things?”
You said we can't earn money? What is this?
“First, the title of a company that provides the product for free to prevent criminal acts of Awakened.”
“People will like putting a seal on it, right?”
“Second, people from government ministries. There are still many talented people who have no connection to politics.”
Two things look similar? It sounds like we can get the hearts of the citizens and civil servants?
“Last, you said we can't earn money, but we won't get nothing.”
“Eh? No way?”
“The first private PMC in Korea, young people call it a guild? With the company name, we can enter the gates.”
Until now, gates have been managed by the government because of mana stones.
To enter, you need to register as a hunter and get government permission.
That's why dad was struggling to find a way for me to come and go.
“This matter will proceed together with supplying the cuffs.”
“Good.”
“Really?”
Did you think I would like this?
“Watch. Mana cuffs are nothing compared to what I will make. You will all regret it.”
“Ho… So Ian was like this?”
“Father…. This is what you do before causing accidents.”
No? You said you would live quietly?
Dad keeps calling me an accident-prone person?
Anyway, I never thought of earning big money with mana cuffs for catching criminals. There was something else.
It was more important to enter the gates as soon as possible and level up the circle.
Grandpa and dad look regretful, but I think this side is profitable.