The Panty That Saved the Family! Or So I Thought...
Yesterday, after receiving a few well-deserved smacks from Mom on my back and then being bathed in warm water before collapsing into bed…
“Umm… ugh…”
My words barely come out anymore. What on earth happened to me?
First off, I literally can’t move my body.
Something feels like it’s tugging at my back.
Like… a ghost is clinging to me…
“Ugh… I- it’s… coming out…”
I squeeze my lungs until I nearly pass out, but all that emerges is a mosquito-sized sound.
My throat is dry too… Is this the end? Am I going to dry up and die right here?
[Would you like me to help?]
That moment, the voice of an angel reached me.
It was Dolmaeng-i’s mana communication.
‘Huh! I need help right now!’
[Arriving shortly.]
Yeah, I don’t understand why communicating via mana waves is so useful.
A normal golem could only follow basic instructions, but Dolmaeng-i is different.
After waiting just a little for Dolmaeng-i…
*Urrurru-*
What’s happening? Is there an earthquake?
*Dolk-*
“Ian! What’s wrong?!”
“Kid, where does it hurt?!”
Thinking about it, Dolmaeng-i couldn’t just enter the house without ringing the bell and explaining the situation first.
What did I say again?
“Ha… I only have muscle soreness.”
“Ho- hospital!”
“Call Director Jang and make an appointment!”
It’s a bit painful, but not to the point of going to the hospital?
“Everyone, step aside. This is extreme heat, so the kid can’t call adults and had to call the robot!”
Mom’s voice rang out as she scolded Uncle and Grandpa in one breath.
“Ah? Hisu is here.”
“Hmm… hmm…”
“See? We were too loud, weren’t we?”
Even when our four-person family was here, Mom was always at the top of the hierarchy.
Why was that?
“I’ll take care of Ian. Everyone, please get ready for work.”
“Hmm… hmm…”
“Understood…”
Even though Dolmaeng-i is great, Mom is the best.
From morning until evening, the house was flipped upside down, and then we peacefully ate lunch while watching TV.
**Is the Gate Measurement Method Fine as Is?**
**No fatalities, but numerous injuries from an E-class Gate.**
The only news is about the Gate I detonated yesterday.
Since Mom went out, Dolmaeng-i is stepping up and doing a fantastic job.
Security, manufacturing, and household chores—nothing it can’t handle.
“Dolmaeng-i, pour me some water.”
[Here it is.]
But what Dolmaeng-i brought was lukewarm water.
“Cold water, please.”
[Cold water is not recommended based on research. Given your current condition, I strongly suggest lukewarm water.]
Aigoo, my skin is peeling…
A caring robot has arrived.
*Knock knock*
At that moment, the sound of knocking on the door.
Since we live in a family home, everyone knocks anyway.
“Who is it? Come in~”
Opening the door, it was Dad.
But he was holding a piece of paper.
Is this a compensation claim form or something?
“Ian, you need to see this.”
“What is it… ugh…”
With my aching body, I dragged myself to the edge of the bed while rolling and it was so painful.
Full-body muscle soreness—this is no joke.
**Cooperation Request for Measuring 117 Gate Tools.**
**In response to the recent incident, we are commissioning the creation of a new device as shown above.**
**Requirements: Clear grade confirmation possible.**
**Recipients: X Tech, Star Research Institute, Anz, … (details) …**
He wrote a long letter. It’s basically a request for cooperation from various research institutes and companies to make something needed.
“There’s no mention of research funds, huh?”
“Right. Only those willing to participate will be involved.”
That’s a bit ruthless. No money spent, just a nose job? Isn’t this the case where a Gate opened and Korea became even better off?
Why are we so stingy with money?
“Huuu…”
“What? Are you going to do it?”
“I was planning to… but now…”
It feels like the handcuffs from my failed past attempt are weighing on me.
And whenever someone keeps talking beside me while I try to do something, I suddenly lose the motivation.
“Nothing about how much it would cost to buy it from me…”
Dad is the boss, but I’m the one who feeds him. I have to make something that can make money.
Wait… was I the breadwinner in this girl’s body?
“If we make it, the government will give us a monopoly contract. What use is that?”
“Monopoly is good, right?”
They only trade with us? Isn’t that the shortcut to becoming rich?
“I thought monopoly was the way, but…”
“In this case, it seems they want to prevent us from selling to anyone else.”
“Ah… that’s ruthless.”
“But there’s another way. First, I need to confirm something. Do you have something you’ve been thinking about?”
“Yup.”
It’s super simple. Just measure the mana outflow from the Gate.
“Who can’t make that?”
“Hmm… it’s not impossible, but it would be very difficult and inefficient.”
It’s about enlisting Awakened to relay measurements, pushing mana to compare pressure coming out of the Gate.
The issue is that results vary by individual’s ability, so it’s not accurate enough.
“Then I’ll make the tool. We don’t have to supply the government. We can just make it ourselves and set the price.”
“Oh?”
Yeah, no need for us to chase them around saying ‘please buy it.’
It’ll be a one-of-a-kind item?
“Then I’ll rest a few days and get to work. There’s nothing that doesn’t hurt…”
“Right… What was Mom preparing?”
“What… what?”
“…”
No way?
But the bad feeling was right.
*Splash-*
“Ian? Wake up. Mom has something for you.”
“…”
I’m really going to die now.
Despite the muscle soreness from carrying Mom, I changed clothes with a smile.
It was me trying to show that I was somehow okay.
*Creak. Creak.*
Mom approaching with her hands free looked terrifying for some reason.
“Ian? What are you looking at? Lie down quickly. Mom is busy, so let’s finish this.”
“I don’t feel any pain.”
“Hmm. Then I’ll make it light.”
Mom’s firm resolve to do whatever it takes.
Yes, of course. What power do I have?
“Even if Mom does it for me, I should be grateful. Thank you every time.”
“You’re stalling again?”
“No…”
I decided there was no point in stalling and lay down obediently in the exercise room.
The soft mat behind my back and Mom’s approaching hot hands.
Why are her hands hot even from far away? It’s really mysterious.
*Wad-dud- Kuuk- Kuk-*
“It’s all bunched up and you say it doesn’t hurt? Let’s finish this in one day.”
Mom’s hands danced over my muscles and I heard bones cracking.
She’s pulling out bones and reassembling them?
Maybe humans aren’t soft animals. I seriously considered that.
“Kn… knuu… ugh…”
*Flap flap*
I couldn’t help but moan from my mouth.
My body twitched on its own amid the pain.
Reassembling human bones could turn you into a zombie.
“Gwe…”
Exactly like that.
Lying on the cold floor, my whole body was burning hot, like I was on a charcoal fire.
That means I was a diatomite squid.
I see. Humans really are squid.
…
My consciousness…
…
…
* * *
*Knock knock*
“Huaap! Eh? Where am I?”
“You’re awake?”
“It wasn’t the exercise room?”
“You were drooling in your sleep, so Mom carried you here.”
Even in pain…
Mom doesn’t say we’re sleeping. We agreed to say we passed out…
“How is your body?”
Mom asked.
I moved my arms around and stood up.
“Oh? Really no pain?”
“Fufu. Mom’s skills haven’t rusted, huh?”
I don’t know if Mom is amazing or if my body is amazing for enduring it.
“Really, if not for Mom, I would have been lying down groaning for a few days.”
“Now you look really okay. You have to be careful with everything.”
“Got it!”
I feel sorry because Mom was worried.
I never imagined it would get this big.
“Then I’ll go to the workshop.”
“You’re not resting?”
“The government sent a request, and the robots need repairs too.”
“Don’t push yourself, understood?”
“Yes!”
Even though Mom said to rest a day, since I wasn’t doing anything special, Dolmaeng-i and I went to work together.
*Druruk-*
The workshop was still completely dust-free.
Dolmaeng-i and Dalguji looked like they had been through a lot.
Right away, Dolmaeng-i’s broken arm was barely holding together, and Dalguji was standing there, but one wheel was tilted as if it would fall off.
“Aigoo… I need to fix you guys first.”
Since I leveled up to 2nd Circle, I have to make you super sturdy so you don’t break again…
“Hmm… but how do we modify… Do you have any parts or structures you want?”
I can’t change the core, but I can add any parts or equipment.
[Is it possible in any form?]
“As long as it can be made with a 3D printer, it’s no problem. I can tell you it will have much better functions than what we originally made.”
Are you going to design it directly?
*Sparkle sparkle*
Dalguji blinked its lights to give its opinion,
*Nod nod*
Dolmaeng-i drew the diagrams instead of Dalguji.
*Click click*
Of course I was also working hard on my own.
It was fortunate they could communicate so well.
[If Ian-nim gains more weight, speed will decrease. Is there a way?]
“Yeah, adding the core will increase output.”
Dolmaeng-i worked on its side and I sat next to it and started working.
“Sigh… the armor is all torn up, so it might be better to just throw it away and make new ones.”
Looking at the clothes piled like rags made me gloomy.
It’s unavoidable since they were made at 1st Circle and I couldn’t add recovery functions.
I had to put in one basic reinforcement circuit, so I couldn’t add others.
Well, even at 2nd Circle I could only fit two keywords, so I probably couldn’t add more anyway…
“What functions would be good for the armor…”
[It’s hot outside, but how about cooling or insulation?]
Dolmaeng-i answered without turning its head, as if muttering to itself.
“Oh? Not increasing defense?”
[If we get stronger, Ian-nim won’t need armor, right?]
“Oh. That’s cool.”
Then I thought of something.
But cooling functions don’t have to go on the armor, right?
Rather, if I put cooling on the outside it would be inefficient.
*Shuffle shuffle*
If I do it like this, pull the hook and insert my arm into the inside of the clothes…
[Why are you suddenly taking off your underwear?]
“It’s for cooling. If it’s on the outside it’s inefficient, right? It would be better on the underwear?”
[I don’t have underwear, so I’m not sure.]
Fufu.
I’ll just try it and if it doesn’t work, I can stop wearing it, right?
Then what to add to ‘cooling’?
It would be a waste to put ‘repair’ or ‘recovery’…
Ah! How about ‘purification’ or ‘cleaning’?
It’s amazing, isn’t it?
Cooling and cleaning panties and bra!
If I add repair functions at 3rd Circle, I could even make century-old steel panties!
“Fufu…”
[I don’t know what thoughts Ian-nim is having, but I recommend you set aside the ones you’re thinking about now.]
“Hm? Why?”
[From the data so far, cases like this have caused many problems.]
Even a robot that doesn’t wear underwear knows how to convey my great intentions! This is a once-in-a-lifetime product!
“Fufu…”
[It seems you’re determined to do it anyway…]
Dolmaeng-i sounded a bit sad, but what was the point?
I immediately started working.
Actually, embedding magic circuits into fabric isn’t easy.
Let me think about the past-life method.
You have to capture a ‘magic spider’.
Feed it mana stone powder,
extract threads, and do special treatments.
It would take forever. It’s too complicated, dangerous, and hard.
But in modern times?
There’s an amazing heat transferor called a 3D printer!
Mix ink with mana stone powder and print it like a stamp!
If even one of the two could be taken from the past life, world domination isn’t a dream.
“Huhuhu…”
“…”
Dolmaeng-i was staring weirdly, but I worked really hard.
And I transferred the diagram to a heat transfer sheet machine!
Since I was doing it properly, I took off my underwear too.
After putting the sheet over my underwear, I ironed it.
*Click- click- Swish-*
The ink on the sheet melted and stuck to the clothes.
Even if it tears or wears out, it’ll be easy to fix.
“Ufufu. Cooling cleaning panties completed!”
“…”
For some reason, Dolmaeng-i didn’t say anything.
* * *
A few days later, Mom came looking for me.
“Ian? Why don’t you have underwear in your laundry lately? Are you too embarrassed and doing it yourself?”
Fufu. Mom noticed too.
Then I have to show off my achievement.
“Ta-daa!”
“Uhn? No? Why did you draw on a perfectly good pair of underwear?”
Fufu. The magic circuit is drawn all over, but if you see it as doodling, I’ll be sad?
“This is something I made myself! It has cooling functions and cleaning functions! You don’t even need to change, it’s cool!”
“!!!”
Right? Surprised, right? It’s rare for Mom to be surprised like this?
“Then? It was meant to be worn without changing?”
“Yes! No need at all~”
*Snap-*
Huh?
I heard something breaking somewhere?
“You damn brat!”
“Eh? Eh? Why! Why are you doing this!”
“Come here!”
“No, why!”
I got scolded thoroughly.
Why did we have to make such an efficient product…
My back hurts too much.