Tutorial - Rebecca (End)

I was wrong.

"Those bad uncles came looking for Lee Han."

I thought I had miscalculated. "They kept asking where the kid who was with you at the festival was, calling him the devil's spawn from the jungle. But the one who was with you at the festival... that was you, right, Lee Han?"

Evil is tenacious. My complacency... had dragged this child into a quagmire of despair. The child's eyes trembled as she looked at me, unable to focus.

"Mom and I were on the second floor. Dad told us to stay up there because even though we wouldn't open the door, the uncles were pounding on it like they were going to break it down."

Fear flooded the child's eyes.

"Lee Han wasn't there... but the uncles kept searching. And Dad kept lying, saying he didn't know you at all. He said you were coming soon... but... he kept lying... so... they kept... kept hitting Dad... they wouldn't stop hitting him...."

And then the confusion surfaced.

"So I was really so upset... so angry that I tried to stop them, I swear... Waaaaah. I just made a sound once... just once, but then... Mom covered my mouth and locked me in the attic... telling me not to make any sound at all."

Rebecca was too young to fully accept the guilt. She could only writhe in pain.

"Th-those b-bastards! Ugh, when they tried to go up to the second floor, Dad yelled at them not to. For a long time... there was so much noise for so long. It was really loud... but at some point, the sound stopped."

Now her whole body began to shake violently. The prognosis didn't look good, and I wanted to tell her to stop talking, but what right did I have?

"Those monster bastards were saying our dad was a monster bastard, that it was hard to kill him, and even when they came up, it seemed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like no one else heard, but I definitely heard Dad's voice. Dad was still alive then! If we put medicine on him, we could have saved him!!"

I gently wrapped my arms around Rebecca's shoulders as she screamed and staggered.

"Mom... Mom lied too. She always told me not to lie, but she said I wasn't there, and that she didn't know any Lee Han. Even amid the slapping sounds, she kept saying I wasn't there, that she didn't know you, until the end."

Her chest heaved violently with her ragged breaths.

"After those b-bastards all left, I tried to go down right away... but Mom kept saying 'Shh... Rebecca. Stay quiet. Stay quiet.' She wouldn't stop with the 'Shh... shh...' So I couldn't go down. Clearly, clearly at some point it stopped... but at that time my legs... my legs wouldn't move...."

Tears pattered down, wetting my shoulder. She seemed to be in a panic, muttering 'No, I can still hear it, shh... shh... it's still there,' so I patted her back.

"Should... should I have gone down then? Even though everyone was lying, if ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I hadn't listened and went down to call the doctor, would Mom and Dad have lived? Is it all Rebecca's fault? Because I made noise when they told me to be quiet, and stayed quiet when Mom and Dad were hurting?"

I squeezed my eyes shut. Why did this have to happen to this child?

"No, Rebecca. It's not your fault."

"Then why did this happen? Why did Mom and Dad die, and why do I have to... why do I have to hurt so much?"

Despair took root in the child's eyes.

"So is it really... really because of you, Lee Han?"

She was right.

"Yes."

It was my sin.

"I'm sorry. It's all because of me. Those bastards came because of me, and because I wasn't there, they did all that."

So I held Rebecca even tighter.

"The uncle and aunt died trying to protect me... but I'm fine. That's why you're the one suffering."

Rebecca, who had been resting her chin on my shoulder without speaking for a while, whispered.

"Lee Han... you know. I hate you now."

"I understand."

"I don't like you anymore. I don't even want to see your face."

"I'm sorry."

"But you're the only one I have left. What am I supposed to do now?"

Rebecca fainted right then and there.

I gently laid Rebecca, who I couldn't tell was unconscious or asleep, on the bed. Then I moved the entire bed next to the fireplace. In the bitter cold of late December, Rebecca, who had spent a full day in the attic, needed warmth. It would be better for her to be here than in the bedroom.

Whoosh— I managed to light the fireplace with the embers I barely found. Warmth once again claimed its place in the house. Perhaps because I had blocked it in advance, the smoke that couldn't escape through the chimney spread faintly around us.

Why would anyone block a perfectly good chimney? A fireplace without a chimney is like a knife without a cutting board, or steamed bread without filling. Yet the reason for committing such an irrational act was... because we were currently in considerable danger.

The people looking for me were willing to commit murder without hesitation. Weren't they paying attention to this house? They were probably monitoring it from somewhere. Therefore, this house was not safe at the moment.

It wasn't safe, but for Rebecca... just for tonight. This child needed rest right now. She had been pushed to her mental limits and had experienced far too much. So... let's let her rest comfortably for now.

Of course, I had spoken frighteningly, but since they thought it was an empty house, they probably wouldn't pay much attention. They'd just check if I stopped by or not. In that sense, it was fortunate that I had returned just as the sun was about to set.

I secured the windows so no light would leak out and waited for dawn to break, and for Rebecca to wake up.

A few days ago, when I came out of the jungle, some middle-aged man had approached me acting all friendly.

'Heh, a little kid coming out of the Talan Jungle all alone. You're definitely going to be something big. Here's my card. In Zachsen where you are, if you show this card at the Shining Star Tavern, you'll be able to meet me. We buy and sell information. For the right price, we'll even run errands for you.'

At the time, I had just thought it was an interesting event. I was drawing too much attention, so all sorts of flies were swarming.

Ting—

"Welcome. Kid, did you come to the wrong place?"

The Shining Star Tavern. A tacky name. A suspicious tavern that was open from lunchtime. Without a word, I set down Rebecca, who I had wrapped tightly in a blanket and carried on my back, at a table on one side. Then ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I showed the card to the bartender of this suspicious lunchtime tavern.

"I want to talk to your master. And this is payment in advance. While I take care of my business, make sure no one lays a finger on this child here."

I acted strong to prevent anyone from looking down on the child by covering her appearance. The bartender, who had been surprised by the card, immediately had his eyes gleaming with greed at the ten silver coins I offered.

The bartender quietly set down the glass he was wiping and whispered with a grin.

"It's only natural to ensure that an honored guest who brings a card has no bothersome issues while conducting business. Please head to the carriage parked behind the shop in ten minutes."

The carriage that appeared behind the shop ten minutes later was large and grand, with curtains drawn meticulously so not a single ray of light could enter, like someone sensitive about their privacy.

Creak—

"Our little guest! You came sooner than I thought. It just so happens I haven't left Zachsen yet, so I stopped by. So, what brings you here?"

"Exactly what is it that you people do?"

"Hoo... You're looking for information about us? Then a price will be necessary...."

The man scrunched up his wrinkled face as if trying to smile in his own way. "Well, I'll let this much slide. We're an assassination guild. We take money and fulfill requests. Not necessarily assassinations, sometimes we're mobilized like mercenaries when needed."

As expected, it was like an illegal errand center.

"Are you high-ranking here?"

"It's too private, but think of it as my investment in the future. I'm in charge of about one Zachsen. Now, won't you tell me why you've come to find me?"

"I want to request an assassination."

"Hoo, already requesting assassinations at such a young age. It's probably those guys, right?"

The corners of his mouth rose as if he'd caught an interesting job. What a disgusting bastard.

"Yes, the lives of everyone who attacked Doctor Tom's house last night. A clean, perfect death that's painful with no loose ends."

"Hmm... Alright, kid. But I invested in you thinking of your future. The current you has no value. Does a heaven-sent orphan like you right now have the ability to pay the price?"

"Of course."

"Hoo, interesting. What is it?"

His increasingly condescending tone was quite irritating, but now was the time to endure.

"Myself."

"Ha?"

The middle-aged man, who had been making a dumbfounded expression for a moment, burst into laughter as if it wasn't even worth talking about.

"Puhaha, I thought you were unique, but you're just a kid after all. Kid, was it Lee Han? What value do you have that could serve as payment?"

"Have you heard of dragonblood?"

"Dragonblood? You mean the thing from children's storybooks?"

A look of puzzlement appeared on the old man's face. I had been thinking about it constantly. Why this scenario was given to me with the name 'hidden origin' attached. Why Lee Han's body in the game was human yet absurdly strong.

Obviously, there was a reason for all of this. Could the body of Lee Han, who was perfectly ordinary until age five, have suddenly manifested superior genes and bulked up? Moreover, would entering the game make one forget how to breathe? The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠vampire's instinct had long sensed the alien blood flowing in my body. That was also why I had thought to go to the jungle with a five-year-old body.

"Yes, dragonblood. I possess that dragonblood."

"!!!"

"I, who possess the dragonblood, will become yours."

Dragonblood. When one recognized by a dragon accepts the dragon's blood, dragonblood flows in their body. Those with dragonblood possess physical abilities and mana sensitivity on a different level from ordinary people. A dragon can only give its blood to one person in its lifetime. And those who have possessed dragonblood have shaken history.

I was probably... given the dragonblood by Sna, that imugi who couldn't become a dragon.

"I don't know how far your ambitions go, but you probably don't want to rot away here, do you?" I had seen the greed in that old face of yours.

The old man's eyes filled with ecstasy.

"Proof?"

I snapped the carriage door handle right off.

"Doesn't the fact that I'm having this conversation with you serve as proof? If needed, I'll submit to any test."

From what I saw in Uncle Tom's study, after the last dragon let out its death cry, no one had possessed dragonblood for over five hundred years. That must be why they called Sna a devil and rejected him. Sna was an imugi, so I'm not sure if the dragonblood effect would work properly, but this was a bet I had to make.

"Keh keh keh, good. Let's make a deal. Since my matter seems urgent, I'll handle your request as prepayment first. After that, let's have a serious talk again."

Click. The door opened.

"My name is Shylock. What's yours?"

Asking for my name when he already knew it was annoying.

"Lee Han."

It was a relief. All the tension in my body drained away completely. My lightened heart made my steps light on the way back home.

"Lee Han."

A kid carrying another kid. The sight of a kid with hair turned completely white carrying a black-haired kid of similar size was enough to catch the eyes of passersby. Whatever. I just wanted to get home quickly.

"Rebecca, are you awake?"

"Why are you still here?"

"Would you rather I wasn't?"

"Yeah, I hate you."

It hurt a little.

"Do you resent me?"

"Yeah."

"It can't be helped. You're my little sister, so I have to stay by your side and protect you."

"What? Why am I your little sister?"

"You know it too. We promised to be a family when I came back."

I could feel her squirming behind me, startled.

"But that was before...!"

"I'm back now. From that moment, you're my little sister."

"But we're the same age, so why am I the little sister?"

"Then do you want to carry me now? Only the little sister gets carried, you know?"

"...."

She seemed to have no confidence in that, as she fell silent. What a cute kid.

"Then is it okay if I hate you, Lee Han? If I dislike you?"

"You can."

"But you'll still stay by my side?"

"Of course. We're family."

"... Lee Han."

"What."

"Thank you."

Strength entered the arms wrapped around my neck.

"And I'm sorry for saying bad things."

"It's nothing."

It would be very hard for now. But children grow up. She would use the wounds as fertilizer to grow even stronger and more brilliantly. Until then, I wanted to be the support that accepted all her resentment, hatred, and sadness.

I had eliminated all the dangers.

Twelve hours would mean the deadline was this evening. If things went as I expected, after that I would leave here and return to reality.

I still didn't have the ability or the time now to get revenge on that narrow-eyed bastard, the enemy of Sna, Tom, and Susan, the one I wanted to tear apart. If the tutorial ended like this, I didn't know what the result would be. If my clumsy blade let my enemy go, it would come back as disaster for Rebecca.

And I would have to live a life of abandoning this house and running away. I had to eliminate uncertainty. Even if it was a choice that sold my future, even if it was a terribly unfair deal.

The strongest hand I could play without time or money. Since the scales were tipped in the deal, the request would be handled reliably. For Rebecca, and to protect our nest.

It was a lukewarm revenge to enact upon my worst enemy, but

"I'm back!"

It was the perfect revenge for me, who had nothing but things to protect.

I slammed the open gate shut with a bang.

"Lee Han. Where did we go?"

"Heh, knowing would only hurt you."

The house was a mess with many places needing repair. I had to hold the funeral for the two of them soon too. I wouldn't be able to do everything before evening, that is, before the tutorial ended, but I'd do what I could for now.

"Tsk, there's a lot to clean."

"But I'm hungry."

"Oh, shall we eat first then?"

"Do you cook well?"

"Of course. Just tell me what you want."

"Then I want... pancakes. I want to eat pancakes."

"Ah, you shouldn't eat that for a meal. I'll make you something else."

Snow had piled up softly in the garden we crossed. Come to think of it, the year had changed today, so I was six years old now? In my eyes, heading toward the broken but soon-to-be-repaired entrance, I saw a single flower.

The daffodil I thought had been trampled underfoot. The flower that had awakened prematurely after overcoming its trials. A flower blooming in the snow.

In the end, it had bloomed its beautiful bud amidst the snow.