Chapter 39 – Just To Be Kind

"…I'll tell you, this kind of thing happens once in a thousand times, if that."

"I'm fortunate to be here for that one time in a thousand."

"Don't get cocky."

*Sigh*, she should just honestly say thank you…

"I was just nervous because it was my first time in a C-class dungeon."

"What?"

I was petrified by the shocking information.

On a dark night, the voice raises when you don't know where the zombies might be listening.

"Why didn't you tell me it was your first time?"

"Because you didn't ask."

"When I asked if I could handle B-class…!"

"Well, since I'm A-class, I should be able to handle B-class too, right?"

…Cough.

No wonder she seemed so unprepared, this girl…

"Do you have a Hunter license?"

"I don't have one."

Oh my god.

I realized a significant fact. Yuuna is a B-class professional hunter, but Stella's rank isn't certified by the Hunter Association.

It's just a comprehensive evaluation rank from the academy.

"Show me the status window."

"Why should I? This is an invasion of privacy."

"Hurry up."

I checked Stella's stats.

Strength『5』

Agility『14』

Stamina『6』

Skill『35』

(Hidden) Magic『255』

Good heavens…

I hadn't noticed because my own stats increased evenly as I leveled up, but Stella seemed to have focused solely on magic, resulting in a lopsided distribution.

Was the reason she got caught by me at home and couldn't resist simply because she was physically weak?

Not due to carelessness?

"What. Are you dissatisfied?"

"…You can't play RPG games, can you?"

"Why are you asking that all of a sudden? …Aren't games just a waste of life for fools? What does it have to do with me?"

Stella lacks finesse. She's even narrow-minded.

Always playing solo, she probably didn't know what her weaknesses were.

In dungeons swarming with goblins, if you crush them with overwhelming firepower, you can shorten the dungeon-clearing time…

Perhaps it's a sound strategy, as she could run D-class dungeons several times in the time it takes others to do one run, reaping substantial benefits.

"Didn't you consider it might be perilous if you were ensnared in a trap like this, or if an adversary were to suddenly approach you?"

"If dealt with beforehand, that would be sufficient."

"In that manner…"

"Ah, don't nag me! Why are you suddenly meddling in my life?"

Ugh, I crave a honey bomb…

"I've managed just fine like this until now! At this point… don't act like you're my brother!"

"…Really? What if I leave you here?"

"…"

"Can you still manage on your own?"

For a moment, Stella cast an uneasy glance.

I felt a slight pang of regret.

Knowing she'd be frightened, my response had been immature.

I had unwaveringly believed she was Class A material, and led her into this perilous dungeon.

The situation was vastly different from when I was with professional hunter Yuuna.

Undeniably, I bore some responsibility.

'Leaving her to face her fears alone would be absurd…'

Just then, I sensed a presence behind me.

*Thud!*

Holding a flashlight in one hand, Stella crossed it with her pistol, aiming carefully. As soon as she spotted the enemy, she blew its head off.

"Personality excretion!"

It seemed that zombies had personalities too.

She didn't need to confirm the kill… However, Stella became frightened when she heard low "wooo" cries echoing throughout the city due to the gunfire.

"*Gasp*…"

'I don't think I have time to make an Onahole.'

She needed to move quickly.

"I'll help you."

"I can walk by myself… Ah!"

"Don't overdo it. We came to the dungeon together, after all, so rely on me for now."

"…"

Stella eventually got up, holding my hand.

Together, we ran away, eliminating the approaching zombies with our guns.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

'Stella caught so many…'

Zombies were truly terrifying when they overwhelmed with numbers.

Though they were only walking slowly and each one was weaker than an orc, when they began to form a barricade with their bodies, it became quite creepy.

"Is there any way to retire in the middle of a dungeon and exit?"

"It's possible if you have the 'Black Illusion Wings'…"

As Stella and I continued our journey, I couldn't help but think there was no rare item like the one we were searching for. Carrying a heavy crossbody bag and supporting Stella made moving around quite challenging, but I knew complaining wouldn't help.

"I'll handle the accumulated debris," I said.

With a fizzling sound, Stella emitted a red current, burning the approaching zombies to a crisp.

'Good,' I thought.

Taking advantage of the moment, we entered a seemingly safer building. There was still no light, but the condition was better than the previous location. Regardless, the building was in shambles, dark, and cramped.

"I think we need to find the leader and eliminate it," I suggested.

Dragging Stella around in her injured state would only worsen her condition. Our only option was to confront the situation using our wits and inner strength. Sitting amidst the rubble, Stella's expression conveyed her unease.

She had been like this for a while now. Was she terrified of the zombies?

"Stella? Are you okay?"

No response.

I gently shone the flashlight on her trembling shoulders, revealing her pale face.

"Hey, what's going on?" I asked. "Tell me, did you get scratched by a zombie?"

If that were the case, would Stella turn into a zombie as well? What should we do?

"What if I turn into a zombie? Are you planning to kill me?"

"I'll lock myself up so I can't bite, and I'll go search for the boss."

"I wasn't bitten. But… why… It's not even the expected day…"

"…"

Expected day?

Her condition isn't good. The expected day is off.

Could it be…?

As soon as she shone the flashlight on her leg, Stella gasped in shock.

"Don't do that!"

"Ah, sorry…"

"Never do that again."

"…"

Adding insult to injury.

It seemed like Stella's period had started unexpectedly. One might argue that it's not a big deal considering the current situation, but…

From a woman's perspective, isn't it quite significant?…

Especially for Stella, her embarrassment was beyond words.

"…I want to die. Today is truly the worst day ever."

"Do you have a sanitary pad…?"

"…"

Shaking her head.

She hadn't brought anything with her, so there was no way she'd have a sanitary pad.

Of course, I don't have one either. I never imagined that something like that would be needed in a dungeon.

"It's the worst… It's really the worst… Ugh…"

"Calm down…"

"Is this really happening? Why, why did you suddenly barge into my life…"

My sister's hysteria pierces my heart.

"Let's take a breather."

I grab a bottle of water and hand it to Stella. I also break a large chocolate bar in half to help replenish her energy.

"Eating something sweet will help you feel better."

Stella glares at me with resentment, but she devours the chocolate and then extends her hand for more.

"Give me another one."

"Haha…"

I unwrap another piece and hand it to her.

'In my experience, dungeons are only cleared when the boss is defeated…'

Stella's condition is at its worst. Although she has the power to handle 300 zombies all by herself, the fact that she's no different from a regular girl when caught off guard weighs on my mind.

Can I go and deal with the boss on my own, leaving anxious Stella behind…?

"…"

"…What's with the gun?"

"Huh?"

Suddenly, Stella poses a question to me.

"You've been stuck at D-rank for years, yet you wield a weapon that doesn't match your level… But you're surprisingly good with it."

I couldn't tell if it was criticism or praise….

Stella seemed quite perplexed as well.

Perhaps it was due to receiving so much help from her brother, who used to treat her like a mere insect.

"My primary weapon is the Glock 19."

The malfunction rate had dropped significantly.

This was thanks to my high skill stats. My overall rating was D, but it simply hadn't been updated yet.

My stats had increased to a level that could easily hold my own in a C-class dungeon.

Could that be the reason?

I had nonchalantly protected Stella and brought her this far,

It seemed to have left a lasting and impressive impression on her.

"…A pitiful D-class, yet… so presumptuous."

The aggressive criticism from the beginning was gone.

Her period had started in a place like this, so her mental state must be completely frayed….

I desperately wanted to help her somehow.

'If there are any buildings left, I'll even try to raid a convenience store.'

In this post-apocalyptic city center,

It felt as if a thousand years had passed since the world's demise, so it didn't seem likely that I could find anything useful out here in the field.

It was at that moment.

"Is it a zombie?"

Immediately after positioning the flashlight and pistol in a cross-armed Harris style, I examined the corner. There, I saw a gaunt man carrying a large bundle. As though he hadn't noticed me, he moved farther into the building.

"Stella. Wait here for a moment."

"Uh, where are you going?"

"I'm not going far. It's a distance I can cover in just 30 seconds."

"…Alright. Just don't go too far."

I needed to investigate what that was.

If he's the boss, I must deal with him immediately… But wait.

[「Perception·Red」activated]

[Devil Merchant]

[Faceless Old Man]

[An enigmatic being that has wandered the realm of death for 4,000 years. His power rivals that of an SS-class hunter]

"Hey!"

I kept the Devil Merchant in my sights, gun still pointed at him.

He sold everything that existed, and even things that didn't, right?

The old man who turned around wore a hood. True to the description, it seemed as if he had no face at all.

"…You're not the Goblin Uncle, but you're a merchant too, right?"

"Yes, indeed…"

"Do you also sell sanitary pads?"

"…"

'Damn it. I mustn't laugh.'

It was a challenging atmosphere, as I couldn't decipher the opposing party's expression.

"Do you have any sanitary pads? I'll buy them if you sell."

"…"

*Swish.*

The old man's gnarled arm moved suddenly, catching me off guard.

I almost pulled the trigger…

The old man searched through his bundle, and soon extracted something white.

「A refreshing sensation♡」

It was a pack of sanitary pads labeled, "Organic Pure Cotton Cover."

"You're really selling them…"

Nothing seems to be missing. I was dumbfounded…

"How much is it?"

I was astonished that he was selling sanitary pads, but the price was even more shocking.

"112,110 coins, all of them."

…

As if he had seen through my account balance, the price of the sanitary pads was precisely equal to the total number of coins in my student ID account.

"That, the value of this sanitary pad…It's …."

Don't be ridiculous!

Where on earth would you find such expensive sanitary pads? It wouldn't even be that costly if it were made of pure gold!

I had much to say, but Yuuna's explanation was undeniably accurate.

The devilish merchant trades at the feet of a man, capitalizing on their vulnerabilities.

In the eyes of such a demonic merchant, what could be the significance of a sanitary pad holding such value?

'I want to say, "Would anyone buy it at such a price?" But…'

Obtaining sanitary pads within these ruins is structurally impossible. It's uncertain how many hours it will take to clear the dungeon in the future. It might even drag on for more than a day.

Until then, there's no choice but to tell Stella, who is bleeding, to "simply endure the flow." Considering the circumstances, Stella probably wouldn't complain about it…

'But I want to protect her.'

One day, an article in the community forum crossed my mind. It said that even enemies lend sanitary pads to one another.

It's such a critical issue for women.

'It's quite expensive, but…'

Expensive? Actually, it's more than just expensive. I had a meal with Henna for five coins, which would be roughly 8,000 won. The current market price for sanitary pads is a staggering 179,376,000 won…

"Can't you offer a discount?"

"Yiiiiikes!! Aaack!!"

The old man raised his arms and began to shriek.

"Alright! Alright! I understand!"

Damn it. Curses!

I must be the only one running errands for 170 million won worth of sanitary pads.

"Just asking in case, but do you have any plans to sell medicine that heals wounds quickly?"

"Only selling sanitary pads, that's all…"

'At least he doesn't say no. Damn it…'

"Please provide some underwear to change into as a courtesy. Deal?"

"…Fine, all right…"

The faceless old man took out a set of white underwear.

'I really want to steal that bundle…'

[Coin payment made]

[The Demon Merchant leaves the field…]

"I'm back."

Did she cry? Stella's eyes were red.

"Ah."

[「Onahole Aptitude Assessment」]

[Stella]

[Difficulty Level – None B (Strikeout)] [Onahole Aptitude Grade A]

[Virgin] [Underwear – Cute chick-like yellow underwear set]

[Onahole Traits (★) – The delectable pussy of a younger sister with proper education♡ Her tsundere younger sister's pussy tightly embraces the cock, boasting exceptional tightness♡]

[Serena had a beautiful face, but harbored a deep animosity towards men. A top student at the prestigious Ethol Academy, she possessed exceptional talent and outstanding potential. Her sharp tongue and prickly demeanor were well-known, and her difficult personality left her feeling isolated.

If her weakness were to be exposed, she would be rendered powerless. A single act of violation could tame her into submission♡ Once she recognized her brother as a dominant male, she would display an unwavering gentleness, never daring to oppose him.]

'…'

"What is that in your hand?"

Haha, so this is why I spent 170 million won on sanitary pads.

"I found it on my way here."

A display of extreme bravado.

I am such an incredible brother.

"…"

Stella was known to frequently make caustic remarks, arrogantly dismissing others for simply being A-class, and showing no mercy, especially towards the brother she despised.

Despite such a demeanor, she was secretly riddled with weaknesses, and even Serena was fully aware of her vulnerabilities.

A slender, lonely, golden-haired girl who longed for a dependable brother.

'Then, the stats are focused on magical power. If captured by a D-class pervert brother, one is fated to be unable to escape and suffer rape.'

Truly, this is a fitting character design for a heroine in an erotic game.

Just as the lovable Serena only has eyes for her brother,

Stella appeared to be destined as a heroine who, after being violently raped, would grovel and apologize at her brother's feet.

Such a base sexual allure.

It's what En always did, so it's nothing out of the ordinary.

Today, I just want to protect her

and treat her well.

"Did you pick them up? The underwear and… the sanitary pad?"

"Yes, I picked them up."

The audacious blonde tsundere sister, En, who chokes and suggests rape, is a sight to behold.

Sanitary pads are undeniably expensive.

If she could truly reconcile with Stella, she wouldn't think of them as a waste anymore.

"Thank you."

Stella began to cry, shedding thick tears as if she was crumbling.

It seemed she felt deeply reassured, realizing for the first time that I was an ally.

Stella spoke as if she was unburdening her crying heart.

"…Thank you, brother."