Chapter 242: Exclusive Administrator (2)

"First of all, what happened? Initially, I thought Sigma was you Sung Hyunjae—"

Once again, the events since entering this world flashed through my mind. Reflexively, I grabbed the tuft of fur swirling around me and vigorously shook it.

"Start from the beginning!"

[If you shake it like that, I might get a bit dizzy.]

"Honestly, if you don't answer truthfully, I'll completely unravel it."

Threateningly, I held the tuft of fur. As I unraveled the tightly wound thread, the emoticon that was floating above the fur like a drawing changed from a tuft of fur to ㅠㅠ.

[So far, I've received various threats, but undressing is a first—]

"What are you talking about? Why is this even considered clothes?!"

[Well, what else would it be.]

Even if I asked what it was, it was just a tuft of fur after all. What if there's something inside like organs or something? Then that would be the body, and the tuft of fur would... I felt a bit uncomfortable. Let's not imagine that. I decided to treat what just happened as if it never did.

[I was able to see you after the first shake. Until then, I merely lightly tinkered with the system.]

If the first shake refers to after installing the disc, then it's probably from that point. At least, it seems He didn't see my status window. ...After that, he probably saw everything. I wanted to throw the tuft of fur I was holding with all my might. Maybe hitting the back of his head would make him lose some memories.

Just to be sure, I asked about the status window, and the response is unexpected

[Manipulating the quest window isn't easy either.  Han Yoojin-ssi came in with his original body, allowing me to access it, but others I don't even know their location.]

So until I called for Sung Hyunje, I couldn't appear in this unconscious space, and sending messages to Yoohyun was only possible through me.

[The visible range is about a hundred meters around Han Yoojin-ssi? That seems to be the limit.]

"Considering that, you've revealed a lot through various quests."

[For that, I need to □□□□□□□□□□□— Well, it didn't work.]

Sung hyunjae tilted his head, trembled a bit, or maybe a lot.

[This place is □□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□, so □□□□□□□□□.]

^^; The tuft of fur seemed to make an awkward expression. There wasn't much it could properly say.

[Even with the second shake, I still can't do much.]

He then continued to clarify that he was able to approach me in this way after the second shake. Then I'll just continue to install those disk

"There are only few left. Once they're all installed, the newcomers will provide information on how to conquer. By the way can you communicate with  volleyball?"

[Not at all. Right now, this body and the world are not real, and please collect points through quests and hunting to buy the items and skills you want at the store—just a notification.]

Newbie, aren't you doing your job poorly?

[Once all the discs are installed, I can provide more information. But right now, I'm powerless.]

I need to install the remaining discs quickly. Still, moving between cities will be a bigger problem. If it takes more than a week for a distance that usually takes two days by car, that's an issue. Maybe I should ask Sigma for a helicopter.

At the moment, there wasn't much information I could extract from Sung Hyungjje. To delve a bit deeper, there was a □ floating around. Still, at least it was clear that he was part of the system of this world.

'Once all the discs are installed, I might gain information about the system.'

I guess the newbie didn't anticipate that much. Originally, if he possessed the world he chose and the opponent he determined, it would have been enough. In that regard, he was grateful for the dungeon-interfering addict. I'm motivated again.

"Make sure not to lose more memories and behave yourself."

[□□□□□□ □□□□□□□□□□□.]

"What are you talking about?" I turned my gaze to the screen, holding the tuft of fur in both hands. The upper part of the building had vanished, replaced by a swirling deep blue flame resembling nightly waves. Even the Ministry of Defense building was now without electricity, and only the moonlight cast a white glow below, where the flames had become even more eerily pale.

Beautiful. I marveled, yet simultaneously felt a sense of melancholy.

The flames of Han Yoohyun in my memory were intensely dark, tainted with venom, something like that. Black blood blossoms from falling droplets. He received praise for it—a skill that efficiently slowed down the opponent's recovery, being both effective and devastating.

"...That bluish tint mixed in, could it be due to Alpha's skill?"

[No, although you could confirm it by going back, Alpha only controls ordinary red flames □□□□□□□□□□.]

"Um... what?"

[Even if the physique is different, the fundamental aspect of manipulating mana is from Han Yoohyun. Ha, that's the power of young master.*

In response to my curiosity, Sung Hyunjae decisively put a period on it. I felt warm at the back of head.

...How should I describe this feeling? Yoohyun was changing; I was aware of that. It was inevitable, considering how much everything around me was changing. Yet knowing and experiencing were different things.

"Before, you mentioned that Yoohyun was behaving in a way that didn't suit his original nature."

Building a guild, leading people—that was fascinating to you. Originally, he had a more carefree nature, more likely to wander around than even Riette.

"That was... possibly a bad thing for my younger brother. Advising him to socialize, what if it was a mistake?"

[It depends on the perspective.]

The hot pink tuft of yarn rolled around on my palm.

[□□□□□□ considering it, if it weren't for Han Yoojin-ssi, Han Yoohyun would have continued to be alone. Burning alone, unable to be approached by anyone, not even desiring to be approached, and in the end, burning himself to ashes.]

"Even himself?"

[Yes, no matter how exceptional one is, enduring a lonely world for a long time is difficult. Even Riette, without a guild or a formal team, doesn't attempt to conquer S-rank dungeons alone. He either temporarily forms a team or brings along my younger brother. However, Han Yoohyun would have remained alone until the end, facing the last moments in the dungeon, neither stepping back nor avoiding it.]

That's what Sung hyunjae said about that nature.

[Life is like a flame that burns briefly, as people commonly say. Han Yoohyun would have been even more extreme. Admiration may be received for achieving a goal alone, but it won't last long, and it will crumble in the end.]

I couldn't say anything and just looked down at the tuft of yarn. My stomach felt prickly. A sigh escaped involuntarily, and the tuft  responded with a ^▽^ and a smile. I wanted to smack it.

[Being free must have been liberating. Living as one wished without regrets. So, some may think that it's better that way. On the contrary, there are those who believe that it's better to restrain themselves and get along with people. Like you]

... like me? Suddenly, the words stopped. The smiling expression disappeared from the tulf.

"Sung Hyunjae?"

What, did the connection cut off? I tried to call him again, but a hand suddenly popped out behind my shoulder. The hand grabbed the tuft of yarn. Did he make himself a body again, with a suit and gloves? That was my thought.

"You kept me well"

A voice echoed. Instinctively, I turned around. The hand holding the tuft of yarn, the body dressed in a suit, and the head connected to the neck. Tsk that annoyingly familiar face is smiling.

"I think Han Yoojin-ssi raised Han Yoohyun well."

"...Do you find that side entertaining?"

Seong Hyunjae casually tossed and caught the tuft of  yarn.

"Just because they say to endure doesn't mean it's in my nature to endure. If he was such an easy opponent, I wouldn't have shown any interest. But Han Yoohyun accepted Han Yoojin-ssi. Even someone weaker and less remarkable than himself, and convincing the strong and making them listen to you is easy, but the opposite is challenging."

My heart pounded. It felt somewhat exciting, like a child anticipating praise.

"So, you raised him well, worked hard to raise him. If it weren't for Han Yoojin-ssi,  it would have been an impossible. I won't say it's perfect, but I'll express my admiration. In truth, there's no perfection in raising a person. You just do your best, and you've certainly succeeded."

My face turned red. It felt embarrassing yet satisfying. Something warm welled up inside me.

"Thank you."

"Han Yoojin-ssi should not thank me at all, in fact you should receive that gratitude"

"But still, this time, I'm really thankful."

And I genuinely felt grateful. The fact that Sung Hyunjae said such words, not to someone else but to me, that meant a lot.

"I think it's time to wake up."

"Yes, I'll finish installing the discs soon, so we can talk properly outside—"

At that moment, I noticed something I hadn't realized. Sung Hyunjae's arm, the one not holding the tuft was missing. It was just the clothes hanging loosely.

"W-Where did you cut off your arm?!"

"It's challenging to interfere to this extent without any recoil. Still, for someone else's body, the compensation isn't too high."

"No, even if it's not a real body!"

"If possible I would like you to look at my eyes, Well then."

Before I could say anything more, everything in front of me turned pitch black. When I opened my eyes again, a giant blue hole emitting light filled my vision. I quickly surveyed my surroundings, and there was Yoohyun holding my body.

"Do you wish to resurrect?"

A message appeared, indicating the remaining cooldown time. Choosing to resurrect immediately, I was pulled back into my body. It was as if I had revived a genuine game character—my body was unharmed, with no pain anywhere. I wondered how I was revived.

"…Yoohyun."

"···Hyung?"

-Hyung!

Both Yoohyun and Irin shouted simultaneously.

"Speak, Hyung. Are you okay···?"

"I'm okay, I'm perfectly fine."

Despite the reassurance, Yoohyun bit his lip, releasing the flames he had wrapped around me. Even when he was about to put me down, this time Yoohyun collapsed in that spot, looking terrified.

"Yoo Hyun!"

-Yoo Hyun!

"Did you get hurt anywhere··· Of course, you must have been hurt. Wait a moment, the potion—"

"That's not it, Hyung—"

Interrupting, Yoo Hyun, with tears that had stopped, spoke hesitantly.

"Sud, suddenly, my legs, I don't remember how to stand, or even how to do it…."

"Yoo Hyun—"

First, I took out the potion and treated the wounds on his shoulders and back that were still there. Meanwhile, my sobbing brother continued to reach out and hugged me.

"···Hyung."

"Yeah."

"I can wait too."

While swallowing tears, Yoo Hyun spoke.

"I can trust and wait for Hyung too. I can wait as long as needed. So, don't come alone. Come with Peace or Park Yerim. Come safely without rushing. I'll wait until then."

"···Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Yoo Hyun."

I was too impatient. Looking at my younger brother,

I spoke in haste, my impatience evident. Despite advising my younger brother not to rush, I ended up making a mistake myself.

"Are there any other places hurting? Is your body okay? Those damn bastards probably didn't even feed you properly."

Just thinking about it made me angry. I took out a water bottle and some dried fruit from my inventory and fed him. I should have brought more food. The building with the dining area was left intact, so maybe I should go there. No, there's a fridge and some simple food in our lodging, so that's the best option... unless there's a way to kick Sigma out.

I held my still shivering brother close. Yoohyun looked at me in surprise and clung to me.

"Hyung! i might be heavy!"

"I'm C-rank now. It's not heavy at all. I used to carry heavier things before."

Probably. Irin climbed over my arm and onto my shoulder, wrapping herself around it.

-Hyung, hyung! Do want to see Irin transform?

"I've seen it. It was cool."

-Really?

"But how did this happen? how can you still talk?"

-It's because of the blue hole. I can talk near the blue hole! There's a lot of mana, so it works well with Irin!

Perhaps it was the power of the mana hole. Even without a contract mark, could spirits quickly absorb mana from the mana hole? Yoohyun seemed to look at Irin in a way that suggested he was somehow uncomfortable with her lively chatter.

"Why do you call me 'hyung' when I'm not your older brother?"

-Because Yoohyun is hyung!

At Irin's response, Yoohyun seemed to understand something and nodded in agreement. Well, I don't quite get it, but it seems like there's some connection between them.

"Now, is it time for applause?"

At that moment, Sigma's voice rang out. I turned to look at the man standing among the almost extinguished flames.

"Applaud and then exit, please."

"I was planning to shout 'encore.'"

"If you give up that room, we'll consider it. Or something similar in quality. My brother needs to rest."

"Brother, huh."

Sigma looked at Yoohyun and Irin with curious eyes.

"There shouldn't be male siblings for Alpha. It doesn't seem to be a mental skill effect, and I wonder how it happened."

"I'll formally introduce you. This is my one and only brother, Han Yoohyun,e ven though I clearly told him not to get involved. He just had to come and watch but ended up causing a mess."

There might not be any rice cakes in this world.

"The contract was supposed to be until Alpha is released."

"Don't mess with other people's siblings, you son of a b—"

[◑▽◑Let's introduce your partner too!]

...Could someone kindly take away Sigma's quest authority? However, Sigma and Sung Hyunjae both seemed far from being quiet.

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