Chapter 264: Water Spirits (3)

"Wow, I've never seen such a large pearl before."

Looking at the pearl, so large that even three adults couldn't wrap their arms around it, Yerim remarked. The pearl, shining in a milky white color, looked small compared to the size of the shell.

"Pearl?"

"Yes. They say as spirits age, their accumulated power turns into such gem-like objects. They also call it a spirit stone. Though spirits don't die if they lose their nucleus, they become weaker instead. It's like losing all the power they've built up."

"This is the largest core I've seen, oh how about a white whale? They can live for over five hundred years."

Then how long has this spirit been alive? Has it been dormant for thousands of years?

- Welcome.

A calm and weighty voice was heard. As they descended further, it felt like facing an endless, towering white wall. A mist-like haze emanating from the spirit enveloped the surroundings.

"Hello."

Unlike when addressing other spirits, Yerim used formal language. Since she was supposedly the oldest, I felt a bit intimidated too.

"Oh, I just told the other spirits that you were just another person from a different world. But it's actually a bit more complicated. So..."

Yerim paused, looking at me, unsure if she should continue or how to explain.

"This world is created from information from a past world that has already perished. It's artificial, not real. The original world has disappeared."

- As I suspected.

"...What?"

- I learned it when the world shook for the third time.

Was she referring to when the third disc was installed? The mist surrounding us thickened even more. It obscured even Yerim's face standing right next to me.

- But there is a way. Are you familiar with the spirit eggs?

"Oh, yes. Eggs of different colors."

- Those are created by spirits from the perishing world pooling their power. They are turned into items to travel to a new world.

Suddenly, I recalled Irin mentioning she knew a lot from birth. Could it be that the knowledge of the spirits who created the eggs seeped into her?

- However, it takes a long time for the eggs to hatch. They need to be in a place with strong attributes of the respective world for decades or even over a hundred years to hatch. While receiving care from a spirit of the same attribute in the original world may speed up the process, it still takes over a year.

"Over a year? But the fire spirit that came with us woke up as soon as it touched the power of the same fire spirit."

- That's because of the caregiver's help.

"Caregiver's help?"

- With a caregiver's help, the hatching process accelerates. We had caregivers in our world too, but you seem to possess much stronger power.

...I did use my skill on Irin before but nothing appeared, could it have still had an effect?

"So if you make an egg into an item, can you take it with you? And then someone like you can hatch it."

"Probably...?"

Even if it's not a quest reward or an item from the point shop, maybe a newbie like me could somehow help.

"Maybe as payment, you can take points."

"But you have a lot of points!"

Yerim exclaimed excitedly, then quickly sobered, looking solemnly at the pearl.

"But will the spirits accept it?"

"She might take points as a reward."

"But we have a lot of points!"

Yerim excitedly exclaimed, then quickly hardened her expression and looked at the clam.

"But will the spirits accept it?"

- Of course. It's a continuation of themselves. Is there another water spirit in your world, Yerim?

"I think it's only the fire spirit. Right?"

"Yeah, that's right. Irin was the first."

- Then it will take a little longer to hatch, but if the caregiver helps, it will wake up quickly.

Because of the fog the view in front of me became hazy. Now, not only Yerim's figure, but even my hand was not clearly visible. This is too thick. I didn't feel good either. Suddenly, I remembered the fog of Choi Seokwon, the jellyfish guy. At that time, Yerim...

...Huh?

"I'm back!"

The door swung open and Yerim rushed in. She fanned herself and opened the refrigerator door first.

"Ah, it's hot. ahjussi  you finished early today?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah."

Yerim, who emptied a glass of water in one gulp, came and flopped down on the sofa. A hunter-related broadcast was on TV.

"I want to awaken soon too! I want to become a hunter!"

"The Awakening Center doesn't accept minors. And why do you want to do dangerous things?"

Even if she awakens, it's better not to do hunter work. Even though the world has changed a lot, there are still many more people living normally as before.

Yerim picked up the remote and changed the channel. The new S-class dungeon was auctioned off to Sesung, and the Seseong guild master briefly appeared.

"I wonder if the Seseong guild master is handsome in real life too? Not just on screen?"

"He's damn handsome. But the real thing is even better."

"Huh? Ahjussi, have you seen him?"

"Well..."

I was about to answer that I had met him several times, but I was at a loss for words. Why would I have seen the Sesung guild master. But I feel like I've seen him. Did I dream it?

"The most popular among kids is the Haeyeon guild master, but there are also many Sesung fans."

"He's totally an old man to you guys. The Haeyeon guild master is much better."

Isn't he as old as a dad? I'm twice Yerim's age, but Sung hyunjae is... No, I'm still twenty-five. So Yerim is not my niece but often mistaken for my much younger sister. I only have one sister... No, I don't have any.

...Don't I?

Something was strange. I definitely didn't have a sister. Yerim felt like a sister though. I've been seeing her often since she was young, playing with her and taking care of her, and we've been living together since she was left alone. People around me were worried about how I, still young, could raise a niece, but for me, she was a precious child that I couldn't exchange for anything.

It would be a lie to say it wasn't hard, but our Yerim was so good. My sister was, really.

...It's strange again.

"Yerim,

ahjussi─"

..ahjussi?

"I, I'll be back in a bit."

"Okay, take care."

I left the house. It was an apartment. An apartment I've never seen before. I didn't live here. Then where was it? The place I need to go now. I tried not to think about anything, hailed a taxi, and just said what came out of my mouth.

"Haeyeon Guild."

Haeyeon Guild. I was standing there, not knowing when I got out of the taxi. I saw the Haeyeon guild master too. Han Yo-hyun.

"Yoohyun."

He's my brother. The moment I thought that, fog surrounded me, something was about to come up.

"It's dangerous, ahjussi!"

Yerim grabbed me and pulled me back. A heat-filled blade brushed past my nose.

"The fire spirit is dangerous! The contractor is also violent!"

"What?"

This was really strange. Why is Yerim telling Yoohyun that he's dangerous?

"Yerim, ugh!"

The back of my head was roughly grabbed. I was thrown and rolled on the ground. It's a good thing I'm C-class now... Huh? Wait, I'm F-class... No, I haven't even awakened... Ah, shit!

"Don't rummage through other people's heads! Ah, wait, Han Yoohyun!"

Flames rushed through the fog. I rolled my body and narrowly avoided the attack. The heat passing right next to me was hot, but surprisingly not too hot. Yoohyun's flames can't be this weak. Before that, why is my brother attacking me?

"Real, ?!"

A knife grazed my arm and stuck into the ground. Then a foot stepped on my chest. It's fake. I was sure of it, but the sight of my brother looking down at me coldly was very unpleasant.

"I'll save you, ahjussi! That person is really dangerous, so we have to get rid of─"

"...Stop talking nonsense in Yerim's form, spirit."

A white gun appeared at the tip of my outstretched hand. I pulled the trigger right away. It's an attack that wouldn't even scratch the real Yoohyun. But the fake one dispersed like fog. As I got up, I threw a bomb somewhere.

There was a small sound. Since we're underwater, the explosion and firepower had to be small.

"Hey! Our Yerim doesn't consider Yoohyun a dangerous person! She just says he's messed up okay!"

And she would probably hit him on the back of his head to snap him out of it. What do you mean get rid of him. The same goes for Yoohyun.

"What's your purpose!"

Don't tell me you're trying to become a filial piety addict like this side of the world. Maybe it has something to do with those guys who tried to invade the Black Cow Forest outside this dungeon. The fog is similar to the jellyfish guy. I was too careless.

If we install the disc and a newbie can join, then the filial piety addicts can too. Although there's no news of a newbie yet.

- Yerim is better, isn't she?

"...What?"

The spirit said something absurd.

- The fire spirit is really dangerous. It's in their nature. They greedily swallow everything they want. So, please like Yerim the most. It's better for the caregiver too. I'll protect you from the fire spirit and its contractor.

"What a stupid thing to say."

I was so dumbfounded that I was rather calm. It doesn't seem to be related to the filial piety addicts either.

"My brother would never hurt me. There's no need for Yerim to protect me."

- He won't be able to suppress himself forever. That's what fire is. It swallows and burns, and no one can approach it. The caregiver also likes Yerim. I won't tell you to abandon the fire. It's better for the caregiver to keep Yerim closer.

The words, "for Yerim," stung my ears. And my conscience. But just because he says that─

Thud! Then, a dull sound of something being hit was heard. Followed by thud, thud! Heavy vibrations were transmitted one after another.

"Ahjussi!"

It was Yerim. The fog dispersed and I could see a part of the sea frozen long. A huge pillar tilted greatly and thud! It hit the shell of the clam.

"Yerim!"

"This idiot did something weird!"

- It's not weird!

The spirit said as if it was wronged.

- Yerim is also anxious! She's not a real family, so she might be left alone. She's also worried about how far is okay. If Yerim wasn't awakened, if she became an ordinary person, everything would be in vain...

"Hey!"

Yerim shouted angrily. Her face turned red.

"Don't say all that embarrassing stuff!"

Thud! A huge chunk of ice hit the clam again.

"Yerim."

"I just thought about it sometimes, sometimes!"

"I will never..."

"I know! I know."

Yerim, who was patting her red cheeks with her palm, spoke as if nothing was wrong.

"But I still have those thoughts. I said before that it was something I imagined, something I dreamed of. It's been a few months, but it still feels like a dream. I'm afraid I might suddenly wake up, and I don't want to lose it because it's so good now. You know, that kind of thing."

Ah, it's embarrassing, Yerim grumbled.

"I've seen a bit of it, you know. But I've eaten a lot more, for a longer time, like when I first met you, I won't just endure it. I just want to match with you and Han Yoohyun because I like you. ..you might ask why would I look at you like that?"

"No."

"...I don't want to lose something again."

"Me neither. I don't want to go back to those times when I was separated from Yoohyun for years. Never."

"It's always amazing to hear that. How did Han Yoohyun do that."

Yerim smiled faintly.

"It would have been nice if you were my real family."

"We are family now."

"This is my new family. Hey, you!"

An ice-made spear appeared in Yerim's hand, its tip aimed at the pearl.

"It's true that I really like you, ahjussi and I even envy Han Yoohyun sometimes. But my mom and dad loved me the most! You don't have to make a fake one for me, I already have it!"

- But. But you don't need to worry about taking the caregiver!

"I want to bring Han Yoohyun and show him what's in my head, for real. Our guild leader was so worried because of you."

...Why are you suddenly stabbing my heart?

"Besides, I'm really fine. A bit anxious, maybe, it's possible. I was worried even when my grades were announced. Worried that Han Yoohyun might look at me pitifully. So, I stabbed first since he didn't say anything, and he said, aren't you growing quickly as a hunter? There are other worries too, but even now, I don't cry much when I think about my mom and dad-

So Uncle, don't say anything!"

I quickly shut my mouth. But still.

"So, don't try to help me as you please. If I'm really having a hard time, I'll tell you. Han Yoohyun will help too. Hyuna unni will step forward, Soyeong unni will naturally help too. There are many people in Haeyeon and Breaker who are close to me. There's Eunha unni, Songhye unni, and a Yoojin unni with the same name as you, uncle. And also..."

Names I've never heard before came one after another, alongside those I knew.

"There are plenty of people who will help me if I'm having a hard time."

- ...but I wanted to help too.

"Yeah, it's okay. Talk to me. And I came here because I wanted your help already."

Yerim reached out her hand towards the spirit.

"Help me bring the spirit with me. I'll love it very much."

- Yes, Yerim-nim.

The giant body of the spirit trembled faintly. As if dispersing like shell fragments, the giant pearl disappeared, leaving only small white pearls, gradually shrinking. The pearl became small enough to fit on Yerim's palm.

- My pearl will serve as the foundation of the egg. Please tell everyone. I will bring the spirit's egg with me. Then I will gather strength.

"Thank you, really."

Yerim hesitated for a moment, but she didn't ask the spirit if it was okay. Instead, I asked.

"Could you tell me in detail how you noticed this place wasn't real when the world shook for the third time?"

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