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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 2: Let’s Go Die (2)
After wrapping up the call with Chief Choi, I went to meet my sister. Min-Ah attended a private high school run by an educational foundation, whose head was married to a top corporate executive.
Having a private school education could be seen as a luxury for Min-Ah, who had no parents and only an unfortunate older brother as family. But it wasn't like I chose to send her there because I wanted to.
“They just wouldn’t accept her anywhere else.”
Min-Ah had a rare condition known as congenital mana immunity rejection. The official medical term is ridiculously long, and I sometimes even get it mixed up.
Ever since the appearance of portals known as Otherworld Gate,People have been awakening with special abilities that allow them to use unique powers in the otherworldly realm.
Awakened individuals hunt down monsters there, and harvest mana stones from their hearts. Today, most of the world’s energy relies on these sources.
So even for non-Awakened people, exposure to mana has become a constant. Normally, dispersed mana doesn’t affect non-Awakened individuals, but a select few experience intense reactions.
That’s what this congenital mana allergy is—Mana Immunity Rejection Syndrome.
It doesn’t affect daily life or physical development, but those affected need to carry medication at all times and risk severe reactions in mana-dense environments.
No ordinary school would accept Min-Ah with her condition, because if something went wrong, the school would bear full responsibility.
When Min-Ah had resolved to take the GED instead, I combed through every school in the country. I found one that offered dorms and had 24/7 medical staff on hand. As soon as I mentioned I could cover the tuition, they admitted her without hesitation.
“Oppa!”
When class ended, Min-Ah walked out in her white checkered skirt and red necktie.
“Did you wait long?”
“I just got here.”
I’d been there for two hours, but I didn’t let on.
“Really?”
“You think I'm lying? I’m a busy guy, you know. Do you have any idea how many people were calling me today? Your brother’s in high demand.”
“Oh, sure. Of course,” Min-Ah replied with an exasperated nod. She’s my sister, but she really is adorable. She stepped closer to me.
We strolled down the wide pathway with park greenery on both sides.
“Oppa, there’s something I wanted to ask…”
“You have a boyfriend? Who is he? I’ll kill him.”
“No, that’s not it! Could you let me talk without interrupting?”
“Do you know how much it cost to put you in this school? Stop worrying about useless things and focus on studying. And if this guy ever shows up, I’ll break his legs and hang him upside down over the Han River. This marriage? I don’t approve.”
“Oh my gosh, seriously? Never mind, forget it.” Min-Ah sighed deeply. But really, I already know what you want to say, Min-Ah. So please, just wait two days.
If there’s a future after I’m gone, I know at least that it won’t be a miserable one.
Date, fall in love—find someone who’ll truly love you, not a useless brother like me. Damn, it’s a shame I won’t be able to see the face of that guy. If anyone ever breaks your heart, though, I swear I’ll rise from the grave.
“So, where are we going? I have a curfew and need to be back in the dorm by seven.”
“You won’t even have coffee with your poor brother? I’m aching all over from the hours I spend making your tuition. Look at this shoulder bruise…”
“I’m leaving.”
“I’m kidding.”
“There are tons of cafes around. Let’s just go to any one of them.”
“It can’t be just any.”
I took Min-Ah to a cafe around the corner. It was a renovated two-story house with a small sign so easy to miss if you didn’t know it was there.
Inside, Min-Ah looked curiously at the carefully tended garden. As she looked over the menu, her brow furrowed, and she nudged me with her elbow.
“It's expensive. Let’s just go anywhere.”
“I had a good dream yesterday, so I bought a lottery ticket this morning. Who knows? I might win and cover the coffee cost.”
It’s true. I heard about a lottery ticket that has a 100% chance of winning 5 billion won; this little bit of money is nothing.
“Don’t act cheap and hurry up and order.”
“Who’s acting cheap? Have you ever been to a place like this?”
“I’ve been here so many times, I’m tired of it.”
“Seriously? Who did you come with?”
“With a girl.”
“Are you getting played, Oppa?”
I came with you! You call me easy to fool?
You've been well-educated. Ah, I’m her guardian. Oh, what a life I lead.
“Oppa, you don’t have any money. You’re not going around mooching off people, are you?”
“I’m paying for this.”
“What? Which kid is taking advantage of my brother? I should just grab her by the hair and cut it off with scissors.”
It’s you. So are you suggesting I get taken advantage of or what?
We've had this conversation more than ten times. As I pushed her to hurry up and order, Min-Ah glanced at the cheapest iced Americano.
I started bringing Min-Ah to this cafe not long after I thought about needing to take out life insurance before I die.
I searched for every cafe that teenage girls would like, and among them, this was the one that got the best reaction from Min-Ah.
The only thing that bothered me was that she ordered the cheapest drink at every cafe we visited. I was so oblivious that I didn’t even notice.
But now what?
The crazy brother who has regressed too much is no match for you anymore.
The levels are different. Tsk tsk. Come back after regressing some more.
“Give me an einspänner and a hot dolce latte, a fig financier and black sesame galette, a ganache gâteau chocolat, banana pudding, and chocolate mousse.”
“Ah, what are you saying!”
“Eat when I’m buying.”
“I’m diabetic. I’ll just have an Americano.”
“You can buy an Americano at a convenience store.”
I quickly handed my card to the staff. Min-Ah pouted and glanced over at the dessert display.
“Please also give me matcha and black tea flavored caramels, chocolate macarons, and strawberries.”
“......”
“I’m buying this for myself, you know? It’s mine.”
“Who’s saying anything? You just eat a lot, Oppa. Did you really win the lottery? Why are you acting like this?”
“I’m going to win.”
“Are you going to keep saying crazy things?”
It’s not crazy; it’s the truth.
While waiting for the drinks and desserts, Min-Ah went inside. After looking around for a while, she sat by the best window seat.
After placing the desserts and coffee on the table, she took out her phone.
“What are you doing?”
“What do you think? I need to take a picture of this to brag about it on social media.”
“You don’t even use social media.”
“From today on, I will.”
While grumbling about what I was doing with the food in front of me, Min-Ah took out her own phone.
“Aren’t you going to take pictures?”
“Since you’re having a feast in front of the food, I’ll take one too.”
As she said that, she took pictures more diligently than anyone else. I pushed my chair back to give her some space to get a good shot.
The sound of her camera clicking echoed repeatedly in front of the desserts. I approached her from behind and sneaked a glance at her phone.
“If you’re going to take pictures, at least take them nicely. What’s that?”
“Don’t give me tips! How well do you think you take pictures?”
Once seated, Min-Ah pouted her lips. There was cream from the einspänner on her mouth, and she looked just like a teenage girl.
Before getting trapped in this endless loop of regression, I was desperate to earn money so that I could raise Min-Ah no matter what.
In my second year of high school, I became an Awakened One, passed my GED, and jumped straight into the field. That’s why I didn’t realize.
It was overwhelming just sending Min-Ah to school and paying for her medicine. I had no idea how school life was for her, whether she had friends, what she liked or disliked, or what she wanted to be.
I knew nothing. I thought that as long as I had money, everything would be fine.
It must have been tough for her; she probably wanted to lean on me at times, but Min-Ah never showed a hint of it.
I sent her the photos I took. Min-Ah puffed up her cheeks like a hamster in the picture, and her eyes widened when she saw it.
“Wow. What’s this, Oppa? Are you a photographer? Your phone is worse than mine.”
“Ah, a craftsman doesn’t blame his tools.”
“You could be a photographer.”
“If I became a photographer, when would I earn money? I need to do something that makes money.”
“Does being an Awakened One make money?”
“If it didn’t, would I have paid for the tuition?”
“That’s true. But if you earn that well, you should wear something other than that tracksuit.”
“It’s a different tracksuit from yesterday.”
“In the end, it’s still a tracksuit. Ugh, I can’t take it.”
She grumbled but was busy taking photos. She was probably posting them on her personal account and showing off to her few close friends.
Go ahead and chat away; spread those photos around. Someday, when I’m not here, I just hope you remember that your brother took one amazing photo.
Just like I knew nothing about Min-Ah, she knew nothing about me. But two days weren’t enough to share everything.
Even if I told her, if I regressed again, Min-Ah wouldn’t remember any of it. It was more beneficial to leave behind tangible memories.
Min-Ah and I chatted about trivial things. She ordered another cup of coffee, and I drank another soda.
Despite saying it was too much, Min-Ah finished all the desserts. She claimed she ate them out of regret, but I swear that’s not true.
After packing up a few mousse cakes on display, I handed them to Min-Ah.
“Why this?”
“Take it back to the dorm and share it with your friends.”
“You’re doing things you don’t normally do. It’s strange.”
“I won the lottery! Is that okay?”
“You said you were going to win. I’ll enjoy it, but hey, Oppa. I have to go to the hospital next week. Can you come with me?”
“Wednesday at eleven?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“I’ll come pick you up at the dorm, so let’s go together.”
“…….”
“Is there something else you want to say?”
“It’s originally scheduled for next month.”
I know. I may not know other things, but I made sure to clear my schedule for Min-Ah’s hospital appointment. There’s no way I’d forget her appointment date.
“I know.”
“Then why didn’t you ask? Why did you tell me to come early?”
“Hey, am I supposed to take you to the hospital just for a day or two? If the doctor asks you to come, there’s a reason. Didn’t we have a few similar situations before? You changed the date without telling me because of some training trip or something. It must be something like that.”
In reality, I had refused a few times, claiming to be busy. I’d asked her why and had even missed meeting her because I was too preoccupied with my own work. So I understood.
I knew why she was making that face.
“Haha, yeah. They said that at the hospital.”
“Seriously, their schedule is the only one that matters. Students are so busy.”
“Exactly! Oh, it’s late, so you don’t have to take me.”
“I don’t want to.”
Even though I’d see her again the day after tomorrow, I stubbornly walked her to the school entrance. I turned away only after seeing Min-Ah enter the dorm.
* * *
Around the Tae-Hyung Guild, there were numerous item trading posts, large and small. I entered my usual trading post. I handed the shopkeeper the list of items I wanted.
“Give me these, please.”
“Three Level 4 Water Runes, huh? Are you going into a big dungeon or something?”
“Seems like it. Do you have them?”
“Hehe, coincidentally, we just got some Water Runes yesterday. You’re lucky.”
Lucky? What a load of nonsense. I knew they were coming.
While the shopkeeper headed to the storage room, I yawned and looked around the store. That’s when a display case caught my eye.
“Was there something like that?”
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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