Novel Will Be Taken Down on 17 May or Earlier Chapter 21 - Love-Hate Existence (2)

Fierce–

 

Number 1, Lee Eunhye.

 

President Lee Junwook and Mrs. Choi Kanghee.

 

The only person married out of four siblings.

 

“Arang. Say hello to Uncle Hoyeol~”

 

“Hello, Uncle Hoyeol!!”

 

My older sister held the hand of her daughter, Arang, and opened the door to my room.

 

Number 2, Lee Jiyoon.

 

No. 2 followed suit and told me.

 

“Hoyeol, your hair color is amazing. You’re a total idol. You know, Idol.”

 

Number 3, Lee Yerim.

 

My sworn enemy looked at me and gave me a rotten smile.

 

“Fuck idol. Mom would faint if she knew. It must have been hard for her. Her hair is already white. Her son lost his hair earlier than Dad.”

 

Four girls burst through the front door.

 

I would have been embarrassed in the past.

 

As if being caught hiding something.

 

But I was brazen now.

 

“It’s been a while since I saw you. Have you been well? Noonims.”

 

I greeted politely by bowing down to my waist, not just my head.

 

It was sincerity that came from formalities.

 

At my greeting, my sisters became more serious.

 

Poke– Enemy number 2 poked at my sworn enemy.

 

“…Hey, I don’t think it’s a concept.”

 

“That’s right. Where did our rude Hoyeol go?”

 

“When he called us in a formal manner, I was still doubtful….”

 

I had explained most of my circumstances on the phone.

 

Not long ago, I became a player.

 

As a result, my way of speaking and my appearance changed.

 

I quit my job due to unavoidable circumstances.

 

Lastly, I was really Lee Hoyeol in the news.

 

Then they came running at once.

 

They said they couldn’t believe it without checking with their own eyes.

 

Naturally, I didn’t have the right to say no.

 

‘…Because I have committed a crime.’

 

Even if I hadn’t committed any crimes.

 

If I got surrounded by No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 and suffer from their words, even their outspoken personalities became my fault.

 

In a word, it was an unavoidable natural enemy relationship.

 

But as I said, I was different.

 

I could act brazenly even in the face of natural enemies.

 

“The wind is cold. What kind of tea would you like?”

 

They exchange glances at my words.

 

“…What the hell are you?”

 

“Did our Hoyeol get a girlfriend?”

 

“It’s nice to be kind, but what’s with you? Hoyeol, big noona wants coffee~ Arang, do you want something warm too? Uncle~ Please give some to Arang too~”

 

I skillfully took out the teacups and prepared the tea.

 

Number 2 and my sworn enemy whispered while looking around.

 

“That guy has a girlfriend. Otherwise, a house where a man lives alone can’t be this clean. And look at that teacup. It’s so delicate…”

 

“Even so, the house is too clean? I don’t see a single strand of hair.”

 

“Look at this refrigerator. You just got caught, Lee Hoyeol.”

 

My sworn enemy took lettuce out of the refrigerator.

 

No. 2 picked up the chicken breast.

 

“Seeing that these are the only things in the fridge, your girlfriend must be on a diet? Be honest with your sisters. What are you doing? How old is she? Is she pretty?”

 

…I guess there are a lot of misunderstandings that need to be cleared up.

 

After that, we sat down and talked calmly.

 

Thanks to this, most of the misunderstandings had been cleared up.

 

There was solid evidence.

 

“…You eat lettuce and chicken breast?”

 

“Seeing that you’ve gotten better, that seems to be the case.”

 

“Does that make sense? Isn’t it annoying to eat alone while living on your own?!”

 

“Lee Yerim. Don’t judge the world by your standards. I uselessly thought our maknae had a girlfriend because you made a fuss.”

 

“Then did Hoyeol choose this tea cup, too? You have a good eye~”

 

I did a good job preparing refreshments according to the formality.

 

Perhaps because of the warm and sweet things.

 

Their reactions became softer.

 

Except for my sworn enemy who seemed to feel wronged.

 

However, there was a topic that couldn’t be avoided.

 

My oldest sister asked me.

 

“So how is it? Is it worth it?”

 

It was a short question.

 

I knew that the meaning behind it was not simple.

 

It was common sense that players’ activities were dangerous.

 

So I couldn’t even tell them first.

 

Whether it was dangerous or not.

 

I couldn’t even lie.

 

My sworn enemy warned.

 

“Look at us in the eye and say it.”

 

…She’s not my sworn enemy for no reason.

 

Well, she noticed my lies ever since we were kids.

 

But at this moment, I wasn’t lying.

 

“It fits my aptitude.”

 

I didn’t say that to make my family stop worrying.

 

It was a true expression of confidence.

 

In the raid of Count Ascura, I realized my potential and limitations.

 

I knew my body.

 

At the very least, beating up demons really suited my aptitude.

 

I was able to answer without the slightest hesitation.

 

“…Well, it didn’t sound like a lie.”

 

“You’re being like this again, Lee Yerim. Didn’t I tell you? Hoyeol isn’t you. Unlike you, since he was young, Hoyeol has been doing well on his own. Because it fits his aptitude, Hoyeol will always be talked about in the news.”

 

“Really? Since the maknae said that, noona is relieved.”

 

…It was easier than expected.

 

It was thanks to my confident attitude.

 

Anyway, I asked my oldest sister.

 

“Do Father and Mother know?”

 

“Dad and Mom? They don’t know yet because they’ve been busy making dumplings since dawn. By the way, won’t they find out soon since you’re on the news all day? Oh, and your hair color too. Your physique, too. Even if you’ve changed so much, there’s no way Mom and Dad won’t recognize you..”

 

“Me too, me too! I recognized Uncle Hoyeol!”

 

Pat pat–

 

I said, patting Arang’s head.

 

“I have to tell Father and Mother the truth.”

 

“It’s fine. We’ll tell them.”

 

…You will?

 

My sworn enemy looked at me and continued.

 

“Mom and Dad are different from us. No matter where you go on a trip, they will worry until you get home. How worried would they would be if you tell them plainly like how you told us?”

 

Therefore, they would take care of it instead.

 

…Yeah, I think that would be better for me, too.

 

I thought so and I nod.

 

Suddenly, I heard a chuckled laugh.

 

“But calling us Father, Mother, and Sister. It reminds me of the old days.”

 

“Right. It’s not just me, right?”

 

“…?”

 

“Let’s see, it’s been about 10 years? Lee Hoyeol, you had this middle school second-year syndrome. You suddenly used honorifics toward us. You greeted Mom and Dad with regards too.”

 

“…!”

 

“Still, it was cute back then. First of all, his face was cute. Back then. It’s reversed now… No. Now that I see it, it seems that face is coming out again?”

 

“Now that I think about it. Hoyeol, didn’t you say that you wanted to dye your hair silver?”

 

My dark history is being recited one after another!

 

…No matter how I think about it, they’re really my natural enemies.

 

This was more certain than the enemy relationship between demon hunters and demons.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

I carefully handed Arang, who had fallen asleep in my arms.

 

Whisper–

 

“I am leaving. Keep in touch.”

 

“I’d like to nag at you. But there’s nothing I can say.”

 

“Here we go.”

 

I bowed politely.

 

I was about to close the door.

 

Tuk–

 

My sworn enemy stepped in.

 

“This noonim is going to nag you one last time.”

 

“…?”

 

“If it’s hard, give up right away. I’m actually here to say that. All of us.”

 

It seems that the unnies couldn’t say anything until the end…

 

I knew the meaning of those words even without an explanation.

 

I nodded and she added.

 

“And one last thing, really. Save money well when you have them. There are no guarantees, you know?”

 

At those words, I was suddenly reminded.

 

Yeah, there’s no guarantee.

 

The reason my house got taken away…

 

‘…Wait, that’s not it.’

 

Rupture Clear Reward!

 

I have to take care of my integrity and innocence!

 

*

 

Rupture Clear Reward.

 

It could be said to be the main source of income for players.

 

The amount of reward was measured according to the recommended level of the rift, and compensation was paid to players differently depending on their contribution.

 

There were also countries that provided rewards.

 

The ruptures were ticking time bombs that could lead to a national disaster.

 

It was only natural that they paid rewards to players who dealt with such ruptures. However, the reward at the national level was literally in a pinch.

 

“I understand that there is a limit to the national budget, but…”

 

“But shouldn’t they stretch it out a little?”

 

“This won’t even pay for labor costs.”

 

In that case.

 

Who pays huge rewards to the players?

 

It was the developer of Arcana, ‘Cosmo’.

 

No, it would be too much to call it Cosmo now.

 

Everyone but one person had quit.

 

Since they all had transferred to AAU.

 

So there was only one person.

 

The CEO of Cosmo, who was called ‘Raymond Sean’.

 

As if he had known that the Arcana would become reality.

 

Arcana’s homepage had changed to match that upheaval.

 

Of course, the reorganization of the ranking system.

 

New Update Announcement.

 

Even the rupture clear status.

 

Cataclysm.

 

The reason why the world, which was literally reversed like a game, could be maintained as it was now was because Arcana’s website existed.

 

Thanks to this, there had been a reevaluation of Raymond Sean throughout society.

 

“Let’s say that Raymon Sean is the one responsible for the cataclysm. Why would he still be running the homepage? Thanks to the homepage, mankind is more advanced than it was before the cataclysm.”

 

It was a reasonable opinion.

 

The social system that was maintained thanks to the homepage.

 

Arcana civilization that invaded reality.

 

Because of the synergistic effect of mutual exchange, the world actually progressed more than before the cataclysm.

 

“That is an undeniable fact, but… I think it should be clearly pointed out before we re-evaluate him. Was Raymond Sean really running the homepage to prepare for the Cataclysm? Or was he simply operating to divert public opinion as he does now?”

 

Of course, differences of opinion wouldn’t be easily narrowed for a while.

 

However, at the very least, the players had no choice but to defend Raymond Sean.

 

After all, the rupture clear reward from Cosmo and Raymond Sean was enormous.

 

“…All my aching pain is gone.”

 

“Yes. This is financial therapy.”

 

“Because of this, I can’t stop being a player.”

 

Where did they get that huge reward?

 

If anyone asked, you could just recall the vicious monthly fee for Arcana Continent Electric.

 

Hundreds of thousands of won a month.

 

Not only that, the price of a dedicated connector reached 10 million won.

 

It was an undeniable fact that Cosmo made astronomical money.

 

For decades to come.

 

Even if players were paid huge rupture rewards, it had enough to preserve the original amount.

 

So, it was only natural that interest was focused on the new rupture clear reward.

 

Just looking at the recommended level, you could expect it to be an unprecedented amount.

 

Guild, Berserker.

 

The shaggy scarlet bobbed hair flinched.

 

She counted the numbers on the screen and murmured.

 

“…What is this?”

 

“What’s the matter? Is it hard to read because the number is too big, unnie?”

 

“Hiss. Shut up. I’m counting again.”

 

Ten hundred million…

 

Leonie, who was counting the zeros, swallowed in astonishment.

 

…T-This much? Is this for real?

 

Guild, Gaon.

 

Nam Taemin and Nam Cheolmin also couldn’t help but feel surprised.

 

“It’s no joke even considering the recommended level.”

 

“…It’s an acceptable amount. If you think about it, this rupture was incredibly tricky. Even if it was us and Inazuma, we almost suffered a crushing defeat at the Count’s Estate.”

 

“Is that so? Even if you think so, I’ve never seen this amount before…”

 

Likewise, questions were pouring in for Jessie.

 

“Jessie, can you just tell me the first digit?”

 

“I don’t want to.”

 

“I’m curious~ We received this much, how much you must have received?”

 

Yes, each had their reasons.

 

Berserker was the first to clear a new rupture.

 

Gaon defeated the trickiest trap rupture among the same ruptures.

 

Jessie killed the Count of Ascura.

 

In that case, they naturally got curious.

 

For Hoyeol who was involved in the whole affair.

 

Indeed, what unit of reward has been set?

 

First of all, one thing was certain.

 

“….”

 

They couldn’t even guess just by looking at his expression.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

I counted the numbers.

 

“…”

 

One hundred and ten million ten million million ten million billion billion…

 

I shamelessly opened my mouth in front of that astronomical number.

 

“This, too, is only natural.”