Chapter 54

00054 My Brother (Older Brother) Has Changed

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In the middle of a deep sleep, I felt someone shaking my body. When I groaned and opened my eyes, I saw Ansol's clear eyes looking down at my face. The dim landscape of a pitch-black forest came into view. The cold chill of the forest center enveloped my entire body. After a moment, I circulated my mana to refresh my senses and got up from my drowsy state. My head felt so clear that it was refreshing, and I felt good.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes, everything’s fine. Brother, you also slept well, didn’t you?”

Ansol calls me 'Brother' when we are alone, even though she calls me 'older brother' when we are with others. It was a bit embarrassing, but it wasn’t so chilling that I couldn’t stand it, so I didn’t say anything. Seeing Sol bow politely, I thought she must have received good home education.

I responded with a gentle smile to Sol’s greeting and turned to wake Hyun and Yujung. As I did, I felt a hand pulling at my collar. When I turned my head back, Sol was hesitantly moving her lips, as if she had something to say. I opened my mouth in the most considerate voice I could manage.

“Yeah, Sol. Is there something you want to say?”

“Brother… I….”

In response to my question, Sol continued to look at the ground, avoiding my gaze. But then she bit her lip and, with a determined look, raised her head. I didn’t know what she was going to say, but I tensed up a bit and waited for her next words.

“…I need to pee.”

“...”

“I’m too scared to go alone… I want to go with Brother.”

“...Alright, go ahead.”

I shook my head in exasperation. But this time, Sol didn’t back down. Despite my firm (or so I thought) refusal, she bit her lip and didn’t let go of my clothes. Just as I was about to scold her for acting childish, I noticed her trembling eyes.

In the end, I decided to back down this time. But I couldn’t help feeling suspicious when I looked at Ansol. It had been over three months since we entered the Hol Plain, which meant Sol was a 20-year-old adult. Of course, she looked much younger due to her youthful appearance, but her mental age should be different. Sometimes, her behavior was that of a child.

It wasn’t just me who found her behavior strange. Yujung and I, having spent enough time with Sol, could clearly feel that her actions were unusual. Yujung once asked Ahn Hyun about it directly, but Ahn Hyun deftly avoided the question, as if he was hiding something about Sol. I resolved to ask him again when the opportunity arose. For now, I moved forward with Sol to the campsite.

“About this much should be fine.”

“...”

“Sol?”

“Brother… don’t leave me here and go somewhere else, okay?”

“I’ll stay here. Don’t worry, take care of your business and come back.”

“I promise. Really, I promise. It’s a promise, okay?”

Sol made the promise several times and then, with an anxious look, let go of my clothes. As I watched her slip inside, I took a cigarette from my pocket and put it in my mouth. I lit it and took a puff, and from the bushes, I heard the rustling sound of clothes being taken off. Soon, the sound of Sol urinating reached my ears, making me feel awkward. Was she not embarrassed to do this in front of a man? Or did she not even see me as a man? Neither option was particularly pleasant, so I just puffed on the cigarette.

As the cigarette burned down, the sound of urination gradually faded. Then, the sound of footsteps crunching through the grass came closer. When Sol saw me waiting quietly, her face visibly brightened, and I felt relieved.

“Thank you.”

“Phew. You’re just being childish. If you keep this up, you’ll be useless.”

“Hehe. I’m sorry.”

As I lightly scolded her, she smiled. Just as I was about to turn away, Sol suddenly hugged me. Startled by her sudden embrace, I dropped the cigarette I was holding. Why was she suddenly being so forward? Seeing my flustered face, Sol pressed her face into my chest with a gentle smile.

“Brother.”

“Yeah, yeah?”

“Honestly… I was a bit scared of Brother yesterday.”

“...Really?”

Indeed, that must have been the case. I had probably seemed cruel when I casually threatened to stab someone with a knife out of slight annoyance. However, since Sol wasn’t trembling or showing any signs of fear while hugging me, I quietly waited for her to continue. After a moment, Sol, savoring the embrace, spoke in a cautious voice.

“But… Brother is always strong and kind. If it weren’t for Brother, I….”

She trailed off, closing her eyes, making it difficult to continue. I sighed inwardly but felt a strange sensation from holding her.

The female user currently hugging me would later awaken as a famous user, the Priestess of Radiance. Her reputation was so great that rumors spread that the Odin Clan, a gathering of the top users across the continent, had recruited Ansol. Despite my own efforts, I couldn’t match her in terms of reputation or the abilities I possessed. She was a user far above my current position, and the fact that she was now relying on me gave me a peculiar feeling.

Driven by this feeling, I unconsciously wrapped my arms around her. Sol, surprised by my action, took a sharp breath, but her face gradually warmed up. With my left hand on her back and my right hand stroking her raven hair, I whispered softly.

“Should I have just let that female vagrant live…? Is that why you’re scared…?”

In response to my words, Sol shook her head vigorously. Although it tickled my chest, I smiled, getting the reaction I wanted. Sol, clearly enjoying my touch, no longer looked anxious and smiled as she spoke.

“Umm… No. I won’t be scared. Hyun said that to survive, we need to be like Suhyun. We need to be alert and stay close to him… If it weren’t for him, we would all be dead… I will stay close to Brother and do as he says… That’s why I trust Brother. So, Brother… please don’t abandon me.”

Is that so. Ahn Hyun said such encouraging words. This meant that I had firmly established myself in the hearts of the children. If their previous attitude was blind trust, it had now turned into a firm belief as we entered the pitch-black forest.

“I won’t abandon you. And what Hyun said isn’t entirely correct. It’s not about just following orders; it’s about thinking together and working hard. This kind of childish behavior….”

“I know. I know. But… I just want to do this for a moment, even now.”

I felt like hugging her a bit more, but I wasn’t the type to lose control, so I gently pulled her away and spoke. However, Sol, undeterred by my actions, dove back into my embrace and nodded vigorously.

“I’ll work hard. I’ll work so hard that Brother will be satisfied… So….”

“So…?”

“Can I stay like this a bit longer?”

“...”

“Please stroke my hair. Quickly.”

Taking my silence as a yes, Sol pressed her face into my chest and clung to me. I shrugged and raised my hand, feeling that my perception of Sol had clearly changed from today.

*

“How’s your body?”

“It feels light. When I checked this morning, my durability stat increased by 1. The recovery is so amazing that I can hardly believe it’s my body. I feel more flexible than before.”

“Huh. Since you’re a melee type, pay attention to your durability. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a glass body.”

“Haha.”

Ahn Hyun, satisfied with the increase in his stats, kept smiling. I could see Yujung pouting, but she seemed genuinely happy. Watching her, I felt a bit envious. I wanted to increase my stamina too…

If you exceed the limits of your stats, there’s a possibility that your durability will decrease. However, if you only slightly exceed the limit or stay just below it, and if the healing is perfect, you can increase your durability. Just like a bone that heals stronger after a clean break, your body adapts to a certain degree of injury.

I packed up the camp while Ahn Hyun, showing off his robustness by swinging his spear, led the way. After a simple breakfast, we set off again towards the alchemist’s dungeon.

The traces I saw at the entrance to the pitch-black forest were definitely not from vagrants. I was following their tracks, and since the tracks hadn’t disappeared and were still continuing, it seemed they had gone quite deep.

From the middle to the later part of the pitch-black forest, even experienced users couldn’t take it lightly. The fact that they pushed further in despite the dangers suggested a high probability that something was there. I suspected it was the dungeon of the ancient alchemist, Vivian.

“Today, I have a feeling we’ll be swarmed again.”

Ahn Hyun, who had been on guard, stepped forward and spoke. He was probably referring to the battle with the wolf pack from yesterday. As he spoke, he didn’t let his guard down, and I responded.

“Indeed, that battle was the most dangerous. While it’s not common for them to swarm like that, it’s not unheard of. Anyway, after we finish the exploration and return, we should get you some new gauntlets.”

“Gauntlets…? Ah, armor? I’m wearing the basic armor from the User Academy….”

“That’s leather, so don’t expect much in terms of protection. As a spear user, chainmail or scale armor would be more practical than plate mail.”

“Aha. I know a bit about weapons, but not much about armor. Thinking about yesterday’s battle, it would be good to have some. Without the need for defense, I can swing my spear more freely… But buying such things all at once would cost a fortune, wouldn’t it?”

I nodded at Hyun’s words. Proper, high-quality armor is usually beyond the means of new users. They are too busy surviving day to day to even think about buying armor. Even the new weapons we bought for our first exploration would seem like a luxury to other beginners.

“Indeed. Unless we hit a big score, there’s no guarantee that even experienced users will have a lot of income. We’ll have to save money carefully and gradually build up our gear.”

“Well, if it comes to it, we have the GP we received during the rite of passage, so don’t worry too much.”

“GP. As I’ve said before, that’s a last resort. Save the GP. You might need it later. For now, let’s make do with what we have.”

“Phew. Money is always an issue, no matter where you go.”

I chuckled at Hyun’s mature comment and nodded. Among our group, Hyun was the one who had adapted best to the Hol Plain. His awareness of the need for armor and his long-term thinking were commendable.

After a brief chat with