99. The End

99. The End99. The End

I was only able to be released after appeasing the unnis by acting cute in their arms.

Phew, being the maknae is tough. To think there's so much work to do.

As I take off the gear and lie down on my bed, looking up at the ceiling, Yong-yong appears in midair with a bright light.

"Kyuung!"

As I hug Yong-yong, who dives into my arms, and stroke her, our Yong-yong tells me to keep my promise.

"What promise?"

"Kyuuung!"

She complains that I promised to buy her tteokbokki, but who was it that made me act cute for the unnis!

When I tell her to go hungry tonight, she whispers 'Was I the only one being sincere?' with a shocked expression.

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

"Your acting is obvious."

"Kyuung!?"

Our Yong-yong asks when I became so perceptive.

It's time to show my authority as an owner.

"If you do the three types of aegyo, I might buy you tteokbokki."

"Kyuuuu."

When she says she's too old to do aegyo, I reply that age doesn't matter, and she closes her eyes tightly and acts cute.

"Kyuuung, kuung. Kyuuuu!"

"Kyaa! So cute!"

As I hug Yong-yong and nuzzle her face, she sighs and says let's just go eat tteokbokki, but at that moment.

My phone alarm rings.

"Looks like it's arrived. Let's go get it."

"Kyuung?"

I smile as Yong-yong asks what has arrived, and her eyes waver.

I go to the front door and open it to find the tteokbokki I ordered for delivery waiting.

"Kyuuung!?"

"See? You would have eaten even without doing aegyo, right?"

"Kyuuung!"

She gets angry at me saying she was tricked, but it's too cute.

"Ahaha! Our Yong-yong is so innocent?"

"Kyuuung!"

As she glares at me saying she'll get revenge, I ask if she doesn't want to eat tteokbokki, and she says that's not it.

Really, isn't she too cute?

After devouring 3 servings by herself, she falls asleep in my arms, seemingly satisfied.

*

*

*

In the morning, I woke up, cleansed myself of negativity, ate rice cakes and taffy, and headed to school.

The day of the long-awaited college entrance exam.

I need to pass this time to start a new semester.

Otherwise, I'll have to go through the dreadful repeater life for another year, which is horrifying just to imagine.

When I refused my parents' offer to drive me, I received encouragement from my family telling me to do well, and as I came out of the house, sports cars were waiting for me.

Two of them, no less.

One is our Frey Guild's guild master, Rea unni.

"Our maknae! It's your college entrance exam today, right!? Hurry and get in!"

And getting out of the other car is my friend, Nia.

"You'll ride in your friend's car, right? Right? I'm right, aren't I?"

As Rea unni and Nia glare at each other, why are they acting like this?

When I tell them to play rock-paper-scissors nicely, they both shout 'Rock, paper, scissors!' with serious expressions, and the winner is...

"Isn't it nice riding in unni's car!?"

"Yes, it's comfortable."

Rea unni won.

Rea unni smiles brightly while driving and looks at the car behind through the rearview mirror.

Nia following behind us.

I don't need to see to know she must be making a frustrated expression.

Really. They're not kids anymore.

But wait... Are all the other guild members waiting too?

My thoughts, which I hoped weren't true, were indeed correct.

The Frey Guild members waiting for me in front of the school.

More than that, the problem wasn't over yet.

There was a huge banner hung up with the words 'Fighting, our maknae!' written on it.

Ugh, how embarrassing. I need to get inside quickly.

Just as I was about to enter the school, Sasha unni caught me and forced me to listen to the guild members' words of encouragement.

It wasn't just one or two words, and I was held up until the proctor was about to close the door, almost missing the exam.

Fortunately, as I entered the classroom, all eyes turned to me, but why are they looking at me like that?

"Student, you can't enter the classroom with a snake around your neck."

"I'm sorry. Yong-yong, will you go in for a bit?"

"Kyuung."

She disappears into subspace, and the proctor and classmates look at this sight in wonder.

I take my seat and finish preparations, and with the sound of the bell signaling the start, the college entrance exam begins.

*

*

*

With the bell signaling the end of the last subject, I became a free person.

As I pack my things and come out of the classroom, calling for Yong-yong, our Yong-yong reveals herself from midair.

"Were you bored being alone?"

"Kyuung."

Our Yong-yong says sometimes she needs time alone.

It doesn't seem like she's saying it for my sake, but she's sincere...?

As I go out the school gate, numerous parents and students were waiting, and our family, the entire Frey Guild, and even Nia were all waiting for me.

"I'm back!"

As I approach waving my hand with a happy heart, everyone discovers me and tells me I did a good job.

And they say they've reserved a nice restaurant, so let's go quickly, but my friend Nia.

Our family all agreed, so we all moved together to the restaurant they said they reserved, and it looked very expensive at a glance.

They say it's a very expensive restaurant that takes at least 6 months to get a reservation, and there's a room that only corporate owners can use.

We live in different worlds...?

When I say it's amazing, they're happy, showing a childlike side.

Really, I, the adult, need to keep my wits about me.

"Our maknae! Want some chocolate?"

"Yes!"

Just as I was about to eat the chocolate Sasha unni unwrapped for me, Rea unni snatched it away.

"No snacks before meals."

"Just one..."

"No."

She says she'll give it to me after I finish eating, but that's mean.

One should be fine as an appetizer before the meal.

As I sit down with puffed cheeks, soon the dishes are prepared one by one.

From strange dishes emitting smoke to foods that look too artistic to eat.

And the chef explains each dish one by one, but I don't understand what he's saying.

I stabbed the smoky dish in front with my fork and took a bite, and the taste.

A fresh taste...? No, a taste that makes you feel healthy...?

"Oh my, it's not bad."

"It's so delicious!"

Mom and unni say it's delicious, but I'm not sure.

Is my palate strange?

I look at Sasha unni, who has the same taste as me, and our eyes meet, and she nods as if she's thinking the same thing.

As expected, I'm not the only one who finds it strange. seaʀᴄh thё NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

I ate other dishes, but they were all...

That, healthy taste...? A taste that makes you feel healthy...? A taste that makes your body feel good.

Ugh, I need to go out and eat tteokbokki.

Still, I finished the meal in a harmonious atmosphere, said goodbye to Nia and the guild members, and on the way home.

As we talked about the food we ate today, the conversation naturally turned to the game.

"Our daughter, you've met good people in the game."

"I'm lucky with people."

"Hohoho."

My parents laugh, and my sister says she doesn't have to worry anymore.

So she was worried...? I thought she wasn't.

"Our little sister, your eyes look strange?"

"M-me? That can't be."

"Right?"

As she hugs me saying our good little sister couldn't be like that, it's uncomfortable.

It's more uncomfortable after lying.

After arriving home, I said I was going to the nearby convenience store and headed to a snack shop with Yong-yong.

For dinner.

"You're thinking the same thing, right?"

"Kyuung."

Our Yong-yong, who ate little because the food didn't suit her taste, nods with a serious look.

We enter the snack shop and order tteokbokki and various fried foods, fill our stomachs fully, and as we come out of the snack shop, I feel like I can live now.

As expected, we should eat the food we usually eat. Suddenly eating fancy food doesn't go down well.

Rubbing my full belly, I stop by the convenience store with Yong-yong to buy snacks and return home.

Then our sister, no, the thug waiting for me in front of the door.

"Hey, little miss. Got something good?"

"Here..."

"That's right."

She only lets me in after I take out an ice cream from the bag and give it to her.

The sorrow of being a younger sibling...

In my next life, I must be born as the eldest and boss my younger sibling around.

I go up to my room, devour the snacks I bought, and put on the gear.

The place that is the beginning and end of our connection.

The place where all stories begin.

To go to Arcana Online. No, to the continent.

For a moment it goes dark, and when I open my eyes, I'm in a familiar place.

The place where my journey began.

In Cradle Village.

And I headed to the most familiar place.

As I enter the 'Moonlight Inn', Bell unni and Uncle Charles welcome me.

If it weren't for Uncle Charles, I wouldn't have known about the Moonlight Inn, and if it weren't for Bell unni, I wouldn't have made it this far.

Looking at these connections and benefactors, I shouted.

"I'm back!"