Chapter 775: Searching for My Brother (3)
“…Yuhyun.”
I swallowed hard and opened my mouth.
“What are you doing, killing your nephew’s descendant?”
“Why would I—huh…?”
Yuhyun faltered. I seized the opening and hurried on.
“The snake you just killed? Its ancestor is your nephew.”
Probably. More or less. The shimmer of its scales did not really look the same, but things could change after generations of mixing. Anyway, if you traced the family tree of a snake that huge and smart far enough back, you would probably land on Rhanahi. Yuhyun stared at me blankly. My expression was far too serious for him to take it as a joke. And it was basically true.
“What are you…”
“Yuhyun, you probably didn’t know, but you actually have a bunch of nephews and nieces now. They’re cute.”
I needed to see the kids sometime. I got off the bicycle. Behind me came the crackle and pop of the last embers burning through the snake’s scales.
“It’s not like I got married or anything. The truth is, none of them are human. I mean, not human from our world. It just kind of happened.”
That made me sound irresponsible, but it really had just kind of happened.
“On my way here, I went through all sorts of things. Our house is packed now. So, I should have pictures somewhere.”
Finding them right away was hard. I almost searched on my phone, then remembered the drawings in my inventory. I took out the one Myungwoo had drawn for me.
“You don’t know Noah, right? This was when Noah and Liette fought. These two are family too. Siblings. Liette is a born S-Rank, like you.”
Everyone was smiling. It had only been a few months ago, yet it felt impossibly far away. I took out some other drawings too. Unfortunately, the pictures Myungwoo had drawn did not include the kids. Back then, Gyeol had not even been born yet. But I did have drawings the kids had made.
“Your nephews and nieces drew these. This one is me, and this one is Yerim. You’re in here too, the way you are now.”
Peace’s paw print was stamped there too. The moment I saw it, I smiled without meaning to.
“Even after everything that happened, I’m living well.”
So well I almost felt guilty toward Yuhyun.
“I mean, yeah, it’s true my body’s in bad shape. But I had fun. I was living well enough that you didn’t need to worry about me.”
I looked up at my brother. Through the fluttering butterflies, his pale face was expressionless.
“Except for one thing.”
Just one.
“Except that I lost you.”
No matter how much joy and happiness filled my life, a black knot had always stayed buried in one corner of my heart.
“Yuhyun, I never stopped looking for you. Even before the regression. From the moment you left home, I was looking.”
I had been looking for my brother. From then until now, always. Long before I turned back time and met new people, that had been the goal I carried and clung to.
“So I’m taking you back with me. No matter what happens.”
This was the one thing I would not yield to anyone. Not even Yuhyun. I was going to find my brother and take him home. It did not matter whether the obstacle in front of me was a Transcendent or the Source. I would do it, no matter what it took.
“Me, worry about myself—”
“I’m sorry.”
My silent brother finally spoke. His voice came low and cold, like it was fading away.
“I could never give up on you completely.”
“What? No, why would you be sorry for that?”
“There was a way to keep you safe. And I still couldn’t do it.”
Yuhyun continued. The eyes fixed on me looked especially dark.
“You protected me. You kept watching over me in secret!”
“No. I was holding on to you. I just stood there and watched you be unable to give me up.”
“Hey, how the hell was I supposed to give you up?”
He was my family. My brother. Practically the child I had raised.
“Yeah. That’s why I was happy.”
A faint smile touched his cold lips.
“That you kept trying to hold on to me. Even while I pretended not to notice and pushed you away, I couldn’t help feeling relieved.”
“Yuhyun, you…”
“Hyung, there are all kinds of items and skills even now, but you know there were even more a few years later.”
“Yeah, I know, but…”
What was he saying all of a sudden? Even as I wondered that, dread began to rise in me.
“That made it perfectly possible. I even had everything prepared.”
“…Prepared what?”
“To keep you safer. It was actually simple.”
To keep me safe…
“The reason you keep putting yourself in danger is me. So all I had to do was erase your memories of me.”
“…Han Yuhyun! What the hell—!”
Erase my memories? My memories of Yuhyun?
“There were items and skills that could remove part of a person’s memory without side effects. I could erase your memories and change your appearance a little. Because of the status window, I probably couldn’t change your name, but even that would have been enough. Then I would send you to some quiet city where dungeon management was strict.”
Then. Yuhyun smiled bitterly.
“You would have lived safely. I’m sure of it. If not for me, you would have gotten along easily with anyone. Everyone would have liked you.”
…He was right. I would have been anxious after losing my memories, but I probably would have lived fine. I would not have done anything dangerous. I would have been ordinary.
“I knew that. And I still couldn’t do it.”
I wanted to shout that I was glad. But the words would not come out. The look he gave me was sad and painful. My throat tightened.
“If you forgot me, then I thought it would really be over.”
“…Yuhyun.”
“It was my mistake.”
My brother’s voice abruptly turned firm.
“I should never have let you keep looking for me this far.”
A chill raced down my spine. He had said he had prepared everything, hadn’t he? That there were items and skills. The skill had probably belonged to someone else, but an item was different. Knowing Yuhyun, there was a high chance he carried it with him at all times. I quietly took a step back. The bicycle bumped against me with a rattle.
“Wait, Yuhyun.”
“…There was a reason you had to come this far. I know that. But it’s okay now.”
What the hell did he mean, okay? And what reason? I swallowed dryly. Yuhyun’s eyes curved gently. A red warning light flashed in my head. It probably would not work properly on SS-Rank Yuhyun, but I used Stealth anyway. At the same time, I set off a smoke bomb.
Bang!
Smoke billowed up with a small explosion. Instead of running along the road, I bolted toward a building. Roads were too simple, too easy to follow. As I climbed the wall, his gaze tracked me perfectly. Damn it.
“Monsters with stealth skills are common.”
And this Yuhyun had probably dealt with SS-Rank stealth monsters too. I climbed onto the rooftop railing. Yuhyun looked up at me. He still had not moved an inch. But the second he took a step, I would be caught. Tension crawled up my spine hard enough for the Fear Resistance skill window to appear.
“I wasn’t actually going to tell you.”
“…Hey. You.”
“But you said you were living happily. So I’ll give you a choice.”
No way to run came to mind. I had come here expecting to be caught in the first place. I just had not known Yuhyun had been thinking something like that.
“Give up, even now, and go back.”
“I’m pretty sure I told you I can’t give up.”
“I’m here too. Take that one with you.”
“Han Yuhyun. I was looking for you too. I was looking for you.”
“If it’s too hard, I’ll only erase part of your memories. The memories of the Sesung Guild Leader too. Once you forget, it won’t hurt anymore.”
It would be easier if I forgot. If I forgot both the Yuhyun and Seong Hyunjae from before the regression and went back, then yes, I could live comfortably. Not knowing would be enough. It had been fine right after I turned back time because I had not known then either. I had thought I had gotten Yuhyun back whole. So I had relaxed and thought I would eat well and live well this time. But this was different.
“You think I’ll let you end it in some pathetic way like that? Don’t make me laugh!”
“Hyung.”
“I came all the way here. I stepped over the lizard bastard who killed you and over the bastard who owned him! And now you—”
I sucked in a deep breath and let it out.
“Han Yuhyun. You don’t get to do this.”
Even if you are my goal. Even if I came this far for you. Yuhyun vanished. I had no time to look around. I ran immediately. I had barely taken one step.
Clack—
He caught my arm. In an instant, he twisted it behind my back.
“Don’t worry, hyung. It’s all over now.”
“What the hell is over?”
“Your brother is already by your side. Once you go back, you can live peacefully. No more problems.”
“Nothing is over!”
“No. It’s over. Once Sigma and the Sesung Guild Leader fall into the Gardener’s hands, you’ll be safe. The world won’t be in danger either.”
His voice was gentle, like he was soothing me.
“Hyung. Go back and rest now.”
“…No.”
A quiet sigh reached my ears. I tried twisting away, but the hand holding me did not budge. What now? In this position, setting off a bomb would not do any good. Unlike earlier, he would not let me go. Another way… I could not think of one. Even after digging through every item and skill I had, there was hardly anything that would work on the current Yuhyun.
“Removing memories isn’t easy. Without the other person’s consent, fine control is impossible. If I force the item on you, all of your memories might disappear. Though the current me would take good care of you even then.”
I did not know whether this would work, but.
“So, hyung. Cooperate.”
“…Yuhyun, that hurts.”
I stopped struggling and let out a sigh.
“Let go of me first. It’s not like I can run from you anyway.”
The grip on my arm loosened. I made an exaggerated show of being in pain as I looked at my brother. Then I exhaled heavily again.
“I want to take you with me too.”
“I’m sorry, hyung.”
“We finally met again like this. Finally.”
I did not even need to act. Something hot surged up from deep inside me. I spread my arms.
“But all we’ve done is fight. Just for a second, let me hug you.”
Yuhyun’s shoulders twitched faintly. But he did not refuse. I stretched my arms as far as they would go and hugged my brother, who had grown so much taller than me.
“My Yuhyun.”
Naturally, I patted Yuhyun on the back. I felt his slightly tense body relax. Good, it worked. First came Pat Pat (B), the skill that calmed the target.
“…Hyung.”
“Sleep tight, sleep tight.”
Then Sleepy Sleepy (A), the skill that put them to sleep. Its effect scaled with the trust and affection the target had for me, so it had worked perfectly on the old Yuhyun.
Sway.
Yuhyun’s body collapsed. His eyes closed completely, and the butterflies scattered. My heart dropped at the sight, but I had no time to hesitate.
“…Sorry.”
I carefully laid Yuhyun down and turned away. No sooner had I jumped down toward the bike Park Hayul had dragged over for me than I sensed Yuhyun getting back up. As expected, it would not hold for long. And now that he was on guard, it would not work on him again.
“Hyung!”
I started the bike in a hurry. Yuhyun’s shout grew distant. For now, I had to run.
“Hayul! Are there subordinates nearby?”
[Yes, hyung! A lot of them!]
I’m screwed. I should not have come. No, if I had not learned about Yuhyun’s plan, it would have been even more dangerous. I quickly pulled out a megaphone and shouted.
“Ahem, I am currently on my way to be locked up of my own free will! I’ve already been caught! I’m F-Rank!”
I already have an owner! Something on a rooftop looked down at me. Thankfully, it did not attack.
“The person who captured me is one of the Gardener bastard’s subordinates! If you want to transfer ownership, contact Han Yuhyun! I am an F-Rank who has already been caught!”
Already claimed. Maybe it worked, because none of the subordinates attacked me. I had expected one or two of them to try stealing me anyway, so this was surprising. Was Yuhyun so overwhelmingly strong that they did not dare? I kept shouting as I checked the road. I needed to circle around to avoid Yuhyun. Maybe I could pass through Seoul Station and get to the other side first. Following the subway route might not be bad either. It should not be running right now.
[Hyung, above you!]
Park Hayul’s message shouted. At the same time, a shadow fell over me. A humanoid subordinate with huge wings looked down at me.
“I’m already caught!”
“That’s not what I heard.”
The winged human laughed. Wait, had it already gotten word from Yuhyun? Considering the speed of a flying type, that was more than possible—whoosh! Wind battered my head. I veered sharply. A hooked boot raked the space right beside me and rose again.
“Good boy.”
It was playing with me. The subway station was visible up ahead. Fortunately, the other subordinates did not seem to know yet. But I heard the sound of wings. I gripped a dagger. This time, as its foot came straight for my shoulder, I used a thrust skill. It was only D-Rank. But with the doubled power of an attack skill—
“Ow, that stings!”
…Yeah, it stung. The blade tore through the boot and scraped against hard skin. That was all. No helping it. Once I was grabbed and lifted, I would feed it a bomb. Just as I stopped resisting the pull and was about to let go of the bike—
Crunch!
A dragon’s head suddenly thrust out and bit the winged human. The winged human flailed and dropped me. The black dragon tossed the subordinate away and looked back at me. This was—
“…Liette?”
– Hi, honey! Where are we going?
“Uh, the subway!”
I quickly grabbed the bike again and raced toward the subway entrance. Liette transformed into human form and chased after me. What the hell, what was happening? Once we got into the subway, I asked her. Liette easily lifted the bike for me.
“What about Noah?”
“Mm, he’s somewhere else.”
“What were you doing here?”
“Checking what the subordinates were up to~ Pretending to be one of them. Since I was in dragon form, they fell for it!”
…Well, yeah. The Yuhyun from before the regression did not know Liette well, so as long as she avoided the current Yuhyun, she could fool them completely. I climbed down onto the subway tracks and got back on the bike. Liette climbed on behind me too.
“Explain properly. What happened?”
“Well~”
[Hyung!]
Hayul sent me a message.
[The person with you right now looks like a subordinate.]
…What?
–TL Notes–
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