It had been a month in the hospital, and it went by surprisingly fast.
After reuniting with the Continent of Astria, it was the first time I had been away for this long. Whenever I felt like I was going to be consumed by anxiety, the presence of Chris, who was always by my side while I was awake, kept it at bay.
Being with Chris prevented me from reverting to my old self. The Chris who had adventured with Rain in the Continent of Astria was now holding onto Lee Seulbi’s existence here as well.
Along with Chris, I was slowly putting effort into overcoming my permanent disability.
I learned from this hospitalization that there were definitely distinct stages to my spinal injury. My body wasn’t fully paralyzed from the waist down; it was a lower stage of damage than I had thought.
With rehabilitation training, daily life would become a bit easier. Of course, that didn’t mean my leg functions would fully recover.
Still, it was different from my old self who had shut his eyes and ears with a mindset of “I don’t care.” Living on the Continent of Astria meant I had to pay attention to the state of my physical body as well.
Anyway, Rain and Lee Seulbi are a fateful pair.
Bae Merong and Cherni, who occasionally visited my hospital room, also brought me joy. Their banter was quite entertaining. I didn’t get to see them together much since they took turns visiting when the bus was around.
Deathly Death had come to visit me once, too. We hadn’t cleared a dungeon together, but seeing his sharp demeanor made it clear he was a fighter in Chris’s party.
He said he admired me. He burned with a desire to catch up one day.
Well, am I really someone worthy of such admiration?
An entity entangled in an alien world.
Just a nuisance that disrupts the smoothly running world, an existence that wouldn’t matter if gone.
Always torturing me with a lacking sense of reality.
But lately, I’ve been feeling a bit of that reality even in this world beyond the Continent of Astria.
Color was returning to this world as well.
*
Vroom.
“Finally out of the hospital.”
“I was feeling confined.”
I lightly complained in Chris’s private car.
The “Continent of Astria” was waiting for me.
Rain wanted to play.
Hold on a bit, Rain. Once we get home, I’ll let you loose.
If Rain is happy, Lee Seulbi can be happy too.
For that, I need to play Astria Online.
As I was bubbling with anticipation to return to the world waiting for me after a month,
Vroom.
“Ah.”
Chris’s car started heading to a place I didn’t know.
This way was definitely toward downtown.
My home was in the outskirts of the Moon Village, so why were we going to downtown?
A bit of anxiety crept in.
“Chris, sis…? Where are we going?”
“To Rain’s house.”
“This way isn’t where our house is.”
“Hehehe.”
Chris only gave a meaningful laugh.
Her smile made my head spin.
Did I accidentally sign something wrong on the contract?
Was there an undiscovered toxic clause?
Am I going to be trapped in a capsule for 24 hours and used for grinding?
Lee Seulbi, keep your wits about you.
This world is much more dangerous than the Continent of Astria.
Contracts, guarantees, debts – there are traps everywhere.
In this perilous world, you must always stay alert.
No matter how kindly Chris has treated me, I must be always suspicious.
After all, I’m a person who can earn a lot of gold, so they might intend to heal me and use me up for a long time.
But can I escape?
I’ve already signed the contract, and my legs don’t even move!
I tried to calm my pounding heart full of anxiety, trying to prove my uselessness.
“I can’t work long with this weak body. If you use me too much, I’ll break down quickly. The maintenance costs will be higher.”
“…? What are you talking about?”
Chris looked puzzled.
That truly was a “I really don’t understand” expression.
Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like the worst case.
“Phew.”
I quietly let out a sigh of relief, brushing my chest.
Chris’s car entered a fancy apartment complex.
“Wow.”
It was my first time seeing such a luxurious apartment. Is this the kind of place they call a palace or something?
The Han River is nearby. Living here means you can see the Han River right out the window. Is this what they mean by “Han River view” apartment?
Chris supported my body as I got out of the car.
Whirring.
I maneuvered my electric wheelchair, following Chris into the apartment.
We took a large, clean elevator up to a high floor.
My head was still filled with questions.
What on earth was Chris bringing me here for?
I had some idea she was wealthy.
I knew she lived in this apartment, and she had to stop by here before taking me home. That much I could anticipate.
Beep.
Standing in front of the big door, Chris manipulated a hologram that appeared above it, then brought me forward.
“Now, could you bring your eyes close to this screen?”
“……?”
I still had plenty of questions, but I complied quietly with Chris’s instructions.
Beep.
[Registration of iris information is complete.]
Whirring.
I heard the sound of the door lock unlocking.
“From now on, you just have to bring your eyes close to this screen to open this door.”
“Ah.”
So this is the typical door lock these days. It’s definitely different from my home where I used the traditional key for decades.
It appears to use a person’s iris information to unlock the door.
But did Chris really need to register my info at her front door? I wouldn’t come here alone anyway.
“Wow…!”
It’s big. It’s spacious.
What size house is this?
If you include the hidden areas, could it be over 100 pyeong?
The entire layout of the house didn’t fit into my line of sight. For someone like me, who has a narrow range of activity, this was almost like a playground.
The luxurious interior and spacious interior caught my eye.
As I fully stepped inside, a living room as wide as combining several of my single rooms came into view.
The ceiling is high. Outside the large veranda window, tall buildings were visible. There’s a soft sofa right in front of the veranda window.
Are those modern art pieces hanging on the wall? I don’t know much about art, but they look expensive. In the center of the living room is a large hologram system and an audio system. So this is the hologram TV of this era.
I was wide-eyed at this luxurious environment I had never seen before.
Chris took my wheelchair and headed toward the veranda.
The view of the Han River from the window is fantastic. The water flows gently, with bridges and skyscrapers painting a picture on top of it.
Even if I saved money for a lifetime in Astria Online, would I be able to buy an apartment like this?
I gazed at the Han River with my mouth agape. Chris was beside me, holding onto the handles of my wheelchair and smiling brightly.
If I had to express my feelings in one sentence:
“This kind of house must cost tens of billions, right…? Sis Chris, you’re incredibly rich….”
“This is now your home. The contract said your housing issue would be taken care of, right?”
“……?”
In that moment, my head went blank.
My house?
I frantically looked around. This was a properly furnished home with the latest furniture and electronics, truly a place where people lived.
“Whoa…! Isn’t this Chris’s house?!”
“It’s my house. And starting today, it’s your house too.”
Shaking head.
I shook my head cautiously and slowly backed my wheelchair away.
“R-Rain!”
Chris rushed over and grabbed my wheelchair.
“Oh, um. I’m sorry. My brain isn’t functioning well yet.”
I struggled to sort out my confused thoughts.
Chris’s house? My house?
Living together. In other words, cohabitation.
“Ah, you don’t have to see me off! I can just take a taxi and go home!”
I manipulated my wheelchair, trying to leave quickly.
I’m going back to my own home.
Wheeeeee.
But the wheels of my wheelchair spun in the air. Chris lifted me and the wheelchair together.
Wow, she’s strong.
Then she set down the wheelchair and picked me up in her arms.
Caught in Chris’s grasp, I had no choice but to close my eyes and trust my body to her hands.
“Hehe.”
Chris let out a strange giggle as she carried me somewhere.
“Here’s where Rain will live. This penthouse structure can also be used like two separate homes.”
“Whoa.”
As we turned past a column, a somewhat smaller living room than the one I saw earlier came into view, along with a connected room.
“It’s a shame for me to live alone here, right? I wouldn’t be able to use even half of this spacious place. I’ll definitely respect your privacy. You can live just like you did when you lived alone! Of course, if you’re okay with it, I could visit your room! And you can come to my room too!”
“Ah, I see.”
Hmm, can this be seen as boarding? If the structure is separated like this, it might be less of a burden.
“Rain. I’m sorry for bringing you here without an explanation. But, would you like to live here?”
Chris looked at me with slightly anxious eyes.
No matter how spacious the house is, even if it’s a separated space, it’s close enough that I could almost feel Chris’s breath if I wanted to.
Essentially, we would be living together.
But she promised to respect my privacy. She wouldn’t invade my living space without notice.
“If Rain were to collapse again, or if by any chance I was late. Thinking about that makes my heart heavy and too anxious.”
Her earnest feelings and warm heart flowed into my chest.
The desire to protect me closely.
Why? We are just game friends.
Why does she think so much about me?
However, any shred of doubt melted away in her kindheartedness, like snow in the warm sun.
Even though I haven’t fully shown her my deep self, I am a liar named Lee Seulbi.
But if Chris could find happiness because of me, if that could ease even a little of her emotional burden,
I nodded solemnly as I looked up at Chris.
“Please take care of me.”
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