“Whoo.”
A white breath escaped with my exhale.
The weather is chilly.
The trees lining the road are shedding their leaves, slowly preparing for winter.
Korea’s seasons are gradually entering winter as well.
Has it already been a year?
Since I met the Continent of Astria again, time has flown by quickly.
My body hasn’t grown at all.
Actually, by the standards of my status in this world, I should be an adult this year. Since I was created as a little girl of about seven years old, I don’t even clearly know my exact age.
If I estimate, my body’s age is about seventeen? Eighteen?
Anyway, I thought I would grow a bit more, but it seems I’ve reached the end of my growth here.
My fragile body protested against the cold, even in this slightly chilly weather. I have a coat wrapped around me, but I still feel the chill.
Swish.
A hand that was pushing my wheelchair from behind wrapped an extra coat around me.
I buried my face in the collar of the coat.
From the coat, a comforting smell wafted.
Sister Chris’s scent.
I turned my head to look at Chris.
She was pushing my wheelchair with a bright smile while holding a bag of groceries she bought today.
Since it’s an electric wheelchair, it’s fine, but she insists on pushing it.
“Sis, aren’t you cold?”
“Me~? Not at all.”
I stared at Chris.
She had taken me out right after getting off work and was still wearing the outfit she had on at the office.
The white shirt she’s wearing stands out, contrasting beautifully with her red hair. Though her hair doesn’t reach my waist, it is still quite long.
Her nice figure is emphasized against the bright shirt. Unlike my frail body, she has the body of a beautiful woman.
Chris once said she likes white. Wasn’t she a researcher at a capsule company? It would look really amazing if she wore a white lab coat over that shirt.
Somehow, she seems like a female researcher defying the laws of space and time.
“Sis, do you know Christina?”
“What’s that?”
“Well, it’s something like that.”
As I momentarily recalled an old sci-fi anime, I felt my face flush.
I definitely still have faint memories of my past life.
But right now, I have no consciousness that that existence was me.
When did that awareness disappear from within me?
Looking back, it was quite a while ago.
A body made in the Continent of Astria.
Rain, just born into a little girl’s body of about seven years old.
A soul and memories stuffed into a body and brain that had yet to mature.
The consciousness that ‘that’ was me gradually faded from the little girl struggling with identity confusion.
And what remained was just the timid little girl.
Perhaps the abstract memories of the soul can’t overcome the body and brain that clearly exist. Surely, the human body has the greatest impact on shaping the self. Although I know nothing about neuroscience.
During the time my body grew in the church, what did I need to stabilize my identity?
The priests and swordsmanship masters who were drafted into battles against the demon race, disappearing and changing every time.
In a growth process devoid of any mental support and color, enduring identity confusion while piling up mana with my overworked body.
Before my growth as a hero could take place, the church I was in met its demise at the hands of the demon race.
Both mentally and physically.
And it wasn’t until I met my companions later that I began to grow.
The hero died there, along with my companions.
And all that remained was the detritus of a hero who couldn’t become one.
Just a fragile girl.
“Rain?”
“Oh, yeah!”
I shook my head vigorously and looked at Chris.
Indeed, being in this world makes me think of many things.
But the reason I can’t be shattered into pieces and lose myself is probably because of this woman, whom I met again in the Continent of Astria.
The gentle warmth of red that steadies my unstable self.
Swish.
A hand approaches me. To my head.
I squinted my eyes and accepted that touch.
Swish, swish.
The hand patting my head tickles my heart.
No thoughts come to mind, and the torn and tattered heart is mended.
Did I need something like this?
“Ah~”
“…Ah.”
Chomp, chomp.
I looked at Chris with a slightly sulky expression.
“Sis, you know I can eat by myself.”
“I told you, it’s just my little sister’s whim.”
Chris smiled brightly and put a rolled omelet back into my mouth.
Chomp.
I complained, but I still enjoyed the rolled omelet that went into my mouth.
The seasoning was just right, and the texture of the well-chopped green onion was excellent.
Sis is really good at making rolled omelet.
“Now, eat your meat well too!”
“Yeah. I like meat.”
I took a spoonful of the beef Chris added on top of my rice and my eyes widened.
Delicious.
I don’t know what cut of beef it is, but it must be an expensive one, right?
The only luxury I had was takeout food back then, but since living with Chris, I’ve been able to regularly enjoy high-end seafood and expensive meats.
After shopping with Chris and taking a walk in the park, it was pretty late for dinner today.
After eating, I should wash up and go to bed right away after some digestion.
While exchanging light conversation, Chris suddenly spoke in a passing tone.
“If Rain is okay with it, I’d like to travel together sometime.”
“Travel?”
Startled by the sudden mention of travel, I paused my meal.
“Yeah. Places with a lot to see, like cities or beaches, famous resorts in the country. Oh, overseas travel would be nice too.”
“Um….”
Travel.
With Lee Seulbi’s body?
There are many beautiful places on the Continent of Astria as well.
I don’t have to painfully travel in this world with an inconvenient body.
“I….”
As I opened my mouth to express my refusal, I swallowed my words again.
With a synchronization rate of 100%, Rain can vividly feel all sensations from that world.
The pleasant sensation of water touching my feet, the feeling of a refreshing breeze, even the temperature changes with the seasons.
But what about Sister Chris?
Unlike Rain, normal users would feel a much stronger sense of playing a game rather than a sense of reality in ‘Astria Online’.
No matter how well-made the world is, Chris would feel the constraints of synchronization weighing heavily.
If I think about Chris, I can’t just stick to the Continent of Astria.
I can’t think about just myself.
My inconvenient body in this world might be okay if I’m with Sister Chris.
I steeled my heart and opened my mouth.
“…Okay.”
“Huh? Really!?”
Looking at my disappointed expression, Chris’s gloomy face lit up.
I set a firm condition.
“But, we can’t overlap with the dungeon’s initial costs or the new dungeon trial schedule.”
“Okay, okay! Of course! I’ll be busy after a new dungeon opens too!”
Chris nodded vigorously with her fist clenched.
I chuckled at her child-like reaction.
Is it really that great for her to travel with me?
“Then when should we go? Um~ Rain gets cold easily, so winter would definitely be… summer beach? Or maybe, overseas travel to a warm country in winter would be nice.”
“Overseas travel is a bit….”
I slightly shrank back.
Going far feels burdensome.
“Y-Yeah? It would be good to go when spring comes! Hmm, mountains might be a bit inconvenient? The beach for sure…”
“You choose, sis. Anywhere is fine if I’m with you.”
“Got it! Don’t worry!”
“It’s getting late, so I’ll head in first.”
“Okay! Hehe, sleep well! There’s surely a resort that Klaus Corporation owns near the southern coast….”
Whirr.
With a happy smile, I turned my wheelchair towards my room, leaving Chris searching for travel destinations on her smartphone.
“Ah.”
I let out a small sigh and prepared to wash up.
Even just sitting in a wheelchair for a stroll was a bit tiring for my body.
Certainly, Lee Seulbi’s body is too weak.
I wish I could use Rain’s body here as well.
After taking off my clothes, I entered the bathroom attached to my room.
Whoosh.
After switching my wheelchair to shower mode, I stood under the warm water, glancing at the bathtub.
My spacious bathroom has both a shower stall and a bathtub.
I want to fill that bathtub with water, soak myself in it, and only stick my head out for a full-body bath.
Half-body bathing doesn’t make sense. I wanted to submerge my whole body.
But my body is small and inconvenient.
Since I can’t put strength into my lower body, if my upper body slips even slightly, I’d just fall directly into the bathtub, which is bigger than me.
I could probably hold onto the edges with my arms, but that would definitely be uncomfortable.
Maybe I should ask Sister Chris to help me with my bath.
After a quick shower, I lay on my soft bed and checked my smartphone.
The only messaging app I have is one linked to ‘Astria Online’.
That’s enough. The most important communication with Chris is possible through this.
[Onmyoji ‘Chris’ (Offline)]
– Rain, sleep well! Let’s do the bus tomorrow together!
– Thanks! Goodnight, sis. 🙂
I smiled to myself and had a short conversation with Chris before closing the chat window.
On the main messenger page, I had a bunch of friend requests.
I shook my head and pressed to cancel them all.
But then.
“Uh.”
One didn’t get deleted.
[Direct Message]
[Hana Games Corp. Team Leader Han]
[To ‘Drizzle Rain’]
Thump.
My heart started pounding.
The company that services ‘Astria Online’.
They sent a message to Rain.
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