Chapter 357

As I walked out of my house and continued straight along Samseong-ro, I arrived at Cheongdam-dong.

The coordinates that Eborum provided us pointed to some apartment near the Han River.

“How can it take 30 minutes to walk 6 km? Ugh!”

Adella stretched her flexible body, reaching her arms high above.

“I guess the front gate is over there. Let’s go around.”

“I was wondering why they lived in such an old neighborhood, but it seems there’s this amazing apartment hidden away. Wait, but isn’t the manager’s brother attending Seviron Academy? So does he commute from here?”

“No, they all said they live separately during the vacation. The brother is in Daechi-dong, the sister is in Cheongdam-dong, and the dad is in Seongbuk-dong.”

“Wow… That sounds like a bit of a dysfunctional family in a different sense.”

It is a typical dysfunctional family, but with a twist.

“Even though the buildings here are a bit old, it’s quite a wealthy neighborhood. The house over there probably costs over 5 billion won!”

“5 billion? No way, that’s ridiculous.”

Adella didn’t believe what I said until she looked it up herself on the internet, her eyes widening.

“Wait, the manager’s house is 400 million won per pyeong? Just a moment, since one pyeong is 3.3 square meters…”

She drew a circle around herself to gauge the size.

“So people are willing to pay 400 million won just for this little bit of land? That’s insane. The world is going crazy.”

Adella jumped up and down on a circle with a radius of 1 meter.

I formed a square shape with my fingers, capturing her image in my mind.

“Right? This piece of land is 400 million won, yet I don’t even know why I’ve poured 200 billion won into this 165 cm, 50 kg bundle of protein.”

“Hmm? What’s with the 200 billion… Oh, sister!”

“Adella, don’t you think there’s something terribly inconsistent with you discussing cost-effectiveness?”

“Hey, magic is ridiculously expensive! It’s only for you!”

“Anyway, let’s treat our dear Eborum manager kindly. It’s really rare to find someone who lends money without hesitation.”

I wondered what Eborum thought about me showing Adella to reality.

She might have thought I meant a hologram or at best a bio-robot.

By the way, even Professor Cheon suspected for a week that I was secretly filming.

“Ugh, why am I trembling about this? But can I really reveal my identity so easily?”

“Based on experience, keeping secrets too tightly isn’t good either. At least you need one person you can match words with.”

If three people insist on it, they can make a cat appear.

It’s not the three men turning into a tiger, but the three men turning into a cat.

We passed through the common entrance and took the elevator, getting off on the 10th floor.

Even before I pressed the doorbell, the intercom activated.

[NaeMe has arrived! But who is that beside you…?]

It was unmistakably Eborum’s voice.

As I poked Adella in the side, she cleared her throat and spoke.

“Uh, hello, Manager! I’m Adella, the cat of dawn active as a Twish virtual streamer. I hope for your kind cooperation!”

After a brief pause, Eborum’s lively voice came through.

[Wow, your voice is really similar! It’s almost just like Adella, right? Just a moment, I’ll be right down to let you in!]

With that, the intercom connection ended.

Adella turned to me, looking puzzled as she pointed to herself.

“I’m Adella, though?”

“I don’t know, it’ll probably be fine. Just change your hair color back to how it originally was or something.”

“Uh, but how did I set up the dyeing magic rune?”

“Get on your knees, I’ll write it for you.”

[Spell Cast: Dyeing]

Adella’s brown hair returned to its original silver color.

The door opened cautiously to reveal a woman with pink hair rollers in her bangs, welcoming us.

Perhaps because she was at home, Eborum wore a loose-fitting white top and black dolphin pants.

Personally, I preferred her plain look over her typically heavily made-up appearance.

“Welcome to my house!”

“Hello, Eborum! You seem to be in a good mood today.”

“Yes, yes! A hikkikomori is strongest at home ground. NaeMe, who’s this person you brought today? I was surprised because she looks 99% identical!”

“I’ll introduce you. Eborum, this is the real Adella, not just 99% but 100% Adella.”

Adella, who had been hiding behind the entrance door, poked her head out just like Eborum.

“Is that the manager…?”

“Wow, how can you look so alike… Ah, I’m sorry, I’m Eborum! I started working as a manager last year and this year I’m serving as the general manager. What is your name?”

“That’s Adella…”

“Yes, what did you say?”

“Adella, or you can call me Saetbyeol.”

“Aha, Miss Saetbyeol! Such a lovely name! Please come in. NaeMe is also welcome at our home!”

Eborum hummed a little tune and went inside first.

Adella and I looked at each other.

“She totally doesn’t believe this, does she?”

“Yeah, maybe we don’t look similar as expected?”

To me, it seemed like there was hardly any difference in appearance, whether in the game or reality.

* * *

Eborum hurried to the second-floor master bedroom, looking for something she had shoved in a corner.

“Ugh, did I throw everything away when I was cleaning? Why can I suddenly see hallucinations right now?”

She was frantically rummaging through the drawers.

The face of the woman NaeMe brought looked perfectly identical to Adella’s.

Her dark hair, which had been dark while checking the intercom, turned silver as soon as she opened the door.

Eborum became frightened, thinking her childhood schizophrenia had relapsed.

Moreover, hallucinations are among the most severe types of schizophrenia symptoms.

‘It can’t be a relapse, right? Ugh… Even after being cured, I had to take medicine for several more years.’

It seemed that auditory hallucinations accompanied it as well.

The woman definitely called herself Saetbyeol, but someone kept whispering to her, calling her Adella.

“Okay, stay calm, Eborum. You’re just too nervous. Just relax sometimes, it’s said you can feel like that.”

With her fists clenched, Eborum came out into the living room.

‘Please let it be brown, brown, brown!’

But Adella’s hair remained as silver as before.

Besides, that disrespectful demeanor of rummaging through someone else’s fridge!

That was behavior no one from the Eastern Confucianist country would exhibit unless they were not Adella from the game.

“Could this moment really be a hallucination as well?”

Seeing Eborum questioning herself, NaeMe tilted her head in confusion.

“What’s wrong?”

“NaeMe, did you come with anyone?”

“Who do you mean? I came with Adella.”

“Is the person next to you really Adella? Wait, let me pronounce it correctly. A, del, la. Is this Adella really correct?”

“Yeah, it’s really Adella.”

“Don’t tell me NaeMe you’re not fake too, right?”

“…? Is there a problem?”

“Isn’t it strange? How can a person have silver hair!”

Eborum’s questions were valid.

At that moment, Adella, who was sprawled on the couch, lifted her upper body.

She enveloped her hand with Aura and tossed her hair.

Shimmering particles of magic disappeared into the air, revealing some of her hair turning back to brown.

“This was dyed by NaeMe. Uh… I originally have silver hair, but since I dyed it brown for school, just before coming in, I dyed it back to silver again.”

NaeMe nodded her head.

Eborum couldn’t just open her eyebrows anymore, having been caught in another trap based on the original silver hair.

Adella, being flustered, couldn’t explain it properly, so NaeMe stepped in to explain.

The 200 billion won in the news was used to create Adella’s body, and that today’s Adella is a perfect match for the Adella in virtual reality.

“Is this not a hidden camera? Is she an actress or something…?”

Shaking her head—

“Then a bio-robot?”

Shaking her head—

“Or maybe golem magic?”

Shaking her head—

“Necromancy?”

“Seriously, necromancy? That’s too harsh!”

Adella shouted back.

“Necromancy, is it? Maybe it’s not too far off?”

But surprisingly, NaeMe did not deny it.

It’s as if Adella’s consciousness was layered over the previously existing body.

If we consider something that was never alive as a corpse, then it wasn’t completely wrong.

“Eborum, Adella is just like us, a human. From head to toe, she’s a fully functioning human.”

“No, but… how…”

“There are a lot of magical wonders in this world you don’t know about. I discovered one of them and just used it. Do you understand a bit now?”

Eborum had no choice but to nod her head.

In terms of magic, NaeMe was indeed much more knowledgeable than she was.

“There’s no need to overthink it. Even if you escaped from the game, you can come into reality from virtual reality. Just think of her as one of a kind and life will be easier.”

“Oh, come to think of it, there’s one flaw. She can’t get pregnant? It’s a necessary problem for Dragonia Notientia to operate normally.”

“NaeMe, what did you just say? I’ve had to endure all this while being unable to get pregnant?”

“Did you perhaps ever want to?”

“Well, it’s not that, but it just feels frustrating! Why should I have to suffer?! It’s driving me insane! If it’s going to be like this, just give me a neutering surgery so I don’t even have to menstruate! Aaaaah!”

“What… neutering? Are you out of your mind?”

Listening to the nonsensical back-and-forth between NaeMe and Adella, Eborum had a strong conviction.

There wouldn’t be anyone else in this world like them.

NaeMe fiercely pinched Adella’s cheeks and shook her head around.

Adella grimaced and was helplessly dragged along by the little girl.

Eborum pinched her own cheek hard.

“Ouch, this really is reality?”

After finishing Adella’s speech training, NaeMe approached the manager and asked.

“There is a definitive way to prove it. Do you have a capsule at home?”

* * *

[Accessing Void Space.]

[Welcome, User Name: Adella.]

As expected of Eborum, who handles everything from home, there were seven capsules lined up in her house.

Her belief was that she had to use a different capsule each day of the week.

Adella got into one of them and returned as herself in the virtual reality.

One account cannot be used in duplicate.

This proved that the reality Adella and the virtual Adella were precisely the same person.

“Shall we just play a light game?”

Adella launched the game and chose her favorite dual-wielding rogue tech tree.

Although she couldn’t showcase the overwhelming prowess as before, she could fight evenly against the masters of the battlefield.

Eborum’s eyes began to light up.

“Does Adella then not have a tail?”

“A tail? Ah, that’s a bit complicated. Humans’ tails have atrophied, you see. So, Adella’s body was adjusted accordingly, but it seems she had a strong will from the Aura Heart that she should have a tail and cat ears. Hence, it appears to have been implementation via external manifestation.”

“Ah, through Aura. I see. Hmmm…”

Eborum lightly bit her lower lip.

Adella’s trial match ended in defeat.

“Ugh, it’s the healer difference! Our healer just heals! A real healer like NaeMe should heal, deal damage, tank, consume objects, strategize, and lead.”

“Such a shame. Did the call go awry at the third object?”

“Yep! I don’t understand why those idiots split there. It wasn’t even a dead heal anyway.”

Adella came out of the capsule, lamenting her defeat from just moments ago.

The tail made from Aura slammed hard onto the desk.

“Anyway, this capsule is really nice, Manager. The reaction speed is fast, and my body feels light like before.”

“Really? You can speak comfortably, Adella.”

“It’s nice for me, hehe. You can also speak comfortably, you’re a senior, right? I’m technically in my first year but actually, I’m eighteen. Somehow, I end up two years behind.”

“Wow… wow, wow….”

“Why are you making such a scary face all of a sudden?”

Eborum slowly took careful steps toward Adella.

Adella flinched slightly.

“Hey, friend, I’m here. Can I give you a hug?”

Adella froze at the irrefutable tone.

Eborum, who was relatively taller, stood about one finger taller than Adella.

The gaze looking down at Adella sparkled.

“Uh? Huh, hugging is fine. Thinking back, it’s not like we’re new to each other, and girls often hug at school…”

“Then I won’t hold back-.”

Eborum pulled Adella into a firm embrace.

Adella was pulled along quite roughly.

“Whew…”

Eborum took a big breath.

Adella felt a chilling thrill run down her back, causing her to shudder.

“Okay, isn’t that enough now?”

“Adella?”

“Uh-huh?”

“Adella, Adella, Adella?”

“Why, why! If you’re going to call someone’s name, just speak!”

Eborum gently patted the back of Adella’s head.

When her five fingers slid through Adella’s shimmering silver hair, one or two strands of it came loose in her hand.

Carefully, she placed Adella’s hair on the desk.

Eborum glanced back momentarily and called out to NaeMe.

“NaeMe, I have mango sorbet ice cream in the fridge on the first floor. Would you like some? It was directly imported from France.”

“Sorbet? Oh, thanks. Should I bring some for Eborum too?”

“No, I’m good. Eat as much as you like.”

“What about Adella?”

Eborum covered Adella’s mouth.

“Umm! Mmm!”

“I have something to discuss with Adella for a moment. We’ll come down shortly.”

“The manager has really good taste. You even know my favorite dessert.”

“This much is basic courtesy.”

“Umm! Umm!”

With a click—

The door closed, leaving Adella and Eborum alone.

Checking Adella’s bottom half, the tail that had been visible earlier was nowhere to be seen.

“What the hell are you trying to do!”

Adella took a small step back.

“Do you know how it feels to have your favorite character alive and breathing?”

“Eh?”

“Certainly, no one in this world would know. No one. But I’m the first. It’s honestly—how should I put it… indescribably moving, exhilarating, and thrilling.”

“Eborum’s intention is understood, but just a bit—”

“My favorite character called my name! Kyaaaah!”

“It’s impossible to communicate!”

Eborum suddenly grabbed Adella’s hand, interlocking their fingers.

Then kneeling on the floor, she looked up at her from below.

“Tail.”

“Tail?”

“Just let me taste the tail once, or rather let me lick it, or rather let me touch it. It’s my lifelong wish, bucket list, or you can even call it my last will.”

“Would you allow that if it were you! Plus, this is an Aura-made fake tail that can’t be touched in the usual way!”

“I know because I went to the academy until the middle school level.”

Eborum’s palm glowed with Aura.

“They say Aura contains all the senses a human can feel. Not just sight, but also hearing, touch, smell, and taste.”

“Wha!”

“I’m so curious I’m ready to go crazy. What will it feel like to touch the tail? What sound will it make? I already know what it smells like from earlier. But I’m really curious what it would taste like. Is there any way we could…? Please, just for 10 seconds, no, 5 seconds, lend it to me!”

“NaeMe, this person is crazy!”

“Three seconds wouldn’t even feel anything! Just close your eyes and I’ll finish it quickly like a cat mating! Okay?”

Adella’s scream echoed.

“Hmm?”

NaeMe, who was diligently scooping up sorbet on the first floor, turned to the sound.

“Looks like Adella is having fun hanging out with her peers. After all, Adella only hears nagging from me, so she must be tired of it. Heh.”

NaeMe licked her short tongue to clean off the sorbet that had dripped on her lips.