Thud.
The moment I put on the ring Kim Seyoung handed me, I instantly lost my sense of balance. Luckily, before I could faceplant completely, Kim Seyoung caught me. It was like she knew this would happen.
“It’ll be fine after a little while,” she said, holding me in her arms. Just like the Boss said, after some time passed, my body felt normal again.
“What is this?” I asked Kim Seyoung, curious. It seemed like a special ring, but I couldn’t figure out what it did.
“Hmm… I guess you could call it an artifact that keeps bad things from hurting your body?”
“An artifact…?”
What even is an artifact? For someone like me, who’s lived a humble life, it sounded like something out of a dream. They were so expensive that most people could only dream of owning one. Only hunters, who earned way more than regular jobs by hunting inside Gates, could afford them. And for regular folks, unless monsters were breaking out of Gates, there was no real need to buy one.
“Wow…” I marveled at the ring. Me, who didn’t even know the first thing about artifacts, was now wearing such a precious one. Sure, it might not be anything special, but hey, it’s something.
It was like owning a luxury car—just having it was something to brag about. I raised my hand high, admiring the ring as it sparkled brilliantly under the light.
Then, Bora gave me another gift.
“What’s this…?”
Bora looked at me and said, “Hana, if you see any shady uncles or dangerous people, you gotta yank this handle, okay?”
It was a security alarm. Bora demonstrated how it worked. As soon as she pulled the handle, the alarm blared loudly and flashed brightly.
“It’s too loud!” I shouted, covering my ears. Bora quickly turned it off and handed it to me. I hung it on my bag strap, feeling like I’d just strapped on some kind of terrifying weapon. Anyone who heard this thing would probably run for the hills.
“What else do I need to prepare…?”
I spent a while listening to Bora’s lecture on how to stay safe at school.
—
Bora, deep down, wanted to physically carry Hana away to somewhere else.
But that was just a thought. The way people looked at the lifeforms inside Gates wasn’t exactly friendly. Even though their byproducts were beneficial to modern society now, in the past, they were just creatures that slaughtered people. It hadn’t been long enough to change public opinion.
Even Bora herself, when she first saw Hana, didn’t treat her like a person. Older folks were even more likely to view these lifeforms with disdain.
The good thing was that younger people, who hadn’t experienced those times, saw the benefits of their byproducts and viewed them more favorably.
You could see that in Kim Seyoung. The artifact she gave Hana was something Bora couldn’t afford even if she had 10,000 people.
Its effect was simple: it was a protective artifact. Even if a 15-ton truck hit Hana at 100 km/h, she wouldn’t get a scratch. It even had a GPS function to track her location.
Normal people wouldn’t be able to harm Hana with knives or guns. So, Bora could send Hana to school without worry. At least physically, Hana was completely safe.
For Hana to adapt to modern society, education was essential. (Though Bora didn’t know, Hana was already a modern person.)
So, going to school was somewhat necessary. Bora and Haru could teach Hana knowledge, but they couldn’t teach her how to socialize with peers and navigate society.
To make all this happen, a lot of legal procedures had to be followed. Luckily, Hana being part of the Starlight Guild helped a lot. The guild’s backing made the legal process much easier.
Hana was a sheep. A sheep that made a lot of money. Within the safety of the Starlight Guild, Hana would be well-fed and cared for.
But the moment she stepped outside that fence, the guild would slaughter her as an example.
The good thing was, as long as she stayed within the fence, there was no danger. In fact, they’d even help her.
There was no profit worth mentioning.
Just act like you’ve gained a reliable older brother. The Starlight Guild would provide endless support to Hana, who never stepped beyond the fence.
Even though she was pushed aside, as long as she gained the favor of the Starlight Guild’s direct family, there were few obstacles for Hana.
Since it turned out that Hana’s lifespan was much longer than a human’s, she could take her time. If she took one step at a time, someday she could leave the Starlight Guild and live independently.
From Hana’s perspective, there was also the option of never leaving the Starlight Guild. Since everything depended on her decision, all they had to do was properly educate her until she became an adult and could form her own will.
—
I went to the restaurant with Bora. The restaurant in this building served pretty delicious food. We took the elevator and pressed the button for the floor with the restaurant to eat.
Like a newly built building, the Research Institute’s building was clean and even sophisticated in some areas.
Even though I could survive with just water and sunlight, I couldn’t give up the joy of eating. Plus, eating food made me full.
When we arrived at the restaurant, the delicious smell of food wafted through the air. Since it was dinner time, the restaurant was quiet, with only a few people eating besides those working overtime.
If it had been lunchtime, the place would’ve been bustling with people coming to eat.
*Growl*
My hungry stomach screamed for food. My mouth watered, and I quickly scanned the restaurant.
“Hana, what are you going to eat?”
I hesitated a bit because there were three menu options, then said, “I’ll have the pork cutlet!”
Bora said, “Got it,” then lifted me up and sat me down on a chair at the table.
It was something she always did, but it still felt a bit embarrassing.
“I’ll be back, so stay put, okay?”
“Okay.”
Bora patted my head and went to get the food.
A moment later, Bora returned carrying two trays, one in each hand. They looked heavy, but Bora was strong. If I had tried to carry one with one hand, I would’ve dropped it for sure.
When the tray with the pork cutlet was placed in front of me, my mouth watered naturally.
I picked up the knife and fork and attacked the pork cutlet soldier. With my excellent swordsmanship, the pork cutlet was effortlessly sliced into pieces.
After cutting the pork cutlet into eight pieces, I stabbed one with my fork and put it in my mouth.
The crispy fried coating and the soft, juicy meat inside were a combination better than any other food. My mouth was filled with joy.
I attacked the pork cutlet again, this time with the delicious sauce. The savory fried coating and the sweet pork cutlet sauce combined to create a flavor better than anything else.
I savored the pork cutlet with a happy expression. Bora, seeing me like this, smiled and said, “Hana? You should eat your vegetables too.”
Somehow, Bora had brought a plate full of vegetables. I glanced at her.
I used to eat vegetables just fine, but ever since I ended up in this child’s body, I didn’t feel like eating them.
It felt like eating dog meat, you know? Like I was eating a familiar friend. I could eat it if I had to, but I just didn’t feel like it.
I decided to use my secret weapon.
“Bora, I’m thirsty.”
“Really?”
Bora got up and headed to the water dispenser. In that moment, I pushed the vegetables onto the tray of the person sitting next to me. They were too busy chatting to notice.
I also subtly pushed the remaining vegetables onto Bora’s tray.
Eating raw vegetables like grass was a bit too much for me. But sweet fruits? I could eat those. It’s not like I was being picky or anything.
