26. Arcana Online
26. Arcana Online
Where am I?
A white ceiling is visible, and the place is full of numerous patients.
That's right. This is a hospital.
"Patient Han Yuna."
"Yes, yes!"
"Your examination is finished, and we'll contact you on your phone when the results are out."
"Thank you!"
As I got up and left the waiting room, Rea unni was waiting in front of the door.
"Is the health checkup all done?"
"Yes! But was it really necessary?"
"Of course! You need to be healthy to play games too!"
I joined the Frey Guild and came early in the morning for a health checkup as part of the guild member benefits.
Is it possible to get the four major insurances too...?
It's fortunate that I told Yong-yong I'd be sleeping in. Otherwise, I would have been scolded like last time.
Because I couldn't eat anything since last evening due to the health checkup, I followed Rea unni to a porridge restaurant located in the hospital basement to satisfy my hunger.
After eating some porridge, I received a call that the test results were out, so I headed to the waiting room.
Sitting in the waiting room, a nurse called my name.
I followed the nurse into the examination room, and Rea unni came in with me.
Inside the examination room, the doctor was looking at the chart with a serious face.
"Patient, have you recently lost consciousness?"
"How did you know?"
Rea unni looked at me with surprised eyes upon hearing my words.
Ah, I made a mistake.
"Your numbers are very bad. There's malnutrition too..."
"Malnutrition!?"
"For now, I'll give you an IV drip and prescribe some medicine. Make sure to take it consistently, and you must eat your meals properly. If not, it could become really serious."
"Yes, doctor."
While I was receiving the IV drip in the infusion room, following the nurse, Rea unni was looking at me with fierce eyes beside me.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what...?"
"I clearly told you to tell me if there was anything difficult, didn't I!?"
I had no excuse.
She was looking at me with tears in her eyes, and if I say anything here, I'd be trash...
When I apologized, Rea unni, who had been thinking for a while, looked at me with a determined expression.
"I know why you're living in that house, so I won't ask you to move to the house next door. Instead, I'll move to the house next to yours."
Rea unni says she's moving to the house next door.
No, more importantly, isn't someone already living in the house next door?
She made a call somewhere, and by the time I finished receiving the IV drip, a bell rang.
"Yes. Good job."
After finishing the call, she said the moving date was set. Already!?
"I agreed to buy it at twice the market price. Including moving expenses, that is."
"......"
Rea unni, showing that there's nothing money can't do.
She smiles and says if there's anything that can't be done, it's because the amount is insufficient, and it's scary.
After dropping me off at my house by car, she said she'd see me next week and left.
For a long time, I stared at the empty space where Rea unni had left.
My heart feels full, but I don't know how to express it.
A world where I don't know anyone.
The colorless world is starting to be filled with color.
*
*
*
"Kyuung!"
"I told you I'd be sleeping in today, didn't I?"
"Kyuuung!"
"So you're being this lenient?"
While stroking the head of Yong-yong, who was eating a magic stone, I opened the window and looked out at the city scenery.
We arrived earlier than planned due to the bear taxi's reckless driving.
It's definitely gotten faster.
Thanks to that, I experienced hell...
Ugh. Just thinking about it makes me want to throw up.
"Kyuung?"
"I'm okay."
While stroking the head of Yong-yong, who was worried about me, I packed my things and checked out at the hotel lobby.
"Thank you for everything."
"Not at all! It was an honor to serve you all this time!"
Leaving the City of Stars.
"Let's stop by the information guild one last time before we go."
"Kyuung!"
"Oh, come on. That's not right. They helped us when we had no magic stones left."
"Kyuuung."
While coaxing Yong-yong, who had no interest in anything but me, I headed to the information guild.
I entered the general store that serves as the hideout for the information guild, and when I spoke to an employee, they guided me to the request room.
Inside the request room, Erica unni was drinking tea, and when she saw me, she welcomed me with a bright smile.
"Our pretty one is here?"
"Hello!"
I sat in the chair opposite Erica unni, and she handed me a cup of tea, which was sweet.
"Did you come to say goodbye?"
"Yes! It's time for me to leave now."
"Then, could you do one errand for me on your way?"
She hands me a letter along with a pouch.
[A quest has arrived.]
Deliver mail to the information guild located in the commercial city of Thalassa.
Reward: Pouch of magic stones.
"I can't send our pretty one away empty-handed."
She says it's an errand, but she's doing this on purpose to take care of me.
"Thank you."
"Huhuhu. If you're grateful, come visit again."
After saying goodbye, I left the general store and went outside the city.
Standing on the roadside a little away from the city, waiting for the bear taxi, I heard the sound of something running from afar.
But it sounds like more than one is running?
As something gets closer and closer, I see numerous Warbears running?
Led by a bear with an exceptionally large body, numerous Warbears appeared.
"Who are the Warbears next to you!?"
"Groooan!"
"They're your family!?"
The reason for taking magic stones all this time.
He says he did it to feed his family and came to say hello this time.
They're all so big that it's scary being surrounded...
Curious Warbears approach me closely to sniff, but the moment they make eye contact with Yong-yong.
"Groooeeng!"
They show a submissive posture, just like when I first met the bear.
As I look at the lying Warbears in bewilderment, the bear steps in to organize things.
"Groooan!"
All the Warbears retreat in an instant.
The bear approaches me.
It bows its head and thanks me.
"Why are you being so formal between us?"
"Grohoho!"
It laughs and tells me to get on quickly, but it's gotten so big that it's difficult to climb on.
I manage to climb onto its back with effort, and as it slowly sets off, the other Warbears follow behind.
Now that I'm traveling with a group of Warbears, I finally feel like a summoner, don't I?
"Let's go!"
"Groooan!"
*
*
*
The movement of the Warbear group was incredible.
On the way to the commercial city of Thalassa.
We encountered numerous monsters, but none of them dared to attack us.
No, they ran away as soon as they made eye contact.
Well, what crazy monster would dare to attack a group of large Warbears led by a giant bear over 10m tall?
How long have we been traveling together, crossing mountains and swimming across rivers?
Every time we took a break, I took out magic stones from the pouch and distributed them one by one. If I hadn't received the pouch from Erica unni, it wouldn't have been enough.
After running for a long time like that, we finally saw the commercial city of Thalassa in the distance.
A huge spire was located in the center of the commercial city, and numerous buildings could be seen around it.
After saying goodbye to the bear group, I approached the entrance to enter the commercial city, and there were two entrances.
One entrance crowded with people and one completely empty.
As I was walking towards the empty entrance.
"Child. You can't go that way."
"Pardon?"
I turned my head towards the voice calling me and saw an old lady looking at me.
"That entrance is only for nobles to use."
"Nobles?"
"Yes. Commoners like us have to line up here."
Despite appearances, I'm a duke.
I have a title in the demon realm, but...
I wonder if it won't work...
Thinking it's better not to stand out unnecessarily, I lined up behind the old lady and chatted about various things. She gave me a lot of useful information.
"Child. Just because it's a commercial city doesn't mean all the shops are cheap."
"Really? I thought it would be cheaper than other cities, but I guess not."
As we were talking, it was soon our turn. We passed through the checkpoint and entered, and I saw a city bustling with numerous people.
From merchants selling on the streets to carriages passing by carrying numerous loads.
I said goodbye to the old lady and opened the map to head towards the guild headquarters that Rea unni had told me about.
On the way to the Frey Guild headquarters.
Just as I was about to enter an alley, I bumped into someone.
"What the! Hey, kid. Don't you watch where you're going!?"
"I'm sorry. I wasn't looking ahead."
Red hair and walking around shirtless... a pervert?
He glares at me while checking my body, and his eyes are fierce.
"If you made a mistake, you could have gotten hurt! Are you injured anywhere!?"
"Huh? No, I'm not injured."
"Always be careful! Even if you keep your eyes open, you can get cut in this city!"
Grumbling while worrying about me... a pervert... no, a tsundere?