S-Rank is My Side Character - Chapter 60

[Wow, it really seems like a ghost could appear here, the Lord of Chaos whispers in your ear.]

“Be a little quieter…!”

In the dark early morning, Nari wrapped her shoulders as she wandered between the empty temples, passing through the bamboo forest.

It was good that she was able to climb down the bamboo outside the window since there were no signs of S-rank presence in the temple stay space.

The temple, which was as quiet as a dead mouse with no one around, looked as if a ghost in a white robe might appear.

Even though she was the world’s number one ranked illusionist with nothing to fear in the world, if she didn’t control it a little, Nari’s imagination would become a raw reality.

[Nari! In times like this, think of something fun, something fun! the Lord of Chaos says, dancing a cute idol dance beside you!]

“Ack! Don’t make me think of even more terrible things!”

Nari, who was rubbing her eyes hard saying it was sickening, stopped abruptly. It was because she felt a strange atmosphere.

“…What is it?”

Nari took a few steps back and then walked forward again.

It felt like the dimension had been very finely cut based on a pagoda. Nari raised one eyebrow.

“It’s not ordinary skill.”

[The Lord of Chaos nods, saying that if you didn’t have your level of skill, you wouldn’t have noticed.]

Nari walked over and tapped the pagoda with the tip of her finger. There was no response.

[What are you going to do? the Lord of Chaos looks at you.]

“What else? I have to go in.”

After thinking for a moment, Nari put her chin in one hand and wrapped her other hand in spiritual power.

As the black spiritual powers began to revolve around her right hand, Nari tapped the pagoda with her hand.

The black spiritual powers were gently absorbed into the pagoda.

When a certain amount of energy was absorbed, a dimensional gate for transfer slowly began to open in the pagoda.

[Ooh, Nari not using violent methods, she’s really improved a lot, the Lord of Chaos applauds!]

“Ahem, ahem…”

Slightly proud to be praised for her refined behavior, Nari took a step forward.

Inside the dimensional door was a jade corridor, and next to the corridor was a signboard also made of jade.

Nari read the words written on the signboard.

“Memorial? Is it the 1st Guild Master’s Memorial Hall?”

Nari, puzzled, looked ahead. Following the corridor with the signboard, picture frames were hanging in a row.

Nari stopped in front of one frame to check its contents. There was the image of a benevolent old woman.

Below the frame, a simple date was marked.

As soon as she realized it was 18 years ago, the picture in the frame began to move.

‘…So, you’re worried about that son?’

“Oh my god, Mom, you startled me!”

Nari, startled that the figure was moving even though she hadn’t done anything, looked at the frame.

Inside, the old woman was sighing and looking outside the frame.

‘Yes, he’s running around fighting so much that I’m very worried. He’s old enough, but he’s always getting into fistfights.’

Nari blinked, feeling as if someone’s gaze had been transferred directly into the frame. The voice was heard again.

‘Ah, that’s something young people experience all the time when they’re in high spirits. It’s a good thing he has great parents. I’m sure he’ll be fine soon. Don’t worry too much~’

The laughter of the woman, who seemed to be the speaker in the frame, was heard. At those words, the old woman sighed deeply again.

‘…He’s 5 years older than you.’
‘Oh my. You must be so worried…’

Suddenly, the woman’s tone changed to a worried one. With an “oh dear” sound, her gaze went up.

It seemed that the woman had probably stood up. A lively laugh was heard from the frame again.

Nari reached out to the frame. The laughter and voice were familiar. Nari knew who this voice belonged to.

‘Well… don’t worry too much. I’ll go have a word with him.’
‘Do you think it’ll work? He doesn’t even listen to his mother…’
‘You said he’s going around fighting? Then I’ll go beat him up. What, I’ll teach him the logic of power. Who in Korea is stronger than me?’

At the end of the woman’s light-hearted words, the old woman’s request followed.

‘…Avoid hitting his face when you beat him. That’s the only useful thing about that guy.’
‘Don’t worry. I know well that~ handsome men are an endangered species~’
‘I’m always grateful. Hana.’

With a clack, the woman opened the paper door with her small hand.

At the same time, the frame changed back to the photo of the old woman that was seen at the very beginning. Nari unconsciously put her hand on the corner of the frame.

“…Mom.”

It was her mother’s memorial hall. Here were records of her mother’s life. Here was the world seen from her mother’s perspective.

As if mesmerized, Nari looked to the side. The frames continued in a row. Without a word, Nari stood in front of the next frame.

It was about 3 weeks from the date of the first frame.

A frame starting with a photo of a hospital room. As Nari stood in front of it, the picture began to move again.

‘How is it? Feeling a little better?’

With a rattle, Mom’s hand drew back the curtain of the hospital room.

As soon as the curtain was drawn, the gaze of a grim-looking man was shot. Black shaggy hair, sharp black eyes, it was Nan whom Nari had met yesterday.

He spoke with annoyance.

‘Where are you poking and prodding when I’m…! Can’t you see that I’m lying here unable to move because I’m sick!’
‘For being sick, you’re recovering quite well? Is this some new kind of tsundere?’
‘What, what kind of weird thing are you saying again…! Ah, tsk…!’
‘I told you it hurts if you move. They said to isolate you here for about a month.’

Nan tried to get up abruptly but grabbed his right shoulder. It was the same spot he kept touching when talking to Nari.

‘Anyway, I’m going to stay here for a few weeks too.’
‘Huh? Aren’t you going to stay for a few hours and leave like usual?’

He blinked and looked at Mom.

Without his horn-rimmed glasses, his sharp eyes were fully revealed, but it didn’t feel unpleasant.

‘Well~ since I kept coming for short times, my husband and the princess and prince didn’t like it, so the whole family just came together. We’re going to stay here until the kids’ kindergarten vacation is over.’
‘…I see.’

At those words, Nan, seemingly a little disappointed, plopped back down on the bed.

Mom chuckled and began to take out a few books from her inventory.

‘What. The kids don’t like it. Could it be?’
‘I like it.’
‘But why do you look so disappointed…’

Mom, muttering, took off the book covers and also took out a laptop.

With a clack, Mom pulled out the desk in the hospital room where Nan was lying and set up the laptop and a few books.

‘…What is this?’

[Understanding Guild Management] [Completing Financial Statements in 30 Days]

Mom, who had finished setting up, turned on the laptop. A window with countless online lecture purchases was open.

‘You know it’s dangerous to continue like this, right? It’s not a fight you can win with force. I’ll connect you with some people I know.’
‘Are you telling me to learn this stuff? At this age? Me?’
‘What can’t you do? My kids’ dad also quit his job and started being a househusband right after marrying me. At first he even burned the fried eggs, but now he prepares twelve-dish meals every meal. Did you know he even won first place in a home decorating contest a few days ago? It’s so cute I could die, really…’
‘…’

Grunting, Nan began clicking on the laptop, not wanting to hear Mom’s bragging about Dad.

The lecture began with the instructor’s greeting.

Mom, seeing this, tried to turn her gaze and go outside the curtain, but turned back at the sound of her name being called.

‘…Kang Hana.’

He took his eyes off the computer and looked at Mom, then shifted his gaze slightly.

Sighing heavily and shaking his bangs a few times, he spoke quietly.

‘Why are you doing this for me?’
‘Because you were in front of my eyes at that time?’
‘Doesn’t sound very believable.’

Hmm, Mom’s humming continued.

The sound of lightly tapping the back of her neck with something like a fan was heard. Mom hesitated, then spoke again.

‘You weren’t fighting for selfish reasons, right? But you ended up hitting an unavoidable limit and having it taken away by the guys who were there. In that case, I want to take the side of people like you.’
‘…If you wanted, you could do anything yourself. You could monopolize the gates here together with the hunters I’m fighting against now and gain even more profit.’
‘Well. I have nothing to say if you put it that way, but still, the people here make a living off gate items, so I think it’s still bad for well-off people to reach out there to gain even one more benefit.’
‘In the end, it’s based on sympathy. I understand.’

Nan frowned and brushed his bangs once. Mom’s cheerful laughter was heard.

‘I just hope that anyone who comes into my sight can be happy, no matter who they are. They say even if your sleeves brush, it’s fate, so if it’s enough to be captured in your eyes, that must be fate too.’

At those words, he looked straight at Mom. Mom’s pleasant-sounding voice flowed out again.

‘I saw you, and I captured you in my eyes. That’s really all there is to it.’

And with that, the video in the frame ended. As Nari was about to naturally move on to the next frame, a black indirect message popped up in front of her.

[Nari, behind you! The Lord of Chaos says, getting nervous again.]

“What?! Ugh…!!”

With a bang, something was shot right next to Nari.

The corridor shook greatly once, and with a thud, fragments of jade fell from the ceiling.

“You came uninvited as you should. Not just anyone can enter here.”

In front of her stood an elderly woman with neatly combed hair in a bare-handed fighting stance.

Nari also knew who this person was. The person from the very first frame. It was Nahan. Nari gritted her teeth and whispered.

“What, I thought I wouldn’t get caught… with the recognition interference…”

[It seems her senses are extremely sensitive, the Lord of Chaos says tensely!]

Since she had set her presence to be almost invisible, to the point that even her own existence could not be known, it must have been an ability to detect even subtle changes in space.

She scattered green spiritual power in the air and blinked her green eyes.

“If you think you can avoid my gaze, you are greatly mistaken. Seeing that you use spiritual power, your weakness must be wind.”

[Monk Exclusive High-Level Skill :: Attribute Conversion] [Convert spiritual power to wind attribute!]

Pop! The spiritual power Nahan scattered in the air exploded like a bomb and transformed into a green wind, wrapping around Nari.

If she was going to be exposed like this, she scattered her spiritual power when the status condition seemed to be the right time. She immediately raised her head.

[Status condition :: ‘Anthropophobia’ is being activated! The rank of all skills is temporarily lowered! S -> B rank]

‘Damn it! Of all times!’

The spiritual power dust that had been downgraded to B-rank was only swirling around in the air, caught up in the S-rank spiritual power.

In the wind, Nahan’s voice tracking her was heard.

“Height in the mid-150s. A girl in her mid-20s. Uses spiritual power, and also…”

‘What should I do? No, first I have to open a dimensional gap right here…!’

As Nari, who had come to her senses, was thinking of future measures, Nahan, who had been muttering and tracking her, suddenly stopped talking.

The wind that had been wrapping around Nari slowly reduced its force.

“You over there, could it be.”

When Nari looked ahead in wonder, the rest of Nahan’s words were heard.

“Are you Nari?”