I Became a Raid Boss-Chapter 177: Variation (1)

Suddenly, this thought crossed my mind.

‘...Lately, it feels like I’m only looking for food.’

There’s a saying about the three necessities of life.

Clothes that protect the body.

Food that provides energy for life.

A home that keeps us safe from all threats.

So, looking for food isn’t really strange. But...

‘Maybe I’m going a bit overboard.’

To be honest, the way I’m hunting for food has become more than just about sustaining life.

There’s the word "taste" attached to food, so claiming that I’m eating to survive feels pretty shameless, doesn’t it?

It’s not like eating too much is going to harm my health, nor is anyone going to scold me for eating too much...

Well, not really.

But, still, I couldn’t help but think I might be starting to look like one of those people with a huge appetite.

“Oh my? A big appetite? Normally, kids need to eat a lot to grow. Even if they seem a little chubby during their growth period, it’s all going into their height. But, to me, Kana seems to be eating too little, not too much.”

“Eh, honestly, Kana doesn’t eat too little. But he doesn’t eat a lot either.”

“Oh my, look at you! Kana, do you know how much Da-eun used to eat when she was in high school? You wouldn’t believe it, but she used to buy a whole sack of rice, and it would be gone within a week!”

“Heh.”

“...It wasn’t that bad!”

“When I’d make side dishes and leave them, they’d disappear in an instant. If I turned my back for even a second, her stomach would already be empty... The food expenses were out of control. Can you believe that?”

“It wasn’t that bad!”

“No? If you don’t believe me, ask your dad. See what he says.”

At this, Da-eun’s gaze shifted to her father.

“Ahem...”

Pretending not to hear, her father desperately avoided eye contact, but in the end, he couldn’t resist and opened his mouth.

“...The food expenses did add up.”

“Still, it wasn’t to the point of being out of control!”

“....”

“...Dad?”

Her face looked like she had just been betrayed by her trusted subordinate.

Her father managed to avoid her gaze, clearly stained with the feeling of betrayal.

“This is the truth.”

Bang...!

The words of Auntie struck Da-eun’s head like a lightning bolt.

While Da-eun’s face was frozen in shock, Auntie wore a victorious smile.

“I really ate that much...?”

“Of course. If it wasn’t that bad, your grandmother wouldn’t have thrown her hands up in surrender.”

“Really?!”

“Really. You were fooled all this time.”

“No wonder she stopped telling me to eat more after a while...”

Today, Da-eun had learned many secrets of the world.

At this point, it seemed like Auntie had won the argument.

However, Da-eun’s eyes, cornered in defeat, were still burning with competitive spirit.

And as Auntie basked in her victory, Da-eun seized the opportunity to land a counterstrike.

“But, you know, if you keep telling Kana to eat more, it seems like you’ve become a grandmother now.”

“....”

Auntie’s face froze in shock at the unexpected strike.

Even Mr. Lee, who had been quietly eating, was caught off guard and stiffened.

Da-eun, the dutiful daughter, was truly showing her skills today.

But what happened next was too horrible for me to speak of.

As if flames had been lit on her back, Da-eun became a true firebrand, and I turned away from the scene.

Ignoring the carnage, Mr. Lee spoke to me.

“Is it good?”

“Yeah.”

Though the awkwardness had not entirely disappeared, after a few exchanges, it was no longer as unbearable as it was when we first met.

I imagined Mr. Lee was probably feeling the same way.

His manner of speaking to me now was far more relaxed and natural than when he first hesitated to speak in a stiff tone.

“These days, it’s easier to get ingredients regardless of the season, but eating seasonal food is still the best.”

“Mhm.”

“Try this as well.”

“Okay.”

As we returned to the original conversation, even though I knew I was eating more than I had back in Silia, I still couldn’t stop.

This was why.

“It’s delicious.”

How could I stop eating something this good?

It wasn’t like I’d never eaten the finest dishes from another world, but why did it taste so good?

Before I could even finish my bite, another piece of meat was placed in front of me.

Looking up slightly, I caught a glimpse of a smile, barely visible.

I hadn’t expected her to be so affectionate...

“Kana is cute, so how could I not love feeding someone as adorable as Kana? How could I not think you're precious?”

“....”

“...Ahem!”

Da-eun whispered from Auntie’s hands.

She whispered, but since she was trying to be discreet, Mr. Lee, who could clearly hear her voice, cleared his throat.

At the same time, the chopsticks holding a piece of meat shifted back.

But Da-eun didn’t miss it and smiled slyly.

“You’ve become such a daddy’s girl, huh? Dad, give me a bite too.”

“...Help yourself.”

“Hey, hey. You’re spoiling the younger one and ignoring the older one? This is making me upset... Ack?!”

“Ugh, you little rascal! Just eat your food!”

“P-Poor violence....”

Auntie’s violent reaction...

Muttering, Da-eun fell silent when Auntie shot her a sharp look.

Although we were all sitting at the same table, the atmosphere made it feel like we were sitting in pairs.

The side beside us was like a battlefield, and the other side, a peaceful dining table.

It wasn’t like they were really fighting, and I knew it was just a harmless game between a mother and daughter, so Mr. Lee and I paid no mind.

It was like a fixed match, a WWE kind of show.

Bang!

“Ah!”

Maybe not.

After the satisfying meal, Da-eun politely declined Mr. Lee’s offer to give her a ride home.

Since it wasn’t far, she decided to walk and enjoy the cool night air.

We said our goodbyes to Da-eun’s parents, who were leaving by car, and began walking through the dimly lit night streets.

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The clouds partially covered the moon, so there wasn’t much moonlight, but the streetlights dotted along the way made sure it wasn’t too dark.

“Now that I think about it, is this your first time dining out?”

“No, remember? We went shopping and ate before.”

“Oh, right. I remember now.”

“Da-eun, you’re such a fool.”

“...What? You’re calling me a fool?”

“You can’t say that. I don’t think it’s something Da-eun should say.”

Had Da-eun completely forgotten what she said earlier at the restaurant?

She really was a fool, wasn’t she?

“Kana going out is hard to imagine, huh?”

“I go out a lot.”

“Only recently. And even then, it’s just going to Yuki’s gym or back and forth between Silia.”

“That’s enough.”

Does going out only count if it’s for something else?

“It couldn’t be helped.”

“Hmm. I guess so. Kana’s so cute, if you went out too much, you’d become famous real quick. Like, entertainment agencies would be handing you their business cards and begging you to join, grabbing onto your pants leg, pleading...”

“Ugh.”

Today seemed strangely quiet.

I shook my head, and the hair that had fallen into my hoodie tickled my back.

No matter how much I twisted my body, the itching only grew stronger, never fading.

“Should I just cut it off?”

“What, what?!”

“...Why are you so surprised?”

“Oh, never mind.... I thought you meant you were going to cut off your neck.”

“....”

I stopped in my tracks at the absurdity of it all and looked up at Da-eun.

We were standing in a place without any streetlights, and only faint moonlight illuminated her face.

But even then, I could tell she was wearing a sheepish expression.

“What exactly do you think of me?”

“...Cute, kind, gentle... sometimes a little scary, my little sister?”

“You’ve never really treated me that scary.”

In fact, I always thought she treated me a lot more kindly than anyone else.

I couldn’t help but pout, and Da-eun let out a squeal.

“Ugh, sorry...! I didn’t mean it, so don’t make that face!”

“....”

“If Kana gets sad, I feel bad too...”

She said it in a voice that sounded like she really meant it.

“I was just kidding. You get so strict when you start training.”

“So?”

“Well... I don’t mind doing it if you say so, but you’re different from how you usually are, and it’s kind of new... It reminds me of when we first met, and when you told me to fight players before.”

“So you’re saying it’s scary because it reminds you of the old days?”

“No... I didn’t mean that.”

Even though she said that, the memory of those times had clearly left a strong impression, so I could see why she said it was scary.

I did feel a bit hurt, though.

Once she brought up the past, I didn’t know how to respond.

Honestly, back then, I didn’t really care if I died.

It was a bit uncomfortable to think about dying, but I figured I’d just come back anyway, so what did it matter?

That kind of thought.

“...I’ll be more careful.”

“Oh?! Really?! ...Hmmm.”

Da-eun, who had been happy and raising her voice, quickly corrected herself when I gave her a sharp look.

“If you’re saying it for my sake, then you don’t have to. Like I said earlier, I said I’d do it. It’s shameful to complain now after asking you to teach me, right?”

“Mhm.”

“So, you can continue doing it like you’ve been.”

She said that with a surprisingly strong will.

Da-eun, who used to be so weak and scared, was saying something like this...

Though she was pretending to act calm on the outside, I was quite surprised inside.

Now that Da-eun had said this, I had to make sure I didn’t disappoint her.

“Got it. I’ll do my best.”

“...Wait, can I cancel? Now that you said you’ll do your best, I’m getting scared...!”

“Once it’s decided, it’s final.”

Da-eun’s face fell as she heard my resolute words.