V55C7P1 – Ramen Day
The dragon lair robbery was a huge success!
Lee Hyun fell into a pleasant contemplation of selling a tremendous amount of gear.
“It’s too much to sell all of this at once…”
Trades were low at every auction site. It was to purchase equipments from the dragon lair as soon as they became available.
“If I make profit this instant, a lot of people are going to try and take a share.”
Lee Hyun learned the life lesson while watching robbery movies that teams break up over the split of the spoils.
“Tie up loose ends.”
He decided to proceed slowly with the organization of the treasures. It wasn’t as if these treasures that he stashed were going to walk away on their own. After the shares are distributed to the dwarves, assault team and the Mapan Council he would still have over half left over.
“I’m going to make a crazy amount of money.”
Lee Hyun spoke serenely.
“Going to buy some things that I wanted for myself…”
He was going to buy a thick winter jacket.
Clothes from the market fell off in terms of cold protection compared to the brand jackets sold in a mall.
“If I look for something on clearance, I’m sure I’ll land something not too expensive.
Then with the rest of the money I will buy real estate.”
In the end, it was all real estate!
Lee Hyun made up his mind as he searched the internet and the hot search keyword list came into view.
Dragon Lair Robbery
Black Dragon Kaybern
Ulta Mountain Pass Forest Fire
Oberon’s Death
Seoyoon’s glamorous body
Kaybern’s Lair
Seoyoon’s Height
Dragon Lair Treasure
Seoyoon’s Voice
The dragon lair robbery took most of the keyword charts.
In regards to Seoyoon, she was always on the top of the charts all year long and it was no surprise.
“But, did Oberon-nim die?”
There were related videos of him running alone in order to save the dwarves of the transport team that was surrounded by monsters.
He did save his comrades but died in the end.
He raised his abilities substantially through the Brazier of Sacrifice and therefore was able to save many lives.
He drew the monsters to aid in the escape of the other transport teams.
“This man was saving the day over there as well.”
Lee Hyun was appreciative of Oberon yet very uncomfortable.
‘Is it fun to live life that way?’
For him, life had value only when he lived for himself.
Oberon had a lifestyle that he could never come to understand, but he was appreciated nonetheless.
“Including the situation at the lair, I acknowledge that Oberon-nim had the biggest contribution. I have at least a bit of conscience after all. I don’t think two equipments will suffice.”
It was a concern as to what kind of reward he should present to Oberon.
Lee Hyun thought that sincerity was important, so he received the contact information of Oberon and the dwarves that used the Brazier of Sacrifice. He sent them a text message personally.
– Hello. This is Weed. You have my sincerest gratitude for your great help in the dragon’s lair. There doesn’t seem to be a proper way to express my thanks. Hmm-hmm.
Our family is going to get together tomorrow and eat ramen. Delicious kimchi and homemade dumplings are also on the menu.
Would you like to join us?
Ramen specially cooked by Lee Hyun himself.
It might not seem like a big deal, but it was an extraordinary treatment for anyone in the broadcasting station.
He didn’t expect that many people of whom got the mass text message to visit.
“They are busy people. No way they will actually come to eat ramen. This is just showing some respect through text.”
This was true especially for Oberon who was different from the other users in that he was famous for his inactivity out in the community.
In Royal Road he created a guild and led people passionately, but in real life he never appeared on interviews or shows.
However, the users replied soon after.
– It’s an honor. I will certainly be there.
– For such a day to come. I am in the least disappointed about dying!
– I’ve wanted to meet you all my life.
– Thank you so much for inviting me. I will definitely make a visit.
– I asked for a day off at work. My boss happily signed off on it. Please give me just one autograph.
– I will run this instant… Ah, it is tomorrow. How can I wait until tomorrow comes?! I will spend the night eyes wide open and run over in the morning. Swoosh-swoosh.
There were also users that did not reside in South Korea.
– I booked a flight. I will layover in Paris and arrive in South Korea early morning. I’m so looking forward to it.
– Can I come with my mom? My mom wants to go as well. This is Moscow.
– Japan here. I’m going to take a doll with me. Can you sign your autograph on it? I have all 45 dolls of the sculptural creatures including Wyvern and Bingryong!
– I am departing from Turkey. I am leaving now. My heart is pounding.
Lee Hyun sighed regretfully.
“Just eat ramen at your own homes. To think they would really come.”
The people were too clueless. Oberon’s reply came later.
– I just read your message. I will be on my flight right now.
Honestly, it was a frustrating situation.
“Do these people not have any ramen in their lives or something?”
***
The ramen party, contrary to his intentions, became too much of a spectacle!
Lee Hyun got up the next morning and walked to the market with Seoyoon.
“I have to cook ramen for the guests when they arrive at lunch.”
“I know. I saw it on broadcast.”
“Broadcast?”
“Yes. It was urgent news on CTS Media, that you are holding a ramen party for the dwarves.”
“…”
The broadcast station even sent out ramen cooking as urgent news!
Lee Hyun thought that such intrusion was unavoidable as he had become famous.
“Anyways, people are coming over and I can’t cook just ramen like a bad host.”
“Should we buy beef too?”
“No. Not to that extent… Let’s put a bunch of stuff in the ramen. They say that one needs to live life conservatively, but you shouldn’t cheap out on food for the visitors.”
He had little memories with his parents that passed away when he was young.
But, he did remember that his mom used to cook a lot of food whenever guests came over to the house.
“Let’s buy some mussels… A little bit of crabs too. Crabs in the soup will be amazing.”
“How about some sashimi? I can cook them spicy fish stew too.”
“I’m saying it again. This shouldn’t go that far.”
Lee Hyun cut her off cold heartedly.
It was because 28 users notified him of their visit.
The two walked around the market, buying necessities and cooking ingredients, enjoying their usual date.
***
Lunch time approached and Lee Hyun made sure to keep Lee Hyeon’s mouth closed.
“It is the same with all the dwarves, but don’t make fun of Oberon-nim being short when he arrives.”
“Alright, brother.”
“You have to maintain manners. You can’t make fun of people based on their appearances.”
“I don’t do that. And dwarves are just a small race. It has nothing to do with his real life height.”
“Can’t you tell from him not appearing on shows? I guarantee that he will be shorter and uglier than me.”
“That’s strange. He is kind and has leadership. The attitude in which he leads other people doesn’t give off that kind of vibe.”
“Hey…”
“I’ll be careful.”
Lee Hyeyun agreed to it even though it was not logically sound for her.
Quarrelling over his nagging could easily turn into a 10 hour lecture.
Long time ago, she hung out with the wrong group of friends and rebelled to the extreme, breaking her leg in the end.
That was immense pain, but nothing compared to what happened after.
Lee Hyun nagged her 10 hours a day until her leg healed!
“We don’t have mom or dad! School is a pain in the butt! I’m embarrassed to show up in front of other kids looking poor!”
Talking back harshly had no effect.
Once the nagging began, the process and the end was predetermined.
“Are you embarrassed of being poor? Then it means that you can still endure. When you were young I changed your diapers and carried you on my back every day. It seems you forgot all of that. You weren’t potty trained at all.”
Since her unretained baby years and along the timeline, he spoke about incidents where he went around to pick up school bags or used clothing in order to send her to school.
His nagging told from old, unending stories to analyzing every detail as to why her current actions are illegitimate. He even went onto the worries about the past, present and the future. It was a bombardment of scolding with introduction, development, turn and conclusion on a timeline!
‘Whew. That’s too much.’
Lee Hyeyun became exhausted and fell asleep. But she couldn’t escape from the nagging that started again the next morning.
About 5 days of his nagging, Lee Hyeyun thought to herself.
‘I might actually be pretty smart? I’m starting to memorize all his nagging.’
It continued on for 20 days and she was struck with a headache.
‘Getting beat is better on my soul than this. I feel like I’m going to kill myself listening to him.’
Lee Hyeyun changed drastically after that day.
She cut contact with her bad social circle, studied hard and never let her brother gain an opportunity to scold her.
“You…”
“I got 98 for the english exam this month. I got one wrong. I will get 100 in the next exam.’
‘Make sure to go over…”
“Yup. I will check two, three times and avoid mistakes.”
“Your friends…”
“Yeah, they’re friends who study diligently at school.”
“Don’t spend time just studying…”
“I don’t study all the time. I have various hobbies. I read books and I work out regularly.”
His nagging converted a human soul!
After that, she would have several dreams where Lee Hyun scolds her that woke her up instantly.
‘Will unni get scolded too?’
Lee Hyeyun thought that Seoyoon will run away after finding out her brother’s real side.
Nagging got annoying with just a few words, and no one could possibly withstand several hours.
‘Honestly there are other guys out there. If unni leaves, he would be devastated, no?’
It won’t be long until the nagging begins for Seoyoon too.
It was a nagging bombardment that didn’t stop whether you cried or atoned.
That anxiety had continued every day for her.
Lee Hyeyun with a concerned heart went to see Seoyoon.
“Unni, you have to be cautious of my brother today.”
“Hmm?”
“He’s cooking ramen for the dwarves. He’s going to feel very annoyed by it.”
“How bad?”
“I know because I’m his sister, and you have to watch out. Especially don’t talk to other guys no matter what happens. My brother has issues with jealousy.”
“Did he ever get jealous because of his girlfriend before?”
“He never did date a girl before… But you can see it in him. He will be narrow minded and overly jealous.”
Seoyoon shook her head in certainty.
“He’s not that kind of person.”
“I’m speaking the truth. I’ll throw in a deep secret. He thinks that he himself is very good looking.”
“He’s the most handsome guy on earth.”
“…”
Lee Hyeyun was confused as if she went through 2 hours of nagging.
‘She is buried in roses.’
Even so, in order to upkeep justice she spoke softly.
“In fact, my brother nags a lot.”
“He does it so that you will do better in life. I understand all that.”
From a young age, Lee Hyeyun thought that her brother getting a girlfriend would never come true. But now, she could see the two spending sweet times very often.
‘For me to survive, I have to become independent as soon as possible.’
(To be continued…)