Chapter 38: Ramyeon (Instant Noodles) and the Person from Another World

“It’s possible?”

“Yeah. Want me to show you?”

I Change Jobs from Awakener to Hunter

The government presented various perspectives and observations about the Floating Island hovering over the airspace of the Republic of Korea.

Currently, the Floating Island was moving slowly.

Various tests had been conducted, but the reasons for the Floating Island’s appearance, and the phenomenon preventing entry, were still being researched.

Even with satellite observation, nothing inside the Floating Island could be seen apart from its exterior.

Physical attacks were also useless; even contact with the Floating Island was impossible. It was as if it didn’t exist in this world.

“You can show me?”

“Of course. Uncle, are you feeling homesick? Want me to show you?”

“Show me.”

Since I’m originally from Korea, I don’t really feel homesick.

For the first time in a long while, Karin shrugged her shoulders, making an exceptionally arrogant expression.

It was as if she expected me to bow and beg if I wanted to see it.

“If you don’t want, I don’t have to show you.”

“Huh? W-wait. I’m going to show you, I just connected the call!”

Karin, who had returned from her high and mighty attitude to a meek one, put her hand on the empty table.

A dome-shaped semicircle formed on the table. The image inside looked just like a SimCity game.

It felt like looking down on Rania Territory from above.

It was a picture as if someone had lifted up a whole city and placed it there.

“You can zoom in like this.”

Saying that, Karin dragged her finger across the semicircle. And, to my surprise, the screen started zooming in.

As the view zoomed in, what once looked like mere dots turned out to be people.

I saw the city gates that had always protected the city, and the Rania Soldiers standing guard above them.

I even saw the familiar Market and the busy streets filled with people going about their day.

It was the landscape of Rania Territory that I’d experienced myself.

It’s been a while since I last saw Rania Castle.

Karin already looked lost in nostalgia.

“At first, everyone was really confused since we were completely cut off from the outside, but now things have stabilized somewhat.”

“Cut off?”

“Yeah. All transportation to other regions has been completely severed.”

She said it so casually.

As if she were saying, “I got a package yesterday, but starting tomorrow I won’t get any more.” Her tone was just that comfortable.

“If economic activities are cut off, what do those people eat? How do they survive?”

“That’s what the Relief Skill is for. We’re supporting them with food supplies.”

Relief.

It literally means helping the common folk.

“Where would you get money for that?”

“I sold all my items when I quit the game, remember? I solved it with that.”

Huh, something feels off.

“How does selling game items have anything to do with providing relief to your territory?”

“Why wouldn’t it?”

“It doesn’t, does it?”

“It does.”

Karin pointed to a box of ramen.

“Now, I select the ramen.”

I watched, blinking in confusion, wondering what nonsense she was up to this time.

“If I drag it on the screen—”

The box of ramen vanished.

“There, ramen supply to the territory’s residents complete.”

Now, on the screen, I could see dot-like graphics of the residents cheering with their hands in the air.

Wait, what’s going on here? Why are the territory’s residents so happy over a box of ramen?

“One box of ramen here turns into a hundred boxes over there.”

That’s insanely convenient.

What, did getting stuck on the Floating Island turn the territory’s residents into ants or something?

What’s a snack crumb to a human is a year’s food for an ant?

No, there’s a more important question I should be asking.

Why are physical goods able to cross over to the Floating Island? And do the residents even know what ramen is, and that it’s something to be happy about?

As if she could read my mind, Karin zoomed in even further on one of the territory’s residents.

There, two of the residents were having an argument.

“Looks like there’s a disagreement between one who says you should put the noodles in boiling water first, and another who says the soup base goes in first. How should I judge this?”

Karin said this with a troubled look on her face.

Seriously, it’s fine if she’s the only ramen fanatic, but she’s made all the residents into ramen zealots.

Even though it’s all dot graphics, if you look closely, their hair is all curly like ramen noodles.

I saw something I shouldn’t have. Should’ve just kept my mouth shut.

“My lord level is still low, so I can’t use many features yet, but as the synchronization rate rises, more menus unlock.”

“Hey, this isn’t some weird game, is it? You didn’t just slap the name Rania Territory on some game and now think you’re on the Floating Island, right?”

Honestly, it’s a bit hard to believe.

“It’s not.”

“Yes, it is.”

“I said it’s not.”

“Fine, have it your way.”

At my words, a faint wrinkle appeared on Karin’s beautiful brow.

Maybe because of what happened in the dungeon today, I ended up asking her something pointless without realizing it.

“Can you talk to them? Like, have a conversation?”

“Didn’t you say you don’t believe me?”

“I’m just curious if you can.”

“You can. It’s like, you know, chatting—like texting. You can talk back and forth.”

Texting, she says.

Honestly, it’s really hard to believe.

I get that Hunters and other abilities-users are all connected to the System.

But are those ordinary residents on the other side also connected to the System?

‘Since the entire territory crossed over here, maybe they all connected to the System too.’

I don’t get it, but since even top researchers haven’t figured out the System, I sure wouldn’t know.

“Can you also see a list of people born or dead in the territory?”

“Out of the blue?”

“Yeah.”

At my question, Karin’s face stiffened slightly.

“Why do you want to know something like that?”

“Just curious.”

Karin let out a short sigh.

“Uncle, don’t worry about things like that.”

I’d heard that before, once.

At Karin’s words, Hyunbin let out a faint, bitter smile.

He’d seen that look on her face before. No, he’d seen it often.

Hero Bin.

The one summoned from another world who could wield the Heavenly Sword to defeat the Demon King who spread terror across the continent.

He fought for a world that had nothing to do with him. He was a guardian of peace, and achieved many accomplishments.

All in just a few years.

Yet he never received proper rewards.

All he got for his sacrifices was the title of the strongest, and the glory of wounds.

After the Hero defeated the Demon King, a brief peace came to the continent.

But soon, the Seven Kingdoms began fighting for supremacy.

With the great evil gone, they all sought to claim the empty throne.

As a result, more people died than during the Demon King’s reign.

Hero Bin watched countless people die. And he saw the forces seeking supremacy turn their threat toward the innocent Rania Territory.

The Hero picked up his sword once again. This time, against the very kingdom he had once protected.

So much blood was spilled. Every time the knights at his side met their end, the Hero kept a calm face, but inside he was rotting away.

Time passed, enough for the little lord to grow into a beautiful lady.

The Hero seized supremacy over the continent.

But he gained a deep trauma. That was…

“Can you check if Diana Criston is alive?”

He was extremely sensitive to the deaths of others.

Sometimes he suffered extreme anguish, and sometimes, extreme rage.

Karin searched the residents in her System window.

Diana Criston came up.

Karin felt a wave of sadness. She had lived in the west of Rania Territory as an orphan.

She lost her mother early, and her father died as a soldier in the war.

Left an orphan, she lived with her younger brother. But her misfortune didn’t end there—

‘Deceased…’

She didn’t understand why he suddenly wanted to know about Diana’s life or death. There was no way he could know Diana had died yesterday.

“You can check, Uncle, but why do you want to know?”

“So she’s dead.”

He was quick-witted, hard to fool.

“No, she’s totally fine, living well. Don’t you see her there, eating ramen with everyone? Should I send some kimchi too?”

“Did she die yesterday?”

Karin flinched inside, but forced a smile as she answered.

“No, really, she’s fine.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Uncle, can I order delivery food? I’m hungry.”

“Do whatever you want. Since when did you need my permission?”

“True.”

With a silly giggle, Karin started browsing her favorite restaurants.

Anyone could see her guardian wasn’t in a good mood. She guessed something must have happened on his last hunt.

‘I’m curious.’

But Karin didn’t ask.

She thought asking might just make things harder for him.

‘I’ll look for a chance to ask later.’

Karin was patient.

From her childhood, she had learned to hide her feelings and smile as if nothing was wrong.

Soon, the food arrived.

Seeing the complimentary fried dumplings from the usual Chinese restaurant put her in a good mood.

Eating something tasty always lifts her spirits. If it works for her, it should work for her guardian too.

Having devoured the extra-large bowl of black bean noodles in no time, Karin glanced over at Hyunbin, who was still picking at his spicy seafood noodles.

“Uncle, don’t you have an appetite?”

“…Maybe not?”

‘He’s eating just fine, though?’ Isn’t it weird that she finished an extra-large black bean noodle in a minute?

Getting her usual scolding from her guardian, Karin just laughed it off.

She was relieved to see Hyunbin seemed a little less upset.

“Uncle, should I become a Hunter too?”

“Hunter? Out of nowhere? Why?”

“Like I said earlier, I need money to support the residents.”

She partly did it for the residents, but she had another, bigger reason.

Ever since Hyunbin became a Hunter, more and more wounds kept appearing on his body.

She always snuck in at night to heal him, but someday, an enemy might come that even she couldn’t handle.

Her guardian was stronger than anyone, but he still wasn’t the strongest being here.

No matter how strong he was, a sudden mishap could still put him in danger.

“What about school?”

“Who cares about school? My residents are more important.”

“That’s a good attitude, but don’t.”

“Why not? Don’t you trust me?”

Hyunbin let out a small snort as he looked at Karin.

“I’ll give you money, so just go to school. Back in your original world, you never even got to hang out with kids your own age, did you?”

At those words, Karin closed her mouth.

In truth, in the territory she’d only had subordinates and vassals, never any friends.

No, she hadn’t even had the luxury of making friends. If her judgment slipped even a little, everyone’s lives were on the line.

“Even if it’s not my guild salary, I make quite a bit of extra income, so don’t worry about money.”

At his thoughtfulness, Karin beamed. She was grateful for his concern.

“Then just give me, like, a hundred bills. That should do it.”

“A hundred thousand won? That’s all?”

Karin answered with a mock-serious face.

“What are you saying? Make it a billion.”

“Where should I hit you so it’ll be famous for being a proper smack?”

“Go ahead and try. I’ll make you an internet star by tomorrow morning.”

Karin snorted and waved her phone with her SNS account open.

With such trivial bickering, the two headed to their own rooms and fell asleep.

The next morning.

Karin yawned as she stepped out of her room, but Hyunbin was nowhere to be seen.

His daily routine.

Whether before or after awakening, Hyunbin never skipped his daily running and training.

‘Today’s the day.’

Karin checked the reminder she’d set in her phone’s calendar app.

Normally, she would have grabbed a good breakfast, but she had a lot to do today. She quickly slipped into her room’s shower.

After a refreshing wash, she dried off, wrapped a towel around her head, and started putting on her base makeup.

Thanks to a great sleep, her makeup went on flawlessly, making her feel almost like someone else.

Finishing her preparations, Karin stepped out of her room.

Just then, Hyunbin returned from his run and was lifting dumbbells in the yard.

“What, are you going out?”

“Yup!”

Hyunbin put down the dumbbells and, toweling off his sweat, spoke again, sounding a bit unimpressed.

“Your skirt’s too short.”

“Please. What era are you from, the Joseon Dynasty?”

“How does someone from another world even know about the Joseon Dynasty? Wait, are you wearing makeup?”

“Yep.”

Hyunbin looked a bit flustered.

Karin smiled brightly and said,

“I’ll be back later.”

“Not eating breakfast?”

“Nope.”

“Where are you going?”

“On a date.”

At that, Hyunbin blinked.

Soon, he snorted, and Karin snorted right back.

As Karin left, Hyunbin finished his workout and went into the living room.

Come to think of it, it was about time she started dating.

‘Still, she’s sharp enough not to end up with some weirdo.’

With that peace of mind, Hyunbin listened to the sound coming from the TV.

-At first, I thought it was just a phase. But I never imagined he’d change course entirely…

Hearing the laments of a sobbing father on the TV, Hyunbin’s pupils began to tremble.