I Became a Raid Boss

I suddenly had this thought.

‘…Lately, I’ve been too focused on finding food.’

There’s a reason why people say food, clothing, and shelter are essential.

Clothes to protect the body.

Food to gain energy necessary for life.

And a house to stay safe from all kinds of threats.

So, searching for food isn’t exactly unusual, but―

‘I think it might be a bit… excessive.’

To be honest, my pursuit of food had long surpassed the basic need for survival.

There’s the word “preference” attached to food, so insisting that I eat solely to live would be shameless, right?

Eating a lot doesn’t harm my health.

No one nags me for eating too much…

Well, not exactly, but yeah.

Still, I couldn’t help but wonder if I looked like someone overly obsessed with food―in other words, a glutton.

“Oh my? A glutton? Nonsense. Kids should eat a lot to grow properly. During the growth phase, even if they seem a bit chubby, it all turns into height later. From what I see, Kana eats too little, and that’s the real problem.”

“Come on, Kana doesn’t exactly eat little. But it’s not like she eats a lot either.”

“Oh, listen to this one. Kana, do you know how much Da-eun used to eat in high school? Once, we bought a whole sack of rice, and it was gone in a week.”

“Wow.”

“…It wasn’t that much!”

“Oh, it absolutely was. I’d cook side dishes and put them in the fridge, and they’d disappear in no time. Even for a teenager with a fast metabolism, it was extreme. Can you believe the grocery bills became unmanageable?”

“It wasn’t that bad!”

“Not bad, huh? If you don’t believe me, ask your dad. See what he says.”

At this, Da-eun’s eyes shifted to her dad.

“Ahem…”

Pretending not to hear, pretending not to know.

Her dad desperately avoided Da-eun’s gaze, but in the end, he succumbed to her persistent stare.

“…The grocery bills were quite high.”

“But honestly, it wasn’t unmanageable!”

“….”

“…Dad?”

The expression on Da-eun’s face was as if she’d been betrayed by her most trusted subordinate.

This time, her dad successfully avoided her betrayal-filled gaze.

“This is the truth, dear.”

Bang…!

Aunt’s words struck Da-eun like lightning.

While Da-eun was left in shock, aunt wore a triumphant smile.

“I really ate that much…?”

“Of course. Your grandma even gave up trying to keep up.”

“She really did?!”

“She really did. Have you been living in ignorance all this time?”

“No wonder she stopped telling me to eat more at some point….”

Today, Da-eun uncovered several secrets of the world.

Thus, the match seemed to end in aunt’s victory―

But Da-eun, cornered, still burned with determination.

Finally, she seized the moment when her opponent was basking in her victory and delivered a critical blow.

“―But considering you’re telling Kana to eat more, isn’t that proof you’re becoming just like Grandma?”

“….”

Aunt’s face froze at the unexpected counterattack.

Even Da-eun’s dad, who had been quietly eating, also froze.

Once again, Da-eun proved herself a dutiful daughter.

What followed was so horrifying that I couldn’t bear to put it into words.

Da-eun, now truly “fire” in every sense of the word, was ignored by me.

Even her dad, who had been pretending not to notice, turned to me with a question.

“Is it good?”

“Yeah.”

The awkwardness between us hadn’t completely disappeared yet, but after a few encounters, it wasn’t as suffocating as when we first met.

I figured he probably felt the same.

Looking at him speaking naturally now, it was hard to imagine the stiff, hesitant way he had spoken before.

“Times have changed, so you can get ingredients regardless of the season, but still, seasonal foods taste the best.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Try this, too.”

“Okay.”

Returning to the original topic.

Even though I realized I ate much more now than when I was in Silia, I couldn’t stop because of moments like this.

“It’s delicious.”

How could I resist when it tasted this good?

Even though I had tasted delicacies in the other world, why did everything here seem so delicious?

As soon as I emptied my spoon, another piece of meat was placed on top of my bowl.

When I slightly lifted my head, I saw a faint smile on a face that wasn’t easy to notice.

I hadn’t expected such warmth…

“It’s because Kana is so adorable. How could I not adore a child like Kana when she eagerly accepts whatever I give her?”

“….”

“…Ahem!”

Freed from aunt’s attention, Da-eun whispered.

Though, calling it a whisper was an exaggeration since her voice was loud enough for her father to clearly hear, prompting him to clear his throat awkwardly.

At the same time, the chopsticks holding a piece of meat retreated discreetly.

But Da-eun, not missing the opportunity, smirked.

“You’ve turned into a total daughter fool, haven’t you? Dad, can I have a bite too?”

“…Serve yourself.”

“What’s this? You’re only taking care of the younger daughter and ignoring the older one? That’s so unfair―Ack?!”

“Stop it and just eat your meal quietly!”

“V-Violence is not the answer….”

Violent aunt….

Da-eun, muttering under her breath, shut her mouth when the aunt sharply raised her eyebrows.

Although four people were seated at the table, it felt like two separate worlds.

One side was a war zone with bombs and bullets flying, while the other side was a peaceful dining table.

Since we knew this wasn’t a serious fight and just a playful bickering between a mother and daughter, neither the uncle nor I paid it much mind.

It was like a staged drama, a scripted WWE match.

Slap!

“Ack!”

Or maybe not.

***

After finishing a satisfying meal,

Da-eun politely declined her father’s offer to drive her home.

Since it wasn’t far, she said she would enjoy the cool night air and walk home.

After sending off Da-eun’s parents as they drove away, we began walking home along the dimly lit street.

The moonlight was sparse, as half the moon was hidden behind clouds, but the occasional streetlights compensated for the lack of light, so it wasn’t entirely dark.

“Come to think of it, was this our first time dining out together?”

“No, remember? Last time, we ate out when we went shopping.”

“Oh… right. That’s true.”

“Da-eun, you’re so forgetful.”

“…How dare you call your older sister something like that?”

“I don’t think Da-eun is one to talk.”

Did she already forget everything she said to her mom at the restaurant?

She’s such a fool.

“It’s just hard to imagine Kana going out, so I got confused.”

“I go out quite a lot, though.”Nôv(el)B\\jnn

“Only recently. And even then, it’s just to Yuki’s gym and Silia.”

“That’s enough, isn’t it?”

Why would I need to go out for anything else?

“Well, there’s that.”

“Mhm. But Kana is so cute. If you wandered around carelessly, you’d become famous in no time. Talent agencies would give you their business cards, begging you to join. They’d cling to your legs, pleading for you to come―.”

“Sigh.”

I thought it was strange that she had been quiet until now.

I shook my head, which caused some hair to slip into my hood and tickle my back.

Twisting my body only made the tickling sensation worse, not better.

“Maybe I should just cut it all off.”

“Wh-What?!”

“…Why are you so surprised?”

“N-No reason…. I just thought you meant you were going to cut off my head or something.”

“….”

I was so dumbfounded that I stopped walking and looked up at Da-eun.

Coincidentally, we were standing in a spot without a streetlight, so only the faint moonlight illuminated her face.

Still, I could clearly see the embarrassed expression on her face.

“What do you even think of me?”

“…Cute, kind, sweet. …And sometimes a little scary little sister?”

“I’ve never done anything scary, though.”

If anything, I treat her far more kindly than I treat others.

As I unconsciously pouted, Da-eun let out a sharp cry.

“Eek! I’m sorry…! I was wrong, so please don’t make that face!”

“….”

“When Kana looks downhearted, it makes me sad too….”

Her dejected voice made it clear that this was genuine.

“I was just joking. It’s just that when Kana trains, she becomes so strict.”

“So?”

“Well, um… It’s not that I mind or anything. I asked for it, after all. But the contrast with your usual self is so stark, it’s striking…? It reminds me of when we first met and when you made me fight those players.”

“So, you’re saying it’s scary because it reminds you of the past?”

“No… I was just joking when I said it was scary.”

Even though she said that, her words revealed just how much of an impression that time had left on her.

It stung a little, but….

Since she brought up the past, it was hard for me to argue.

Honestly, back then, I didn’t care if she lived or died.

Sure, dying would’ve been unpleasant, but since she’d just revive anyway, I figured, what did it matter?

That’s how I thought.

“…I’ll be more careful.”

“What?! Really?! …Ahem.”

Da-eun’s voice rose in excitement, but upon receiving my glare, she quickly cleared her throat.

“If you’re doing it for my sake, there’s no need. Like I said, I asked for this. It’d be pathetic if I started complaining about it being hard now, wouldn’t it?”

“Mhm.”

“So, you can keep doing things the way you’ve been doing them.”

Her words carried a strong sense of determination.

For someone as timid and fearful as Da-eun to say something like that…

Outwardly, I acted calm, but inwardly, I was quite surprised.

If Da-eun was willing to go that far, I couldn’t afford to let her down.

“Got it. I’ll give it my all.”

“…Wait a second. Can I take that back? When Kana says she’ll give it her all, it suddenly sounds terrifying…!”

“Too late to back out now.”

At my firm response, Da-eun pouted.

—

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