WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The S-Classes That I Raised ◈

Chapter 113: Ruler of Water (2)

──────

“By the way, is this safe for people nearby too?”

It was a one-use Mythic-Class skill item. With a grand name like Ruler of Water, its effects when used would be no joke. Yerim would be fine as the item user, but everyone else was the problem. If they got caught up in it by mistake, they might not even leave bones behind. Even with Eunhye, I doubted I could last more than ten minutes.

[That depends on what the user intends. They could become intoxicated by the power for a moment, so it would be best not to give it to someone hostile toward Honey.]

Had I ever done anything wrong to Yerim? I didn't think so. I could shield Yoohyun with my body if necessary, and Seong Hyeonje would probably manage to survive on his own.

“How much can we tell people about the two factions and the dungeon? We can at least tell them that dungeon difficulty will increase, right?”

Even over the past three years, the number of high-grade dungeons had increased compared to the beginning.

[It would be best not to mention us or the Filial Piety Addicts if possible. Even if you have no choice but to tell someone, describe it as vaguely as you can. The more people in Honey's world come to know, the weaker the resistance of Honey's world becomes, making it easier to intervene. Think of it like someone who is wary and never lets strangers into their home, but happily welcomes a celebrity they see frequently on TV despite that person being a complete stranger.]

“Then why did the lizard's owner make everyone keep quiet? It seems like it would be better to spread the word.”

[It's simple. They are weaker than us. If we were not trapped, we would have already cleaned them up completely. If the strength each side can exert through intervention grows stronger, we could capture and eliminate even Diarma while still trapped. But Honey's world would break then. The Filial Piety Addicts hold back for self-preservation, while we hold back to protect the world.]

In other words, if both sides' influence in our world grew too great, it would ruin everything for both of them, so they were being cautious.

Still, the Mermaid Queen said that because of regression, along with what Diarma had done, the strength they could exert through intervention had grown greater than before. That must be why they could make a dungeon for me. That zombie bastard had left behind quite a large gift too.

After answering that it was fine to briefly inform those around us about the dungeon and what lay ahead, the Mermaid Queen's voice vanished.

[Waterdrop sunbae will have to pay the price for giving Honey a skill, so it will be difficult to contact her for a while. Is there anything else you are curious about?]

Newbie spoke while bouncing around. Things I was curious about, huh.

“Earlier, you acted like you knew Seong Hyeonje, that man over there. That was from before the regression, right?”

The face drawn on the volleyball nodded.

“Can you tell me any more about it?”

[I don't know much. Crescent Moon was the one who came into contact with Chain, but Crescent Moon fell asleep.]

So Seong Hyeonje was Chain. Then why was I Honey? What did I have to do with honey?

“Waterdrop and the others don't know either?”

[No. Back then, it was still difficult to directly contact people from Honey's world. I don't know why Crescent Moon did it, but it's certain that Crescent Moon helped Chain sever the contract with the lizard's owner. There may have been other transactions as well, but Chain was caught up in Honey's regression, and Crescent Moon is asleep, so we don't know.]

What the hell had that man been doing before the regression? If he had cut ties with that lizard bastard, maybe he had been trying to save the world... No, that didn't suit him at all. There had to be another reason. Maybe he had simply gotten bored or something.

“That wasn't very helpful. Give me something instead.”

[What?]

“Give me anything useful. A skill, an item, whatever. Don't you have anything fire-attribute? Healing would be good too. Just hand it over.”

I grabbed the volleyball and shook it hard. Whether it wanted to ease its guilt or whatever, it needed to hand over something for the kids.

[W-wait, Honey. You already received a skill.]

“You didn't give it to me. You hand something over too, then go sleep.”

There needed to be at least one person I could reason with, so aside from Tree, I should wring Deer and Wolf dry too.

[If I fall asleep too, it will become difficult to manage the system!]

“...I forgot about that. Then help somehow in another way.”

[I gave you a customized item when you caught the toad. From now on, when I am with Honey, I will tailor items or skills for you. That much is possible.]

“Only when you're with me?”

[Only Honey is connected to me. Normally, rewards are given automatically. The system runs on its own, and we only check whether there are problems. But it is relatively easier to intervene in dungeons where Honey is present, so I can choose reward items.]

Did that mean I had to go along every time they cleared an S-Class dungeon? ...I was too busy raising the kids for that, so I would only go for newly discovered S-Class dungeons. No, maybe I should run high-grade S-Class dungeons once. If we took everyone and cleared them quickly, they might receive S-Class or higher items and skills suited to each of them.

After making Newbie confirm once more not to forget the customized items and skills, I let the volleyball go. Newbie wailed and bounced away.

[We will return to the original dungeon in ten minutes!]

Yerim chased the fleeing volleyball for a few steps before turning back to me. Her eyes were practically sparkling with curiosity.

“What is that? And where are we? There aren't even any monsters. This doesn't seem like an ordinary dungeon.”

“I am curious as well.”

“Yoohyun, you didn't explain?”

At my question, Yoohyun shrugged.

“I explained that it was not going to hurt Hyung, so they should mind their own business, I mean, not worry about it.”

That explanation was far too brief. I told the two of them that this was a place for contacting the system administrators, and that the escaping volleyball was a system administrator. Seong Hyeonje, who knew about the Filial Piety Addicts, looked like he had already guessed. Yerim opened her mouth wide in surprise.

“Wow, a volleyball was managing the system!”

“Keep it secret from everyone else.”

“The world really is round!”

...What kind of nonsense was that? In any case, we should only tell the bare minimum number of people about the system administrators and this place. Seong Hyeonje was already deeply involved, and Yerim needed an explanation because of the skill she had received, but the others... Noah and Riette had heard about the Filial Piety Addicts too. Should I tell them? I would watch a little longer first.

“Yerim, this is an item that lets you use the skill inside it exactly once.”

I held out the jewel given by the Mermaid Queen. Saying it looked similar to the gem in her earrings, Yerim accepted the item, then looked startled again.

“This, this! The grade!”

“Don't use it now. Listen carefully.”

“Wait, Queen of the Merfolk of the Blue Billows, like my earrings! Is she a system administrator? Is that why she has such an incredible skill?”

“Yes, that's right. Calm down and listen to me.”

“Mermaid Queen! I am using the earrings well! But you are seriously amazing! I am going to be your fan from now on!”

Calm down. We had less than ten minutes. After chattering excitedly, Yerim suddenly began pushing the gem into the gap between the shaft and blade of her spear.

“Hey, it might break!”

“My spear is sturdy. I think it will fit perfectly here. There!”

The jewel lodged in the gap did look like it belonged there, just as Yerim said. Still, why would she shove it in without asking Myeongu first?

“...Now listen to me.”

“Yes!”

She was good at answering, at least. I bent down to meet Yerim's eyes and explained.

“Yerim, you can learn and master a skill from someone else. Like cooking or playing an instrument.”

“Isn't that different? You can try cooking or playing even without learning. You might burn everything or make weird sounds, but you can't fly through the sky.”

“You can't play an instrument without an instrument. You can't cook without fire or tools either.”

Skills could only be used with mana, the basic tool. And your aptitude for mana had to suit the skill in question to handle it properly. It was hard to make flute sounds with a drum, or cut meat with a pot.

“Your aptitude suits this skill. Of course, that alone won't let you learn it right away. But Yerim, you already have a skill with a similar attribute, don't you? Ruler of Water. Learn the Mermaid Queen's ability, feel the flow of its mana, and apply it to your own skill.”

“...Those are completely different skills. Is that possible?”

“It is. Don't bind yourself to skills or the system's description windows. It is your power. What does it matter if they are completely different? You can strike a pot to make sound, and use a drumstick to pound meat tender. Compared to that, you only need to play a piece written for piano on a violin.”

Yerim made an expression that showed she half understood and half did not. I wasn't sure whether my explanation was even right. I was just repeating things based on Diarma's memories...

“Forget the system for a moment. Focus only on the ability itself that you wield.”

“I don't really understand, but I will try!”

Yerim answered energetically. It was a shame she only had one chance. Still, she would not feel nothing.

When I looked up, Yoohyun and Seong Hyeonje both appeared deep in thought. Yoohyun needed to move beyond the framework of skills to properly handle spirits too. I wondered whether he had given it a name yet.

Seong Hyeonje... It was a waste to leave him alone, damn it. Did I have to take care of that man too? Wouldn't he become stronger just fine on his own? I would think about it once Yoohyun became about twice as strong.

“It will soon change back into the original dungeon. Prepare yourselves.”

I put my bracelet back on after having stopped using it for a while. At about S-Class level. The instant I finished speaking, Yoohyun and Yerim each grabbed one of my arms.

“Be careful, Hyung.”

“If water pours in, you might get swept away.”

“Where should I hold on? Your neck?”

Please just stay still.

After around three minutes, the snow-covered forest vanished as though melting away. In its place appeared an endless, pure white space.

Clear water rippled as it rose to ankle height, while water droplets of various sizes floated in the air. It was an alien landscape unlike an ordinary dungeon.

“Then, Mister, let's tie you up!”

“...What?”

“Your wrists. Does anyone have a rope?”

I said I would tie myself up, but were they actually going to do it? At Yerim's words, Seong Hyeonje immediately took out the Seeker's Chain. Was he insane?

“It is guaranteed to be sturdy.”

Then Yoohyun took out a leather strap.

“It is Peace's leash, but the size can be adjusted.”

“Which one do you prefer, Mister?”

“I don't like either. Even if I ran off, you would catch me within a single step. Do we really need to tie me up?”

Yerim looked disappointed at my words and flew up into the air. Why was she disappointed?

“What are these droplets?”

“Don't touch them carelessly.”

No sooner had I said that than Yerim's hand touched a water droplet the size of an apple. The droplet went Pop! and her eyes widened at the same time.

“Uh, this!”

“Are you okay?!”

“It is a memory of when I won a bet for ice cream... I think?”

What? A memory? Seong Hyeonje touched a water droplet near him the size of a soccer ball and slightly raised his brows.

“I must have been around fourteen. A memory from childhood.”

Childhood? It was hard to imagine. More importantly, did touching the floating droplets let you see memories from the past?

“Ah, this is when I first met Mister! And this is the spring picnic!”

“Stop touching them, Yerim! What if you remember something bad?”

Memories from before the regression would not appear too, right? As I avoided the drifting droplets, I noticed that Yoohyun was touching them too. Why was everyone like this? Still, he was smiling, so it did not seem to be a bad memory.

‘That zombie definitely has abilities related to the mind.’

And water, too. Since the Mermaid Queen had given Yerim the Ruler of Water skill, this water must be real, not an illusion.

“Touch one too, Mister!”

“I'll pass.”

Still, it was difficult to avoid every freely drifting water droplet. I did not have eyes in the back of my head, so a droplet that touched my elbow burst with a Splash.

The scene that appeared before me was a bus stop. My younger brother, bundled in a coat, his ears and cheeks slightly red, smiled at me.

‘It's cold. Why are you out here?’

‘It's your birthday today, Hyung.’

It was a brief memory. But I could clearly understand why Yerim kept touching the droplets.

“It's Christmas! The tree is pretty!”

...Should I touch just one more? That zombie bastard really knew how to tempt people. Still, there did not seem to be any problem, so just one more.

I reached out and popped the droplet closest to me.

I saw a living room that was not particularly spacious. Standing in its center, I checked the date. December 25th, Christmas. It was my younger brother's birthday. But the house was cold and quiet, and no one but me was there.

The moment I closed my eyes in shock, Yerim shouted.

“It's a lie!”

“Yerim!”

Whoosh. A chill spread out. The floating water droplets froze in an instant and fell below. Yerim weakly descended onto the ice she had created. Fortunately, the water beneath us had not frozen this far, so I quickly ran over and pulled her into an embrace.

“It's okay. It is only an old memory. It has passed. Don't think about it.”

Yerim looked as though she might cry, but no tears fell. Instead, she bit down hard on her lower lip and leaned against my chest as if burying her head in it.

That damn zombie bastard was vicious. It had made us let down our guard, then stabbed us in the back.

“Let's use the skill you received and wipe them all out. Every last one, so thoroughly it feels good.”

“...Okay.”

I patted Yerim's back and quietly ground my teeth. First that lizard bastard, and now this. They really knew how to make my blood boil.

Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried