I Became the Drug-Addicted Childhood Friend

Translator: Elisia

Editor/Proofreader: SemiPickle

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The puppy was cute. I thought we could be friends.

Well, I killed it with my own hands, though.

I don’t know what I’m saying.

Why would I kill a puppy?

It was a bit big to be called a puppy.

But it trusted me and followed me.

There’s blood splattered on my hand.

The body is disappearing as if it’s evaporating.

Did I kill it?

I don’t know why I had to do that.

Even though it was a monster, it wasn’t aggressive, and it was kind.

What if the thing leaning on my lap wasn’t a monster but a person?

Would I have stabbed and killed them too?

If someone tells me to kill, do I have to?

I didn’t want to kill it.

Then it’s a problem if anything stands in front of me, friend or not.

This isn’t good.

“…Ugh…”

On top of that, I’m suddenly reminded of the time I was stabbed.

But it’s something I can endure.

For a moment, I felt a surge of emotion, but I held it back.

This much,

“Ugh.”

This much won’t cause any issues.

Do you think I can’t even endure this?

Killing a single animal is no big deal.

[13 hours 45 minutes]

There’s still a lot of the drug’s effect left.

It doesn’t even feel that unpleasant.

Though that itself is also a problem, honestly.

“You killed a monster, good job.”

Lee Yu-Ram says.

It seems like the puppy looked a bit fierce to her eyes.

“Do you see anything?”

“See what?”

“Like leveling up, usually when you kill a monster, you grow stronger. There are many cases where you need to meet certain conditions, but.”

Level up.

Is that so, do you get stronger by killing everything?

I’m not sure if Han Si-Hoo killed that many monsters.

The protagonist was strong even before entering the academy.

That’s why he’s the protagonist, I guess.

I think he did level up too.

How did that work again?

“Well, since I’ve been a teacher for a while, I can kind of feel it. What makes someone grow.”

“Is that so.”

Growth.

That’s a nice word to hear.

“You probably have something too. Even if it’s a drug-enhanced ability.”

Then, I just need to use more drugs.

Like Lee Yu-Ram said herself.

That’s how it is.

“Next, there are three.”

“Three?”

“The first real combat in the academy is usually like this. If you catch up to ten wolves, then next depending on your ability, it’s either bear-type monsters or… Anyway, Start.”

With a snap of her fingers, three wolves are summoned.

They’re bigger than the one I killed earlier.

I should deal with them properly.

Yeah, I should face them properly.

I’ll try to fight well.

If I were the protagonist, wouldn’t I fight with that kind of feeling?

I can’t do that.

They don’t even bark, they just seem like tame dogs.

They don’t really approach either.

No matter how twisted a person is, they wouldn’t attack creatures like this.

But if they order me, I’ll have to do it.

It hurts, but there’s no other choice.

Still, should I try to resist?

I want to see if I can endure the command.

“Now, attack those three over there.”

There’s no need to attack right away.

She didn’t say when to attack, after all.

Thud.

Crack.

Has it been about three seconds?

I brutally killed them.

This is a power I can’t control.

Come to think of it, there’s nothing in my life that I can control.

If I wanted control, I wouldn’t have taken the drugs.

[9 hours 58 minutes]

It wasn’t exactly my will to use the drugs either.

When you’re in pain, it’s natural to take medicine, right?

“Five now.”

This time, I’ll try to stop.

Lee Yu-Ram doesn’t really care what I do.

She knows I’ll attack anyway.

The wolves still don’t try to attack me.

“More? Isn’t this enough?”

“Sorry, but I have to submit measurement data. Attack.”

Thud, thud.

Crack.

The elongated blade pierces through the wolves.

It seems like I’ve definitely gotten stronger.

More so than when I fought Han Si-Hoo last time.

“Next is ten.”

This isn’t good.

I feel bad.

[5 hours 56 minutes]

“Wait, stop.”

It’s not about feeling sorry for the wolves.

Fighting like this is too inefficient.

The weapon forming and extending alone is draining an enormous amount of the drug’s effect.

“They’re just monsters. If you really want to become an academy student, you should endure this.”

Endure?

What?

Time running out?

“That’s not it, the drug…”

“Now, attack.”

“I’m telling you…”

Crack.

A gigantic sword skewers all ten wolves.

To be exact, seven of them.

The rest couldn’t be killed because the sword disappeared.

[0]

“…It hurts.”

***

I couldn’t kill all ten wolves.

There’s no way. I crushed each one far beyond necessary.

It doesn’t make sense that I couldn’t kill ten when I’ve already dealt with them like that.

Lee Yu-Ram finally notices Yoo Seo-Ah’s condition.

Did she just say it hurts?

Yoo Seo-Ah, who always said it didn’t hurt even when she stabbed her own hand.

Something seems wrong.

Her knees buckle, and she collapses to the ground.

She needs the drug.

The wolves rush in.

“Damn.”

The drug’s effect wore off, so the rapport is gone.

Still, Lee Yu-Ram can handle monsters of this level on her own.

Besides, this is a training ground.

With just a snap of her fingers, the monsters would return to where they came from.

“The drug’s effect wore off faster than I expected. You won’t last long like this.”

She pulls out the drug from her bag.

And injects it.

There’s no need to remove the bandage.

The needle is designed to pierce through the thin clothing.

Thud.

After waiting a bit, Yoo Seo-Ah regains consciousness.

“Are you okay? Sorry, I should have administered the drug earlier.”

Her eyes are unfocused.

Her body is trembling.

“Ah.”

She opened her mouth.

“Doctor…”

“Seo-Ah?”

Lee Yu-Ram is flustered.

She doesn’t seem to be in her right mind.

She’s looking for a doctor, but doesn’t seem to realize that Lee Yu-Ram is the one.

“Insects instead of joints…”

It seems like she’s hallucinating.

It’s only a temporary symptom.

There’s no need to panic, just wait and observe.

Lee Yu-Ram helps Yoo Seo-Ah up and sits her in a chair.

“My muscles are melting.”

She muttered to herself.

A sedative won’t work in this state.

I’ll just have to inject another dose.

She probably won’t live long anyway.

She really seems like someone who’s in pain.

She is someone who’s in pain.

The guilt I’ve been suppressing is trying to resurface.

“I told you to run away, didn’t I?”

I mumbled, but it didn’t seem like Yoo Seo-Ah heard me.

She still seems to be hallucinating.

Thud.

Two doses of the sedative.

This should calm things down, whatever it is.

I can see that Yoo Seo-Ah is calming down for sure.

It looks like the hallucinations have stopped too.

“…It hurts.”

She looks like a pouting child.

There are tear streaks and saliva stains on her face.

She looks exhausted.

Honestly, this state is closer to normal.

It’s better than smiling while under the influence of the drug.

“I don’t want to take the drug anymore…”

But there’s no way she can stop.

The only reason she’s saying this is that the drug’s addictive grip has lessened.

“It’s temporary. Just rest for now.”

I don’t even know how many doses of the drug she’s used just this morning.

Now that I think about it, it was way too much.

Her somewhat normal appearance and hollow smile—

She’s used too much.

No, she was holding up well.

The real mistake was not calculating the drug’s effects properly.

In the end, the conclusion is that we just need to use more drugs.

If you consider her as a fighter, not a patient, that’s the solution.

“Combat is postponed. There seem to be too many issues.”

Knowing about the rapport ability was already enough of an achievement.

Combat is just a secondary issue.

“I want to go home.”

Yoo Seo-Ah stares down at the ground.

Home.

I can see she longs to return to the past.

“I’m sorry.”

In the end, an apology slips out.

“But… I have my own circumstances too. It’s not like I’m doing this because I want to.”

I was comforting myself with pathetic excuses.

Yoo Seo-Ah chose this path herself, it benefits everyone, it benefits Han Si-Hoo too.

It’s just an excuse.

But there’s a reason.

I have to do this, even if it’s this terrible.

To fulfill my role as an academy instructor.

Why do I have to?

“I also have family… Yeah, I’m sorry. Just like you have Si-Hoo. Just like Si-Hoo is connected to you, I have someone…”

If you know why the academy trusts Lee Yu-Ram with these tasks, you’ll understand.

It’s because they’re confident they can completely control her.

It’s easier to give someone uncomfortable tasks when you have leverage over them.

“I lost my family to monsters too. What’s the point of being a doctor or a healer-type Awakener if I couldn’t even save them?”

The source of my hatred toward monsters.

A thirst for revenge.

That’s why I thought Yoo Seo-Ah would understand.

The rapport ability was completely unexpected.

I forced her to attack, thinking she might sympathize with the monsters.

That was clearly a mistake.

“My family. At least one of them is still alive.”

I have one younger sister.

A sister who is still alive.

A child who can’t survive without the academy’s support.

That’s why I’m tied to the academy, but it doesn’t matter.

As long as I can save my sister.

“Yeah. I have a surviving younger sister. She’s my only family.”

I see a bit of overlap.

Between Yoo Seo-Ah and my sister.

But if I had to choose one to give up, it would obviously be Yoo Seo-Ah.

“That’s good to hear.”

Yoo Seo-Ah responds with a bright smile.

That’s not the kind of reaction I expected.

I just wanted to vent a little.

Taking the chance to say something while she was dazed from the drugs.

But when she smiles like that, what does that make me?

Lee Yu-Ram stared blankly at Yoo Seo-Ah.

“Having family is definitely good, isn’t it?”

That’s true.

When you have someone to lean on, it makes things easier.

Even if you’re not leaning on them, just having someone to protect brings comfort.

Having family makes you feel safe.

Who is Yoo Seo-Ah’s family?

It must be Han Si-Hoo.

And if Han Si-Hoo’s family is Yoo Seo-Ah, then Yoo Seo-Ah’s family is Han Si-Hoo.

I didn’t want to ruin someone else’s family either.

That’s why I gave her the chance.

I told her to run.

I was going to help her as much as I could.

“I don’t have any family, but I do… have a friend. Even though I’m always the one taking…”

Yoo Seo-Ah continues.

“One day, I’ll be able to help too…”

She thinks she can help at least once.

If she becomes strong enough.

Family is precious.

To anyone.