I Couldn’t Afford to Buy Mana, so I Started Streaming

---

“I’m sorry, but Luri. In human society, families don’t marry each other. Are you perhaps misunderstanding the concept of marriage?”

At that, Luri got off the bed.

“There isn’t a human of higher status than my sister in this world. Ever.”

“And so?”

“But if you were to awaken love… If you were to like a lesser woman than my sister, it would be terrible… Anyway, it’s dangerous.”

“I don’t quite understand what you’re saying.”

I narrowed my eyes.

Then Luri pointed at Saetbyeol with her finger.

“Immediately, Cheon Saetbyeol, you!”

“Me?”

“You’re targeting my sister, right? You want to marry her, don’t you?”

“W-wait, w-what are you talking about! I’ve never thought of that! How could I do that since we’re family…!”

“Then what was all that flirting with her before?”

“Of course, it was just a j-”

[If you say it was a joke, you should be prepared. How dare you toy with my sister’s feelings?]

“What the…! She’s scary…!”

Luri’s eyes sparkled menacingly.

Saetbyeol pulled the blanket up to her head, shivering.

I calmed Luri down and sat her back on the bed.

“So what if it was a joke? Anyway, it seems the misunderstanding has been resolved. Everything’s sorted now, right?”

“No. Just because it’s Cheon Saetbyeol, there’s no guarantee that another woman won’t catch your eye.”

“Wait, why is that okay…! That’s a bit upsetting, isn’t it?”

“Now I understand Luri’s feelings. You don’t want to serve anyone but me, right?”

“…”

Luri turned her back and flopped down on the bed.

“Hmph, my Luri is still young.”

“When sisters become one, there will inevitably come a time to part ways. How about you marry me instead… I could serve mother as her maid again, just like before. I could protect her purity for the rest of my life.”

“Gahahaha! Ugh, I can’t listen to this anymore, it’s so cringy!”

Saetbyeol was rolling in laughter under the blanket.

“Why are you laughing? Luri is being endlessly serious here.”

I understood why Luri was expressing such anxiety.

In my past life, marriage for high-ranking noble males was an obligation beyond choice.

Unmarried women could join a monastery, but unmarried men were forced to marry until death.

From parents, society, and the state.

I was well aware of Luri’s twisted possessiveness.

“I didn’t expect you to feel anxious just because I was a man in my previous life.”

“I think that now you’re human, you could fall in love at any moment. I’ve seen too many of those kinds of humans.”

“You’re worrying about human love, but that won’t happen to me. I don’t feel a flutter of excitement when I see anyone.”

“Isn’t it just because you’re still young? And you didn’t have the luxury to get caught up in love during your previous life.”

“Is that so? Though I’m not sure about that.”

Loving someone can be proven, but not loving someone cannot be proven.

It’s what they call evidence of absence.

I died at the young age of twenty-five.

Surely there are many who lived until then without knowing love.

As Luri said, I could suddenly turn thirty and awaken to feelings of love.

But I thought that was a problem to ponder later.

“I just want us, as a family, to live together happily. So, let’s get some sleep.”

The brightest night in the Arctic deepened.

***

“If you want any side dishes, just let me know anytime. I’ll send them by delivery.”

“Hehe, we’re saying farewell for about a month, right? Everybody’s coming to see us when the National Exchange Tournament starts.”

The last day in the North Sea Ice Palace dawned.

Training and resting, training and resting.

Even while repeating monk-like training, I made sure to spend time with my younger siblings so they wouldn’t feel lonely.

Though there was a surprise proposal from Luri in between, I brushed it off as her cute jealousy.

“Have a good time at the Academy interview.”

“I’ll report back after it’s over.”

“Oh right, Luri. When we get home, a figure should arrive. It’s a gift from me, so look forward to it, heh. What it is, is a secret.”

“Is it the Hamad Dragon from a few days ago?”

“Eh…! Just pretend you don’t know.”

I was trying hard to keep the order a secret, yet she figured it out in one go.

Time spent together is indeed frightening.

Squish-squish—

“Huh?”

“Ooh, have muscles finally built up on your arms? Did Na-me actually train you properly?”

“This is the best I can do. Hehe! Stop touching me, it tickles!”

Since the first day after the Aura seal, Saetbyeol’s skinship was becoming more intense by the day.

The most frequent was pinching my cheeks.

“Hehe, it’s getting softer; so squishy!”

“Can’t let that slide now, can I? You’ll have to ace the second lesson!”

So, I had become indifferent to the pinchings to this degree.

“Hey, the first stage should be easy to pass, right? They’re pulling out eight multiples? I’m just focusing on preparing for the second stage.”

“If you fall out in the first stage—”

“Would they really drop a pretty girl like me? Hmm? Huh?”

“Ugh, shut up!”

“Nya-hahaha!”

The source of her confidence was surely her hard work, not her looks.

But when she talks like that, I just want to give her a light smack.

“Is acting fun?”

“It’s not quite as fun as I initially thought.”

“Eh? Really?”

That was an unexpected answer.

I expected a grand ambition to dedicate her life to acting.

“It’s exam acting. The practice plays are all the same, ugh, it’s so boring.”

“Ah, I see how that might be.”

“But I’m going to work hard. If a show I really want to join comes out and I don’t have the skill and fail, I’d regret it too much.”

“Right, you got a web drama offer, didn’t you? Why didn’t you go for it?”

“Huh? How did you know Director Yoo Jae-suk contacted me?”

“I have my sources.”

Saetbyeol’s appearance is unique.

In this world, due to the different races, a doppelgänger can’t exist with such a face.

Like the Mona Lisa, it’s Asian from one angle and Western from another.

Ji Bo-hee said there would be many directors wanting to cast Saetbyeol, so it’s quite obvious.

“Ah, I really wanted to go… Hehe, but now I just have to prepare for the exams. I’ve worked hard for three years; it would be a pity to throw it away.”

I nodded.

For Saetbyeol, entering the Academy was the first proof.

It seemed she was secretly hoping to finish her short school life magnificently.

I raised both hands and clapped her cheeks between them.

Clap—

“Ow.”

“Fighting!”

“Yeah, you too, fighting. If I lose, I’ll die!”

Before heading to the airport, we bid farewell to the Duke of the North Sea Ice Palace.

“I hope you achieve great results at the National Exchange Tournament.”

“It’s not Fluffy… It’s a Bingseol Black Sword. It seems it doesn’t have the unique chip attached?”

“Ah…! There’s no unique chip, but it’s definitely a genuine article! If you doubt it at all, I can show you our transaction records, the quality guarantee, and…”

Asbik fumbled with his phone, trying to contact someone.

His behavior was anything but trustworthy.

“No no! Hehe, I just asked. It’s not a famous sword, who would make a fake of this?”

“Erg.”

Asbik seemed severely hurt by that comment.

I should’ve thought before speaking.

“So, um, I’m really going to make a name for myself this time…!”

“Thank you, NoName Wizard. I wish you good fortune.”

Seeing them support me earnestly made my heart swell with confidence.

On the day of departure, we left the North Sea Ice Palace and arrived at Svalbard Airport.

I sat on my dad’s lap, watching the public training videos of our round of 64 opponents.

While I was engraving every movement in my mind without averting my gaze.

“Do you know what kind of magic this is?”

“Dad doesn’t know much about the new magic coming out lately.”

“This is a type of magic that became popular last year in the Botanica series. They named it that because the magic absorbs mana and grows like plants. This is called Botanica Pavel.”

“It looks weak on the surface, though?”

“Right, it’s weak. I’ll just slice through it with my sword. Bada-bada-bam.”

“Hahaha!”

“There, my dear daughter-loving professor! The airplane is here; shouldn’t we be heading off?”

“Has it really been this much time already?”

“Now is the time to go. I’ll see you next month in Texas.”

After hugging Professor Cheon tightly, the hand that arrived patted my back.

I closed my eyes, feeling the warmth and security slowly wash over me.

I confirmed with my eyes that all my family was heading towards the departure hall.

Only then did I take out my phone and call the private jet’s pilot.

“Hello?”

I took a moment to breathe and quietly asked.

“Can we change the destination?”

The pilot showed no signs of panic.

Instead, he informed me that it would take about thirty minutes for air traffic control adjustments.

The fee for changing the destination was nothing.

[Which airport will you be landing at?]

“Please take me to Ciudad Juárez Airport in Mexico.”

***

Knock-knock—

In the dark room, the sound of water droplets flowing down the cold cement walls echoed occasionally.

“Please… My son collapsed yesterday from shock. Please let him use the Dream Capsule just one more time… I beg you…”

The branch leader of the Sinaloa Cartel stared at my father’s desperate gaze for a long time.

“Heh.”

He smirked slightly, raising the corner of his mouth.

“You need to pay back your debts to use the capsule. Did you bring him here to repay them by splitting his belly? There aren’t that many Chinese here, you know?”

“Hahaha!”

At that, the subordinates around him burst into laughter as well.

“Hospital management is a mess, huh?”

“I’m sorry.”

My father’s trembling voice grew louder.

The branch leader turned his head and gestured to his subordinates as they exited the hospital room.

There were orders from the boss to follow.

[All hands on deck]