NOVEL WEB Chapter 1
Early 2019.
Earth and humanity faced a sudden cataclysm.
Countless gates and dungeons appeared out of nowhere across the globe.
Monsters of all shapes and sizes poured out from them.
Many people were slaughtered by these creatures, which rendered firearms useless.
At the same time, a few humans began to awaken.
It was the dawn of the great hunter era.
As time passed, by the spring of 2024.
The Hunter Management Agency was established in Seoul to manage hunters.
Late one night, two people were having a conversation in a room belonging to the agency.
“Did you come from another world?”
“……Yes.”
As a man with dark circles under his eyes asked the question, the woman opposite him answered quietly.
In her black nun’s robe, with a veil covering her face, it would have been hard to distinguish her gender without her clear, melodious voice.
“If it’s true, you’re the second returnee. In the whole world.”
“……”
“It’s, er, frustrating to talk. Can’t you take off your veil?”
At the man’s tired remark, the woman, who had been looking at the desk, lifted her head.
Never take off your veil outside.
Do not mix casually with others.
These were the words the hero and the party members always emphasized.
But they are no longer here. This is Earth.
“That’s right, my apologies.”
The woman slowly removed her veil.
As it came off, her beautiful face revealed itself.
Her flowing, waist-length, pure white hair.
Flawless white skin and delicate features.
Even her bright yellow eyes peeking from half-closed eyelids.
With the appearance of this exotic beauty, the man’s eyes widened.
“Ah-hem! Si-hyun? The missing record shows you as male.”
“…It just happened.”
“Anyway, your family who was contacted is on their way here. Until then, let’s have a chat.”
“Yes.”
As Si-hyun responded, the staff nodded lightly.
“As I mentioned, you are Korea’s first returnee. There are no systematic laws yet.”
“Then, my identity…?”
“We plan to restore your identity as soon as your younger sister, who is on her way, gives her consent.”
“If I can’t prove it, I’ll become an illegal resident.”
“That’s correct.”
The man, carefully observing Si-hyun’s reaction, let out a sigh of relief.
She may not talk much, but she seems calm and reasonable.
“Don’t worry too much. We can resolve your identity at the agency’s discretion.”
“Yes.”
“So, could you share your story? We need information.”
Si-hyun nodded and summarized the necessary information.
She thought she had died during the cataclysm, but when she regained consciousness, she was in this body.
She had defeated the Demon King with the hero’s party to return to Earth.
When the short story concluded, the man chuckled bitterly.
“Haha, sounds like a fantasy story! It resembles the current state of Earth.”
“Is it that serious?”
“There are no Demon Kings, but things have changed considerably from Earth five years ago. It’s complete chaos.”
The man found himself complaining without realizing it.
Then, suddenly…
The consulting room door swung open violently, and a young woman burst in.
“Oppa—!”
The three stared at each other, dumbfounded.
Soon, the woman, having heard the man’s explanation, covered her mouth with her hand as she looked at Si-hyun.
Her eyes widened as she took a seat.
To verify the truth.
*
“Um, I know it’s weird to ask now, but… is it really you, my brother?”
As I took off my shoes, I looked at my worried younger sister.
Five years had passed, and she had now become an adult—the only family I had left.
Fortunately, the agency confirmed that Si-yoon agreed to my family status.
Afterward, we arranged to have a detailed consultation later.
It was quite late at night.
So, we took a taxi to Si-yoon’s house.
“Things have changed a lot, right?”
“Yeah….”
“Thanks for believing me.”
I brushed my younger sister’s hair.
The little sister who used to be small had grown up, while I had shrunk.
Thanks to that, her height now exceeded mine.
I had to look slightly up to see her.
“You managed to find a place in Seoul? We used to live in the countryside.”
“Ji-a unni helped me!”
“Ji-a? My college friend?”
“Yeah!”
Si-yoon answered cheerily, clapping her hands.
“She awakened and became a hunter! She helped me when she heard about you.”
“…Is being a hunter very profitable?”
“Depends on the rank? Unni is A-rank!”
Si-yoon excitedly added more.
S-rank, regarded as a hero.
Then A to E ranks—totaling six levels.
It seems my friend from back when we were just flirting has become quite a person.
“I should thank her later.”
“I’ll text her. She’ll be happy!”
A text.
Hearing that word after so long made me realize I wasn’t in a different world; I was back in the present.
“Sit on the sofa! Let’s order chicken.”
“Oh, chicken! Sounds good.”
I looked at my younger sister operating her smartphone while comfortably leaning on the sofa.
Our parents had passed away when we were young, so I was grateful that my sister, who could have been left alone, had grown up healthy and lively.
“I guess I’ll have to crash here for a while. Is that okay?”
“Uh… I think it’ll work out somehow?”
“Um….”
“No, it’s fine! I’m an adult now! I can take care of at least one oppa.”
“……”
Considering our age difference, she had just barely become an adult.
I didn’t know how much Ji-a supported her, but…
I couldn’t help but see my younger sister boasting.
I had returned to Earth to meet her, but I didn’t intend to burden her.
I needed to think of a way to make money quickly.
“By the way, do all the people from your world wear those outfits? They look so uncomfortable.”
“Oh, this….”
I looked down at my outfit.
A custom-made nun’s habit designed not to reveal my figure.
The handiwork of the hero who was obsessed with me.
Because she didn’t want to show me to other men.
“The hero was a bit obsessed.”
“Ew, a hero? Totally gross.”
“Ha ha, it wasn’t always like that. It got worse over time.”
At my little sister’s vivid reaction, I couldn’t help but smile.
“You said you even fought the Demon King? With that outfit, you must have been a priest?”
“……”
Oh, I hadn’t mentioned that part.
But it was a bit embarrassing to say.
I cautiously looked at my sister.
Her eyes sparkled with interest at the intriguing topic.
“Is it wrong to laugh if I hear it…?”
“Hmm? Got it!”
“W-well….”
“Uh-huh? W-well?”
It was hard to get the words out.
But in the end, I closed my eyes tightly and shouted.
“Saint.”
“……Pfft.”
“Hey, you said you wouldn’t laugh!”
“No way! A guy turning into a saint? How can I not laugh?”
…Now I can’t tell anyone that I’m a saint.
Honestly, I can understand how my sister feels.
But it’s not like I wanted this to happen.
I woke up in the body of a lonely dead sorceress.
Awash in bright light, I was soon dragged to church.
After that, it was forced training, sweating blood, and then joining the hero’s party.
“Still, it’s really nice to see my cute little sister smiling again.”
“Come on, don’t embarrass me! Wasn’t there any beauties in the hero party?”
“Excluding the hero, they were all women, though….”
Those were memories I wished to forget.
Would it be a good idea to spill the details to my sister and gossip a bit?
“The hero was obsessively attached to me, and the girls crazy about the hero were jealous of me. It was complete chaos.”
“Wow….”
To put it simply, I was unilaterally bullied.
“While they sympathized with the hero’s bizarre behavior, they excluded me, and if it weren’t for the Demon King, I would have run away long ago.”
“What kind of hero party is that! My oppa, you’ve really had a hard time.”
Si-yoon empathized with me as if it were her own matter.
Sympathy from others.
It had been a long time since I felt that.
“Oh no, we ended up going off-topic talking about clothes! I’ll lend you some clothes, do you want to change?”
“……Is that okay?”
“It’s just that we’re both women now! Honestly, you look so stuffy in those clothes that I feel like I can’t breathe.”
“Hehe, then I’ll ask you for a favor.”
Hearing my answer, Si-yoon jumped up and approached the closet in the corner of the living room.
Sorting through clothes, she spoke to me.
“I guess I’ll have to call you ‘unnie’ now?”
“……That’s a bit.”
“Hmm? Is it awkward to call me that after five years?”
“I haven’t called anyone that, and I was busy with the war.”
“Sorry! But it’s unnie now!”
She was determined.
Well, since I have to adapt to this new life, I can let go of calling her that.
As I zoned out for a moment, Si-yoon returned, holding out the clothes.
Fortunately, the baggy clothes, though short, were at least wearable.
“By the way, unnie. Why is your chest like that?”
“……?”
“Unnecessarily unfair. Why is it so big?!”
“I-I didn’t choose this body….”
I had nothing to say.
“Wow, look at your hair. My once-normal oppa has returned as a stunning beauty.”
“……”
“Your skin looks great, too. I’m so jealous….”
Suddenly, Si-yoon kicked off her commentary time.
How awkward was this situation, my face turned red.
“Haha! You blushing is cute!”
“Hey….”
“I feel like I have a younger sister now instead of an oppa?”
“……”
I can’t let this continue.
I needed to change the topic.
“So, the hero who was obsessed with my hair is gone now so maybe I’ll just cut it, can you lend me some scissors?”
“No way!”
I was taken aback by her vehement reaction.
Her unexpected response left me stunned.
“……Why?”
“That’d be a waste! Let’s just trim it at a hair salon.”
“Sounds annoying….”
“Okay, okay.”
“Fine, then lend me a hairband.”
“Just open the drawer over there and you’ll find one!”
Wow, how impressive.
Our little sister really grew a lot while I was away.
I turned to glare, and my heart sank.
Much scarier than the griffen I encountered in another world.
“Hmm?”
As I opened the drawer Si-yoon pointed out, I quickly spotted something eye-catching.
Modern women’s underwear.
Unlike the mere covering from the other world, these were lavishly designed.
It suddenly struck me again that my sister was now an adult female.
I hadn’t meant to, but looking at my younger sister’s underwear made me—
I cautiously took out the hairband and closed the drawer.
As I looked away, I was met with a lecherous gaze.
“Unnie.”
“……Yes?”
When I answered, Si-yoon narrowed her eyes slightly.
“Did you see it?”
“……Yeah.”
“Then I guess I can see yours?”
“E-eh?”
What kind of logic is that?
Before I knew it, I had taken a step back.
“Since we’re both women now, right? I’m curious about what kind of design the underwear from the other world has.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“You saw mine! That’s so unfair.”
“…….”
Surely, she wasn’t planning this from the start, was she?
I looked at my sister with suspecting eyes, but she pretended to ignore me.
A standoff ensued for a short while, but I eventually lost.
…Going by my sister’s logic, it’s not like I’m showing it to a man.
If it were a man, I would have probably kicked him hard, recalling the hero’s gaze.
Hesitating, I lifted my shirt.
“See, it’s nothing special?”
“What is this…. It’s too plain! We have to go shopping tomorrow.”
“Are you sure?”
“It’s worse right now!”
Feeling her momentum, I cautiously nodded.
The spirit of a real woman is certainly frightening.
At that moment—
Ding dong!
“I think the chicken has arrived. I’ll be right back!”
“Okay.”
I sat on the sofa, blankly watching Si-yoon walk towards the front door.
She opened the door.
Her bright smile turned into a stiff expression.
A tall, blonde man forced his way into the house.
My sister was being cornered.
“Finally, you opened the door.”
“……Can you please just go away?”
“Don’t say that. If you date me, your life will be secured, you know?”
“I really don’t like it.”
…Feeling suspicious, I rose from the sofa.
No matter how I thought about it, that wasn’t a delivery person.
“I may look like this, but I’m a C-rank hunter. I make good money.”
“I’m not interested.”
“Ha, seriously. …Huh?”
He finally turned his head as he approached, and now he noticed me.
His mouth dropped open as his eyes darted up and down.
“Wow! What is this? Beautiful, isn’t she?”
“Hey! Don’t touch my sister!”
Ignoring my little sister, the man stood up and looked down at me.
I watched him for a moment before speaking.
“Boyfriend?”
“Haha! I….”
“Shut up, you stalker!”
As soon as I heard my sister’s shout,
I quickly made my judgment.
There’s no hero party to harass me here.
No church, no royalty, no Demon King.
Nothing to hold me back.
“Gwaah——!”
As I kicked his shins, a cracking sound echoed, and he crouched down.
Now I looked down at him.
“Stalker, huh?”
How dare he touch my precious little sister?
Seems he’s got some courage.
It’s time for repentance.