IHDOE Ch 4

[Liv] "Please state your destination."

She had a specific location in mind ever since hearing that the tutorial reward was a "Secret Outing Pass."

[Satina] "Transport me in front of the largest oak tree in Hergeni Forest."

[Liv] "Transporting to the front of the largest oak tree in Hergeni Forest."

Flash!

Bright light erupted beneath her feet.

When she opened her eyes, she stood in a silent forest rather than her room.

[Satina] "I only have thirty minutes, so I must find it quickly."

She searched the forest in haste.

Located at the edge of the continent, Hergeni Forest was home to various magical beasts—a dangerous zone accessible only near the game's final stages during gameplay.

Near the largest oak tree grew a rare item called the "Fruit of God." Consuming it cured all status abnormalities and randomly granted two skills.

Illness qualifies as a status abnormality. Eating that fruit will cure my incurable disease completely, allowing me to use holy power.

Fortunately, she located the fruit quickly.

[Satina] "It looks identical to the game."

Without another second of thought, she ate the fruit.

[Liv] "Divine power settles into your body."

[Liv] "Time remaining for complete absorption: 12:00:00"

Great, now I only need to wait twelve hours. But why am I suddenly so sleepy?

Perhaps because she ate the fruit, overwhelming drowsiness washed over her.

At that moment, white light flashed beneath her feet. It was time to return to where she belonged.

[Satina] "Ah……"

Through blurry vision, the clock hanging on her room's wall came into view.

Returning to her room, she could no longer resist the drowsiness. She closed her eyes while watching the clock approach midnight.

This year's birthday ends like this too.

It felt as if someone caught her body, but no time remained for deep thought.

---

A man appearing out of thin air caught Satina as she collapsed. Her body slumped limply into his arms.

[Man] "You must be careful. What if you fell onto the floor and hurt yourself?"

Though his tone sounded stiff, deep affection seeped through his voice. He looked down at Satina with a complex gaze.

The time had not yet come to reveal himself before her. Yet the thought of her delicate skin bruising on the hard floor pained his heart, forcing him to act involuntarily.

He carefully laid Satina on the bed and covered her with the blanket. Instead of leaving, he knelt beside her bed and gazed at her intently.

Whoosh—

Tree branches swayed back and forth in the blowing wind. Shadows wriggled within the darkness, spreading wide to swallow the trees near her room.

Then a wondrous sight unfolded.

Green sprouts bloomed from bare winter branches, forming flower buds that suddenly burst into full bloom. It was as though early spring arrived solely around her room.

Amidst the blooming flowers, the man slowly pressed his lips to her forehead. His reverent, sacred posture resembled a believer worshipping a deity.

[Man] "Happy birthday, Satina."

At that exact moment, the midnight bell chimed.

---

[Sharlan] "So thanks to my sister, you discovered the maid carried poison and sent her to the dungeon?"

[Butler] "Yes, Young Duke."

[Sharlan] "How unusual for my always-quiet sister. I thought she would submit without a single struggle even if someone tried to kill her."

The blonde young man tapped his desk, lost in thought. Soon, he spoke in a bright, cheerful voice.

[Sharlan] "Butler, I should go visit my sister after so long."

---

During childhood, Yoo Suha's mother and father fought constantly. Then they separated.

[Father] "You want me to take her? You are her mother, so you should take her!"

[Mother] "Why should I take a child carrying your last name? She is your daughter!

[Father] "Is she even my child? Didn't you get pregnant while messing around outside?

After a lengthy quarrel, her mother agreed to take her in exchange for receiving higher alimony.

Her mother remained indifferent toward her. Whether young Yoo Suha wore short sleeves in the dead of winter or received scoldings at school for forgetting supplies, her mother paid no attention. Her mother's focus was consumed elsewhere.

That specific day was unusual. On that day, her mother bathed her clean and dressed her in the finest clothes in the house.

Holding young Yoo Suha by the shoulders, her mother repeated the same words over and over.

[Mother] "You should consider yourself lucky. He said he would take you in as well. Go over there, listen obediently, and don't fight with his children. Got it?

Holding her mother's hand, Yoo Suha crossed the ornate main gate and entered a palace-like house. Only then did she realize her mother was remarrying a famous music professor.

Following the music professor, her last name changed from Kim Suha to Yoo Suha, yet she remained an outsider in that house.

The professor paid no mind to her, who tagged along as an extra burden attached to her mother, while the professor's son and daughter viewed Yoo Suha like a rat gnawing away at the family fortune. Her biological mother acted no differently.

While unconcerned if Yoo Suha missed meals, her mother exerted every effort for the professor's children, sweating profusely on sweltering summer days to brew traditional herbal tonic for them.

Music became Yoo Suha's sole refuge after facing rejection from her parents. Whenever her stepfather enjoyed music in his study, she secretly eavesdropped on the sounds from outside the door.

Music offered beautiful comfort equally to her stepfather and Yoo Suha. Though ignored by family and bullied at school as a beggar, listening to music allowed her to escape reality.

On that day as well, Yoo Suha hid near the study, listening to the song her stepfather played. Listening to the singer's voice soothing her difficult day, she grew excited and sang along involuntarily.

Suddenly, the study door swung open.

Startled, Yoo Suha shut her mouth and carefully read his mood, marking the first time the professor showed interest in her.

[S. Father] "Your voice is decent. Sing it properly once more."

Frightened, she hesitantly sang the song she had just heard, prompting a satisfied smile to form on the man's face.

[S. Father] "Hmm, yes, quite good."

He then retreated inside the room.

A short while later, her mother approached Yoo Suha and said:

[Mother] "Suha, he asked what I think about having you study vocal music. You are going to do it, right?

From that day on, Yoo Suha embarked on the path of vocal music.

At first, singing her favorite songs freely brought joy. Having her parents smile warmly and praise her when she brought home awards felt wonderful too. It felt as if she had finally become a genuine member of this family.

However, as time passed, her parents' expectations became overwhelming.

[Mother] "Suha, you must win first place in this competition as well. Understand? He is expecting great things too."

[Mother] "If you want to go around telling people you are my daughter, achieving at least that much is a given."

Suddenly, anxiety gripped her.

If I fail to produce results, will I lose the right to be my parents' daughter?

Anxiety bled into her singing, causing her scores to decline steadily.

"Is she the one? Professor Yoo's daughter who took first place in the competition?"

"No, that's the third child who plays piano. She is the second child who does vocal music."

"I took a class with her before, and she is an absolute mess. Getting into this school was probably due to her father's influence."

"I heard her siblings are all talented, so why is she like that?"

"Didn't you know? She isn't the professor's biological child."

"No wonder. Her skill level is noticeably lower."

"Isn't she embarrassed? If it were me, I'd practice once more instead of relaxing with a book at a cafe."

Her parents grew increasingly harsh toward a daughter who failed to meet expectations.

[Mother] "Is this the time for you to play trashy games like this? With your skill level, you have time for this?"

[Mother] "What is wrong with you? He is tutoring you personally! His son and daughter excel at everything, yet I take the blame because you fall behind!

Yoo Suha practiced endlessly from morning until night.

If I just practice hard, it will work. Accumulated effort will not betray me.

Yet her skills fell further behind.

On the day a classmate who recently started vocal music received higher scores than her, Yoo Suha felt something shatter inside her heart. She had believed music was an equal sanctuary for her as well.

It was not. Singing gradually terrified her.

When a doctor diagnosed her vocal cords as damaged beyond recovery, stating she could no longer sing, relief flooded her mind instead.

---

[Satina] "……What a terrible dream."

Having a dream about Korea after so long left her head throbbing painfully.

[Liv] "Heart rate unstable. Stabilization required."

[Liv] "Stretching TIME with Liv!"

A video window appeared before her eyes.

In the middle of a grassy field illustration, a character stretched around while cute animals cheered from both sides.

Following the deep breathing and stretching recommended by the system calmed her mind.

[Liv] "It is recommended to drink the water on the table. Hydration after sleep is important."

Listening to the dry mechanical voice left her speechless.

Are you a smartwatch or what?

[Satina] "You can do quite a lot of things."

[Liv] "Naturally."

[Liv] "Liv is a state-of-the-art AI program for player completion. Built-in information ensures survival even if the player drops into a jungle."

She drank water and asked casually.

[Satina] "Do you have a jungle map as well?"

[Liv] "Not just a jungle map."

[Liv] "Continental maps, Continental Botanical Guidebook (Revised Edition), 1,586 Imperial Cooking Recipes, Emergency Medicine……"

[Satina] "No, that is enough. I think that will do."

Regardless, this system seemed exceptionally capable.

On the flip side, it might mean clearing this game without this level of assistance is nearly impossible.

After all, a minus sixty Affection existed.

[Satina] "……I don't actually have to go to a jungle, right?"

[Liv] "……"

A circular loading window spun continuously.

[Liv] "Because jungle regions exist on the continent, the possibility remains."

[Satina] "So it means if I don't want to go to a jungle, I should work hard on my own."

[Liv] "Do you dislike the jungle?"

[Satina] "I hate it. It has too many bugs."

[Liv] "Liv can detect bugs. I can pinpoint the exact position of flying mosquitoes when lights are turned off at night."

[Satina] "Even so, you have no body, so I am the one who has to catch them."

The loading window spun once more. Liv hesitated, contemplating a response.

[Liv] "Liv will do everything possible to ensure the player is not sent to the jungle."

[Satina] "Good. Keep that mindset going forward…… Huh?"

She spotted blooming flowers outside her window.

[Satina] "Ugh, what?"

Surprised, she approached the window.

While deep snow covered everywhere else, spring mysteriously arrived solely outside her window.

[Satina] "What is this? Nothing was here as of yesterday."

She reached out and plucked a single flower. Frozen stiff by winter dew, the flower sparkled like a jewel in the morning sunlight.

[Satina] "Pretty……"

[Liv] "Do you like it?"

[Satina] "Yes, it is amazing."

[Liv] "What a relief."

[Satina] "It is gorgeous. But why did this happen so suddenly? Does this world suffer severe weather anomalies too? Do you know why this happened?"

[Liv] "It is likely because of you."

[Satina] "Me?"

[Liv] "Yes. Did they not bloom to celebrate your birthday? Yesterday was your birthday, after all."

[Satina] "What is that nonsense? You don't actually know why either, right?"

She laughed as if hearing a stranger's absurdities.

Yet since the sight didn't displease her, Satina picked several flowers and arranged them inside an empty vase.

Gently touching the flowers, she fell into thought.

To reach the Normal Ending, I must raise the Affection of at least three male leads to 50.

What was the developer thinking when setting up the male leads for this game?

The most troubling target was Number 5, whose Affection stood at minus sixty. Though she didn't know his identity, such hostility suggested a family enemy.

It would be far easier to become lovers with someone who felt nothing toward her than to target a person who harbored severe hatred for her.

Let's abandon Number 5 for now.

[Liv] "What are you thinking about?"

[Satina] "I was pondering whether hitting Number 5 on the back of his head to wipe all his memories of me would be easier."

Though she considered her own words nonsense, the system unexpectedly answered with utmost seriousness.

[Liv] "Impossible. Given the player's physical capabilities, striking the back of a target's head is impossible."

[Satina] "Right, I thought so."

After all, as a male lead in a dating sim, he was bound to be a handsome, highly capable man.

With her physical ability—incapable of winning a fight against a random villager—she couldn't even brush a hair on a male lead's head.

I should target one decent guy instead……

No, doing that triggers a death or imprisonment ending.

No, if I compromise and act obediently, the other person might be fairly……

However, she was forced to abandon that plan immediately.

[Satina] "Speaking of which, I am hungry. They said a new maid would arrive in the morning, so why isn't anyone here?"

[Liv] "Someone is approaching this room."

Right on cue with the system prompt, a knock sounded, and the door swung open without permission.

My room is practically a public hallway.

The moment she saw the person before her, the system notification hit her like a slap across the cheek.

[Sharlan] "Good morning, Sister. I wonder if you slept well last night."

[Liv] "Encountered Male Lead Target 2 for the first time!"

[Liv] "Fame increased by 2."

Ah. Is this bastard a male lead target?

Whoever designed Satina's scenario was out of his mind. If that person stood before her right now, she wanted to grab him by the collar and beat him mercilessly.

Bright golden hair, blue eyes, and a mole beneath his left eye. His radiant, beautiful face resembled an angel at first glance, but to Satina, it was a face far more hideous than a demon's.

Sharlan Bersabet.

He was the person who turned her already difficult life into hellfire difficulty—and one of the people she hated most in this household: her younger stepbrother.

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