I Became a Raid Boss-Chapter 151: Let’s Go Have Fun! (2)

“Hmm~”

Daeun bobbed her head to the music playing through the car speakers.

She claimed it was from some drama’s OST or something like that.

I hadn’t seen the drama or even heard the song before, so all I could think was, Oh, is that so? But I could see why Daeun was enjoying herself.

Even to my untrained ears, it was a pretty upbeat tune.

Not that I was about to start bobbing my head or tapping my fingers to the rhythm like the person sitting beside me.

Is she going to bump her head at this rate?

Unable to watch her increasingly intense movements any longer, I opened my mouth.

“Is it okay to move like that? It looks dangerous.”

“It’s fine! I’ve got the self-driving function on!”

Then she added, “Back in the day, even with self-driving, you still had to keep your hands on the wheel. But nowadays, the technology’s so advanced you don’t even need to sit in the driver’s seat. It’s totally legal!”

“...Really?”

I tilted my head.

In that case, isn’t having a driver’s seat unnecessary?

“Well, there are situations where self-driving can’t handle things. Like emergencies or when you need to get somewhere urgently.”

“Huh.”

“Anyway, it’s a feature with proven safety. Ever since it became available, traffic accidents have dropped dramatically. If it weren’t safe, the government wouldn’t have approved it.”

“If it’s that safe, shouldn’t accidents not happen at all?”

“Oh, come on, that’s unrealistic. You can’t avoid a maniac speeding and ramming into you from behind. Even a human driver couldn’t handle that. So, relax and enjoy the ride.”

“I was never scared to begin with...”

Daeun smirked at my response.

Judging by her mischievous grin, she probably thought I was trying to act tough after being scared a moment ago. But I really wasn’t scared.

Why would I be scared in the first place?

“I wouldn’t get hurt even if we did crash. Do you think I learned mana for show?”

Of course, the extent of the damage would matter, but if a minor car accident injured me, the serpent beside Edel would laugh at me.

Plus, it wasn’t even my car, so I didn’t have to worry about repair costs.

The saying someone with nothing to lose has nothing to fear wasn’t for nothing.

Though the context was slightly different, the point still stood—I had nothing to lose.

Daeun’s eyes widened at my words.

“...So what you’re saying is...”

Her voice trembled, as if she were deeply moved.

“You weren’t scared but were worried about me instead...!”

“...Huh?”

I tilted my head again at her sudden declaration.

Oblivious to my confusion, Daeun continued in a mock-tearful voice.

“You’re saying that while you’d be fine in an accident, you were worried I might get hurt. Isn’t that it?”

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“...Not even close.”

“Sniff...! Kana, your kindness is making me tear up...!”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Daeun wiped her eyes—completely dry eyes, mind you—with her hand.

It was clear she had no intention of listening to me.

I couldn’t begin to fathom how her thought process led her to that conclusion, so I gave up trying to understand her.

“As long as you’re happy, Daeun.”

After all, thoughts are free.

And as the old saying goes, a traveler’s coat is always undone by the warm sun, not the biting cold wind.

Daeun’s grinning lips drooped slightly.

“...Your gaze hurts.”

I was sure I was giving her a warm, sunny look, but her imagination must have dragged her back to cold reality.

What a strange phenomenon.

As Daeun’s antics died down, the car settled into a calmer atmosphere. The music playing through the speakers shifted to a more subdued tune, as if reading the room.

I stared blankly out the window at the passing scenery until Daeun, who’d been quiet for a while, spoke up.

“Kana.”

“Hmm?”

“That mana... Do you think I could use it too?”

“...Mana? You mean this?”

“Yes! That!”

When I conjured a small wisp of mana at my fingertips, Daeun nodded enthusiastically.

“Why are you interested in mana?”

“It’s so cool! And it seems super useful. Like you said earlier, it could even stop me from getting hurt in an accident.”

“Well, it is useful.”

To be fair, just being able to protect yourself is enough to make it appealing.

Though reaching that level would take considerable time.

I slowly nodded at Daeun, who was staring at me with hopeful eyes.

This Earth was originally devoid of mana, but ever since Sillia became bound to it, mana had started to seep in.

It’s just that people hadn’t noticed yet.

“With effort, you probably could use it.”

“Really?! Then can you teach me?!”

“Teaching you isn’t hard, but can you handle it? You didn’t quite get the hang of it back in Sillia, remember?”

“...Ah.”

Granted, that was her avatar, not her real body, but still...

Considering she had system assistance back then, I doubted it’d make much difference.

It’d be a tough road.

“Do you still want to learn?”

When I asked with that implication in mind, Daeun hesitated for a while before nodding resolutely.

“If you’re okay with it, I want to try!”

“Alright.”

“You mean it?! You promise?!”

“Yeah, yeah. But don’t come crying to me later if you decide you don’t want to do it.”

“...That sounds a bit scary.”

It wasn’t like it’d be hard for me, so I had no reason to refuse.

...Though who knows what might happen in the future.

I’d rather nothing bad happen, of course.

Hopes are just hopes, though. I couldn’t guarantee the worst wouldn’t come to pass.

As I tucked those thoughts away, I spoke to Daeun, who was looking at me with a mix of fear and anticipation.

“We’ll start as soon as we arrive.”

“C-Can’t we wait until we’re back home...?”

“No.”

“Ugh...”

Daeun pouted.

Screech.

The car, which had been driving for hours, finally came to a halt.

As Daeun had assured, the self-driving function brought us safely to our destination without any issues.

“Ahhh! Finally, I feel alive again!”

As soon as we arrived, Daeun flung the car door open and stretched her body dramatically.

Judging by her refreshed expression, being cooped up in the car must have made her feel pretty stiff.

“Ugh...”

It was the same for me, so the moment I saw her getting out, I followed suit, stepping outside and stretching my arms.

The ride had been quick and convenient, but sitting still for so long had been a bit much.

Still, it was far better than riding a carriage.

Grab!

“Huh?!”

While I was lost in idle thoughts and stretching my arms, I suddenly felt a strange sensation against the hand I’d raised toward the sky.

Startled, I instinctively tried to pull my hand back.

“Hehe, surprised? Sorry~”

“...What are you doing?”

Realizing it was Daeun’s hand grabbing mine, I furrowed my brow slightly.

“If you’re going to stretch, do it properly! You’ve got to go all the way, like this—stand on your tiptoes! That’s how you grow taller.”

“This isn’t stretching; it’s just a yawn-and-stretch thing.”

So that’s what this was about—picking on my height again.

Does she even realize that the more she does this, the worse it’ll be for her when the tables turn?

She probably doesn’t.

Watching her antics, I couldn’t help but wonder if she secretly enjoyed suffering. But surprisingly, Daeun wasn’t the type to take pleasure in pain.

I looked at her with a pitying gaze before twisting my hand free from her grip.

As if celebrating my newfound freedom, a cool breeze brushed against my cheek.

“The air is nice, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it really is.”

The air in Seoul could hardly be called nice, even as a compliment.

It was often stifling and carried a faint acridness, like trying to breathe within miasma.

But here, nestled in the mountains far from the city, the fresh air filled my lungs in a way that felt incredibly invigorating.

“I love breathing in air like this. It really makes me feel like I’ve left my daily routine behind and come somewhere new. Other people might think, ‘Air is air, what’s the big deal?’ But not me.”

“....”

“Kana? Why aren’t you saying anything? Did something happen?”

“...Why would anything happen? That’s not it.”

It wasn’t like Daeun’s words had hit a nerve or anything.

...Really, I wasn’t thinking anything that harsh.

I was just sniffing the air and wondering, Does it really feel that different?

Pretending nothing had happened, I changed the subject.

“Is that why you like traveling so much, Daeun?”

“Hmm... Well, it’s one of the reasons. Like I mentioned before, I spent so much of my childhood in the hospital that I really wanted to go out and explore freely.”

And then—

Continuing, Daeun smiled softly.

“Experiencing different cultures and ways of life makes you realize the world you know isn’t all there is. Things you used to think weren’t a big deal start to feel meaningful. It’s like your perspective widens, and your thoughts expand. I love that feeling.”

As her words hung in the air, a brief silence followed.

I thought back to how excited she always looked when we arrived in a new city.

Had Daeun been having such thoughts even while traveling in Sillia?

Pondering her words, I shook my head slightly.

“I don’t really get it.”

Sedes, Valtora, or any other town—

While I’d noticed how different they were from the places I’d lived, I’d never felt my perspective broaden or my thoughts shift, as Daeun described.

“When someone’s carrying a heavy burden, they don’t have the luxury of enjoying the scenery around them. Maybe it was like that for you back then.”

“Maybe.”

“Definitely.”

Daeun crouched down in front of me, her eyes meeting mine at an awkward angle.

Noticing this, she stood back up, slightly flustered.

“So, it’s my dream to travel with you someday, Kana. I want to show you the things I’ve seen, heard, and felt. ...Though it might be a bit difficult for now.”

Kana, you have something you need to take care of, don’t you?

“But once things settle down, will you go traveling with me? Uh, wait, was that too much of a flag-raising statement...?”

She held out her pinky finger and gave an awkward laugh.

I stared at her outstretched finger for a moment.

Sigh...

Raising the corners of my lips gently, I thought, She just has to ruin the mood every time she says something nice.

But this time, instead of teasing her, I lifted my own pinky.

“Yeah. Let’s do that.”

Our pinkies intertwined, and we even pressed our thumbs together to seal the promise.

Then, as if on cue, we both burst into giggles.

“It’s a promise, okay? Even if you don’t feel like it later, no backing out!”

“Sure.”

Daeun threw my earlier words back at me.

“You’re the one treating, so why would I refuse?”

“...Kana, you cheeky little brat! Why do you always have to say something like that and ruin the moment? It’s like you can’t stand a touching atmosphere!”

Oh, the irony.