Chapter 33: Meeting the Parents? (2)

The Guild Master did his best to capture the girl’s attention.

He naturally took her small, doll-like hand and led her along, deliberately fixing his gaze as he continued talking.

“A contamination survey? Oh… Ah! You mean that land that turned black back then, right?”

“Yes. I’m glad you remember.”

Gate contamination was considered a kind of disaster that modern technology couldn’t handle.

The land lost its fertility, rotting and crumbling.

Living things on it withered and died or transformed into creatures from beyond the Gate.

The one silver lining was that the range was usually limited to a few meters.

“The contaminated area found near the temple was quite extensive. This means there was either a Gate appearance we didn’t detect, or it’s a sign of a large-scale Gate appearance coming.”

The contaminated area the girl had discovered a few days ago was considerably large.

Even at a glance, the surrounding area had turned pitch black for hundreds of meters.

Moreover, the surrounding temperature had dropped abnormally, which was clearly an ominous sign.

The girl’s expression grew serious along with his.

So… it was that serious.

I didn’t know and thought the monks were worrying too much.

I thought they weren’t letting me out because of something they didn’t understand.

“Hehe…”

I guess I haven’t changed at all from before.

If I’d known it would be like this, I should have died in the cult.

Once again, resentment towards Mia welled up.

Even though she knew the threats back then were to save her…

The human heart is truly fickle.

It’s as fragile as an eggshell, cracking at the slightest tap.

Being so fragile naturally makes one vulnerable to demonic temptation.

The way to deal with this was simple.

The Sages in the cult said that even if someone’s a stupid bastard who won’t listen, you can educate them by beating them.

So even the girl, raised like a precious treasure and called a saint, was sometimes punished in various ways.

Quietly-

The girl raised her empty hand and scratched her somehow bare neck.

Sharp nails mercilessly scratched the delicate white skin.

Yet she grinned with soulless eyes as if enjoying it.

The Guild Master glanced down at her unexpected smile, meeting her eyes.

And then.

“If your neck is cold, just say so.”

Despite seeing the skin turning bright red as if about to bleed, he pretended not to notice and pulled out a scarf.

“Hehe, Guild Master, are you really an angel?”

She burst out laughing at his out-of-context flattery.

“If I’m an angel, half the people in this world would be angels.”

Every time someone met him, they’d ask if he was really human or if he was an AI created somewhere, so being called an angel was nothing.

“But Guild Master, you’re so cool! You buy me delicious things… um… you’re strong…! And big…!”

Still, since it was the girl saying it…

“Here, wear this.”

He caught his mouth corners before they could rise, wrapping the cape around the girl’s neck.

Originally a black cape for suits, it suited the girl quite well.

She was so small that it covered her neck and upper body completely, making her look just like a doll.

This should prevent her from scratching and injuring her neck again.

However, he inwardly vowed.

Whoever tormented this child, if they’re still alive, I’ll show them hell.

Using telekinesis to separate bones and flesh, crushing organs.

Feeding them extremely compressed air or flames to explode inside their bodies.

During the ongoing war with villains, the Guild Master was known as the most brutal of all.

But no matter how cruel his inner thoughts were…

“…Jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous.”

Han Dayeon gritted her teeth madly, watching the two walk ahead like father and daughter.

Even if it was to get the girl’s attention, was it really necessary to stick so close and act uncharacteristically friendly?

Moreover, he’d sent her and her sister to fetch food from here and there.

She couldn’t even watch them freely from behind like this.

So, just a little, just a tiny bit.

Wouldn’t it be okay to hug her from behind and poke those squishy cheeks with her finger?

We’re both girls anyway.

Yeah, if we succeed in persuading the monks, we’ll be living in the same house.

We’ll be sisters!

Han Dayeon’s eyes rolled back.

Her purple eyes, praised by others as jewel-like, now glowed with an ominous aura.

The incarnation of Lilith that the girl constantly talked about must look just like this.

“Hmm, if you look closely, sis seems more dangerous than the cult.”

Han Yuyeon, watching this from the side, shook her head.

She used to dislike the arrogant, whiny kids who sometimes visited the guild.

But looking at her sister now, she was the real crazy bitch.

However, the madness for the girl wasn’t limited to Han Dayeon.

Han Yuyeon, jealous of Han Dayeon’s passionate gaze and thinking ‘I could treat her well too’, made a suggestion.

-“If she lives with us, should we take turns sleeping with her every other day?”

Simultaneously, Han Dayeon’s crazed gaze whipped around.

What?

Every other day?

Then what about the remaining day? Sleep alone, lonely and miserable?

Absolutely not.

So Han Dayeon proposed a new compromise.

-“Let’s just sleep together with her in the middle.”

Normally, Han Yuyeon would have grabbed her collar and fought, saying ‘You want me to sleep rubbing against that disgusting flesh?’, but…

-“Deal.”

Well, it should be fine with the child in the middle.

In a simple contest of strength, Han Yuyeon wouldn’t lose, so she planned to claim the girl by force.

More importantly, the problem was how to persuade the girl to come home with them.

Maybe if we offer to buy her delicious things…?

-“S-so, how should we entice her?”

The sisters’ house was spacious.

Not just spacious, but large enough to require servants.

So the idea of three people sleeping together in one place was actually an inefficient, nonsensical act.

What was needed here was a tiny white lie.

Han Yuyeon casually suggested a method.

-“Hmm, you act like you know the child well, but you can’t think of this one thing?”

Of course, before telling her, turning the tables was a given.

-“…Will you just tell me the method?”

-“She’s a kind and considerate child, right? If we say we’re scared and lonely sleeping alone at night, won’t she sleep with us without much fuss?”

Ah!

Han Dayeon let out a silent scream.

Is this really that stupid sister of mine?

How did she come up with such a perfect method?

It was the best solution, but she didn’t want to admit it.

In their usual arguments, it would have ended with her victory, given her overwhelming physique.

Grr-

You dare ignore my attention and love for the girl?

This is something I absolutely can’t yield.

So Han Dayeon subtly changed the subject.

-“M-more importantly, if we’re going to live together, shouldn’t we give her a name first? We can’t keep calling her ‘kid’ or ‘little one’, can we?”

If the Guild Master or Instructor Yang Joya, who knew the girl well, had heard this, they would have fainted.

-“Ha, even sis can say something right sometimes. Yeah, let’s think of a cute name.”

Unfortunately, the sisters didn’t know much about the girl.

They fell for her cute appearance once.

Fell twice for her consideration and kindness unlike a child.

And finally, completely fell for her with a mix of guilt over her tragic story.

-“Since we’re sisters, how about a name with ‘yeon’… like Suyeon?”

-“No way! It’s not cute!”

-“Hayeon?”

-“It sounds too low-class!”

-“Oh for fuck’s sake, then you suggest something!”

-“How about just ‘Yeon’?”

-“Huh? Why not add kite and stingray while you’re at it?”

Their argument continued, getting excited even though it wasn’t even certain the girl would live with them.

Of course, even while bickering, they didn’t forget gifts for the girl.

Despite being team leaders who normally wouldn’t handle such trivial tasks, they visited restaurants they’d pre-ordered from, running until their feet sweated.

Thus, the sisters’ inventories were filled with all sorts of drinks, snacks, and food.

It was a very satisfactory situation, thinking that the more bribes they had, the higher the chance of persuading the monks.

Meanwhile, the Guild Master, who had completely forgotten the sisters’ existence while being with the girl…

“Monk!!”

“Oh! Our little one is back!”

He had already returned to the temple quickly, carrying the girl in his arms.

The sisters weren’t children; they’d find their way back on their own.

What was important now was taking the unstable girl to a place where she could feel at ease.

Fortunately, that choice wasn’t wrong.

The bright reaction was nothing like when she first saw Monk Jamyeong’s shining head and was surprised.

Or when she saw the temple and was surprised again.

Or when she saw the Buddha statue and said it looked lecherous.

The girl immediately jumped out of the Guild Master’s arms.

He felt a slight disappointment at her behavior, acting as if he didn’t matter anymore.

But regardless of whether the Guild Master was sulking behind her, the girl leaped into Monk Jamyeong’s arms.

The familiar scent felt good.

“Hohoho, seeing your bright smile, it seems you had fun.”

Despite being over eighty years old, Jamyeong immediately lifted the girl up.

What?! That light child… has gotten heavier in just one day!

It feels like she’s gained about 1.4kg.

Monk Jamyeong glanced aside and exchanged telepathic messages with the Guild Master.

-“Was there any food the child particularly enjoyed eating?”

-“She’s still a child, it seems. She likes sweet and sour things.”

I see!

So that’s why she didn’t gain weight even though she ate all her meals at the temple!

What the girl needed wasn’t health food, but a massive amount of calories!

“So, what did you like best?”

At Monk Jamyeong’s question, the girl grinned and flapped her arms enthusiastically.

“I saw a place built by giants called Gyeongbokgung!”

Her thin, white arms stretched out, but even so, they were shorter than the temple’s white dog.

It was her way of expressing the grandeur of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

The endless castle walls that stretched as far as she could see were still vivid in her memory.

The child looks happy.

She must have had fun.

This child really does seem more suited to city life than being stuck in a mountain temple.

Monk Jamyeong responded enthusiastically to the girl’s explanation and asked:

“Is that so? Did you go inside too?”

“No! But even though it was very old, it was amazing! It was just like you, Monk!”

Oh.

Is she saying I don’t have many days left to live?

Old… no, is she calling me old?

For a moment he thought that, but seeing the girl’s pure smile, he let it go.

Well. What does it matter?

If the child is happy, an adult can’t nitpick.

“Then, let’s go sightseeing together next time.”

“Will you come with us too, Monk?!”

“Hoho, yes. If it’s okay for this old man to come along, I’ll join you.”

So the three entered the wide-open temple in a happy atmosphere.

Warm air, and the familiar scent.

“I’m back!”

The girl’s greeting was met with laughter from monks all around.

—