063 – Native Nymph Dislikes Invaders! #2
“Have you ever been on a cruise?”
Vroom-.
Inside a moving car.
At my question, Lee Jin-A shook her head.
“Would I ever?”
“That’s true.”
A luxury cruise ship.
How many chances would people like us, the common folks, get to ride one?
Lee Jin-A was common, and so was I.
We were commoners who had never been on a cruise before.
And it was unlikely we would in the future.
“This is all part of life’s experiences.”
I invited Lee Jin-A to the empty seat beside me.
The reason was simple.
The one who would appreciate the festival happening on the cruise the most would be Lee Jin-A.
It seemed like the excitement would be somewhat muted for people who were doing well, like Seo Ye-rim or Ari.
I suddenly opened the family chat room and saw a message that made my head spin. “Dad: Is it true you haven’t been dating Jin-A lately? Is everything okay between you two? Should I counsel you?”
Lee Jin-A was my fake girlfriend to avoid my parents’ nagging.
I figured sending them a picture of us on a date would keep them quiet for a while.
Therefore,
Lee Jin-A was the most suitable partner for this cruise trip.
I said to Lee Jin-A, who was driving,
“Hey, do you know you have to take off your shoes when boarding a cruise?”
“Stop kidding. You think I wouldn’t know that?”
“No, seriously. Look here. It says you have to take off your shoes before boarding.”
Lee Jin-A’s expression grew subtly skeptical.
She probably wondered if I was telling the truth.
Before she could contemplate it further, we arrived at Incheon Port.
A cruise ship, incredibly vast and truly enormous, stood before me, and its overwhelming presence was impressive enough to be astonishing.
Was this how passengers felt when they first saw the Titanic?
Bark bark…!
Kkungkkungi seemed to be in a good mood, jumping up and down on my shoulder.
Ahn Ahn, perched on my other shoulder, flapped its wings, also in high spirits.
The only calm one was Bang Bang, clinging to my back.
Hooow…!
Bang Bang was a quiet little spider.
People around us began to murmur upon seeing my peculiar ensemble.
“Why does that person have so many animals?”
“Did they come from a show? Event organizer? Variety program?”
Did I look like a magician or performer hired by a party entertainment company?
Admittedly, all the animals I was with were quite peculiar.
It was written that pets could accompany, so I decided to bring them along.
Would it really be okay?
“Haildo?”
I showed my ticket to a man in a black suit.
He narrowed his eyes as he looked at us but then said reassuringly.
“Please go inside.”
Indeed, I was allowed through.
Whoosh-.
The moment I stepped onto the ship, I took off my shoes.
Interestingly, the floor was covered in grass; it was clearly artificial turf, yet it felt fresh and green. What magic did they weave here?
Lee Jin-A frowned.
“What are you doing?”
“I told you. You have to take off your shoes when you board a cruise.”
I wasn’t lying.
It was written in the invitation!
Bark bark…!
Kkungkkungi ran around on the ship’s floor, which was covered in short green grass instead of red carpet.
Since everyone else was also barefoot, Lee Jin-A said, “What? It’s true,” as she took off her shoes and socks.
She had even flamboyantly painted her toenails.
“I don’t lie. By the way, let’s introduce the cabin. There are two beds. You and Inoi can share the same bed. Also, before entering the cabin, you need to pray to the Elf gods. You have to clap twice and say, ‘Yalungbalun-barumara-ha’.”
“What the heck is ‘Yalungbalun’ supposed to mean?”
Lee Jin-A frowned.
I shrugged.
“I don’t know. It must be in the Elf language.”
With that vibe, we headed for the cabin.
At the door, Lee Jin-A clapped twice and said, “Yalungbalun-barumara-ha—,” but people cast strange glances at her.
Lee Jin-A seemed to realize the oddity.
“What? Why am I the only one doing this?”
“Well, it’s my lie this time.”
“…You really want to die?”
Lee Jin-A frowned at me without saying anything.
I felt the pressure of being extorted.
Just then, Inoi hurriedly dashed inside the cabin.
“There are many long-eared fairies, but I really like this huge ship…! It feels just like the Argonauts when they boarded…!”
Whoosh-.
Inoi and Lee Jin-A started unpacking.
I took a moment and headed to the main hall, where a crowd was forming.
“Such a cute Ratatoskr.”
“I’ve never seen such a cute Ratatoskr before!”
“So cute! Eek!”
Beautiful elves were squealing in delight, resembling a scene from a movie.
What could possibly be that cute?
What even is Ratatoskr?
I want to see too!
Whatever it is, it’s clearly an elite leisure for the higher class!
At that moment, someone shouted furiously.
“Kkungkkungi isn’t a Ratatoskr, it’s a Squirrel Beast…! Even among squirrels, the difference between a chipmunk and a squirrel is significant…! Don’t name them however you like…!”
A bizarre voice.
As I squeezed through the crowd, I spotted the orange-haired Nymph Inoi, with Kkungkkungi on her shoulder, her face flushed with rage.
“Kkungkkungi is a Squirrel Beast, not a Ratatoskr…!”
“Look at that. Is that an elf?”
“No. It’s smaller, right? Its ears are short and pointy. How pitiful.”
“Is it an invasive fairy?”
“This Inoi is not an invader…! The long-eared fairies are the true invaders…! Don’t touch my hair…! Invaders should get away…!”
A complicated situation.
Soon, Inoi, surrounded by elves, spotted me.
“Ah-! The Housemaster is here…! Surely, the partner of the number one Squirrel Beast Kkungkkungi…! Nice to meet you…! And do teach these rude long-eared invaders a lesson…!”
She was as strange as ever.
If I had to deal with her, my day would be filled with noise.
I felt relieved that the Nymph I was in charge of was Inoi.
Abruptly, a woman in a red dress stepped onto the grass.
“Inoi, why are you causing such a commotion? I told you if you were coming on a cruise to get along with the elves. If you keep this up, I’ll reduce your allowance!”
“Hieek…! Please don’t reduce Inoi’s pocket money…! Inoi will fight against the tyranny of such a large corporation…!”
With a wine glass in hand, she seemed just like a character from a story about the upper class.
Swish-.
The wine swayed in the transparent glass.
“Hey, Haildo! What are you doing here?”
Seo Ye-rim, you say—those words almost slipped out.
Lee Jin-A said something from behind me.
“Hey, Haildo. How far can we go with the tickets we have? I heard there’s a casino on this cruise. Can we enter there too?”
With a swift glance.
Lee Jin-A and Seo Ye-rim locked eyes.
Seo Ye-rim asked.
“Tickets?”
# # #
“Kkungkkungi is popular.”
Kkungkkungi was immensely popular among the elves, everywhere it went.
I heard there’s a creature called Ratatoskr in the Elf world, which may be a squirrel or a chipmunk.
Apparently, it was as cute as Kkungkkungi.
However, being popular wasn’t necessarily a good thing.
“Ratatoskr’s tail fur is perfect for painting!”
“It can be made into charms too!”
Vroom…!
Many elves were eyeing Kkungkkungi’s tail fur.
Kkungkkungi’s tail had once been cut short to make my anti-curse medicine.
Now that it had grown back lush, it felt stressed to be gazed upon again.
“Seems like it’s angry, huh?”
At Lee Jin-A’s question, I nodded.
“Kkungkkungi likes its tail to be fluffy. A fluffy tail is as important to Squirrel Beasts as money is to humans.”
A bushy tail is a symbol of the premier Squirrel Beast.
However, as we headed down to the restaurant, Lee Jin-A shook her head.
“No, not Kkungkkungi. Seo Ye-rim.”
Seo Ye-rim was angry?
I hadn’t known since we parted ways so quickly.
Even though we were on the same cruise, Seo Ye-rim was at the “Valhalla” level.
She could be considered the highest rank on this ship.
For reference, Lee Jin-A, Inoi, and I were at the “Midgard” level.
We could do things normally, but our rights are somewhat limited, I guess?
Like in this restaurant.
Unlike Seo Ye-rim of the Valhalla level, our dining area was quite normal.
I heard they served shark fin on the other side.
Whoosh-.
Anyway, we dug into a lot of food.
Though the menu differed slightly from the exquisite meals that Seo Ye-rim was having, it was undeniably food we wouldn’t ordinarily eat.
Inoi, who had eaten sweet and sour pork, was astonished.
“This sweet and sour pork is the most delicious among the sweet and sour pork I’ve ever had…! And this beverage is sweet like honey…!”
Even though the beverage didn’t differ from those outside, it must be the atmosphere that made it feel special.
With that feeling, we settled down and began eating.
Then, it happened.
“You guys, did you come here by the invitation of the ‘Green Fairy Association’?”
Seo Ye-rim approached us with a plate.
Abandoning high-end service to come down to the lower level?
Whoosh-.
Seo Ye-rim sat down in front of us.
“How surprising. It’s rare for common folks like you to be invited.”
“I think so too. By the way, can you move a bit? I want to take a picture with Lee Jin-A eating so I can send it to my parents.”
If I stamped the date as if we were on a date, it would keep them calm for about two weeks.
Whoosh-.
Soon, Lee Jin-A gave a thumbs-up, and we took a great photo.
“You guys are still keeping up with that fake relationship?”
Seo Ye-rim asked as she started eating.
I nodded at her question.
“Right. But I think it’s time to end it soon. I don’t know how long I can keep this up. Plus, it seems too burdensome for Jin-A.”
“For me? I don’t mind. Thanks to that, I get to experience a cruise like this. When else in my life would I come to a place like this?”
Honestly, I do like the cruise.
I noticed many famous people around.
Had Seo Ye-rim experienced such events often?
Suddenly, I felt the difference in social status once again.
“Hey, Seo Ye-rim! Why did you disappear on your own? I thought you were off the ship! Why did you come to the Midgard restaurant?”
A somewhat familiar voice echoed.
A bright voice.
Soon, Inoi said,
“A nymph has appeared…!”
That’s not a nymph.
Inoi soon slumped down.
“Ah…! It wasn’t….”
She looked like a girl who had just become a high school student.
Wearing a blue outfit, her hair was elegantly styled with a transparent ice-like hairpin.
It was Cha Yura, an S-rank Awakened.
Did she return to Korea after her sabbatical overseas?
Cha Yura approached Seo Ye-rim.
Soon, her blue-tinged eyes looked at Lee Jin-A.
“Who is this? It’s Lee Jin-A.”
Cha Yura was an S-rank Awakened and a princess of Korea.
For her to know Lee Jin-A.
Could it be they had some connection as fellow third-generation Awakened?
When I looked at Lee Jin-A in confusion, she shrugged.
“When I was at the Awakened Academy, she carried my bag for me.”
