109 – Nymphs and Haildo of Darkness #1
It was a strange summer vacation filled with odd events and an invasion by ninjas.
There were a lot of ups and downs, but in any case, it ended on a good note.
“Ugh, when we get back to Korea, I’ll have to deal with the piled-up T-rank fissures nonstop, right? I really hate it. I just want to live on this island like this.”
Cha Yura stretched lazily aboard the private plane.
Park Seo Ye-rim threw a quick retort at her, who was making such lamenting sounds.
“If we don’t do it, who will? Even though it’s a trivial, pathetic, and tough job that no one acknowledges, it’s something S-ranks like us have to do.”
Seo Ye-rim had an immense pride as an S-rank Awakened.
It was something I should aspire to.
To that, Illinois spoke up.
“Truly amazing…! In that sense, you also shouldn’t forget to raise my allowance to 100,000 won a day…! And you owe me an apology and compensation for pinching my cheeks…!”
“Aah-. Okay, fine. Stop it already. I was wrong. I’m sorry. Is that enough? Huh?”
“Of course…! I, Illinois, am a nymph with a heart as wide as American land…! I’ll forgive you as much as you want…!”
It seemed Illinois and Seo Ye-rim had reconciled well again.
It was a good outcome in many ways.
Anyway.
Feeling that way, we spent our time at Telos Land and boarded the private plane to return.
Lee Jin-A admired the airplane adorned with a red carpet.
“I never thought I’d get to ride on a plane like this while living! Haildo, have you seen this? The drinks in the fridge. There’s alcohol. Can we drink this?”
I was curious too.
They wouldn’t charge extra for drinking, would they?
But the nymphs were already taking things out of the fridge and eating.
At that moment, Inoi got furious.
“I don’t understand why Telos Corporation changed the straw of this CapriMoon drink to paper…! A paper straw can’t pierce through the drink…!”
“I also think a straw should be plastic…!”
Inoi and Coris seemed displeased with the paper straw.
It wasn’t easy to pierce the thick CapriMoon packaging with a paper straw.
Soon, Ahn Young, Seo Ye-rim’s secretary, chuckled softly.
“There’s been a lot of talk about environmental protection lately. Our company, Telos, is trying to take the lead and spread a good influence. Protecting nature. Isn’t that nice?”
“Why can’t you understand that protecting us nymphs is, in fact, nature protection…? This paper straw is an insult towards nymphs…! It’s truly an act of natural hatred…!”
Nymphs were fairies of nature.
One could say they were nature itself.
Is a paper straw that nymphs dislike an object that goes against nature? A straw meant to protect nature seems to ruin and torment it instead!
“Even if Illinois throws trash on the ground, it’s not environmental pollution…! Because nymphs like Illinois are nature itself…!”
It might seem nonsensical, but when you think about it carefully, it made a lot of sense.
And something sparked in my mind.
“Is it because it’s a sensible statement that it’s named Illinois?”
I said lightly.
Then Yu Ara, who was sitting next to me on the plane, burst out laughing.
“Haha! Senior, you’re really too funny!”
With a strange laugh, Yu Ara laughed.
I felt a sense of pride.
Honestly, it was a pretty funny joke, even to me.
However, Seo Ye-rim was horrified.
“…I’m seriously angry. So what’s in that bag? Isn’t it uncomfortable to keep hugging it like that?”
Seo Ye-rim seemed to be curious about the bag that Gi Seung-jae had given me as a gift.
I was also worried about what Gi Seung-jae had confidently claimed to be in there.
If this was in there, I could win against anyone.
I thought it was bragging, but it didn’t feel entirely like bragging.
“A password setup that even Telos’s security team cannot crack. Where could I go to unlock it?”
It must be something very expensive, so I felt good in many ways.
Lee Jin-A, who was sitting in front of me and combing Coris’s hair, spoke.
“I know someone who’s really good at hacking that kind of thing. You might want to let that guy have a go.”
“Really?”
“Actually, that guy mentioned he wanted to meet you.”
“Me?”
If Lee Jin-A’s acquaintance was part of the underworld gang, why would such a person want to meet me?
Lee Jin-A added an explanation.
“They said they discovered some strange creature. Apparently, it’s a creature that sensitively reacts to human magic and emotions. Haildo, since you’re an expert on squirrels and various otherworldly creatures.”
It was a very intriguing story.
A creature that reacted to magic and emotions.
What kind of otherworldly creature could it be?
I hoped it had a cute side like Kkungkkungi or Bang Bang, or was it massive like Kalilnoi?
Swoosh-.
Soon, Lee Jin-A handed me her phone.
A video was playing, depicting a scene where a black, sticky liquid was being poured over a white mouse trapped in a glass case.
The black liquid soon covered the mouse’s surface like hot, sticky tar, and it struggled for a while before dying.
“It died, right? What’s that liquid?”
“It seems to be a parasitic creature. Might be symbiotic water. Whatever it is, it’s not a creature or substance from this world. But what’s more amazing is this.”
Swoosh-.
As the video continued to play, the mouse that had died under the black liquid rose up.
It then started to jump around inside the glass bottle, clearly moving in a way that deviated from the actions of a ‘mouse.’
—Krrrrrr…
At that moment, the ghost spider Kkungkkungi, who had been quietly sitting on my shoulder, made a ferocious sound.
Then it jumped towards the smartphone that Lee Jin-A was holding.
Swoosh-!
“Ah! That surprised me. Why is Kkungkkungi acting up all of a sudden?”
Lee Jin-A dropped her phone on the floor.
I was also surprised.
I never expected that the usually docile Kkungkkungi would show such an aggressive attitude.
# # #
“…”
Tsukki remained silent on the plane returning to Japan.
Next to Tsukki, Reiko chattered away.
“It’s a pity. If we had won the soccer match, we could have gone to extra time and our Japan could have won. Then we could have stolen Il-do! Along with the squirrel beasts!”
Reiko was disappointed that she couldn’t take Haildo and the squirrel beasts from Seo Ye-rim.
Now, they could only look forward to next year.
“However, Il-do’s gaze towards me was completely filled with love. He must be deeply captivated by my charm. Of course! I’m beautiful! Tsukki, don’t you think so too?”
“…”
“What do Korean men like, I wonder?”
Feeling that way, they arrived in Japan.
The headquarters of the Performance Arts Union.
Tokyo, the main castle.
An achingly antiquated fortress built in the 21st century.
As Tsukki entered, he knelt in front of the 21st-century samurais and ninjas, emanating a truly profound atmosphere, and completed his report to the commander.
“These were the events that transpired.”
“Is that so? In the end, we failed to bring the headquarters back to Japan. Despite mobilizing the ‘S. Ninja’ and ‘Mind Leader,’ we couldn’t win. Not winning is nearly the same as losing!”
Commander Yagami.
He was the man effectively ruling over modern-day Japan.
His bearded face looked incredibly formidable, and true to the name ‘the Heavendwelling Dragon,’ his body was covered with dragon tattoos.
He questioned Tsukki.
“So, Tsukki. What about your engagement? Of the two women, Reiko and Seo Ye-rim, who do you truly want to take as your bride? Isn’t it time to advance the betrothal?”
Yagami’s face twisted as he spoke.
He wasn’t an Awakened, but just his demeanor was enough to make the cyborg samurais and ninjas of the 21st century tremble in fear.
Regardless, Tsukki replied to Yagami.
“Commander! I will not be engaged to either Reiko or Seo Ye-rim. I am not a man. I like beautiful things, but I do not love women romantically. I’ve felt that way for a long time.”
“What? After raising you like a son, you say such things? You?”
Yagami.
His face turned fiery red.
Soon, those around him began to shout.
“Y-Young master!”
“Control yourself, Young master! Apologize to the commander!”
They thought Yagami would be furious.
So they thought Tsukki should retract his statement, but when Yagami shouted “Silence!” the surroundings fell into deep silence.
With veins popping from his forehead, Yagami spoke.
“Tsukki. You claim you are a woman. Why do you think that?”
“I realized I was a woman after meeting Haildo. Haildo made me a woman that day in the bathhouse. And he said he would take ‘responsibility’!”
“Haildo…! That squirrel Haildo made you a woman—!?”
Yagami’s face turned beet red as if it were about to explode.
He clenched his fist tightly, his body tremoring.
Yet Tsukki stood up without being intimidated and said.
“Father! I truly am a woman! Even if it’s a command from you, I cannot be betrothed to women!”
“You… you dare say that to me….”
Everyone thought.
Yagami would erupt in anger.
But contrary to expectations, Yagami was feeling moved.
‘My daughter has finally found her true gender identity! I raised her, a child without a mother, in the midst of rough men, and I hadn’t expected this! I have no idea what happened, but—.’
Yagami felt tears welling up in his eyes.
Could it be related to the ‘Haildo’ that Tsukki mentioned?
“Tsukki! Bring Haildo before me! I need to see what kind of guy he is! Until that time, do not set foot in Japan! Leave at once!”
Haildo.
That man might truly turn his daughter into a real woman.
Yagami thought so.
‘Now that I can cross the Sando River, I can finally face my wife, Huyuki! Tsukki shows interest in a man! This is the first time! I must not miss this opportunity!’
However, those around him thought the same.
Commander Yagami.
He truly seemed to be plotting to kill Haildo!
