219 – Haildo If This Goes On #4
Lee Jin-A and the Nymphs returned to the yard.
The Nymphs looked very happy, having apparently enjoyed a refreshing walk under the cool autumn sky.
“Walking with my Nymph sisters is always enjoyable…! While it’s fun to admire the charming fields, the ice cream shop is definitely the best…!”
“Of course…! To be able to taste 31 different flavors at will is like a symbol of capitalism…! It’s the joyful Nymph dance…!”
It seems the Nymphs who had gone for a walk came back after eating ice cream. The bag they were holding was filled with packaged ice cream.
Looks delicious.
“That Lee Jin-A, I heard he fought with Haildo yesterday, but now he’s walking around so happily. Have they already made up? And that Illinois guy is looking quite carefree!”
Seo Ye-rim, who was watching the Nymphs from inside the house, clicked her tongue.
Seo Ye-rim must have been planning to take Illinois from my house today.
But seeing Illinois getting along so well seemed to annoy her a bit.
“Hey! Illinois! Why are you causing trouble everywhere!”
Seo Ye-rim shouted at Illinois, who had just returned home. Illinois, happily licking an ice cream cone, was startled enough that his hair stood on end.
“Yikes…! Core Ye-rim, why are you here…? It was a top secret that Illinois was here…!”
“Going out and causing problems everywhere! ‘Core-vigi, Nymph cheek pinching’…!”
Pinch.
Seo Ye-rim’s hand grabbed Illinois’s cheek like a clip. Illinois’s cheek stretched out like a bouncy rice cake, creating a very rare and fascinating sight.
“Yikes…! Let go of me…! Pinching a Nymph’s cheek right after meeting is an illegal movement that violates the Nymph Rights Law agreed upon with George of Washington…!”
Swipe.
Illinois escaped from Seo Ye-rim and stood in front of a mirror, rubbing his cheek.
The sight of his red, swollen cheek as he checked it while shedding tears was quite pitiful yet amusing at the same time.
“Isn’t that Illinois’s cheek expanding…? If this continues, Illinois will change from Illinois to Ili-ili-inoi….”
It was then.
“Oh! There’s really a giant Squirrel Beast…! I haven’t seen such a big Squirrel Beast since this Inoi…! It looks like the master of the house has truly become a Squirrel…!”
Nymph Inoi approached me, raising her hand.
She seemed to be spiraling around me like a pirate who had discovered a remarkable treasure.
“The effects of the ‘Animal Potion’ our Nymph sisters made are truly amazing…! They turned a normal person into an animal…!”
“Of course…! I thought Illinois would just grow some ears or a tail, but he completely transformed into an animal! It’s like Beauty and the Beast…!”
Dum chit dum chit.
The Nymphs danced around me, performing the joyful Nymph dance. It seemed that my sudden transformation into a Squirrel had effects beyond what the Nymphs had anticipated.
Hearing this, Seo Ye-rim frowned.
“What do you mean? That giant Squirrel is Haildo?”
Seo Ye-rim looked at me, and her expression seemed quite flustered.
Soon, Lee Jin-A, having put the ice cream into the fridge, said.
“It’s exactly what it sounds like. That big Squirrel is Haildo. The Nymphs transformed Haildo into a Squirrel using an ‘Animal Potion.’ Didn’t Haildo tell you?”
“A Squirrel talking…? And this big Squirrel is Haildo…?”
Shiver, shiver.
Seo Ye-rim trembled like a puppy thrown outside in the dead of winter.
“Haildo…!?”
Hisss…
Seeing her flushed face and the steam rising from her head, Seo Ye-rim seemed to be boiling like a kettle.
With that boiling forehead, she could probably fry an egg.
Lee Jin-A yawned widely.
“Did you do something you couldn’t tell in front of that big Squirrel?”
“Not at all!”
Seo Ye-rim replied confidently, raising her chin.
Then she pinched my side sharply—though my fur was thick, it didn’t hurt much.
Squirrel bodies are amazing!
“I didn’t do anything, right? Ask him!”
“Kkungkkung—!”
“See! Nothing happened!”
# # #
“So this guy transformed into Haildo, huh? I can’t believe a person has turned into a Squirrel. Finally, surpassing a useless human, he’s become a beast.”
As I curled up on the living room floor, Seo Ye-rim pressed down on my back with her foot. Stepping on a person’s back!
However, it felt quite refreshing.
It felt like getting a massage.
“So, how long does this guy have to stay a Squirrel? He can’t be like this for the rest of his life. He can return, right?”
Honestly, I was curious about that too.
Then Nymph Inoi proudly straightened her shoulders and said.
“Normally, changes caused by the ‘Animal Potion’ return to normal after about half a day…!”
Half a day.
It meant three hours or six hours.
The current time was 3 PM.
Since I woke up at 10, about five hours had passed since I turned into a Squirrel. According to Inoi’s estimation, it means I would return to normal in about an hour.
“Better yet, this feels nice. Just stay a Squirrel for the rest of your life. I’ll take good care of you. I’ll feed you and give you a salary, and I’ll walk you four times a day.”
Kkungkkung…!
At that moment, the Squirrel Kkungkkung, who had disappeared somewhere, returned with a flourish and circled around me.
Could it tell I had become a giant Squirrel?
Kkungkkung…!
The Squirrel Kkungkkung barked something.
I thought, ‘Since I’ve become a Squirrel, I might understand animals’ language,’ but unfortunately, that didn’t happen.
Kkungkkung still barked.
But…
I felt like I could understand the meaning a bit.
From what I understood, Kkungkkung’s ‘kkungkkung’ seemed like…
Kkungkkung…!
It didn’t have any meaning and simply wanted to bark. That’s how it felt. Or was my intuition right? Just a Squirrel that wanted to bark.
It seems that animals’ barks or cries don’t necessarily have meaning or significance.
Anyway.
With that feeling, the clock struck 4 PM.
I had been awake as a Squirrel for six hours.
But I was still the same furry animal.
“Isn’t it time to go back?”
Lee Jin-A frowned.
Hearing this, Illinois spoke up.
“Muhehe, that Illinois is indeed a miracle Nymph…! Perhaps the ‘Animal Potion’ that this Illinois and the sisters made has become a miraculous produce…!”
What did that mean?
Soon, Illinois explained.
There are different qualities of potions, ranging from low-grade to mid-grade and high-grade.
Even with the same ‘Animal Potion,’ there are differences in effects and efficacy depending on the quality.
“Oh! Indeed, our Nymph sisters worked really hard to make the potions for the master…! It’s clear that a very special potion with amazing effects might have been made…!”
Special product.
A potion with maximized duration and effects.
In other words, it meant I had no idea how many more days my transformation might last.
Seo Ye-rim plopped down on the sofa and let out a sigh.
“This is difficult. Haildo has so much to do now. He has to appear in a new entertainment show, and we need to adjust the suit or equipment burnt by the lightning.”
That was true.
A-Rank 14th place.
As a notable figure, I had a lot to do.
But if I had to stay as an animal, my schedule would be messed up. What does the entertainment program even mean?
Illinois soon chuckled.
“That Illinois is making an elixir that can help with any curse…! If Core Ye-rim apologizes to this Illinois, it can be given to her…!”
A curse?
Did she just say curse?
When I trembled, Seo Ye-rim frowned.
“That’s funny! Why should I apologize to you, Illinois?”
“Because Core Ye-rim pinched this Illinois’s cheek twice and blocked the card…! Normally, such movements are impossible to pardon…! But this Illinois is a very good Nymph with a big heart…! I’m giving you a special chance to apologize…!”
“Tch, why should I apologize….”
Seo Ye-rim clicked her tongue and turned her head sharply.
Then she met my gaze.
“Kkungkkung—!”
“…….”
“If you don’t drink the elixir in time, the House Master might have to live as a Squirrel for the rest of his life…! If that happens, Core Ye-rim’s mistake will be monumental…!”
What!?
If I don’t drink the elixir, I’ll have to live as a Squirrel?
For the rest of my life…!?
That would be a problem!
“Haildo will become a Squirrel for the rest of his life…? That’s….”
Seo Ye-rim muttered with a troubled feeling.
“If Haildo becomes a Squirrel for the rest of his life… I might become Seo Ye-rim the Squirrel… that could be fine… but… no, huh….”
She soon clicked her tongue and after taking a few breaths as if she was very displeased, spoke to Nymph Illinois in a creeping voice.
“Mi… mi….”
