235 – Nymphs and Chuseok #1
“If Inoi could ruin your world—what would you do? You who are called the master of the house. Haildo. Can you defeat the nymph Inoi of the ditch water?”
The artifact nymph Dulys whispered softly, just loud enough for me to hear.
I looked at Inoi, who lay soundly asleep.
“Muhuh… look at this rainbow cloud…. This Inoi is the chief nymph on this day of pride…”
It was a very peaceful sight, lying near the campfire, hugging Kkungkkungi and sleep talking.
To think such an Inoi could ruin our world.
I recalled the Inoi I had seen until now and came to a conclusion.
“Inoi is not someone who would do such a thing. The honey-headed witch Inoi that Dulys saw and the Inoi I know are probably different beings.”
“Oh… so you assert that. Can you guarantee it?”
“I guarantee it.”
There was no need for hesitation in my answer. I had spent enough time with Inoi to see her closer than anyone else.
Inoi was a nymph who loved to show off.
And, more than that, she was a nymph who liked to help those in need.
The idea that Inoi could put the world in danger was impossible.
Suru-.
The artifact nymph Dulys opened her thin eyes.
I wondered if my answer displeased her, but then she began to laugh in a nymph-like way, “Muhuh-.”
“You, not a single tremor in your soul. You are like a human made of wood or stone. It is no wonder small animals and nymphs follow you well. I was only testing you for a moment.”
“Testing…?”
“As you say, the honey-headed witch Inoi who fragmented our world and the small ditch water nymph Inoi are different nymphs. You trust the nymphs more than the nymphs trust you.”
That was true.
My ability to look up again, after suffering in a perpetual D-rank, had come from meeting nymphs and animals.
I could trust that nymphs could make chocolate from beans. Everything the nymphs had said so far had been true, and there had been no lies.
“Nymphs are all reliable friends.”
“If so, can you trust what I say as well?” Dulys asked.
Although she did not look much older than me, Dulys possessed the spirit of an elderly sage, so I nodded.
At my affirmative nod, Dulys said, “You need to be a bit more cautious around women. The signs of trouble with women are quite strong. A massive war could erupt around you. You might call it a world war, as your people would say.”
I had briefly explained to Dulys about our 21st-century world. She seemed quite interested in the world war she had heard about then….
The idea that a world war could happen because of me made me dizzy. I had always worried that the Third World War might break out, and now it felt like it could become a reality.
“What should I do?”
“I don’t know.”
“I see.”
Identifying a problem does not mean everyone can find an answer.
Anyway.
With that feeling, the day broke.
The great sorcerer Dulys used the nymphs’ great magic to pierce a hole in the dimension, and we were able to return to the uninhabited island through that gap.
Seo Ye-rim, who witnessed the scene, was greatly surprised.
“To think they can freely open the exit of the crack. Nymphs are amazing. Didn’t they close the entrance to the crack by singing last time? Just like when the hydra appeared.”
We spent about half a day on the uninhabited island.
Then we met the rescue team dispatched from Telos and America.
“Oh! Mr. Ildo! Long time no see! How do you do? Have you been well?”
Among the rescue team dispatched from America was S-ranker “Outlaw – Casey”! She was the one who had caused me the pain of heartbreak, and while it hurt a little, I managed to endure it.
“Nice to meet you! I’ve been wanting to see you, Mr. Ildo!”
Hug-!
Casey, without any distance, hugged me. She even planted a kiss on my cheek.
Americans really are different.
American style. Of course, Yu Ara frowned and pulled Casey away.
“Please don’t approach my senior like that. We’ve been in the dual crack for a long time, and we don’t know what variables may arise from contact with outsiders. Especially since you kissed him on the cheek. How could you do something so dangerous?”
“Very sorry!”
Clang-clang!
On Casey’s shoulder, a squirrel beast was perched.
Its color was similar to chrome, and its cry was peculiar too, “Clang-clang-.”
Casey said, “This friend is Kkangkkangi! My partner, Chimmongke! He’s good with his hands, so he helps load bullets and stuff! So cute…!”
I see.
Kkangkkangi was described as a female squirrel beast.
When it seemed to take interest in Kkungkkungi, which was sitting on my shoulder, it jumped up and climbed onto my shoulder.
Kkangkkangi hugged Kkungkkungi, who was a top squirrel and thus very popular among female squirrel beasts.
“Clang-kkang…!”
“Grrrr…!”
But Kkungkkungi seemed to reject Kkangkkangi, as he already had a girlfriend named Phey. He jumped away and ran off. As I watched Kkangkkangi chase him, Casey said.
“Well then, let’s get out! Let’s leave this uninhabited island!”
# # #
We arrived in Korea aboard a giant ship dispatched by the American rescue team. Seo Ye-rim reached out to the S-ranker Casey from the U.S.
“Thank you for your help.”
“That’s okay! America and Korea are blood allies. The Korea-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty will remain forever strong! If something bad happens, we must help each other. And if there’s good news, we should share it together! Don’t you think so, Mr. Ildo? We should share good things!”
Saying this, Casey looked at me.
It seemed she meant that whenever American Awakened ones face difficulties near Korean territory, they would ask Koreans for help.
That’s the law of allies.
However, Seo Ye-rim frowned and replied somewhat curtly.
“There’s no need to share everything. Anyway, your role is done now. You can go back. We have our own busy work to attend to. We have many things to clear up with the culprit and instigator behind this mess. Don’t you think it would take a long time to get back to America? We should start diligently.”
We had been trapped on the uninhabited island because of Kang Cheol-Min and the captain who cooperated with him.
It was necessary to clarify responsibility and punishment about this. It would get busy moving forward.
Pat-.
Seo Ye-rim whisked away in a black vehicle with those dispatched from Telos.
Yu Ara also took Morales’s hand and said, “Senior, I think I have things I need to attend to as well,” before leaving.
I thought Lee Jin-A would remain, but she also received a call from somewhere and said she had to rush off somewhere.
“They want me to handle these Amazons and bring them to the interdimensional immigrant office?”
It was an important matter.
The 30 female warriors who had fallen into a strange world.
They were busy marveling at the sky-high buildings and the passing cars.
“Are those towering things castles? They seem even more impressive than the walls of Troy!”
“They’re better than I thought! No dinosaurs, though.”
“The clothing is also peculiar. Not a single person is wearing armor or weapons?”
They would have to struggle for a few days at least, if not several months since they are cultural ambassadors. It reminded me of when the elves first arrived in Korea.
Lee Jin-A departed with the 30 female warriors, and I set out on the way back to the well house with the small animals and Inoi, quickly falling asleep upon returning home.
From then on, peaceful days continued.
A refreshing autumn.
Korea was busy ahead of the great holiday of Chuseok for various reasons.
Swoosh-.
When I turned on the news online, there were plenty of sensational articles.
“What is the Patriot Team?”
“The reality of the black operations team directly under the presidential office—.”
“Bad signals for the upcoming general elections? The presidential office is working hard to gauge public sentiment during the Chuseok holiday.”
The world was always full of problems.
Of course, not everything was bad.
Although there were many issues—
Such things were insignificant compared to the good news that had begun pouring in.
Namely, legendary tribes of women were being rescued from near the Pacific and were coming to Korea.
“Title: Did you hear that S-ranker Cha Yura rescued another 200 Amazons from the Pacific crack?
Content: They plan to continue rescuing more. It’s reported that about 10,000 are adrift.”
“Wow, that’s insane! If I apply for a caretaker role, can I house-share with strong women?”
“Overcoming low birth rates, let’s go!”
Young and beautiful women were welcomed in any world, in any era. Of course, there were concerns about the entry of Amazons.
Mainly from women and elves.
“I heard Amazons generally give birth to four or five children…. They also have a strong tendency to cluster among themselves.”
“They say they’ve already started Amazon sisterhoods in each region….”
“Aren’t our children going to be bullied at school for being half-elf?”
“There’s a rumor that Amazons only give birth to girls…. If strong girls live oppressed by their sons, it could impact their education…”
“Title: Fact: Men don’t like muscular women like Amazons.
Content: I’m a man too, but honestly, I’m not into women with muscles. They just don’t look good in clothes. Plus, talented Amazon women won’t even give you the time of day, so get real!”
“Draft Code.”
“Our resolution, you loser LOL. I’m definitely a man.”
“Awakened ones can’t be screened out by just being women, as they have to go to training camps, LOL.”
There had been similar concerns when elves first entered Korea. Conversely, now that the elves were settled and established, they seemed equally worried about outsiders.
How fascinating. It seemed the internet would be very noisy for a while.
“So, Inoi, what are you doing?”
I asked Inoi, who was digging up dirt with a trowel in the yard.
Then Inoi replied.
“I heard that Chuseok is coming soon…! This Inoi has planted sweet potatoes to give to the master’s cousins and relatives…! They’re sure to grow big in a few days…!”
I see.
Inoi seemed very excited about Chuseok.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing the master’s cousins…! They must be wonderful people, just like the master…!”
Cousins.
Cousins…
I could only smile vaguely.
Chuseok, a holiday when relatives gather.
That would surely be a day more dangerous and tumultuous for me than the crack where the Amazons had been trapped.
