251 – Teaching the Nymphs and the Kids #1
Famous and popular people naturally had followers.
It was fine to call them followers.
For example, the German S-Ranker Weber was said to be accompanied by five B-Rank Minions.
In medieval times, there were always Minions who held spears or weapons for knights, helped maintain their armor after battles, and so on.
They participated in battles alongside the knights to gain experience and eventually aimed to become knights themselves, passing on the system by taking boys as Minions.
Weber’s B-Rank Minions played a similar role.
They followed the S-Ranker around, handling various tasks and increasing their experience and skills.
Such things were common in the world of Awakened.
Many people would approach famous Awakened and say, “I want to be your subordinate!”
There were plenty of scraps to fall from the table.
Before I became an A-Rank, I probably looked like a follower attached to Seo Ye-rim in others’ eyes.
That’s why other A-Rankers were jealous of me and tried to ostracize me.
Anyway.
Now that I was an A-Ranker, a high-ranking Awakened, I also had the opportunity to take in subordinates or Minions.
“So, I gave that kid my business card. If he wants to be my subordinate, he can contact me anytime.”
It was evening.
I briefly explained what had happened that afternoon to Lee Jin-A.
As I did so, Jin-A brought the ramen she had cooked to the table and started wiping her hands near her rear.
“So, what happened to that guy Ji-Hoo’s father?”
“I don’t know either. I heard he lives with his mom. Seems tough to be going through hard times.”
Lee Jin-A had a past where she had to part ways with her mother during her childhood. So, she seemed to empathize with the idea of losing one of her parents.
I slurped the ramen Jin-A made.
It was very salty and spicy, delicious.
It seemed she had used some leftover snow crab from a while ago to make the broth, which was refreshing.
She must have put in chopped green onions and minced garlic too.
“You cooked it really well. It’s not an exaggeration to say you could sell it at a market!”
“I used to work at a snack shop.”
Lee Jin-A, tying her hair back, started eating ramen while the Nymphs nearby were clamoring.
“This Inoi doesn’t particularly like ramen, but this one is tasty…! It’s truly wonderful ramen…!”
“Core Jin-A cooks ramen very well…! I, Coris, can vouch for that…! Truly the pride of Core…!”
Kkungkkungi and Ahn Ahn also enjoyed ramen from the plate.
Watching them, Lee Jin-A cautiously spoke up.
“But can we let them eat ramen too?”
“They are omnivorous, so it’s fine.”
While the ghost spider Bang Bang mostly ate dew and honey, Kkungkkungi and Ahn Ahn could eat anything edible for humans, including things humans couldn’t eat.
Maybe the vitality and strength that Squirrel Beasts and Honey Ants had were deeply related to their ability to convert anything into energy.
This was what I was curious about.
“So, Jin-A, why did you come today?”
Jin-A had come to our house with Coris in the evening.
I thought there would be a reason for it, but she just asked me, “Do you want me to cook some ramen?” and cooked it off her own accord.
It was quite fortunate for me since I was too lazy to prepare dinner.
Jin-A said.
“Well, you said those bad people from Japan are targeting you. The ‘Psycho Shockers.’ So, we decided to take turns watching over you for a few days. The irregular Rift at the well is concerning too.”
I see.
I was currently being targeted by a villain organization.
It seemed that some people gathered to keep watch over me and Haildo in case something unexpected happened.
I appreciated it.
It must be bothersome.
“So, Haildo, have you found out what those Shockers are up to? Their objectives? The exact reasons they are after you?”
Reasons?
It was probably because I was famous and accomplished.
I had also looked into what kind of organization they were.
Tsukki had sent me information via email.
“The Shockers are a group aiming for transcendence. The composition is 2 Awakened to 8 regular people. Originally a small occult group, they expanded by merging with the ‘Mandala of Truth.'”
The Psycho Shockers claimed that anyone could become an Awakened— their catchphrase was simple.
As a result, regular people outnumbered the Awakened in their ranks.
“Imagine what the normal people who desire power might do after being brainwashed by the Awakened leaders who follow a cult. It’s terrifying.”
They were the bane of society in Japan.
At that moment, Inoi, who had cleaned its ramen bowl, started trembling as if engulfed in fear.
“It seems that this Inoi is definitely after the whispering coins it has collected…! If there are lots of coins gathered, it’s only natural for people to covet them…!”
Is that so?
It was a reasonable point.
The “whispering coins” held mysterious potential.
They might be aiming for the Nymphs near me.
Inoi quickly straightened up as if it had regained its spirits.
“But this Inoi’s coins are protected by Pig No, so there’s no problem…! If anyone tries to steal the coins—.”
“Koeeeee…!”
“It will surely raise an alarm with a loud cry…! Pig No is indeed an excellent guard and watcher like Cerberus…! No nymph would have hired a guard as excellent as this Inoi…!”
Inoi spoke proudly.
Its friend, the living piggy bank Pig No, had a tendency to flee and make noise if someone tried to steal the coins inside it.
Even if the thief was Inoi!
Truly an excellent guard.
However, there was something worrying from the recent conversation.
“Didn’t Pig No just make a loud noise? Isn’t someone targeting it?”
I went out to where I had heard the noise.
There, I saw a shady figure wrapped in dark clothes, struggling while holding Pig No.
“Come quietly! You! Hurry! Before you get caught!”
“Koee…!”
I see.
They were trying to steal Pig No!
Inoi said.
“Just as this Inoi said…! The evil organization ‘Psycho Shockers’ is definitely after this Inoi’s piggy bank…!”
“I, Coris, also know that the current situation is extremely dangerous…! Inoi, let’s beat this bad thief together…!”
Bang!
Before I could step in, the Nymphs jumped toward the shady figure.
And they started hitting the figure with their fists!
“Nymph Beat, beat them up…!”
“Double Punch…!”
Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-.
Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-.
The synergy of Inoi and Coris.
The two Nymphs, who had played together for quite some time, were perfectly in sync, and the figure had no chance to resist and screamed.
“Ahhh!”
The figure fell sprawling in the yard.
Taking advantage of the gap, the freed piggy bank Pig No hid behind Inoi.
“Haildo! Stay back! I’ll subdue them! I think the Shockers have already come!”
Bang!
Lee Jin-A pounced at the fallen person.
Using her body, she pressed down on the opponent with all her might.
“Ugh, so heavy! Get off! It’s heavy!”
The opponent couldn’t budge at Jin-A’s strength.
Jin-A’s power was shockingly powerful, enough to surprise even me.
They must have felt like being crushed by a car right then.
At that moment.
“Bang…!”
Something small seemed to pop out and stuck to Jin-A’s face.
“What is this! A Squirrel…!?”
Jin-A trembled as if surprised.
Taking that opportunity, the bound figure shouted.
“Good job, Darmy!”
A figure controlling a Squirrel?
Upon a closer look, they were small in stature, just like the Nymphs.
“Wait a second.”
I felt some déjà vu.
Since this was the case, I should step in.
“Kkungkkungi, make a ‘Threatening Sound’!”
‘Threatening Sound.’
It was a skill that Kkungkkungi had recently acquired after being hassled by the female Squirrels.
The threat of the top Squirrel was effective not only on Squirrels but also made any creature flinch…
“Growl…!!!”
“Yip…yip…!!!”
The small Squirrel, named Darmy, fell over with a strange cry.
The shady figure also trembled in fear.
“Yipe!”
A sour smell wafted to my sensitive nose.
It seemed the shady figure had wet themselves in response to Kkungkkungi’s furious cries.
I approached the trembling figure and removed their hood.
Then a shabby appearance was revealed.
“Hey, it’s you… the little kid I saw earlier. Ji-Hoo, right?”
—
“Hey, do you really want to die? Do you not know what happens when you steal from others?”
Lee Jin-A spoke menacingly toward the piggy bank thief, Ji-Hoo.
I felt a chill in my pocket for no reason.
It was like the nightmare of when I saved up cultural vouchers to buy a cash item and had them snatched away by a neighborhood bully.
If I felt this way, how was the kid, Ji-Hoo, feeling?
“I… I’m sorry…! I’m really sorry…!”
The little thief Ji-Hoo was crying buckets. Of course, Jin-A did not show him any mercy and pulled his cheeks.
“Nymph Tactics, cheek pinching!”
Squeeze!
Ji-Hoo’s cheeks expanded.
Seeing that, Inoi marveled.
“Wow-! Other than Core Ye-rim, there’s another Core that can perfectly execute cheek pinching…! How surprising…!”
“I, Coris, taught her well…! Core Jin-A is known for having the widest variety of tech placements among the Cores…!”
…It was an amazing story, though I didn’t really understand what it meant.
Anyway.
I decided to intervene and stop Jin-A from taking on such a stern role.
“Jin-A, I think that’s enough.”
“What do you mean enough? If you steal since you were young, you become worse as an adult. You’ll just get more scolded for missing one of your parents. You need to fix your habits now.”
Jin-A seemed to find Ji-Hoo, who was in a similar situation of losing a parent, even more detestable and obnoxious.
Was she immersed in it because it was similar to her own circumstances?
“Still, we should wash the kid first. He smells.”
I pushed Ji-Hoo, who had also wet himself, into the shower room.
He looked to be only around 10 years old.
Since he seemed so scared, I figured I should help him wash up.
But Jin-A frowned.
“No, I’ll take care of it. He’s a girl.”
“What? Seriously?”
I didn’t realize.
I thought he was just a mischievous boy.
The Nymphs, Jin-A, and the little girl Ji-Hoo all entered the bathtub together and came out after their wash.
Ji-Hoo’s appearance and attitude had become quite refined.
Now, her face looked youthful like the Nymphs, showing a hint of a girl.
“So, why did you do something like that?”
