069 – The Nymphs’ Summer Vacation
“Muheuheu, this Inoi is officially on summer vacation starting today…!”
It had been quite some time since the day I boarded the luxurious elven cruise ship.
Inoi suddenly made a peculiar remark.
“What summer vacation?”
“I’ve heard that summer vacation is something very shiny and wonderful…! Moreover, as a nymph born under the summer sunlight, this Inoi is more than qualified to have a summer vacation…!”
After meeting Nymph Inoi and other nymphs like Coris and Illinois, I confidently considered myself somewhat of an expert in Korean Nymphology.
Nymphs were indeed creatures that could be understood yet remained mysterious.
I wasn’t entirely sure, but I had an inkling that Inoi wanted to enjoy summer vacation.
“If you want a vacation, you first have to attend school.”
“Aah-, so that was it…! I thought something was missing…! Indeed, the master of the house is as clever as the famous Odysseus…!”
That was true.
I was very clever.
Swoosh.
I took Inoi outside to the yard.
Not long ago, spring was warm with cherry blossoms blooming.
Before I knew it, summer was approaching, and I was surprised by the unfolding seasonal sensation.
Until last year, I had been indifferent to the changes of the seasons.
After meeting Nymph Inoi, even small seasonal shifts seemed quite meaningful.
“Now, gather around.”
Swoosh.
I called Kkungkkungi, Bang Bang, and Ahn Ahn, who were playing in the yard.
─Ororong…!
Today, Ahn Ahn’s girlfriend, the Empress Ant, was also present.
For reference, Ahn Ahn’s girlfriend was a large empress ant shimmering like black obsidian and leading an enormous army of ants.
Her name was Elizabeth.
Anyway.
I addressed everyone.
“I am the principal of this yard’s school. I will give you a little lesson.”
“What kind of lesson are you trying to teach…? Hurry up and tell this Illinois…!”
Before I knew it, Illinois had arrived in the yard.
I wondered if Seo Ye-rim had come too, but she wasn’t there.
Illinois showed off the card hanging around her neck.
“Muheuheu, this Illinois can take any subway or taxi as much as she likes with this allowance card…! Now, hurry up and start the class…!”
I see.
Soon, Coris also came from a distance.
“Everyone, it’s nice to see you…! This Coris has been busy helping at the moving company…! But in return, I received this much allowance…!”
Jjarrr.
Coris showed us countless coins.
It seemed that Coris had also come via bus and subway.
Nymphs were surely starting to adapt to the 21st century.
Swoosh.
Nymphs and animals settled in the yard.
I said to them.
“Today’s class is about what summer vacation is. Summer vacation means playing. Then the class is over. Now you are on vacation.”
“This Inoi is on vacation…!”
Inoi was incredibly happy.
Illinois also nodded.
“It was indeed a wonderful class…! It reminds me of the time when I taught my top student, Adam Smith…!”
“This Coris doesn’t know what’s going on, but I think it’s fun…!”
So what do the nymphs want to do during summer vacation?
In response to my question, Inoi said.
“Muheuheu, this Inoi- Although I don’t like the long-eared fairies, I think there are lessons to be learned from their way…! This Inoi and the nymph sisters will hold a charity sale…!”
A charity sale?
Seeing what they wanted to do, Inoi brought a wide table from somewhere.
After laying a tablecloth on it, she brought out what looked like carefully crafted items, such as pebble bracelets and apple pies.
In front of it, she had also written a sign that looked like it was scribbled with crayons on a sketchbook.
Kkungkkungi bracelets – 100 won each.
Apple pie – 100 won each.
A picture drawn by Illinois – 100 won for 100,000 pieces.
A stone picked up by Coris – 100 won.
Leftover leaf from Kkungkkungi – 100 won for 200 pieces.
Various items were lined up on the makeshift stall made in front of the yard.
It seemed like treasures that the nymphs had hand-made or found from somewhere.
“Muheuheu, to think you’re selling picked stones-. This Illinois’ business acumen is not inferior to that of the massive mega-corps…! We will become very rich nymphs…!”
“This Inoi also wants to buy a spaceship…! But I’m worried that if things sell out too quickly, there won’t be enough stock…!”
“I also wanted to try a cruise journey…!”
Nymphs were full of ambition in various ways.
Thus, the nymphs’ summer vacation charity sale began.
“Let’s gather more people than the charity sale held by the long-eared fairies…! I’m sure there will be an overwhelming number of people, and there won’t be any room to move…!”
Swoosh.
Inoi continued bringing chairs and tables.
As five minutes and then ten minutes passed─.
Inoi said.
“Heeek…! No one is coming…!”
Indeed.
It was common for a wildly enthusiastic event to not attract any customers.
I too had once tried selling items like Haildo merchandise, but it didn’t sell well, leaving me quite disappointed.
Thinking back to that moment, it didn’t feel like it was someone else’s plight.
“It’s clearly the long-eared fairies’ conspiracy…! It’s a trap to suppress the short-eared and cool nymphs…! Someone please call a lawyer…!”
“This Coris thinks it’s still very fun…!”
The nymphs’ reactions to the absent guests were varied.
I figured I might as well be the first customer.
“What are these bracelets? Kkungkkungi bracelets?”
“That is a bracelet made from Kkungkkungi’s spider silk…! It’s like a charm that holds very nymph-friendly effects…! It has a very surprising effect…!”
A bracelet that has a surprising effect?
I knew well the effects of the charms made by Inoi.
To sell such a thing for 100 won each was surprisingly cheap and perhaps quite effective?
“What kind of effect does it have?”
“It increases the probability of catching frogs…!”
A bracelet that increases the likelihood of catching frogs.
It was quite remarkable yet very subtle.
What would one do with that?
I heard that most of the bracelets had such effects.
Like increasing the probability of finding wildflowers while passing by─ or increasing the chances of discovering four-leaf clovers.
It would be nice to have, but it wasn’t particularly impressive.
“Is this how it is originally?”
I asked.
Then Illinois replied.
“Originally, the effects of charms are not something we nymphs can decide…! But if we keep making them, we might create something like ‘100 points additional poison damage’…!”
Additional poison damage of 100 points?
I didn’t know what it was, but it was an intriguing notion.
It sounded like a game item.
“Then I’ll buy them all.”
“Each person can only buy one…! Because I want everyone to be treated fairly…!”
Really?
I tried to buy everything for once.
I bought the bracelet that increases the probability of finding a four-leaf clover.
It was a bracelet made of colorful spider silk with a four-leaf clover hanging from it.
“That bracelet is made from the four-leaf clover that this Coris diligently found…!”
Is that so?
It was a bracelet made from the clover made by Coris.
Anyway.
I became the first customer.
By the way, they said purchases could only be made with 100 won coins, not cards or banknotes.
Fortunately, I had 100 pieces of 100 won coins.
Jjarrr.
Inoi dropped the coins into the box.
“The spaceship is one step closer…! This Inoi, even though I don’t have wings and am a fairy without a truck, really wants to touch the moon with the spaceship…!”
It was indeed a big and grand dream.
However.
After I bought the bracelet, no other customers showed up.
Occasionally, people passing by to catch squirrels or honey ants would stop and look at the goods, but they didn’t make any purchases.
# # #
Evening.
As the sun began to set—
The nymphs were feeling a bit down.
“In the end, the only bracelets I sold were the ones I sold to the master of the house…”
Inoi looked very dejected.
I said to Inoi.
“Wouldn’t it be better to enable payments via bank transfer or cash? Having to trade only in 100 won coins might be a bit of a barrier.”
There were indeed customers showing interest in the goods.
However, the system of only trading in 100 won coins was a significant barrier for attracting customers.
“This Inoi needs a lot of 100 won coins to buy a mechanical snail with the nymph sisters…!”
I thought it was probably true.
Was the mechanical snail better than a spaceship?
It couldn’t be helped.
As I was pondering it, I realized it was getting late─.
Just then.
“Senpai! Why did you call me? Why did you ask me to change coins?”
Vroom—.
Someone appeared riding a small car from a distance.
It was Yu Ara.
“Is it a nymph charity sale?”
She noticed the nymphs.
Yu Ara was quick on the uptake and seemed to soon grasp the situation.
Swoosh.
Yu Ara took out some coins from her pocket and picked up a bracelet.
Seeing that, Illinois remarked.
“Her eye for good items is indeed nice…! As for that bracelet, it’s made from the pomegranate seeds that this Illinois left over…! It has an effect like the River Styx…!”
What is it made of and what effect does it have?
When I felt unsure, Illinois added.
“Pomegranate is a fruit like a friend of the Cores…! It has an effect that makes the Cores more Core-like and makes girls who aren’t Cores look like Cores…!”
Soon Yu Ara asked.
“What is a Core?”
“It seems to mean a little princess or a young goddess in the Nymphs’ language. Ari, it seems that when you wear that, you’ll look like a little princess.”
“A-a princess…!”
Ari trembled in excitement.
Then Yu Ara placed 100 pieces of 100 won coins on the table with a jjarrr.
Seeing that, Illinois raised her hand.
“This Illinois feels very good…!”
That marked the beginning, and people started to gather one by one.
Among them were my parents too.
“Inoi is holding a charity sale?”
“Are you doing well with Ildo?”
Dad and Mom came over and patted Inoi’s head.
And they bought stones, one by one.
“What is this pie?”
Mom showed interest in the pie.
Soon Coris spoke up.
“It’s a pie made from golden apples…! It’s very delicious…!”
Swoosh.
Mom took a bite of the golden apple pie.
And she was very surprised.
“Wow, this is really delicious! This could definitely be sold for money.”
“Muheuheu, I’m already selling it for money…! This Inoi really worked hard to bake it…!”
Adults began to gather and taste the pies.
Soon, novice Awakened who had come to catch squirrels also tasted the golden apple pies and they all praised it highly.
To be honest, it was delicious.
Ultimately, ten pieces of pie sold out quickly.
All the bracelets were purchased by the people.
“Muheuheu, this Inoi…! I have become rich…!”
“This Illinois’ business acumen is indeed amazing…!”
“The moving company’s boss came by too…!”
At 6 PM.
The anxious Inoi and the nymphs were proudly looking at the mountain of coins.
I too wanted to collect money like that.
But─.
The reason to save money had now become quite ambiguous.
“Ari, is it okay if I check my physical condition?”
When the nymphs were cleaning up—
I asked Ari, who had contacted me first today, about my physical condition.
Ari readily offered to check my wrist pulse and was greatly surprised.
“Senpai, you’ve reached B Rank! Have you recently received any tattoo procedures?”
It was the moment when the doubts I had recently been carrying were resolved.
To break through to B Rank, one had to undergo a procedure to inscribe markings on their body.
The cost of that procedure averaged around 300 million won.
But it seemed I had already reached B Rank without that.
It seemed the tea sent by the elves was indeed very effective.
“Feeling very good!”
In conclusion, I had managed to save 300 million while just sitting there.
At the same time, I even felt a fear of my own potential!
“Senpai. I think it’s better to keep this matter secret for a while. Corporations or evil villains might try to target your body.”
“Like that plague doctor mask?”
“Exactly! That woman must be a truly wicked and terrifying person. I can tell by intuition. So you must be very careful.”
“Is that so.”
“Also, it’s just a rumor, but there are beings in this world referred to as ‘witches’. They are notorious fugitives being pursued by agencies all over the world. Such individuals may also target you.”
Witches.
Is that a code name?
Could it be something like a nickname?
It was a topic I couldn’t ignore.
