9. Dinaria
Ian headed off to the blacksmith for his original purpose, and shortly after.
The bright smile and cheerful wave Dina had directed at Ian moments ago darkened the instant he vanished from sight. “Yeonja... he's gone...” Her voice drooped, utterly unlike the vigorous tone she'd used in his presence—like a dog at the front door, dejected that its beloved master had left for work. If Dina were a beastkin with ears and a tail, they'd have drooped limply, betraying her feelings completely.
Cheong-ah felt a twinge of unease at Dina's behavior but decided not to dwell on it. After all, Dina was just a child, and what was the point of jealousy over a little girl? To anyone watching, Dina looked like nothing more than an adoring little sister fawning over a much older brother.
“Come on, Dina. Let's head inside. We need to wash up quick and get all pretty—Sir will be thrilled, you know.”
“Yeonja will be pleased? Wonderful! Let's go at once!”
With majestic poise, Dina strode ahead and flung open the bathhouse door. But the proprietress immediately blocked their path.
“No way you're washing that filthy little thing in here! Ugh, we'd have to drain and refill the whole tub—what a hassle...”
“I'll rent out the bathhouse for a bit.”
Cheong-ah casually tossed a pouch heavy with five gold coins to the woman. The proprietress froze mid-complaint, peeked inside, and her face lit up. Her scowl at Dina flipped to a beaming smile as she spoke in the sweetest, most accommodating tone.
“Oh, use as much water as you like, dear guests! Make yourselves at home, and call if you need anything at all.”
“No need—we'll handle it. Just clear out and lock the door behind you. One... two hours should do it.”
“Of course! Treat it like your own home.”
“First, get the other customers out? It's awkward with them here.”
“Right away—please wait just a moment.”
The proprietress bowed deeply and scurried off. Bella sidled up to Cheong-ah and whispered,
“Hey, what'd you give her to flip that attitude just for washing one kid?”
“Not much. Five gold coins?”
“The hell? That's 'not much'? For her?”
“Dunno. Maybe it just reminded me of my own childhood?”
Indeed, looking at Dina stirred memories of Cheong-ah's grubby, pathetic early years—scrounging like a beggar in the back alleys of a major Yuldo city. If her master, the Sword Saintess, hadn't stumbled upon her and shown kindness, she wouldn't be who she was today. Sure, it was her latent talent that drew the master, but that meant nothing; without guidance, she'd have died ignorant of it her whole life.
She could guess the grim end awaiting a blind beauty like herself. Nothing pleasant or joyful about it.
Bella shrugged at Cheong-ah's words. “Tch... fine, you win. Might as well milk this private rental for all it's worth!”
Soon, the other patrons trickled out. Once the place emptied, the proprietress rushed back and bowed at a perfect ninety degrees before Cheong-ah.
“All guests are out, ma'am.”
“Thanks. Alright, Bella, Dina—let's go wash up.”
“Yeah, c'mon, little buddy.”
“This one is no child—'tis Dina! You beast-girl!”
“Sure, sure, little buddy.”
“Wha—you...!”
With the bathhouse emptied and locked, the two women and one girl began stripping for their soak. As Cheong-ah unwound the bandages binding her chest, her enormous breasts sprang free. Bella, who'd snuck peeks before, was unfazed—but Dina, seeing them for the first time, stared in shock.
“Wh-what is that, you shrewish wench?! How do you hide those monstrous udders under a single bandage?! I thought you a dainty lady with small, lovely breasts—unlike that beast-girl!”
“Huh? Small and lovely...? Oh, this? It's nothing special. Enchanted bandages—they shrink the size a ton without messing up the shape. Pretty handy.”
“You tell her everything, huh? Why not spill your cup size too?”
“What's the harm? She's curious.”
Dina glanced between Bella and Cheong-ah. Her clear eyes vibrated wildly side to side, then she dropped to her knees, collapsing face-first as she muttered,
“...I thought you kindred spirits of decent size. No comrades here after all!”
Cheong-ah tilted her head. “Comrades? What do you mean, Dina?”
“'Tis nothing.”
“What's with her suddenly?”
“Beats me?”
Dina rose, shoulders slumped, and trudged despondently toward the inner bath. Cheong-ah and Bella exchanged glances, shrugged, and followed.
It took about an hour to scrub Dina spotless. Bella emerged rubbing her sore arms and grumbled at the girl.
“What the hell—your grime was like it aged a thousand years! My arms are killing me. How does a tiny thing like you pack that much filth...?”
“Mm, forgive me! But this one shall never forget the grace of your washing.”
“Don't overdo it, Bella. Nothing's too good for such a cute kid.”
Cheong-ah scooped Dina into a tight hug. The girl squirmed in the smothering embrace, but Cheong-ah only gazed down with a beaming smile, showing no sign of letting go.
“Guhhh... release me, traitor wench! I can't breathe!”
Bella stared in disbelief. “No, seriously—not overdoing it. You saw it, right? Grime pouring off like goddamn spaghetti every scrub.”
“Nope? Didn't see a thing.”
Cheong-ah tilted her head innocently. Bella pointed accusingly, incensed.
“Ugh, you—Ian needs to see this side of you!”
“Dunno? I bet Sir loves me just like this.”
“...Fuckin' hell. Lovey-dovey bastards.”
“Hee-hee, thanks? Hold still, Dina—your hair's coming loose.”
“Gruuuuh! Then let go already...! Beast-girl, help!”
Cheong-ah gazed at the wriggling Dina with the bliss of someone beholding the cutest creature alive. “How'd you hide this adorableness? Bella, isn't she just precious?”
“...Yeah, she's cute, I guess.”
“Sending a kid like this to an orphanage... kinda sad.”
With her greasy, matted hair shampooed, filthy face and body scrubbed, dried, and neatly donut-braided on both sides, Dina was unrecognizable from before. Her ash-gray locks gleamed ethereally; her eyes sparkled with age-appropriate mischief, her chubby cheeks glowed faintly red. Cute button nose and lips. She was so endearingly girlish that one could foresee village boys sighing over her once grown. The donut braids doubled the charm.
One flaw, though...
“These scars on her hands... nothing we can do. What happened to leave her knuckles and insteps so mangled?”
“No clue. But whoever did it—I'll smash 'em.”
“Music to my ears, Bella.”
“Guuuu... gonna... die...”
“...Huh? Dina? Dina! You okay?!”
Despite the bandages restoring some volume, Dina passed out in Cheong-ah's ample embrace. She came to only after they reached the clothing store to buy her an outfit.
Dozens of garments flashed before her eyes—stripped, dressed, repeat. Cheong-ah played dress-up like a girl with her favorite doll. Bella tried intervening a few times, then gave up, slumping in a chair to doze off.
After endless changes, Dina clutched Cheong-ah's hem and whined,
“Ughhh... enough already. Please. This one will perish.”
“Sorry, Dina. Just this last one, okay? Promise.”
“Grr... fine. The final one.”
“Good girl.”
The final pick: casual suspender pants and a shirt. Thankfully, no skirts or dresses—Dina had kicked up a fuss each time—so this suited her better. Dressed and comfortable, she checked the mirror and grinned.
“Mm, this one's quite fine!”
She stepped out to show Cheong-ah, signaling the end—
Spike. A tuft of hair stood on end atop her head. Dina's instincts screamed danger—for Ian.
“...Yeonja is in peril.”
She bolted outside.
“Dina...? Where're you going?!”
“Yeonja's in danger!”
“Yeonja...? Sir? Wait—I'm coming too! Dina!”
Cheong-ah chased after. Bella woke moments later, yawning and stretching amid the now-empty shop.
“Ugh... huh? Where'd everyone go?”
The shopkeeper approached. “Excuse me, ma'am.”
“Yeees...? What?”
“Sorry, but your friends left without paying.”
“Eh? Uh—hold on. How much?”
“Two gold coins.”
“What the—? Kids' clothes that pricey?”
“Apologies. The last outfit she wore is growth-adaptive kids' wear from the Mage Kingdom.”
“...Goddamn it. Ju Cheong-ah—you're dead when I catch you.”
Dina's sprint was blindingly fast—even Cheong-ah, channeling qi from her dantian, couldn't keep up. She blurred past passersby and screeched into an alley.
Five burly men clustered around a crumpled, trampled figure on the ground: Ian, all too familiar.
“Yeonja...!”
Fury ignited at his battered form. “You dare harm my Yeonja...! I shall not forgive you villains!”
The thugs turned at her shout. One muttered puzzledly,
“Huh...? Who's the brat?”
Lightning-fast. Dina charged, leaped, seized his head with both hands, and smashed her knee upward.
CRACK!
“Guhk...?!”
His face caved in; he crumpled dead in agony. No one would believe a child did that.
His stunned comrades froze as Dina unleashed hell. She danced through the air, stepping on nothing, her fists, feet, knees, elbows—weapons of every lethal human limb—raining merciless violence.
No chance to resist. Before they could, she snapped their necks.
“Urk... wh-what the...?! Agh...!”
“Fuck...! What the heeeeell...!”
“R-run...! Gack.”
“S-spare...! Guh, urk!”
The last, scrambling to flee, met the same brutal end. Blood dripping from her fists, Dina stood tall, arms dangling like a heavenly script etched behind her: Heavenly Punishment.
From ancient eons past—three thousand years ago. The era's legend, who felled the Demon King alongside heroes.
The Fist King. Dinaria el Rasad.
The girl's forgotten name.
Dina whirled with regal poise—then saw Ian's horrific state. The savage girl from seconds ago dissolved into innocent sobs as she rushed to embrace him.
“Ye-Yeonja! Yeonja! Yeonjaaa! You mustn't die, Yeonja!”
Cheong-ah arrived then.
“S-Sir...!”