Ah, So Filthy! (2)
Finally, the electronics were working! It'd been months since the power cut out—oh my god! I couldn't contain my joy. How, how should I express this bliss? Yeah! By cramming canned drinks into the fridge to the brim!
"Hahaha."
While I carefully and oh-so-preciously stocked the fridge, a voice came from the bathroom.
"What'd you say?"
"Huh? Nothing. Hey, you get all the clothes in the basket?"
"Yeah."
"Sorry, but can you bring it out? I wanna toss 'em right now. Honestly, those are beyond redemption even if washed."
"Y-yeah... true. Where are you right now?"
"Kitchen. In front of the fridge. Don't worry, can't see from here anyway."
"...Really the kitchen?"
"Told ya."
The bathroom door creaked open cautiously. Poke. A head peeked out, glancing around. It was Hye-yun.
Nephmes squatting in front of the fridge—she spotted me and gave a shy smile, thrusting out the laundry basket. Arms stretched super far to hide herself.
"Um... our underwear and stuff, I'll bag separately and tie up. This is the parkas and pants we wore—didn't all fit in the bag."
"Oh? Yeah, that's fine. Let's just chuck the parkas. If it gets cold, I'll snag new ones. A bunch, even."
"Yessir."
The door shut. Her hair wasn't wet, so probably killing time chatting or whatever inside. Women always take forever, huh.
Anyway. Perfect chance to ditch those shit-soaked rags now as an avatar. Can't smell a damn thing.
Shut the fridge, grabbed the basket whole, hauled it out the front door. Where to dump? There's a used clothes bin, but this ain't clothes. Straight-up hazardous waste. No one's hauling it anyway, so whatever.
Yeah. Apartment trash bins it is. Dumped the whole basket rumbling into the massive bin—ugh. Now I wanna toss the basket too. Ah, don't wanna tell the girls about the stench! But what can ya do?
They'd been half-homeless for four months, chased around, sweating buckets without washing, scraping by day to day. No way it smelled good. I get it, I understand. But fuck, it transcended understanding.
Back home, splashing water noises from the bathroom. Probably in the tub. Murmured voices too, sounding pretty upbeat. Whispering so couldn't catch the words.
More importantly, drinks. Stock 'em up. One cola swig right now—kya. But for that future chill.
While filling it to bursting with bagged sodas, giggles erupted from the bathroom now and then. Hmm. Kinda felt like a real home with people living in it. Still needed more airing out, though.
Before testing other hero tech, I slipped out of the sarcophagus and spritzed air freshener everywhere. Volatile stuff, right? Let it evaporate with the ventilation.
Then back into the sarcophagus, summoning an avatar. The producer. Nephaquet, short staff in hand.
"Immortal Servant."
Right there in the bedroom before the sarcophagus, chanting the skill name. Sand trickled at my feet, piling into a little statue-thing about 50cm tall.
10 Coins Consumed.
Ushabti Created.
The statue moved its arms. Legs too. Bowed before me.
...Ooh.
"...'Immortal Servant', right? Like a butler?"
"Ushabti."
That's how Ushabti replied.
"...Can't understand it, but that's a yes?"
"Ushabti."
"Hmm... Alright then, Ushabti. Kitchen—microwave's there? Bucket of water from dishwashing nearby. Salt, pepper around. Whip up steamed eggs. Enough for three generous servings."
"Ushabti."
Ushabti headed out but couldn't reach the door. ...Ugh. 50cm's too damn small... Wait, huh? Sand grains swarmed around Ushabti, surging up. Suddenly 1.3 meters tall. Subtle mask-like face, stone body all over, but moved human-like.
Ushabti opened the door, grabbed eggs by the water purifier. Amazing—one hand gripped, the other morphed into a plate for easy carrying. Found a microwave-safe dish in the kitchen, cracked and mixed the eggs with pro-level handwork.
No training needed. Got a stone servant that does everything ordered.
"Whoa, fuck."
Insanely happy.
Watched blankly as Ushabti worked—put the steamed eggs in the microwave, set the timer, then started tidying the kitchen without being told. Wiped the floor, the fridge, whoa... Dropped 10 coins in the purifier, water gushed out. Ushabti paused, fetched the bucket, started filling.
Jackpot. House chores all his from now on.
Coins left: 62. Plummeted from 602 to a tenth in a flash, but totally worth it.
The girls went into the bathroom in the morning and didn't emerge till noon. By almost 12, Yeonsu and Hye-yun stepped out unrecognizably transformed. Skin super clear, transparent, fluffy—even glossy. Dark flaky dead skin gone, baby-smooth.
Next, hair was cropped short. Both had messy, tangled long hair like hobos—now buzzed to near boyish short cuts. Paired with my t-shirt and shorts, damn. Not quite guy-ish, though. No-bra guy's tee was provocative as hell. Nipples poking out... jacked my aggression sky-high.
Parkas hid it, but Yeonsu was A bordering B? Hye-yun solid, probably C or D. Seemed scrawny, but fuller than expected... Stahp staring.
"Why'd you hack your hair so short?"
"Feels so clean... Huh? Ohh."
Yeonsu grinned while towel-drying her hair.
"Long hair sucks."
"Why?"
Hye-yun said gravely, "Saw a zombie grab a girl's hair once. Terrifying... Right?"
"Yeah, for real. Long hair's the worst. But it smells nice... Eek! What the fuck?!"
"Eek! Wh-what's that?!"
Ushabti, fresh from room cleaning, stared dead at the girls. Kinda freaky having an androgynous stone statue eyeballing you.
"My servant."
"S-servant?!"
"Ushabti. Grab a cola from the fridge. What you girls want?"
"Ushabti."
"Huh? Ah... Eh? Th-the fridge?"
Ushabti pattered over, fetched a cola from the fridge, handed it to me. Girls gawked dazedly at my stone minion.
Cola in hand was straight-up... heavenly temperature! Yeah, this is it...!
Chhh! Crisp, fizzy pop of the tab. Gulp. Gulp gulp.
"Kyaaa! So cool! Fuck! Wow...!"
This is carbonation flavor! Too damn good—raised the can like a toast to the girls.
"Electricity's back now."
"...Electricity?"
"For real. Yeonsu, check the light—it's on."
"Huh? Oh, it is! No way, how?!"
Yeonsu grilled me.
"Power plant back online?"
"Nah. I made it. Only our place works. Everywhere else is dark."
They bathed forever, so I avatar-scouted the hood. No other houses lit. Just ours, everything humming. Heaven, fuck yeah.
"...How?"
Yeonsu and Hye-yun both stared wide-eyed.
I lifted my cola in a mock toast, grinning.
"Pleased to meet ya. God here. Feels like I've said it a bunch—time to accept?"
"Ah..."
"...You really are a god..."
"Steamed eggs in the microwave? Snacks are iffy, but that's all we've got for now. Cool drinks in the fridge—grab some, let's eat."
Gulped more cola, snagged a chip. Kya, fuck. Sweet cola, salty potato crunch. Perfection.
Yeonsu and Hye-yun eyed each other, bolted for the fridge together.
Ushabti stared at their bent-over asses, then grabbed the trash bag and scissors by the bathroom. Scissors to kitchen, bag outside.
Watched Ushabti head out the front door, thinking: bag's stuffed with hair, trashed undies, socks. Ew.
Ate till stuffed. Truly satisfied. Even played a board game together. All newbies, so easiest Monopoly-style. Gobble properties, move spaces, build, draw events, rob opponents blind. Hard to lose.
"Yeonsu, you're broke now! Ahaha!"
Hye-yun cackled.
"Argh! Shouldn't have built that hotel there, damn it!"
Yeonsu shook her fist pissed but grinning, having fun.
Night already.
"Alright then."
Ate our fill, napped off the food haze. Epic three-hour Monopoly sesh wrapped.
Casually stacked the cards, eyed Yeonsu.
"You lost, huh?"
"...Yeah. Why... stare like that?"
I smiled, stood.
"Follow me."
"...Wh-why...?"
"Told you."
At my bedroom door, swung it open.
"Worship with your body. First up, Yeonsu. Then Hye-yun next. Both tonight."
Yeonsu's face flushed crimson. Hye-yun's heated up too.
"C'mere."
Extended my hand.
Yeonsu couldn't budge easy. Barked casual tough, but after days chatting, she felt super girly inside. Hye-yun shy outside, bold challenger within.
Hye-yun poked Yeonsu's arm.
Yeonsu bit her lip, rose slowly. Face beet red. Wouldn't meet my eyes. Shuffled over. Mosquito whisper.
"...I, actually."
"Hm?"
"...Never done it before..."
Oh, that's extremely. Thrilling. No need to spell it out.
Grabbed Yeonsu's hand, pulled her into the room. Shut the door.
"Lights off? Or on?"
Yeonsu head down, no reply.
Turned 'em off. First time, after all.