Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Healing Park Grand Opening
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[Their way of thinking is completely different from ours.]
"What is all this?"
"Can't you tell? It's the ocean!"
Elma spread her arms wide.
Waves crashed against her back.
"You're always moaning about not getting enough sunlight! So I made this for you."
She pointed her tiny index finger at the magic stone embedded in the ceiling.
"It's an artificial sun. I even reproduced the UV rays. Vitamin D synthesis is three times more efficient than natural light! Just ten minutes a day is plenty!"
"You know that caused a blackout at school, right?"
"Huh? It does guzzle a lot of power. So I tapped into the school substation."
She answered without a shred of shame.
"What about the earthquake?"
"The ground here's pretty solid in Korea, right? I used some dynamite!"
"And the water?"
"Filling it with tap water would've taken forever! Plus, the water bill would've been insane."
Just as I thought.
She did have some conscience, at least. Worried about the water bill.
But not the electricity she stole.
A certain internet meme flashed through my mind.
[Their way of thinking is completely different from ours.]
[They think, "Why buy it when you can just steal it?"]
"So I just borrowed some from nearby. Don't worry! I purified it to drinking water quality!"
Elma flashed a V-sign with her dirt-smeared hands.
Her cheerfulness was annoyingly endearing.
I didn't even have the energy to get mad anymore.
"...Haa."
I let out a sigh, and a laugh burst out right after.
"Thank you."
"Hehe. Right?"
I looked around.
A bustling worksite.
Golems shoveling sand.
Golems operating what looked like wave generators.
"It'll be done soon. Just wait a bit!"
Elma snapped her fingers.
Something came scampering over from the far end of the beach.
Dodododo.
"...?"
Tiny golems made of sheet metal.
They were ridiculously small.
Not even up to my knee.
Maybe 50cm at most?
"Bring chairs! And drinks!"
Elma blew a shrill whistle and barked orders.
The little golems grunted as they hauled over sun loungers.
They stuck in parasols and set up tables.
"Juice too!"
They brought trays.
Coconut juice with colorful straws.
Elma adjusted her hard hat and slurped through a straw.
Slurp slurp.
"Kyaah-. Nothing beats juice straight from the site."
She lounged arrogantly.
The tiny golems peeked at her nervously and bowed.
Elma's nose was pointed sky-high.
Like she was the giant queen of Lilliput.
'She made them like that on purpose, didn't she?'
Normal golems were bigger for better efficiency.
But Elma deliberately made ones much smaller than herself.
Why?
Obvious.
Down in this underground world,
she wanted to be the 'biggest being'.
"You there! Smooth it out properly or I'll sell you used!"
Elma pointed at one golem.
It pretended to tremble in fear.
"See, Honey? Overwhelmed by my charisma."
"Sure looks that way. Terrifying."
"Hehe. Naturally."
Even with the hard hat slipping over her eyes.
She exuded dignity.
A tiny queen commanding even tinier golems in her little world.
I couldn't help but snicker.
I lay back on the sun lounger.
One of the pint-sized ones offered me juice too.
Balancing the tray was pretty cute.
"Thanks."
I patted its head.
It was trying so hard with its little body.
And somehow, it reminded me of Elma.
How much time passed?
Squeeeek!
Whistle blast.
Golems stopped working.
Beach smoothed out.
Wave generators operational.
Artificial sun stabilized.
"Perfect! All done! Everyone, withdraw!"
Completion.
"Time for the grand opening!"
Elma beckoned.
Golems scampered out.
They held tape in their hands.
A taut red ribbon.
Exactly at Elma's waist height.
"Scissors."
Solemn voice.
Another golem brought gold scissors on velvet.
Elma grandly picked them up.
"Ahem! This facility is of the husband, by the husband, for the husband, as a convalescent..."
Her hard hat slipped down over her eyes.
She huffed and fixed it.
"Ahem. Anyway! In hopes of your long life and health!"
Snip-.
Tape cut.
Bang bang pop!
Golems set off fireworks.
Paper confetti rained down like snow from the ceiling.
Utter pandemonium.
Whoosh-.
Sound of fabric unfurling.
A massive banner dropped.
[Congrats! Husband Exclusive Healing Park Opening!]
[No outsiders allowed / Husband only]
I held back a laugh and clapped.
"Wooow-."
"What do you think? Touched? Super touched, right?"
Elma puffed out proudly.
Confetti piled up on her hard hat.
"Yeah. It's amazing."
"Not yet. The highlight's coming."
"Highlight?"
"Yeah. The real star of this beach."
Elma curled her lips smugly.
Confident smile.
Ziiiip-.
She unzipped her work vest.
Tossed it off without hesitation.
Flung.
"...?"
Under the vest.
A bikini.
A micro bikini, at that.
"Ta-da!"
Elma spun around with arms wide.
"What do you think?"
Tiny stature.
Yet overwhelming curves.
Scant fabric barely covering her chest.
The string around her hips buried in soft flesh.
"Is it... too slutty?"
Elma eyed me anxiously.
"I heard human women all wear this to the beach..."
"Who told you that?"
"Saw it on the internet."
"That's trouble waiting to happen."
I rubbed my dry face.
This level of exposure.
It was borderline indecent.
"Doesn't suit me?"
"No. It suits you too well. That's the problem."
"Really? Hehe."
Elma giggled happily.
She grabbed my arm and tugged.
"Come on in! Water's warm!"
"I don't have swim trunks."
"Just come! You've got underwear on!"
Splash.
She dragged me into the water.
It was warm.
Artificial waves lapped at my body.
"Kyahaha! Honey! Catch me if you can!"
Childish game.
Elma splashed and fled.
90cm tall.
Water sloshed up to her chin.
She tiptoed desperately, splashing away.
"Not stopping there?"
"You can't catch me!"
She couldn't outrun my single stride.
But I walked slowly on purpose.
Splash. Splash.
Artificial waves.
Dazzling lights.
My innocent wife laughing carefree.
Who cares if school's in chaos.
This was paradise.
"Gotcha."
Grab.
I scooped her up in the water.
Slippery skin.
Springy, soft flesh.
"Kyaa! You got me!"
Elma laughed merrily in my arms.
Wet hair clung to her cheeks.
Her sparkling face.
Freckles twinkled like stars.
"Feels good, right?"
"Yeah. Amazing."
"No more vitamin D deficiency now."
"Overflowing."
I kissed her forehead.
"Thank you, Elma."
Elma hugged my neck tight.
"Honey."
"Yeah."
"But... no one's here."
"True."
"Just us two."
Her voice grew husky.
"Can't we recharge... something besides vitamin D?"
"Like what?"
She whispered in my ear.
Wet forest scent.
Nutty aroma.
Elma's body odor hit me.
"Your essence."
Her hand slipped underwater.
Groped my swollen lower half.
Her eyes moist and heated.
"Kyaa...!"
I pulled her into a tight embrace.
My small, lovely wife.
The next day.
School was in an uproar.
[Lake subsidence at H University in Seoul!]
[Mystery localized quake—active fault?]
[Mass blackout—student council demands explanation!]
Posters went up, news broke.
But the culprit was nonchalant.
"According to Freeman-Rubansky's Third Law..."
On the lecture hall podium.
Elma lectured today too, in her 15cm heels.
No different from usual.
No, more energetic than ever.
'Her complexion's better.'
I propped my chin, watching her.
Vitamin D?
Or the 'essence recharge' at the beach?
Our eyes met.
She secretly drew a heart with her hair.
I grinned back.
"Focus, now. Slackers do silent meditation till tomorrow."
Even her stern warning brimmed with vigor.
'Can't rein her in.'
I shook my head and gripped my pen.
Outside, the dried-up lake came into view.
Wonder when it'll refill.
Eh, Elma'll handle it somehow.
Or rain will do it.
I decided not to overthink.
Weekend.
Lunchtime.
I opened the fridge.
Empty.
"Honey. Feed me."
Elma rolled around on the sofa.
Poking the remote, she whined.
"I'm hungry. Everything's digested."
"It's been less than two hours since you ate."
"Professors use their brains a lot! You undergrad lackeys wouldn't get it!"
Undergrad jab at every turn.
Cute, so I'll let it slide.
"Hurryyy- I'm starving!"
Elma patted her belly.
"Meat! I want meat! Nice marbled stuff!"
"None left."
"Huh?"
"Ingredients are all gone."
Elma's eyes went wide.
Incredulous.
"Liar. Fridges empty out?"
"Well..."
I racked my brain.
Delivery was based on pre-Elma amounts.
Before we met.
Now, married and settled.
Her appetite exploded.
No wonder supplies vanished.
I shut the door.
"Gotta go shopping."
"Too bothersome..."
Elma buried her face in a cushion.
Melting like slime.
"Just order delivery."
"You'll get a stomachache. Outside food's bad enough."
"What are you, my mom? Ugh... Fine, send a golem!"
"Golems can't pick good meat."
I bundled up.
"Come with."
"...Me too?"
Elma peeked over the sofa back.
"Yes. Together."
"No way. Too many people outside."
"I want to shop with you. Couples do that."
"Uuu..."
Elma tapped her index finger to her lips.
Pretending to ponder.
Then sat up.
"Well... okay then."
Consent.
But.
"No invisibility spell."
I added the condition.
"...!"
Elma's shoulders stiffened.
Wary eyes.
"You want me to go out naked?"
"Not naked. With clothes."
"That's not it! My height! My face! Advertise me for sale?"
Elma yanked her hair.
"No! Absolutely not! I'd rather starve!"
"I'll buy tasty stuff."
"Hmph! Not falling for it!"
"Hanwoo sirloin. Two portions."
"......"
Elma's ears twitched.
"Snow king crab."
"......Ugh."
"Pint ice cream for dessert."
Gulp.
Her throat bobbed.
Clear conflict.
But she whipped her head away.
"N-No! I've got pride! Think I'd sell my soul for food?"
"Not soul, just going out."
I approached her.
Kneeled to meet her eyes.
"Elma."
"What..."
"I just want to go out normally."
"......"
"Like everyone else. Husband and wife, hand in hand. Pushing the cart together."
Sincere.
Couldn't keep her hidden forever.
That this tiny woman was my wife.
Couldn't show the world, but at least between us, proudly.
"I want that too."
I squeezed her hand.
"Holding your hand and walking? It's pretty great."
Elma's eyes wavered.
She bit her lip hard.
Sniffle.
"But..."
"......"
"People stare... Look weird... Call me freak... Invalid..."
Old wounds.
Scabs not fully healed.
Almond eyes.
Tears welled up.