Chapter 42
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Friend (6)
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While Dennis and Saburo were keeping watch on the mansion, the people inside had already spotted the two of them.
As the mother devotee and father devotee entertained Serika's family, the driver devotee stood in the garden chatting with the other devotees. The aggressive devotee, dagger at his waist and eyes flashing, asked in a belligerent stance.
"What should we do? There are two in the car and about three watching from afar. Should we just kill them all? That ought to put some real pressure on them, right?"
The driver devotee restrained the devotee who looked ready to charge in like a mad dog. With an elegant wave of his hand, he said,
"We don't know their abilities or skills. If we act rashly, we might end up on the losing side. Things could spiral out of control, we'd lose our justification, and they'd seize the initiative. In times like these, we treat them as guests."
"Treat them as guests, you say? Haha, got it."
As the aggressive devotee drew his knife again, the driver devotee lightly smacked the back of his head and said,
"Treat them politely as guests. Got it?"
"I hope it's to your taste. We did our best to prepare it."
"No, not at all! Wow, this food is delicious. It suits my palate perfectly."
"Right? We should make it at home sometime. How do you make this dish?"
The menu was Korean food. Braised short ribs, soybean paste soup with dried radish greens, well-fermented kimchi, japchae, and pan-fried fish. It was like something straight out of a standard Korean diner, and I shoveled it in ravenously, savoring the familiar flavors melting in my mouth.
Hwayoung's parents were truly skilled cooks. The soybean paste soup carried the rich, nutty aroma of the paste with its salty savoriness lingering on the tongue, and the fresh kimchi atop it added a crunchy texture and spicy kick to the hot broth, creating perfect harmony.
The braised short ribs fell effortlessly off the bone with just a nudge of chopsticks, soft and tender, while the pan-fried fish had a crisp exterior, bones meticulously removed so splitting it open released a burst of savory fish aroma.
Ah, how long had it been since I'd had Korean food? No matter how well I ate and slept in this neighborhood, nothing beat the taste of home. As I ate without restraint, her mom and dad looked a bit flustered, patting my back with smiles.
"Heh heh heh, even our Serika eats so well. Serika, is it that good?"
"Yes!"
I nodded and said.
Then, grinning at Hwayoung's parents, I added,
"It's so delicious."
"Oh, is it?"
Seeing me smile, they blinked and nodded back. That should leave a good impression as a friend, right?
There was nothing strange about enjoying food from another country. When visiting someone's home as a guest, eating heartily is just good manners, after all.
So, it wasn't that I'd gone wild for Korean food after so long; I was simply being polite.
Hwayoung watched me eat with a pleased expression, then poured water into my glass and said,
"Miss Serika, eat slowly."
"Ah, yeah!"
I thanked her as I took the glass.
Hmm, judging by the atmosphere, I was definitely making a good impression as a guest.
"Miss Serika, the adults will be talking among themselves, so how about playing in my room with me?"
"Yeah, sounds good!"
After the meal came adult time. While the kids played quietly in the room with toys and snacks, the grown-ups discussed the ways of the world. Today's gathering was no different. Hwayoung astutely led Serika away to her room, and the Iwamoto couple smiled as they picked up their teacups.
"Fine tea aroma."
"They say it's expensive. We splurged since we had such esteemed guests."
"Heh heh heh, esteemed guests? What an honor."
Once Serika and Hwayoung closed the door, the father devotee and mother devotee exchanged glances. Now was the time to draw out simple shared interests, find common ground, and once rapport built, introduce the Martial God Faith to gradually draw them in.
"By the way, what are Miss Serika's father's hobbies?"
The father devotee asked, eyes gleaming.
Hwayoung's room felt more like a study than a child's bedroom. The bookshelf-integrated desk faced the window, and one wall was packed with books—mostly reference materials, educational texts, conversation grammar books, thick encyclopedias, and the like.
"Wow..."
I let out an awed exclamation at the imposing wall of books as soon as I entered, and Hwayoung looked a bit embarrassed as she said to me,
"There aren't really any fun books. Even if it looks that way..."
But Hwayoung didn't seem to pay much attention to her own shelves. Amid the references and textbooks, one book caught my eye. It was the size of something from an old rental shop, titled The Leader Who Conquered Jirisan.
"Oh, that looks interesting."
A wuxia novel? Back in the day, there were tons of books with weird titles like that. She must have one of those. Seeing me point it out, Hwayoung hesitated with a complicated expression.
"Ah, that one... Um..."
"Oh, is it a book I shouldn't read? The title's kinda quirky..."
"No... Um..."
Hwayoung was visibly flustered, eyes darting. Was it maybe a self-written novel with a silly title? Or had she snuck it in for secret reading and left it out by mistake in her strict home?
No matter what, forcing a book she didn't like would be rude. I pulled my hand away and said,
"Anyway, since I'm here to play with Hwayoung, reading might not be right. Wanna play cards? I brought some."
Hwayoung watched me anxiously, then finally sighed in relief. She must have been that worked up because it was like her secret diary or something.
"Yes, that sounds good."
But even as she smiled, she gave me a strangely complicated look. Was it because I was shuffling the playing cards like hwatu? What did that uneasy expression mean?
I shuffled the deck with a puzzled face and said,
"Okay, so what simple game should we two play..."
I'd brought the cards, but now I wasn't sure what to play.
Indian poker, maybe?
Saburo spotted the patrol members heading straight toward them. Dressed in white, they stared fixedly at his car and raised both hands. Tension was clear, but no hostility.
Saburo squinted and said,
"Why are those guys coming this way?"
Dennis asked in a bored tone.
"Should I kill them?"
"No, killing them without cause when they show no hostility would just make more trouble."
Dennis shot back,
"It could all be a smokescreen. You gotta strike first in situations like this."
But Saburo said firmly,
"I've got good instincts. Those guys mean no harm. We won't make the first move unless they do. Let's hear their business."
At Saburo's confident words, Dennis leaned back in her seat. Whatever happened, he'd handle it. Saburo stepped out of the car and faced the patrol members.
"What is it? What's your business coming here?"
One of the patrol members said with a tense face,
"Calm down. We don't want to fight. We're just here to invite you. An invitation."
"Invitation?"
Saburo tilted his head. The patrol member nodded vigorously.
"Yes, it's a nice day, so instead of fighting, why not have some tea... That's what they said."
Saburo let out a hollow laugh. Iwamoto Yoshio. He'd thought the man was just straightforwardly evil, but he had a knack for toying with people like this. Had he even predicted their tailing today? Maybe grasping this mansion's organization right here was Yoshio's aim all along?
Saburo asked,
"Ah, did that guy say that?"
The patrol member hesitated at "that guy" but nodded.
"Ah, yes. He said he has 'no intention to fight' right now..."
"'Right now,' huh. Right now."
Saburo echoed the words. He scratched his head thoughtfully, glanced at Dennis, then met her tilted head with,
Dennis said,
"Doesn't seem like something we should decide on our own. Now that we're here, we should check with HQ. Acting on our own..."
Saburo cut her off. Boldly, he declared,
"No, I was given full authority before coming. Field decisions are mine alone. Fine. Since we're here, let's have that tea."
Dennis stared at Saburo. He responded,
"What, scared?"
Dennis smirked.
"...I'll have a latte."