Chapter 216
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 216
Chapter Title: Grace in Halves, Revenge Tenfold
“Just jump.”
“J-jump? You mean like... hop?”
“Yes, exactly. Come on down already.”
“B-but from this height, how...?”
“I'll catch you, so just jump. Trust me.”
“...”
The black-haired woman glanced around frantically at my words, then let out a little squeak and backed away.
What is this? She's acting like a scared puppy or something.
“No way she's a servant, right?”
“Tch.”
No, it's totally called for. I figured saving a servant would get me a spirit pill or something as thanks.
But nope. No servant in sight—just some weirdo in strange clothes.
Black hair you rarely see around here, golden eyes, sharp features, defined nose.
A woman whose looks could rival Raphael or Michael's. But her actions—
“J-j-j-jump?! How?! I can't!! I can't do it!! Can't you climb up and save me?”
“You can do it. I'll catch you for sure, so don't worry. You want to get home, right?”
“Ah. Home.”
There's something more than Raphael here.
I must've hit some landmine, because the woman who'd been babbling moments ago suddenly deflated.
Like an electronic gadget with dead batteries.
Is that so. Maybe I wasn't sensitive enough. Sorry if I upset you.
“Hm.”
I watched the woman slumped against the tree trunk, clutching the grass, muttering things like 'I'm trash' or 'Home. Yeah, that existed. Can't go back now.'
Sure, she's in weird white clothes no modern person would wear and has a strange mindset, but a person's a person.
Meaning, no matter how pretty, she could still be a servant. Even if not, dropping her off at the Shin family estate is safest.
She's definitely not a demon.
Regular demons have purple skin. And that pure white skin? I know the names and looks of the exceptions.
“The world's a big place.”
“Nothing.”
I mean, she looks totally unrelated to the story, but with that appearance and black hair to boot.
She'd rake in money as a celebrity. Though our house blonde is prettier.
Speaking of which, Shin Ga-yeon was talking with her father, so I slipped out during the gap. No time to dawdle, so I yelled up at the woman again.
“If you're not coming down, I'm leaving.”
“L-leaving?! Don't!! I'll come down. Coming, com—?!”
Her words cut off. Can't blame her—I'd do the same.
Even if she's light, that's 40-50kg. And flailing around like that? The tree couldn't hold.
What I'm saying is, she'd been perched up there a good while by now.
Crack—crack-crackle—
A foreboding sound, and foreboding eyes stared down at me.
Her head shook side to side, tears welling in her eyes.
“Feels kinda familiar somehow.”
This troublemaker-rescue vibe. This blonde-from-somewhere vibe.
What is it? Feeling a strange disconnect, I dashed toward the tree amid a lively snap.
Gabriel squeezed her eyes shut against the pain of endless waiting, then finally opened them.
The tree branch she'd instinctively climbed to escape the bear snapped, plunging her into a life-or-death fall.
She'd braced for serious injury. Maybe even death.
But—
“You okay?”
Eyes open, she saw a black-haired man.
His dark locks whipped in the wind from his sprint, scattered branches framing a picturesque scene.
“Ah.”
Their eyes met. Deep black orbs gazing down, drawing her in.
His lips curved slightly, making her heart skip unwittingly.
For an ordinary person, this would've been love at first sight.
She'd gasp 'Oh my!!', heart pounding, cheeks flushing.
A romantic atmosphere would've bloomed—but
Gabriel was different. Of course, her heart pounded, her cheeks flushed.
But ordinary humans and Gabriel were fundamentally apart.
Angel of Purity.
A woman from Heaven Realm for millennia, ignorant of men.
No matter the shaky bridge effect making him handsome, the picture-perfect scene.
Even with flushed cheeks and racing heart—
“U-um!!!”
She had no idea how to respond. An angel who'd known only work in Heaven, now pressed against a man.
The result was inevitable—
“Get off me!!!!!!”
Overload. Eyes spinning, face burning, hands flailing to push his face away.
The maximum defense from a pure angel with eight wings, millennia old.
“Sorry!!!!!”
Not the way to treat her twice-savior, though.
“.........”
“Sorry!!”
“........”
I clutched my still-stinging cheek, glaring at the woman before me.
She knew she'd messed up, bowing her head repeatedly with apologies.
Me, Lee Seong-hoon, 25 (real).
Repay grace halfway, revenge tenfold.
Didn't make me feel better. Petty? Yeah.
Anyone who'd thought otherwise was the fool.
Neighborhood folks!! Lee Seong-hoon's heart is a cow's gall bladder!!
“.........”
“.......”
But me not forgiving dragged the mood down. She looked sorry, eyes downcast.
Made me uncomfortable too.
Best to act mature and accept the apology. Reminded me of when my kids messed up.
I naturally reached to pat her head—but
—Kyaaah!!
—Sorry!!
—Get off!!
Flashback to the slap-fest stopped me.
What habit? Not petting my kids? Ignore the nonsense cat. I awkwardly retracted my hand mid-air and covered my mouth.
“Ahem. No need to be that sorry. Happens to anyone. You panic, it slips out.”
“...Still sorry.”
“Told you it's fine.”
“But...”
Keeps going. No choice—I opened [Inventory] and pulled out the chocolate bar I'd stashed earlier.
Her face lit up, eyes following the bar.
...That hungry?
“Want it?”
“Huh? Oh, no? Not hungry at all?”
“Then eat and stop apologizing. It's awkward for me too.”
“Ah. W-well, if you insist...?”
Twirling her hair, does she want it? Not want it?
Anyway, with her ragged look, no way she doesn't. Handed it over—she took it politely and unwrapped, chowing down.
Looks hasty, but no. Not a crumb falls; somehow prim and proper?
How?
Amazed, I offered other food next. She took it gracefully again.
What's the trick?
Eating whatever I gave like a country pup from back in the day—
“Cute.”
Ah. Slipped out. Froze. Not just me.
The black-hair munching away halted too.
Cheeks puffed with food, half-bitten snack in hand.
Face reddens. Ears too. Eyes spinning defensively, hand blocking my approach.
“Wh-wh-wh-wh-what!!!”
Ah. My bad. Golden eyes started whirling.
“.........”
Obviously, apology barrage. After, I just fed her food wordlessly while walking, then handed her off to the Shin servants. They'll handle it.
Of course, naturally,
She wasn't a servant. Bye, treasure.
Of course sad. Disappointment scales with expectations. Hate myself for hoping for an extra spirit pill.
—We'll meet again!! I lost my power now!!
—Definitely later!! I'll give you a blessing!!
—Me!! I always repay favors!! Definitely!! See you!!
Stuff like that as we parted. Blessings aren't for anyone, so ignored.
Maybe think of it as reward for saving a life.
“Still doesn't balance the books.”
Wasting my precious labor here. Shatters my 'treasure over lives' creed.
“I'll take that as a compliment.”
Bickering with the cat, we reached our assigned room before I knew it.
Opened the door and—
“Oppa?!”
Shion spotted me and came bounding over happily. Grinning ear to ear, arms outstretched. I naturally scooped her up.
Totally used to it now, she relaxed into me.
Unlike Levatein, she was bigger, needed my whole body to lift.
Didn't matter.
“Where'd you go?! Auntie and I waited forever!”
“Mm. Found a lost hiker in the mountains.”
“Good deed?!”
“Good deed.”
I smiled, and Shion beamed back with 'Good job~' vibes. Mm. Praise from the kids.
Not bad.
“Oppa. Auntie was fidgety the whole time? Trembling about how you'd scold her since you vanished.”
“Sh-Shion!! That's not it!! I was worried because...”
“Worried? More like, why're you here?”
“Shion didn't want to be alone, so I came.”
Can't help that. Passed the oddly avoidant-eyed Michael and sat by the window.
Plopped Shion on my lap, turned on my phone.
“Ah. Michael, wanna join?”
“Pardon? Join what?”
What? This time with Shion and phone? Only one thing.
“See Levatein's face.”
Time to video call Raphael.