Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Who Said Forgiveness is Easy?
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“Seong-hoon.”
“...”
“Seong-hoon.”
I didn't respond to the voice calling me. No, not even making eye contact felt right. "Couldn't" might be the more accurate word.
Why? Obviously, there was one clear reason.
“Are you kidding me?”
I was clearly avoiding her gaze, but it still stung. Even without meeting her eyes, it burned.
“What is this?! Gangnam, right?! Gangnam! The street of nightlife, you said! Is this nightlife? In your world, Seong-hoon, is nightlife just dust blowing around?!”
I didn't turn my gaze to where Raphael was pointing, but I could guess what she meant.
An empty street. Dust swirling in the air. Most shops had [CLOSED] signs hanging on them.
A few pigeons pecked around our feet, as if standing in for people.
Cold sweat dripped down my back as I turned my head. There stood a glaring blonde bombshell.
And below her, a little blonde head hung low in disappointment.
“Haha.”
What could I do? Demons were active here—did she expect crowds?
I didn't say anything? I said we were going to Gangnam, not that we were here to play. We came to collect items left by a demon.
I opened my mouth to explain, but the little blonde beat me to it.
[Mom. Can't we play?]
Her face was buried so low I couldn't see her expression. Oh no, this was bad. That's why I'd hugged her and given her a piggyback ride earlier.
“N-no, there are still lots of open shops. And we didn't come here to play in the first place—”
[Can't play?]
I had no idea how to answer that. Honestly, no, we couldn't. But I couldn't lie just to smooth things over.
Maybe a hug would help.
As I reached out for Levatein—
[...]
She hid behind Raphael, peeking up at me while clutching her thin leg.
She was sulking.
“She's sulking. I'm sulking too. What is this? If it's like this, even the good restaurants would be closed!!”
“No, if we look properly, there are plenty of open places. We have somewhere to go first anyway. Okay? They're there if we look.”
My excuses got nothing but blank stares from both of them. These blonde duo were driving me crazy. Who was the idiot who said forgiveness is easier than permission?
Forgiveness is insanely hard too.
I kept talking after that. Further in, we'd hit the food alley. There were fun spots nearby too. PC bangs, noraebangs, that kind of thing.
The underground areas were fine. There's even a whole underground street.
Repetition. Their ears finally perked up at my words. Raphael moved first.
“Ahem. Just this once? Forgiveness? Let's go!! Levatein!!”
[Yeah! Mom!!]
Her mood lifted again as Raphael scooped up Levatein and started walking forward.
I tried to follow, ignoring Lachesis's [I told you so, nya.]—
Someone spoke up beside me.
“You there. You just arrived in Gangnam?”
He looked like a traveler heading to the warp gate, walking the same way we'd come, loaded up like he was leaving for days.
Suitcase and suit. The suitcase was pretty big too.
“Ah, yes. We did.”
“Hm. Here for fun?”
Was that it? I wasn't, but my companions were. How do you even phrase that?
“Something like that?”
I just nodded vaguely.
“You kids don't watch the news?”
“?”
“Gangnam's a sea of fire right now. Even deeper in, you won't find open shops, let alone people. I recommend heading home.”
With that, the man left.
Uncle, I know. I already know.
“Seong-hoon.”
Read the room, please.
I finally calmed down the rampaging blondes. Promised we'd handle business today and go somewhere else tomorrow.
Tears welled up as I sacrificed my precious weekend for this peace, scanning the surroundings.
Walls lined with all sorts of masks. From classic clowns to monsters, that Friday the 13th guy, horses—everything except the invisible one.
This was a mask shop. Knew it wouldn't be closed.
These places are always tucked away underground, and strong folks would run them. This guy looked strong too.
I walked slowly to the counter. There sat a man with his head down, reading a magazine.
Messy white hair—uncleaned or what? Loose tank top and jeans. Tattoos peeking out.
I swallowed hard at the visible muscles and spoke up.
“Excuse me.”
“Yeah?”
He looked up blankly at my voice, like 'A customer? For me?!' Dude, no intention to do business?
“Ah, yeah! Hello. I mean, hello. What brings you to our shop?”
He awkwardly spread his arms. Must've been ages since his last customer. How does he pay rent in Gangnam?
Feeling the cognitive dissonance, I pulled the [Skull Mask] from my [Inventory]. It dropped into my hand.
Handed it straight to him.
“Hm? Mask remodeling? I can shave it down—?!”
“Yes, shave it, drill it, whatever. Make the exterior cooler than this. I don't know much about it, so do whatever, and—”
“Wait. Hold on a sec.”
“?”
He cut me off and stared holes into the Skull Mask. Like he'd found a rare treasure. Then he stared at me.
Skull Mask once.
Me once.
Skull Mask once.
Me once.
Alternating like that before he finally spoke. His gaping mouth closed.
“Did you steal this?”
—Pfft!!
—Mom. Why?
—N-no... Let's keep looking... *cough*...
Should I kill them? Ignoring the voices behind me, I shook my head. I earned it fair and square.
He looked puzzled, like 'You?' 'You got this?'
“Can I spit?”
“What? No. No!! Sorry. Sorry. You just don't look like someone who'd get an item like this. A gift from someone...? Hey!! Don't gather phlegm. Stop!!”
“Hm. See now? I got it.”
“Technically, I got it.”
I shoved the blonde face that popped up beside me. Go browse or something. Pushed hard, payback for laughing earlier.
She's strong. This one.
“Really? Hm. Yeah, you might've.”
“Hear that? Seong-hoon? You heard it, right? I— What are you doing? Want me to shove that finger deeper into your ear? All the way to the eardrum? Pull it out!!”
Ahh, can't hear. Plugged my ears in advance. He could tell she was strong, after all.
Our damn blonde loves the praise.
Didn't want to compliment, so played deaf.
Ignored the shaking blonde beside me. And the little one who'd run over to shake my leg too.
Watched the man fiddling with the mask, amused.
“You gonna do it?”
“Yeah. Gotta. First mask this good I've seen. How should I do it?”
“Just make it cool coolcoolcool. Ah, shaking makes me stutter. Stop!!”
“Heard what he said earlier? I'll keep shaking till you say you did!!”
“I heard!! Stop!!”
Should've said that sooner! I ignored it. As Raphael stopped, so did Levatein. I picked her up as she reached for me.
[Daddy. So many cool things here!!]
“Yeah. Good job.”
[Hehe.]
Amused by us, the smiling man tapped the mask.
“My call then. Holes okay?”
“Yes. Just make it cool.”
“Seong-hoon likes chuunibyou stuff. Eyepatches, owls, Horus masks, that kinda—”
I hurriedly clamped Raphael's mouth and shook my head.
“Just make it cool. This one's kinda creepy now.”
“Ah, got it. You guys get along well. Nice to see harmony.”
“Pardon?”
What? Question marks floated over my head. Tilted it too.
“Hm? You look young, but harmonious. Jealous. My family's not close. Your kid's cute, bet she'll grow up fine.”
“?”
I tilted again, and he finally noticed something off.
“Hm? You're not a couple?”
““No, we're not.””
“????”
Question marks exploded over his head. Utter confusion.
He alternated between me, big blonde, little blonde, then pointed at the little one.
“But she said 'Daddy.'”
“Daddy... is kinda right?”
[Yeah! Daddy!]
“??”
Now he pointed at the big blonde.
“She's 'Mommy,' right?”
[Yeah! Mommy!!]
“?????????”
Total confusion. Then, like it clicked, he smacked his fist into his palm.
“Got it! You're pranking me!”
““No, we're not.””
Confused face, but we don't get it either.
“But is it okay to have such a pretty mommy like her?”
She always had to add that one line.
Inside the mask shop. The workshop.
Said we'd decide the design while watching him make it. Mana would make it quick.
Kiiiiing—!!
The sound of the mask being carved. Quietly working, he suddenly spoke.
“Not married yet, right?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
I nodded vaguely.
“Right. Then take this and head back quick.”
“Why?”
Demons, obviously, but maybe some extra info. Played dumb.
“Demons showing up. Over 20 incidents this month alone. That's why all shops closed, no people left.”
“20 incidents?!”
At least 20 people. That should be goal achieved, right? Tilted my head, but he kept going.
“Yeah. But it's not just demons.”
“?”
What now? Should just be demons. Group centered around the newbie nightclub.
One of the main villain group's hideouts targeting Yang Min-ji in the story.
That's here. Nothing else added.
“Corpses found drained of all blood recently.”
“Vampires.”
“Yeah. So go home. That girl earlier was strong for sure, but numbers matter.”
Vampires popping up everywhere. All I'd done was make Sophia a maid.
Why do vampires keep swarming like this?
Irritated, I responded a few times, and it finished super fast.
One word for the mask he handed over: cool.
The original bumpy skull smoothed flat.
Added geometric patterns, holes for eyes, nose, mouth. One eye fully open.
Pretty cool.
“Good?”
“Totally satisfied.”
Put the [Skull Mask] in [Inventory] and reached for money.
But then—
A scream pierced my ears.
—Aaaahhh!!
The man, eyes meeting mine for a split second, bolted out. What we saw outside—
A man in black robes. Gaunt body, leaking demonic energy.
And above him, pinning him down: a blonde. Little blonde riding her, giggling.
“What the hell happened?!”
“Hm... Somehow we won.”
What kinda answer is that?