Chapter 138
Chapter 138
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 138
Chapter Title: My Guardian Deity (4)
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Time creates existence.
This is why dragons, who live for thousands of years, become higher beings upon reaching adulthood.
And conversely, why baby dragons are so fragile and weak.
"Well, I told you I'm fine!"
Gaeul said to Yoo Ji-tae.
No matter what anyone said.
"Huh? No... I just, she was glaring at you so intensely..."
The girl let out a hehe laugh.
The moment the word "fine" left Gaeul's mouth.
She became fine. Just like magic.
It hadn't even been a few hours since they returned to the dorm. Yet there she was, casually pulling chocolate ice cream from the freezer and eating it with a smile, as if nothing had happened.
He watched her eat the ice cream for a long while.
"Oh? What're you eating?"
Yeoreum asked as she returned from that day's training.
Gaeul giggled and held out the half-eaten ice cream.
"Ice cream!"
"Ah. The stuff we bought yesterday."
"Yeah! It's super tasty."
"Guess I should have some too."
"Probably none left?"
"What? Why not? We bought four, one for each."
"Uh...?"
Gaeul's gaze curved downward. She checked the trash can for the number of ice cream wrappers she'd eaten.
"Was it that many...?"
As she tried to slip away with an awkward laugh, a furrow formed between Yeoreum's brows.
"My little sister."
"Yes?"
"You're not telling me you polished off all four ice creams by yourself, right? Huh?"
"...Mommy!"
Gaeul bolted at the sight of those murderous eyes. 'How the hell did you eat all those, you psycho!' No need to check the fridge. The wild boar chased the chick. A scream echoed from the corner of the room.
That was how everyday everything around Gaeul seemed.
And that was why, in the 4th round, no one but Yoo Ji-tae ever suspected BY's true feelings.
Since returning, the chick had been buried under the blankets nonstop. Once, it even soiled the bed, forcing Gaeul to clean it up with 「Cleanliness (B-)」 magic.
The terrified chick whimpered in pain. Gaeul tended to it all day, and whenever she stepped out of the room like this, she wore a smiling face.
Even Yoo Ji-tae could tell. She was still young; her mask was sloppy.
"Hey. But your heart's beating kinda weakly. You okay?"
"It's 'cause my sister's bullying me!"
"No, idiot. Not that."
In the 4th round, there were no such convenient tools.
"Fine, then."
If this weren't the 7th round, Yoo Ji-tae wouldn't have noticed her condition due to insufficient learning.
And if it had been the 4th round, he wouldn't have known how to draw out her true feelings through conversation.
But because it was the 7th round, he had a way.
"Cooking?"
Bom tilted her head at the regressor's request.
"You want me to help with cooking?"
"Yeah."
Bom asked curiously.
"What kind of dish?"
He still remembered the name because it was so unusual.
The dish was called "Offering for Eternal Peace." In the 4th round, the Gold Dragon had often requested it from her dedicated chef.
"Hmm. I've never heard of it... Did something happen with Gaeul?"
"Nothing major."
"......"
"No need to worry."
Bom looked into his eyes. A sullen blank expression. Eyes that seemed to peer into the depths.
Wondering why, he met her gaze, and she gave a slight smile before asking in a much lighter tone.
"What about the ingredients?"
He remembered the ingredients. Several kinds of vegetables, meat with a ton of fat, and a special ingredient ground finely. Plus unique spices.
But he didn't know how it should taste. At least Bom's cooking was something they loved, so if she helped, it should turn out decent.
He bought the ingredients, and cooking began.
The regressor slowly prepped the meat and vegetables with deliberate motions. He put them in a mixing bowl and ground them finely with a blade-like aura.
Finally, he added the secret ingredient and ground it smooth as well.
The ground meat and veggies mixed wet and dry into a tofu-like texture. Thanks to the gelatinous fat, it was sticky and pudding-like before boiling.
Up to here, just healthy food. The key was the spices.
To substitute for Ascalifa spices, Baby Yellow had meticulously compared flavors and reached a conclusion.
Among them, a mix of garlic powder, salt, basil, and clarified butter (ghee) was the closest.
The problem was not knowing the ratios perfectly.
"Hmm..."
Bom dipped her finger in the spices or tasted a tiny bit.
Then she sampled them expressionlessly for a while.
"Think you got it?"
"Sorta. Kinda. If it's supposed to be decent..."
If Bom didn't know, no one would. He had to trust her senses here.
Sprinkle Bom's spice mix over the boiled ingredients. Surprisingly, it gave off a familiar aroma.
The jelly-like mass loosens with heat, yielding a thick, hearty broth.
One spoonful. He tries it. Nutty fat aroma. But healthier tasting than expected.
He asked Bom for her evaluation.
"It's tasty. Really tasty. But I'm not sure if Gaeul, who likes spicy stuff, would..."
Similar to his assessment.
Just then, the tasting committee member peeked her head slyly from behind the kitchen door.
Their eyes met, and she asked.
"...What's that?"
"Oh. Winter's here. Wanna taste and rate it? Uncle made it."
"......?"
The child looked up at Yoo Ji-tae. The taster was unwittingly being bribed by the chef.
Bom scooped Winter up and plopped her on the table. Then fed her the dish.
Nom nom. Winter takes a big mouthful of soup.
"How is it?"
No verbal reply, but her smile was bright.
The tasting committee's verdict: positive.
"...More?"
Too positive—he had to make another bowl.
The regressor took the finished soup to Gaeul's room.
She was lying on the bed, staring at the chick. The chick was the same as ever. Eyes closed. Head buried in the blankets. Shivering.
"Ooh. What's that smell?"
"Eat some and rest."
Gaeul turned to look at Yoo Ji-tae. Same as always. Bright eyes and smile.
"What is it?"
"Soup. We made it together."
"Whoa, that smell is killer. You and Bom unni?"
"Yeah."
He set it on the desk, and Gaeul came over to sit in the chair.
"But seriously, random soup out of nowhere? I just ate ice cream; I'm full."
"Just eat."
"Okay."
She scooped up the thick broth. Carefully brought it to her mouth. He watched her face.
Thinking it tasty, she hummed a little tune, but the moment the spoon hit her tongue and she savored it, the humming...
Stopped.
Slowly, her golden eyes widened. The smile faded in proportion to her panic.
"......"
Gaeul looked up at him.
4th round. While BY lounged in a bikini under the sun at a resort.
Yoo Ji-tae spotted a man sneak-photographing her with a massive camera from afar.
He beat the paparazzi's face to a pulp.
"Oh my. I'm fine, though..."
Baby Yellow showed him mercy.
"Don't do it again. Got it?"
In the 4th round, BY was always smiling in front of people.
Sweet kid as a child, sweet celebrity as she grew. "Sweetness is a word made for Baby Yellow" even graced Time magazine's cover.
As fame grew, her agency reinforced that image. Rare for a top singer, she went on USO tours on foot.
BY visited superhumans fighting long wars in rifts.
And comforted them with beautiful songs.
Images aren't built overnight. You need consistent charm.
So revealing her true personality was best, but alas, BY's was changing day by day.
What took effort to build crumbles in an instant. BY, who felt malice deeply, couldn't afford mistakes.
And as a dragon, she never did.
Especially as she aged and gained experience.
One day during a USO tour.
In a certain rift.
BY faced a not-insignificant problem.
Not her mistake exactly. Her parrot mimicked her drugged ramblings.
The parrot had been quiet until then, but for some reason, it spewed unspeakable words on camera that day.
Utterly lewd. Violent words.
The incident seemed to pass lightly at the time. But the shadows brewed trouble. Known as BY's favorite parrot, backlash and mockery spread fast against her.
Dirty slut. Psycho bitch. The like.
Deep in malice, BY had her watch device confiscated and was confined to her tent, all schedules canceled.
In an SS-grade massive rift. Trapped in luxury, BY pitifully phoned everyone, apologizing profusely.
She even apologized to Yoo Ji-tae when they met, beyond mere sadness.
But one night.
Awake, BY suddenly opened the tent's storage. Locked, she pried it with nails and strength. Then glared at the isolated parrot.
Next instant, her small white hand seized and crushed its neck. The parrot barely resisted.
Before the thin neck snapped, BY released it with trembling hands.
Yoo Ji-tae burst in, noticing the anomaly. BY glared at him with bloodshot eyes.
"Hey."
"What..."
"What did you just do?"
"I don't know."
"You crazy?"
"I... don't know. I don't know, okay? Just... leave. I wanna be alone."
"Snap out of it. We're leaving here soon."
"I know, so get out... Hurry..."
Unsettled, but focused only on her safety then, Yoo Ji-tae didn't press further.
'......? ...'
He only heard her muttering alone all night.
Actually, the company monitored her mental state more than he did. Counselors and masseuses tended her days. Unlike nights, daytime BY followed obediently.
And not just that.
"Offering for Eternal Peace" arrived from outside the rift, tucked among military supplies.
Jelly-like soup in a plastic tub. Made by her dedicated chef, knowing Gaeul loved it.
Jelly at first, but heated at the mess hall, it became the thick soup BY adored.
The regressor took the soup into BY's tent.
But opening it, he felt extreme irritation.
BY was gone.
That day. She vanished.
A cross drawn in blood on the floor.
This mark suggested kidnapping by the villain group "Blood Cross."
Blood Cross: global human trafficking ring, especially targeting women.
4th round. Yoo Ji-tae's rank: 3rd.
But rank from war merits, not personal power. Superhumans who could fool his senses? Plenty in the world.
"Gotta catch and kill 'em all..."
The regressor swallowed surging rage and turned. Stored the soup in subspace, then soared skyward.
Flew high, scanning afar. Vast forest and mountains unfolded.
This was an SS-grade dungeon.
"Primeval Forest" type, unknown what waits at the end. Measured area: 4.95 million km². Half of China's landmass.
At the vast green expanse's edge, far where no mountains, the horizon met his eyes.
-No entry/exit traces at the entrance!
"...Got it."
Receiving comms, Yoo Ji-tae sighed deeply.
He now had to find BY in this vast, dangerous land.
"......"
Swallowing curses, the regressor moved.