An Outing to Seolju (4)
I returned to the wolf pack first, told them to wait a while longer, piled up a heap of food for them, and then headed for the village.
“Where's the temple? Wait, never mind—pretty obvious it's right there.”
A colossal temple stood at the center of the village. The chapel alone was nothing to be ashamed of next to the one in Sinsi.
Oh. They hollowed out the inside, didn't they? Ahh, so they planted a branch of the World Tree right in the middle. A circular sanctuary, beautifully built. Must have been a real labor of love.
“Hello there?”
「Tremble, tremble」
Oh, you're too small to give me a big 'shaaah' rustle, huh? You just shiver adorably. Well, you look healthy, so that's good. Thank you—for keeping these people alive.
But were you supposed to grow this slowly? You were the length of a forearm when I left, and you still haven't made it past my waist?
「Pitter-patter-patter」
What now? Who's in such a rush this time?
“Lady Ha-eun? Is it truly you—the one with the ID card?”
Ah. Right. That source of eternal shame, that utterly beautiful document! The ID card.
“Yes. That's me.”
“Ahh... to behold you in my own lifetime. My deepest gratitude.”
Well, of course the temple folk would recognize me the moment they saw the card. I wonder how they'll manage once it becomes a proper resident registration card?
“I have a favor to ask.”
“Anything you command.”
“I brought a wolf pack here. I'd like the temple to buy game and food from the villagers and feed them a little at a time. In return, the wolves will protect the village.”
It would stimulate the local economy too—a win-win all around. And once farming takes off properly, people will start raising livestock and stop hunting altogether. Besides, the temple was swimming in money anyway.
“Ooooh! You can even converse with the wolf pack!”
Hm? What's this? Why are your eyes sparkling like you're planning to write something down?
I led the people out along the road. I figured I'd need to hammer in some stakes and show them where the pack would be staying.
“Um... Miss, will you really be all right?”
“Don't worry. Just trust me.”
The wolf pack was visible in the distance. The animals were nearly human-sized, so some nerves were understandable. The locals here were still on the short side—plenty of natives among them. Feed them enough potatoes, though, and they'd be shooting up in no time.
“Grrrrrr.”
“Hup!”
Hey! Did this guy just scare a person? That man's about to bolt!
“Hey! You came here with me! You don't recognize me?”
“Whiiine...”
Anyway, with me handling the animals, the people began driving in the boundary stakes. Sure, the wolves could leap over them any time they pleased, but the territory still needed marking.
I set the boundary so that half of it stretched into the thawed part of Seolju. I had no idea which side they'd prefer.
“Alright! Everyone focus!”
“Arf arf!”
“Now! We live here. This is our territory. Anything past that line belongs to the humans. Stay here, and every once in a while you'll get a share of food.”
“Arf arf!”
Haah... I have no idea. Did they actually understand? Or are they just barking along because I'm shouting?
I'd be staying here with them for a while. The people decided to come out between chores and build a fence—it looked like they intended to make it quite spacious.
Once the people had gone, I quietly fished the soil, sand, and stones I'd stashed in my subspace and started tamping down the ground. Water didn't drain here, and the place kept turning into a mud bog.
The kids and I both looked like a wretched mess.
“Hm? Where do we get clean water around here?”
Back to the temple, looking like a beggar. Truly humiliating.
“Excuse me, priest?”
“Ah! You've returned!”
“Where do you get clean water here? The river's frozen down to the riverbed.”
“There's plenty around the area, no?”
Hm? Wasn't it dirty, though?
“It looked filthy to me?”
“Any water within reach of the World Tree's power is perfectly safe to drink.”
You people know more about this than I do. Wait, then what on earth did those fools in Sinju—the ones with the original tree—eat to get sick from the water?
Came out here for nothing. I'll have to dig a water hole for the wolves, then. The water seemed to gather on its own anyway.
「Splash, splash」
“Hah, hah.”
“Get away! Ugh!”
Since the water kept pooling, I dug a little more, and a little more, until the pond had grown considerably large. What? The more water, the better, right?
But they were biting me. Biting me, I tell you. These kids had a serious mischievous streak. Shoving, tugging at my clothes—and since I lacked the strength, I spent all my time getting dragged around.
Still, the kids had some sense. After their bath they came out and sat down in the spot covered with stone and sand. Apparently they figured that was the clean place.
“Haha. You've got surprisingly small eyes, don't you?”
Well, it wasn't so much small eyes as it was a head way too big for their bodies. Cracked me up, honestly.
.
.
.
Half a year passed, living with the pack under a small tent. The wolves birthed plenty of pups, some packs split off and departed, and the ones who stayed simply stayed.
The villagers who'd flinched at every glimpse of the wolves at first now seemed fairly close to them—teasing each other, the whole works.
“Looks like it's about time for me to go.”
“Hnff?”
The leader of this pack never changed. Like my Secretary, it was always hovering at my side.
“I could keep living like this, honestly. But I've got people I need to look after too.”
“Nnngh...”
“You all have to live as wolves. You're not going to turn into dogs, are you?”
These ones would never become livestock. You could tell just by looking. This kind of symbiotic relationship was the best arrangement possible.
According to the villagers, the wolves that had already left this place were living in packs along the roads.
Every so often they'd trail after a carriage and mooch potatoes or meat off the travelers. Hm... sounded an awful lot like extortion to me.
“Don't go playing tricks on people just because they don't feed you. Get along nicely with each other, alright?”
Humans were going to grow stronger and scarier than any of you could imagine, after all.
“Well then, I'm off.”
“Whiine.”
Were you planning to follow me? But no...
That's a city out there—no place for you to run and play. Better I cut you loose now than watch you wither away, suffocating.
“Nnn. No! You stay here!”
“Arf arf!”
I ruthlessly shook off the one gnawing at my sleeve and headed for the village. I probably wouldn't ever see them again.
“Awoooo~ Ooo~”
“Live well, all of you!”
The whole pack howling together was quite a magnificent sight. This trip really was so much fun! All thanks to you guys.
“It appears you're departing, then.”
“Yeah.”
“Please stop crying. They were happy memories, weren't they?”
Huh? Was I crying again? Haha. It's just—I was so happy that the thought of never seeing them again made me sad, that's all.
“These children's children will keep watch over this place, generation after generation. Come back whenever you wish.”
“They will, right? They're the same bloodline, so they'll be good to me?”
“Of course. They are your children now, after all.”
Hm? It was supposed to be a touching moment, but something about that felt just a little... off?
The road back was a strange one. The wolves never came close—they only howled, on and on, from far away.
Perhaps it was their send-off.
Of course, I felt terrible for the drivers and the horses, who were nervous wrecks the whole way.
.
.
.
“My goodness! Haneul-nim! What on earth has happened to you!”
The Chief Secretary, two hundred and thirty years later, and still exactly the same. All I did was get my clothes dirty! You don't have to act like the world is ending!
“I just need to change clothes, that's all~”
“Absolutely not! To the bathhouse. Now.”
Oh? So this never changes? I suppose she'll scrub me down like a load of laundry again...
“Why are there so many people in here?”
They said the Secretary Office had nine staff now—add me and we were ten.
Hm? You all just wanted a bath too, didn't you? I mean, there's no bathhouse anywhere as good as this one, is there?
“Hm? Why are you looking at us so suspiciously?”
“I just don't see why we all need to do this together?”
“Everyone has a course, you see?”
Hm? A bath is wet yourself, lather, rinse—done, right? What's with this 'course'?
“A bath must include proper care and treatment.”
“W-wh-what are you planning to do?”
“We'll begin with the bubble bath.”
And now what is this? They brought out a small tub, had the Maknae whip up a mountain of foam, and dunked a person in it?
Wait, isn't this bubble stuff going to get in my eyes? Girls?
They used to scrub with silk, and now it's bare hands?
Uh... uh-uh? Just how far are you planning to scrub, exactly...
“Mmm...”
Why is your face going red? Something strange has happened to these girls. No wait—they were always strange. The numbers just went up too.
“Now we'll do the body scrub.”
“Huh? Didn't you just do that?”
“No?”
Then what was all that just now? Did bathing culture evolve while I slept? Hmm, this time she's wiping me down with silk.
“Can't you just use something nice and rough and give me a good vigorous scrub-down?”
For Koreans, it's all about the Italy towel. I wonder if bunching up some fibrous cloth and going at it would be close enough? I want to soak the grime off in warm water and scrub it away, shk shk shk!
“What! What utter nonsense are you saying? Your skin would be ruined!”
You scared me! Was that really worth shrieking over? And how would my skin get damaged, pray tell? I'm the woman whose skin didn't even break when a wolf bit her a few months ago.
Ah... and the rabbit-skin mittens were so cute, too...
“Fine, fine. Do it your way.”
The temple and the Chancellor obey my every word, but somehow the Chief Secretary never quite seems to listen? Ah, right, she's the Chief Secretary now or whatever?
Is that position cursed, or do they just seat that kind of person in it?
When a private bathhouse finally opens, I'm going there and scrubbing till my heart's content.
“Now we'll do the massage.”
“Huh? What?”
“A massage.”
This is a bath, isn't it? And we're doing that? Really necessary?
“Why?”
“It's good for the skin.”
“I don't need it though?”
It's not like slathering on more of anything makes me better or skipping it makes me worse. I've looked like this for centuries now!
Ah. Right. My opinion carries no weight here. A bed—the kind I'd seen plenty of somewhere before—was brought in.
Fitted perfectly to my body, apparently. Quite comfortable, I'll admit.
“We'll apply some oil now.”
We have to grease me up too, huh? Hm, no added fragrance, I see—just a nutty oil smell.
But hold on, girls? Of all the oils in the world, why sesame oil for cooking? Heheh.
“Oh my? Lady Haneul, I have just one question, if I may?”
Ah, that one—Jian, I believe—the girl I saw the day I woke up.
“What is it?”
“What does it feel like, having no hair?”
Huh? Hair? What hair?
“Hm?”
“Hair down there, my lady. You don't have any, do you?”
Everyone's ears perked right up—are they all curious? Even the Chief Secretary. Heheh, you rascals.
“Mmm. Honestly, I've never had any, so I wouldn't really know? What does it feel like for you all?”
“Mmm. Kind of grimy? It gets gunked up a lot, you know, since there's so much—”
Hm. Gets what on it? No idea what that's like, but let's see... hmm.
“I'm not sure if this is the same thing, but underwear feels suffocating to me? Maybe it's like that? Just a feeling of being unencumbered?”
“Hm? Really?”
“Yeah. Try sleeping with nothing on—it's incredibly comfortable. Imagine that feeling, but double.”
“Ooh...”
Everyone's nodding along thoughtfully. Hmm... maybe, just maybe, hair-removal arts will develop unusually early around here.
They can do as they please. Those who want to will, and those who don't won't. As long as nobody forces anyone, it's fine.
「Knead, knead」
“You are doing this gently, right?”
“I'm hardly using any strength at all?”
Must be nice, being that strong.
They were going full professional on me. One on my head, two on my arms, two on my legs, one on my torso.
“Lady Haneul, how are you this soft and squishy?”
“I'm the one who's jealous of you all. I don't have a single muscle.”
Is this what they call the rich mocking the poor? Those who have it will never understand. Damned privileged brats.
But why the chest massage? Wasn't massage supposed to be for working out muscle? What exactly is there to knead in a lump of fat?
Oh, and it looks like the hands are migrating from chest, down along my sides.
“Eeeheeheek! Wait, wait!”
“What! What's the matter?”
“My sides are way too ticklish! Keeheeheek!”
“Oh...”
“N-no! Not there!”
I said it tickles, so why are you doing it more?
“Ack! Hold on! My toes too! The back of my neck too! Everything's ticklish, wait—!”
“...”
“...”
Stop it! I said it tickles! Why are you getting even more into this?!
“AHAHAHAHA—!”
「CRASH, CLATTER」
In the end, I lost control of my power. Secretaries went flying in all four directions, and I, thrashing around, slipped on the sesame oil and went crashing to the floor. My first bath in two hundred and thirty years had ended in utter chaos.
“My goodness! Haneul-nim, isn't this going too far? How could you pummel innocent people like that!?”
“Hey! I told you not to tickle me!”
“Nobody ever died from a little tickling—you could stand to endure it!”
Oh really? Tickling is literally classified as torture, you brats!