Chapter 23
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Befriending the Anomaly
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As soon as I summoned a catastrophe-level anomaly right in front of her eyes, Yu-ha seemed extremely tense and clamped her mouth shut completely.
An awkward silence stretched on until the food arrived.
She was so scared that I wanted to send Sowol back into the ring, but I couldn't because of the training fee I'd received from Taoist Master Moon Seon-woo.
How much money did Master give me? I had to train her thoroughly in return. Once you've taken a commission, you have to deliver results.
"Yu-ha, eat lots."
"Y-Yes, Uncle..."
Once the food arrived, Yu-ha buried her head and slurped up her noodles. I could feel her strong determination not to look at Sowol during the meal.
"By the way, Uncle."
"Yeah? Want more pickled radish?"
"No, not that. Uncle, aren't you scared of anomalies at all?"
She's beating around the bush, asking if Sowol isn't scary.
For me? Not scary at all. If anything, it's a treat for the eyes.
But I couldn't tell Yu-ha that straight up, so I decided to give her a plausible answer.
"Anomalies are the kind of thing that get scarier the more you fear them."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Once you get to know them, maybe there's not that much to be afraid of."
Emboldened by my words, Nam Yu-ha cautiously lifted her head to peek at Sowol's face.
Sowol, who had been expressionlessly picking at her sweet-and-sour pork, met Yu-ha's eyes and gave her a bright smile.
From Sowol's perspective, it seemed like she'd given her prettiest smile to keep Yu-ha from being scared...
"Ah, no! Uncle, you're wrong!"
Yu-ha trembled and ducked her head again.
From her reaction, it looked like just facing the White-Faced Bride had shaved off a bit of Nam Yu-ha's mental strength.
"You'll get used to it in time. Humans are animals that adapt, after all."
"...I hope so."
I wasn't expecting them to get friendly today, anyway.
I figured I needed to gradually create opportunities for her to bond with a catastrophe-level anomaly.
Keep facing it, and eventually the fear will fade, and her anti-demon power or divine power will rise naturally.
You can't grow by only fighting weak enemies.
"Um, can I head back now?"
"Already? It's still early. Stick around a bit longer."
"N-No, I have school homework. Haha..."
As soon as the meal ended, Yu-ha tried to hurry out of the office, claiming she had homework.
I didn't know if she really had homework or not, but today seemed like a good stopping point.
Push too hard on the first day, and the kid might break.
"Alright then, let's take the elevator down, Yu-ha."
"E-Eh? The elevator? C-Can't we take the stairs? I want to go down the stairs..."
"No. Riding the elevator is part of the training too. Come on, hop in."
Yu-ha boarded the elevator with a face that screamed she really didn't want to.
As soon as she got in, I naturally pressed the button for the 6th floor, and the elevator headed up to the nonexistent level.
-Ding-dong.
-6th floor. 6th floor.
"This building only goes up to the 5th floor..."
"Yu-ha, shh."
At my warning, Yu-ha quickly shut her mouth.
Soon, the elevator doors opened, and Elevator-chan stepped out from the pitch-black abyss, bowed her head politely, and boarded.
It had been quite a while since the Han Ye-rim disappearance case.
"Long time no see. Sorry I haven't come by much."
"N-No, it's fine... Just seeing you again makes me happy..."
Fortunately, her affinity was still holding steady at 90.
Even though I hadn't visited often, it hadn't dropped.
"I brought some snacks today, thinking we'd eat together. What do you think?"
"Snacks...?"
"Yeah, I brought some hangwa."
At the mention of snacks, Elevator-chan showed keen interest.
Her eyes sparkled; she must like the Lotus Sect handmade hangwa.
"Should we drop this friend off first and eat together?"
"Sure... I'll go to the 1st floor..."
Elevator-chan pressed the 1st floor button. Yu-ha, who had been plastered to the corner in extreme tension, glanced back and forth between me and Elevator-chan.
Yu-ha's eyes went beyond shock, plunged into cosmic horror-level confusion like she'd encountered something beyond comprehension.
But since she hadn't fainted, facing two catastrophe-level anomalies in one day might have already boosted her courage a little.
-Ding-dong.
-1st floor. 1st floor.
"See you tomorrow, Yu-ha."
"B-Bye!"
"Yeah. Be careful on your way. You have to come tomorrow too! If you don't, I'll come find you!"
Watching Yu-ha bolt out the moment the doors opened made me chuckle.
Would Yu-ha really come back to the office tomorrow?
If she truly wants to grow, she'll come on her own. If fear keeps her away, I'll go fetch her myself.
I took millions from Taoist Master Moon Seon-woo as a training fee; I can't half-ass it or I'll catch hell later.
"Um, who was that kid just now...?"
"Oh, a friend I'm helping train for a bit. Will you overlook it if she drops by occasionally?"
"I-It's fine with me..."
"Thanks. So, shall we have those snacks?"
"Yes...!"
The elevator doors closed, and I spread out the mat I'd brought beforehand and set up the hangwa nicely.
I'd be seeing Elevator-chan often from now on, so it was smart to build goodwill in advance.
It had been two days since Nam Yu-ha started coming to the office.
In that time, she'd gotten to where she could endure in front of Sowol, and she no longer trembled at the sight of Elevator-chan. Her courage had risen.
She was adapting faster than expected, so today I prepared cards as a special treat.
Playing games together might make her stop fearing Sowol altogether.
"You both know how to play Go-Stop, right?"
"Yes..."
Sowol nodded, while Yu-ha answered in a quavering voice.
Sowol must have been worried that speaking might make Yu-ha faint, so from their first meeting, she'd deliberately stayed silent around her.
"Alright, you two are going to play Matgo against each other."
"Matgo? Then what about you, Uncle?"
"I have somewhere to go for a bit. You'll have to play with Sowol without me today."
"So you're saying I have to play Matgo one-on-one with her?"
"You've got the Five Flower Bell Spirit too, right? So it won't be just two— it'll be three. Too bad the spirit can't play Go-Stop. Right?"
"No, the spirit hid ages ago! Uncle, please don't go...! Don't leave me!"
"Heh. What a pickle."
I felt sorry seeing Yu-ha clinging to my sleeve, but there was no helping it.
This was all part of the training. I couldn't protect her forever.
Besides, today was the day I was meeting Sister Shin Seo-hyeon, so I had to head out no matter what.
"Yu-ha, don't be like that. Think about it."
"W-What?"
"How often does an opportunity like playing Matgo with a catastrophe-level anomaly come around?"
Yu-ha thought for a moment, then shook her head.
Yeah, opportunities like this don't come often.
"A well-behaved catastrophe-level anomaly that doesn't attack people? You won't find one easily. Got it?"
"I know, but..."
Yu-ha nodded at my words.
She couldn't argue. Most catastrophe-level anomalies were highly aggressive and harmful to humans.
Getting to play a game one-on-one with one, risk-free? That's a huge opportunity.
If it goes well, her divine power rises. Even if not, her anti-demon power will.
"I'll give you pocket money every time you beat Sowol. Sound good? Worth a shot, right?"
"...Yes."
"Alright, I'm stepping out for a bit. Sowol, play best of five with Yu-ha. Once the game's done, take her to the elevator. You get it?"
Sowol nodded.
What would happen if she rode the elevator with two catastrophe-level anomalies?
A normal person would faint, but for Yu-ha, it'd boost her divine power more.
Frequent exposure to strong anomalies builds experience and speeds growth.
I keep saying it, but this was a truly rare chance.
"Have fun, you two."
"Uncle, you're really going!? Hey! Don't go!"
I left Yu-ha and Sowol in the office and stepped outside.
Nice weather today.
I polished Boongboong's windows while waiting for the appointed time with Sister, and soon Sister Shin Seo-hyeon arrived in front of the building.
"Sorry to keep you waiting..."
"No, not at all. Hop in, Sister."
"Y-Yes... Um, is this the car we're taking?"
"Yes, that's right, Sister."
Sister Shin Seo-hyeon stared at Boongboong, then pulled a cross from her pocket and began reciting a prayer.
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven..."
"Sister?"
"What in the world is this, Fixer? Surely we don't have to ride in this thing?"
"We do. This is my personal car."
"Haaa... Oh Lord..."
Sister Shin Seo-hyeon let out a deep sigh and moved her lips.
She seemed like she wanted to say something, but couldn't bring herself to.
"This must be the will of our holy Father. Salvation of the world or my personal deviation? At this crossroads of choice, I have no option but to sacrifice myself. Please look upon my mistake with mercy and embrace me with compassion, amen."
Sister prayed fervently toward the Father in heaven for a good while, then opened the passenger door.
She seemed to have steeled herself.
She'd accepted the current situation: using an anomaly to hunt anomalies.
"L-Let's go, Fixer."
"Was that prayer for this?"
"Probably... He'll forgive me."
When I asked if that was okay, she closed her eyes with a look of serene detachment.
She'd made a big decision. Sister Shin Seo-hyeon had crossed one more mental hurdle today.