Chapter 69
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: The Loyalty of the Garden Mandragoras
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“Dodagi. What a cute name. May I try petting it?”
“I don't mind. But I'm not sure if this little one will allow it.”
Despite its appearance, it was still a monster. As a naturally wary species, it was unlikely to meekly offer up its leaves.
Cheon Doun took the root out of his bag and held it out toward the shop owner.
-Hmph, hmph.
Dodagi sat in Cheon Doun's palm and began to groom its leaves with its rootlets.
To the shop owner, it looked like a hamster washing its face, and a fond smile spread across his.
“Hello, Dodagi. May I say hi? This old man isn't a bad person.”
The owner cautiously extended a finger.
-Hmph?
Dodagi froze. It sensed an unsettling presence approaching it.
*How dare this creature, who is not my ally, attempt to touch my leaves?*
-Hmph!
Dodagi shot to its feet. It whipped out its thickest rootlet and struck the man’s finger.
*Swat, swat.* A threatening attack, swinging twice in a row.
The approaching finger retreated in the face of the ferocious assault.
-Hmph!
*Victory. It retreats in fear of me.* Dodagi puffed out its belly in a triumphant pose.
Its leaves stood on end, quivering with confidence.
“Oh, that's just adorable. I want to raise one myself.”
The owner said, scratching the finger that Dodagi had struck.
Why did getting hit by a rootlet feel so heartwarming? He gazed at Dodagi with a fatherly smile.
“How old is it?”
“Well, I’m not exactly sure. It may not look like it, but it’s lived for quite a long time.”
It was a Mandragora that was at least sixty years old. Not only that, but it was a mature Mandragora that had borne fruit at least once.
Dodagi was an adult.
“To think it follows you on subjugations with such a tiny body. How admirable.”
Though it looked small, it must possess some incredible ability as a Chimera.
Perhaps the ability to detect monsters or find safe zones.
Imagining the tiny creature leading a group of Hunters, the shop owner once again broke into a fatherly smile.
In truth, it was a monster, not a Chimera, but Cheon Doun saw no need to correct him.
“I’ll take this bag. This little one seems to like it, and the size is just right.”
As it was designed for Hunters, it didn’t hinder movement.
Since it was worn on the hip, Dodagi could also poke its face out and see the world, which was a plus.
When Cheon Doun paid, the shop owner’s face lit up.
He was in a great mood, having had a string of good customers since the morning.
“Please come again, sir! If there’s anything you’re looking for, remember our shop.”
With the owner's farewell, Cheon Doun left the store.
Once on the street, Dodagi poked its head out of the bag.
-Hmph?
*Where is this place?* Dodagi tapped the bag it was in with its rootlets.
It also tapped Cheon Doun’s hip, where the bag was attached.
-Hmph!
*This is quite nice. I am securely connected to my ally.*
-Hmph, hmph!
*From this day forward, this shall be my home.* Dodagi roared with all its might.
“Do you like it?”
Cheon Doun placed the moisturizing cream he’d brought into the bag.
“I’ll apply this often so you don’t dry out.”
-Hmph!
It was fine for now, as it was still moist. It was merely curious about where its ally was taking it.
Dodagi’s eyes darted around, taking in the surroundings.
Its vision was poor, so it couldn't see much clearly, but the breeze was refreshing.
It closed its eyes and savored the wind.
Compared to the Demon World, the mana in the air was severely lacking, but that wasn't a problem.
Cheon Doun would inject it with mana from time to time, and all it had to do was happily slurp it up.
“The way I went yesterday… was it this way? I came at night, so it’s a bit confusing.”
Cheon Doun retraced his steps, heading for District 11.
It was an area full of alleys and winding roads, where nine out of ten outsiders were bound to get lost.
But after walking for a while, the murmurs of passersby served as a guide.
“Did you hear the rumor? The building where that Space organization was. I think it’s turning into a café.”
“A café?”
“Yeah. Someone said a cute little sign was hung up in front of the building. Coconut… Coconut something. It seems to be some kind of coconut juice shop.”
Cheon Doun smiled at the snippet of conversation he overheard.
Coconut Family. The nameplate crafted by Kim Nari, complete with a drawing.
‘Did they hang that at the building’s entrance?’
Whosever idea it was, it was quite amusing.
After walking a little further, he saw the building that people were glancing at.
【Coconut Family】
The nameplate that had been in I Ducheol's room was now hanging at the building's entrance.
As he entered the yard, Kim Nari, who had been squatting in a corner, ran over.
“Mister, you’re back!”
“I am. What were you doing over there?”
“I was watching the ants.”
“Ants?”
“Uncle Giseok gave me some bread. I dropped some crumbs while eating, and the ants swarmed them.”
Kim Nari held up the bread in her hand, her face beaming with excitement.
“So I kept tearing off more crumbs for them. The ants lined up and carried them away.”
She was at an age where every little thing was a source of joy.
Cheon Doun patted Kim Nari’s head.
“Yes, you did a good job. They must all be full now. They'll be well-prepared for winter.”
At Cheon Doun’s praise, Kim Nari’s face filled with pride. A sense of satisfaction from feeding the ants washed over her.
“Did you have a good trip, too, Mister?”
“I did. I’m planning to take Dodagi with me from now on.”
“Dodagi?”
Instead of answering, Cheon Doun showed her the hip pack at his side. When Kim Nari saw the leaves peeking out, her face lit up with recognition.
“The root is in a bag. Is this one’s name Dodagi?”
“That's right.”
“Dodagi…! I’ll remember that. If you named it, Mister, it must be a good name.”
Kim Nari said, looking at the leaves sprouting from the bag.
“Are you going to carry it in there instead of the beaker now?”
“That’s the plan. I’m too anxious to leave it behind. With Manager Kim’s moisturizing cream, it should be fine.”
Still, for its health, he planned to bury it in the ground to sleep every once in a while.
“Go get your coat. It’s about time we headed back. We need to feed the Chimeras.”
“Okay.”
Kim Nari ran inside the building. A moment later, Nam Giseok and Kim Nari came down the stairs.
“What about the siblings?”
“They said they’ll stay a little longer. They have their own return stones, so they said it’s fine.”
Cheon Doun nodded at Nam Giseok’s words.
The siblings could stay outside the Gate for three days.
Having set foot on their homeland for the first time in decades, it was only natural they’d want to look around for at least another day.
“Then let’s us head back first.”
Cheon Doun took out a return stone and crushed it.
As they entered the Gate, the gang members who were sweeping looked on with dumbfounded expressions.
“What the… I was too out of it yesterday to notice, but did those people just walk into a Gate without any weapons?”
“A kid went in, too. Is that even allowed? What did I just see?”
The gang members looked at each other, speechless.
They had been witnessing one unbelievable event after another since yesterday and no longer had the energy to be surprised.
“Let’s just… keep cleaning.”
*Those people are beyond human. Let’s not try to understand them with common sense.*
They moved their brooms with vacant expressions.
* * *
The Gate Cheon Doun opened was connected to the waterfall valley.
He had come to the natural fish farm for breakfast, but his expression wasn’t great.
“Boss. What’s wrong?”
“I came here thinking I’d catch some fish… but I think I’m getting a little sick of it, since we’ve only been eating seafood lately.”
“Right, it’s about that time. Then would you like to try something else?”
“Something else?”
“There’s a dish I’m confident in.”
Nam Giseok said proudly. There was a menu item he had practiced at home for a day just like this.
This time, it wasn't instant. He planned to cook the rice himself in a pot.
A dish whose true flavor could only be enjoyed that way. One that seemed simple, yet would fail if you didn’t get the golden ratio right, making it overwhelmingly salty.
“Soy sauce egg rice… would you care to try it?”
Nam Giseok's expression was as serious as a president proposing a peace treaty.
“It is a traditional Korean home-cooked meal. The harmony created when savory sesame oil, soy sauce, and egg meet in a golden ratio. Add to that freshly cooked rice from a pot, and a heavenly synergy erupts.”
Nam Giseok always had a silver tongue. There was no reason to refuse after hearing a pitch like that.
“Soy sauce egg rice, huh. The name itself has quite a ring to it. Alright. Do it.”
Permission was granted. Nam Giseok looked toward the makeshift tent pitched in a corner of the waterfall valley.
Inside were the cooking utensils he had been moving over bit by bit.
“Then I’ll cook the rice here and join you. Please go on ahead.”
There was a camping set in front of the house where he could have cooked, but it was more convenient to do it next to the valley where he had unlimited access to water.
When someone makes such thorough preparations, one can’t help but feel a sense of anticipation.
Cheon Doun and Kim Nari gave him space to cook comfortably.
But his expectant smile was short-lived.
As Cheon Doun, following the path, arrived home, he stopped short at the sight of the yard.
In the yard, the three Mandragoras from the garden were standing in a line, spinning in circles.
-Hmph.
-Hmph!
-Hmph.
-Hmph!
They looked around, making noises at regular intervals. The scene seemed familiar, and Cheon Doun searched his memory.
‘Something similar happened before… Ah, right. The day I took the metal root to the waterfall valley. They were doing this then, too.’
They had come down the path in a single file line, searching for their kin.
“Are they looking for their missing companions?”
“Mister, what does that mean?”
“I sent the dry root and the metal root to Manager Kim for a bit. From their perspective, it must feel like their kin vanished while they were sleeping.”
Because Cheon Doun had carried the Mandragoras across the Gate, their trail ended in the yard.
As a result, the Mandragoras were just circling the yard, following the trail that had gone cold.
“Mister. What should we do about them?”
“We can’t just leave them like this. I should probably bury them in the garden so they can sleep.”
He went into the yard and picked up the Mandragoras. Up close, the roots looked quite haggard.
‘They look pretty tired. How long have they been spinning around?’
He found the holes the Mandragoras had come out of and planted them one by one in the garden.
He covered them generously with soil, but the Mandragoras popped their heads right back out.
-Hmph!
-Hmph, hmph!
*We haven’t found our kin yet. We can’t sleep like this.* Their eyes burned with determination.
“They’re gone for a health check-up. Go back to sleep.”
He pushed their heads down, but as soon as he let go, they popped back up like a game of whack-a-mole.
What on earth was he supposed to do? As Cheon Doun pondered, Kim Nari spoke up.
“Mister. Since words don't work, let's show them with actions.”
“Actions?”
“You can pretend to look for them instead. Then they might feel reassured and go to sleep.”
It was the pure logic of a child. To Cheon Doun, it sounded quite plausible.
The Mandragoras recognized Cheon Doun as one of their own.
If he, the adult, made a move, there was a chance the young garden Mandragoras would feel safe enough to sleep.
“It’s worth a try.”
He stood up and began to circle the yard just as the Mandragoras had done. He even looked around as if searching for something.
“Mister. Can I join you?”
“Go ahead. It's less embarrassing if there are two of us.”
At Cheon Doun’s words, Kim Nari stuck close behind him. She grabbed the hem of his clothes, and they circled the yard, playing train.
Would something like this actually work? Cheon Doun glanced at the garden.
-Hmph!
-Hmph, hmph!
There was definitely a reaction. As Cheon Doun circled the yard, the Mandragoras began to cheer.
*That huge Mandragora has personally joined the search. Now that an adult is on the move, it’s only a matter of time before we find our kin.*
-Hmph!
*Let’s join in!* The largest one took the lead. The smaller roots followed behind it.
Waddling as they ran, they stuck close behind Cheon Doun and Kim Nari.
Cheon Doun was in the lead. Behind him was Kim Nari. And at the very end, the three Mandragoras. They all ended up circling the yard, playing train.
“This isn’t what I had in mind.”
Cheon Doun muttered with a conflicted expression.
His attempt to show them, *I’ll look, so you all can sleep*, had ended up encouraging the little roots, as if he were leading the search party.
The Mandragoras looked around with majestic expressions. They even began to make their unique sounds for finding their kin.
-Hmph.
-Hmph!
-Hmph.
-Hmph!
“Hmph!”
“Kim Nari. Don’t you do it.”
The last “hmph” was from Kim Nari.