Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: No Other Beast Girl Around
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"Yuna! You gotta be careful now!!"
"Nah~ It's fine~ This is nothing~"
Hop!
I hopped lightly onto the roof of Cultivator Grandpa's house up on the hill, checking if the roof supports held firm and if the pitch was steep enough to keep snow from piling up come winter.
Yep. As expected from someone so diligent day in and day out?
Doesn't look like there's any spot that needs patching.
He mentioned adding insulation under the eaves last time, so just throwing a tarp over it should do the trick.
Normally, the Office Worker Uncle from the management office would handle it, but who knows when they'll show up? Better to do what I can while I wait.
Last year, there were so many houses needing repairs that by the time they got around to it, it was the dead of winter.
That's when Supermarket Grandpa caught a cold and was bedridden, so I missed out on those winter-only steamed buns they sold at the store.
First things first—clear off these branches and rocks up here.
"Grandpa~ Go inside and rest~ I'll let you know when it's done~"
"You sure you'll be okay? That looks mighty dangerous?!"
"Nah~ It's fine~ Hehe. Just trust your neighborhood Peerless Warrior once~!"
How many elders wouldn't worry about a six-year-old fixing their roof?
Supermarket Grandpa didn't bat an eye, though.
He just went inside to make pumpkin porridge with Grandma and waited—that means he's fully gotten used to me by now.
But not everyone's like that.
Cultivator Grandpa's reaction is the norm.
'He knows I beat a cultivator over 100kg with a body slam.'
And he's the owner of that cultivator! What am I supposed to do about that?!
Even with that worried look staring up at me, he couldn't win against my stubbornness and finally headed inside. I tossed all the pebbles and twigs down from the roof.
These bits need clearing before laying the tarp, or it won't sit flat.
And hey, I've done this before in my past life?
Any guy who's served active duty in the military has probably done it at least once.
Covering supplies, vehicles, facilities—same deal.
Once the debris was cleared, I climbed down, tied a tarp bigger than me around my waist, climbed back up the ladder, and hopped onto the roof again.
Alright~ Time to lay the tarp~
Start from the edge and unroll it down the slope so rain and snow slide right off.
Now to secure it?
In the army, we'd hammer in pins or nails and weigh down the edges with rocks or sandbags—anyone remember that?
Pretty much the same here.
Tie ropes through the tarp's grommets and around sturdy roof beams, pull tight, and secure. Repeat.
Just make sure to overlap the seams by at least two or three layers? Otherwise, water sneaks in through the gaps, and what's the point~
Took about two hours? Got the tarp on... but calling it done here would be a letdown.
Even tied down with ropes, a strong wind could make it flap.
If the tarp flaps, water might seep through those gaps.
So what to do, Peerless Warrior Roe Deer, Teacher Han Yuna?!
Stack bricks on the edges, sure—but what if?
What if too much snow or wind knocks them off?
Get hit by that, and you're done for!
Sandbags then? Weight's distributed, safer than bricks, right?
Ugh! If we had those, we'd have used 'em already!
This ain't the army, and the Office Worker Uncle might have some, but no elder's hoarding useless sand.
So the answer's simple!
"Rope~ Oh! Got more!"
Thread extra ropes through the grommets in an X-pattern for extra hold.
That way, the ropes press down on the seams too, making the whole thing rock-solid!
Downside? A bit fiddly, and annoying to remove later.
But better safe than sorry~
With that, I finished up the roof repair in a flash, skipped the ladder on the way down since it was a hassle—perfect landing... Roof fixed!
Stashed the ladder in Grandpa's shed and stepped into the warm house, where Cultivator Grandpa was pulling out kimchi and Grandma was dishing up a hearty mussel rice.
"Grandpa~ Grandma~ All done~!"
"Oh my? Already? No way. That doesn't wrap up that quick, does it, old man?"
"Don't talk nonsense. Even in my prime, it'd take a solid four hours."
Spot on.
Reading it flat on paper might not convey it, but time varies wildly by roof pitch and size, and it's sneaky hard labor.
Even a skilled young guy would take three or four hours solo on Cultivator Grandpa's roof.
Factor in breaks, and longer.
But who am I, Han Yuna? Blessed with an invincible TS body, Roe Deer will, and a beast's heart!
Overflowing stamina! Beastly strength! A kid's unstoppable drive! All three in harmony, transcending human limits—done in just two hours!
"Even I think it looks amaaazing! Come check it out!"
They eyed my confident grin skeptically, bundled up in coats, and braved the whistling cold wind outside...
"Egumoni. Goodness gracious."
"...Looks better than I ever did in my youth."
They were too busy gasping in awe at my handiwork.
Hehe. Gotta admit, I did pretty great.
Impossible to believe it's a first try... No, impossible to imagine a six-year-old kid doing it solo, period!
"Bricks could fall later and cause trouble! So I double-tied with ropes! When it warms up, I'll come remove it all!"
"Heh heh... Haha! Thanks to our Peerless Warrior, no winter worries this year! This old man's gotta give you some pocket money."
"Exactly. Sigh. Way better than my daughter on the mainland."
"Nah~ No need~ I wanted to do it!"
"Now, now. It's 'cause you feel like our granddaughter. Pocket money's all this grandpa's got on hand."
You always politely decline once before taking pocket money—it's the rule.
Snatch it right away, and you look greedy? Flash a big smile, charm 'em a bit, leave a good impression to keep getting spoiled long-term!
"Right, right. Haven't seen the old man open his wallet in ages."
Grandpa fetched his wallet and pulled out ten green bills... Huh? Ten?
"Isn't that too much?"
"Hiring folks costs even more. I'd love to give triple, but the rest's in the bank. Heh."
Even so, handing 100,000 won to a kid... Hmm. Is this okay?
I did a bang-up job, but still.
From Supermarket Uncle's roof at the hill base to the elders' houses, total pocket money for all those fixes topped out at 50,000 won.
I thought even that was too much, and now 100,000?
In 2024, sure, "100k? Should be hundreds of thousands." But 2008? Jajangmyeon was 3,000 won a bowl... cheap spots 2,000.
With jajangmyeon 7-8k now... that's big money.
"Aigoo~ That old man's really taken with you, Yuna. When grown-ups give you money, just say 'Thank you~' and take it."
Hmm, still... Argh, whatever!
"Hehe. Thank you! Grandpa! Grandma!"
Whoa! Pocket money! Hehe~ Score~
What can a six-year-old do with cash anyway... but money matters.
Didn't do it for the money, but like Grandma said—take what's offered!
I took the pocket money with both hands carefully, bowed deeply from the navel, and they beamed ear to ear.
Yep. Good for me, good for Grandpa, good for Grandma—what's not to like?
"That's right, that's right. It's cold out—come inside quick. Grandma made yummy mussel rice, so eat up before you go."
"Yay! Mussel rice! Sounds delicious! Hehe. Gimme lots~!"
"Old lady. Pull out the garlic pickle and fermented skate too."
Hehe. Already scarfed five meals helping house to house today... but in my growth spurt, Roe Deer Han Yuna's gluttony lets me eat all day and still bounce with joy.
The fiery red autumn leaves have fallen, taking the crisp yet cozy abundance of fall, leaving a barren landscape—but that's why rural warmth binds us tighter, helping, laughing, sharing.
Icy gales howl, waves crash on the beach below.
No telling how harsh this winter will be... but won't the elders' hearts stay warm as fired briquettes?
A quiet, peaceful village... but with neighbors.
Friends and family to laugh and chat with by our side.