Chapter 147
Translator: uly
Chapter: 147
Chapter Title: Heavenly Demon, Gives a Gift (1)
[Th-that means...]
Crushed by the suffocating tension in the air, Nameless sidled up close to Shin Chaeyoung and spoke.
[This is Shin Chaeyoung, your neighbor from the villa next door and an awakener.]
"I've heard a lot about you. You're an awakener with the Association, right?"
Jang Chaewon forced an awkward smile, and Nameless tried to smile back.
[Yes, yes. The land here's cheap, so the Association built a place around here.]
Shin Chaeyoung blinked silently, and Nameless stepped in once more.
[This is Jang Chaewon, CEO of Bokbok Interiors and Heavenly Demon's employer. This is Kim Chanwon, our store's tile specialist. And this is Go Eunjin, handling the paperwork.]
Nameless introduced them one by one, then pointed back to Shin Chaeyoung.
[Shin Chaeyoung here came at my request to treat Heavenly Demon. Actually, not just her—all the awakeners in the villa have a good rapport with Heavenly Demon.]
"I-I see."
Jang Chaewon gave another awkward smile.
Truth be told, she couldn't fathom Nameless's actions at all.
The people Heavenly Demon, a human from another world, should be most wary of were precisely Association awakeners.
And yet Nameless, who knew that full well, had gone and built friendships with them?
Just then, Kim Chanwon burst into a hearty laugh.
"Ha ha ha, well I'll be. Who knew Heavenly Demon had such a sociable side? Befriending an Association awakener, no less."
"Right?"
Nodding, Jang Chaewon teased Shin Chaeyoung.
"With a face like a hardened criminal and bantering with everyone like that, how'd you end up buddies with Heavenly Demon?"
Shin Chaeyoung, silently channeling her Healing Factor, answered flatly.
"Because he's a good person."
"Pardon?"
"So far, anyway."
A cryptic response.
At that moment, Go Eunjin, who had been sitting quietly in the corner of the room, stood up.
"I'll head out then."
"Ah, sure. Thanks for your help, Eunjin."
Clearing her throat, Jang Chaewon glanced at Kim Chanwon.
"Shall we get going too?"
"Uh, yeah?"
As Kim Chanwon hesitated and began easing off his seat,
"Cough!"
Heavenly Demon, who had been lying down, suddenly started coughing lightly.
His condition seemed poor—his face flushed deeper, eyes closed as the coughs came one after another.
His fever must have spiked; his lips were parched, and his brow furrowed.
Hum.
As Heavenly Demon's state worsened, Shin Chaeyoung focused intently, injecting a powerful surge of Healing Factor.
"Hoo."
As the pale green light flowing from Shin Chaeyoung's body intensified, Heavenly Demon's furrowed expression gradually eased.
[Will Heavenly Demon be okay?]
At Nameless's question, Shin Chaeyoung replied.
"The Healing Factor's absorbing slower than it should."
Heavenly Demon had reached infinite inner energy and supreme martial mastery.
His body was flawless—neither deficient nor excessive, healing any wound or illness on its own.
A perfect physique needed no aid, repelling all external forces.
Only because his inner energy had dissipated and his Diamond Body shattered could Shin Chaeyoung's Healing Factor seep in sporadically.
[I see...]
As Nameless murmured worriedly, Shin Chaeyoung shook her head.
"Keep injecting, and it'll be fine."
Her voice was low but carried firm resolve.
Channeling healing skills drained the body and spirit.
Yet Shin Chaeyoung kept casting them without pause.
Gurgle.
Then a small rumble came from Shin Chaeyoung's stomach.
[Ah, you've been treating Heavenly Demon without eating anything.]
Come to think of it, she'd been at it nonstop from afternoon to evening.
Plus, expending stamina on skills made the hunger hit harder.
[Shall I prepare something right away?]
Shin Chaeyoung shook her head at Nameless.
"I'm fine."
[Still, take a short break. It'd be better.]
"We brought food," Go Eunjin said, pointing to the baskets she'd brought again.
"Eat a bit if you're okay with it."
The delivery Jang Chaewon had ordered was enough for ten burly men to feast on.
But with the patient right there, everyone had only sipped drinks and nibbled fruit.
Thus passed a brief, awkward stretch of time.
-Yoo Eunho. Yoo Eunho.
Then Shin Chaeyoung's phone rang repeatedly with a voice calling a name.
She opened it, and Yoo Eunho's voice came through.
-Chaeyoung? How's Heavenly Demon? Why's it taking so long?
"The Healing Factor isn't going in well. It'll be late, so eat without me."
-Not going in well? Why?
Just then, Heavenly Demon frowned in his sleep and coughed again.
"Cough."
"Busy. Talk later."
Hanging up, Shin Chaeyoung poured in a strong dose of Healing Factor, and the coughing stopped.
Watching worriedly, Kim Chanwon clucked his tongue.
"Hard to believe. Heavenly Demon, that ironclad guy, catching a cold is wild enough, but even this much healing skill and he's not recovering?"
Shin Chaeyoung, still channeling, said lowly.
"It's not a cold."
"Huh? Coughing and feverish like that?"
"When the heart hurts, the body weakens too."
"Th-the heart?"
An enigmatic statement.
Feeling all eyes on her, Shin Chaeyoung answered curtly.
"Feels like homesickness."
"Heavenly Demon has homesickness?"
Kim Chanwon jumped, and Shin Chaeyoung asked calmly.
"I thought he was a foreigner. Isn't he?"
Exchanging glances with Jang Chaewon, Kim Chanwon stammered.
"W-well, yeah, but still..."
Gazing at Heavenly Demon's labored breathing, Shin Chaeyoung continued.
"Plenty of foreigners get like this. Body's fine, but high fever... coughing."
Veteran healers peered not just into flesh but souls.
Young as she was, Shin Chaeyoung had examined and healed more people than doctors with decades of practice.
She sensed Heavenly Demon's pain stemmed not from the body, but the spirit.
"Heavenly Demon... homesick?"
Jang Chaewon shook her head in denial.
Ever emotionless, viewing humans with cold cynicism.
No attachment to the past, no fond memories. Homesickness for him?
No way.
'But something's off with his heart more than body... that rings true.'
What could ail that stoic guy's spirit? Have I been neglecting him lately?
Heavenly Demon lying there looked oddly like a pitiful child.
"Hmm."
Murmuring, Jang Chaewon stared hard at his face.
An hour later.
Jang Chaewon and the Bokbok Interiors staff had all left.
Continued healing had stabilized Heavenly Demon.
"Chaeyoung. Still not done?"
Now the Special Response Team—and even Han Hojo—had crowded into the rooftop room.
"Uncle Heavenly Demon."
Seeing him lying there, Han Hojo rushed over in shock.
"Uncle, you okay?"
"Just sleeping."
At Shin Chaeyoung's reply, Cho Hong tilted her head.
"What happened? How's that steel man down with a bad cold?"
"Less a cold, more like homesickness."
"Homesickness?"
This time Han Manjae gaped and nodded.
"Ah, right. Heavenly Demon's a foreigner."
The Special Response Team had dug deep on him, knowing he was registered as an ordinary non-awakener foreigner.
"Makes sense he'd get homesick."
Then Yoo Eunho, gazing at the sleeping Heavenly Demon, said gloomily.
"Living alone in this remote rooftop, doing interiors by day, saving people in dungeons whenever free... Wonder it's only now."
Suddenly, a solemn, hushed air filled the room.
Dark Knight.
Mistakenly, the Special Response Team saw Heavenly Demon as some shadowy dungeon guardian.
"Chaeyoung. Still before dinner?"
Changing the subject, Han Manjae grinned, holding baskets brimming with food.
"Brought side dishes for Heavenly Demon too—team leader packed some."
"We ate."
"Huh?"
"The interiors boss and staff brought food over."
"Oh, really?"
Cho Hong peeked in the fridge with a food bundle.
"True. Packed full."
Seeing the fridge stuffed with takeout, Cho Hong smiled faintly.
Monsters crushed in one blow, personality stiffer than wood—that was Heavenly Demon.
Image of a man in some deep underground bunker, chomping metal for meals.
But actually working a normal job with colleagues...
"Thought the fridge'd be empty, brought tons. Gotta take some back."
At Cho Hong's mutter, Han Manjae chuckled, setting down his basket.
"Then we eat it."
"Pardon?"
"No need to haul it back. We're pre-dinner too. Eat on the platform outside."
Grinning, Han Manjae set down his basket.
Hours later.
Deep in sleep, Heavenly Demon slowly opened his eyes.
Joints felt refreshingly loose.
Tangled mind straightened, body brimming with vigor.
Fully recovered.
"What's this."
Something felt off.
The room, which should be tidy, looked messy.
[Awake, Heavenly Demon?]
Nameless, seated beside him, spoke brightly.
[How's your body?]
"Refreshed. But..."
Surveying the room, Heavenly Demon frowned.
"Why's the place such a mess."
[Ah, well...]
As Nameless trailed off, Heavenly Demon stepped out.
Sink piled with leftovers, platform outside littered with fruit and snacks.
[The Special Response Team from the next villa ate here. Then a dungeon emergency popped up...]
"What?"
At Heavenly Demon's puzzled look, Nameless explained calmly from the start.
[I asked Shin Chaeyoung to treat you from afternoon to evening. Then Go Eunjin came...]
Listening intently, Heavenly Demon looked mortified.
The supreme martial artist of all ages, unconscious half a day, deep asleep before others?
"Why meddle without this Lord's permission."
[Pardon? I just thought you seemed really unwell...]
"This Lord is Heavenly Demon."
Cutting Nameless off, red glints flashed in Heavenly Demon's eyes.
"The supreme martial artist's body remains eternally perfect; no illness can invade. Understand?"
No illness can invade.
The words struck Nameless as oddly sad.
It sounded like 'The supreme must never fall ill.'
-Is being supreme mean you can't get sick?
Nameless wanted to say it but held back.
He knew Heavenly Demon found showing weakness to Jang Chaewon and the team humiliating.
[I'm sorry. I was short-sighted.]
As always, Nameless apologized politely.
[It won't happen again.]
But his tone carried faint weariness and sorrow.
As Heavenly Demon turned wordlessly, Nameless spoke cautiously.
[Hungry at all? Fridge is full—Go Eunjin and Special Response Team brought tons.]
"No need."
Waving it off, Heavenly Demon began tidying the room.
[Then I'll clear the platform.]
Detaching limbs, Nameless grabbed a rag from the bathroom.
Heavenly Demon silently straightened the interior.
Heading out, Nameless glanced at the cleaning Heavenly Demon and murmured.
[Still, a relief. Heavenly Demon...]
Staring intently, Nameless's sensors glowed softly.
[You do have people around you.]
* * *
Next day.
Arriving early at the store, Jang Chaewon found Heavenly Demon mopping the floor.
Clear eyes, pure energy flowing—illness fully gone.
"Good morning."
Settling at her desk, Jang Chaewon smiled at him.
"Surprising. Heavenly Demon."
"What do you mean."
At his retort, Jang Chaewon smirked slyly and said something off-topic.
"You two close? She was stunning, like a celeb."
"Who?"
"Heard all from Nameless. Shin Chaeyoung? Pretty tight, huh?"
"Not close."
"You ate alone together?"
Crunch.
Heavenly Demon gripped the mop tighter.
'Nameless, you rat!'
Blabbing about privacy functions when scolded by the boss, spilling everything.
"Just happened that way."
Despite his excuse, smiles bloomed endlessly on Jang Chaewon's lips.
"Tomorrow's Sunday—buy her a little gift. It's polite."
"A gift?"
"She slaved from day to night healing you. Least show some thanks."
Heavenly Demon said brazenly.
"This Lord merely slept off fatigue. Nameless overreacted and called her."
As Heavenly Demon played dumb, Jang Chaewon's eyes narrowed.
"Hey, repay favors received."
"This Lord..."
"Isn't repaying debts the way of the jianghu? How can you wipe your mouth clean?"
Way of the jianghu.
Caught off-guard by Jang Chaewon's thrust, Heavenly Demon's frozen conscience began to thaw.
"Well, no real aid, but effort was made... a small token perhaps."
Coughing lightly, as Heavenly Demon muttered, Jang Chaewon chuckled.
"Yeah, something simple."
"Understood."
"Nothing burdensome."
Hiding his discomfort, Heavenly Demon replied.
"Noted."
Sunday afternoon.
Riding the Maverick, Heavenly Demon cruised a quiet city street.
Destination: the antique shop he'd visited with Jang Chaewon before.
[Arrived near destination, 50 meters ahead. Navigation ended.]
Nameless's eyes, projecting route and info on the windshield, dimmed.
Stepping out, Heavenly Demon shouldered Nameless and headed down the alley.
[Clothes make the man, indeed.]
In his past Demonic Battle Robe downtown, he'd drawn stares.
But the elegant Our Clothes softened his fierce look, dampening his menacing aura.
"Welcome... Oh, hello?"
Entering the antique shop, a white-haired elder greeted him smiling.
The shopkeeper who had gifted Heavenly Demon the ghost mask for free.
"Been a while. Well?"
"Yes, indeed. How's Manager Jang?"
"Fine. Voice still booming, temper flaring."
"Out alone today?"
Even half-bantering like a young man, the shopkeeper responded politely.
Handling precious antiques long, he sensed Heavenly Demon was no ordinary fellow.
"Here to buy."
Gazing at the shopkeeper's warm smile, Heavenly Demon patted his shoulder.
"Got a rare gift last time—owe you."
"Oh, just a plain wooden mask."
"A great treasure. Rare find."
The ghost mask was no mere wood.
Imbued with unknown power, it amplified Heavenly Demon's strength, even saved him in crisis.
"So today, overcharge this Lord plenty."
Flashing a rare faint smile, Heavenly Demon headed to the display shelves.