Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: The Sleepless Awakener (1)
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Inside Bokbok Interiors.
The Heavenly Demon, seated at the reception table, always had a book in hand.
However, instead of the usual interior design magazine he pored over, his hand now held a unfamiliar publication titled [Driving Techniques].
“What’s that book? Where’d you get it?”
Jang Chaewon asked, eyeing the cover printed with a dynamic image of a car drifting.
“Did you buy it at the bookstore?”
“Kim gave it to me. Said it was something he’d collected a while back.”
“Oh, right. Knight Kim mentioned he used to be into car racing as a hobby.”
Just as Jang Chaewon pictured the white-haired Kim Chanwon and the burly Heavenly Demon crammed into a car, shoulders slumping—
Ring ring ring.
The shop phone on the desk blared noisily.
“Yes, Bokbok Interiors... Yes? A complaint?”
Jang Chaewon, phone in hand, blinked at the wall clock.
Weeeeng. Rrrumble.
Songsam Apartment interior construction site.
The interior, in the midst of demolishing stock fixtures, echoed with gritty dust and clamor.
The Heavenly Demon was tearing out the moldings and ceiling inside, while Jang Chaewon conferred with the carpentry team leader in the kitchen, blueprints in hand.
“Stoooop!”
A man’s furious shout pierced the din at the site.
“It’s so damn loud I can’t sleep!”
“Huh?”
Jang Chaewon turned to see a long-haired man with flowing gray locks, dressed in pajamas, fuming.
“Who are you?”
“Upstairs neighbor!”
Jang Chaewon let out an “Ah” at the man’s pointed finger.
“Ah, right. We stopped by several times before construction started, but you weren’t home. So we left notices too.”
“Whatever! It’s too noisy—stop it right now! I can’t sleep!”
“Even so...”
Jang Chaewon glanced troubled at her watch.
It was five minutes to noon. Far too bright for naptime.
“Do you work nights?”
At her question, the long-haired man bellowed.
“That’s none of your business! Just stop the work!”
Then the Heavenly Demon ambled down the stairs and approached the man with steady steps.
Towering height nearly brushing the ceiling, muscles bulging—the Heavenly Demon’s advance filled the living room with overwhelming pressure.
“What’s the problem.”
“What’s the problem? It’s so noisy I can’t slee—”
The man’s expression froze like ice upon meeting the Heavenly Demon’s blazing red eyes.
But the man’s face was eerie.
Not mere shock at the Heavenly Demon’s fierce visage, but as if recalling some sealed terror from memory.
“I-I’ll be back tomorrow if it’s noisy again!”
Shouting, the man spun and fled upstairs.
Jang Chaewon’s shoulders slumped as she watched him bolt through the front door.
“Worried now.”
“Worried?”
“Noise complaints from neighbors are the biggest headache during construction.”
“What’s it matter.”
“It does. If he keeps complaining, the management office will say something. A formal grievance could delay the schedule.”
The Heavenly Demon remained indifferent despite her sigh.
Ordinary interior work yielded no inner energy, no matter how diligently done. To him, human commissions felt like unpaid grunt labor.
“I see.”
Turning indifferently, he halted at Jang Chaewon’s low mutter.
“We need to finish this without delays to take on that Divine Request right away. This is troubling.”
“What do you mean.”
Turning back, he saw her frown deeply.
“We got a Divine Request recently. If this drags... we can’t take it.”
“That won’t do.”
His eyes flashed red; she smiled weakly.
“Don’t worry. I’ll politely ask the upstairs neighbor for understanding so it doesn’t affect the Request.”
“I’ll go too. No, I’ll speak.”
“With you there, it’ll sound like we’re demanding compliance, not requesting it.”
His resolve held firm despite her dissuasion.
“Your phrasing is too roundabout sometimes. Say it simply, to the point, and firmly.”
“That works for threats, sure.”
“No worries. I’ll handle it all.”
Ignoring her, he strode to the entrance.
“Where you going? I said I’d handle it?”
Following him up, Jang Chaewon paused midway.
The long-haired man crouched against the wall on the stairs.
“I...”
As the Heavenly Demon, arms crossed, loomed over him to speak, Jang Chaewon rushed forward.
“H-Hello?”
The man, clutching his head, looked up at her voice.
“W-What.”
“Ah. We’re Bokbok Interiors, handling the downstairs reno.”
She offered a shiny business card, but he averted his gaze.
“And?”
“The construction noise must be tough, especially since you’re home days. We’re truly sorry for the disturbance.”
Despite his curt tone, she kept her sales smile soft.
“Well... construction wraps in about ten days. Could you bear with us till then?”
“Ten days? Damn it, so no sleep for ten days?”
“How about we cover costs for you to nap at a nearby sauna?”
“Don’t make me laugh! I don’t leave the house!”
Mid-shout, his eyes met the Heavenly Demon behind her.
Arms crossed, radiating Blood Flame Radiance—he whipped his head away.
‘Doesn’t seem scared of the Heavenly Demon...’
As Jang Chaewon puzzled over it—
“Store owner. He’s not sleepless from construction noise.”
Peering at the averted face, the Heavenly Demon narrowed his eyes.
“Look at his skin and eyes. That’s no recent insomnia—months at least.”
Only then did Jang Chaewon scrutinize the man’s face.
Indeed, beyond mere tossing and turning—gaunt cheeks, panda-dark circles.
“You laborers... what do you know...”
Head bowed, clutching his hair, he trembled.
“Ever been in a dungeon? Seen monsters that chase endlessly, no matter how many you kill?”
Crunch.
His scrawny frame’s muscles swelled, rippling like waves.
Shockingly, this thin man was an Awakener with strength-enhancement skills.
“Dullahan—that bastard won’t die no matter how much you kill! Followed me all night, vanished at dawn, back at dusk!”
His eyes grayed, reliving the terror.
“Trapped in a maze dungeon—naps at sunrise, fleeing its pursuit at sunset. Over a week of that before rescue. Get it?”
Dullahan.
Undead hidden monster resembling an armored knight.
He’d encountered the fearsome one in a maze-generating dungeon, chased for a week, leaving mental scars.
‘Ah, that explains it.’
Now she understood his terror at the Heavenly Demon’s red eyes—like the helm-hidden Dullahan’s.
“I see—that must’ve been awful.”
Nodding, she said; he gnashed his teeth.
“Then quit the noise. I barely sleep around noon—wrap before then.”
“B-But...”
She shook her head; the Heavenly Demon stepped forward.
“Just make him sleep, right.”
“What?”
“Fine. I’ll make him sleep soundly.”
Eyes flicking away, the man asked:
“What’s that mean?”
“Literal. Put him to sleep.”
“Useless. Tried every sleeping pill—nothing works.”
“My way’s different.”
“Ridiculous.”
Sneering, he stormed upstairs.
Bang!
The door slammed; dazed, Jang Chaewon eyed the Heavenly Demon.
“What’re you planning now? Not gonna beat him into sleep, right?”
“As if.”
He smirked confidently.
“Off to a dungeon.”
“Dungeon?”
“Once found one packed with plants by chance. Lots of useful stuff.”
“Useful?”
Repeating warily, she sensed ill intent.
“Not feeding him some deadly poison, right?”
“How’d you know.”
“What?!”
Thumping his chest at her jump:
“No worries. I’ve mastered All Poisons Compendium and Medical Immortal Compendium.”
“What’re those.”
“Medical Immortal treats the body. All Poisons is the secret manual for poison arts.”
“Poison?!”
Realizing his scheme, she waved him off.
“Crazy? Absolutely not.”
“Didn’t I say I mastered—”
“Enough. No way.”
“No other options.”
“There is.”
Eyes lighting after thought, fists clenched:
“Honey Sleep Pillow.”
“What’s that?”
“Pillow I bought ages ago. Made from dungeon materials—super expensive.”
Recalling its faint scent, she grinned.
“Lay on it, and you pass out like lights-out.”
“Such a thing exists.”
“Yeah. I had insomnia back then.”
Rising refreshed, beaming:
“He’ll come down morning again, so I’ll drop it off now. Quiet tomorrow.”
“Likes his honey sleep!”
Next day, noonish.
The upstairs long-hair shoved the wooden pillow back at site-bound Jang Chaewon.
“Joking? Take it back!”
Staring at the Honey Sleep Pillow, she looked slapped.
‘Even this doesn’t work?’
Last night, she’d rushed it up as a gift.
Yet his eyes gleamed—no effect.
“Laid on this and still couldn’t sleep?”
“Too hard—kept me up more. Take it!”
Thrusting it into her hands, he yelled at workers:
“How long’s this construction?! Quit and leave already!”
Regaining senses amid his tirade:
‘What’s going on? This surpasses anesthetics.’
“Stop the damn work! Can’t sleep!”
Mouth agape at his bellows.
“What happened.”
Drained from soothing him, back at shop, she slumped jelly-like over the desk.
“Dungeon-made Honey Sleep Pillow useless. He’ll wreck daily—delays forever.”
The Heavenly Demon blankly watched her mumble face-down.
“Maybe not insomnia—venting stress on us by staying awake?”
Her unfocused mutter drew his faint smile.
“Still clueless.”
“Huh?”
“Not insomnia. Past memories keep him awake.”
She snorted.
“Duh, I know. Dullahan trauma—no sleep.”
“Trauma...”
“Yeah. Fleeing nonstop undead a week? Weirder if sane.”
“Half right, half wrong.”
His eyes pierced keenly, as if reading her.
“You wouldn’t know.”
“What’s that mean.”
“Sleep loss isn’t just fear.”
“Then what?”
“Follow me—you’ll see.”
Sipping hot green tea leisurely from the table.
Staring firm, she shook head resolutely.
“No poison. Ever.”
“Won’t use. Just tedious, time-consuming instead.”
“How?”
“Rebuild his crumbled spirit.”
“What? How?”
Regretting instantly—expecting ‘As Heavenly Demon, I...’
But unexpected:
“I’ll become that monster.”
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