16. The Jangsan Tiger Gets Petted.
Yesterday night, no, I should say early this morning.
If a grim reaper came to our house, they would discover that I was summoning the miscellaneous spirits.
Even if I threatened them to keep quiet... there was no way that would work.
When the grim reaper arrived, I could say whatever I wanted.
I had heard there was a spell that completely controlled the miscellaneous spirits, but I couldn't use such a spell.
Then... what should I do?
I should follow the method of Dongbang Sak who sold his three thousand bones.
Dongbang Sak had given a treat to the grim reaper and in return extended his lifespan.
It was what people often called 'down payment' on the internet.
First, give a treat and then demand something excessive in return. It was a method that worked well with grim reapers.
The grim reaper who received the treat had no choice but to comply with the demands.
In the grim reaper regulations, there was a clause that grim reapers should not accept treats from anyone.
So, once they had accepted a treat, they had to comply with my demands to some extent.
A treat didn't have to be grand. Just buying a meal once was enough to count as a treat.
“The remaining problem is how to give the treat...”
Hiding my identity and approaching wasn't that difficult.
But in a world where even giving a drink to a stranger would make them look at me with suspicion, buying a meal...? The chance of suspicion was over 1000%. Plus, if they found out midway, it could add to the charges.
“I didn't want to, but I guess I had no choice but to act like the foxes.”
So right now.
I thought I was going to die from being pestered by 'noona noona' to lure me to my territory, Jangsan.
“Goblin? Kid, what are you saying right now?”
The grim reaper in front of me didn't seem to have grasped the situation yet.
I had commanded the goblins living in Jangsan to create a shortcut disguised as a normal mountain trail.
To lure this stupid grim reaper to a secluded place.
“Grim reaper. You still see me as a child?”
My eyes changed into vertical pupils that reflected light and glowed.
“You... you are... the Jangsan Tiger!”
Yeongchun sat down on the floor in shock.
And she started frantically rummaging through her pockets.
“Could it be you're looking for this?”
I took out a pair of black gloves from my pocket.
“One of the equipment a grim reaper can receive: 'Soul Gloves'.”
Wearing them grants absolute power in exchange for your memories.
Because of these gloves, grim reapers have strength without effort, but conversely, without them, they're nothing.
“It's not important right now? You're in the tiger's mouth right now.”
“.... .....”
Now she's too scared to speak?
“From the beginning... you were deceiving me? The pretty noona, the name that fits, all to lure me here...”
What is this grim reaper saying? Of course to lure me. Otherwise, why would I have smiled cutely like a fox!
“Hwaaaang!!!!”
Yeongchun sat there and burst into tears.
Huh? Is this woman really crying? For real? But she's a grim reaper after all?
Grim reapers have to witness people's deaths every day on duty.
Watching terminally ill patients say goodbye to their families and muttering 'There are only 30 minutes left. I won't make it to dinner.' is basic for grim reapers...
“Garbage! Bad guy! How could you do that!”
Garbage? My actions are garbage... but not to the point of being called that by a grim reaper.
Yeongchun cried for a long time.
A lot, very long.
Really long.
Now, stop already! Otherwise I won't be able to say the proposal or whatever!
By now, the sun was setting in the west.
Somehow... I thought the plan would go smoothly, but the grim reaper would get caught like this.
“Stop crying.”
I handed her a handkerchief.
“You didn't lure me here to eat me. I just wanted to talk... You don't have to be scared. After we're done, I'll return the Soul Gloves.”
“Huuu, kkuup! Okay....!”
Her face turned towards me was a mess of tears and snot.
“Wow, really!”
What kind of grim reaper acts like this?!
“I'm pouting! Hmph!”
I wiped Yeongchun's face clean.
What am I doing right now, ha~ life, no, how come things aren't going as planned.
“Are you calmed down now?”
“U, yeah.”
We sat on a bench installed nearby for conversation.
“I had trouble with housework so I asked the miscellaneous spirits for help. It was against the grim reaper law. So, could you please tell me how to do it well?”
“Really? Well, a weakling like you wouldn't have the strength to do housework.”
Wow! Damn! What kind of grim reaper is this? I knew she figured out I'm the Jangsan Tiger, but why is she treating me like a kid?
My age now exceeds three digits.
To treat me like a kid, a direct subordinate of King Yeomra would have to come, but this kid with no blood on their head!
No, since I'm already dead, the blood on my head is dried up, right?
Anyway, endure it. Endure it. I might lose sight of the goal if I quibble about age like a middle-aged man.
“You’ll help?”
“Umm..... First, sit here.”
Yeongchun patted her lap and said.
This is telling me to sit on her lap?
Why?
But Yeongchun kept patting her lap with a face that seemed to expect something from me.
“So like this...?”
I sat softly on Yeongchun's lap.
If this happened to any other, it would be talked about as a treasure for eternity among the Mountain Lords.
“Kyut! You're so cute!”
Yeongchun hugged me tightly from behind.
Haha, I knew there was a grim reaper here, but I didn't expect this much trouble...! How do the Netherworld Bureau guys do their jobs! Even if there are no talents, they wouldn't hire someone like this as a reaper.
“Can I pet your head?”
“Feel free.”
As a Mountain Lord, having my head petted like a cat is humiliating, but a few times... I can endure it...
Have I committed too many sins? Eaten too many humans? Is this the punishment?
Being petted wasn't bad, but each time the hand passed, my dignity as a Mountain Lord and pride decreased.
They say if you avoid sin, it comes back. Should I have chewed 100 days of garlic and mugwort instead?
“From rumors, the Jangsan Tiger is a fierce, brutal, and cunning phantom beast, but how is it so cute!”
No, noona. Right now, you're being deceived by the cunning of the Jangsan Tiger.
How can I say I fell for my own trick? From next time, I should leave planning to the foxes.
“So you'll do it?”
“Noona, please. I'll try.”
Is this really madness!
Kwa-jik!
I bit her thin white arm.
“Ay! Even though you're noona... Aya! Okay! You don't have to call me noona!”
With strength over 50kg, even if she bit me, she didn't let me go from her lap. Is this woman's head weird?
“Then, you're not investigating my house today?”
“No, sorry, but I have to. Don't worry, under the on-site investigator's judgment, I'll make it come out as legal.”
“You're using the term 'abuse of power' grandly.”
“Hah! How can I make a frail child do hard housework. That's what the miscellaneous spirits do who break the law and enter someone else's house.”
Did the meaning of 'frail' change while I wasn't looking? Or did the standard for strength become too high?
Originally, I was going to use buying a meal as a pretext to threaten, but if this is the case, I don't even need to buy a meal, just open my eyes wide and say 'Please do it just once.' It might have passed.
But then my pride would definitely drop to cat level, so I had no choice.
“There's no choice. Then let's go to my house.”
I tried to stand up, but she held me firmly with both arms.
“There's still some time left, so let's just do this a little more.”
Uuuu...!
I made a grumpy face and had to endure Yeongchun's infinite petting until the time was right.