Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: A Good Night's Sleep
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“Gasp... They're over there...!”
“Yeah, you're right. You think Minium can handle them?”
“Hmm... Can you do it...?”
Minium nodded in response to my question. For starters, there were fewer goblins than the eight Suri had taken down. It looked like there were about five of them.
Minium was about the same size as the goblins, so I wasn't sure if it would be okay. Still, it did receive a magic stone...
I didn't know how the hairdryer would be used, but it was holding a sword.
“Alright, Minium. Go...!”
ㅡClank!
As soon as my command was given, Minium burst out of the bushes, sword first, and charged at the goblins.
“Kireuk!?”
“Keryaaak!!”
It wasn't incredibly fast, but it was at least faster than a healthy, unawakened adult male. Minium ran with mechanical footsteps and swung its sword at a goblin.
ㅡCrack!
“Huh?!”
“Ah.”
Suri was made of rare metal, but Minium's body wasn't. It was made of a few aluminum cans and the plastic casing of the hairdryer.
In other words... the sword Minium was holding was actually plastic.
“M-Minium! Come back!”
I tried to call Minium back using the Issue Command skill, but its will to fight hadn't died down yet.
ㅡWhoooosh...!!
A powerful gust of wind shot out from Minium's calves, and it slammed a wind-propelled kick straight into a goblin's head.
ㅡThud!!
The lightweight goblin took the kick to the head and went flying, tumbling over and over.
The impact was strong enough to cave in one side of its head. Even after that, it didn't stop, unleashing a flurry of kicks and Minium's secret technique: the Wind-Powered Barrage.
“Oh, ooh...!”
ㅡClank!
Though the armor on its fists, shoulders, and shins was cracked here and there, Minium stood alone and raised its fist.
“G-Good job, Minium!!!”
It put up a good fight against five goblins. And this was Minium, made from just eleven aluminum cans, a broken hairdryer, and a single low-grade magic stone!
The amount of money invested was on a completely different level from Suri. For Minium, which cost maybe 100,000 won in total, this was an amazing achievement!
“Whoa... oooh....”
Afterward, as if it had gotten the hang of using its abilities, Minium extended some kind of mechanical booster from its back and slowly flew over to me.
“W-Wow... that's amazing.”
“How did you add that wind function? Can Suri do that too?”
I thought for a moment at Han Do-hee's question. Minium's booster function was probably because of the hairdryer.
“Minium was made by turning a hairdryer into a golem and combining them. Originally, it was made from... well... from eleven soda cans, and I just added to it.”
“Aha, I see. I get it. So the black color was from the hairdryer?”
“That's right. Hehe....”
Minium's body was covered in scratches, but right now, the joy of winning the fight seemed to outweigh that.
“Come here! I'll heal you!”
Just like I did with Mecha-Doggo before, I healed Minium. A bit of my magic drained away, and the broken armor and sword were restored to their original state.
“It seems like the material's durability is the problem. Even if it's not rare metal, it would be good to combine it with something made of ordinary metal.”
“I know. The plastic was probably the issue.”
Honestly, it fought incredibly well. Minium's hard-won victory against the goblins was purely a material issue. The booster kick, in particular, was really cool.
Just adding something like stainless steel would make it much stronger.
“Well, I think I have a good idea of how strong Eve is. Plus, it seems like she'll get stronger with just a little more investment, right?”
“I'm jealous. It's hard for Healers to grow.”
“Ehehe....”
Still, you "Healer Dragons" earn millions with just a click. I'm jealous of Healers too.
Anyway, the gate raid continued for about another hour. We ran into a few people along the way.
ㅡDamn, look over there. So cute.
ㅡFor real. How can something look like that?
Perhaps it was because of my appearance, but there were no other problems. Except for the fact that I was a little embarrassed.
“Hey, good work. Keep it up and, uh, raise Minium well. It seems like a good fighter.”
“Yes! I will!”
“But Eve, why are you using formal speech with me?”
This was after dinner, when we had returned to my neighborhood in Han Do-hee's car. Han Do-hee asked as she got out to see me off.
“Huh...!? N-No, it's just... because... you're older...?”
“You spoke informally in the chat, right? I'm fine with you speaking casually.”
“Uh, uwoh....”
Han Do-hee saw my dazed expression, chuckled, and got back in the car. Through the descending passenger-side window, I could see her and Kim Chae-ah.
“See you later, Eve~! You saved my number, right?”
“Ah... yes! Mecha-Doggo probably did....”
“Alright, alright, get home safe. It's cold! Hurry inside!”
“Okay... You too, drive safe....”
I still can't help but think of her as a wannabe older sister. I mean, she's younger than me, isn't she? Sure, she's a bit taller than me now (by 20cm)? And my face looks a little younger? And she treated me to dinner? And she was my guardian for entering the gate as a minor? And I was the one there to learn from her?
Anyway, I'm the adult here. A super big, grown-up adult. My customer service experience is longer, you know? You think four years as a convenience store clerk is a joke???
Though she probably earned more money....
“Ugh....”
Lost in these thoughts as I walked, the sun set, and the dark alleyway started to feel a little scary. Minium and Mecha-Doggo were following behind me, and Suri was probably watching from above... but this place was just too creepy.
“When are they ever going to fix this streetlight...!”
I hate this constantly flickering streetlight. It's a good thing they dropped me off right in front of my building.
After climbing the stairs to apartment 404 with Minium, I threw myself onto the mattress. The hardest part of the gate raid was all the walking. The wind kept blowing between the hem of my skirt, and it was really distracting.
“That's right, you guys! Get over here!”
ㅡFling!
When I opened the window, Suri landed on the windowsill. How dare it cancel my order without a word and order strange clothes instead.
“How could you do this?! After I've been so good to you!”
The white sweatshirt and black pants I'd bought from an online fashion store were gone, and in their place were a bunch of clothes and underwear ordered from a children's clothing brand I'd never seen before.
Children's clothes! I've lived 500 years longer than you all. How could you do something so cruel to me.
“Here, return the ones I haven't worn! I'm not wearing them!”
The clothes I was forced to wear out are okay. I probably can't return them now. But there's still a whole pile of unworn clothes.
“Suri! Look at me!”
ㅡKii...
Suri wouldn't look at me, staring blankly somewhere else instead. Minium was just scratching its head, and Mecha-Doggo was spinning in circles. Is this really a princess? Why is there no dignity!
“And Mecha-Doggo! Who gave you permission to verify my identity!”
I grabbed the spinning Mecha-Doggo and pinched its cheeks, pulling them. Of course, since it's metal, they didn't actually stretch, but it felt like they did.
ㅡBeep!
Even after buying 500,000 won worth of clothes, there was still this much money left. Mecha-Doggo passes.
“Okay, Mecha-Doggo, go play. Suri, you get over here!”
At my call, Suri waddled over on its two short legs.
“You ordered them, didn't you! You little rascal!”
As I grabbed Suri's wings, stretching and folding them, it stared at me intently and puffed out its feathers with a *fwoosh*.
“What! What did you do that was so great!”
In response to my question, Suri immediately extended an arm and pointed at Mecha-Doggo.
“Mecha-Doggo? What did it do?”
ㅡKii
“It saved you? And it saved me too? Hmm, well, that's true. Alright, Suri, you can go. Minium, come here!”
Next up was Minium. As soon as I called it, it strode forward and emitted a blast of warm air.
“Ooh, that's warm.”
Basking in the warm air in the cold room, I felt my irritation melting away. The tension that had been building in my body all day eased, and I felt myself relax as fatigue washed over me.
“Hmm... Alright. I'll let it slide, just for today.”
They're all so competent, what can I do? In the end, the scolding session ended without me really punishing any of them.
But I'll remember what happened today...! I only wore the stockings I'd vehemently refused because I was forced to by the cold the moment I stepped outside.
They were expensive, so I guess they were pretty warm. Yeah...
After I carelessly tossed my clothes on the floor, Minium, with its larger body and five-fingered hands, skillfully folded them and placed them on top of the dresser.
Then it went into the bathroom and turned on the hot water. A short while later, it came back and nudged me as I lay on the mattress.
“Hm? A bath? It's fine, I'll do it later.”
ㅡClank!
It seemed Minium and Suri had other ideas. Suri kept pecking me with its beak from the side, while Minium kept grabbing my arm and pulling.
“Ugh... I told you I'm tired right now....”
In the end, I submerged my body in the bathtub filled with warm water. Being told to wash up is a pain, but once you're in the bath, it's relaxing and nice.
After my bath, I saw that Suri had already opened the packaging for the pajamas it had ordered on its own and had even cut off all the tags.
What on earth are these childish pink pajamas? Is this some kind of plot by enemy agents to undermine my dignity?
“Ooh... they're so soft.”
But I decided to let it go this time, so what can I do.
There won't be a next time, though. I was really angry.
“Ugh... I need to post on the Awakening Gallery....”
My body is warm. Minium dried my hair, and I'm full from eating a lot of delicious food.
“I can't fall asleep now....”
Who am I? The ruler of the early morning Awakening Gallery. The king of night-shift convenience store clerks who sleeps during the day and wakes at night.
“Ugh... The supreme night owl archdemon....”
Current time: 9:47 PM.
Eve, falls asleep here.