Chapter 120: Writing-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 120: Writing-1
A few more days passed like that.
In-ho tried desperately to adjust to his daily life, but unlike other times, he found it difficult to settle in.
First and foremost, his aged body was the problem.
Even the slightest movement left him exhausted, and the constant aching in his joints made him abandon any plans for activity almost as soon as they formed. Consequently, he spent more time sitting still or lying down. With so much idle time on his hands, the days began to feel unnervingly long.
Then there was Emma’s behavior.
From the beginning, In-ho had presumed she would be excessively obsessed with him, and based on her past actions, he knew his assumption was correct. However, despite his concerns, Emma was quiet and well-behaved. She didn't spend her entire day clinging to him.
Since his possession into this dimension, his life had settled into a specific pattern.
When he woke up in the morning, Emma would enter the room and draw the curtains. She would hand him a glass of water at the perfect temperature and provide a small iron basin for him to wash his face. After drinking the water, In-ho would wash up with a slightly clearer mind and then brush his teeth.
After that came the change of clothes. She would hand him the outfit for the day while he was still in his pajamas and then leave the room. Normally, she would have helped him dress, but this was the result of In-ho’s adamant refusal. Once he was dressed in comfortable indoor attire, the mansion’s day truly began.
After a breakfast of easily digestible food, he would take a short walk in the garden. Then, Emma would leave his side to attend to her morning chores, and In-ho would sit in the study, scribbling various things on blank manuscripts.
In-ho felt quite at ease filling the pages, mostly because no one else could recognize the characters he used. Just as he couldn't read the script of this world, fortunately, no one could understand the Hangeul he wrote.
By the time he finished his absorbed scribbling, afternoon would have already arrived. When the sun reached its peak, Emma would knock on the door to announce lunchtime.
"Master, it is time for lunch."
Emma would face him with a faint smile, like a pastel landscape of a spring day.
After lunch came tea time. They would share a conversation while sipping tea brewed from leaves brought from the market. Emma, having been out, would chatter away about the sights of the market, the atmosphere of the streets, or gossip about how someone from the hardware store got caught having an affair and was publicly humiliated.
In-ho would listen quietly to her stories while sipping his tea, occasionally sharing stories of his own. He found it convenient that Emma regarded him as a dementia patient. It allowed him to talk about the world he originally lived in, and she would simply accept it as part of his condition.
Unless a guest arrived, Emma usually had some free time between tea and dinner. Normally, she would rest in her own room, but lately, she spent that time with In-ho. This was because In-ho had asked her to read him the novels he had written in the past.
News of his hiatus had spread through the weekly magazines, and various media outlets had requested interviews. Since he had agreed to an interview while he was "lucid," In-ho felt he should at least have some knowledge of his own novels. He was also curious about what kind of writing the original owner of this body had produced.
"You didn't have to go through the trouble of agreeing to an interview," Emma said when he made the request.
"They said they’d pay me if I did it."
"We have more than enough money as it is."
"Really? I heard the other servants left because you couldn't pay their wages."
"There is plenty for you to live on alone, Master."
Emma closed the book with a soft thud and picked up the next volume.
"Come to think of it, Emma, how much did I use to pay you every month?" In-ho asked, curious if she had been taking it herself or if he had been giving it to her formally.
"I do not receive a salary, Master."
The answer he received was quite shocking.
"What do you mean? How does it make sense to work and not get paid?" In-ho’s voice was thick with disbelief.
"I believe that living in this mansion and being able to share meals with you is compensation enough."
Emma’s words weren't mere flattery; they came from the heart.
"No, but still..."
"Please do not worry about me, Master. I haven't received a salary in all the years I've been with you. It would feel awkward to start receiving one now."
"Then I’ll have to make sure you get a very generous severance package later."
When Emma declined with a gentle smile, In-ho scratched his cheek, feeling a bit regretful. At his words, Emma stared intently at him.
"...What do you mean by that?" she asked. Her voice was devoid of even a grain of emotion, as dry as parched earth.
"Ah..."
As In-ho’s eyes darted around, realizing he had made a grave mistake, Emma pressed further.
"Master, do you no longer have a need for me?"
"No, it’s not that..."
"Did I perhaps make a mistake? Surely, it isn't because I spoke briefly with that man named Hans, is it?"
"Emma, calm down."
"No, I cannot be calm. Retirement? I have no intention of leaving you, so how could I possibly retire?"
"Oh boy, I misspoke. I didn't mean I was firing you or anything like that."
In-ho grabbed Emma’s shoulders. He thought he was holding her firmly, but his grip lacked strength.
"Then what did you mean?" Emma looked up at him, still appearing unsettled by his words.
"I just meant... you know, a long, long time from now, if I happen to pass away, I should leave you some severance pay then... that's all."
When In-ho spoke with a sheepish smile, Emma nodded as if she understood. She flipped through the next volume and spoke.
"I understand what you meant, Master. However, even if you gave me severance pay, I wouldn't be able to use it."
"Eh? Why?"
"I wonder... why indeed? Would 'because I am your maid' be an insufficient reason?"
Seeing Emma speak so cryptically, In-ho felt an inexplicable sense of unease.