Chapter 106
Chapter 106
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: The Yandere Fairy's Gaze is Strange
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I took a deep breath of the dawn air.
The morning in the countryside was always refreshing.
As I opened the front door, cold air brushed against my skin, mingling with the smoke rising from farmhouse roofs and the faint mist settling over the distant mountains, creating a serene atmosphere.
Normally, I'd savor the view with a cup of coffee, but today there was no time for that.
I had to head to Seoul right away.
'Sigh...'
I approached the car parked in front of the house and opened the door.
I started the engine smoothly, checked the dashboard, then gently pressed the accelerator and pulled away.
Dust lightly kicked up on the dirt road as I exited the countryside path, and once I hit the main road, a line of roadside trees stretched out, the scenery flowing past the window.
'...Still, I got more sleep than I thought. That's a relief.'
The road was quiet, probably because it was so early.
I gripped the steering wheel firmly and picked up speed.
Vrooooom!
A soft ballad played from the radio, filling the car.
I glanced out the window for a moment—green fields rolled by, dotted with small villages here and there.
Bzzz.
Bzzz.
Just as I was about to floor it onto the highway, a vibration buzzed in my ear.
I turned off the radio and reached for the phone I'd tossed on the passenger seat.
-Hello?
-Hey, Haeseong.
Junseok's voice sounded exhausted.
I tightened my grip on the wheel and replied curtly.
-I'm on my way to Seoul right now.
-Sorry about yesterday. Things were crazy, and I was stuck talking to Grandpa the whole time, so I had to hang up.
-What the hell happened?
-Where did I leave off yesterday?
-You said Yerim was sick.
There was a brief silence on the other end, then Junseok's voice dropped low.
-Yerim's been feeling off for days now. At first, we thought it was just a cold, but it kept getting worse. The fever won't break, she's got no energy, just languishing. We took her to the hospital, but the doctors can't figure out what's wrong.
My heart sank.
If the hospital couldn't diagnose it, it wasn't just a cold or fatigue.
I checked the rearview mirror, changed lanes, and brought the phone back to my ear.
-What!? They can't even diagnose it?
-We ran all kinds of tests, but everything came back normal. Weirdly normal.
-How's she doing?
-Yesterday she slept all day. When she finally woke up, she could barely speak. Her hands and feet are ice-cold, face pale as a ghost. And... earlier she woke up for a bit... Never mind, I'll fill you in when you get here.
I gripped the wheel with one hand and thought hard.
If it were a normal illness, the hospital would've pinned it down.
Besides, who was Seo Yerim?
The granddaughter of Yeoksan Group Chairman Seo Geonchang.
They wouldn't have skimped on tests.
-Did you try other hospitals?
-Of course. We bounced around a few, but same story everywhere. No issues at all. But she can't be faking it this bad.
Whenever Seo Yerim came up, he'd go off like a ticked-off twin—even if they were fraternal.
That's why blood ties are enviable.
They snarl at each other normally, but in a crisis, they band together tight.
-Where's Yerim now?
-Resting in her room. Thinking of readmitting her tomorrow.
-Without knowing the cause?
-Her doctor's worried. Even at home, she could have a sudden episode.
I sped up a bit, urgency gnawing at me.
-Your grandpa's place, right?
-Yeah, I'm here now.
-Did you sleep?
-...No.
-Close your eyes for a bit. If you collapse too, think how Grandpa would feel.
-Anyway, thanks.
Junseok had stayed till the end at the funeral home, keeping my dad's send-off from feeling lonely.
When I was at my lowest, he stood by me—what's a drive to Seoul compared to that?
I let out a short sigh and spoke.
-No need to thank me. Go rest.
-Got it.
Click!
I hung up, tossed the phone on the passenger seat, and took a deep breath.
If it wasn't an illness, then what was making Yerim suffer?
I merged onto the highway, Seoul drawing closer by the minute.
But my mind grew more tangled.
'...I'll figure it out when I get there.'
I gazed at the scenery outside and exhaled deeply.
Exiting the highway into the quiet suburbs, the landscape shifted to upscale residential areas.
Up a neatly manicured road and over a hill, a massive iron gate loomed. I parked, pressed the intercom, and a voice responded shortly after.
“Who is it?”
“Junseok's friend, Han Haeseong.”
A brief silence, then the gate slid open smoothly, revealing a wide driveway.
I restarted the car and eased into the estate.
'This spot okay?'
I parked, got out, and a middle-aged butler waiting nearby approached.
Elderly but impeccably dressed in a suit, he greeted me with a deep, polite voice.
“Welcome. The chairman is waiting.”
Following the butler inside, an elderly gentleman rose slowly in the spacious living room.
“It's been a while.”
Even with his granddaughter ill, Chairman Seo Geonchang's sharp eyes and upright posture retained their dignity.
I bowed naturally and greeted him respectfully.
“Good to see you again.”
“Junseok said he'd wash up and come down now that you're here. Care for some tea while you wait?”
“Sure.”
The chairman gestured, and the butler promptly prepared tea.
I sat quietly on the living room sofa.
A luxurious tea set was already on the table, and the butler poured warm tea into my cup with practiced ease.
“It's hot—sip slowly.”
I took a sip, and a rich, smooth flavor filled my mouth.
I couldn't help but marvel, eyes lighting up.
“I don't know much about tea, but even I can tell this is excellent.”
“Heh... Junseok seems to trust you a great deal. This situation included.”
“He's helped me plenty, so I'm just returning the favor in his time of need.”
The chairman nodded, a subtle depth in his gaze.
“As Junseok mentioned, Yerim seems to have some inexplicable illness.”
“...Yes, I heard.”
“No amount of money helps when it's health on the line.”
“What exactly are her symptoms?”
“Delusions sometimes. She'll curse out of nowhere, turn violent... Earlier, she spat in Junseok's face.”
Not a physical illness—mental?
Stress from inheriting the company?
If her mind was the issue, hospitals could examine but not pinpoint the cause.
I spoke cautiously.
“Has she seen a psychiatrist?”
The chairman's expression shifted subtly.
“We took her to one, and she acted perfectly normal—like nothing was wrong.”
“...What?”
“Even called in a specialist to the house through connections. Same thing—snapped back to normal the moment they arrived.”
I tilted my head, puzzled.
“She goes normal whenever she's about to be evaluated...?”
“Exactly.”
I took another sip of tea. Soon, Junseok came down freshly showered, and under the chairman's lead, we headed quietly to Yerim's room.
The chairman's steps were neither heavy nor light.
He still exuded refinement, seemingly resigned to the situation to some degree.
Creeeak. Thud.
The door opened to dim lighting filling the space.
A hush hung in the air, and there on the bed lay Seo Yerim, plain as day.
Even in the low light, her pallid face looked less like a living person's.
Only her faint breaths proved she still clung to life.
The chairman sighed softly.
“She was throwing a fit earlier about going outside, but now she's worn out and asleep, it seems.”
I scanned the room slowly.
Yerim's space was tidy, yet the air felt oppressively heavy somehow.
I examined her condition carefully.
Fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead, her breathing growing ragged.
Even in sleep, she tossed and turned, clearly in distress.
And then.
Something else caught my eye.
A woman perched on the edge of the bed.
Her long black hair cascaded down, and she stared intently at Yerim, utterly unperturbed by our entrance.
'Junseok said Yerim has no friends—caretaker maybe?'
I whispered in Junseok's ear.
“Junseok, who's the woman sitting on the bed?”
He turned, stared at me for a long moment.
His face stiffened, like I'd said something he couldn't comprehend, and he recoiled.
“...What are you talking about...? Yerim's the only one on the bed.”
A chill raced down my spine.
I looked back at the bed—there she was, plain as day, sitting there.
I rubbed my eyes and looked again. Same thing.
'Fuck... then who the hell is the woman I can see?'