Chapter 131
Chapter 131
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: The Yandere Fairy's Gaze is Strange
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"Are you ready?"
"Let's go."
"Take my hand."
King Yama quietly extended his hand.
The moment I slowly grasped it, the gentle breeze shifted in intensity.
Thud.
My body floated up.
Weightlessness took hold.
The sensation of neither gravity nor air holding me back.
Like soaring in a dream, my body shot into the air.
'...Flying through the sky for real still doesn't feel right.'
A sigh of awe escaped me unbidden.
It started slow at first, but soon my body began picking up speed.
The rooftop shrank below, my house came into view, then the entire neighborhood sprawled out at a glance.
Tilting my head down slightly, my home had already dwindled to the size of a fingernail box.
"Whoa..."
Flying through the air, I marveled inwardly over and over.
The wind felt cool yet refreshing, my hair whipping wildly in all directions.
'To see the moon this close...'
The moon, which had seemed like a distant round plate in the sky, gradually sharpened its edges and grew larger.
Up close, its surface wasn't the usual gray I'd seen before.
It gleamed transparently like a pane of glass blending silver and jade, with some indistinct shape rippling inside like water.
Whooooosh───
That was when it happened.
My body shot straight upward, sucked in like a vacuum.
It no longer felt like rising; it was being pulled in.
My vision filled with light, my whole body tingling with thrill.
'Ugh... c-can't... breathe...'
Darkness and radiance intertwined, swallowing my body in an instant.
Dazzling light overwhelmed my sight, and a resonant hum vibrated in my ears.
──Shwaaaaa...
How much time passed?
Gravity, weight, sensation—all seemed to melt into the light.
Then, like waking from a dream, scenery reappeared before my eyes.
"We're here."
"Is this the Heavenly Realm...?"
"Indeed."
I was speechless at the sight.
This wasn't solid ground.
It was land formed from clouds, light, wind, and the essence of life fused together.
My feet touched something solid, yet the surface was soft and shimmering like clouds, reacting with light to every step.
'Whoa...'
Did other humans go their whole lives without ever witnessing a sight like this before dying?
It was so fantastical that just looking at it made my heart feel like it might burst.
My mouth hung open in awe until King Yama clicked his tongue beside me.
"What you're doing right now—they call that 'country bumpkin' behavior down in the human world, don't they?"
"I'm originally from the sticks. Even where I live now is pretty far from Seoul."
"Ahem! Had your fill of gawking?"
"By the way, where exactly is this place?"
"This is Cloud Purity Palace, where Great King Do-un crafts the Heavenly Transformation Pills."
"Ah..."
I busily turned my head.
Cloud Purity Palace possessed a beauty that blurred the line between reality and illusion.
A pond lay nearby, impossibly deep and beautiful, defying description.
And atop it...
Thin mist drifted ceaselessly.
As if the pond itself were breathing, exhaling the fog.
The mist caught the sunlight, shimmering in translucent rainbow hues, lending a mystical aura to the entire palace.
"What kind of person is Great King Do-un?"
"An annoying bastard."
"...Pardon?"
"Means he does his job so well I don't need to whip him into shape."
"Even you scold people sometimes, King Yama...?"
"I am the king of the underworld. If my subordinates make poor choices, isn't it natural to discipline them?"
Who exactly did this King Yama—who desperately schemed for Gold Fairy's sweat-absorbing robes—ever scold?
I let out a short sigh before speaking.
"You can definitely fix it for good today, right?"
"Yes. Annoying as he is, his skills are top-notch."
As we lightly chatted and approached Cloud Purity Palace, a man appeared at the main gate.
He walked out exuding a serene aura.
A stranger, yet my gaze was drawn to him instinctively.
"King Yama, you've arrived."
His voice was low and composed.
Every word carried refined courtesy and propriety, without a hint of flaw.
'So this is Great King Do-un.'
Great King Do-un had striking features that imprinted themselves instantly.
His brow and eyes were sculpted to perfection, his gaze cool yet profound.
Especially when he moved—his robes billowed in the wind, trailed by lingering afterimages of light.
King Yama glanced at me once, then turned back to Great King Do-un.
"This is the one."
Great King Do-un stared at me with an expressionless face, then bowed at the waist.
It shattered my preconception that everyone in the Heavenly Realm, aside from King Yama and the fairies, would be aloof and curt.
Caught off guard by the courtesy, I stepped back slightly.
"Ah... hello. I'm Han Haeseong."
"Greetings. I am Do-un. You've had a arduous journey."
"N-no, not at all! Thanks to King Yama, I got here to the Heavenly Realm in a flash."
"Shall we go inside and talk, then?"
"...Yes."
Great King Do-un led the way inside, and King Yama and I followed.
The interior of Cloud Purity Palace felt like a space built within tranquil skies, with a round table at the center below.
Creeeak—thud.
King Yama sat in a chair without a word, as if it were routine. I glanced around briefly before cautiously taking a seat.
The chair was plush like compacted clouds yet firm in form, naturally balancing my body the moment I sat.
'Everything here's so wondrous.'
Soon, Great King Do-un returned carrying a teapot and cup set.
One cup, two cups.
The careful pouring sounded like gentle droplets on stone—clear and soothing.
"Please, have some."
"Th-thank you."
Great King Do-un offered the teacup, and I bowed my head to accept it.
Holding it carefully with both hands and sipping, a warm energy enveloped my lips first, then softly spread across my tongue.
'Holy shit...'
It looked like plain tea, but one sip unleashed an indescribably deep, pure flavor.
Faint floral notes blended with herbal freshness, and as I drank, a refreshing clarity washed away stagnant energy from my body.
Just tea, yet it felt like my long-unpurified inner self was being cleansed.
'So this... is Heavenly Realm tea?'
As I marveled inwardly, Great King Do-un's quiet voice rang out.
"I heard you've reverted to a child again."
Truth be told, after the first side effect, I hadn't reverted even once.
But I'd lied to King Yama to get the Heavenly Transformation Pill.
Hesitating on how to respond, Great King Do-un smiled faintly.
"...In any case, you've reverted to a child without taking the pill separately, correct?"
"Y-yes."
"The side effects won't happen anymore."
"...Pardon?"
Blinking in confusion, Great King Do-un smiled again and pointed to the teapot with a finger.
"The tea you just drank—I brewed it myself. Made from ingredients only found in the Heavenly Realm. It suppresses the side effects in your body and ensures they won't recur."
"Ah... so that's why I had to come up to the Heavenly Realm?"
"It's infused with Heavenly Realm essence. Drinking it down below wouldn't have the full effect."
"I see..."
"So, you won't revert to a child again."
It resolved faster than expected, leaving me a bit dazed, but I nodded firmly.
"Thank you."
"That said, just to be safe, stay in the Heavenly Realm for a day to monitor. Remain here at Cloud Purity Palace until sunset tomorrow."
I'd regretted not being able to head straight back down, but spending a day in this beautiful Heavenly Realm felt like an honor.
Setting the teacup down carefully, I pushed aside my excitement.
"Understood."
"In exchange, do not contact anyone else in the Heavenly Realm."
I'd half-expected that.
Even with my Sea Dragon Envoy title, wandering around could spark unnecessary trouble.
A shame not to sightsee, but I nodded with an awkward smile.
"Ah... of course."
──Thud. Thud.
That was when it happened.
Someone knocked from outside Cloud Purity Palace.
Great King Do-un and King Yama exchanged brief glances before turning to the door in unison.
Knock! Knock!
With the knock, a loud voice boomed from outside.
It was refined yet commanding, carrying undeniable authority.
"The Jade Emperor arrives!"
The voice filled the palace like thunder, instantly shifting the air's tension.
'The Jade Emperor...?'
So startled, I nearly jumped from my seat on reflex.
King Yama and Great King Do-un were the same.
Even before the door opened, everyone froze, too shocked for any action.
Finally mustering my voice, I asked,
"King Yama, what... what do I do?"
King Yama stared blankly at me with a stiff face before replying.
"...We're pretty much screwed, huh?"