Chapter 132
Chapter 132
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: The Yandere Fairy's Gaze is Strange
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The inside of Unjeong Palace was quiet.
No, it was so suffocatingly still that it almost felt quiet.
King Yama and the Jade Emperor sat facing each other across the table, the silence dragging on until the tea went cold—but that hush was anything but peaceful.
Their eyes locked in wordless combat, the invisible tension crackling between them enough to make even me, sitting off to the side, hold my breath.
'Fuck, what the hell is going on here...'
I sat ramrod straight on the edge of my chair, ass barely touching the seat.
It was an awkward, uncomfortable position by anyone's standards, but I had no choice.
One wrong word, and my human identity might get exposed.
And if that happened, there was no way I'd be walking out of here unscathed tomorrow.
'Why the fuck won't anyone say something...'
The Jade Emperor.
She was one of the supreme beings of the heavenly realm, just like King Yama.
I'd been awed by the overwhelming dignity radiating from her, but what blew my mind even more was...
'She's a woman...'
Her long hair shimmered like it had been forged from the Milky Way itself, and even the simple ribbon tying it back sparkled with embedded starlight.
Her eyes were as clear as a pristine lake, her nose straight and refined, her lips small and elegant.
She looked like a doll from an anime—her features in perfect, harmonious balance.
Every line was serene and refined, exuding an untouchable grace.
'Is beauty like this even real...?'
I let out a stream of silent exclamations.
Every notion of 'beauty' I'd encountered as a human felt crude and cheap compared to this Jade Emperor.
It was a masterful blend of worldly allure and divine sanctity—art and order incarnate.
"What brings you to Unjeong Palace?"
The first to speak was King Yama, his brows furrowed deeply.
"Do I need your permission to visit Unjeong Palace?"
"Have you forgotten this is under my jurisdiction?"
It felt like sparks were flying from their glares.
The Jade Emperor tilted her head slightly and let a faint smile play on her lips.
"I'm on friendly terms with Great King Dohun as well. Even if it's your domain, surely a casual chat is allowed?"
The Jade Emperor's voice was low and crystalline.
Each syllable flowed with perfect poise, lingering in the ear in a strangely captivating way.
Cold words laced with unyielding logic, carrying an authority impossible to refute.
Of course, King Yama wasn't one to back down easily.
"Then I suppose I'll have to drop by to see Lady Beopdo Hyeon periodically."
"...Don't you and Lady Beopdo Hyeon have any rapport?"
"Sure, things soured a bit back in the day, but I think we could patch it up."
"Still haven't kicked that habit of yours, huh?"
"What habit?"
"The one where you lose all composure around women."
I'd expected King Yama to bristle at the Jade Emperor's jab, but he just crossed his arms with a blank expression.
"Aren't you here to see our Dohun because you like men?"
"What did you say...?"
"Dohun does have quite the striking looks in the heavenly realm."
"You think I'm anything like you?"
"What do you say? If I give the okay, Dohun might even agree to meet you once."
Damn...
Since when was King Yama this smooth with words?
My admiration was short-lived as Great King Dohun shook his head and spoke up.
"Enough, both of you."
The atmosphere quieted again at Great King Dohun's words.
Then, the Jade Emperor furrowed her brows slightly and said,
"And who is this? I don't believe we've met."
That single remark shifted the air in Unjeong Palace once more.
Great King Dohun stiffened, while King Yama shrugged faintly and glanced my way.
"..."
"..."
"I asked who he is."
The Jade Emperor's tone wasn't sharp, but its calm certainty cut even deeper.
'Fuck...'
What was I supposed to do with both of them clamming up?
It felt like they were testing my quick thinking.
But my mind had gone completely blank.
I leaned forward slowly and opened my mouth.
"...I'm Haeseong, recently appointed as Earthly Emissary under King Yama."
"...!"
"...!"
King Yama and Great King Dohun stared at me like I'd lost my mind.
The Jade Emperor, curiosity sparkling in her eyes, spoke up.
"Earthly Emissary—meaning an agent operating in the mortal world?"
"Yes, that's right."
"I see. No wonder he reeks of humanity..."
As the Jade Emperor stroked her chin and nodded, King Yama finally burst into awkward laughter.
"Hah! So now you're after our Haeseong too, not just Dohun?"
Ignoring King Yama's quip, the Jade Emperor turned her gaze to me.
"So, what exactly do you do down on earth?"
"I usually blend in as a human."
"Oh? So you even have a residence set up there?"
"Y-yeah, something like that?"
The Jade Emperor stroked her chin again, lost in thought, then looked at King Yama.
"I'd like to borrow him from you soon."
"B-borrow him?"
"I have to head to the mortal world. With him along, I could handle things discreetly without revealing my identity."
"Has it been a century already...?"
"Yes, and I've heard the mortal world has changed beyond recognition in that time. Which makes him all the more useful to me."
What the hell were they talking about?
I'd blabbed about being an Earthly Emissary on a whim, and now it felt like an irreversible mistake.
I swallowed dryly and listened intently to their exchange.
"I can't allow that."
"Why not? This is all for the heavenly realm."
"Haeseong here is already swamped with the tasks I've given him."
At King Yama's firm tone, the Jade Emperor leaned forward, showing no sign of backing down.
"In exchange, I'll overlook your transgressions."
"What?"
"You've been visiting the mortal world frequently lately, haven't you?"
"What...?"
"We're not supposed to descend to the mortal realm carelessly, are we? Surely you haven't forgotten just because you've aged?"
"...Got any proof?"
"No proof yet, but I plan to keep my eyes wide open from now on."
King Yama's face flushed red at the Jade Emperor's smile.
"You're going to surveil me?"
"Surveil? Don't take it so personally. If you're aboveboard, what does it matter?"
"..."
If King Yama couldn't go to the mortal world anymore, that meant no more Heavenly Peaches for me.
As he fidgeted and worked his lips, the Jade Emperor slowly rose.
"I'll take my leave for today."
"Didn't you say you wanted to talk with Dohun?"
"I was going to ask Dohun for help with descending to the mortal world, but it seems I won't need to now."
"...I haven't agreed yet."
"Then I'll wait patiently for your answer."
"On what grounds?"
"You may chase skirts, but you're no fool."
The Jade Emperor maintained her flawless smile to the end, straightened her robes gracefully, and walked slowly toward the doors of Unjeong Palace.
She paused, turned to meet my eyes, and gave a faint smile.
"Looking forward to our next meeting."
That smile wasn't kind or warm, yet it had a strange power to disarm anyone who saw it.
"Y-yes, understood."
Kiiiek. Thud.
Even after the door closed with a clear echo, King Yama and Great King Dohun remained silent.
I scratched my cheek with a finger, gauging their moods.
'What the fuck just happened...'
King Yama's face was its usual stoic mask, but the tension in his clenched jaw and tightly pressed lips betrayed the emotions he was holding back.
Great King Dohun was even quieter.
His hand, setting down the teacup, stayed frozen, and the brows visible between his slightly bowed head trembled faintly.
"Uh... couldn't you just turn her down?"
Frustrated, I spoke first, and Great King Dohun lifted his head quietly.
"The Jade Emperor already knows you're human."
"...Pardon?"
Great King Dohun closed his eyes briefly, as if steadying his breath, then met my gaze.
"She's only holding back questions right now because she needs you."
"Ah..."
"That's why neither I nor King Yama could say a word when she asked about you earlier."
"So if the Jade Emperor already knows I'm human... she's basically blackmailing King Yama right now?"
"...Yes."
I drew in a sharp breath.
The puzzle pieces clicked into place.
Finally, King Yama, who had been silently listening, let out a long sigh.
"Haa... I'll handle it. Don't worry about it."
"No need for that, I think."
"...What?"
"She's willing to turn a blind eye anyway. Might as well grant her request, right?"
"W-well, sure, but..."
"Turning her down now doesn't erase the leverage she has."
King Yama eyed me cautiously.
"Think you can handle it?"
How many times had I invited the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Fairies to my place?
Hell, we'd even shared a bed.
So.
She already knew I was human—nothing to fear there.
And if I pulled this off?
I'd earn trust from both King Yama and the Jade Emperor in the heavenly realm.
I forced down my irrepressible grin and flashed a calm smile.
"Leave it to me."