Chapter 149
Chapter 149
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: The Yandere Fairy's Gaze is Strange
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Clink—!
A half-empty soju bottle on the coffee table in the middle of the living room glimmered faintly under the hazy light.
Next to it sat a simple stir-fried pork belly dish, some seasoned shredded squid that Jiwon-i's mom had sent over, and a cup ramen broth that had gone half-cold.
I picked up my soju glass, bowing my head low.
"Haa..."
A heavy sigh filled the entire living room.
It was 1 a.m. now.
The world outside was quiet, but my home felt anything but fully at ease.
Swipe.
I slowly shifted my gaze toward the master bedroom door.
The Enforcer Fairy was staying in there right now.
'This is fucking uncomfortable and nerve-wracking.'
I muttered to myself inwardly as I downed another shot.
I wasn't drinking to get wasted or anything.
It was just a desperate measure to dull this absurd tension and anxiety, even a little.
The Enforcer Fairy had gone into the room without a word, and I had just watched the door close without anything to say either.
The problem came after that.
No matter how hard I tried to close my eyes, sleep wouldn't come.
And it couldn't, really.
If another fairy happened to visit the rooftop tonight, it would be game over.
'...Do I have to hold out until dawn?'
The drinking had started that way, and before I knew it, I'd polished off a whole bottle.
The kitchen was dark.
Only the dim stand lamp illuminated the living room.
By the way...
What should I make for breakfast tomorrow?
I had no idea what the Enforcer Fairy's tastes were, which was frustrating.
I was murmuring quietly to myself to pass the time when—
Click—
The master bedroom door creaked open slightly.
I froze my dulled, booze-heavy body and turned my gaze toward the door.
There, the Enforcer Fairy was slowly emerging from the room.
"...Huh?"
"What are you doing up at this hour instead of sleeping?"
"Ah... I just couldn't sleep, so I was killing time."
The Enforcer Fairy approached with quiet steps, then paused and spoke.
"Is that... mortal world liquor?"
Her tone was still polite, but there was a subtle hint of curiosity mixed in.
I wiped the soju from my lips with the back of my hand, my face flustered, and continued.
"Ah, yes... It's liquor you can drink down here on earth. You haven't tried it, have you?"
"I've... never seen mortal world liquor before."
Instead of answering, the Enforcer Fairy quietly stared at the soju bottle.
Then, as naturally as could be, she sat down in the chair across the table from me.
'Oh ho... If I get her drunk, maybe she'll pass out quick?'
It was a chance for me to finally get some sleep, too.
I reflexively grabbed another soju glass and set it on the table.
"Want to try a shot? It might be a bit... bitter."
The Enforcer Fairy gave a slight nod.
As I filled her glass, she gazed toward the window and quietly opened her mouth.
"The mortal world truly is full of unexpected things. Nights like this... aren't so bad."
"I-is that so? I thought the celestial realm was more beautiful."
"Is that right? Well, Haeseong must find the celestial realm fascinating, I suppose. After all, you were born in a human body."
"...Pardon?"
I blinked in confusion, and the Enforcer Fairy continued with an expressionless face.
"I already know. King Yama appointed you—a human—to the position of Aquatic Envoy."
"Ah, I see..."
"Don't worry. As long as you assist well with this matter, the Jade Emperor won't pry into why King Yama granted that position to you."
As King Yama and the other king had predicted.
The Jade Emperor already knew about me—and knew me as a human.
I absolutely had to complete this mission without a hitch.
"...Understood. While the Jade Emperor stays on earth, I'll do my utmost to serve."
"The Jade Emperor has more delicate sensibilities than you might expect, so you may have a hard time, Haeseong."
"How many days will you be staying?"
"Hm, the first visit to the mortal world will be about three days."
"...Pardon? The first visit?"
I made a face full of question marks, and instead, the Enforcer Fairy tilted her head.
"King Yama hasn't properly explained it to you yet?"
"What do you mean...?"
"The Jade Emperor plans to visit the mortal world a total of three times."
"Th-three times?"
"There's a set period he must remain on earth, but the celestial realm's schedule doesn't allow him to handle it all at once."
"How long total?"
"Ten days."
Ten days...
Longer than expected, but manageable.
'The problem is the fairies...'
Just then, the Enforcer Fairy took a sip of soju.
The moment the glass touched her lips, her eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly.
"It's bitterly sharp. But... once you get used to it, it might become strangely addictive."
"You seem like someone who knows her liquor."
"Do I?"
The Enforcer Fairy murmured as she gazed calmly at her glass.
One shot, two, three.
And after that, she sipped away quietly on her own, without much conversation.
"This liquor... is better than I thought. It seemed bitter at first, but now it goes down smooth."
The Enforcer Fairy's cheeks were gradually flushing red.
The heat and booze were loosening her expression bit by bit.
Her once coldly frozen features began to soften, taking on gentler, more human curves as the alcohol took hold.
"What do you think of King Yama, Haeseong?"
"Ah... He's a great guy, right?"
"That bas—er, that fellow?"
Did she almost swear just now?
Was it my imagination?
"Hm... He's good to me."
The Enforcer Fairy set her glass down on the table with a thunk, half-closed her eyes, and muttered.
"...Everyone hushes it up, but everyone knows King Yama's a pervert."
"A p-pervert?"
"It's not the first or second time he's been caught by me stealing the clothes of bathing fairies."
I'd suspected as much, but hearing it straight from her made even me feel embarrassed.
I gave a wry smile, my face heating up.
"Isn't that proof of his good health?"
"Health...? Thirty years ago, he even stole my clothes! If I'd had solid proof back then... I could've humiliated him completely..."
"D-do you have proof that it was King Yama?"
"I was bathing when I heard a noise and looked up—he was running away. But lately, it's been weird."
"...What's weird?"
"Lately, there haven't been any reports of fairies' clothes being stolen. As if that pervert has reformed..."
With the Gold Fairy's sweat-absorbing uniform, he didn't need to steal anymore.
Come to think of it, King Yama had handed over the Heavenly Return Pill without protest...
Was it a bribe to keep me from saying anything stupid in front of the Enforcer Fairy?
I let out successive sighs in my mind when the Enforcer Fairy rested her arm on the table and set down her glass.
She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and staggered to her feet, pushing back her chair.
"I've... had quite a bit. Forget everything I said tonight."
"Heading to bed?"
"Yes... Time for me to sleep."
Her speech was still haughty, but her legs told a different story.
As she pushed back the chair to stand, one leg wobbled, and she unconsciously steadied herself with a hand on the table.
Then, she composed herself as best she could and crossed the living room.
Screech. Thud.
After the Enforcer Fairy entered her room, I got up too and started cleaning.
I pushed the scattered bottles and glasses aside, quietly bagging up the leftover snacks.
The sticky feel of soju on my fingertips mixed with heavy fatigue, weighing me down even more.
'Time for me to crash for real.'
I dragged my exhausted body to the bedroom.
As I flopped onto the bed, the mattress sank deeply, embracing me.
Just as I started to relax, thinking I could finally get some shut-eye—
Click—
The door opened quietly.
Light seeped into the room, and through the gap, I saw a silhouette.
I bolted upright reflexively.
"What is it?"
The one stepping through the door was none other than the Enforcer Fairy.
Her half-lidded eyes gleamed moistly, and the boozy haze in her gaze was nothing like her daytime haughtiness and chill.
Her usually neatly pinned-up hair was slightly disheveled, and her lips looked strangely glossy.
'Fuck, what the hell...'
I couldn't fully get out of bed, frozen in place.
I couldn't believe the Enforcer Fairy had suddenly barged into my room.
And then.
"Want to sleep together?"
My brain flatlined for a second.
I doubted my ears, but those words had definitely come from her mouth.
I took a cautious breath.
"Wh-what do you mean, sleep together?"
It was a stupid question, but it was all I could manage.
The Enforcer Fairy crossed her arms heavily and slowly approached.
As I instinctively pulled back from her provocative advance, she half-opened her eyes and spoke.
"Let's hook up."