Chapter 223
Chapter 223
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Disappearance
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Since that day, Rachel had been quietly visiting me almost every night, helping relieve my urges, tidying up the house, and slipping away before dawn.
She didn't seem to want anything special in return.
Not like some goblin bride or anything.
I wasn't sure if it was gratitude for saving her daughter Dorothy, but I wasn't the type of gentleman to turn down her services either, so I enjoyed them.
'Maybe doing good deeds for people isn't so bad after all?'
It was Rachel repaying the favor.
If this was the payback for saving a kid, it felt worth it.
After another steamy night with Rachel and a good night's sleep, I woke up to some commotion around me.
Squinting my eyes, I looked around and saw a little girl cleaning the house.
A familiar face.
The kid I'd saved.
Rachel's daughter, Dorothy.
Why the hell was she here again?
"You.........what are you doing."
"Ah! Mister! You're awake! I was cleaning!"
Dorothy answered with a bright smile.
"Did your mom tell you to?"
"No. You saved us. I'm doing it because I'm grateful."
"........Fine, go home."
Dorothy's face fell immediately at my words.
She looked a bit pitiful, but that wasn't going to soften me up.
No matter how I thought about it, chasing her out quick was the best move.
That was when it happened.
-Knock. Knock.
Someone was knocking on the door of my place.
"Park Un-ho. You home?"
It was Philip's voice.
I put off kicking Dorothy out for a moment.
I threw on some clothes and opened the front door.
An unwelcome face greeted me.
"What?"
"Seen Damon?"
"Damon? Who's that."
Not a woman, just some unfamiliar guy's name.
"Rachel's husband. Lives next door to you."
Ah.....so that bastard's name was Damon?
He'd finally noticed the guy was gone.
".......No clue."
But Philip didn't budge after hearing me. He was glancing past me into the house.
Worried he might spot Dorothy, I subtly blocked his view.
".......Can I come in?"
Sure enough, he found my actions suspicious and wanted inside.
"No."
I refused flat out.
I didn't want a guy in my place, and...
More importantly, Dorothy was there.
If he found her, I'd have to explain somehow.
Say I was playing with the kid?
Philip knew I wasn't the type who liked kids.
While living here, I'd kept my distance from them.
Tell the truth that Dorothy was cleaning my house?
That'd make me look like the bad guy.
A big brute like me making a kid clean with no relation?
Anyone would call it child abuse.
So if he caught on that Dorothy was here, no matter what I said, I'd end up looking like the weirdo.
Saving her and getting this kind of repayment—kids really shouldn't be kept close.
"Suspicious. You involved in his disappearance somehow?"
This guy?
Daring to suspect me?
Well.....not wrong, but...
Still pissed me off getting eyed by a punk like Philip.
"I didn't even know the guy's name. And you're suspecting me?"
"You're his neighbor. You're a suspect too."
"Not my problem."
He glared at me, knowing he couldn't take me by force.
"Unless you're hiding a body, let me in."
"No. Get a warrant."
"A warrant.....I'm not joking."
"Me neither. Only women allowed in my place. Grace maybe, but not you. Want in? Bring Grace."
"You...."
Philip glared, fuming.
I looked at him bored, picking my ear with my pinky.
Not pulling his gun?
Grace and Carrie were out too...
Could drag him somewhere quiet and rough him up as an excuse.
He seemed prideful, so he probably wouldn't snitch to the women after a beating.
Unfortunately, Philip didn't draw.
Sensing I wouldn't budge, he huffed and turned away.
-Click.
I shut the door and spread my senses to track him. Felt him heading to Rachel's next door.
"Jeez.......wasting energy on pointless crap."
Dorothy was sulking quietly in the corner, watching me.
I pulled a cold cola from my inventory and tossed it to the kid.
"Th-this? Co-cola?"
"Drink it and head home later."
"Yes! Thanks, Mister!"
Dorothy finally beamed.
Since Philip went to Rachel's, better keep Dorothy a bit longer. Send her after he leaves.
Tasting cola after so long, Dorothy shivered with delight as she drank.
"Mister. It's so good!"
Long time no cola—of course it was.
'Don't go thinking we're buddies now though....'
Kids lack awareness. Gotta be careful.
Philip had gone looking for Damon after hearing he hadn't shown up for camp duties.
People handled camp management unless they were on dangerous supply runs.
Damon had slacked off before and gotten warnings.
He figured it was the same this time.
But when Philip visited Damon's family home and heard from Rachel that he'd left into a stormy night and never returned, he started inquiring around.
He didn't want to see Park Un-ho's face, but...
Unable to find any trace of Damon, he had no choice but to visit Park Un-ho.
Meeting him with no expectations, Philip grew suspicious at how desperately he refused entry.
Philip headed back to Rachel's place next door.
He'd come first to ask about Damon, but now it was about Park Un-ho.
-Knock. Knock.
Philip knocked on Rachel's front door.
-Creak.
The door opened, revealing Rachel.
"What is it?"
Philip tilted his head.
Last time he was unsure, but...
She definitely felt different from usual.
"Rachel, notice anything odd about Park Un-ho?"
Rachel frowned at the question.
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"Like suspicious behavior after Damon vanished..."
"Philip."
Rachel called him in a serious tone.
"Yes? Did you see something?"
Philip perked up, hoping for a lead.
"Philip. Mind your manners."
"Huh?"
Philip was baffled by her unexpected words.
"Calling him 'that guy'? That's rude."
"........Huh? What do you..."
Rachel's expression was solemn.
She was definitely not her usual self.
"R-Rachel. Did Park Un-ho, that guy, threaten you or something?"
"Philip, Mr. Un-ho is........a good man. Don't insult him anymore."
Rachel shot Philip a chilling glare. An inexplicable madness gleamed in her eyes.
Philip shivered at this complete change from the timid, anxious Rachel he knew.
"R-Rachel, what..."
"I've said all there is. Damon left that night and never came back. Maybe.....he slipped and fell into the lake."
The ferocity vanished as quickly as it came, her face calm again.
Philip swallowed dryly at her sudden shift to serene speech, feeling an eerie chill.
"R-Right...."
With nothing gained, Philip retreated, sweating coldly under her strange aura.
Philip sensed something off.
From what he'd observed, Rachel and Park Un-ho had barely interacted.
Yet her attitude toward him was blatantly strange.
After talking to Rachel, Philip hardened his resolve to inspect Park Un-ho's place and went looking for Grace.
Objectively, Park Un-ho's ability outmatched his own.
He planned to visit with Grace and subdue him if needed.
"Grace, come with me to Park Un-ho's."
"What now all of a sudden?"
Grace asked, puzzled.
"Park Un-ho seems suspicious. Might be linked to Damon's disappearance."
"What? Damon vanished?"
"Arnold griped today that he hasn't been seen in days. Thought he was slacking again, so I checked his place."
"And?"
"Remember that stormy night a few days ago? Rachel said Damon left and hasn't been seen since."
"And you suspect Un-ho..."
Philip nodded quietly.
"But why? No motive. What would he gain from killing Damon?"
"That's..."
Philip had no answer for that.
"You meet him?"
"Yeah. Said he wouldn't let me in without you."
".......So you came to me."
"Yes."
Grace pondered briefly, then stood.
"Fine. Let's check it out."