[TS] Became a Peach Saint – Chapter 256

Dokgo Beom-bu was scratching the dirt ground with a tree branch because he didn’t have the usual paper and pen. He had been scribbling so hard that the ground was now filled with crooked handwriting.

“Phew.”

As Dokgo Beom-bu let out a deep sigh and straightened his bent back to look at the sky, loud cracking sounds echoed from his joints.

After finishing a quick stretch and shaking off his aching hands, he wedged the tree branch between his fingers again. He had been so absorbed that the rough bark had scraped the skin between his fingers, leaving blisters.

Hours had passed as he immersed himself in planning, forgetting the flow of time. If he didn’t do this, the emotions stabbing his chest would have been unbearable.

‘Someone died because of me…’

Even a moment of distraction brought a wave of guilt crashing over him.

Dokgo Beom-bu had lived up to his name—a commoner. His short life had left no meaningful achievements, just an ordinary existence.

The guilt of having caused someone’s death became an indelible mark on his soul, a burden no excuse could lift.

“This isn’t a game. Get your act together.”

Han Ga-eul’s words, sharp as an arrow, pierced his mind and tore through his chest.

“Ugh!”

Even after vomiting relentlessly, Dokgo Beom-bu felt another wave of nausea threatening to overturn his stomach.

“Damn it…”

*Slap!*

He slapped his own cheek so hard it swelled, then continued scratching the dirt ground.

To ensure no more lives were lost, his calculations had to be flawless.

‘Han Ga-eul is no ordinary unit.’

Dokgo Beom-bu was certain that Han Ga-eul had a free range of movement. As evidence, even as the sun was setting, Han Ga-eul showed no intention of returning to the base.

The worries starting with Han Ga-eul piled up until he concluded that Han Ga-eul was a unit beyond his control.

This was an unprecedented unit, something he had never encountered in the game.

‘Han Ga-eul is an irregular. I can’t include him in my calculations as a main force.’

Dokgo Beom-bu’s gaze lingered on the words written on the dirt. He then picked up the branch and crossed out Han Ga-eul’s name.

He couldn’t afford to waste precious early-game resources on Han Ga-eul, who might as well be a black hole.

After a brief moment of thought, he circled the words “Attribute Enhancement Stone.”

‘Early growth is confirmed with the starting members. Han Ga-eul seemed only interested in Attribute Enhancement Stones, so I need to get them quickly to appease him.’

The main growth member he had in mind was Betty.

Betty, a fire-attribute specialized mage, had been a useful unit even before Dokgo Beom-bu was dragged into the Refolder Gate.

Currently, she was a Normal-grade mage with the title of Apprentice Mage, but upon promotion, she would become a Fire Mage.

The Refolder Gate didn’t have the traditional RPG leveling system. Instead, there were various ways to increase a unit’s combat power, with the most basic being Star Fragments.

After successfully completing battles, Star Fragments would accumulate in the commander’s inventory. Using them on a unit would gradually fill the unit’s star gauge, turning a blank 1☆ unit into a full 1★ unit. This was how a 1★ unit became a 2★ unit, and it was also a method to enhance a unit’s combat power.

Normal-grade units could reach a maximum of 2★,

Rare-grade units up to 3★,

Super Rare-grade units up to 4★,

and Super Special Rare-grade units up to 5★.

Betty, a Normal-grade Apprentice Mage, would transform into a Rare-grade 1☆ blank slate upon reaching 2★ and using a promotion item.

Once she became a Rare-grade 3★, she would turn into a Super Rare 1☆ unit. Investing Star Fragments to reach Super Rare 4★ would then promote her to a Super Special Rare 1☆ unit.

In short, achieving the maximum star count for each grade was necessary to promote to the next tier, making Star Fragments one of the most crucial resources in Refolder Gate. It was essentially a leveling system without the numbers.

Promoting Betty to Super Special Rare would turn her into Betty, the Flame Commander—a unit capable of scattering wide-area magic, the true flower of the battlefield.

Despite deciding to invest heavily in Betty, Dokgo Beom-bu couldn’t help but wonder how strong Han Ga-eul would become if all his stars were filled and his unlockable elements were completed.

‘But when is he coming back?’

***

As the squirrel tried to carry the acorn in its mouth, its tail…

Shakes it.

The moment it sees that and pulls it away from its mouth, the squirrel’s tail droops.

“Hmm.”

Repeating the actions of pulling it away and taking it back, the tail spins around and then droops again.

“Should I eat it?”

“Ppiit.”

Seems like it was given to me to eat.

The squirrel is smarter than expected. It clearly expresses likes and dislikes.

Crunch!

When I lightly bite the acorn to peel the shell, as expected, a bitter taste fills my mouth.

The squirrel on my palm seems to enjoy the sight, wagging its tail continuously.

“This little friend is quite smart.”

“Ppit.”

As I bite the acorn in my mouth, eventually the skin falls off and the kernel pops out.

Crunch!

A bitterness different from chewing the whole acorn overwhelms me.

I should have soaked it in water to remove the bitterness, but since I ate it as is, my mouth feels all wrinkled.

“Thank you, I ate it well.”

“Ppit.”

Ding!

[Gluttony aids absorption.]

“Huh?”

Gurgle!

As I swallow the acorn the squirrel handed me, a loud sound comes from my stomach.

“This guy. What did you give me?”

“Ppi- ppiit.”

Seeing Gluttony move suddenly, it seems like it might have been a spoiled acorn.

‘Or maybe it’s an acorn that grew by absorbing the energy of the big tree in front of me…’

It seems more plausible that it’s an acorn filled with energy rather than a spoiled one.

I should have checked the acorn’s information before swallowing it, but it’s too late for regrets now.

The squirrel, wagging its tail happily on my palm, looks so harmless that I swallowed it without suspicion.

“What’s your name?”

“Ppii- ppiit.”

It says no. Even now, the squirrel’s expression is clear.

The cries of ordinary animals are not conversations but rather within the realm of understanding, like knowing the creature is hungry.

But this squirrel, even though it just goes ‘ppit ppit,’ its meaning comes across more clearly.

It’s a strange creature in many ways.

“Hmm.”

While continuing the conversation with the squirrel, Baekseol, who I hid behind me for safety, climbs up onto my shoulder. Then she buries her face in my neck and starts rubbing.

She seemed so lively when playing, but now she looks completely drained.

“Our Pposiraegi, what’s wrong? Tired from playing so much?”

Baekseol, who always answers brightly, just rubs her face without a word. The squirrel on my palm also stops wagging its tail and tilts its head, watching.

Perhaps Baekseol’s mood has soured because of the squirrel.

“Ga-eul, Baekseol is your friend, right? Did you talk to the squirrel?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, did you?”

“Yes.”

After seeing her fuss over the deer, I thought it might be the case, but it seems Baekseol is more jealous than I thought. But as I’ve always thought, I hope this little friend can experience a wider world.

For me too, this world is so vast with places I haven’t set foot in, and it must be even more so for a brave rabbit.

There are many delicious things and endless sights to see.

I shouldn’t become the entire world for this little friend. If that happens, if I were to die or disappear, Baekseol would find it hard to live.

“I won’t leave Baekseol. Don’t worry too much.”

Baekseol, who had been burying her face in my neck and slowly rubbing, lifts her head.

“Right? I’m staying by Baekseol’s side, aren’t I?”

“Yes.”

“Is Baekseol a crybaby rabbit?”

“Yes!”

I reach out to wipe the tears falling from the brave rabbit’s eyes, and she licks my finger.

“Feeling better?”

“Yes!”

Fwip─!

Baekseol shakes her body once and jumps onto the arm where the squirrel was, lowering her posture.

It’s the posture she takes when chasing butterflies. Probably on guard.

It might not be the case.

“Pit.”

Baekseol, who had been maintaining her guard, was startled by the squirrel’s cry.

The squirrel, sitting on the palm, seemed to be wondering why the rabbit was acting like that, while Baekseol, perched near the wrist, kept observing the squirrel.

I wanted to feel the deep emotions of a life-and-death duel on a narrow bridge, but seeing these two little furballs occupying an arm like this just makes me laugh.

“Hey, kids.”

“Yes!”

“Pit.”

The two animals, who had been eyeing each other, simultaneously turned their gaze toward me.

“You two are about the same size, so get along.”

“Pit?”

“Get along?”

“Yeah. Don’t fight, be friends.”

The squirrel is a bit bigger with its fluffy fur, while Baekseol is particularly small.

I don’t know why these two, who are pretty much the same size, keep staring at each other for so long. In the end, they’re both just a handful in size.

“Alright, both of you, get down and play.”

As I lowered the arm the kids were sitting on toward the ground, the two animals hopped down.

“Ouch, my back. I’m going to sleep now, so you two play. Got it?”

Since coming to this world, my body has become seriously weak. It feels like the backlash from fighting in this state is hitting me late.

—Chik, chik.

“Phew—”

After lighting the tobacco pipe and taking a puff, thick smoke filled my mouth.

The pipe given by Grandfather feels more magical the more I smoke it. You can smoke it without lighting it, but it’s even stronger when lit.

In the end, the lingering sweetness makes me smoke more, so the stronger one suits me better.

“If you fight, I’ll scold you.”

After scolding the kids and sitting down, fatigue and muscle pain set in.

It seems that Matthew’s group was in a life-threatening situation. That’s why there’s no lack of tension.

If it weren’t for the Attribute Enhancement Stone Dokgo Beom-bu handed over, I would have just left it alone, but Baekseol liked the stone so much that I had no choice.

Thanks to that, even though I took a nap while Baekseol was playing, my mind keeps urging me to sleep.

“Phew—”

Using the thick grass as a pillow, I lay down, and soon sleep overtakes me.

***

Han Ga-eul, using the wild grass as a bed, quickly falls asleep.

Baekseol, who had been watching her for a while, turns her gaze back to the squirrel.

Baekseol couldn’t take her eyes off even for a moment. If the squirrel in front of her tried to harm Han Ga-eul, she had to protect her.

“Pit.”

Baekseol’s body flinched at the squirrel’s sound.

It was a fierce roar, filled with wildness.

“Pit?”

Baekseol’s body trembled again.

It was the cry of a predator, far different from that of a domestic rabbit.

Baekseol had played outside enough to hear the cries of wild rabbits. To become a smart rabbit, she dug three burrows in Kyoto and chased butterflies to improve her agility.

Yet, she realized that their living environments were different. She couldn’t pose such a threat to her enemies.

As she pondered what to do, a good idea suddenly popped into Baekseol’s head.

Once, at a ramen shop, she had encountered a black water buffalo as big as a mountain ridge. Its name was Bonggu, and it breathed hellfire with every breath.

Baekseol suddenly remembered the threatening stance it had taken and immediately started to mimic it.

She lowered her head slightly, ready to charge at any moment. Her posture was also lowered, ready to spring forward.

And so…

To show off that she’s dangerous, Go-seon scrapes the ground with her front paws.

*Scratch, scratch.*

The calm grass leaves spread on the ground are trampled under the fierce beast’s feet, making a rough sound.

*”Peep, peep?”*

It’s working.

Baekseol couldn’t miss this opportunity, so she scraped the ground even more fiercely.

At this moment, she was like an angry buffalo descended to earth, carrying the flames of hell.

With one stomp, her fierce fighting spirit thickened.

*Scratch!*

With two stomps, the ground shook.

*Scratch, scratch!*

*”Peet.”*

Perhaps overwhelmed by her stomping, the squirrel turned its back and disappeared into the bushes.

*”Hmph!”*

Baekseol let out a short snort filled with the remnants of victory and trotted over to Han Ga-eul.

That’s when it happened.

A rustling sound came from the bushes, and the squirrel, thought to have disappeared, suddenly popped out.

In the squirrel’s hand was a tiny flower.

Baekseol stopped in her tracks and began to watch what the squirrel was doing.

*”Peep.”*

The squirrel scurried over to Baekseol and handed her the flower it was holding.

*”Food?”*

*”Peet!”*

Baekseol’s head tilted slightly to the side.

Her owner and friend, Han Ga-eul, was already in dreamland.

In that state, it would take a solid 15 minutes of poking to wake her up.

*Growl!*

Just then, Baekseol’s stomach clock also rang.

The plant the squirrel offered was a flower full of spiritual energy that she liked.

At that moment, the boundary between the two, who grew up in similar yet different environments, creaked.

She thought she was the only one who could sleep under the peach tree, but it seemed like having one more squirrel wouldn’t hurt.

Plus, the seeds the squirrel fed her also acted as nutrients for Han Ga-eul’s Heavenly Peach.

In the end, thanks to the squirrel taking the first step, the creaking, shaky boundary line crumbled away, and the slightly mismatched deep green shades merged to form a forest.

***

When I opened my eyes, the sun was already setting.

*”Ugh.”*

A groan escaped my lips due to my aching body.

As I carefully sat up, random things fell off me.

*Plop.*

*”Acorns?”*

Feeling something still stuck, I ran my fingers through my hair and found a wildflower tucked in.

Among the things that fell were not just acorns and wildflowers but also a sleeping squirrel and a white rabbit.

Seeing them sleeping on my stomach, it seemed they had become quite close in the meantime.

*”You guys, why did you hide flowers and acorns in my hair?”*

*”Peep…”*

*”Hungry…”*

The fact that they answered even while sleeping made it seem like they were quite alike.

*”But, come to think of it, can’t I take the squirrel friend with me?”*

*”Peep?!”*

The squirrel, tangled up with Baekseol, immediately woke up with an early bird start.