Chapter 111

The moment we started dancing, green plants slowly began to grow on the walls and floor.

As I watched the basement gradually come to life, I couldn’t help but wag my tail excitedly.

While I was doing my best to groove, Yuna suddenly turned to me with sparkling eyes and exclaimed:

“Wow, it’s getting so pretty!”

Seeing even Yuna approve meant things were looking really good. With a proud nod, I couldn’t hide my satisfaction—because even I had to admit, this basement was turning out beautifully!

Just as I tried to suppress another burst of laughter while continuing my enthusiastic dance moves…

Chae-a, who’d been keeping up until now, finally collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily.

“Beep!”

The countless cotton puffs below her immediately cushioned her fall, giggling in unison as they bounced her around. Watching this scene, I couldn’t help but join in their laughter before taking a moment to survey the newly transformed basement.

“Hmm… maybe we should expand it a bit more.”

Realizing how quickly the space filled up when so many cotton puffs gathered, I decided it would be wise to make the area even larger. So, I consulted Han Arin about widening the space further.

Han Arin nodded thoughtfully and extended the area slightly. Then, with a playful grin, she suggested,

“Why not just add an entire new room over here?”

Thinking it sounded reasonable, I gave her the go-ahead. But instead of adding just one room, Han Arin created a massive cavern!

“…What?!”

Instead of feeling like a simple extension of the basement, it now resembled something far grander—a sprawling underground city, or perhaps even an underground village! Though slightly overwhelmed by its scale, I found myself unable to resist the charm of such a whimsical creation.

When Han Arin asked if I wanted her to resize it, I shook my head, deciding that bigger might actually be better for the sake of sheer romance.

“Building an underground city could be fun!”

Though technically too small for humans, imagining it as a cozy home for the cotton puffs made the idea seem perfectly acceptable. After consulting with them, they enthusiastically agreed:

“Peeeeeep! (Amazing!)”

“Piiik! (I love it!)”

“Pii! (Incredible!)”

Their joy was infectious, and I resolved right then and there to create an entire underground city for the cotton puffs.

*

Despite knowing how much effort goes into decorating a single room, building an entire city seemed daunting. Reluctantly, I decided to seek help from my viewers.

However, hesitating because I only turned on the stream during emergencies, I almost talked myself out of it… until Han Arin intervened.

“Turn it on no matter what.”

With a mischievous smile, she held up a cotton puff and playfully threatened me. Feeling its tiny tongue flick against my cheek, I widened my eyes in surprise.

Han Arin explained gently, “Viewers are happy just seeing you stream, Hae-un. Instead of feeling guilty about not streaming, turn that guilt into motivation to share your world with them.”

Her words resonated deeply, and inspired by her reasoning, I flipped the switch.

[SeorinSeorin: #1! You’re so cute today, Hae-un!!]

[GradStudentWanted: Watching through the stream is nice too.]

[MingMimMim: Oh wow, it’s a stream ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]

Why were Seorin and Han Arin watching when they were right next to me? I didn’t fully understand, but I chose to see it as their way of showing affection and smiled awkwardly.

Then someone asked a question:

[Citrus: Where are you, Hae-un? This place looks unfamiliar.]

Excitedly wagging my tail, I explained, “This is beneath my lair! And guess what—I’m making an underground city!”

[Citrus: An underground city?! That’s impressive lol. Let me see, this is incredible!]

[AhNyaNyaZoA: Ahaha, Hae-un is adorable today. If it’s an underground city, the cardinal rule is having a central waterfall.]

[LuckyGoralani: A dirt house would add charm, or maybe building something lavish entirely could work well too.]

Many suggestions poured in, each unique and inspiring. As I scrolled through them, one comment stood out:

[Mewww – At this size, you might need official construction permits.]

It dawned on me that I’d overlooked this crucial detail. Before I could dwell on it, Han Arin chuckled beside me and reassured me.

“Don’t worry about it. Lair zones don’t require permits.”

Curious about why that was, I decided not to press further, fearing I’d uncover some dark secret I wasn’t supposed to know. Regardless, our focus remained on creating the underground city, so I turned back to the viewers for advice.

“What should we build first?”

Suggestions came flooding in:

[SlightlyWarmer – Start with laying the foundation. It’d be boring if everything is flat, so creating varying elevations would help.”

[CookieAndCookie – Infrastructure can probably be handled via magic. Maybe start with constructing buildings?”

[Mring – I wanna help build it too lol!]

Encouraged by these responses, I snuggled closer to Han Arin and shared my vision aloud.

*

Though called an “underground city,” this project was less about serious urban planning and more akin to a giant sandbox game—a massive playground built from sandcastles. We approached it lightheartedly, though Han Arin seemed unusually dedicated, pouring her heart into every detail.

Watching everyone else take the project so seriously reminded me of parents diving deeper into children’s games than the kids themselves.

Of course, I wasn’t a child, but the analogy fit perfectly. Amidst all this, one unexpected participant stood out—the Spirit Master uncle.

“Yeah, yeah, go ahead and shape it like that. That’s right, good job.”

Using his spirits (excluding Chae-a), he crafted stunning architectural wonders, leaving me constantly awestruck.

“And the most surprising helper? Seorin.”

Seorin displayed remarkable talent for intricate decoration, transforming the Spirit Master’s creations into delightful, vibrant additions to the underground city.

“Amazing…”

Lost in admiration, I decided it was time for me to contribute. Just as I resolved to step up, the cotton puffs suddenly gathered around me, eager to pitch in as well.

“They think alike…”

Heartened by their enthusiasm, I welcomed their participation. Around this time, Chae-a arrived with Yuna and Seoa in tow.

“We’ll help too!”

“Of course!”

“Yay!”

Their unwavering support brought a warm smile to my face. Together, we set out to construct the underground city.

Chae-a zoomed around with Kamangi, Ant Brother, and Worm Sister, inspecting every corner. Officially, they were conducting inspections, though unofficially, they were just having fun.

Yuna wandered around, hugging cotton puffs and boosting morale by saying, “You’re doing great!”

Meanwhile, Seoa clung tightly to my tail, following me everywhere.

“Later, we’ll bring stuff from home, okay? Can you help us move things?”

Thanks to the incredible strength of the cotton puffs (stronger than any adult!), moving furniture became a breeze. Leading the cotton puffs, I strategized where to place everything.

Suddenly, my phone rang.

[Perseus]

Wondering what he needed, I answered with both hands.

“Hello?”

There was silence for a moment, then Perseus cleared his throat.

“…I heard you’re building a city.”

“Yes!”

Hearing my confirmation, he chuckled softly before cutting straight to the point.

“If that’s the case, you’ll need items to fill it. Have you collected enough yet?”

“Not quite…”

“Then how about using the gifts from the elders?”

“The gifts from the elders…”

Right, I’d completely forgotten those were still with Perseus. He must’ve called to return them.

“That sounds like a good idea!” I replied happily.

“Very well,” Perseus said simply before ending the call, promising to arrive soon.

Curious about which gifts the elders had given, I continued working, eagerly awaiting Perseus’ arrival.

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