[TS] Became a Peach Saint – Chapter 329

Yu Bit-na was watching Han Ga-eul, who was sitting on her lap, trembling with anger.

“Just wait till I see them.”

Every time Han Ga-eul huffed, her cheeks jiggled along.

Seeing this, Yu Bit-na pulled out a bag of snacks from the desk drawer.

Every time her slender fingers touched the bag, it rustled loudly.

“Stop being mad and eat this.”

“What is it?”

Yu Bit-na could only see the back of Han Ga-eul’s head, but she could tell her gaze was moving.

Because her round head was moving too.

“It’s jelly. Ah, ha.”

“I don’t really like sweet stuff. Just make me a cup of coffee.”

“Hurry up.”

When Han Ga-eul reluctantly opened her mouth, Yu Bit-na popped a jelly inside. Every time she chewed the jelly, her cheeks moved around.

“Eek.”

“….?”

After watching for a while, Yu Bit-na rummaged through the jelly bag again.

Inside the bag were fruit-shaped jellies.

“Should I give you grape flavor this time? There’s also orange.”

“I already ate. You eat it, Bit-na.”

“Already? Just one more.”

Yu Bit-na took out a mango-flavored jelly and waved it in front of Han Ga-eul’s eyes.

“Why are you like this?”

“Just one.”

“My mouth is sweet.”

“Whoosh. Jelly airplane.”

Finally, when Han Ga-eul opened her mouth, Yu Bit-na popped another jelly inside.

Han Ga-eul chewed again.

Her jiggling cheeks were a bonus.

“Ugh, my fate.”

“Eek. So cute.”

“Are you gonna keep doing this?”

“Got it.”

Yu Bit-na placed the side of her finger on Han Ga-eul’s cheek. Every time Han Ga-eul chewed the jelly, the softness of her moving cheeks transmitted through her finger.

“Just die quietly, what’s with this curse?”

“Sorry it turned out like this because of me.”

“It’s fine. It’s my fault, not yours.”

“I’ll look into it too, but do you think someone else can break a curse you can’t?”

“Huh?”

While talking, Yu Bit-na subtly moved her fingers, feeling the softness of Han Ga-eul’s cheeks.

“I doubt anyone else can easily break a curse that even a Saint can’t handle.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re the Saint.”

Han Ga-eul, who had been chewing the mango jelly, suddenly stopped.

“There might be a few items related to curse-breaking if you look, but they probably can’t surpass a Saint’s power.”

“Right?”

Yu Bit-na hugged Han Ga-eul, who was brooding on her lap, tightly.

“Bit-na, I feel suffocated.”

Despite Han Ga-eul’s words, Yu Bit-na rested her chin on the Saint’s shoulder.

“Did your anger go away?”

“Huh? I wasn’t mad at you in the first place.”

The mango jelly made Han Ga-eul’s cheeks move around again, confusing Yu Bit-na’s gaze.

*Peck.*

When Yu Bit-na kissed Han Ga-eul’s cheek, the movement stopped immediately.

“What are you doing?”

“Sorry. It’s because of me.”

Yu Bit-na apologized and buried her face in Han Ga-eul’s small shoulder.

“It’s fine. I don’t really care about shrinking. It’s just the demons that are annoying.”

“That’s good then.”

Han Ga-eul had been jokingly asking for kisses, but it was just a joke.

But for Yu Bit-na, this was all she could do.

“The shy one is giving all the kisses.”

“Right now, it’s possible.”

“Wow.”

“Are you saying you’ll be too pretty to look in the eyes when you grow up?”

“Stop saying weird things.”

Yu Bit-na brought her nose to the nape of Han Ga-eul’s neck.

“What do you eat to smell like sweet peaches?”

“That tickles.”

“Can’t you just not grow up?”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

“Haha.”

Yu Bit-na took out another jelly and handed it to Han Ga-eul, who ate it right away.

“You sometimes slip into dialect.”

“I’m from the countryside. Didn’t I tell you last time?”

“Did you? Now that I think about it, I don’t know anything about you.”

“Is that important?”

Yu Bit-na shook her head slightly.

“Not really. The world’s a mess, so what does it matter?”

A dungeon break happened, and they failed to respond quickly, missing one Ogre. That day, Yu Bit-na and the Silver Wings members were running around busily, and then…

I met Han Ga-eul, who seemed to have just dropped out of nowhere.

Han Ga-eul looked like she had nowhere to go.

In a world where people were dying left and right just by closing and opening your eyes, it wasn’t anything particularly special. That’s why Yu Bit-na had recommended she enroll in Wisdom Academy, and just like that, Han Ga-eul disappeared, leaving behind an ogre with its neck snapped by sheer strength.

While Yu Bit-na was reminiscing about her encounter with Han Ga-eul, she felt something touch her head.

A small hand brushed through Yu Bit-na’s hair.

How could such a tiny hand feel so warm?

It was a touch that seemed to have learned warmth from somewhere.

Or maybe it had basked in the warmth of sunlight before.

“You know me, right? I’m the kind of person who lives however I want. Even if you offered me a million gold, I wouldn’t do something I’m not interested in.”

“I know.”

Yu Bit-na buried her face deeper into Han Ga-eul’s shoulder. Even though it was Han Ga-eul who had the problem, she was the one comforting Yu Bit-na.

“Bit-na, you’ve been through a lot. Don’t try to carry the weight of everyone’s expectations. If you fall, it’ll be hard to get back up.”

“…”

Han Ga-eul gently stroked Yu Bit-na’s hair as she spoke.

She was right.

After entering the tower and barely making it out alive, Yu Bit-na had gained a lot of attention at a young age.

Yu Bit-na wasn’t the type to enjoy the spotlight. So, as Han Ga-eul said, her shoulders felt incredibly heavy.

“Alright.”

While Yu Bit-na was spacing out, Han Ga-eul made a loud noise and hopped down to the floor.

“Are you leaving?”

“I have to.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to stay here until you recover? Our guild headquarters has plenty of rooms.”

“What recovery? My strength is fine. And I already got a kiss from Bit-na as a down payment, so I need to get ready to hunt a Wendigo.”

“Ugh! I-I didn’t mean it like that, I just thought you were cute…”

Han Ga-eul walked over to the wall and abruptly opened the window.

—Click, click.

“Phew—”

White smoke flowed from Han Ga-eul’s mouth as she lit a cigarette with practiced ease.

“Do you really have to do that?”

“I’m still me, even if my shell’s changed.”

“Sigh. You talk so well. There’s such a thing as social norms, you know.”

“It’s just an excessive belief in collectivism.”

“It’s called the law.”

“I didn’t study, so I don’t know about that.”

—Flick.

As Yu Bit-na blinked, Han Ga-eul, who had been by the window, vanished like a ghost.

Only the lingering, pungent cigarette smoke remained, hinting that a peach-like child had been in Yu Bit-na’s office.

“Please, just don’t cause any trouble…”

Yu Bit-na’s monologue mixed with the cigarette smoke in the now-empty room.

***

Ding-dong—

A clear bell chimed as a pink-haired child confidently walked into the building.

“Welcome.”

The shop owner, seeing the child, looked toward the entrance for a guardian, but there was no one in sight.

A child walking in so boldly should’ve had a parent following behind.

“Um, did an adult come with you? This is a camping gear store.”

“Yep.”

The shop owner explained that this wasn’t an ice cream shop, but the response was brief.

“Shop owner, do you have any super cool tents?”

“Uh… what kind of tent are you looking for?”

“You know, like, uh—”

“Hmm…”

The child spread their arms wide, giving a chaotic explanation. The shop owner felt a wave of exhaustion.

But the shop owner was someone who genuinely cared about camping gear, even making their own products.

So, whether it was a child or an adult, they were grateful for any customer who came to their store.

“Usually, campers choose tents based on their preferences. What kind of camping do you enjoy?”

“I’m looking for something really sturdy and big for cold places.”

“Ah, winter camping, I see.”

“And it’d be great if it was sturdy in hot places too.”

“Sturdy, huh…”

The shop owner caught onto the child’s main points.

Big. Sturdy.

That was it.

“How about this one?”

Inside the store, various tents were set up. The shop owner pointed to one they thought the child might like.

“That one?”

“Yes. It’s called a shelter. It’s round and cute, don’t you think?”

The shop owner felt quite pleased, thinking the child would like what they liked.

But contrary to the shop owner’s expectations…

The child’s eyes droop heavily.

“Shop Owner. The tent.”

“Huh?”

“The shelter doesn’t have a floor, you know.”

“Ah, right? You must really love camping.”

The child’s expression sinks flatly.

“Shop Owner.”

“Ah, yes. What seems to be the matter…?”

“When we go on raids, we often face big troubles due to the surrounding environment.”

“Ah!”

The shop owner nods belatedly.

It dawned on him that the child was referring to a large, sturdy tent for hunters.

The shop owner concluded that the child’s parents must be hunters and that the child had come alone to buy a tent as a gift for them.

“Shop Owner, here’s the card.”

The shop owner stares blankly at the card the child is holding out.

“Shop Owner, that’s unlimited. I’m the Adamantium spoon. Give me the biggest, sturdiest, and most expensive one in this store.”

“Ah…”

The shop owner slowly nods at the child’s simple and clear explanation.

“How about that one at the very end? It’s a 6-person tent, and the material is thick enough to withstand temperatures down to -20 degrees…”

“Shop Owner.”

The shop owner, who was continuing his explanation, looks down again.

“Yes?”

“Don’t you have anything bigger?”

“Uh…”

Cold sweat drips down the shop owner’s back.

Hunters were mostly big spenders, and while they were grateful customers who didn’t hesitate to pour out money, their personalities were often a problem.

The child’s parents were undoubtedly hunters, and he might get into trouble if he sold them something too expensive.

“Shop Owner, I’m an adult.”

“…”

“I got hit by a wrinkly beam and ended up like this, but I am an adult.”

The child raises a finger for the shop owner to see.

*Poof!*

A magic sphere rises from the child’s finger.

“Ah, ah? Magic!”

“Yep. It’s magic.”

“Are you really an adult?”

“Have you ever seen a kid talk like this?”

The shop owner forces a nod with a creaking neck.

“No…”

“And I’m a Wisdom Academy student.”

The child rummages through their pocket and pulls out a wrist device given by the academy.

“I got hit by some curse or magic nonsense and ended up like this. Here, shake.”

The child extends their hand as if asking for a handshake.

The moment the shop owner lightly grabs the child’s small hand, his body lurches and is pulled toward the child.

“Whoa!!?”

“See?”

“Wow. You really are an adult.”

“I’m gonna find the jerks who hit me with that magic and rip their heads off.”

The shop owner forces a nod, his head refusing to move due to cognitive dissonance.

“Understood. So, you’re looking for something dungeon-related?”

“Yes. Have you heard about the Wendigo causing chaos in Canada?”

“I saw it on the news. They’re expanding their territory, putting nearby residents in danger.”

“I’m joining the raid team there. So, I need something really sturdy.”

“Ah!”

The shop owner finally understands why they’re looking for something big and sturdy.

“But, customer, naturally, the bigger it is, the heavier it gets. The 6-person air tent I mentioned earlier is 13 pyeong and weighs 40kg alone. Even if hunters are stronger than average people, is it possible to allocate that much weight just for a tent?”

“Just make it wide, tough, and windproof.”

Being a camping enthusiast and running the shop conscientiously, the shop owner felt he had explained enough.

“There is something that fits that description.”

“Oh!”

“I developed an 18-pyeong tent for military use last year, but this one is even more extreme. It’s 30 pyeong.”

“That’s perfect. But isn’t 18 pyeong smaller than the military’s 24-person tent?”

The shop owner shakes his head.

“No. That number only applies if you cram people in tightly. The actual area is much larger for the 18-pyeong tent.”

“Ah, I see.”

“By the way, the 24-person military tent you mentioned weighs over 200kg. Just the outer shell alone is 100kg.”

“That’s perfect. Give me the 30-pyeong one.”

The shop owner starts walking toward the warehouse at the back of the store.

“It’s treated with special paint for fire and ice resistance, and the air tent has heating wires inside.”

“Wow! The shop owner is such a cool dude.”

The shop owner, who had been explaining while moving, swung open the warehouse door.

“To give you a quick rundown, it’s 30 pyeong (approx. 99 sqm) with a total weight of 870kg. From here, it’s already beyond what you’d call a tent.”

“I love it so much.”

“The price is 720 million won.”

“Huh? Did I accidentally pick a house or something?”

“The tent material is made from a special leather only obtainable in dungeons, and it excels in sword-proofing. That’s why most of the cost comes from the leather itself.”

***

By the time Han Ga-eul stepped out of the shop, it was already pitch-dark night.

“We’re going to a place where it snows heavily. The kids are gonna be thrilled, right?”

“Awesome!”

“Beep!”

“I should put a bed inside and fill it with an air conditioner and heating devices.”

It was then that Han Ga-eul, carrying flowers and sunflower seeds in her arms, was walking.

From behind Han Ga-eul, a dark doll quickly fell and covered her mouth.

“Deep sleep, slip.”

At the same time, Han Ga-eul collapsed like a broken thread.

A smile lingered on Han Ga-eul’s lips.

***

A massive hall shrouded in darkness. There, people wearing various masks were seated.

All of them wore relaxed smiles as they gazed at a relatively low platform.

Tap, tap.

In the pitch-black darkness where not even an inch ahead was visible, the sound of footsteps echoed softly.

“The next item, number 27, is, dare I say, the most exceptional item ever to appear in our Cheyenne Auction House.”

Ooh-!

Instantly, murmurs spread.

Even those who had been here many times had never heard such a claim before.

Tap.

Soon, the footsteps stopped, and a spotlight illuminated the platform.

“Oh…!!”

The auctioneer wasn’t wrong about anything. If there was a flaw, it was the item’s young age. But even that would naturally be resolved with time.

“The item’s appearance, as you can see, is of a premium grade never seen before.”

Those seated high above, wearing masks, all looked down at the platform.

Not a single one of them was distracted.

That included the son of Mormon Gray, a federal congressman from Wisconsin and a participant in the auction.

“Ah, father. I really want that.”

“Hmm…”

Mormon Gray couldn’t help but frown at the drool dripping from his son Liam Gray’s mouth.

He knew Liam’s perverse tendencies better than anyone.

“I’ll get it for you.”

“Really?”

Liam Gray’s eyes widened.

“But you must achieve good results in this competition.”

At his father Mormon’s words, Liam Gray’s lips curled up.

“You know my specialized ability, right? Crushing those Wisdom Academy punks is easier than spitting out chewing gum.”

“I trust you.”

Mormon Gray turned his gaze back to the platform below.

“The item’s voice is also exceptionally beautiful.”

The auctioneer tapped the item and brought the microphone to its mouth.

“Say something. You need to show the bidders a good side to go to a good place. Remember, everyone here is a high-ranking figure.”

***

“What are you looking at, brats?”