Chapter 98

As we kept drinking, the bottles of soju gradually filled the table.

“Like this, huh? I go, wham! Right under the chin, huh?!”

“Wow, my wife is amazing! Well done! That really hit the spot! Auntie, another bottle of soju here!”

“Oh my, you’ve already had five bottles, and you want more?”

“On a day like this, we drink until we drop! Hurry up and pour!”

It seemed like Chilho was the one feeling the burn.

Four bottles of soju stood on the table. Chilho had only drunk half a bottle.

The remaining three and a half bottles were polished off by the two women, passing the bottle back and forth, calling each other “husband” and “wife.”

“Hey, ladies. Maybe you should stop now…”

Huh, look at this guy.

“Hey, on a day like this, we drink until we drop. Even my husband here is drinking well. Why are you trying to stop us, huh?”

“Well… if you two get too drunk, I’ll have to take care of you, right?”

Of course!

A subordinate like you should understand that sometimes the boss gets a little drunk!

“By the way, hey, Yoon-Woo.”

“Yeah?”

“That beetle.”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t you think it’s sulking?”

Definitely, right?

After seeing me messing around with Chilho, it declared war as soon as it got back, even announcing an attack on Gwangmyeong, where I live. It’s definitely sulking.

“I think so too. It’s definitely sulking.”

“Men are so petty.”

Eve laughed as she cracked open a new bottle.

The sound of glasses being filled was so lively.

“But… Eve.”

“Yeah?”

“How do I even realize I’m a woman? I even took that guy on a date today, but nothing’s changed.”

“What?”

Eve’s eyes widened in an instant.

Oh, oh… Did I say something wrong…?

…Huh?! I messed up!

“What did you do? A date?”

“Yeah. A date. We watched a movie, had coffee together.”

She didn’t seem to notice.

“Hey.”

“What? What?”

Eve’s mood instantly turned icy.

Just moments ago, she was pouring and drinking, but now her demeanor had cooled rapidly.

“Why are you going on a date with him?”

“Well, there’s no one else around…”

I couldn’t bring myself to say, “There are no other men…”

Eve glared at me, then at Chilho, then back at me.

“What about me?!”

Why is this coming up now?!

“You’re a woman!”

“So what! Women can go on dates too! Even Dusik is here!”

“What kind of nonsense are you talking about?! What kind of date is that between women?!”

The argument quickly escalated.

Chilho, caught off guard by the sudden rise in voices, looked visibly flustered.

“Even so, going on a date with a minion is weird.”

“What’s wrong with a minion?!”

“Hey, it takes ten of them to barely handle one Magical Girl! What if he dies in a fight? What then?!”

“Die…!”

I couldn’t bring myself to say, “Do you think I’d let that happen?!”

Eve was right.

She wasn’t wrong at all.

A minion is just a minion.

They don’t even have names. They’re just pawns, filling the numbers in the battles between Magical Girls and the Mogmog Group.

I glanced at Chilho, who was awkwardly smiling.

“…Why are you laughing?”

“Well, Auditorium, your words are so spot on. I can’t argue, so I can only laugh.”

Is this the eighth or seventh time he’s died?

Chilho’s face, now familiar with death, came to mind.

But now there’s no Production Device.

If you die now, there’s no way to come back.

“Honestly, sis, you’d be better off enjoying yourself with Dusik or Sohee. Even if I die… you won’t see me again, so getting attached to me will only hurt you, right?”

If I die.

I couldn’t continue as I watched Chilho add that last line.

Because he wasn’t wrong.

—

“Ah, you bad girl.”

After sending Chilho off, I walked through the night with Eve.

“Why again?”

“Even though she was dragged out by me today and spent the whole day playing with me, saying that to her face is too much.”

“I did it on purpose.”

“Why?”

“To wake you up. I get that you love your family, but you can’t get too attached. It’ll only hurt you.”

Only I get hurt, huh.

As we walked, I saw a vending machine.

Suddenly, I was thirsty.

The thirst in my heart translates to the thirst in my body. The longing in my heart manifests in my body, and while my body craves water, I don’t know what my heart craves. All I know is that it screams, “Give me more, more, more,” and I don’t even know what to pour into it. Standing blankly in front of the vending machine.

“Praying in front of a vending machine? No coins?”

“Nope. Get me a canned coffee.”

“Sit down.”

I sat on a bench and stared blankly at the sky.

No stars were visible in the night sky. It wasn’t cloudy, but no stars were visible. Not even the moon was clearly visible, and I felt a little down.

I’ve never thought my life was miserable, painful, sad, or depressing. And I probably never will.

People struggling to make a living can’t afford such thoughts. I was too busy surviving, and after leaving the orphanage, I had to find work to make ends meet.

I learned early on not to compare my life to others, and I became too accustomed to standing alone in this world.

So, I don’t wonder why my life is like this compared to others.

In the time it takes to think that, I have to work to earn money to survive.

The glamorous lives on TV are theirs, and sitting here chewing on a piece of jerky with a can of beer is my life. Their lives are theirs, and my life is mine.

“Here, coffee.”

And like this can of coffee suddenly thrust in front of me, a stray kitten that came into my life by chance completely changed its direction.

“Thanks.”

Is that how I should think of it?

From a life lived as a man, now I have to live as a woman… Is that how I should think of it?

Jokingly, I have a wife and a husband, though that friend has no idea I used to be her old friend.

Plus, I have two younger siblings who call me “big sis,” and a bunch of subordinates who call me “boss.”

I have a cute daughter, a son who follows me around with my ring, and all this makes me feel like becoming a woman has been nothing but good luck for me.

Isn’t this actually a good thing?

Thinking like this, I want to go home.

“I want to go home.”

“We’re already on our way, aren’t we?”

“Yeah. So, I want to go home.”

“What are you talking about? Still drunk?”

“I’m sober. So, I want to go home.”

“Ugh… Let’s go. I’ll walk you.”

“Hehe.”

“Don’t laugh like that. It’s endearing.”

“You said you’d protect me someday, right?”

“Well, yeah.”

Bickering, we headed home as darkness fell.

—

“Hello~”

After sending Eve off, I hesitated at the entrance of the officetel before turning away.

I can’t go in empty-handed on a day like this.

“Are you still open?”

“Oh, long time no see! Of course, we’re open!”

It’s been a while since I visited this chicken shop.

The food here is good, but why is there never a customer whenever I come?

“Uh, today…”

I used to buy six or seven at a time, but now that amount feels like a burden.

Ah, five million won… Just when I start to forget, it keeps coming back… Ugh, annoying.

“Hey, ten pieces. Mix them up for me.”

“Sure! Just a moment~! Oh, would you like a cola too?”

I just had a canned coffee, but it’d be rude to refuse, right?

“Yes, thank you. Uh, that.”

“Ah! Yes, over there.”

The owner pointed to a corner hidden by a curtain.

Hehe.

I slowly approached and peeked under the curtain to find an angel sleeping.

With tiny fists clenched and mouth slightly open, the baby slept soundly like an angel.

The chubby cheeks looked so soft.

“Is she asleep?”

“Yes, sleeping very soundly.”

“She was fussing earlier, but now she’s asleep.”

“Hehe, she looks so cute sleeping.”

I like kids.

I didn’t know why before, but now I have a rough idea.

But I don’t think that’s the whole reason.

I’ve always been like this, and even though I’m Vesprede, that’s only a part of me, not my whole self.

So, I’ve always liked kids. And that’s partly due to Vesprede’s influence.

What am I saying.

I must still be a little drunk.

Before I knew it, I was sitting in a chair, staring blankly at the sleeping child.

“To go, right~?”

“Ah, is it ready?”

“Yes!”

I handed over my card and received the chicken. Ten pieces, but somehow it felt manageable.

Somehow, I feel a bit stronger.

“Thanks, I’ll enjoy it, boss.”

“Ah, thank you. Be careful on your way home~!”

Leaving the chicken shop and heading home.

The hand holding the chicken felt heavy, but my heart felt lighter as I got closer to home.

Yeah, so what.

Right now, I’m Yoon-Woo.

The empty, lonely person named Lee Jun-woo is long gone.

Now, I am Yoon-Woo, and I will continue to be.

Yoon-Woo, the Mother-Body, Vesprede, the whatever of the Dark Realm, playing all these roles.

I have the family I always wanted, and I have the power to protect them.

All I need is to get stronger.

If I get strong enough to protect everyone, that’s all that matters.

Strong enough to take on a swarm of yellow beetles.

Strong enough to protect those angelic children sleeping soundly.

I want to get stronger.

If I’m truly Vesprede, I want to be as strong as her.

As strong as her, whom even Escario couldn’t mess with.

—

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