[TS] Became a Peach Saint – Chapter 2

“Then what else am I supposed to do?”

“Please use your authority to receive emotions from those who have status and self-awareness, thereby possessing self-awareness.”

“What are you talking about, receive emotions?”

“Higher animals develop status and self-awareness. This allows them to feel joy and pain, possess emotions, control themselves, and feel alive. On Earth, humans are the prime example.”

Listening to Par’s words, my head starts to spin.

“Can’t you just say it simply? So, you mean I should gain human support?”

“Ugh, this is so frustrating…”

I heard Par muttering softly.

“I can hear you, you little brat. Acting like some philosopher, talking about self-awareness and stuff.”

Par sighed deeply and continued.

“Correct. When the public’s emotional direction turns toward you, those emotions become divine power, which then transforms back into my life force.”

“So, it’s not just about gaining public support like joy, but any emotion will do?”

“Exactly. You will absorb all kinds of emotions—joy, sadness, anger, disgust, fear—as power.”

“So, I could become a popular celebrity or, on the flip side, commit murder?”

At my blatant words, Par let out a dry laugh.

“That is also correct. The direction of the emotions you absorb is up to you, and you must bear the consequences of those emotional flows.”

It seems like whether I become a popular celebrity with fan support or a criminal scorned by the public, it’s all on me.

“Shouldn’t a holy spirit only accept righteous and sacred power?”

“No. What I need is the power that comes from the flow of emotions. Whether it’s righteous or not is your choice, not something I can enforce.”

“What if… I want to live quietly without any influence?”

“That is also up to you. I only offered the contract to Lady Han Ga-eul, whom I observed and felt. I do not wish for your sacrifice.”

No matter what question I ask, the answers are always positive.

“So, what am I supposed to do?”

“There is some power stored in the Status Window for small assistance, but the overall direction is up to you. All I can tell you is to shout ‘Status Window’ loudly to activate the function.”

“Please, don’t make me do that.”

My vision goes dark.

While I’m debating whether to do it or not, Par’s voice comes again.

“The power I’ve given you will have a significant impact on Earth, which only accepts the conveniences of civilization.”

“…So?”

Suddenly, light bursts from the mirror, and Par’s cheerful voice flows out.

“Please live happily.”

With that bright, playful voice, Par, who was in the mirror, disappears as if they were never there.

I stare blankly at the mirror for a while, but nothing changes. I return to my room and slump onto the mattress.

“What does ‘live happily’ even mean, seriously.”

I wasn’t some extraordinary human; in fact, I was just a lowly commoner who worked at a small company, got laid off, and then bounced around doing manual labor during the day and driving as a substitute driver at night.

I couldn’t understand why someone would approach me with something like this.

As I sat there dazed, trying to piece things together, Par’s last muttered words came to mind.

“Sa, sa····.”

My head drooped on its own.

“Sa···. Sigh.”

It felt like my throat was completely blocked, and I couldn’t even think of making a sound.

“Sabakgwe! Please.”

Looking around, it was just me in my own space.

In this cramped one-room apartment, there was no one to point fingers at me.

“Phew. Status Window!!”

Ding!

A sound like a game system notification rang out, and a semi-transparent window appeared before my eyes.

───

[Name: Han Ga-eul]

[Age: 21]

[Position: Saint]

[Affiliation: Heavenly Peach (天桃)]

[Contract Spirit: Aparsek]

[Shop]: Inactive

───

The status window didn’t show anything particularly different.

But my eyes were drawn to the words “Contract Spirit” written there.

Par’s name, who had left with a bright smile, was clearly engraved.

“I’m losing my mind. What am I supposed to do?”

Looking at my left arm, the bracelet I had worn was gone, leaving only a fragile-looking wrist.

Seeing my wrist, which looked like it couldn’t even handle manual labor, I figured I should probably quit that line of work.

Before, I at least had the strength of an adult male, but now, with my hair looking like crap and my strength drained, I’m worse off than before.

So, what can I do right now?

As Par said, to gain popularity, I’d need either looks or singing skills. But as someone who’s been inhaling dust at construction sites, I have zero talent for entertainment.

I spent all day playing games, so I didn’t even have an interest in that direction.

The only money-making method that comes to mind right now is substitute driving, which I’ve been doing whenever I have time.

“If some drunk middle-aged guy asks if I’m the substitute driver with this dull pink hair, I’m definitely getting cursed at. No doubt about it.”

Substitute driving is mentally exhausting since all the customers are drunk. But in terms of money, it’s way better than manual labor.

‘But my gender changed—what happened to my personal info?’

I pulled out my ID from my wallet, and thankfully, it had been updated.

A woman with dull pink hair, as if a hairdresser messed up while dozing off, was printed on the ID.

The only saving grace was that the name Han Ga-eul, which has a neutral feel, actually helps now.

Memories of struggling every time I introduced myself as Han Ga-eul flashed by.

“Hmm.”

I took out my phone, opened the substitute driving app, and checked the driver info—it was updated correctly too.

After confirming the changes, I closed the app and checked the time.

8:32 P.M.

Eight in the evening is peak time for substitute drivers.

If I’m going out, I need to go now, but I’m hesitating to muster the courage.

It doesn’t happen.

“Ugh!”

Shouting once in my one-room apartment, I feel a slight surge of energy returning to my shrunken body.

It was something I always did, but suddenly, because of my changed appearance, I found myself feeling scared without realizing it.

“Let’s go, Autumn! It’s what I always do, what’s there to be scared of?”

Mid-February, and the cold hasn’t completely gone yet. If I don’t want to freeze to death, I have to bundle up tightly.

Opening the closet door, I realize belatedly that something’s wrong.

Trying to straighten out my shrunken heart and go out, I find that the clothes, which were already too big for me, are now impossibly large.

Even if I force myself to wear them, they’ll just slip off with the slightest movement.

It seems like I need to buy clothes to wear before I can start making money.

Then, what means do I have to make money…

Looking around, I see items scattered on the floor.

“…Second-hand trading.”

Thinking of second-hand trading, I look around again and see quite a few things worth selling.

Apart from saving, it seems like I need to open that shop first to get things moving.

Getting up, my body doesn’t follow easily, probably because of the sudden change in my physique.

Stabilizing my staggering body and walking to the desk, the first thing I see is the 150,000 won watch worn by a drama lead.

I feel a spark in my eyes.

I once bought a cheap scooter because delivery jobs paid well. And a helmet more expensive than the second-hand scooter, bought because I didn’t want to die.

“Next!”

I take photos and post them on a second-hand trading site.

My already empty one-room apartment feels increasingly emptier.

The 10kg bag of rice I bought to eat, still unopened.

There are electronic appliances that people living alone call the three sacred items. Even the air fryer, which suddenly became trendy and joined the sacred items.

I sold my future.

I live only for today.

Eating only ramen will do.

In a state of ecstasy, I posted everything except the underwear I was wearing on the second-hand site.

“Phew.”

After roughly gathering the items posted on the site, fatigue suddenly overwhelms me.

“Hot water, hot water.”

Pressing the boiler’s hot water button, I lead my dust-covered body to the bathroom after a day of hard labor.

Walking slowly, I shed my clothes like a snake shedding its skin.

Arriving at the bathroom, marking my territory like Hansel and Gretel, I’m greeted by a one-room bathroom colder than the cooling system of a sauna.

Leaving the hot water running until warmth fills the bathroom, I stare blankly at the mirror, and the mirror stares back at me.

“Wow… is this a man or a woman?”

An exclamation escapes me.

A chest that insists it’s an A-cup, barely visible.

Skin tanned and rough, as if from hard physical labor.

Eyes the color of a gloomy sky, making you want to grab an umbrella just by looking at them.

Cracked and chaotic, as if hit by a strong earthquake.

My lips.

Hands that look like they’ve been through so much, even the ladies would probably comfort them.

Dry, brittle hair that even Par failed to dye properly.

A body that even a soldier would shake their head at, from the navel to the toes.

“This… is a saint?”

Total disaster.

I blankly stared at my body, then soaked it under the warm water from the showerhead.

As the warm steam rose and touched my cold body, it felt like I was melting.

“Ugh, so good.”

With no one around, I felt braver.

—Creak, creak.

Maybe because my hair was so long, one pump of shampoo used to be enough, but now it felt like no matter how much I squeezed, it wasn’t enough.

The saint’s shampoo standard was whether it produced a ton of foam or not.

After lathering up my hair and rinsing it, the shampoo didn’t wash out as easily as I thought.

When I was a guy, 10 minutes was enough, but now I understand why women spend an hour in the shower.

After squeezing my hair a few times, it felt like I was finally finishing up.

After finishing, I stepped out of the bathroom and remembered something I saw somewhere, so I roughly wrapped my hair in a towel.

“Is this how it’s done?”

It was time to wrap up the day.

Leaving my dripping hair as it was, I pulled out the oversized hoodie and sweatpants I used to wear as a guy and put them on.

—Thud.

As soon as I pulled up the pants and let go, they slid right back down.

“Damn it.”

This isn’t something a rubber band can fix.

I grabbed a clip from the laundry rack and gathered the excess fabric, pinning it together.

Still loose.

But if I walked slowly, it probably wouldn’t fall off, so I grabbed the cigarettes and lighter I had thrown on the desk and headed outside.

As I stepped out the front door, my breath fogged up.

“Ha, it’s really cold.”

I pulled out a cigarette, lit it with the lighter, and took a drag.

—Click, click.

“Phew──”

Staring blankly at the dark night sky, I smoked the cigarette, and it burned down quickly.

After putting out the cigarette that had burned down to the filter, I went back inside, brushed my teeth, and lay down my heavy body.

It was a chaotic day.

I hope tomorrow, a lot of items sell.