[TS] Became a Peach Saint – Chapter 261

Tododok.

“Ouch.”

Thinking it’s a flying squirrel or something, it flies right into my arms.

“You must’ve had a hard time coming here.”

“Ppit!”

As I stroke Danpung’s back on my palm, it wags its bushy tail.

“Ppi…”

This little guy also melts like sticky rice cake when touched.

Sprawled on my palm, its chubby cheeks are more pronounced.

“What did you bring so much of?”

“Ppit.”

Its cheek pouches are bulging more than usual, probably stuffed with something.

Seems like it brought all the stuff it had stored at home since it’s moving.

“Danpung, now you’re with me…”

Kururung.

Before I could finish, a loud cracking sound echoes, as if the building is about to collapse.

“Hmm… Let’s bounce.”

“Alright!”

“Ppit!”

Quickly stuffing Baekseol and Danpung into my pocket, I head outside as the noise from the gym grows louder.

I really hope it’s not the sound of Professor Hwang’s composure breaking.

***

Kwaang!

Kicking the door open and knocking, Yu Bitna, buried under a pile of documents at her desk, slumps her head.

“Bitna.”

“What.”

“Come out.”

“Go away.”

“Got it.”

Despite the polite knock, I get the cold shoulder.

As I turn to leave, a huge sigh comes from behind.

“Ugh. What now? What’s the problem this time?”

“What do you mean ‘what’s the problem’? People will think I caused an accident.”

Yu Bitna’s face is filled with shock.

“Wh-what on earth… I’m about to lose my mind because of the mess you made!”

“Me?”

“Yes! You! The U.S. Association already caught wind of it!”

“What wind?”

Yu Bitna rubs the back of her neck this time.

Looks like high blood pressure, the root of all illnesses, is coming for her at a young age.

“Your summon took down a dragon from the U.S.! They keep claiming ownership of the dragon’s corpse!!”

“Wait, they’re making such a fuss over that tiny thing?”

Come to think of it, it was me wearing the recognition-blocking talisman my master gave me, not the summon.

Even if they couldn’t identify me, they probably figured out where the summon came from. That’s why Yu Bitna’s under so much pressure.

“Hmm. Didn’t think of that.”

“Please stop causing trouble…”

“Come on, it was just one time. A mistake. I forgot to reverse summon it.”

As I walk behind the nearly crying Yu Bitna, she bristles like Baekseol on high alert.

“Why, why…”

Ding!

**〈Massage〉**

“Haah…”

“Ah, refreshing…”

My shoulders are as stiff as rocks from wrestling with piles of paperwork.

“Our ace player, you always suffer on the front lines.”

“Hmm…”

As I massage my shoulders, Danpung, who was in my pocket, slides down my arm and approaches Yu Bit-na’s shoulder.

“Hi, Baekseol.”

Yu Bit-na seems to feel the warmth near her cheek and greets back.

“That’s not Baekseol.”

“Huh?”

Only then does Yu Bit-na turn her head and finally make eye contact with Danpung.

“Oh my, who’s this? A new face?”

“Beep!”

“Haha, oh my, how cute.”

Yu Bit-na, who was melting in relaxation, raises a finger to greet Danpung.

“That’s Danpung. My friend.”

“Really? Danpung, nice to meet you.”

“Beep!”

“This one’s voice goes down at the start and up at the end? It really sounds like it’s answering.”

“It really is answering. It’s quite the chatterbox.”

“Beep-beep! Beep!”

As Danpung keeps chattering away, Yu Bit-na nods along.

“Your body gives off a sweet scent, so animals must like it.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. So, isn’t it about time to get to the point?”

“I just came to ask for some Deer Meadow tickets.”

Yu Bit-na, who had been looking at me with a tense gaze, suddenly looks dumbfounded.

“That’s it?”

“Yeah.”

“You’ve been there before. So you can just go. Like I said last time, I’ve instructed the Silver Wings guild members to recognize your face, so you shouldn’t be stopped unless it’s something serious.”

“Is it okay to skip the procedures like that?”

Yu Bit-na shrugs.

“You’re the only Saint in our country. What are they going to do even if they peck at you from above?”

“Does the guild have higher-ups?”

“Strictly speaking, we’re directly under the association but nominally a government-affiliated guild.”

“Ah, right. That’s how it was.”

I still don’t know if I’m really the Saint.

I haven’t even been officially assessed for suitability, but they seem to firmly believe I’m the Saint.

All I did was squash a bug that popped out of a gate.

***

Ding!

<You have entered the Deer Meadow>

“Ta-da! Kids, this is the Deer Meadow.”

“Yeah!”

“Beep!”

This is the place where the Silver Wings guild occasionally uses for outings, a low-level gate.

It’s a vast green meadow where deer leisurely graze. It’s classified as danger level FF, so it’s safe for kids to play around.

“Just in case, don’t go too far and play where I can see you, okay?”

“Exciting!”

“Beep-beep!”

As I set the two Pposiraegi down on the ground,

After looking around, it scurries off across the ground.

─Click, click.

“Whew─”

While the kids were out playing, I looked around and saw a tree full of sword marks. It reminded me of when I first pulled out the skeleton and tried experimenting with it.

“Ouch.”

Leaning back against the tree, a groan escapes my mouth.

It’s not like I’m particularly hurt, but I guess it’s become a habit.

“Haah─”

The warm breeze feels nice, and it naturally lifts my mood.

Sitting there absentmindedly, puffing on a cigarette, the kids who were playing come running back.

“Something wrong?”

“Let’s play!”

“Ppit!”

“Kids, I’m old and sick.”

Two fluffy lumps ignore me and climb onto the book I was reading.

“Let’s play!”

“Ppit!”

As I pet the kids with both hands, Baekseol rolls around on the book, and Danpung flops forward, wagging its tail.

“These little rascals.”

“Ppi─”

“Alright!”

I thought they’d be too busy playing with each other now that they have friends, but it seems I’m included too.

Danpung, who was lying down, gets up and rubs my cheek. I see it pulling out a sunflower seed from its cheek pouch and nibbling on it.

“Ppit!”

Danpung stretches out its tiny limbs and offers me a shelled sunflower seed.

“You’re giving it to me?”

“Ppit!”

“Ahh.”

As the sunflower seed passes my teeth, it crumbles slightly.

A savory taste fills my mouth.

“Thanks, it’s delicious.”

“Ppit!”

Even though it’s just a small sunflower seed, it must be precious to this little one, yet it keeps trying to give me its share.

Danpung probably sees me as its first family. Maybe it’s acting this way out of insecurity, but family isn’t just about giving.

Whoosh!

“Baekseol, wanna play with the ball?”

“Ball!”

I take out the ice crystal that has become Baekseol’s favorite toy, and it starts rolling it around on the floor.

“Ppi.”

Danpung’s gaze is fixed on Baekseol’s ball. Baekseol, who was playing with the ball, notices and rolls it toward Danpung.

“Together!”

“Ppi!”

Baekseol, who seemed a bit jealous, is now willing to share.

I guess both Baekseol and I are growing a little.

“Let Baekseol play with that. I’ll give Danpung another ball.”

“Ppi?”

Plop.

As I close my eyes, a droplet falls, creating ripples.

In sync with my heartbeat, I see the guy still sparking with electricity.

Crackle!

It’s a rare item, worthy of being Shin Jwa’s signature, but it’s not something I’d treat as gold or jade.

Not quite.

Sizzle—!!

When I opened my eyes, I saw a small orb on my palm, crackling with fierce electricity.

It’s softer than I thought.

“Here. Our gift to Danpung. It’s called Brain Lightning.”

“Pii…”

When I rolled the Brain Lightning toward Danpung, their round eyes filled with tears.

Instead of looking at the Brain Lightning I gave as a gift, they just stared up at me.

“Huh? Is Danpung a crybaby squirrel?”

“Pii, pii…”

Since they only knew how to give, they needed to learn how to receive too.

“It’s okay.”

When I wiped away the tears welling up in their eyes with my finger, they finally looked at the Brain Lightning that had rolled in front of them.

“Piiit?”

“Isn’t it precious? Did I look that weak to you? If I were going to break just because I didn’t have a single ball to give to Danpung, I’d have been dead long ago.”

“Pii piiit!”

“Yeah. I’ve got my own toys to play with. So don’t worry and go play with Baekseol.”

“Piiit!”

Because my energy has the unique properties of Seonki and Myeongki, energy-related items are rare compared to mana, but items like this aren’t much help for my growth.

If I had unlocked the shackles Hercules kept talking about, maybe my energy shortage would’ve been somewhat resolved, but it’s not the time yet.

In the first place, energy is just an additional tool for me.

“I should play with my toys too.”

“Piiit?”

“Play?”

“It’s an adult’s toy. Kids, go play over there.”

After sending Baekseol and Danpung away, I opened the space. A dark entrance appeared. I reached in and fumbled around a few times until I grabbed what I wanted.

Crunch!

“Ugh!?”

The moment I grabbed the item and exerted strength, I screamed in pain from my waist. I almost couldn’t use my back for the rest of my life.

It was an overwhelming mass.

When I put it in, I managed with Haetnimu’s help, but the reverse situation was impossible to handle.

“This is insane.”

It’s not something I can solve with my own strength.

Reluctantly, I changed the coordinates of the space and entered. Inside, I saw a monkey happily playing with a tablet on a tree.