Chapter 135 (2/2)

Seol Jihu desperately called out, barging into the entryway.

“Saintess!”

The black smoke was huddled in a corner. Seol Jihu cautiously approached it like a hunter stalking its prey.

“I heard… that you chased out the people that visited.”

Swis.h.!.+

As soon as he said that, the upper part of the smoke turned sideways. Was it an illusion or did it looked like it turned its head?

Seol Jihu continued talking as if he was calming a pouting child.

“I don't think you're angry without a reason.”

“May I know why?”

As if his polite manner got through, the smoke began fidgeting. Seol Jihu cautiously sat down next to it. He began to patiently wait, as it didn't look like it'd try to escape again.

After a minute or two, a voice could be heard from the fidgeting cloud of smoke.

[P-Pink hair!]

“Pink hair…. The Princess?”

[Mmm… yeah… She irritated me….]

“What did Princess Teresa say?”

[I-I don't know.]

“You…. don't know?”

Let's summarize.

Teresa had misspoken and caused the Ghost Saintess to get irritated. And when he asked what she said, she replied with an “I don't know.”

'What in the…'

Seol Jihu rubbed his face with both his hands.

'What on earth am I even supposed to do?'

Seol Jihu quietly closed his eyes. He suddenly remembered a heated debate that he had with Yoo Seonhwa.

[Jihu. People are capable of logical thinking, but they're also emotional creatures.]

[Logic hurray!]

[Sympathy is also important. How can a person always stay rational?]

[Reason hurray!]

[Hey! I'm not joking. Be serious.]

[Dunno. Hug me.]

[See? You act so spoiled whenever you feel like it, and even when you're wrong, you're always so demanding!]

[But you let me.]

[Yeah fine. You can be like that with me. Because I like you. But—]

[So soft and cus.h.i.+ony…]

[H-Hey!?]

'I was happy then….'

Ignorant of his humiliating past, Seol Jihu remained immersed in his recollections, only coming back to reality when a sound echoed in his mind.

[I couldn't find you… but she kept on chattering so I got irritated…]

What? Come again?

Seol Jihu gave up trying to understand. While he was sure Princess Teresa would never do that, and that he had to listen to both sides to judge, he decided to solely take the Ghost Saintess' side for now.

“The Princess was wrong.”

“She should have kept her manners when she visited your grave. It would have been better if she had just kept quiet.”

[Y-Yeah?]

“Of course.”

[Y-You think so too? I was so disappointed that you didn't come when I was waiting for you for so long. But she kept saying that you were busy and couldn't come, that I had to understand, and ughh! I almost thought that she was making excuses as your wife or something!]

The Ghost Saintess started chattering nonstop as if she was never angry to begin with. Seol Jihu silently thanked Yoo Seonhwa.

“Anyway, it was all Princess Teresa's fault.”

[Yup, yup. You're right.]

As if siding with her made her happy, the black smoke bounced up and down. It looked like she was feeling better, so it was time to move on to the main act.

“Saintess. Aren't you hungry?”

[Huh?]

“Wait just a minute.”

Seol Jihu started taking out the ingredients he had packed one by one. He then lit a fire and placed a pan over it.

He smiled as he heard the sound of water boiling.

“I'll cook you a meal.”

What Seol Jihu prepared as a farewell gift was his personal cooking. It was called buddae-jjigae.

Buddae-jjigae was definitely unusual in Paradise of all places, but as most of the ingredients were permitted for entry, it wasn't hard to procure them.

Anyways, his long experience of living alone made him confident in his cooking, and above anything else, he wanted to show the Ghost Saintess a taste of his homeland.

[Hehe.]

The Ghost Saintess started floating around him as if she was showing interest.

[What's this?]

“It's ramen.”

[And this?]

“It's chili pepper.”

[What!?]

“No. Wait!”

[Pervert!]

“That's not what I meant!”

A shrieking Ghost Saintess and a troubled youth. As they bantered back and forth, the dish that Seol Jihu cooked with care was finally done.

To his usual preferences, he sliced in chili pepper and green onions, and sprinkled in a lot of chili powder….

Soon, the tomb was filled with a spicy, mouth-watering aroma.

“Mmmm.”

Seol Jihu took a sip and s.h.i.+vered, indicating his satisfaction with his dish. Next to him, the Ghost Saintess who had been waiting swallowed her saliva.

Since she had continuously pestered him throughout the cooking process, Seol Jihu handed her a very big ladle of the buddae-jjigae.

“You can try it now.”

[I can?]

“Yes. But it's hot so blow on it before you do.”

As he said that, the smoke let loose small puffs of air.

[Fuu- Fuu-.]

Seol Jihu broke up in laughter after seeing what looked like lips appear within the smoke.

[Slurp.]

The moment the smoke touched the soup…

A shrill squeak was heard.

“How is it?”

Instead of a reply, a stream of water spouted from the smoke.

[Mmph!]

“…S-Saintess?”

[Wah! Wah!]

Like a flamethrower, a hot stream of air shot out from the smoke.

[Spiicccyyyy!]

He finally realized that the Ghost Saintess was screaming for water. His usual preference must have been too much for her to handle.

Seol Jihu hurriedly took out a bottle of water and sprayed it. The black smoke immediately charged for the puddle of water on the ground.

[Hnnng…]

Seeing the spirit squirming in the puddle made Seol Jihu not know what to do, but hearing her start to whimper made him burst out into laughter.

How should he put it? It was like a cub licking up the water, and it was just too cute to look at.

[Glare.]

He was met with a strong glare. He tried covering his laughter, but it was too late. The black smoke started fuming and after swaying a bit, it charged at him.

“Ack.”

Hit by the overwhelming momentum, Seol Jihu was knocked over without a speck of resistance.

[Meanie!]

“Sorry! Aak! I'm sorry! Aak!”

[You did it on purpose! To tease me!]

“Nonono! I swear I… aak …didn't!!”

Seol Jihu's head was bitten and his ears were stretched.

Compared to when the intruder's neck had been twisted off or when the Parasites were ripped into pieces, this was a far lighter punishment.

“It hurts, pfft! It hurts, pffft!”

[Stop laughing~!]

For a while, the tomb was filled with an unusual scene of a youth and a spirit wrestling each other.

It's kimchi soup with a lot of sausages, ham, and other toppings. It is also known as the Korean Army Stew because it is easy to make in ma.s.s proportions, and thus is served for the army.

In Korean, chili pepper = gochu, which sounds similar to 'p.e.n.i.s'.