FYI: some sentences that are worded like questions don’t have question marks. This is intentional because this is done in the original book.
Also, I may start translating a different LN soon. It’s called 우리집 아기 고양이. It got turned into a visual novel and it’s super adorable. Fantasy + slice of life. (I don’t think I’ll quit this LN, though)
Finally, here’s a mythology lesson. Phantoms in this book are the exact same as youkai from Japanese culture. Some (if not many) youkai feed off human energy, specifically on fear energy. So for a phantom to continue to exist, it must continually “eat” that energy.
"That's not it. And why the hell is there a tissue box right next to the bed?!"
Where the hell did you learn that kind of thing from?!
"I heard on the internet that when a couple sleeps together, this is necessary."
"……does internet work here?"
"It is wireless."
I was shocked at how our country's technical prowess allowed access to wireless internet deep within the mountains, wait that's not it.
"We're not a couple yet, Saehee."
"You will be one starting tomorrow. Since the young master is a lolicon."
"You're saying that again?!"
"Then I shall take my leave now."
"Hey! Hey!!"
While saying that, Saehee disappeared like she was fog and closed the door.
Just staring blankly at the door won't change the situation. I wish someone would press the rewind button on my life. Even two minutes would be enough.
"Aren't you going to sleep?"
"……when did you get in there."
Rangii was unexpectedly underneath the covers, with just her head poking out. Who said you could get in. I'm saying it's more comfortable for me to sleep alone so get out! is what I wanted to yell at her, but I shut my mouth after seeing her clothes laid neatly next to the blankets. I could see Rangii's outer clothing and lady's panties. This must be that, right?
"……hey."
"What's wrong?"
"Did you take your underwear off too?"
"I was told that not wearing underwear when sleeping is good for your health."
That kind of saying does exist, but who told……, it was Saehee. There's no one else but Saehee. After releasing a big sigh, I got up while packing the shorts I brought to wear as pajamas.
"You sleep here. I'll sleep in another room."
"Why are you going to do that?"
Rangii sat up. The blanket that was covering her up to her neck naturally moved down and I could see…… couldn't see her pale skin.
"Hey."
"My name is Ho Rangii."
"No, just ignore the small stuff. How did you end up wearing that."
The pronoun that, in this case, is being used to indicate my t-shirt. Speaking of Rangii taking off her clothes, after I took that t-shirt from her and stuffed it in my bag, she's wearing it right now.
"Yeah, do whatever you want. Wear it or don't."
I got up and pulled the sliding door to the side. It's not moving. ……huh? I'm using all my strength to try and pull a door made of wood and thin paper, but it won't budge.
"Why won't this open?"
I was talking to myself, surprised, but then
"For Master and the young master's time of intimacy, I applied magic. Until the first chicken cries even I cannot open the door, so no matter what kind of hard play you do, you can relax."
Saehee answered. Hey, dammit. So you were there.
"Open the door right now!"
There's no response. It doesn't seem like anyone's behind the door. Has she disappeared for now?! I tried to open the door again, but it really won't open.
"What are you doing there?"
……should I ask Rangii for help? No, there's no reason why Rangii would listen to my request. Would it really be so bad to just sleep? I still remember a thought like that from before. But still, I should at least try and ask her.
"Hey, open this door."
"I don't know how to use that kind of magic."
"……why?"
"Saehee knew those trivial magics so I didn't have to learn them. I can break it by my own strength. Should I do that?
"It's fine."
Whatever, I don't know anymore. I'll just sleep here for today. I'll just think of it as sleeping with a younger cousin. It, it's embarrassing because this came about so quickly. It's okay. Rangii's still a child. If I were sleeping with Narae or some other big-breasted older sister type I might be able to escape virginity through some means…… no, I mean I would be able to escape it, but since it's Rangii, it's okay.
"Let's just sleep."
I decided to just get this weird activity over with. I got in quietly next to Rangii. It's a large blanket so there's a lot of space left for me.
"I haven't prepared myself for our first night yet……"
I prepared myself to hit you on the hid a while ago.
"Owie! What in the world do you think my head is?!"
"A cure to stop you from spouting nonsense."
"Uuuu—. You are the only one since I was born to ever hit me on the head."
"Think of it as a good experience."
More importantly, is it good that the blanket is thin? The feel of the wind blowing softly is really refreshing. Did she put into consideration the fact that it's summer?
"Then I'm going to sleep. You go to sleep too."
"But is a first night really like this?"
Don't ask me.
"I heard that we're supposed to do something to the extent of our love for each other before we got to sleep. How strange."
"……why are you so fixated on that?"
After hesitating for a moment, Rangii responded to my question while grabbing my hand.
"This will be a long story, but would you like to hear it?"
"I don't want to hear an old woman tell a tall tale from ages ago so no thanks."
"In what way am I an old woman?"
Rangii pinched her side of the blanket.
"Hey hey hey."
I spoke as Rangii took the blanket from me and rolled it around herself as she spun away.
"Even if I don't know other things, I know that Sunghoon needs a punishment for making fun of a someone's age."
I mean, I agree with the second part of what you said (tn: not sure) but you have to be over 4000 years old, so if you think about the wording of what I said I'm not wrong? But even if it is the middle of summer, I might catch a cold if I sleep without a blanket. I also don't want to harm Baduk's sanctity by having her catch a human's cold. Looking at Rangii's back as she was sulking, I patted Rangii's clearly visible head and spoke.
"It's a joke, you brat. Don't be upset."
"……I'm not upset."
Rangii quietly pushed the edge of the blanket that was originally around her body towards me. I grabbed my side of the blanket and pulled. She spun quickly and got right up next to my chest. It's way too warm with you on me is what I was about to say when,
"It was a long time ago."
Rangii started her story right after she hugged my chest.
"I was watching over and protecting the children who were eating humans. My fellow chiefs and I, as great phantoms, had no reason to eat humans, but the normal ones ate the spirits of humans to increase their strength. "
On this topic, back then this was a natural occurrence. Because after phantoms ate humans, other humans' fear would act to prolong the life of the phantoms for days.
"And so, one day, I found a strange sight."
A mother and child. And a phantom. The phantom was going to eat the pair when,
"I couldn't understand. One's own life is more important than any other's life. This is the logic of all those who have life. But then the moment they were about to be eaten, the mother attempted to save her child's life by sacrificing her own."
At first, I thought that was just an instinct to save her species.
"But it wasn't. I thought that their mating and creating offspring was all this was, but a man and woman who were completely unrelated by blood, despite their fear being plain to see, sought to sacrifice themselves. And when I saw this, I found out my thinking was incorrect. What could be making this pair, who were so deathly afraid and facing death, act for the sake of another."
And so, one day, she asked the wisest human. How can a human sacrificing herself for the sake of another, and he answered like this.
"Dear mountain god, that is love."
The mountain god, Rangii, was shocked by this.
"Then if I were to receive this love…… How happy would I be. I was so bored and bored and bored. Receiving love is the only way for me, who lives without a purpose, to have purpose. So, how could I not be interested.
At those words.
"I want to be loved."
I suddenly felt as if Rangii, who was hugging my chest, was far away.
"I heard that all couples who love each other get married. So I want to get married with you and receive your love."
Rangii's thoughts on love are wrong. You can't call that love. Simply for fun, to love just to make yourself happy, is not what I view love to be. It's closer to a kind of game.
But I couldn't bear to tell Rangii that her thinking was wrong. Rangii believed that was love for such a long time because of the seal. A long time that I couldn't possibly fathom.
Could I even explain to her what was wrong if I told her that her thinking was incorrect? And could I explain to Rangii what love is?
It'd be impossible. I'm not the one who should tell her about that anyway. So I said,
"Is that so."
I responded to Rangii's words,
"Yeah. It is."
To Rangii, who so thoroughly believed she would receive love from me and was smiling so innocently, I couldn't do anything but rub her head.
"Huwee~."
Rangii was happy so her ears were down and she was smiling brightly. I wish someone would quickly appear and properly teach this baby-like phantom what love really is.
Since there's no way that person can be me.
Could it be because of what happened today? After patting Rangii's head, I lost consciousness and I fell asleep.
"……are you sleeping?"
The last thing I heard was Rangii talking, embarrassed.