I should have all of volume 1 finished before the end of August. Also, I just got all my books. You may notice volume 3 is missing. Well, it’s not like I wanted it.
I’ll upload these every few days. I’m translating 4 or 5 pages a day to meet my pseudo deadline.
And this is really me showing off, but look at the cool new stuff I got!
Chii is best girl. I’ve only read up to the first half of volume 5, so I need to start reading the rest too! Yay~
And also, LN Narae is just… just the worst. I mean, LN Narae makes manhwa Narae look like a saint. Do Koreans just like getting beaten up by strong-willed, only-attractive-on-the-outside girls? I don’t get it!
Even though I can't even remember how many times I've drank the barley tea Saehee brought, for some reason my lips were totally dry. Ah, there isn't another pincushion. Narae's glaring at me from the corner of her eye so hard it hurts.
"……so you mean even though Sunghoon and Rangii have a cousin-like relationship they're actually complete strangers. And they're even engaged?"
It looks like the story has ended up like that.
"Y, yeah."
[Rangii] "That's right. We're lovey-dovey."
When and where did you learn that word?
Sting. Narae's glare hurts a whole lot more.
"Really?"
It's better that I tell her about the engagement than about Rangii being a phantom.
"It's like that for now, but……"
"Lolicon. Go die."
Words that I couldn't ignore came from Narae's mouth.
"Who, who's a lolicon? My tastes are normal!"
I must look just like someone from a drama who got caught cheating by his lover.
"That's right. Sunghoon naturally likes a woman like me."
You brat. Would you shut that mouth for now? Are you planning on bankrupting my romance and directly dragging it away?
"……"
Aghh, Miss Narae scornful glare hurts. My heart hurts.
"Even if we are engaged, our parents are the ones who decided that, and I didn't even know about it until yesterday."
"But despite that it looks like you two are really close?"
"Sunghoon met me once when he was young."
"When?"
"When Sunghoon was born……"
I swiftly blocked Rangii's mouth.
"Uub?"
Don't look at me like you're asking why I'm doing this. You brat, try and use common sense. I'm clearly older than you so does it make sense that I met you the moment I was born?
"Ha, haha. When Rangii was born, not that long ago. Yeah. I was also young then so I forgot."
I carefully removed the hand that was blocking Rangii's mouth. I was trying to tell her hey, don't say anything weird, with my eyes, but Rangii didn't have a lot of experience in understanding someone's inner feelings.
"Why do you keep acting like that? Even though I said I would accept a concubine, but at some point a concubine should know her place! Isn't it natural for you to show love to your wife, to me?"
The first thing I'm going to do is shut that mouth.
"Who're you calling a concubine?"
Look. Because of you Narae got mad.
"If Sunghoon were to pick who to be his wife between the two of us, he would obviously choose me!"
You're getting mad about a weird part!
"Why are you saying that?! Sunghoon will obviously choose me! Sunghoon is totally in love with me! Because he's a lolicon!"
Are you planning on killing me?
At first Narae got angry at Rangii's nonsensical words, but suddenly she gave a bright smile, looking like a flower, and said
"Rangii, dear."
Narae, in a voice as if trying to placate a child, spoke of a cruel reality that I could never say.
"But I know Sunghoon's tastes quite well? Ever since he was young, he liked big-breasted ladies."
That was a cruel reality to me as well.
How, how do you know about my tastes?!
"But there's no way……"
"So you see, there's no way he would choose you."
At that moment.
[Rangii] "There's no way that's true!"
Rangii stood up and shouted while emitting an intense energy.
"There's no way, no way that that's true! Sunghoon, Sunghoon is the one who will love me!!"
Something overbearing filled the room, almost suffocating me. Is, is this so-called spiritual pressure? (tn: a Bleach reference)
"Sunghoon, sniffle, likes me!!"
You brat, why're you doing this all of a sudden?
I looked up at Rangii while thinking you brat, why're you doing this all of a sudden? when,
"……"
I wanted to faint.
"……a tail? And ears? From where?"
Narae's words are reconfirming that the situation before my eyes is reality. That's right. While on the verge of tears and angry, Rangii forgot to hide her tail and ears.
Oh crap. What do I do? Could I just say it's a trick? Could I trick her by saying surprise, it was a surprise show~ and have this all blow over?
Of course not!
"Please excuse me for a moment."
Saehee, the only one of us to have maintained her expression from within this massive chaos, moved. She put her hand on Narae who was confused at the sight of Rangii's sudden tail and ears. At that moment, Narae collapsed backwards.
"Wha, what?"
"More importantly, the young master should seek to calm down Master. Right away."
In times like this, Saehee's expressionless face makes her a lot more trustworthy. I decided to go to Rangii, who was getting ready to scream, with her hands in fists, tears forming around her eyes, and breathing hard, going huuk huuk.
"Hey, hey. What's the problem, huh?"
"That woman, she! Uu, that woman said that you hate, huk, hate me……"
With Rangii stuck to my chest, I rubbed her head and spoke.
"Who, when, and where did anyone say that?"
"But, but. Didn't that woman say so?! That there's no way, kuu, no way you would love me!"
Well, if a man with typical sexual preferences were to pick between Narae and you, he would obviously choose Narae. And I'm definitely a typical man so I'd pick Narae.
But, Rangii.
"Hey, but just because she said that doesn't mean you can……"
It's embarrassing so I can't say it.
"No, but liking someone is different. No matter their age, face, or personality, none of that stuff matters."
"But……"
I blocked Rangii from continuing.
"Listen well. None of that stuff matters when it comes to liking someone."
That is a lie. Appearance, money, breasts, height, personality, and a lot of other stuff are related to that.
"You have your own charm. So I……"
Rangii's a kid. A kid. A little kid. A freaking little kid. So why is blood rushing to my face?
"Like you, Rangii."
Rangii stopped crying. She loosened her fists, and her previously unfocused eyes looked up at me. Hey, stop looking at me. If you look at me with such innocent eyes then my conscience will get hurt. I said something so embarrassing that I want to hide in a mousehole, so stop looking at me like that!
Rangii lifted her hand and held tightly onto my chest.
"Really, really?"
Rangii appeared to be blushing on both cheeks (tn: may not be exact). To such a Rangii, I said this.
"Nope. I lied."
She reacted like when you tease a kid about whether or not you'll give her candy, but then you put it in your own mouth. She started tearing up again, her eyebrows looked like a Chinese eight (八), and her mouth looked like a shi-oht (ㅅ). (tn: The first one is the Chinese symbol for the number 8. The second one is a Korean letter)
"Uu, uuu—, uuuu—."
If I keep this up she may really cry so I should stop teasing her. I bent down, hugged Rangii with both my arms, lifted her up, and said,
"Because I like you a super-duper lot."
I'm telling Rangii what she wants to hear. Ah, shit. There're goosebumps on my arms. But seeing a blooming flower on Rangii's face, I thought something like so what if I have goosebumps. Because kids look best when they're smiling.
"Uu—. How mean! Sunghoon is mean!"
Rangii slapped down against my shoulders with her hands. Of course, it hurts. Even if it's a little kid, something that hurts will hurt. But I won't show it on my face. Because that's being an adult.
Okay, I've calmed down Rangii so should I worry about the next thing? Now that Rangii was back to normal, I mean in a better mood than normal, I tried to put her down, but somehow she climbed and clung onto my back so I gave up. I shifted my position to have her on my back comfortably.
"Saehee."
"Why have you called for me, you crimi, I mean young master?"
"What were you about to call me?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about. But it seems as though there is something else you should be curious about."
Seeing as how Saehee skillfully changed the subject, it looks like I'll have to have a private chat with her later.
[Sunghoon] "So what're you going to do?"
Even if it was for just a moment, before she was knocked unconscious by Saehee, Narae saw Rangii's tail and ears. If I don't prepare some kind of solution while she's unconscious then it'll be terrible.
"The simplest solution would be to drop her in the ocean in a metal drum with cement, but……"
Saehee was glancing at me from the side while I had a furious expression on my face.
"Because the one I would do this to is not the young master, I do not plan on doing that."
So if it was me you'd do it?
"That is why I was going to do simple memory manipulation on her when a problem occurred." (tn: I missed something in the beginning, couldn't understand it)
"……what is it?"
"The one called Narae is a member of the Bear Clan. I thought she was a normal human but I was fooled. I never thought that I would be unable to notice this in the barrier if she had not yet awoken to her power."
What? Bear Clan?! And a barrier?
And on that topic,
"What's the Bear Clan, and what do you mean by barrier?"
Saehee looked at me pityingly. Don't show expressions only in times like this.
"All day today I worked to create a barrier to be able to detect the energy of different phantoms as well as ourselves in the Seoul area."
Is it okay to think of it as a convenient radar?
"While drinking alcohol?"
A barrier-under-influence?
"Do you have any complaints?"
I do not.
"Then explain to me in layman's terms what the Bear Clan is."
"It is the enemy."
"……a little longer, please."
"The Bear Clan I am speaking of is composed of Ungnyeo and her direct descendents."
"And by Ungnyeo you mean the one from the Dangun Myth, that Ungnyeo?" (tn: long story short, a bear that turned into a woman, married someone important, and gave birth to the founder of Korea, Dangun)
"Is there a different Ungnyeo?"
I'm sorry. For asking something so obvious.
"If members of the Bear Clan inherit Ungnyeo's blood, and should they meet a certain condition, they become female puppets of Ungnyeo. Then only the head has a mind of her own."
"Explain so it's easier to understand."
"They are bitches of a bitch."
I should stop talking (tn: I'm 99% sure this is wrong).
[Rangii] "Simply put they're like this. That fat hag hates the fact that Hwanung paid attention to me so she's using her descendents to try and kill me."
"Then aren't you in danger?"
With Rangii on my back, in a position that didn't inspire any confidence at all, she put her mouth to my ear……,
"Don't worry. No matter how many dozens or hundreds of them that come, I will protect you."
She whispered this with complete confidence. Hey, you brat. The one I'm worried about is you. Why are you worrying about me? I'm a normal human so there's no reason for the Bear Clan to target me.
Well—, Rangii telling me that she was strong enough to protect me must've been just to make me feel safer. I decided to think of it as that. But maybe Saehee saw that I wasn't convinced at all because she gave an additional explanation.
"Approximately 300 years ago as well, we repelled an attack from the foolish Bear Clan more easily than flipping our palms. Because the seal has weakened since then, it will be unable to harass us thoughtlessly."
Could Rangii's strangely anachronistic thoughts and speech-style be an influence from that time?
No, that's not the important thing here. I should go back to the main issue.
"So what's the problem with Narae being a part of the Bear Clan?"
"Every member of the Bear Clan has some degree of resistance to magic. Although she has yet to meet the condition, hastily casting magic may result in a small problem."
"What is it?"
"If she is fortunate, brain damage; if not, instant death."
"Oi."
How the heck is that a huge problem to you. Anyway, if I take her words differently,
"Are you saying that since you can't manipulate her memory you need to find a different solution?"
"That is correct, young master."
What should I do? I need the wisdom of Solomon. ……but I'm not cutting her in half! (tn: Bible reference, lol)
"Instead if she realized her power, this problem would become much easier."
I brought up something interesting Saehee said.
"Then wouldn't everything work out if she met that condition? What's the condition?"
"It is breast size."
I was dumbfounded at Saehee's indifferent, completely serious words.
"……what?"
"Members of the Bear Clan realize their strength when they become greater than a D cup."
I decided to think that Saehee was screwing with me and spouting nonsense. I turned my head and I asked Rangii, who now had her chin on my shoulder.
"Really?"
"I don't know what a D cup is, but all of my opponents had large breasts."
Okay, but why are you talking while tightening around my neck?
[Rangii] "I made sure to educate the attackers with huge, useless things swaying and shaking exactly who their opponent was."
From the feeling Rangii's tiny breasts on my back, I for whatever reason felt pity for her.
"So what do we do? Can I tell her the truth about you two?"
"Please do as you please, young master."
"……is it really okay if I do that?"
Although I meant if it was okay if I told her about phantoms,
"She is the one to become the concubine of the man to be my husband. It would be right to do so."
Seeing the two phantoms before me not at all worried about that, I felt like the weird one. So I decided.
"So you're saying after I fainted in your house I was unconscious for nearly an hour and I just now woke up?"
"Yes, that's right. Miss Narae."
Please be fooled. I'm begging you. Por favor.
"……do you wanna die?"
"It was impossible?!"
Ignoring Saehee's look of pity and Rangii's look of disappointment, I moved on to my next plan. Even if I call it a plan, it's not well-made, and the plain truth is I'm adapting it on the fly. I simply explained that Rangii is the tiger from the Dangun myth, that she lived in my grandfather's estate away from humans, that he passed away (even though he's not dead), and that there was no one else who could take care of her so I brought her to Seoul. Although I hid all the important facts except for those, Narae must have been shocked speechless after learning that Rangii and Saehee are phantoms because after I was done explaining she didn't say a word.
After I finished my explanation and drank a glass of barley tea, Narae held my hand at looked at me with eyes full of sadness. Huh? Why're you doing that all of a sudden?
"You must've had a really tough time, Sunghoon."
Ah, is that how you're responding? (not 100% sure)
"You must've been really shocked because of your grandfather's passing. Yeah. That's why I'll understand."
Your pitying kindness is making me sadder. It seems like Narae is treating me like someone who lost it after I heard my grandfather passed away, but at least she understands, that's all crap.
"No, that's all real."
"You expect me to believe that? The tail and ears that kid has on must be because you forced her to wear them because of your perverted interests, you pervert, sexual harasser, dirty old man!"
Oi, oi. Even though I had a lot of things to say at Narae's incomprehensible yelling, Rangii got angry and spoke up first.
"No it's not! These are truly a part of my body!"
She clenched her fists, closed her eyes hard, proudly moving her ears and tail, and while Narae was trying to calm down Rangii, Narae sighed.
Narae opened her mouth, looking completely calm and making it seem unbelievable that she was furious just a bit ago.
"I know, Rangii. It's just that I couldn't think objectively if I didn't talk like this. For him to talk about phantoms in this century. And that he's the guardian of you phantoms, of course I have to be able to believe that. It's because he's speaking nonsense to try and trick me."
"Sorry."
I bowed my head. Although I'm going through all this because of my damn grandfather and my eccentric dad, in other words my family, Narae was totally unrelated but now because of me she's caught up in this too. Really, there's nothing I can say.
It's okay. Because I'd be even more upset if I didn't know."
But Narae actually comforted me. I heard everything up to the it's okay, but what did you say after that?
As I was about to ask her what it was she said, Narae suddenly pinched my side.
"Uwauwaagh!"
"But what? I was passed out for an hour? Do you think I'm an idiot? DId you think I'd fall for that?"
From before, you're pinching the same place as before! Why're you pinching somewhere you already pinched before?!
"N, no! That's not it!!"
Will I be able to talk about stuff like this often?
"And, if I was fooled, you going to keep hiding it, weren't you?"
"That goes without saying."
Narae stared daggers at me. She doubled her strength.
"Ugyaaaagh!"
"If you're going to try and trick me then make up something convincing, you idiot! Who would fall for such a pathetic lie?!"
"Ow! It hurts! Please let me go, Narae-nim!!"
And so Narae let go of my side. Although I was rubbing it hard with my hand, the pain wasn't going away at all. While I was moving my butt to get away from Narae for the sake of my side,
"So now that everything's revealed, what are you going to do?"
Narae asked me.
"Huh?"
What am I going to do?
"Rangii and Saehee…… may be phantoms, but right now they're still girls."
Even though Rangii looks like a girl she's actually nearly an animal, and Saehee is almost an unidentified creature, so what. Like Narae said, right now they really are girls.
"Even if your dad is living with you, you can't just live with two girls! No way, you. It's not because you're okay with whatever as long as they're girls, right?"
"That's not it……"
"If that's not it then what?"
I don't know what to say. It seems like Sahee has connections in the government, but even if she found a different house, Rangii probably wouldn't leave my house. While I was worrying about how to answer, I never imagined Saehee would respond to what Narae said.
"That is truly not the case. The young master's parents are not living here."
"Eh?"
Narae was dumbstruck.
"What?!"
No, she was angry.
"The heck does that mean?! Hey! Are you trying to use this as an opportunity while your parents are gone?!"
Shiva's spiritual body with a single blow knocked me dead
Seeing the spiritual body of Shiva as if about to destroy all of creation with a single blow, I lost any words I was about to say. Narae, you don't think I brought these two here while my parents were gone to do wicked things to them, right? No, after seeing your face is that actually correct? That is a misunderstanding. It is a misunderstanding.
"No, you see. It was only after I brought these two to Seoul with me that my parents had something come up and had to leave."
Why am I using honorifics to Narae right now? (tn: I thought about localizing this, but decided against it. Should I have? I was going to put "polite" instead, but… meh…)
Narae leaned down, slammed her hands on the table, then spoke.
"Are you telling me to believe that ridiculous excuse?!"
"But it's true."
"Do you have any proof?"
"I do not."
With her eyes looking even more furious than before, Narae lowered her hand to my inner thigh…… and pinched it.
"Uwohoohk?!"
"You idiot! What the hell was that yesterday, really?!"
WhyareyoubringingupsomethingfromyesterdayithasnothingtodowiththisandhowmuchlongerareyougoingtokeepdoingthisithurtssomuchI'mdyiiing!
For the sake of my survival I grabbed Narae's wrist. Her other hand went directly for my side. I quickly moved my body. Is this what's called a reflex?!
"Oh, you're dodging?"
I quietly put down my hand and turned away. Narae pinched my side. Maybe I've grown numb there because I can't feel any pain.
"So you're all going to stay like this until your parents come back?"
"……I mean, but I can't drive them away."
Narae fell deep into thought at my realistic objection when,
"Then Rangii and Saehee can stay at my house."
She said something difficult to understand.
"Eh?"
"Two girls can't stay in a house with a guy! What if you did something terrible?!"
Then I'd die.
Rangii is a tiger the size of a mountain and Saehee is some kind of unidentifiable phantom. If I went uhuhu, I can't hold it in anymore, uwaaang~ and pounced at them, I'd just end up receiving terrible punishment.
But setting all that aside, Narae's idea has its appeal. Narae's family is rich and entrusting them to Narae might be okay.
However.
"I can't do that."
"Why? No way, do you……"
I cut off Narae, stopping her from continuing a ridiculous misunderstanding.
"No, that's not what I meant. How could I do that after they trusted and followed me all the way here? I have to take responsibility for them, but I'll accept your feelings."
Narae got furious.
"E, even if you say that it doesn't make you cool at all!"
That's because I didn't say it to look cool.
In response to my words, she looked like if she was in a manhwa she'd have a vein popping out of her forehead, as she bearing a lot of thoughts in her head. She's a member of the Bear Clan so she's bearing a lot of thoughts, you get it…… sorry. I messed up. I wanted to escape reality, even if I had to use a bad joke. But it was only after Narae spoke that I really wanted to escape reality.
"Then until your parents come back I'm going to stay here too."
"Eh?"
What are you saying right now? She may have gotten caught up in the moment and not really know what she's saying.
"No, Narae. That's……"
"I used to come to play and sleep with you all the time a long time ago!"
That's back in elementary school!
"What kind of demand is that?!"
"Shut up! If I want to do it I will! I'm going to sleep in your house too! Or are you saying it's okay for them but not for me? If not, what else? Does it make you uncomfortable for me to be here?!"
If you say that much then there's no way I can respond.
When Narae is so completely stubborn, at first there's no way she'd accept a direct refusal. She's too strong an opponent. But that's only a direct refusal. It's possible to to refuse later on. I mean like this.
"Okay."
While acting like I accepted,
"But. You need to get permission from your parents first."
I just gave a completely impossible condition. If they're proper parents, there's no way they'll let their fully grown daughter stay at a man's house for several days, even if he's a childhood friend. It's a bit of a shame, but if Narae stays here then I'll lose my mind.
But I got nervous after seeing Narae so full of confidence for some reason.
"For real?"
At her energy, I suddenly stuttered.
"Y, yeah."
Narae took out her cell phone and she probably called her parents. Narae opened her mouth, but I didn't know if the one who answered was her mom or her dad.
"Yes, dad. It's me. Yes. I have something to tell you. I'm going to sleep at Sunghoon's house for a few days. No. His parents aren't here."
Oi, Narae. DIdn't you just nonchalantly step on a landmine?
"You mean I can't?"
Thankfully Narae's dad seems like someone with common sense. Narae furrowed her brow a bit, then a moment later. A rare sight appeared as Narae smiled brightly and spoke with a soft voice.
"Okay. Fine. Then I won't ever get married and live with Papa forever. Forever. That's okay, right, Papa?
Why am I getting goosebumps on my back from hearing this?
"Yes. Okay. Thank you, Dad. Ah, I'll give the phone to Sunghoon for a bit."
Narae took her cell phone away from her ear and handed it to me. Though I felt uneasy, I took the cell phone and opened my mouth.
"Hello."
[Please take good care of my daughter, Sunghoon. Make the most of this opportunity. Please, please do that. That little devil is……]
As I was about to hear something like a scream, Narae took the phone and hung up. Um, I'm curious about that last part about a little devil.
"It's all worked out, right?"
But for some reason, I feel like I cracked open Pandora's box?
Although members of the Bear Clan have a strong obsession for their mate, they have trouble expressing their true feelings.
Saehee, when did you get next to me? Since a moment ago you were in front of me. And it feels like you just said something weird?
"I shall prepare a meal for Master. I came to ask if it was okay to prepare food."
[Rangii] "I'm hungry~. Let's talk after we eat dinner~."
Hearing Rangii's whining, I realized I was hungry as well. Come to think of it, I went out grocery shopping to get ingredients for dinner. I can even, I mean can't understand why Rangii started drooling over pigeon.
"Yeah."
"Then I shall prepare dinner."
"I bought the ingredients before so thanks."
"I shall do so."
With a slight smile on her face, Saehee spoke to Narae.
"Do you not think that this conversation is similar to one between newlyweds?
Oi, what're you saying right now?
"……you said that so I could hear it, didn't you?"
Narae isn't one to walk away from a fight.
"How rude. Seeing such egotism, I could not help but do so as well."
In times like this just say no. Narae even narrowed her eyes!
"Great. I want to help too; it's okay if I do, right?"
"Thank you very much."
Seen from the outside, with Narae smiling and Saehee expressionless, the two looked like they got along as they walked to the kitchen. Let's not go to the kitchen. Ever.
Okay then, it looks like a typhoon just passed by so I can finally take a breather. I want to lie down on the floor with my legs and arms stretched out like Rangii, but I have human dignity. But you brat. What're you doing right now? Ignoring why you're lying down like that a second time, why're you hitting the floor?
"……what're you doing?"
"Sunghoon wouldn't play with me ever since before so I'm angry."
It seems that when tigers are upset these days they lie with their limbs outstretched while hitting the floor with their palm. Even if I entered a tiger's den, I could survive by making the tiger angry. Rather, if you interpreted what happened between Narae and me as playing, then it looks like I have to get you a pair of glasses right away?
"I was busy because of you. If you hadn't shown your tail and ears then all this wouldn't have gotten so complicated."
Rangii puffed out her cheeks.
"Uuu—. But I couldn't help that. How could I have ignored such words?"
I probably would've just ignored them. Because there are lots of times when you aren't chosen by someone you like. Will such a thing happen to the future-me as well?
……ah. I should wipe away my tears. For the sake of my potentially lamentable future, I decided to be on Rangii's side.
"Yeah, yeah. You didn't do anything wrong."
Rangii laughed, going hee hee at my answer, and she dragged her body then while crawling under the table she pushed her legs out towards me. You brat. Are you saying it's tiring to get up? Rangii moved again and this time she was out all the way to her hips, but hey. A girl should be dressed neatly. Your dopo-like shirt is moved up so your belly is visible. Seeing her belly wriggling left then right, slowly exposing itself to get closer to me, I couldn't help but play a prank. I poked Rangii on the belly button with my finger.
"U—nyak?!"
Rangii suddenly lifted up her limbs and got up then made a bang as she shook the table. What a fun kid. Teasing her was worth it. With her body pulled out on the opposite side of the table from me, Rangii whined to me while rubbing her red forehead.
"Why'd you suddenly do that? Weren't you surprised?"
"Took the words right out of my mouth. What're you doing?"
"I tried to sit on your knee."
"Then you should've gotten up properly and sat there."
"It's annoying to get up."
If annoyances were given ratings, you'd be a first-class tiger.
"Ah, is that so."
I took a slight step back, saw Rangii's legs poking out from under the table, grabbed them and,
"Huh? Why're you doing that?"
I pulled her towards me.
"Ha—eek?!"
While squealing, she looked at me with her eyes wide open and her face came up from under the table.
"If you don't want this to happen to you then next time sit properly."
"That, that was fun! Can't you do it again?"
Looks like it backfired.
""Lolicon.""
When did you two come out?!