Chapter 10.1

Chapter 10.1

Seok-kyung’s gaze followed where Ara pointed.

“The walking path. It connects to the park behind the house.”

Meticulously maintained flower beds flanked the small path behind the giant oak tree. From the edge of the grassy yard, a dirt trail began, lined with cobblestones that traced the walkway.

The most charming feature was the stone bridge crossing a pond in the middle. If you squinted just right, you could even spot a fountain in the open space on the other side, its jets of water shooting into the air.

“It’s so beautiful. Can I take a short walk right now?”

Ara clasped her hands together and looked up at Seok-kyung. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation and excitement, catching the sunlight and glowing a warm brown.

“…If you must.”

Seok-kyung turned his gaze away, trying to maintain an indifferent expression.

Grateful for the permission, Ara hurried towards the path without a second glance. Her enthusiasm was so palpable that it almost seemed like her tail would be wagging like Baekseol’s.

Seok-kyung, somewhat entranced, followed behind her.

I need to know the property’s boundaries anyway. It would be troublesome if she wandered off and caused an accident.

Making excuses that Seoldo would have clicked her tongue at.

“Wow… it’s like heaven.”

Ara roamed the path like a puppy, seeing a wide yard for the first time. She stood by the stone bridge’s railing, taking in the flower-scented breeze, and hopped from stone to stone on the ground.

Yesterday, she was crawling around like a broken patient, and now she’s perfectly fine in just one day.

Seok-kyung shook his head in disbelief at Ara’s remarkable recovery.

They walked on, keeping a respectful distance from each other. Seok-kyung was the only one walking; Ara was more like skipping along.

Near the large fountain, Ara stopped bouncing and turned back to Seok-kyung with a face full of realization.

“I have a question.”

Ara’s breath, slightly labored, dissipated into the air near Seok-kyung’s chest.

“Why are you so fearless?”

Seok-kyung, pretending to be composed, took a step back with his hands clasped behind his back.

“It’s daytime, you know.”

“So?”

“And you’re a goblin.”

“Yes, so?”

“Is it really okay to be wandering around like this in broad daylight?”

Seok-kyung was caught off guard by the unexpected question and couldn’t help but chuckle.

“See? Folktales have ruined a lot of kids. Why don’t you ask if I’m hiding my horns, too?”

“Horns? Are you hiding horns?”

Ara’s clear eyes widened even more.

…So innocent. Seok-kyung clicked his tongue in amusement.

“A goblin wrapped in tattered rags with horns on its head? That’s a Japanese goblin, not a Korean one.”

“Oh…”

Ara nodded earnestly. Then, as if reconsidering, tilted her head.

“So, Korean goblins can go out during the day?”

“Do I look like a vampire to you? I’d burn up in sunlight.”

Well, he had eaten the garlic-laden food earlier without complaint. Perhaps holy water would make a difference?

Ara, thinking of exorcism scenes from movies, quickly dismissed the idea. She was surrounded by such a warm and beautiful setting that it was too cheerful for such grim thoughts.

The serene greenery of the garden was dazzlingly fresh, with fields of sunflowers blooming in vibrant yellow hues, standing out especially brightly.

It dawned on Ara that it was summer here, just as it was outside.

“Does time pass the same way here as it does outside?” Ara asked. Seok-kyung nodded slightly.

“Time management isn’t my responsibility.”

So if she stayed here for three months, the outside world would be in November. She recalled fairy tales where just a few days in another world could mean decades passing in reality. At least she didn’t have to worry about that.

Feeling much more at ease, Ara took in the surrounding scenery. She then fished her phone out of her pocket, noticing that the battery was critically low, likely from fainting the previous night, but the phone still worked.

She would need to charge it later.

Habitually, she opened the internet browser, but her brows furrowed slightly when she saw the screen.

“Does the signal not reach here?”

The browser displayed a blank error message instead of the portal site’s homepage. There were also no Wi-Fi or data icons in the status bar.

“It’s more surprising that you thought it would,” Seok-kyung said, genuinely baffled.

“Here, all communication devices used by humans are out of order—calls, texts, messaging, the internet—all of it. Location tracking? It’s definitely impossible.”

“But… I received a deposit notification yesterday.”

“That place isn’t a real goblin house,” Seok-kyung emphasized.

“This is the real deal,” he added, underlining his point.