Chapter 10.2

Chapter 10.2

Ara frowned at her still-unresponsive phone, then suddenly looked up at Seok-kyung.

“Kim Seok-kyung, what about your smartphone?”

“My phone? Of course it works.”

Ara should have known. Feeling a pang of injustice, she stomped her foot.

“Wow, that’s so unfair. I have to live three months behind the times.”

“Well, even when you had good internet, you didn’t seem particularly ahead of the times.”

“What did you say?”

Seok-gyeong shrugged nonchalantly, as if he didn’t see any problem with stating the obvious.

Not giving up, Ara quickly changing her strategy. She clasped her hands together with a hopeful look.

“Then how about making my phone work like yours? With your magic wand, just like that.”

“No.”

Seok-kyung’s curt refusal crushed her hopes.

“Ara, get a grip. Did you come here to sightsee?”

The cold tone abruptly brought her back to reality. Ara bit her lip without realizing it.

He was right. She wasn’t here for a leisurely vacation.

If she didn’t make a good impression on this infuriating goblin, the ten billion won debt would remain a curse on her life. She needed to navigate his unwelcome trials with humility and tact.

Yet, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment.

This man wasn’t someone who would offer her unconditional affection like her grandmother did. Why did she keep forgetting that? It wasn’t like she was a naive child.

“No, I was just kidding,” Ara said, her mood instantly deflating. Her clasped hands fell limply to her sides, and her shoulders drooped.

“…If you’re really that curious, just watch TV. It’ll show the same broadcasts from the human world.”

“…Okay.”

It was like she had a tail and ears. Her emotions were so transparent that they were almost comical.

Seok-kyung sighed deeply and clicked his tongue. Though he hadn’t done anything wrong, he felt like he had disappointed an innocent child, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

Just then, a buzz from Seok-kyung’s jacket pocket interrupted the moment.

He pulled out his smartphone, checked the new message, and swiftly read through the brightened screen.

“Let’s go. We need to head back soon.”

Seok-kyung turned off the phone and slipped it back into his pocket.

“Can’t we stay a bit longer? It’s so beautiful here. There’s so much to see.”

Ara glanced around with a wistful look, reluctant to leave.

Seok-kyung glanced at his watch with deliberate nonchalance.

“It’s almost lunchtime. Aren’t you going to prepare?”

“Yes, yes, I’ll do it.”

What a bothersome goblin. He must have been a miserly landowner in a past life. Probably got swindled by some clever trickster, and now he can’t trust anyone, so he’s always causing trouble…

Ara flailed her arms in frustration but forged ahead. She could hear Seok-kyung’s exasperated chuckle behind her but chose to ignore it.

The way back seemed much shorter than the way there.

I’ll make sure to visit more often when Kim Seok-kyung isn’t around.

Ara quickened her pace, mentally reviewing the ingredients neatly arranged in the fridge.

“…?”

Her strides came to a sudden halt.

Ara narrowed her eyes and stared intently at the grassy lawn.

“What’s that?”

Under the large zelkova tree, something brightly colored and elongated lay sprawled out. Squinting for a closer look, she realized it was two people.

Two men she had never seen before were lying under the tree, one sprawled out with blue hair and the other with red.

Half curiosity, half apprehension.

Ara glanced back to confirm that Seok-kyung was following at a distance and then cautiously resumed her approach. As she drew closer, the strangers’ appearances became clearer.

The blue-haired man wore a casual hoodie, shorts, and sneakers. He had a look that could belong to an airport-going idol or a popular influencer on social media.

In contrast, the red-haired man was dressed in a formal black suit. Unlike Seok-kyung’s flamboyant and colorful attire, his suit was plain and suitable for a wedding or a funeral, giving off a vibe of a stockbroker or a bureaucrat.

And then…

Blood?

Ara’s heart skipped a beat as she stopped in her tracks.

If her eyes weren’t deceiving her, there was blood on the men’s faces—bright red, freshly spilled blood.

“Kim Seok-kyung!”

Without thinking, Ara called out urgently.

“Come over here quickly!”

Without waiting for a response, she sprinted toward the two men.

After a breathless dash, Ara reached the fallen men, panting heavily. When she glanced back, Seok-kyung was still approaching at a leisurely pace.

“What’s going on? There’s blood! They’re bleeding!”

Exasperated, Ara shouted, pointing at the two men. She quickly knelt between the fallen men, her knees hitting the ground hard.