The Magical Hunter Girl Decorates the Dungeon! - Chapter 24

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Magic Hunter Girl Decorates a Dungeon! Episode 24
An answer that sprang forth reflexively.
Geum Grandma laughed heartily.
“All right, all right. But ‘this kid’? How old are you?”
Junseo, whose eyes had gone wide at Iji’s blunt response, belatedly turned his gaze away.
“Second grade… same class as her.”
“You’re in second grade too? You’re so tall I thought you were a fifth grader or something.”
Geum Grandma’s expression softened in an instant. Iji added quickly.
“He’s a classmate! We were just playing together!”
…….
It was as though she could hear Junseo’s inner voice.
‘When did we ever play together?’
He must have been flustered by her suddenly saying they’d been playing.
‘Sorry. But if I go out late alone, my sister worries like crazy!’
Fortunately, Junseo didn’t push back.
“Yes… we’re friends! We talked about basketball class.”
“You play basketball? No wonder you’re so tall. What’s your name?”
“Junseo Kang, second grade class three at Chamssae Elementary School!”
“You keep being friends with our Iji. Just don’t stay out too late.”
“Yes ma’am!”
“What a loud, clear answer! Go walk your friend home.”
Geum Grandma sent the two of them off.
Once they’d gone some distance from her place.
Iji lowered her voice and apologized.
“I’m sorry I lied just now. I’ve been coming home late lately because of Hunter Activity, and my sister worries about it.”
“Ah, so your sister doesn’t know you’re a hunter either.”
“Yeah. That’s why I made up that story about playing with you…”
…….
“Junseo, I know we’re not really friends at all. If you’re upset…”
“I’m not!”
Junseo shook his head vigorously. Then, keeping his expression obscured, he tilted his chin up and spoke.
“But since you lied, I can’t help it. I’ll be your friend.”
“Huh?”
“I’m saying I’ll be your friend.”
“Look, you really don’t have to…
do that.”
Iji’s indifferent reply seemed to make the corners of Junseo’s clenched mouth tremble slightly beyond his raised chin.
“Have to? Really?”
…….
“Friend…”
‘He said he’d “give” me friendship?’
Why does the one in the position of giving keep chanting the word friend like a prayer?
Well, she didn’t really need a boy friend—
but there was no reason to refuse either.
“Fine.”
Being friends with a boy was her first time since kindergarten.
Anyway, it’d probably be the same either way.
“Let’s play together sometime.”
Junseo nodded enthusiastically right away.
“Yeah!”
“And do you want to come with me to Dungeon Victim Counseling? They sent word.”
“…Hmm, I wasn’t scared at all.”
“I wasn’t either, but my family was scared, so that’s why I’m going.”
Ever since being dragged into a Dungeon and coming back out.
Every night her sister lingered outside Iji’s room—so that she could have a little peace of mind.
Junseo didn’t seem to understand the whole picture—
“I’ll go.”
but he nodded anyway.
That was a relief.
‘My sister will feel better if she knows I’m getting counseling with a friend!’
And Junseo was brave anyway.
Making a friend like this wouldn’t be so bad.
“Here’s my house. You go to basketball class now.”
“Okay. …But who is that old lady?”
Junseo whispered, pointing to Geum Grandma in the distance.
He spoke as though mentioning someone frightening.
“Just a neighborhood grandma.”
“But she has cauliflower ears.”
“Cauliflower ears? What’s that?”
“My dad told me. It’s some kind of… grappler’s something? Friction or something that keeps happening and causes inflammation or whatever…”
Junseo didn’t seem to know either.
Actually, it didn’t matter what cauliflower ears were.
What mattered was one thing.
“She’s a really wonderful grandma.”
“Not that she’s a bad person or anything, seriously!”
“…Okay.”
Junseo watched Iji’s expression and replied.
“See you at school Monday!”

* * *
Back in kindergarten.
Iji thought she had about twenty aunts.
‘Hi, are you Iji?’
‘Who are you…?’
‘I’m the aunt going to kindergarten with you today.’
While her sister worked three rotating shifts, countless “aunts” came and went at Iji’s side.
Occasionally neighborhood grandmothers filled in the gaps. So she thought she had about ten grandmothers too.
And one evening.
Her sister, who had been calling different places, asked in a trembling voice.
‘Iji. The aunt who was supposed to come today can’t make it. Can you sleep alone?’
‘Me? Alone? At home?’
‘Yeah. I’ll be next to you until you fall asleep, and then when you wake up after a good long sleep, I’ll be home from work.’
‘…’
‘Tell me honestly.’
Iji swallowed the word “scared.”
‘My sister would be in trouble.’
By then, Iji was beginning to realize that these many “aunts” and “grandmothers” weren’t actually family.
Iji answered brightly.
‘It’s fine! I’ll sleep great!’
Her sister excavated every stuffed animal in the house, stacked them into a fortress around the bed, and went to work.
That night, Iji succeeded in sleeping alone.
After that, the nights she slept with an “aunt” or “grandmother” gradually decreased, and once she became an elementary student, she slept by herself.
She was incredibly proud of herself.
‘I’m so grown-up!’
Now her sister wouldn’t have to post on the community board anymore, or make calls with her head bowed.
Iji would keep sleeping alone!
…For a while, that was true.
But the very next day after learning what EX Grade meant, just when she was most proud of herself.
Before heading into a Saturday night shift, her sister said.
“Tonight, have dinner at Geum Grandma’s house and sleep there with her.”
“Why? I can sleep alone just fine!”
“Grandma’s scared.”
“…But she’s an adult?”
“Adults get scared sometimes too.”
Her sister is always right. Iji nodded.
And before leaving for work.
Her sister bowed deeply in front of Geum Grandma’s house.
“Please look after Iji.”
Geum Grandma chuckled.
“I should be the one saying thank you. You came to put your old grandma to sleep, didn’t you, Iji?”
“I’ll do my best!”
“Oh my, what a good girl. Come on in. Hyunji, have a safe shift!”
Her sister bowed several more times before heading down the apartment hallway.
Iji carefully stepped into Geum Grandma’s entryway.
“Excuse me…!”
“Oh, how lovely. First time here since you started elementary school, isn’t it?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The awkwardness lasted only a moment.
Soon the familiar scent revived old memories.
‘It’s exactly like before.’
Geum Grandma’s place was a huge treasure box.
A display case clustered with pretty awards! A sewing machine worked by foot! A mother-of-pearl dresser with what seemed like a hundred drawers!
‘I want to jiggle the drawer handles… but I can’t! Today I came to repay her kindness. Control yourself!’
Just then Grandma opened the bedroom closet and said.
“You can sleep here tonight. I cleared a space.”
…….
Layer upon layer of bedding, especially the Yellow Silk Quilt on top, tempted Iji.
If I lay on that, it’d be amazing…!
But I can’t do that!
“I’ll sleep next to you, Grandma!”
“Thank you, then.”
Grandma chuckled.
In the afternoon Grandma gave her a Glass Bottle Soy Milk, calling it a snack.
For dinner they had sujebi noodles in broth made from chicken and ginseng. For dessert there was sugar-dusted tomato, and for a late-night snack, twisted pastries and boxed milk. Apologizing that there wasn’t much to the meal, she also gave her a boiled egg.
“Want some potato? I steamed it in the rice cooker and the crispy bottom is just incredible.”
“I’m fine, I’m so full!”
“Oh dear, what will I do? You need to digest it.”
Grandma peeled a pear for her.
After finishing everything and just before food coma set in.
Iji scraped together her remaining willpower and waited for Grandma next to the bedding.
‘I’ll repay her old kindness!’
Grandma, finishing her housework, entered the bedroom and was startled.
“Why aren’t you asleep yet?”
“I’ll massage your back—lie down!”
“Oh my, such a sweetheart. If my back were just okay, I’d carry you around like I used to.”
“I’m in second grade now.”
I’m not at the age for piggyback rides anymore!
Then Grandma tapped her own back and said.
“A warm little thing hanging on my back might feel really good for my sore back.”
“…Oh, should I give you a piggyback ride first?”
“Ha-ha! That’s enough. Let’s just sleep.”
In the end she neither massaged nor was carried, just lay down on the bed.
In the darkness where only the digital clock glowed red.
Grandma patted Iji’s belly and spoke.
“Iji. Everyone has secrets.”
Iji’s body flinched slightly.
But Grandma’s touch remained gentle.
“You don’t have to tell your family everything.”
…….
“But you should try to ease their minds. That way you can protect your secrets to the end.”
Was it possible… that Grandma had sensed it?
That Iji was hiding something.
“…Grandma.”
“Yes?”
“What are you scared of?”
“I’m scared of what scares you and Hyunji.”
“I’m not scared of being alone, though.”
“Yes… you’ve endured a lot.”
…….
Grandma’s saying something else.
But to ask back what she was so scared of that she called me over tonight—the brief quiet filled only with patting sounds was too sweet to interrupt.
Her eyelids grew pleasantly heavy.
Iji spoke only to herself.
‘…You’re right, Grandma.’
I really did have to work hard to get to the point where I could sleep alone.
Actually, the very first night she slept alone.
The stuffed animals her sister stacked didn’t help at all.
If anything, they were scary.
Especially the ones she’d carefully placed close by…
‘Hi, friend! Play with me!’
‘I like you! I like you so much!’
‘Hehehehe!’
They all talked whenever you touched them.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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