The Second Coming of Gluttony - Chapter 135

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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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Episode 135. Hello, Ghost Saint!

After parting ways with Ian, Seol Jihoo made his way to the grocery shop run by an Earthian.
He carefully selected and purchased ingredients, then stopped by the stables to arrange for a carriage. When he mentioned heading to the Forest of Negation, most of the coachmen hesitated, so he had to offer a generous premium before finally finding a single volunteer willing to make the trip.
Once the contract was settled, Seol Jihoo returned straight to the Carpe Diem Office and began preparing for departure.
“Off so soon, then.”
Jang Maldong clicked his tongue disapprovingly. It pained him to see Seol Jihoo leaving without even a chance to rest, let alone wash, on the very day he’d returned from such an ordeal.
Seol Jihoo smiled as he methodically packed his bag.
“I can’t settle my mind if I leave things undone. And it’s just a quick trip anyway.”
The way he spoke made it sound as if he were simply going on a casual jaunt around the neighborhood, which made Jang Maldong let out a hollow laugh.
“You’re the only one I know who talks about the Forest of Negation like it’s a nearby village.”
Though he said it that way, Jang Maldong understood full well why Seol Jihoo was confident enough to go alone. With the protection of a centuries-old malevolent spirit powerful enough to obliterate hundreds of Parasites in an instant, there was virtually no enemy within the Forest of Negation that could truly threaten his life.
“But what are you packing so carefully? Your bag’s going to burst. You fool.”
“Ah. It’s a parting gift.”
“A parting gift?”
Jang Maldong didn’t ask further. He’d caught sight of a fleeting melancholy crossing Seol Jihoo’s face.
So he changed the subject.
“How long do you think it’ll take?”
“Four days should do it. Five at most?”
“Five days… that’s manageable. In any case, you’re someone who came back alive from a Parasite territory, so I won’t lecture you further, but be careful. Very careful.”
At the evident concern in his voice, Seol Jihoo’s hands, which had been firmly packing supplies, faltered. Now that he thought about it, it had been a long time since anyone had worried about him with genuine sincerity.
It was a bit embarrassing, but Jang Maldong felt almost like a grandfather to him.
‘Then I suppose that makes me the grandson?’
“Why are you staring like that? It’s creepy.”
At his fixed gaze, Jang Maldong spoke curtly.
“Don’t worry.”
Seol Jihoo pointed to his earring.
“If things get desperate, I can activate the Festina Earring and escape.”
“That’s smooth talk. And who was the one who said training wasn’t for running away?”
Jang Maldong teased him. Seol Jihoo offered an awkward smile and shouldered his bag.
“I’ll be going.”
“Off you go.”
With Jang Maldong’s parting words of caution left behind, Seol Jihoo departed the Carpe Diem Office.
[It’s not just that. Apparently, not only did she overturn the meal they’d so carefully prepared, she also rejected the shrine.]
[The problem is nobody understands why. They say the communication went nowhere—she was just being impossible. We didn’t touch anything carelessly, and we showed her every courtesy, and yet….]
[It’s not that she rejected contact outright, I hear. There was no sign of rejection, and at first the Black Smoke even seemed to move busily among our people without obvious displeasure. But then suddenly….]
[Well, according to Princess Teresa, it was like a little girl throwing a tantrum because she didn’t like a gift—throwing things about in frustration….]
Ian had suggested that perhaps a spirit that had lost its sense of self had been reborn as something wholly evil, but Seol Jihoo disagreed.
He could not deny that this pitiable soul was a malevolent spirit born from concentrated resentment, yet on the other hand, her perception and consciousness remained lucid and whole.
Most importantly, if she had truly been corrupted by evil, everyone who entered the Forest of Negation would have been massacred. But in the end, not a single person died—they all escaped unharmed.
Which meant there was likely a reason for it. A reason why the Ghost Saint had suddenly caused such a disturbance.
‘Why would she have done that?’
In a way, the Ghost Saint embodied the perfection of the Golden Law. She became cruel as a witch toward those who harmed the Tomb, yet merciful as a saint toward those who showed her proper respect.
He didn’t know why she’d grown angry, and the thought of being turned away at the door was somewhat frightening.
But having resolved to live according to the Golden Law, he had never considered the option of not going to see her. Because he’d been given an opportunity to repay the debt of his life being saved.
Seol Jihoo carefully placed what he held into his pocket and quickened his pace.

Having descended from Trumpet Hill, Seol Jihoo entered the Forest of Negation without hesitation. He’d traveled this path enough times to know the way to the Tomb well.
Aside from a moment when he wished he could disown his younger sister, the march was largely uneventful.
As the destination began to appear in the distance, Seol Jihoo opened his mouth.
“Ghost Saint!”
“It’s me! I’ve come!”
He called out several times at the top of his voice, but heard no sound of a door opening, no response of any kind.
Remembering how she’d rushed out to greet him the last time he’d called from a distance, this didn’t seem like a good sign.
Shortly after, Seol Jihoo arrived at the Tomb, sitting solitary in the heart of the forest.
The area around the grave was deathly silent. Since even monsters avoided this place, an eerie, desolate atmosphere seemed to linger.
“Ghost Saint?”
Even calling out once more and carefully knocking on the entrance changed nothing.
‘That’s strange….’
He hadn’t sensed any rejection, yet there was no response at all?
After hesitating for a long moment, Seol Jihoo extended his arm.
“Excuse me. I’m coming in.”
And the instant he tried to push the door open—
‘What?’
Disbelief flickered across Seol Jihoo’s face.
‘It won’t open?’
The door wouldn’t budge. He pushed and pulled with all his strength, straining against it, but it didn’t give even an inch.
After a prolonged struggle that yielded nothing, he finally gave up and retreated outside.
‘What in the world….’
Just his luck. Perhaps she’d stepped out. He sat down in the grass and waited for tens of minutes, but nothing changed.
The last time he’d come, at least he’d seen the Black Smoke. By now, he was even beginning to suspect that Parasite had come seeking revenge and something had gone wrong.
After more than an hour of being stuck in limbo, Seol Jihoo let out a sigh as though the earth itself were sinking beneath him.
‘There’s no choice.’
He couldn’t very well camp out here waiting forever. Eventually, he rose slowly to his feet.
That was when it happened.
Tap.
As he bent down to pick up his bag, something no bigger than a bean struck the crown of his head and fell away. But Seol Jihoo didn’t notice, and he turned his body.
[Clink.]
Tap!
“!”
Seol Jihoo flinched. His hand flew to the nape of his neck, and—
“…a stone?”
He rolled the small stone fragment between his thumb and forefinger, and in that split second when he spun around to look at the Tomb—
[!]
He saw it clearly: a wisp of Black Smoke darting behind the Tomb, slipping out of sight.
Seol Jihoo’s eyes went wide as saucers.
“Ghost Saint?”
He whirled back around, and sure enough, on the opposite side of the entrance, the black smoke had gathered into a tight ball. As if deliberately hiding.
“You… you were here?”
[…Hmph.]
“Why were you hiding in the shadows?”
[Hmph!]
The Ghost Saint harrumphed and huffed.
While Seol Jihoo stood bewildered, the smoke showed signs of drifting away again.
[Hrmph!]
Before leaving, she even made sure to snort indignantly.
“Wait!”
Seol Jihoo reflexively reached out, then caught himself. He’d meant to grab her, to keep her from leaving—but then it struck him: she was smoke, a gas. There was no way he could hold her.
…That’s right. It should have been that way.
[Nnnngh! I don’t like this!]
Yet she was caught?
More precisely: the moment his hand made contact, the smoke simply… stopped, as if it really had been seized. Seol Jihoo blinked hard, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.
It defied all logic. But the evidence was undeniable—his hand had clearly passed right through the smoke just moments before.
[Let go!]
And now she was telling him to release her.
Overwhelmed by confusion, Seol Jihoo stumbled backward. The smoke glided around the Tomb and vanished.
‘Ah.’
As his mind finally caught up, Seol Jihoo hurried after the smoke.
‘Did the smoke stop on its own?’
The thought flickered through him, but it didn’t seem important enough to dwell on. The Black Smoke was the Spirit of the Ghost Saint, after all—its composition might differ from ordinary gas, mightn’t it?
Yet there was something else Seol Jihoo found utterly incomprehensible: the door that had been locked tight just moments ago now stood wide open.
He stepped through the entrance and called out eagerly.
“Ghost Saint!”
The Black Smoke gathered in the corner. Seol Jihoo approached carefully, like a hunter stalking prey, and spoke.
“I heard. They say you drove away the people who came looking for you….”
At that, the upper part of the smoke jerked sharply to the side. Had it really looked like she’d snapped her head around, or was that merely his imagination?
Seol Jihoo continued gently, as one might soothe a petulant child.
“I don’t think you were wrong to be angry, Ghost Saint.”
[…….]
“Could you tell me why?”
Whether moved by his earnest tone, the smoke hesitated. Seol Jihoo sat down carefully beside it. Seeing no sign of another escape attempt, he waited patiently.
It was a minute or two later when the smoke, which had been hovering uncertainly, finally spoke.
[Pink hair! Pink hair!]
“Pink hair… you mean the princess?”
[Y-yes. She keeps getting on my nerves….]
“What did Princess Teresa say to you?”
[I d-don’t know.]
“You… don’t know?”
Let him think this through.
Teresa had misspoken and offended the Ghost Saint. But when he asked what she’d said, the answer was: I don’t know.
‘I’m losing it.’
Seol Jihoo rubbed his face with both hands.
‘What am I supposed to do with this?’
Seol Jihoo closed his eyes quietly. Suddenly, a memory surfaced—a heated debate with Yu Seonhwa from long ago.
[Jihoo. Humans are capable of logical thought, but we’re creatures of emotion too.]
[Long live logic.]
[Empathy matters. How can you be rational about everything?]
[Long live reason.]
[Stop it. I’m serious. Answer me properly.]
[I don’t know. Just hold me.]
[See? You’re always whining to me when you’re bored, throwing tantrums even when you’re wrong. That’s what you do.]
[But you put up with it.]
[Yeah. I do—for you. Because I love you. But—]
[So soft.]
[What did you just—?]
‘We were happy, weren’t we….’
Lost in reverie, mouth hanging open, oblivious to what a shameful memory this was, Seol Jihoo snapped back to reality at the sound of the voice echoing in his head.
[I can hardly see anything as it is… and she keeps muttering away… I just suddenly got so annoyed….]
What in the world was this supposed to mean?
Seol Jihoo gave up trying to understand. He’d been thinking that there was no way Princess Teresa would do such a thing, that he should hear both sides of the story—but he cast all that aside and decided to take the Ghost Saint’s side entirely.
“The princess was in the wrong.”
[?]
“If you come to a tomb, you should show respect. She should have said only what needed saying and then held her silence.”
[R-really?]
“Of course.”
[R-right? I’ve been waiting and you never came—I was so disappointed. You were busy, you couldn’t make it, you ask for understanding. And you put me on edge! What? Her? That’s ridiculous! Like she’s the real wife or something.]
Validated, the Ghost Saint began rattling off her grievances as if she hadn’t been annoyed at all just moments before.
Seol Jihoo found himself silently grateful to Yu Seonhwa.
“In any case, the princess was at fault.”
[Mm-hmm. That’s right.]
Pleased at having her side taken, the black smoke swayed back and forth, up and down, with visible delight. Her mood seemed to have lifted somewhat.
Having sprinkled the seasoning to whet her appetite, it was time to present the main dish.
“Saint, aren’t you hungry?”
[Hm?]
“Just a moment.”
Setting down his bag, Seol Jihoo began unpacking a pot and ingredients one by one. He built a fire, placed the pot over it, and poured in water.
When the pot began to bubble and boil, he smiled faintly.
“I’ll cook for you.”
What Seol Jihoo had prepared as a parting gift was a dish he’d made himself—Budae Jjigae.
One might wonder what Budae Jjigae was doing in Paradise, but the ingredients—excepting only a few items—weren’t on the forbidden import list, so they weren’t difficult to obtain.
In any case, his experience living on his own had given him confidence in his cooking, and more than that, he wanted to share with the Ghost Saint the taste of home.
[Ooh.]
The Ghost Saint grew curious and began circling around Seol Jihoo’s cooking area.
[What’s this?]
“Ramen noodles.”
[And this?]
“Red pepper.”
[What’s that?]
“No, wait a moment.”
[You brute!]
“That’s not what I meant!”
The Ghost Saint squeaked indignantly while the bewildered young man tried to appease her, and so Seol Jihoo set about cooking with all his heart and soul.
He sliced red peppers and scallions to his taste, scattered in red pepper flakes generously….
Soon the tomb was alive with a spicy aroma so pungent it made the mouth water.
“Mm.”
Seol Jihoo tasted it lightly and hummed with satisfaction. The Ghost Saint had been swallowing hard ever since, having pestered him the whole time about when it would be done, so he ladled out a generous spoonful and offered it to her.
“Please, try some.”
[Can I eat it?]
“Yes. Be careful—it’s hot.”
Then from within the billowing white vapor, a faint wisp of dark smoke extended outward.
[Blow—blow—.]
The way it poked out just the lips made Seol Jihoo laugh despite himself.
[Slurp.]
The moment the smoke touched the broth,
[!?]
A sharp cry escaped.
“How is it?”
Instead of an answer, the smoke surged upward like water from a fountain.
[Gah!]
“S-Saint, Saint?”
[Gah-gah!]
Clouds of smoke burst forth, flickering roughly like the jets of a flamethrower.
[It’s too spicy-y-y-y-y!]
Only then did Seol Jihoo understand that the Ghost Saint had cried out for water. He’d seasoned it to his own taste, and it had turned out far too intense.
Seol Jihoo hastily fetched water and splashed it down. The black smoke plummeted and rushed at the water like a desperate thing.
[Noooo—.]
Watching the spirit wriggle in the water, Seol Jihoo stood bewildered for a moment, but the pitiful sounds made him suddenly burst out laughing.
The way it was lapping at the water looked just like a young animal—so ridiculously endearing.
[Tch.]
A sharp glare lashed out at him. He clapped his hand over his mouth with a belated gasp, but it was too late. The black smoke rose indignantly and came at him in a furious charge.
“Ah!”
Overwhelmed by that terrible, towering force, Seol Jihoo had no chance to resist and was knocked flat.
[You’re awful!]
“I’m sorry! Ow! I’m so sorry! Ow!”
[You did it on purpose! You were making fun of me!]
“No! I swear by heaven—ow-ow-ow!”
She bit his head, pulled his ears—comparatively gentle tousling, really, when set against the invading human she’d strangled, or the Parasites she’d torn to shreds.
“It hurts, ack! It hurts, ack-ack!”
[Stop laughing~!]
For some time afterward, the tomb was a curious sight: the young man and the spirit locked in a grappling embrace.

(To be continued in the next episode)

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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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