The Tough Guy Hides the Villainess - Chapter 110



110 – Not a Witch, but a Crazy Woman! #1

110 – Not a Witch, but a Crazy Woman! #1

I suddenly received a request from Yu Yeoreum.

She asked for help in taking down the Red King, who possessed the concept of darkness.

And the reward was to tell me about ‘soft and squishy’?

As someone who needed to receive ‘soft and squishy’ from Seo Ga-eul three times, I had no reason to refuse the offer since I needed to know what it was.

“But. It’s a tricky task.”

Beyond the fact that the Red King was a formidable opponent, the biggest problem was that we couldn’t access the Great Labyrinth in the current situation.

After returning home, I saw the stories that the newspapers and news were buzzing about.

“Nam Bada, who holds all the power, has issued a ban on access to the Great Labyrinth? Even if I manage to return alive, it will take time to lift that ban.”

But it wasn’t that there was no way at all.

There is always a way to solve any problem.

“The only method that comes to mind right now is this. I have to stay dead.”

“You have to die?”

The faintly rising dawn sun.

It shone on Yoo Yeoreum’s back through the window.

Thanks to that, Yoo Yeoreum’s face, burdened with backlight, looked particularly dark.

“What do you mean I have to be dead?”

“If I’m dead, the surveillance on me will loosen, right? I’ve become too famous lately, so my external actions have been restricted. Since I’m already considered missing, I might as well take advantage of this situation.”

Yoo Yeoreum had a face that said he couldn’t understand.

In fact, explaining everything in detail wasn’t my style.

It’s better to show through actions than words.

“Yoo Yeoreum, you should go back home for now. And secretly let only Bbangdaengi and my friends know that I’m alive. We can’t have them causing trouble by doing something stupid.”

“Home….”

「Name: Yoo Yeoreum

Possessions: Click to see details ☜

《Light Lv.4》 – Can shine like a supernova on the brink of death.

《Photosynthesis Lv.2》 – Has photosynthesis abilities like an old tree.

《Modesty Lv.2》 – Is as modest as a princess in a story.

《Candy Lv.2》 – Is as sweet as a first love in adolescence.

Status: 《Longing》 – Misses his family.」

How much time had passed since I kidnapped Yoo Yeoreum?

Even though it was an adoptive family with no blood ties, Yoo Yeoreum seemed to miss his family.

As soon as the morning sun rose, I sent Yoo Yeoreum back home.

I was slightly worried if he understood my plan well, but life never goes as planned, so it didn’t matter.

# # #

Beep beep beep-.

At the sudden sound of the door lock being pressed, Mrs. Ahn Gaepyung, the wife of the judo master and mother of Yoo Taeyang, stopped what she was doing and was taken aback.

“…Who?”

There was no one who would come in at this early hour by unlocking the door.

Beep beep beep-.

As the door opened and Yoo Yeoreum appeared, Mrs. Ahn Gaepyung was so shocked that she dropped the kitchen knife she was holding.

Thud-.

Buzz-!

If Yoo Yeoreum hadn’t quickly shot a beam from her eyes, the falling knife might have injured her foot.

“Yeoreum, you…”

Mrs. Ahn Gaepyung was known for her cold demeanor.

She participated in volunteer activities hosted by her aides once a month and held bazaars at religious facilities on various religious holidays, showing her altruistic nature.

However, she was a woman who found it difficult to express emotions on her face, and some people even called her the “Iron Lady.”

Even such a woman, Mrs. Gaepyung, couldn’t help but gape and tear up at the sight of Yoo Yeoreum, who had been missing for a long time and had now returned.

“Where on earth have you been all this time, and now you’re back!”

Mrs. Ahn Gaepyung approached Yoo Yeoreum and examined her closely.

Just like a cherished house cat that had run away and returned as a stray, Yoo Yeoreum’s shabby appearance brought tears to her eyes.

“How little have you eaten to become so skinny… No, you haven’t. Have you gained some weight?”

Ironically, Yoo Yeoreum’s cheeks were quite plump. This was because she had been on an extreme diet to raise her “photosynthesis” level while staying at home.

On the other hand, Yu Yeoreum, who had been kidnapped, had gained a good amount of weight from eating this and that.

Grrrr-.

Yu Yeoreum’s stomach growled.

The smell of doenjang jjigae, simmered with cheongyang peppers and pork, tickled her nose.

“Mom, give me some rice first.”

“Rice?”

Mrs. An Gaepyeong was startled.

Yu Yeoreum usually didn’t eat meals.

As if she had an aversion to chewing and swallowing anything.

“Alright. Let’s eat first.”

Yu Yeoreum ate three bowls of rice on the spot.

She even ate five fried eggs.

“You eat well. So, what on earth happened? How!”

There were many stories she wanted to hear.

At this moment, Yu Yeoreum recalled the ‘operation’ Han Namjin had mentioned, but honestly, she couldn’t remember the details.

“…Did Han Namjin save me?”

“That guy?”

Mrs. An Gaepyeong knew well about Han Namjin too.

He had visited their house before.

The student who had gone missing in the Great Labyrinth had saved Yu Yeoreum, who had also gone missing in the Great Labyrinth─.

Mrs. Angaepyeong understood it that way.

However, it seemed better to celebrate the reunion with the family rather than anything else at the moment.

So, Mrs. Angaepyeong hugged Yuyeoreum’s shoulder and patted her back.

“Welcome back. This is your home. I thought you would never return. Welcome back.”

“……”

Yuyeoreum didn’t know what to say or what expression to make, so she could only fumble awkwardly.

She was just sleepy now.

A yawn escaped her.

It was because she had stayed up all night.

“Mom, I want to sleep.”

“Sure! I’ll lay out the bedding for you! Your room is just as it was. I just dusted it off occasionally.”

With that, Yuyeoreum went into her room.

As she lay on the bed, it felt so comfortable that it seemed like the long time she had been kidnapped was a lie.

Mrs. Angaepyeong contacted her son, Yutaeyang, while Yuyeoreum was sleeping soundly in her room.

“Yeoreum is back home!”

“(Rabbit raising hands emoji)”

Just as she was diligently tapping on the unfamiliar phone keypad-

Creak-

The closed door opened, and Yuyeoreum returned to the living room.

“Why? Do you want me to change the bedding?”

“No. The blanket is fine. I just wanted to say that I’m glad to be home, Mom. I missed you.”

“What?”

Mrs. An Gaepyeong was taken aback.

Yu Yeoreum was not the type of daughter to act so affectionately.

Perhaps because of her unique circumstances as an adopted child, Yu Yeoreum rarely opened her heart to people.

Mrs. An Gaepyeong once took in a cat from the streets long ago. The cat had spent so much time on the streets that it was extremely wary of people.

They lived together for 17 years, but the cat never fully accepted human touch. Whenever she tried to pet its back out of frustration, it would run away even further.

“Some things never open their hearts for a lifetime.”

Mrs. An Gaepyeong often thought of that cat when she looked at Yu Yeoreum.

In some ways, she understood Yu Yeoreum because she herself was often called the “Iron Lady” for her inability to express emotions.

But then.

Yu Yeoreum reached out first and hugged her.

“But the soybean paste stew was a bit salty.”

“……”

To think she would even complain about the food.

It felt as if she had become a different person.

In the end, even the cold Iron Lady melted.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

“Welcome home. Welcome home. I’ll try to make the soybean paste stew less salty from now on.”

Not long after that.

From noble mtl dot com

The door opened, and Yu Taeyang and his father, Yu Dogwan, returned home.

“Mom! Where’s Yeoreum!”

“I’m here. But oppa, did you smoke again? With sister-in-law and nephew here, you really need to quit smoking. The smell is awful. Go away.”

“…W-what? Haha….”

Yu Taeyang awkwardly scratched the back of his head as he watched Yu Yeoreum chatter away. At that moment, Yu Dogwan’s eyes gleamed.

“Welcome back. Do you know how worried I was without you? Yeoreum, my daughter. There are many things you need to help with. It’s so good to have you back.”

Tension filled the expressions of Mrs. An Gaepyeong and Yu Taeyang.

It seemed that Yu Dogwan’s welcoming of his daughter wasn’t just a father’s joy.

Then it happened.

“No.”

The sound from Yu Yeoreum’s mouth made the spacious house fall silent.

So silent that Yu Taeyang suddenly realized how vast the 52-pyeong house he lived in truly was.

“You… what did you just say….”

Yu Dogwan, who had always handled any hearing with ease, stuttered.

The word “no” coming from Yu Yeoreum’s mouth was that shocking.

But Yu Yeoreum answered even more firmly.

“I said no. I’m tired of all the annoying, painful, and distressing experiments. From now on, I’m going to live doing only what I want. Honestly, with all the help I’ve given so far, I think I’ve more than repaid the debt of being adopted.”

“…What?”

Assemblyman Yu Dogwan was greatly taken aback.

He never expected Yu Yeoreum, who had always followed orders well, to rebel like this.

Did something bad come in from outside?

“Then I’ll go to school.”

Yoo Yeoreum grabbed her uniform cap and left the house with a swish.

A summer morning with cicadas crying.

Yoo Yeoreum walked along the shadows cast by the roadside trees and buildings that blocked the sun.

It was as if she was deliberately avoiding the sun.

“Why? What? I just said what you were hesitating to say. Just stay quiet and do as I say. Your way is frustrating.”

Yoo Yeoreum sometimes mumbled to herself incomprehensibly.

Her quick steps finally brought her to Yeongsa High School.

“Everyone looks like they’ve seen a ghost?”

The most surprised was Seo Gaeul of Class F.

Seo Gaeul couldn’t understand why Yoo Yeoreum had come to school.

“Yoo Yeoreum! What are you doing here!”

“Is it strange for a student to come to school? Han Namjin let me go.”

“Han Namjin…!? That guy, he’s alive after all!”

“Very much alive. Some parts are even quite lively. But he asked me to keep it a secret that he’s alive. Oh, that was a secret. Forget I said that.”

“Huh? Forget what?”

Seo Gaeul was even more confused.

Han Namjin.

What on earth is that guy thinking!

“And Seo Ga-eul, don’t raise your voice like that in front of me. You’re weaker than me. And Han Nam-jin is the one who has to take care of me for the rest of his life, so stop paying attention to him!”

“…Haaa!? What’s wrong with you! Did you eat something bad?”

The friends in Class F were greatly surprised to see Seo Ga-eul and Yoo Yeoreum bickering. They didn’t know the two were that close.

“Looks like Yeoreum and Ga-eul have become really close.”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen them talk to each other.”

“Maybe it’s because they were kidnapped together!”

Anyway, Yoo Yeoreum, who was rescued by Han Nam-jin, returned to school.

That story made the world noisy.

Of course, it reached the ears of Baek Yeoul, who was taking classes in Class D.

“Han Nam-jin! You’re alive!”

“Baek Yeoul, be quiet. We’re in class.”

“Eek!”

“But Han Nam-jin was alive? I knew that guy wouldn’t die easily, but to think he was alive and didn’t come to school…”

“Teacher, should we cancel the memorial choir we were preparing?”

# # #

By now, Yoo Yeoreum must have safely reunited with her family.

It might be a tearful melodrama.

I was a little envious of having a family to welcome me home.

But! I, Han Nam-jin, am a man.

A man must live a life far from sympathy, hospitality, tears, or heartwarming things like Christmas Eve parties.

A well-trained dog is all a man walking through the apocalypse needs.

━Whine whine.

Of course, my dog was a bit strange.

It had no legs, no eyes, no nose, no mouth.

It wasn’t even a dog to begin with!

“Muhuhu, is this the world of outsiders…? Indeed, it is quite impressive…!”

“The buildings are extremely tall…! They look like palaces where kings live…!”

The peculiar nymphs were busy marveling at the tall skyscraper buildings.

It wasn’t easy to wander around the downtown of D City with these guys. Avoiding the noisy honking cars, stopping at the red lights of the crosswalk.

I had to teach them every single basic thing.

Despite that, why was I roaming D City with the nymphs, playing the role of a bothersome teacher?

“Muhuhu, this thing called ‘Witch’s Weed’ is originally a type of flower known to us nymphs as ‘Blood Rose’…! Unlike the beneficial baobab tree, it is a very nasty flower that pollutes the land…. We must pull it out whenever we see it…!”

I was searching for the ‘Witch’s Weed’ and the ‘Witch Cult’.

Why, you ask?

If my past knowledge was correct, the ‘Witch Cult’ independently managed one of the entrance gates to the Great Labyrinth.

For now, it’s a secret known only to those who know.

I have no secrets. Because I have knowledge of the future!

Anyway.

To enter the entrance of the Great Labyrinth, I needed to approach the ‘Witch Cult’, and the nymphs knew something about the ‘Witch’s Weed’.

Baonoi, who had cultivated the forest in the polluted land for a long time, could track where the ‘Witch’s Weed’ grew.

“`

“Muhuhu, unlike Inonoi who lived in luxury in the palace, this Baonoi is very helpful…! An awesome nymph…!”

“This Inonoi did not live in luxury…!”

Thus, we arrived at the outskirts of City D.

When we reached the farm where greenhouses could be seen everywhere, the sign at the entrance read ‘Eden Farm.’

The eyes of the women working in the greenhouses turned towards me.

One might think the farmers would be middle-aged women or grandmothers, but they are all young.

Extremely young.

From high school age to women in their early thirties!

“Is this heaven…!?”