Translator Note:
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A sizable shrimp patty was nestled between two thick buns. There were vegetables too, like cabbage, perhaps for a semblance of nutritional balance. But what truly caught my attention was the sauce, the pinnacle of culinary indulgence. The aroma of the sauce, concocted purely for its taste, was so overpowering it almost numbed my senses. Maybe my sense of smell had become more animal-like as well.
"Wow."
Never did I imagine I'd live to see the day when I'd be devouring a hamburger. Spellbound, I stared at the impressive profile of the burger.
"Aren't you going to eat, Gyeoul?"
"Yes. I'm about to."
I carefully brought the hamburger closer. But the burger was too thick for my small mouth. Reluctantly, I decided to eat it in two bites.
Crunch—
Crunch—
The bread, cabbage, and freshly fried shrimp patty melded beautifully in my mouth.
"Mmm~"
How many years had it been since I last tasted a burger? I savored each bite as long as I could.
'This is truly delicious.'
This was the most flavorful food I'd had in this life. My shoulders bounced with joy.
"Is it good, Gyeoul?"
"Yes. I want to save some for tomorrow, but I'll just finish it today."
"Why?"
Why, indeed. Did the witch not understand even something this simple? Feeling good, I decided to enlighten her.
"Last time, I tried to save a red bean bun, but it got moldy. So now, if I have something tasty, I eat it all right away."
"Th-that's so…"
Crunch—
The girl took a bite of her own hamburger. She didn't seem as thrilled as I was, likely because she ate them frequently.
It seemed I needed to teach her the value of food.
"I felt so bad about the red bean bun that I only ate the parts without mold."
"Y-you ate it—?!"
"Yes. I thought I was going to die that day."
Though I knew it was wrong, I couldn't help myself. For someone hungry, mold is no different from the chemical sauce on a hamburger.
"Gyeoul, you must never eat anything moldy again, alright?"
"Okay. I won't eat mold anymore."
Anyway, Food always tastes better when someone else pays for it. I averted my gaze from the girl and looked at the cola.
"Zero cola?"
"Yes. It's calorie-free, so it's healthier than regular cola."
Of course, I knew what zero cola was. What surprised me was that she specifically chose a calorie-free option.
"If it has no calories, no matter how much you drink, you won't get any energy…"
"Oh."
The calories in regular cola are even more than my usual corn flour mixed with water. She knew this, yet she still opted for zero cola. She must be doing it just to see how I'd react.
'She's really mean.'
Is tormenting people really that amusing to her? Irritated, I sipped my cola. The intense sweetness and the fizz were more shocking than any drink I'd ever tasted in this life.
✱✱✱
Gyeoul took about an hour to finish her hamburger. Though she took her time savoring each bite, Yeoreum waited patiently, not wanting to disturb Gyeoul's moment of joy.
"...Gyeoul, are you done eating?"
"Yes."
Yeoreum grabbed a tissue as she watched Gyeoul, looking content as she patted her stomach. Because of her small mouth, burger sauce was smeared all around it.
"You've got sauce on your face. Want me to wipe it off for you?"
"No, no! I'll do it myself—!"
Gyeoul hurriedly took the tissue. Her dirty, stained clothes contrasted sharply with the clean white tissue, catching Yeoreum's eye.
'I wish she'd at least get some new clothes,' she thought.
But it felt wrong to push Gyeoul into buying clothes if she didn't want to. Yeoreum tried a more gentle approach to guide her thoughts.
"Hey, Gyeoul?"
"Yes?"
"Now that you have a lot of money, what's the first thing you want to buy?"
Given her age, Yeoreum thought Gyeoul might be interested in getting some new outfits. Just then, Gyeoul raised her index finger with a sudden look of alarm.
"Shh, shh!"
"Huh?"
Had she said something she shouldn't have? Yeoreum instinctively went quiet.
"You shouldn't brag about having a lot of money—!" Gyeoul whispered, just loud enough for Yeoreum to hear, cupping her hands around her mouth as if to keep the sound contained.
Yeoreum thought she understood why but decided to ask anyway.
"Why not?"
"Bad people will steal it or take it away!"
Ah.
Had that happened to her before? Yeoreum matched Gyeoul's whispering tone and asked softly.
"Has someone stolen from you before?"
"Yes!"
What kind of terrible person would do that? Yeoreum felt a surge of anger but held it back in front of the child.
"Tell me if it happens again. I'll make sure to scold them."
"Yes, yes... but please don't be too harsh on them..."
She was asking not to be too harsh on those who stole from her. Despite everything, the child's heart was still incredibly kind. Yeoreum wanted to pat Gyeoul's head but remembered Gyeoul's dislike for physical contact and stopped herself. For now, she decided to focus on the clothes.
"Gyeoul, I'm really curious. What's the first thing you want to do?"
"I want to donate to the free food kitchen!"
"The, food kitchen?"
Even with such a large sum of money for the first time, Gyeoul's thoughts were selfless. She was thinking of others before herself.
"Yes! It's a food kitchen that runs on donations, and I've received a lot from them! Now, I want to give back!"
"Wow, that's incredible. Gyeoul, you're even more remarkable than I thought."
"I've been hungry a lot—! I know how hard it is to be hungry—! That's why I want as many people as possible to have food—!"
The child's earnest murmurs were touching. Yeoreum felt a pang of regret for having treated such a compassionate child poorly in the past. Feeling miserable, she closed her eyes tightly. The more she learned about Gyeoul, the more guilt she felt.
"Hey, Gyeoul. After you donate, maybe we could use some of the money to buy you new clothes?"
"Clothes?"
"Yes. The ones you're wearing are just a bit dirtier than most people's."
Gyeoul looked down at her clothes and then glanced around at others. After a long comparison, she nodded.
"Yes, you're right."
"Um, yeah. So I was thinking it might be good to get just a few new ones."
"Um..."
Gyeoul crossed her arms in thought, then looked up at Yeoreum cautiously.
"Do you think there are clothes for just a thousand won?"
Clothes for a thousand won? Knowing well there weren't any, Yeoreum decided not to correct her. She had plenty of clothes set aside for the child anyway.
"I have some clothes I used to wear when I was little. I can give you one for a thousand won."
"Ah—Yes."
✱✱✱
I felt deceived. I had wanted to buy new clothes, but now I was being pushed to accept second-hand ones. Helpless, I can only cursed this kidnapper inwardly.
'This conniving woman!'
The girl led me back to the same hotel we had been to before. I thought she would be taking me to get used clothes, only to find myself in this wretched place once more. Perhaps she had lied just to keep me here.
"Gyeoul, can you wait here for a bit?"
"Here?"
In the lobby of the hotel's first floor, I looked around and saw the same ominous figures I had seen before. She was leaving me in this nest of beasts. Truly, she was a heartless and mad witch.
"The master has called for me unexpectedly. I'll be back in ten minutes."
"Yes, yes..."
Fine. If anyone tried to harm me, the witch would get angry. Once she was gone, I hurried to a corner of the hotel and crouched down.
'For a place full of villains, it's surprisingly well-decorated.'
Luxurious artworks and golden lights adorned the space. The ceiling was so high that even five of me standing on top of each other wouldn't reach it. Did they earn all this money from altering people?
Curious, I began to look around when I suddenly heard a door creak open behind me.
"Huh?"
I turned quickly, though there wasn't any visible door. Behind me stood a burly man, staring down at me.
"I-I'll move!"
Before he could say anything, I crawled sideways, not daring to stand up.
"No, it's fine..."
The man extended his hand toward me. I stayed in my seated position, pushing myself backward using my hands.
In this isolated part of the hotel, there was no way to escape far.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that was a door..."
"No need to apologize..."
Gulp–
The man swallowed audibly. What sinister plans did he have to swallow his saliva like that? Fear sent my tail curling between my legs and pressing against my belly.
I had come to this den of monsters just for some used clothes. The sheer absurdity of it made me want to cry.