Translator Note:
- If you want to see more of this chapter, please go to my Patreon, I updated the story once every 2/3 days, and as of right now (8/23/2024), there's 53 Chapter in the Patreon.
This is my Patreon link:
==================
Scrub Scrub
While squatting, I carefully scrubbed the delicate lace clothing on the ground. The lace could easily get caught on twigs or stones, so I had to remove as much of it as possible.
"Ugh."
If I were at home, I could just cut it with scissors or a knife, but for now, I had to improvise. Rubbing my sore arm with regret, for some reason, the girl who kidnapped me also squatted beside me. She was silent for a while, just looking at me with sad eyes, then she opened her mouth and asked.
"Hey, Gyeoul."
"Yes?"
"Um... you know, if someone works too hard, they can get sick and pass out from exhaustion."
She said something that anyone sane in this world would know, like I was a child unaware of it. Listening to her, I nodded, my eyes still focused on my hands scrubbing the clothes on the ground.
"I know. I used to faint often, and because I lived alone. I always lost hours of productive time due to having no one waking me up."
"Eh, you faint often?"
"Yes. Some time ago, I fainted while trying to collect some acorns. I fainted while climbing the tree, fell, and accidentally broke a few bones."
"That was really unpleasant. I had to lie under that tree for days, waiting for the pain in my bones to subside before I could walk back to my tent."
The most dangerous thing, I think, is fainting while exploring the forest. Because there are many wild animals in the forest, and if one of them comes across my motionless body, they might think I'm dead and eat me.
"Isn't it dangerous to faint like that?"
"Yes, it is dangerous. But what can I do?"
I would starve to death if I didn't work. In my opinion, dying from exhaustion or injuries is much better than dying from starvation.
So, in order to eat, I have to work hard today as well.
Riiippp!
I enthusiastically tore the lace stuck to the edge of the clothing. Then the girl grabbed my hand.
"Hey, Gyeoul, don't you want to take a break today?"
"Ah, why?"
"Well, it's because people work better after they've rested."
Ah, so she's talking about work efficiency? I understand what she means, but I can't rest right now.
"It's okay. I have a lot to do."
"What do you need to do?"
"Well, I need to check the apartment recycling area for useful items."
This time, maybe I'll find something valuable. I was already excited, imagining the treasure hunt when she forcefully lifted me.
"...No."
"What?"
"You're going to rest today, Gyeoul."
"Eh, why?"
But treasure hunting is my favorite activity! It's the time when I can find many valuable items for free. And she's taking that precious time away from me. I looked at her, feeling sad that she was stopping me from doing my favorite activity.
"What you need most right now is rest, Gyeoul. Trust me and rest just for today."
"But, that's..."
She wants to force me to rest. Is the wicked witch finally showing her true colors? Feeling sad and reluctant, I decided to follow her advice. I know that rest can increase work efficiency, but I plan to take advantage of this unfavorable situation as much as possible.
"So, I only need to rest today? Just for today?"
"Yes, just for today."
"Only today, then."
The phrase sounded strange, but I agreed for now.
"May I go home to rest, then?"
"Yes. Rest should be taken in a comfortable place. I'll take you there."
She's taking me there? That means she intends to follow me home. I'm not sure what she has planned, but I don't intend to let her do as she pleases. Clenching my fists, I confidently told the girl.
"Yes. In that case, I'll clean the chair."
I went home with the girl. Although she said she would take me, it was disgusting to see her following me in. What is she planning with such behavior? I looked at her with suspicious eyes.
"Gyeoul, what are you going to do to relax?"
"Me?"
She suddenly spoke to me. Startled, I just looked around nervously.
"Yes. If we are resting, we should rest properly."
Indeed, she wasn't wrong. How one rests can affect their level of satisfaction. I pondered for a moment, then ran to the vegetable garden outside the house. I decided to make the most of this hard-earned rest time.
'I need to plant new tomatoes and lettuce.'
Holding a sharp stone, I thrust it into the ground, thinking. Maybe today I could find a planting trowel at the recycling center. I was disappointed, but since I had decided to rest, I chose not to complain.
Thump!
Thump!
Each time I thrust the stone into the garden, pain shot through my palm. The calluses I once had when I was a man were all gone, and from the look of it, It would take a long time to get back to how they were.
As I was busy thrusting the stone, without my awareness, the girl had approached me.
"Um, Gyeoul...?"
"Yes?"
"We decided to rest today, remember?"
Her gaze shifted to my hands. which were covered in dirt.
"Yes, see? I'm resting."
"Um... well... that's not really resting, is it? You'll be exhausted after tending the garden."
"Huh?"
Tending the garden requires a lot of physical effort, but don't ordinary people also tend their gardens on their days off? Confused, I tilted my head in puzzlement.
"If you garden now, later, after you're done, your body will feel very tired."
"Yes. It does make me very tired."
"Right. Because of that, it can't be counted as rest. Resting means your body and mind should feel relaxed."
Hmm. Is that so? I carefully placed the stone down.
"Then what should I do to rest?"
"Um... doesn't Gyeoul have something that makes your body and mind relax?"
Something that will make my body and mind relax. There is one thing.
"How about fixing the tent? Protecting it from wind and rain makes the body and mind relax."
"Um..."
"Fixing the tent counts as rest, right?"
Even though repairing the tent with patch tape is quite expensive, now I have a considerable amount of three million won. There's no harm in pampering myself a little just for one day. As I happily thought about the tent renovation, the girl sighed deeply.
"Gyeoul, you don't know what it means to rest, do you...?"
Not knowing how to rest? Her outright rejection was very annoying.
"I know how to rest! After fixing the tent, I'll gather firewood."
"Firewood...?"
"Yes. To make a fire."
Sitting by the fire relaxes the body and mind. It's the perfect form of rest. Even a foolish witch should know that, right? Glancing at the girl, I saw her biting her lip, as if at a loss for words. It took quite a while before she spoke again.
"Gyeoul, how about we rest my way today?"
"Why, why?"
"I want to show you what rest is like. It will definitely be fun."
Fun, she says. Isn't she just planning something enjoyable for herself? I was worried, but I had no right to refuse. I had no choice but to follow her instructions.
"Okay…"
✱✱✱
Yeoreum took Gyeoul to a playground at the foot of the mountain. It was a workday, and since they arrived at the playground before lunchtime, there weren't many people around.
At the playground, there were slides, swings, a zip line, and other equipment usually enjoyed by children, but Gyeoul's expression remained completely flat when they arrived. Then, she directed her gaze to Yeoreum and gave her a look as if she didn't know what to do.
'Doesn't she know what a playground is?'
Although the colorful equipment was designed to attract children's attention, Gyeoul showed no interest whatsoever. It was as if she didn't even understand the concept of playing.
'Oh no.'
A child who doesn't know how to play.
Such a concept is one that I don't want to believe in, but considering that she doesn't know what a rest is, it's not an unbelievable thing.
Faced with this harsh reality, Yeoreum closed her eyes tightly.
"Sigh..."
What kind of life had this eight-year-old child lived? The more Yeoreum got to know Gyeoul, the greater her sense of guilt became.
As Yeoreum's legs were about to give out, and she was about to sit down, Gyeoul tugged at the hem of her shirt.
"Um, excuse me...?"
"Huh?"
"What is this place...?"
Gyeoul stopped talking, but Yeoreum understood.
'What is this place for?'
She must want to ask.
"This is a playground. Aren't the colorful things beautiful?"
"Um..."
Flower garden, giraffe-shaped slide. Although the playground was beautifully decorated, Gyeoul just glanced around without showing any further interest.
Yeoreum realized one thing from Gyeoul's behavior. This child had lived her life by disregarding all elements unnecessary for survival.
How hopeless her situation must be?
Yeoreum's heart felt like it was being squeezed, but she put on a gentle expression for the child.
"Gyeoul, see that giraffe? You climb up and slide down, want to try?"
"Me?"
Why should I do that? Gyeoul looked at her with that expression.
"It's really fun. Let's try it just once."
"Yes. I know it's fun."
"You know? Have you tried it before?"
Has she ever done something resembling 'playing' on her own? As Yeoreum felt relieved, Gyeoul's next words surprised her.
"I told you earlier that I fainted while trying to collect some accord, right?"
"Right."
"Well, the tree is right next to a steep slope, so when I fell, I also slid down for some time, and I slid down. It was really fun."
"Uh..."
Slid down? Doesn't that mean she eventually rolled down the mountain?
Yeoreum looked at Gyeoul with trembling eyes.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
"No. A tree in the middle of the way caught me, so I wasn't hurt. My clothes got a little torn, though."
"That's good."
But isn't it more like she crashed into the tree rather than being caught by it?
Turns out, Gyeoul is a really tough girl.
'No, maybe she has to be.'
She's a child placed in an environment where being tough is the only way to survive. It's not her nature that's hard; it's the circumstances that force her to be like that.
Yeoreum made a resolution in her heart.
'Someday, I'll give Gyeoul a beautiful life, where she can grow up like other little girls, a life where she has people who love her, and people she loves, a life where she doesn't have to hold back her tears when she's hurt.'
At that moment, Gyeoul was also thinking to herself.
'Why should I waste valuable time playing in a children's playground?'