Dinner was over, but my frustration over my car door lingered. It wasn't just about the mangled door itself—it was the principle of the thing. My beloved car had been violated, and now, thanks to Lucien and Damiel, I had to figure out how to get it repaired in the middle of a magical migration crisis.
The sound of the news broadcast played in the background as I slumped onto the couch.
"The Korean government assures citizens that while tensions remain high, the situation is being monitored closely. Daily activities can continue in safe zones as authorities negotiate terms with Valeraine's representatives. Citizens are encouraged to remain vigilant and avoid conflict."
"Safe zones, huh?" I muttered, crossing my arms. "Great. So we're not in complete chaos, just manageable chaos."
I-seo, sitting beside me, glanced up from her phone. "At least the government's doing something. Imagine if they weren't. It'd be a complete madhouse."
Grandma entered the room with a tray of tea and her usual serene expression, as though the entire kingdom of Valeraine hadn't just dropped onto Korea's lap. "It's not so bad, Sena. At least we have plenty of food."
She wasn't wrong. Thanks to Lucien and Damiel's so-called "infinity storage," the kitchen was stocked with fresh produce, meat, and enough bread to feed an army. The magical storage space, apparently built by Lucien for emergencies, was almost comically over-prepared. Of course, this meant I could never complain about food shortages—but bath essentials? Another story entirely.
"Okay, great," I said, sitting up. "So we won't starve. But unless I want to wash my hair with lettuce, we still need shampoo and soap. I'm going to the grocery store tomorrow."
I-seo perked up. "I'll come with you! I need some snacks."
Damiel, lounging nearby, smirked. "A trip to this 'grocery store'? Sounds like an adventure. Count me in."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "Why? So you can enchant the bread aisle and declare yourself the king of pastries?"
"Of course not," he said, feigning innocence. "I simply wish to accompany Madam I-seo. For… protection."
Protection, my foot. That sly fox was clearly trying to seduce my best friend. Over my dead body.
__________
The next morning, we arrived at the grocery store. I parked the car, already bracing myself for whatever chaos Lucien and Damiel would inevitably create. As I turned off the engine, Lucien unbuckled his seatbelt and—like clockwork—reached for the detached car door in the back seat.
"Wait, what are you doing?" I asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
Lucien straightened his posture and, with all the gravitas of a prince, lifted the mangled car door. "I will hold it in place. That way, the vehicle can maintain its structural integrity."
"What structural integrity?" I snapped. "The door's already detached! It's not like holding it is going to magically fix it."
"It is a temporary solution," Lucien said, already maneuvering the door awkwardly to align it with the empty frame. "Observe."
To my horror—and I-seo's stifled giggles—Lucien pressed the door against the frame and held it firmly as if it belonged there, his face stoic as ever.
"Lucien, let it go!" I groaned, dragging him out of the car.
The two medieval giants stepped out, stretching their absurdly tall frames like they were preparing for battle. As we approached the automatic sliding doors, Damiel held up a hand, stopping everyone.
"Wait," he declared, his voice solemn. "The height here is treacherously low. We must prepare."
"What are you talking about?" I asked, exasperated.
"I refuse to hit my head again," Damiel said confidently. "Follow my lead."
Before I could stop him, he bent his knees into an awkward squat and began shuffling forward in what I could only describe as a duck walk.
"What are you doing?!" I hissed, already feeling the heat of embarrassment creeping up my neck.
Damiel straightened slightly but remained in his ridiculous posture. "This ensures our safety. I won't have another tragic encounter with a doorway. Lucien, follow my lead."
Lucien, who was supposed to be the more serious of the two, hesitated for a moment before sighing heavily and mimicking Damiel's awkward duck walk. Just as Lucien began to follow, Damiel stumbled, tripping over his own feet and nearly toppling into Lucien, who barely managed to keep his balance. The result was an awkward, tangled shuffle that ended with Damiel smacking into the sliding doors.
"Flawless," Damiel declared, brushing himself off and pretending nothing had happened.
I-seo was already doubled over, clutching her stomach as tears of laughter streamed down her face. "Oh my god, they're doing it again! Sena, look at them!"
"Don't encourage them!" I snapped, my cheeks burning as other shoppers started to notice the spectacle. "Just duck normally and walk through!"
Once inside the store, the chaos only escalated. Damiel's curiosity knew no bounds. He wandered into the cereal aisle and immediately spotted a woman struggling to reach a box on the top shelf.
"Excuse me," the shopper said hesitantly. "Could you help me grab that box?"
Damiel straightened up, his chest puffing out like a knight accepting a royal decree. "Ah, a trial of strength! Fear not, citizen, for I shall retrieve this treasure for you."
"It's just cereal, not the Holy Grail," I muttered as Damiel dramatically plucked the box from the shelf and handed it to the shopper with a flourish.
Meanwhile, Lucien was inspecting a barcode sticker on a cucumber in the produce section.
"What is the purpose of these labels?" he asked, frowning at the tiny sticker.
"It's… so they can scan it at checkout," I explained, already regretting bringing them along.
Lucien frowned, turning the cucumber over in his hands. "Scan it for what? Poison?"
"Yes, Our Prince Lucien," I deadpanned. "They're making sure you're not smuggling a magical cucumber into Korea."
By the time we reached the electronics section, Damiel froze, his eyes locking onto a wall of televisions. The screens displayed security footage from the store's entrance, replaying Damiel and Lucien's ridiculous duck walk.
"There we are!" Damiel exclaimed, pointing at the screens. "Another version of us! How is this possible?"
"It's not another version of you!" I hissed, trying to shove him forward. "It's the store's security cameras."
"Security cameras?" he repeated, frowning. "So… they've enchanted mirrors to copy us and guard us?"
"No!" I snapped. "They're not enchanted mirrors! They're cameras. They record what you're doing and show it on screens."
Lucien narrowed his eyes at the screens, crossing his arms. "If these 'cameras' are not alive, why do they mimic us?"
"They're not mimicking you!" I groaned. "They're recording you! It's technology, not witchcraft!"
Damiel stepped closer to the TVs, waving. "Well done, mimic! You've captured our movements perfectly. Almost majestic."
I buried my face in my hands. This was going to be a long day.
__________
As we headed to the checkout, I found myself muttering under my breath. "It's good to see them adapt, I guess. But imagine if all the others from Valeraine were like this."
I-seo chuckled. "I mean, they don't exactly blend in, but yeah. They don't seem fazed by anything."
"It's weird to think about," I said. "If they're like this—acting like they belong here—what about the others? Are they just as clueless or… worse?"
"You think there's a worse version of Damiel?" I-seo teased.
I shot her a look. "I don't mean worse as in personality. I mean… what if some of them didn't adapt as well? Or what if they're causing problems?"
I-seo thought about it for a moment. "It's possible. But honestly, if all of them are as ridiculous as these two, I don't think we have to worry about them taking over the world."
"I don't know," I muttered, watching as Damiel waved at a group of teens who immediately started giggling. "If someone like Damiel managed to charm his way into politics, we'd all be doomed."
I-seo burst out laughing. "Can you imagine him trying to negotiate? He'd probably challenge someone to a duel over a bag of donuts."
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at my lips. "It's good, though," I admitted. "Seeing them like this. Mingling with people, even if they don't realize how much attention they're getting. It makes me wonder if this whole… migration thing might work out. At least for some of them."
"Maybe," I-seo said, her tone softer now. "Or maybe we're just lucky we got stuck with the two who aren't completely terrible."
"Don't give them too much credit," I said, dragging her toward the checkout. "They're still causing me a headache."