Episode 17
Golden Spoon
"Yikes!"
Two redheads popped up out of nowhere, and I froze mid-scream.
"Huh? Seol, you scaredy-cat! You're freaked out by this?"
"Chaechae, you gotta say sorry to Seol. She's practically petrified!"
Jangryu patted my stiff shoulder.
'What are the twins doing here this late?'
"Seol-ah, were you very surprised?"
After Jangryu gave him a look, Chaechae got down to my level, looking worried, and asked,
"Ugh, how can I be mad when you look at me like that?"
"I was a little startled, but I'm fine. What are you guys doing here? Your rooms are pretty far from here, aren't they?"
"We have something we want to give you."
"Something to give?"
Chaechae handed me a glass bottle he was cradling in his arms.
A bright, pretty light glowed from inside the glass bottle.
'This is....'
"Fireflies! It gets dark at night. Jangryu and I have each other, but you're all alone. We figured these guys could keep you company and light things up a bit!"
'Did they catch fireflies just because they were worried about me being alone?'
And it was obvious he was telling the truth – Chaechae and Jangryu were covered in dirt.
'I thought there would be no one in this strange Demonic Cult who would worry about me....'
That's why it felt even more lonely and... empty here.
'But I don't think I'll be lonely anymore.'
I couldn't help but smile, thinking about the twins running around catching fireflies for me, not even caring that they were getting all dirty.
"Thank you, I'll put it right next to me and sleep well."
"I was worried you might be scared of bugs, but I'm glad you're not!"
When I took the jar of fireflies without hesitation, Jangryu and Chaechae grinned.
"We were originally going to bring it to your room, but were you going for a walk?"
"Yeah, I was just getting some air before heading in. But shouldn't you guys be in your rooms this late?"
Jangryu answered, totally calm.
"Of course not! If we get caught, we'll get scolded until blood comes out of our ears."
"Nah, that's nothing! If Dae-sahyung catches us, he'll make us run laps from now 'til sunrise! He won't be happy until he sees us crawling on our hands and knees."
Chaechae rattled on about Dae-sahyung's punishments like it was no big deal.
'If you guys get caught, you're the ones who'll be crawling on your hands and knees!'
What are these twins so confident about?
I'd feel terrible if they got in trouble for coming to see me.
"If that's true, you guys gotta get out of here! Go, before you get caught!" I said, trying to sound serious, but Chaechae and Jangryu just looked even happier.
"Don't worry! Dae-sahyung probably went to bed ages ago! Anyway, no harm, no foul!" Chaechae whispered, grinning.
"But Seol, you are worried about us, right?" Jangryu, who'd been quiet, asked with a hopeful smile.
Chaechae looked at me, his eyes full of hope.
'…Could that be why they look so happy? Unbelievable.'
Still, I've never gotten fireflies as a gift before. I guess I should do something nice back.
"Yes, I don't want you two to get scolded because of me."
"Aww, I'm so touched! Having a little sister is the best!" Chaechae said, clutching his heart dramatically while I held the jar of fireflies tight.
"I do have a younger sibling, but she's not as cute as Seol!"
"What? Are you talking about me? What's wrong with me?" Jangryu shot back, getting all worked up.
'At this rate, everyone in the Demonic Cult will know the twins are here....'
"Shhh! Both of you, quiet!" I hissed, panicking, and clapped my hands over their mouths.
"Okay, okay, I get it. But you guys can only stay for a little bit, alright?"
"Okay!"
After getting the twins' promise, I put the glass bottle of fireflies on the ground and looked for a suitable place to sit.
"Seol-ah, you sit here."
Then, Jangryu spread a handkerchief on a flat rock.
'Wow, Jangryu's so polite! He's gonna be a real charmer when he grows up, huh?'
"Thanks!" I said, giving him a proud look like I was his mom, and sat down.
"Tch, I was going to spread the handkerchief for Seol!"
Chaechae, who was a step late, held up a handkerchief with the same pattern as Jangryu's and pouted.
"That's okay! I've still got something else for you!" Chaechae said, instantly bouncing back.
'The fireflies weren't the end?'
I hadn't noticed in the dark, but Chaechae had a backpack on.
"Wait up, Seol!"
"I'm fine, really..." But Chaechae was too excited to listen, already digging through his backpack.
And finally, what appeared from inside the backpack was.
"A doll…?"
It was a doll wearing incredibly expensive-looking silk clothes.
'And it kind of looks like Chaechae.'
Especially the part where there's madness in his clear eyes....
"Yep! This is Chacha, my favorite doll I've had since I was a baby. You can borrow him!"
'I already have something to sleep with.'
Suddenly, my attachment bird, Pippi, came to mind.
"But you said he's precious to Chaechae, I'm okay."
"Seol, you don't... you don't dislike Chacha, do you?" Chaechae asked, holding up the doll, which somehow looked even sadder than before. His eyes were all droopy.
"Ah, no, I like him. Then I'll use him for a little while and return him."
"Awesome!" Chaechae, practically bouncing, handed Chacha over.
He was soft, and I could see all the fancy gold embroidery and jewelry on his clothes.
"Chaechae, are you... like, super rich?"
"Yeah, my personal spoon is a golden spoon. But for some reason, golden spoons are prohibited from being brought into the Demonic Cult. So I eat with wooden chopsticks, but…."
'I thought the twins wouldn't understand the meaning of the phrase 'golden spoon' so we wouldn't be able to communicate….'
It seems that rich people using golden spoons is the same in this world too.
Just when I was getting curious about the twins' origins,
A cold voice came from behind me. "Shouldn't you disciples be asleep?"
'That voice...' “Greetings, Young Lord.”
Jangryu and Chaechae jumped up and bowed to the Young Lord, like they'd rehearsed it.
I stood up too, and the Young Lord gave me a look that clearly meant 'Get over here'.
'Why did it have to be the Young Lord? Is he going to kick me out again for hanging out with these guys? Knowing him, he'll probably do something even worse.'
I walked over to the Young Lord, feeling totally doomed.
"Don't you know it's against the rules to leave your rooms after bedtime?"
"Yes, we know, Young Lord!"
The twins replied in unison without even properly raising their heads.
"To violate it even though you know, should I take it as you are willing to accept any punishment?"
"Yes, we will accept any punishment."
The twins didn't even make excuses.
'Okay, I know I should stay away from these guys if I want to survive here. But...' “Young Lord, I’ll take the punishment.”
'But I can't just stand here and let them get in trouble when they came all this way because they were worried about me.' “Seol! Don’t!”
Chaechae yelled at me to stop, but I bowed my head to the Young Lord and kept talking.
"These two came because they were worried that I might not be able to sleep properly alone in an unfamiliar place. So, I will take the punishment."
"Have you been having trouble sleeping?" The Young Lord's question made me remember all those nights I'd spent drooling on Pippi.
'Pippi helped, but yeah, it has been hard to fall asleep.' "Yeah, it's been... hard to adjust to a new place."
"...I see." The Young Lord looked even grumpier than before, if that was possible.
'Are we all going to get punished now?' "Jangryu, Chaechae." "Yes, Young Lord!"
"I'll let it slide this time, but get back to your rooms right now." 'Wait, he's letting us off the hook?'
"If Seol is to be punished, I will take it instead." Chaechae didn't budge from his spot, thinking that I was taking the punishment in his place.
"I have no intention of punishing Seol." The Young Lord made a point of calling me Seol, and gave Chaechae a freezing look.
"Seol is my attendant. It would be inconvenient if she got hurt." 'Right, of course. Makes sense.'
"If you don't go now, I'll consider it insubordination." The Young Lord's threat finally worked, and Jangryu and Chaechae vanished toward their rooms.
'Were those guys always that fast?' They practically teleported!
I was still marveling at their speed when, of course, I made eye contact with the Young Lord.
Suffocating silence. 'Just punish me quickly!'
"Um..." I figured I might as well get it over with, but the Young Lord spoke before I could ask for my punishment.
"Come find me."
"Yes?"
"When you can't sleep."
The Young Lord, who'd been talking with his back to me, turned around again, his eyes still cold. "My room is always lit," he said, and then he was gone.
