“Everyone, gather up.”
In response to BM’s words, the hulks lying down on the floor raised their bodies.
“Get up, get up! You lazy pigs…! Don’t you hear Mister Nurse calling us to gather up!”
Bell Baryon shouted. Hearing their boss yell, they moved slightly faster and lined up in front of BM.
With unfocused eyes, the large men and women gazed at the nurse and smiled. Behind the nurse stood a metal armour. Seemingly polished with a better oil than usual, the full-plate armour shone like a new one.
A nurse? Are they playing hospital or something? BM had never participated in their jokes but decided to play with them just for today.
“The metal armour, Armata… is leaving hospital today.”
In an instant, a wave of fluster appeared in their giggling faces and when the protector bowed from behind BM, the Special Force agents grabbed their heads and screamed.
“WHAAAAAAAT?!”
“HOOOOUULY SHIT!”
“SERIOUSLY?!?!”
They were shocked.
A precious friend who frequently exercised with them, washed their drenched clothes, washed the dishes and personally volunteered to do housework – it was time for him to leave.
While they were dismayed, the protector took a step forward and gave yet another bow.
“It was fun staying with you.”
A metal-screeching voice flowed out.
“I was able to practise my lacking housework skills. I realised the joy of washing dishes, and understood the happiness of laundry. It’s all thanks to you.”
The agents weren’t able to speak. Joy and sorrow intertwined in their hearts.
Amidst the silence, the protector opened its mouth.
“Kaiman. You’re a good person. Although you’re an old man in your fifties and short, I know the type of person you are. You will definitely meet a good person.”
“Hey, you damned full plated armour! There are lots of women coming after me, man!”
Kaiman, the agent, raised his middle finger with a laugh. The protector turned its head and stared at the other agents.
“Santos. Please ask the nurse for new underwear. It’s worn out.”
“Damn. It’s because my thing is too amazing.”
“…Not from what I saw.”
Wahahat! They laughed and someone slapped Santos on his butt.
“Judie. I can’t believe your husband is still alive.”
“What?? Why! Fuck.”
“Don’t you do a guillotine choke in your sleep?”
Kuhahahat! The large woman heartily laughed and exclaimed, “That’s why we used different rooms!” Other agents remembered that the protector would sometimes wake up in the morning creased and dented and laughed.
Calling out the thirty agents one by one by their name, the protector gave them its opinion before calling the leader, Bell Baryon.
“Bell. Be a good leader.”
“See you later. You damned metal.”
A faint degree of sorrow was slightly mixed into their happiness for the protector’s departure. It was the same for everyone present.
Bell extended her fist out and the protector awkwardly matched its own fist with hers.
The last one remaining was Ha Saetbyul.
“Saetbyul. I’m particularly more concerned about you.”
“Thanks for your hard work. My hospital friend.”
“Thank you. You and I are beings that live to protect others. Once there is something you wish to protect, protect it at all costs.”
“You too.”
Ha Saetbyul walked up and bumped her fist with the protector.
“Wish you a happy life.”
“I shall see you later.”
– A dragon is an imaginary animal.
“…Imagin, ary?”
– They fly around the air and shoot out fire. Kuaaang~!
“…!”
– Do you want to come over? Should we go ‘vuuung’ and fly?
Nod!
While the part-timer wearing the costume raised Gyeoul and flew her around the air, Yu Jitae threw a glance at Bom. It was because she tended to know things he didn’t know.
Bom whispered.
‘I think she’s confused about the word, dragon.’
‘Confused?’
‘I told her a long time ago that we are dragons and not humans. But Gyeoul has never seen her true body and hasn’t seen us undo the polymorph either.’
In other words, she knew she was a dragon but thought that dragons were like humans.
‘She’s thinking if there’s a different meaning to the word, dragon. In her head, a dragon looks like a human like me and Yeorum, and yet a costume is suddenly calling itself a dragon.’
According to Bom, she only cancelled the polymorph once after she was born and even that was only for a split second.
Thinking back, Bom, Yeorum and Kaeul went on their Amusement after the age of ten while Gyeoul was still in her egg state.
Were dragons the same as humans for her?
Even if that was the case, there was probably no need to touch on her values on a day like today where they were out to play.
‘I guess we should tell her when the time comes.’
‘Yes, you’re right.’
‘Would Gyeoul be very surprised when she finds out about it?’
‘…’
Bom went hmm… and pondered. Her grass-coloured eyes looking at Gyeoul became profound.
‘Nn… I think so, yes. If she happens to cancel the polymorph one day, she would probably be very surprised after seeing her body. We have become very used to the human body after all, and that’s how much we’re absorbed in this Amusement life as well.
‘What do you mean that you’re absorbed in the Amusement?’
‘Just, it feels like this is where we are meant to be. Not an Amusement.’
‘…’
‘In fact, even I become confused sometimes.’
Yu Jitae had no time to think deeply about Bom’s last words because Gyeoul flapped her hands from the dragon mascot’s grasp and reached her hands out at him.
Perhaps having roughly understood the part-timer’s words, Gyeoul didn’t ask anything on the way to the haunted house.
She felt thrilled to be at high places, and enjoyed getting on anything fast. She was interested in food and liked water. Although she no longer played with it, in the past she had liked dolls and plushies like kids of her age. Despite being able to fly, she usually walked and even now was resting in Yu Jitae’s arms.
While pondering, a question appeared in his mind.
If she thought of a ‘dragon’ as another type of human race or some sort, what would she be thinking of him as?
He decided to ask her.
“Gyeoul.”
“…?”
“Who am I.”
She tilted her head.
“…?”
“What am I. Who am I.”
“…Yu, Jitae?”
“No, not that. What kind of thing am I.”
Yu Jitae’s question was slightly weird so she merely tilted her head with a wide smile, unable to process his words. Thus, Bom asked directly.
“Gyeoul. Is ahjussi a human or a dragon?”
Gyeoul finally gave a big nod signalling that she understood the question. She closed her mouth and pondered slightly. Then, she replied with an uncertain voice and an awkward smile.
“…a dragon?”
***
Although all sorts of thoughts went across his head, he decided to leave it be. Right now they were at the amusement park and an exciting experience was more important for Gyeoul.
A spooky sign, walls with red blood travelling down and an entrance resembling a large dracula’s mouth welcomed them. The first thing he realised as they set foot into the haunted house, was that Gyeoul unexpectedly was not scared of ghosts.
“Guooooo…”
Men dressed realistically like zombies, walked into the safety bar with their hands in front. Whenever they approached, Gyeoul hid behind Yu Jitae’s legs.
Thinking that she was indeed a baby, the Regressor consoled her saying that it was okay. He thought she was doing that because she was scared, but Gyeoul was just hiding from an unfamiliar person rather than being scared of ghosts and zombies.
“Kuooook! Kkwekk!”
So once she was used to ghosts and zombies, she just slightly glanced at them.
“Your heart…! Give me your heart…! Kuhuhukk!”
One of the female ghosts sneaked under the safety bar and went onto the pathway to dash into Yu Jitae’s group.
But Yu Jitae, Bom and Gyeoul did not move an inch.
“…”
Feeling embarrassed, the ghost hurriedly turned around to leave but that was when Gyeoul reached her hand out and grabbed the female ghost by her wrist.
“Nn? Wat is it!”
She had to work since she was getting paid, so the ghost raised her motivation and acted.
“You’ll give me your hearttt?”
The child wasn’t even surprised. She, who had acted as a ghost for over three years, was surprised by the incomprehensible reaction and chose to scare the child even further by extending her arms that were drenched with blood.
However, Gyeoul then looked at the ghost with a pitying gaze.
“…Did itt hurt?”
Did what hurt? My hand?
The baby held onto the ghost’s hands with her tiny fingers. The actress was startled as a water-attribute mana gently moved and covered the female ghost’s hands.
It was the magic, [Cleanse (B-)].
“Huh…?”
Seeing her hands that immediately became clean, the actress became flustered.
*
In the end, the haunted house was a massive fail.
The Yu household got on several other rides and took more pictures.
Click! Gyeoul was holding a big fairy floss with her hands.
Click! Bom was holding Gyeoul in front of a carousel.
It was nighttime when they realised and it was time to go back.
There was enough time to go to one more place. Which place would make her the most happy?
Although he asked her directly, she shook her head without saying anything. Thus, the Regressor decided to send Kaeul a message with his watch.
[Me: Kaeul]
[Kaeuli ♥: ?????????][Kaeuli ♥: Oooohhhhhhh!!!][Kaeuli ♥: o.o? Ahjussi you know how to use messenger?]
[Me: Ye.]
[Kaeuli ♥: Oh wow lololololol][Kaeuli ♥: It feels a bit weird hehe][Kaeuli ♥: Anyway, what happened??]
If one experience was enough to etch it forever into their memory, wouldn’t that mean that there was no need to try the same thing more than once? That was a question which had popped up in his head when he saw Kaeul regularly ordering chicken.
But in response to his question, Bom shook her head back then.
‘An experience changes every time. Even if it’s the same chicken, the weather is different and her mood would be different as well. The way she eats the chicken is also different so it contains a new experience every single time.’
He therefore asked about Gyeoul to Kaeul.
[Kaeuli ♥: Gyeoul likes everything!]
Even he knew that.
[Kaeuli ♥: Ahh! Right!][Kaeuli ♥: There’s a place she always goes to when we go there together!]
[Me: Where is it]
[Kaeuli ♥: The third back entrance!]
The third back entrance?
[Kaeuli ♥: Gyeoul always wanted to go there at the very end hehe. She was sad if we didn’t go there.]
It wasn’t a ride nor an attraction but a back entrance.
Though doubtful, he obediently listened to Kaeul’s words and took them to the back entrance. The main front entrance looked like a normal amusement park filled with dreamy fantasies, while the third back entrance resembled a castle gate from a distance.
There was nothing special about it, but Yu Jitae soon understood what she meant.
In that place, workers wearing costumes of metal armours from the middle-ages, were lowering their heads at the customers.
A helmet and a full-plate armour covered them from head to toe. They looked like someone.
“…”
Gyeoul blankly stared at the metal plates from Yu Jitae’s arms.
According to Kaeul, Gyeoul had come here multiple times.
…She hated it so much when they were together, but it seemed that Gyeoul was missing the protector.
*
On the way home, Gyeoul, who had been excited throughout the day at the amusement park, returned to her original calm expression.
When the protector suddenly disappeared, she was only told that it was being treated somewhere else because it was sick.
“Do you want to see Mister Cleaner?”
After giving a slow nod, she leaned her head on his chest and gazed into the distance with an unfocused gaze.
She didn’t even know what present was waiting for her at home.
When they returned home, they found a large metal armour standing in the living room.
Kuguk… a screeching sound of metal resonated.
“Nn?”
Bom let out a surprised remark while Gyeoul’s eyes regained its focus.
“…?”
She, who had walked in on her own feet, blinked her eyes after seeing the protector.
Then, she widened her eyes into circles and looked up at Yu Jitae. Her expression appeared to be asking him how and when the protector had come back.
“My lady! It’s been a long time.”
“Mister Cleaner? Are you well now?”
“I am indeed! I became very healthy!”
Bom chatted with the protector with a bright expression. After giving a courteous bow to Yu Jitae, the protector finally walked up to Gyeoul.
“Have you been well? My young lady?”
*
Imagining a hug from the happy reunion, the protector attempted to hug with open arms but Gyeoul slightly walked back and dodged it. Thinking back, the protector had never been able to hug Gyeoul before.
Somewhat disappointed, the protector retrieved its extended arms back, but still decided to show courtesy by kneeling and bowing to her.
Then, something shocking happened.
“…”
Gyeoul walked up with a smile and carefully patted the protector’s helmet.
“Young lady…!”
Deeply touched, the protector went for another hug but Gyeoul once again escaped.
The protector was slightly disappointed.