Chapter 10: Then your sister won’t clean?

It’s been two days since I became a ‘rice farmer.’

I couldn’t help but admire my bank account.

“Wow.”

[JB Comprehensive Account – Savings Account]

[463,150]

80,000 won came from four days of non-stop part-time work attaching eyes to teddy bears.

And just in two days of diligently grinding rice, I made 300,000 won.

Of course, this was because I sold all the materials I had collected, so I probably won’t be making this much money consistently moving forward.

But one thing is certain—this is way more efficient than attaching eyes to teddy bears.

Well, I still can’t live off this entirely, so I’ll have to keep looking for part-time jobs, but just having some extra in my bank account makes me feel more at ease.

“Yaaawn…”

Maybe it’s because I’ve relaxed, but my body feels sluggish.

When I feel like this, the best thing to do is eat chicken.

Now that I think about it, I haven’t had chicken… or any delivery food for a really long time.

When I first returned to Earth, I used to order delivery food quite often, but after buying the Reverse Capsule, I had to save money.

…Hmm. Should I order chicken for the first time in a while?

Of course, my wallet isn’t completely in the clear yet, but I think it’s important to take a break now and then.

…

So just for today.

Wouldn’t it be okay to order chicken just for today?

As a reward for all the hard work I’ve been doing lately.

“…Alright.”

Once you’ve decided on something, there’s no point in hesitating.

If you’re going to do it anyway, hesitating is just a waste of time.

Knowing this, I immediately opened my phone, launched the delivery service app ‘Yeogiyong,’ and navigated to the chicken section.

My favorite is cheese seasoning chicken with loads of cheese powder sprinkled on top.

I love the savory and slightly salty flavor.

If I had enough money, I’d eat it every day without getting tired of it.

Just as I was happily imagining this, an unexpected obstacle appeared.

[Delivery Information: 30 ~ 35 minutes]

[Delivery Fee: 4,000 won (Details)]

…Why is the delivery fee 4,000 won?

The chicken itself is 20,000 won, and the delivery fee is 4,000 won, which is a fifth of the chicken’s price.

And if I add a Coke… with a small one, the total comes to 26,500 won.

Isn’t that way too expensive?

Even though I know I shouldn’t hesitate, the price makes me pause.

Especially since I don’t exactly have money to spare.

But it’s not like the chicken is cheap either.

Maybe I should just give up…

That thought flashed through my mind for a moment, but I shook my head and imagined it again.

Grabbing the drumstick with my right hand, enduring the heat as I take a delicious bite.

Crispy and salty batter. The heat rising from it and the tender meat inside the drumstick.

And then, to soothe the heat and greasiness, a refreshing sip of Coke.

…

Yeah, there’s no way I’m giving up on chicken today.

Come to think of it, I haven’t eaten delivery food in over a year, so this should be fine, right?

However, it’s also true that the delivery fee feels like a waste.

In other words, there’s only one solution.

As much as I hate it, it seems like the time has come to go outside.

I put on a hat and sunglasses.

I could be considered a pro recluse for being so prepared and not forgetting past mistakes.

Of course, in my case, my hair is so long that wearing a hat doesn’t make much of a difference, but I wanted to believe that at least it would help divert some attention.

Wouldn’t it be easier and better to just cut it short?

If I said I’d never thought about it, that would be a lie.

But back when my hair had grown so long it was dragging on the ground, one of the nuns suggested I cut it a little.

That’s when a divine revelation came down, forbidding such an action.

She said that if I ever tried to cut my hair, the entire order would be punished.

Was she crazy or what?

Anyway, when I kept complaining about how inconvenient my long hair was, I ended up receiving a blessing that kept it at its current length.

Though, whether it’s really a blessing is something I’m not sure of.

Since that was the case, I asked for a blessing to also keep my hair maintained automatically, but they said they liked seeing me take care of it myself.

What a creepy, perverted goddess.

In any case, since that day, my hair has stayed this length, and that hasn’t changed even after coming to Earth.

At least they allowed me to cut or style my hair if it was for fashion purposes.

But since I have no intention of doing that, it’s meaningless.

Thanks to this ridiculously long silver-white hair, going outside is always a hassle.

“Ugh…”

I finished putting on my clothes and looked in the mirror to check if anything looked out of place.

I was wearing the hat firmly, and thanks to the sunglasses, my eyes couldn’t be seen.

If I add a mask now… hmm. Would that draw more attention?

A hat and sunglasses might be seen as a fashion statement, but wearing a mask as well could make me look like I’m trying to hide my identity.

In other words, this outfit is the optimal look for going outside.

After reaching this conclusion, I set off for the chicken shop, which was a grueling 1 km round trip.

“Sigh…”

What should I do?

On my way home, chicken in hand, everything was going smoothly—until I saw a young girl with dark brown hair sobbing at the park entrance.

She definitely wasn’t there when I went to the chicken shop earlier…

Maybe it’s a matter of timing, but there’s no one else around either.

Still, when a little girl is crying like this, shouldn’t at least one person hear her and come over?

…Oh. I guess I’m that one person.

“Hmm…”

In our order, we have a saying about caring for lost lambs.

Of course, this situation is a bit different from that, but still, how could I just pass by a child crying alone?

Even if my official role is that of an inquisitor, the fact that I’m a priest at heart doesn’t change.

In other words, it’s time for me to step up as a proper priest.

“Uh, um, uh….”

“Hic…?”

As I hesitated and approached, the little girl wiped her tears and looked up at me.

“Is something wrong…?”

“Who, are you…?”

“Uh, um… I’m just a person who lives nearby…? You see…”

She was trembling, clearly feeling very anxious.

But unfortunately for her.

I’m probably shaking even more…

Unlike the helmet I wear in NewD, sunglasses might hide the color of my eyes, but they don’t completely block the other person’s gaze.

Still, backing down here would mean I wasn’t worthy of my title as a cleric.

Somehow managing to shift my gaze away, I continued the conversation with the little girl.

“If something’s wrong, I… I want to help….”

“I got… lost… sniff.”

As I expected, she seemed to be lost.

“Where are your parents…?”

“They went to work. We moved here the day before yesterday, and I got lost while exploring the area….”

“Hmm… Do you have your home address or your parents’ phone number?”

The girl shook her head in response to my question.

In that case, the only option would be to take her to the police station.

After gathering my thoughts, I reached out my hand, and the girl quietly grabbed the sleeve of my shirt.

And then—

*Grrrgle…*

Both of our stomachs growled at the same time.

“….A-are you hungry?”

The girl nodded, while in my right hand, I was holding a steaming hot chicken.

…Well, I guess there’s no helping it.

“In that case, before we head to the police station… how about we stop by my place for some, uh, chicken?”

“Are you sure it’s o-okay?”

Seeing the unease in her eyes, shaking my head wasn’t really an option.

“It’s okay. A-anyway, it’s too much for me to eat alone.”

To be honest, I had ordered a whole chicken with the intention of eating it over the next couple of days, but…

“Thank you.”

As the girl bowed her head politely in thanks, I didn’t feel the least bit regretful.

The girl’s name was Yoo Bora. She was six years old and in elementary school.

“My name is Selene.”

“Is your last name ‘Sel’? That’s cool.”

“Not exactly… but you can think of it like that. Just call me Rene.”

And her personality was livelier than I had anticipated.

Perhaps she felt comfortable with me now, as she quickly started talking to me informally, and after calming down, she smiled a lot more…

“Why are you shaking so much, big sister?”

“Ah, w-well, it’s because it’s winter and… cold.”

“But it’s not that cold today, that’s weird!”

“Haha….”

Even if the other person is a 6-year-old child, having a conversation is quite burdensome for me.

Actually, it made me even more anxious because she was a child.

They say it’s important to make eye contact when talking to kids.

However, for me, it was unfortunately impossible.

Even when I was speaking, I stuttered a little, and my body was trembling, so it was no wonder Bora thought it was strange.

“…Huh?”

“We’ve arrived.” Ah,

“Do you live here?” Sister,

“Ah, yes…”

“My family just moved here too!”

…01?

About the fact that the lost child I found on the street turned out to be the resident living upstairs in our apartment.

Well, anyway, I somehow ended up at Bora’s house, dropping her off and looking forward to a nice, peaceful chicken time by myself…

“Our place looks just like this!”

“That’s because we live in the same apartment building…”

I couldn’t have it.

As much as I wanted to go home and rest alone, I couldn’t bear to leave a hungry child alone in an empty house.

That Bora… And

“Sister, do you live alone?”

“Yes.”

“Then, do you clean the house?”

As soon as we entered the house, she hit me right in the heart.