Chapter 52 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: The Heavenly Demon and the Kitchen Sink (2)
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Jang Chaewon's eyes sparkled as she listened raptly to the Heavenly Demon's tale.
"So? What was the reason?"
"That frail wife was the only daughter of Fortune Manor, known for its wealth in Jeonam. And he was a poor scholar from a fallen family who had lost his parents young."
"Kyaa! So it was a lovers' elopement?"
Jang Chaewon let out a squeal, and the Heavenly Demon nodded.
"Indeed. With no other way out, they secretly slipped away from Fortune Manor. But the furious manor lord hired martial artists from the Murim world to pursue them."
"I see. So in the end, a highborn lady abandoned her family for love."
Propping her chin on her hands, Jang Chaewon gazed dreamily into space.
"Even your world has romance? I thought it was nothing but bloody fights all the time."
She blinked several times, then tilted her head.
"But what does that story have to do with these two right now?"
"A debt."
"A debt?"
"Indeed. I owe that couple a debt."
His eyes deepened as if recalling that time.
"Before I knew it, the sun had set as I listened to their story. So I stayed the night in their log cabin. And their presence restored much of my weary body and mind."
"Restored?"
"Indeed. Despite their frail bodies, that young couple leaned on each other like one. Not only that, but they shared a profound spiritual bond. They could read each other's thoughts with just a glance."
"Huh?"
"And despite their meager circumstances, they treated me with utmost hospitality. Observing their simple, untainted mountain life for a day cleared my fatigued mind."
The Heavenly Demon crossed his arms, his eyes growing distant.
"My life up to then had been an endless struggle."
Jang Chaewon's eyes widened as she stared at him.
"So you got some healing from watching that young couple?"
"Might as well stay, so I remained there for ten days."
"What? You holed up in a stranger's newlywed home for ten days?"
"Indeed. I drew much inspiration from them. Oh, and progress in my martial arts too."
Imagine a rock that could talk.
How bizarre and creepy would that be?
That was exactly Jang Chaewon's state of mind right now.
*This oblivious guy. He crashed at a total stranger's honeymoon cabin for ten whole days!*
The Heavenly Demon prattling on about this irrelevant tale looked just like a talking rock.
"I dislike owing debts. When I left, I offered to wipe out Fortune Manor, but they refused. Even teaching them useful martial arts was declined."
"...."
"Then that persistent Ma Gi-ja finally tracked my location and sent experts from the Seven Gods Hall. In the end, I had to leave without repaying my debt."
Jang Chaewon was so flabbergasted she nearly burst out laughing.
"So what? What's the connection between that young couple and the customers who just left?"
She gaped at the Heavenly Demon's solemn gaze.
"No way—you think the customers who just came are that couple from the Murim world?"
"Indeed."
"That doesn't make sense! That's a different world. It's just a coincidence they look alike."
"Their frail conditions, voices, and mannerisms match perfectly. They're the same people."
The Heavenly Demon sighed deeply at Jang Chaewon's skeptical look.
"That couple must have reincarnated from the Murim world to here."
"What? That's ridiculous. It doesn't add up. The timelines don't match."
"The timelines do match."
After a pause, shocking words flowed from the Heavenly Demon's mouth.
"Soon after I left the log cabin, the couple was killed by pursuers sent by Fortune Manor."
"W-what?"
"Hating to leave a spiritual debt, I ordered my subordinates to send ten thousand nyang in gold. But the cabin was already in ruins, and they were said to be dead."
It was too shocking an ending.
Jang Chaewon's eyes trembled as she cried out.
"The wife too? Why would the pursuers kill the wife? She was Fortune Manor's only daughter."
The Heavenly Demon spoke with a wistful expression.
"They didn't kill her."
Jang Chaewon paled and covered her mouth.
"Then… no way…"
"Indeed. She took her own life."
Avoiding her gaze, the Heavenly Demon murmured lowly.
"The pursuers, under orders from Fortune Manor, brutally murdered the young man. Seeing that, the wife unhesitatingly drew the dagger from her bosom and ended it."
Standing with hands behind his back, the Heavenly Demon gazed at the distant sky.
"Upon hearing the news, I nearly razed Fortune Manor. But I held back, thinking they wouldn't want that."
"…I see."
"I still carry that spiritual debt to that couple. And now I see them in this world."
He muttered softly to himself.
"I don't know what the shopkeeper thinks, but to my eyes, those two just now are the couple who hosted me back then."
Jang Chaewon didn't believe in reincarnation at all.
But seeing the Heavenly Demon's gaze and demeanor, she felt it just might be possible.
"I greatly dislike owing debts. I simply wish to repay it."
"Fine. Got it."
Sorting her jumbled thoughts, Jang Chaewon took a deep breath.
"Call Nameless. Have it check if we can make a kitchen sink with dungeon materials."
"Grateful."
The Heavenly Demon headed calmly to the storage room.
"Heavenly Demon."
Watching him go, Jang Chaewon called out firmly.
"Let's make it the best kitchen sink possible."
Turning, the Heavenly Demon bared his fangs in a slight grin.
"Understood."
* * *
What makes a good kitchen sink?
Expensive materials? Elegant design? Perfectly tailored specs? He had no clue.
The only times the Heavenly Demon had been in a kitchen were dealing with that mad chef who poisoned food daily and handling Mount Goldcheon.
He'd read countless interior books since coming here, but none delved deeply into kitchen fixtures.
Sunday morning, in the courtyard of Jang Chaewon's hanok home.
[Still too many, as expected.]
Nameless groaned at the slippery masses piled high in the yard.
[This is enough to open a furniture store. Lucky the dungeon didn't reset yet.]
The slippery piles were giant slimes from the D-rank dungeon "Duck Boat."
Nameless said three or four would suffice, but the Heavenly Demon had crammed in every one he could catch.
"You never know. It's our first try."
From his hip pouch, the Heavenly Demon pulled a large, gleaming orb.
The eye of the hidden monster, Luminous Eagle.
"All the materials you mentioned are ready. Explain how to make it."
[The method is simple.]
Nameless extended a thin arm, pointing at a fallen slime in the yard.
[First, tear off slime and shape it as desired.]
Without a word, the Heavenly Demon tore off slime.
Despite its slippery look, it had a surprisingly pliable texture like quality modeling clay, easy to shape.
[Once shaped, press the Luminous Eagle's eye against the slime.]
"Hmm."
Having made a boxy house shape, the Heavenly Demon lightly pressed the eye to it.
Bzzz.
With a low vibration, the slime touching the eye turned milky white and hardened like stone.
"Simple."
[Yes. Companies making furniture from dungeon materials use similar methods.]
Nameless muttered lowly, neck drooping.
[Though they add chemicals instead of rare relics like Luminous Eagle eyes.]
"What? Working on Sunday?"
Then the inner room door opened, and Jang Chaewon emerged in training clothes, rubbing her eyes.
Her messy hair and puffy face suggested a deep nap.
"Were we loud?"
At the Heavenly Demon's words, she yawned and waved dismissively.
"Nah, nah. Fell asleep during a movie."
Then she gaped at the slime mountain.
"What's this? Furniture store? How many slimes did you catch?"
"First attempt, so I brought plenty."
"Plenty? Looks like you cleared the whole dungeon."
Scolding him, Jang Chaewon picked up a giant slime from the ground.
"Been a while. Should I make one too?"
"The shopkeeper?"
"Well, they're customers of our shop. I'll help."
"Hmm."
As the Heavenly Demon hummed, Jang Chaewon kneaded slime vigorously.
"Nanobots. Pull up ten trendy kitchen sink designs as holograms?"
[Understood.]
Nameless projected various sink shapes at her eye level.
But the Heavenly Demon shook his head at them.
"These won't do. Too plain."
"Just needs adjustable height. Shape doesn't matter."
"I told them I'd make it myself. A plain one would disappoint them."
"They won't care."
"Any field reaches similar principles at its peak."
Ignoring her, the Heavenly Demon's eyes burned with zeal.
"I'll craft a kitchen sink at the pinnacle of art."
One hour later.
Jang Chaewon twitched at the corner of her mouth, staring at his creation.
"Definitely… not ordinary."
Before her stood a hulking demon statue holding a boxy sink basin.
Its fierce glare made it seem like it'd smash your head if you approached.
"Did you have to make it a demon face?"
"Not a demon. It's modeled after Lord Divine Demon, creator of the Demonic Path."
"Why's the sink have arms and legs?"
"The sink doesn't have limbs—Lord Divine Demon is holding the sink."
Arms crossed, the Heavenly Demon smiled proudly.
"Modeled after Lord Divine Demon, who cleaves all under heaven, the customer will be pleased."
Jang Chaewon dropped her head, staring at the Dracula-fanged Divine Demon face.
"Gonna give someone a heart attack while cooking."
"That means it's impressive."
"Not what I meant."
Suppressing the urge to smack his head, she shook hers.
"Send this, and our shop's rep tanks. Absolutely not."
"What do you mean? A sink this impressive…"
"Absolutely not. Let me make it."
She grabbed remaining slime chunks.
"Watch."
Another hour later.
"Ta-da. How's this?"
Before her gleamed a resplendent white kitchen sink.
The basin, etched with wood-grain patterns, was detachable; opposite was a tall cabinet and built-in fridge space.
"They'll love this for sure."
Elegant, flawless Northern European style—no customer could complain.
The Heavenly Demon praised it.
"Impressive."
"Right?"
"If their home is around two hundred pyeong, I'd want to install it."
Only then did Jang Chaewon scratch her head, realizing the sink filled the yard.
"Ahaha, got carried away making it. Too much slime."
The Heavenly Demon picked up more slime.
"Watch. I'll unleash my artistic soul again."
"No need. What monstrosity next? I'll remake it."
"Not a monstrosity. Got a solid idea this time. Modeled after Lord Phantom Illusion Great Emperor, who commanded winds…"
"No. Let's go with trendy simple style."
As they bickered,
[Hold on, excuse me.]
Nameless stepped between them.
[By my calculations, both your sinks will get rejected by the customers.]
"What?"
"What?"
[You've ignored the customers' situations, focused only on showing off your skills.]
Stung, they fell silent.
Nameless chided them.
[Especially since they're frail, why not observe their lifestyle closely first, then remake the sink?]
In that moment, the Heavenly Demon looked skyward as realization dawned.
"Indeed. I'd forgotten."
He who had watched the couple's life for ten days with his own eyes.
Now he understood what they truly needed.
"Shopkeeper, rest. I'll handle the rest."
"How?"
Stuffing his sack full of slime, he pocketed the Luminous Eagle eye.
"Now I remember. What they need."
Inside a certain apartment complex unit.
The interior was neat and refined, reflecting the owners' tastes.
The couple stared at the Heavenly Demon in shock.
"Came to install the ordered kitchen sink."
He'd said entering, but no sink—or even wood scrap—was in sight.
"Now, time to install the sink."
Gazing down at the statue-still couple, he upended his massive sack.
Splatter. Splat.
Slippery slime hit the floor; they backed away in alarm.
"W-what is this?"
"Slimes. Common dungeon monsters."
"W-why bring those…"
Instead of answering, he drew the Luminous Eagle eye from his hip pouch.
"And this tool turns them into smooth, elegant material. With just these two, you can craft eco-friendly furniture in any shape."
He lifted a slime chunk and pressed the eye to it.
The transparent slime transformed into pristine marble-like material.
"Wow."
The woman gasped; the Heavenly Demon grinned.
"You both have good hands."
"Pardon?"
"The husband carved wood into wheeled chairs and farm tools; the wife wove bark into ropes."
Ignoring their confusion, he continued.
"With this material, you can make whatever you need. No need to replace the sink."
He knew.
They wanted the sink to ease each other's frail bodies.
But with material for countless tools, no sink replacement needed.
They'd made useful implements from mere wood scraps and bark.
"Sadly, this eye's effect lasts only a month. But you can make all you need in that time."
He placed the eye in the man's hand.
"Make whatever you want freely."
The man gaped.
He knew slime made great furniture material. But a relic instantly refining it? Unheard of.
This gleaming orb must cost a fortune.
"And a condition."
Sternly, the Heavenly Demon looked down.
"Don't show this eye to others while making furniture. It'd trouble me. Understood?"
"Y-yes."
Taking the eye, the man offered an envelope from the living room.
"Take this."
"What is it?"
"Money we saved for the sink. Please accept."
"No need."
"Just a token. Please."
At his earnest plea, the Heavenly Demon extended his hand.
But his thick palm rested on the man's shoulder, not the envelope.
"I repaid the debt too late."
"Pardon…?"
"Nothing."
As the flustered couple exchanged glances, he smiled satisfied.
"Live well here."
In that instant, a vision flickered in their eyes: a man in black robes embroidered with gold thread.
A familiar, nostalgic back view from somewhere…
"I swear I've seen him…"
"Me too…"
Staring at his broad back, faint memories surfaced: a somewhat rude but eccentric man.
Not crystal clear, but their hearts warmed.
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