Chapter 56: The Typhoon and Marbles (4)
“Let’s play a game. Hehe, Round 2 of our bet.”
“A bet?”
Rurin’s eyebrows twitched. It meant she wasn’t happy. It seemed like memories of a previous nightmare were surfacing.
“No way. I’ll lose again, it’s obvious. Last time, it was a rigged bet from the start! You’re a cheater! There’s no way what you make wouldn’t taste good!”
Recalling her defeat, Rurin shook her head from side to side. But this time, it would be fair. Last time, it was a contest with a predetermined outcome.
After all, how could roasted chestnuts not be delicious?
Chestnuts are a truth universally acknowledged.
“No, no. This time it’s fair. Sit down.”
As I insisted strongly, Rurin, still looking distrustful, took a seat.
“Why, out of all these empty chairs, do you have to sit right here? Sheesh.”
There were three empty chairs around the four-person table, yet Rurin naturally sat on my thigh, still casting a curious glance at me, wondering what kind of bet it would be.
The confidence with which she settled on my thigh made me feel like I was the one in the wrong. Ugh.
“You just told me to sit, so I sat. You’re too much.”
When I pointed it out, she grumbled and moved to a chair beside me. In front of this dragon, I placed five small stones.
“What are these?”
“Hehe, it’s a traditional game from my homeland called ‘Gonggi.'” [1]
“I see! Is it a game to see who can crush the stones into powder first? That’s easy!”
“Pfft.”
How does she come up with such ideas? I couldn’t help but chuckle. Then Rurin raised her arms, starting to get angry.
“Your face is annoying! Isn’t it?”
“Of course not.”
“Then, then!”
“Then?”
“Surely we’re not supposed to eat these stones, are we? If that’s the case, you eat them. I’m not doing it.”
She twisted her body, half-turning to look at me from the adjacent chair, grumbling like a dragon.
Such a lack of imagination. Well, it would be strange if a dragon from another world knew about a traditional Korean game.
“It’s nothing like that. You can’t use mana during this game. Dragon abilities are also banned. If you do, you’ll forfeit, so it has to be purely done with hand movements.”
Seeing is believing. I started demonstrating the game.
Level 1. Level 2. Level 3. Level 4. Level 5 of the game followed. The detailed rules can be set as you like. The version I used to play involved picking up stones placed on the back of your hand, called “the twist.” The number of stones caught in this way would count as points, and the first person to reach a set score would win.
“Hmm.”
As I explained the rules, the distrust on Rurin’s face faded. It seemed she considered it a bet worth taking. Heh, sorry, but I’m confident when it comes to Gonggi. There’s a reason I brought out the stones.
My noble goal was to teach this dragon another concept from the human world through defeat.
“Alright, then let’s say the first to reach 50 points wins?”
“If I win, you have to cuddle with me! All day long!”
“Isn’t that a bit too much? All day?”
When I questioned the terms of the bet, Rurin puffed out her cheeks.
“You were the one who suggested the bet, so isn’t it fair I get to decide the terms? Hoo, are you scared? Hehehe.”
Even mocking me with a smirk, she provoked.
Fair enough. Rurin was new to this game. There’s no way I’d lose. I accepted her challenge, determined to turn her mocking grin into despair soon.
“Okay, how about this? If I win, you have to go to the market without turning into a dragon and shop politely like a human.”
“Submit to humans? That’s unacceptable!”
“That’s why it’s a bet.”
“Ugh, this is boring.”
“Are you scared?”
Seizing the moment, I provoked her back. Rurin shook her head, her eyes filled with confidence.
Alright, let’s do this.
“Alright, first let’s decide who goes first. Rock-paper-scissors.”
“Got it!”
Rurin was familiar with rock-paper-scissors.
She had gotten used to it while traveling with our companions, deciding who would wash the dishes and handle other chores. Even Rurin, who accompanied us all the way to the capital, became completely accustomed to rock-paper-scissors.
Rurin contemplated what to play, showing a thoughtful expression, then smiled, seemingly having made up her mind.
Let’s see if I can read Rurin’s expression.
Rurin generally favored rock. At first, she was annoyed that her fist couldn’t beat paper. After all, she could tear through a flimsy piece of paper with her fist!
Her destructive instincts were on full display. So, at least, if I play paper, I won’t lose.
“Rock, paper, scissors!”
“Rock, paper, scissors!”
We both shouted in unison. Rurin played scissors. I played paper.
“Hold on a second! Why are you playing scissors all of a sudden?”
“To cut you down!”
Rurin spouted nonsense and picked up the stones.
“So, we play like this, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Rurin tossed the stones and picked one up. She started the first round, picking up one stone at a time.
And then…
“Oh, you’re pretty good at this?”
“Hehe. This body is magnificent!”
Even while answering my question, she didn’t falter. Well, it might be just the first or second round.
Mistakes are bound to happen.
I watched Rurin, thinking this. Her score kept going up. She picked up the stones with precision, like a machine.
Despair began to loom over my face.
What the heck is happening?
In the end, Rurin achieved a perfect score of 50 without a single mistake. It was an unbelievably easy loss.
“How about that!”
How about what? There’s nothing to say. I could never have achieved 50 points in one go. Even if I had won the rock-paper-scissors, it was a game I was destined to lose.
Rurin looked at me with a sly grin, demanding an answer. I had no choice but to admit defeat.
She was a Gonggi monster.
How could this be?
“I lost….”
“I won! I finally beat you! This is the first time! Ooooooo!”
Rurin, looking triumphant, climbed up onto the chair. She flashed a victory sign with her fingers.
Then, she leapt at me.
“From now on, it’s cuddle time!”
The dragon clinging to me.
Thud!
As a result, I fell to the ground. Once again, pinned under a dragon. Losing… The shock of being pinned down was less than the shock of losing.
Besides, cuddling all day is too much. I have restaurant work to do. Being cuddled all day was a bit too devilish from the start.
“Rurin, get off me for a second.”
“What? A bet is a bet! From now on, you’re practically my pillow! This is so exciting!”
“Wait, before that, there’s something else.”
“Something else?”
“I’ll give you a gift. Let’s call it even.”
“A gift? No way!”
“How about this?”
I summoned a diamond into my palm. Seeing the sparkling gem, Rurin tilted her head.
“What’s that? Gems are nice, but right now, I prefer using you as a pillow! It’s warm! And it’s pounding!”
“What do you mean by pounding?”
“It’s just a thing.”
Rurin averted her gaze slightly, then looked back down at me.
“You… You’ve been eyeing Berna and Lady Reine’s earrings a lot, haven’t you?”
“Huh? Those… the sparkling things on their ears?”
“Yeah.”
“Well… yes. They looked kind of pretty. Earrings with jewels on them…”
Rurin looked at me with a curious expression. There seemed to be room for negotiation.
Rurin was familiar with necklaces, bracelets, and rings, but she found earrings quite fascinating. It seemed no dragons wore earrings.
Even now, she wore the bracelet I gave her as a birthday present. She never took it off.
“These are diamond earrings crafted beautifully by a dwarf. How about it?”
They’re drop earrings.
They’re designed like strings that dangle and sparkle. The main part of the earring hangs from the ear, and the dangling part is the focus.
What’s special about these drop earrings is that they’re made entirely of diamonds. And with a dwarf’s craftsmanship, they shine beautifully. I think they would match perfectly with Rurin’s black hair.
They emit a subtle yet noticeable presence, like a fine, shimmering thread. If drop earrings are too long, they look awkward, but these are just the right length.
The design was crafted by an expert, the craftsmanship done by a specialist, and I commissioned them. Naturally, the intended wearer of the earrings was Rurin.
Earrings made just for her.
“I can’t stand to see our dragon envying others. Look, I even learned how to pierce ears.”
“I don’t need to pierce my ears; I can make a hole!”
“What?”
“This body, being polymorphed, can create holes easily. Hehe.”
Rurin casually extended her ear, where a tiny hole had already appeared. What a fascinating body she had. A wondrous, convenient body. Well, even some reptiles, like lizards, can shed their tails, so…
If there’s no need to pierce, it makes things easier for me too. I immediately placed the earring on her ear.
As I did the other side, the diamonds sparkled. Honestly, I had planned to give her these earrings later, but I never thought I’d use them this soon.
“So, this was something you prepared for me?”
“That’s right. They’re your personal earrings.”
Seemingly forgetting the bet, Rurin started to touch her ear.
“Do I look pretty?”
“Well, isn’t that obvious? Our dragon is beautiful, after all.”
As I brushed her hair aside to reveal her ear and showed her a mirror, Rurin suddenly blushed, sprang to her feet, and started backing away.
“You… something feels weird again! My body feels hot!”
Saying that, Rurin dashed up to the second floor.
Her ears were red again.
Lately, she’s been reacting like this a lot. Her ears turn red, and she runs away. It’s somewhat unlike Rurin.
But at least the bet was resolved. I should be grateful to have escaped the terrifying fate of being cuddled all day.
Outside, the rain was beginning to stop.
It seemed we’d be able to resume normal operations from tomorrow. So, I decided to start making dinner.
We had kalguksu for lunch, so dinner should be something light.
I took out some bread and began toasting it on the griddle.
Sizzle. Sizzle!
The unique aroma of toasting bread filled my nose. A savory fragrance, if you will. On the golden-brown toasted bread, I sprinkled blackberries and raspberries. Drizzled some syrup, then dusted it with powdered sugar, and voilà, a delicious toast was ready.
It’s overly sweet, but for Rurin, sweetness is everything.
“Rurin! Time to eat!”
I called for Rurin, but there was no answer. I took the toast and went up to the second floor.
Rurin was sitting on the bed, absentmindedly fiddling with the earrings on her ears.
“You, you, you, you!”
She rushed over as soon as she saw me, her shyness seemingly gone. Her radiant smile was dazzling. The diamonds were dazzling too.
A day of typhoon and tranquility.
Today was such a day.
***
Footnotes:
[1] Gonggi: A traditional Korean children’s game also known as “Gonggi-jegi” or “Jackstones.” The game is played with five small stones, which are thrown and caught in various sequences using one hand. It involves multiple rounds, each with increasing difficulty, and requires dexterity and hand-eye coordination. The objective is to catch the stones in a specific manner while following a set pattern of movements. Gonggi is similar in concept to the game of “jacks” played in Western cultures, though the techniques and rules differ.
