Chapter 1
Chapter 1
The Saintess Who Remembers and Eats Kimchi Jjigae with Me
『 Translator – Divinity 』
“I missed you. Hero. A lot, very much.”
The Saintess whispered so while holding me tightly.
Except for the erased memories, I’ve lived a life with little connection to women, so it’s quite awkward.
But for some reason, I felt like I had to, so I raised my hand and stroked the Saintess’ back.
Then, memories buried deep within my consciousness came flooding back.
Dancing clumsily with the Saintess in a darkened chapel, pulling her close to avoid arrows shot in an underground labyrinth, facing each other and sharing body warmth with the shivering Saintess on a frozen snowy mountain…
“As expected, you remember, don’t you? Me?”
The Saintess looked up at me with her eyes sparkling.
I awkwardly nodded.
“Yes. I don’t quite understand it, but I’m starting to remember things about you, Saintess, one by one now.”
“Thank goodness…”
The Saintess buried her face in my chest and sighed.
Her hot breath touched me, and my body tickled for no reason.
I gently turned the Saintess’ arms and separated them.
“Um, Saintess. But how did you get here? I was summoned, so I could come back, but you weren’t.”
“Yes. I couldn’t use the providence of the circle like you, Hero. So I asked the magpies and crows.”
The Saintess replied as if it were a matter of course.
Is this the story of Gyeonwoo and Jiknyeo?*
“Magpies are auspicious birds that welcome guests, and crows are mythical creatures that lead warriors to Valhalla. They are one of the few beings that can travel between worlds.”
I imagined the Saintess coming across a bridge made of magpies and crows and laughed.
Then the Saintess pouted her lips, sulking.
“It’s not something to laugh about! It was really hard.”
“Really?”
“Crossing worlds is difficult even for magpies and crows. Moreover, it’s even harder if it’s moving a being bound to one world…”
“Then how did you come here?”
“I gathered a lot of magpies and crows and asked them.”
“If you say a lot…”
“A million.”
The smile disappeared from my face.
“You didn’t go around looking for a million of them one by one, did you?”
“Of course, I went around and asked them one by one. It’s them going through trouble because of me. The magpies were satisfied with persimmons or wheat grains, but the crows asked for glass shards or coral gems, so it was difficult.”
“S-Saintess, you went through a lot too.”
“But it was fun.”
The Saintess said as she hugged me again.
The arms wrapped around my waist tighten inward.
“Because I asked them to take me to you, Hero. It was hard, but I enjoyed it.”
“Saintess…”
Touched by her words, I looked at the Saintess.
The Saintess also looks up at me with moist eyes.
I can feel both my heart pounding and the Saintess’s heart thumping as she hugs me.
Perhaps the Saintess also feels my heart beating like this.
Unfamiliar yet familiar, she.
Although my memories are still incomplete, I felt a sense of fulfillment the moment I met her.
Could the reason why my life felt so dry and unfulfilling, why I lacked motivation to do anything, be because I had lost her?
Why did I even forget that I had lost her?
I, surely, the Saintess…
Growl.
“…Ah.”
The Saintess gently let go of her arms and bent her waist.
A benevolent smile still lingered on her face, but her earlobes were as red as if they’d been burned.
I smiled awkwardly and took off my suit jacket and hung it on the chair.
“You haven’t had dinner yet, have you?”
“…No.”
“I haven’t eaten yet either. Let’s eat together.”
“…Yes!”
The Saintess nodded vigorously.
I sat the Saintess at the desk and opened the refrigerator and shelves in turn.
The ingredients are… cooked rice, cup ramen, gochujang, frozen chicken breast, green onions, onions, garlic.
If I were eating alone, I would make a decent meal, but I can’t give this to the Saintess.
“Should we just go out to eat?”
“Okay!”
The Saintess smiled brightly and linked her arm with mine.
A soft touch covered my shoulder to my elbow.
I couldn’t even think of putting my suit jacket back on and left the house with the Saintess as I was.
As always at this hour, the residential area was quiet.
Winter occasionally blew a cool breeze as if trying to assert itself.
Two stray cats cross a small park.
The scenery of asphalt roads, telephone poles, convenience stores, and cafes was the same as usual.
But just by the Saintess linking arms with me and walking together, the world looked different.
The warmth from her arm, the humming sound of her nose, and the Saintess turning her head to meet my gaze when I turned my head.
Saintess.
I cleared my throat for no reason and spoke.
“Is there anything you want to eat? You must be more used to steak or pasta, right?”
There was an Italian restaurant I saw while passing by.
I’ve only ever seen it because there was no reason for a man to go into such a place alone.
Were the reviews good? Should I look it up now?
As I hurriedly tried to take out my phone, the Saintess pulled my arm.
“I think that place would be good.”
The Saintess pointed to a kimchi jjigae restaurant.
It’s my regular haunt because it has a large sign saying that solo diners are welcome.
“It smells delicious there.”
As the Saintess said, the spicy and sour kimchi jjigae smell that stimulated my empty stomach stung my nose.
I can’t get enough of it, but I don’t know if it will suit the Saintess’ taste.
I remember the Saintess not being able to handle spicy food very well.
“It’s a pretty spicy stew, are you sure?”
“Is it spicier than the cactus dish of Khadalgadal?”
“No… it’s not spicier than that.”
“Then, I’ll try it.”
If the Saintess says so, there’s no reason to hesitate.
I entered the kimchi jjigae restaurant with the Saintess.
A bell rang as the door opened.
“Welcome…?”
The part-timer was startled and surprised to see the Saintess.
Is it because an unusual foreign beauty came in? Or maybe it’s because the Saintess is wearing a nun’s habit.
Still, the part-timer immediately showed professionalism and guided us to our seats.
“Please let me know when you’re ready to order.”
“Ah, two servings of kimchi jjigae, please. And one rolled omelet.”
“Yes. The stew will be right out.”
As she said, the kimchi jjigae came out right away.
A large pot full of ripe kimchi and thick pork.
I took the tongs and scissors and cut the pork into appropriate sizes.
Meanwhile, the Saintess watched with interest as if I was performing some great feat.
Resting her chin on her hands and tilting her head.
A calm and happy smile as always.
I was staring blankly at her like that, and when the pot boiled over, I hurriedly stirred it with a ladle.
The heat was strong, so the meat was cooked thoroughly in no time.
The golden brown rolled omelet also came out just in time.
It was colorful and pretty with finely chopped carrots, onions, and zucchini.
“I’ll serve you the stew first, so please give me your plate.”
“Yes~”
“It’s hot. Blow on it before you eat.”
“Hoo hoo!”
The Saintess took a spoonful of the broth while blowing on it.
The Saintess’s eyes widened, her brow furrowed, and she immediately grabbed the water cup.
Soon after, I hear the sound of her gulping.
“Phew… it’s spicy.”
“Right?”
“But, it’s delicious.”
The Saintess ate the kimchi jjigae deliciously, even while fanning herself with her hand.
Seeing her eat so heartily makes me feel happy for no reason.
“You should eat too, Hero. Here.”
The Saintess scooped a generous amount of meat with a ladle and put it on my plate.
“Yes, I’ll enjoy it.”
I also followed the Saintess and mixed the meat and kimchi broth with the rice and took a big spoonful.
It’s the kimchi jjigae I often eat, but it tastes sweet today.
Is it because I ordered the rolled omelet, which I couldn’t even think of doing when I was eating alone?
Or is it because the Saintess is sitting across from me?
We finished the kimchi jjigae without hesitation.
The Saintess, in particular, completely emptied a bowl of rice.
There was not a single grain of rice left in the stainless steel bowl.
“Did you enjoy your meal?”
“Yes. It’s so good that I want to come again.”
“Then shall we come again later?”
“Yes!”
It’s nothing special, but making a promise for tomorrow.
I enjoyed that.
“Ah. Hero. I’ll pay.”
The Saintess took out two copper coins with a confident expression.
I quickly handed my card to the dumbfounded part-timer who received them.
“Don’t you accept Golden coins? What is that flat thing?”
I glanced at the bewildered Saintess and took the card and receipt.
“I’ll explain it to you outside. Let’s go out for now, Saintess.”
“Ah, yes. Hero.”
The part-timer made a puzzled expression once again at our titles.
She might remember us as strange customers.
But if we keep coming here, she’ll get used to the Saintess’s appearance.
Cling.
The bell rings again.
We left the restaurant behind.
The Saintess naturally linked her arm with mine.
As we ate, night fell, and a chilly evening breeze blew.
The Saintess clung closer to me, saying she’s cold.
I caught my breath with a cough and said,
“So, Saintess. You can’t use Golden coins here. Instead, we use these bills and credit cards.”
“Ah. The currency is different because the world is different. It’s only natural when you think about it.”
“For now, you’ll need things to live here, Saintess, so my card…”
Having said that, I paused for a moment.
I was already taking it for granted that the Saintess would live here.
“Saintess. Do you have to go back right away, or is there a time limit…”
“No!”
The Saintess shook her head.
“If it’s okay with you, Hero, I want to stay with you. Is that… okay?”
The Saintess asked, as if gauging my reaction.
I let out a sigh of relief and nodded vigorously.
“Of course.”
I was afraid that she might say she had to go back.
It’s only been an hour since I reunited with the Saintess, but I’m already afraid to imagine life without her.
The Saintess smiled and placed her index finger under my chin.
“You said it clearly. Even if you tell me to go back now, Hero, I won’t.”
“You also said you would stay with me, Saintess. I won’t listen even if you regret it later.”
“What is there for me to regret about staying with you, Hero?”
“You never know, my feet might smell terribly bad.”
“Do you think I’ve never smelled your feet while traveling?”
“Come to think of it, I also smelled your feet…”
“Ahh!”
The Saintess and I returned home, walking the night streets while chatting about this and that.
***
I had briefly forgotten that the house was a 4-pyeong studio apartment.
Not to mention that a bed can’t fit in, it’s a room that’s even cramped to lay out a mattress.
The Saintess and I fell into a serious dilemma in front of the unfolded mattress.
“Hero. How should I lie down?”
“W-Well…”
————
“Gyeonwoo and Jiknyeo” are the characters in a Korean folk tale about a couple who fall in love and are separated by the Milky Way.
Jiknyeo, the daughter of the heavenly king, was a talented weaver and was loved by all the angels in heaven. Her name means “weaver”.
And Gyeonwoo, was a young herder of cattle who lived across the Milky Way from Jiknyeo. His name means “cattle herder”.
The two fell in love at first sight and married with the king’s blessing. However, they became neglectful of their duties to spend more time together, which angered the king. He ordered the couple to live apart, separated by the Milky Way, and only allowed them to meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month.
Crows and magpies worked together to form a bridge across the Milky Way so the couple could meet. However, they were forced to wait another year before meeting again. It is believed that crows and magpies have no feathers on their heads because of the couple stepping on their heads. If it rains on that night, it is believed to be the couple’s tears.
The story of Gyeonwoo and Jiknyeo is connected to the Korean holiday of Chilseok, which is traditionally celebrated when the summer heat starts to pass and the monsoon season begins.