(EP-158.1) Squad #1

158 – Villain’s Squad #1

I often took a walk when I was feeling down.

Instead of sitting quietly and diving into the depths of my mind, I preferred to stroll around. Watching people pass by and enjoying the scenery had a way of improving my mood.

My steps were aimless.

I hadn’t set a destination, but I found myself heading towards a familiar place without realizing it.

“Comrade, long time no see! How have you been?”

Marmar, who was tending the garden, warmly waved at me. Marmar’s soiled gloves were filled with saplings.

I asked.

“Were you planting?”

“By this time next year, this place will be filled with flowers! Ah, Gargar, dig some more there too!”

At Marmar’s command, the honey-haired Gargar started digging the flower bed with the garden trowel in her hand.

“Hihi, buried alive…! Rock…!”

Gargar was crazy like the Black Mage Sir Pelto, incapable of normal thoughts and behavior. Though Marmar seemed to be able to control her.

“It looks like you’re doing well.”

Saying so, I quickly scanned Marmar’s surroundings.

I recalled Marmar’s impromptu baptism ceremony not long ago. I wondered if anything had changed since then. However, it seemed like she was simply living a peaceful life.

“Did the other Imps bother you again?”

“Eung! They all listen to me now!”

After Marmar took ownership of the building, she sheltered vagrant Imps and provided them with food.

However, instead of feeling grateful, the Imps were planning to use Marmar then drive her out.

I had resolved the issue, but such a thing could happen again. That was why I needed to check on Marmar.

I discreetly examined the once haphazard garden and building, which were now neatly restored. It looked even more splendid than before.

The exterior walls of the old building were painted, making it presentable.

Seureuk, seureuk.

An Imp with blue hair was painting the wall of the building. I asked the paint-filled Purpur.

“What are you painting?”

“As you can see…! I’m painting a landscape…! The summer’s golden wheat fields with flying dragonflies, and a puppy and a girl running through the fields…!”

Like what Purpur said, the landscape painting does look cool.

I had no idea she had such a talent. And as I praised her, Purpur proudly puffed out her chest and added.

“I learned how to draw from the Ink Nymphs…!”

“Ink Nymphs? What’s that?”

“The Ink Nymphs are good at painting…! The Ditch Nymphs that ate a lot of paint evolved…!”

‘I… see.’

While I didn’t know exactly what an Ink Nymph was, I recalled a fact in the book I just read. And that was how Nymphs had a fascinating evolutionary system.

All Nymphs were born as basic ‘Ditch Nymphs,’ but as they aged and gained experience, they evolved into various different Nymphs.

Which made me wonder, as a Half-Nymph, would I follow a similar path?

Anyway.

Purpur did a good job painting. Thanks to this, even the old and shabby building now seemed like a charming tourist attraction.

I decided to pat her on the head as a way to praise her hard work.

It reminded me of the book, which mentioned that fairies loved being praised, especially when they were patted on the head or cheeks.

“You’ve painted well. It’s like you’ve captured the real thing.”

Seukseuk.

Gently patting the Imp’s head felt natural to me, as I had praised my younger sisters like this many times before.

Purpur’s blue hair was soft like silk and felt good to the touch.

Which made me curious about her reaction.

Burrr.

Taking a peek, I could see Purpur slightly trembling. Could it be that she didn’t like me patting her head? I felt a bit nervous at that thought.

“This is half-hearted patting, this won’t do…! You need to pat more vigorously…!”

“I see…”

In the end, I had no choice but to comply and pat more vigorously. It was only then that Purpur seemed satisfied. Her triangle tail swaying from side to side indicated that she was in a good mood.

Seuk.

Marmar, who was watching, approached me.

“Comrade, what are you doing?”

“I was praising Purpur.”

While saying that, I wondered if Marmar was secretly hoping that I would also praise her.

In fact, the hardworking Marmar deserved the most praise.

“Marmar, you did well taking care of this old building. It’s very nice to see you get along well with other Imps.”

“Are you praising me?”

“Yes, would you like me to pat your head too?”

Seuk.

I removed my hand from Purpur’s head and reached for Marmar’s warm orange hair.

Like Purpur, Marmar’s tail wagged from side to side.

“It’s been so long since I received praise from anyone…!”

“Really?”

“Yeah! It reminds me of the past-.”

Marmar’s eyes were hazy like she was immersed in reminiscence. Perhaps she was reliving her days in the monastery. Marmar was a good soul, so she must have received a lot of praise from the nuns.

I also received a lot of praises when I was a kid. I would always do 101% to get the stickers and stars.

But as I grew older, I couldn’t recall anyone cheering me on and praising my achievements. It seemed that in the adult world, praise was sparingly given. Still, even adults felt good when they received praise.

Seukseukseuk.

Marmar said as I patted.

“Come to think of it, I was going to say something to comrade, but I forgot.”

“Something to tell me?”

“I forgot! But now that you’re patting me, I remembered!”

You remembered because I patted you…

My hand stopped, and I asked Marmar.

“What did you want to tell me?”

“Comrade asked me to investigate the Guide, and I obtained some information about him. Though I heard it from Gargar.”

“Gargar?”

I glanced at the crazy Imp who was enthusiastically digging the ground. I couldn’t quite imagine what she might have to say, but I decided to listen further. Let’s not be closed-minded.

“So what did you hear from Gargar?”

“She said the Guide was collecting magic of the Demon King. I don’t know why, but he’s collecting spells similar to the ones used by Comrade.”

“By spell, you mean something like this magic circle?”

I began to draw a magic circle on the ground. It was a pattern from the high-ranking magic Gamigin, which I had already memorized.

Marmar called the crazy Imp Gargar and asked.

“Does it look like this one?”

“Curse…!”

“It’s similar!”

“I see…”

If this Imp friend was correct, it meant that the irregular in the Hunter’s Party, the Guide, was collecting Angmar’s secrets like me.

Suddenly, something flashed through my mind.

“This is very helpful information. Good job!”

Edited by: faker