TRPM 448

chapter 448

In the end, I couldn’t clear up the misunderstanding that I supposedly prefer older people.

Maybe that’s why Yeon Mirae was contacting two other people in similar situations to talk about changing my “taste.”

“Don’t worry, Master. We’ll do whatever it takes to normalize your taste.”

“No…”

I mean, it’s a misunderstanding. Saying it like that makes me sound like a weirdo.

Of course, I know there’s something unusual about me. But is it really serious enough that I should book an appointment at a mental hospital?

“It’s serious.”

[Serious!]

[Serious.]

Yeon Mirae, standing in front of me, and the two people she was talking to on the phone all said that.

Hmm, so it is serious.

But even if Iah Eun doesn’t know, Yeon Mirae and Chloe know why I have this problem, right? Iah Eun probably suspects it to some degree, even if I haven’t told her directly about my reincarnation.

“Yes. Considering your mental age, I know it’s normal. But does that mean you’ll stay like this forever?”

[The past is the past. Now is now. So act according to your age.]

[I don’t know what that means, but just do as the older sisters say, Geonwoo.]

“……”

When the three of them teamed up, it was impossible to argue logically—they insisted that I had a problem.

“Ah, alright. I get it, I get it.”

In the end, I had no choice but to give up. I knew it was something I would eventually need to resolve. For now, dealing with the Oracle, the organization, and the black mist seemed more urgent.

“But Master.”

“Hm?”

“What are your plans for this Lunar New Year?”

The Lunar New Year…

“I’ll probably follow Mom to visit our ancestors’ graves.”

My father passed away before I was born, and my uncle passed away when I was around five. My grandparents on that side had passed long before as well. So on my father’s side, it’ll just be a grave-visiting trip.

“And my mother’s side…?”

As far as I know, my mother’s parents and siblings are all still alive. However, since I was born, my mother has never visited them. My uncle had told me before my reincarnation that it was because my mother married my father against their wishes, which strained the relationship.

‘And before my reincarnation, the first time I met anyone from my maternal side was at my mother’s funeral.’

Until then, I didn’t even know they existed.

“I probably won’t go.”

“Really?”

It seems my mother won’t visit them this year either. They haven’t visited us, so I doubt they’ll make the effort.

“I thought she’d go since it’s relatively close.”

“…Close?”

For reference, I don’t actually know where my maternal relatives live.

“Yes. When we looked it up last time, they live in the same neighborhood as us.”

“So they lived that close…?”

Well, maybe it makes sense. My mother’s friends live in the same neighborhood, so if she didn’t move after marrying my father, it’s natural that her family lives nearby.

“…Then why didn’t I see them this time?”

“Ah, maybe it’s on the opposite side of the neighborhood?”

That could be. Even in the same neighborhood, it’s big, and there are places I don’t know. I didn’t even know about Gang Garam’s mansion until he invited me, even though I patrolled with dolls every night.

‘If they live that close… I should at least visit them once.’

If my maternal relatives were bad people, I wouldn’t think that way. But my uncle and aunt, who came to my mother’s funeral and sometimes checked in on me afterward, weren’t like that. Visiting them this time doesn’t seem bad.

‘Of course, I should talk to my mother first.’

That afternoon.

After returning home from the ski resort, I told my mother I wanted to visit my maternal relatives this Lunar New Year.

“……”

She was silent for a moment.

“Sigh… I knew this day would come…”

She rubbed her forehead as if it hurt and muttered before asking me:

“Do you really have to go? That family is obsessed with money.”

“?”

Obsessed with money? I didn’t get that vibe when I saw them before my reincarnation. Sure, they had a fairly big clothing business.

‘Hmm… maybe I didn’t notice because the first time I met them was at a funeral.’

Even if they were obsessed with money, they probably wouldn’t talk about it in front of a child who lost their mother. If they truly were obsessed with money, that is.

Anyway…

“If you don’t want to, we don’t have to go.”

I decided to respect my mother’s opinion. She knows that family better than I do.

“…Sigh. Maybe I should go at least once…”

She seemed hesitant. She didn’t want to go, but she thought skipping it entirely would be problematic.

“…Alright.”

And she made her decision.

“This once, we’ll go. Okay?”

“If you make that face while saying that, I might want to take back my agreement.”

She hated the idea so much she looked miserable.

“It’s okay, son. I’ve decided. But if they ask you to model for them, I’ll leave immediately.”

“Model? Ah, right, they’re in the clothing business.”

It’s possible they’d ask for that. But if a relative is a celebrity, a small request isn’t unreasonable. Whether I accept it is my choice.

“I will never let our son model underwear.”

“……”

Ah. So it was underwear. That’s a bit much. Even if it weren’t, I probably wouldn’t do it.

“Oh, right. I need to check my own sanity.”

She suddenly got up and prepared to go out.

“Why?”

“I need to buy Lunar New Year gift sets.”

I noticed the gift sets already filling one side of our house. That’s a lot!

“They would have been enough in previous years, but this year I’ve become the leader of Shinsegyo.”

“Ah, that makes sense.”

Until now, my mother only sent gift sets to a small group—coworkers and acquaintances. But now, as the Shinsegyo leader and owner of Shinseyakcho, she needs to prepare gifts for members, employees, and business contacts.

“…Mom, I’ll come with you.”

“Hm? To carry your bags? You can just ship them from the store.”

“Well, that too, but I also need to send gifts.”

Last year, I had earned the right to solo dungeon raids. Normally, selling loot from dungeons was illegal, so I had to sell it on the market, often to shady buyers. But now, using the association’s proper market, I could earn a fair income.

‘With this money, I should send gifts to people I know in business.’

Not classmates—just people I met through business.

‘Start with Ji Hyungman, then the guild leaders and officers I know, and police officers who were in the special investigation team…’

Wait, maybe giving gifts to police is risky. I checked the law: small gifts are okay as long as the officer isn’t involved in a case with the gift-giver. Teachers aren’t allowed, unless they don’t directly grade me. That works. I can send gifts to Director Shin Hanji, Woo Ji-min, and Chloe. And maybe also to a shrine maiden who is close to them.

“……”

Thinking through all these gifts, I realized this was a really tedious task. I suddenly respected all the working adults exchanging gifts.

“Why the long face, son?”

“Nothing…”

As I followed my mother out, I kept planning who to send gifts to. Not Richard overseas, but Arthur and Rachel, who will be in Korea for winter break, yes. Yeon Mirae and Sophia, though next door, yes. Sergey in Korea? Hmm…

We headed to a nearby large mart.

“Son… Are you really buying that many?”

My mother seemed surprised at how many gift sets I planned to order.

“Why? You bought more.”

“I bought more for my employees….”

Looking at my order, it didn’t seem that many.

“…I realized how many people you actually know.”

I handed the order form to the clerk.

“Where should we send these?”

“I’ll take them here.”

“All of these?”

“I’ll put them in my pocket dimension.”

Everyone around focused on us. Ah, right—usually pocket dimensions aren’t that large, unlike mine.