IGWNI Ch 6

Ramia’s presence drew attention wherever he went. Even if they weren’t openly staring or whispering, Yoon Jaewoo was aware that he was an exceptionally rare being within this castle.

However.

Whisper whisper whisper, murmur murmur murmur, whisper murmur whisper murmur whisper murmur.

He couldn’t get used to the sounds that followed him everywhere. When Yoon Jaewoo abruptly turned around, the two servants who had been diligently whispering hurriedly blushed and lowered their heads.

“What, what. What is it? You shouldn’t talk behind someone’s back like that. If you’re going to talk about someone, do it openly and fairly in front of them. If you can’t do that, don’t do it at all.”

When Yoon Jaewoo snapped at them, the two servants vanished as if their tails were on fire. He placed a hand on his forehead and let out a deep sigh.

My head hurts.

After being dragged back from what he had considered a successful escape, the number of servants trailing Yoon Jaewoo had doubled. Not only that, but the guards at Lamin’s door had tripled. Furthermore, Eustace had added a stern warning that if he tried to leave Lamin’s door one more time, he would have the guards’ heads cut off and hung up.

“Sigh.”

Running a hand through his hair, Yoon Jaewoo stared blankly at a single strand that had caught on his finger.

Golden hair, as if finely spun from gold.

Looking at his reflection in the mirror hanging on the hallway wall, Yoon Jaewoo’s face darkened.

When he was caught by Eustace in the Najaf Forest and brought back to the castle, Yoon Jaewoo felt uneasy because the way the two men looked at him was distinctly unsettling. Entering his room at dawn, he asked the head servant to prepare a bath. The head servant simply stared at Yoon Jaewoo, his eyes wide as if he’d been struck hard on the back of the head. Yoon Jaewoo tried asking for a bath several times, but it was futile. Something was strange. The head servant, who usually made an effort to understand him even when he spoke in a language he didn’t understand, wasn’t even trying.

‘Why are you doing this? What’s the problem?’

Only when Yoon Jaewoo grabbed the head servant’s sleeve and shook it did he seem to come to his senses and hurriedly bow his head.

‘What is it? What’s wrong? Tell me.’

Only after Yoon Jaewoo pressed him again did the head servant stammer out his words.

‘Lord Ramia, I was… surprised by your transformed appearance. I apologize.’

‘Transformed? Do you mean I transformed into a dragon? No way.’

Yoon Jaewoo quickly ran his hand over his face and checked his body, but he couldn’t find any trace of scales or anything else that had changed.

‘Transformed? Why…’

Muttering to himself, he suddenly had a hunch and quickly ran to the vanity table with a mirror.

The first thing Yoon Jaewoo uttered after seeing his reflection in the mirror was, “Ugh!” The next was, “Damn it!” The next, “What is this?” And the last, “Son of a…”

He saw himself with blond hair in the mirror. Not only that, but the color of his eyes had also changed to a deep amber. Yoon Jaewoo had to slap his own cheeks several times to prove to himself that this wasn’t a dream.

“Ugh…”

Yoon Jaewoo groaned, staring at his unfamiliar appearance.

Unsure of what had happened, he ran to Eustace in his pajamas, grabbed his hair, and yelled, demanding an explanation. As a result, he discovered that the spring water was the cause. He argued that how could simply immersing himself in the spring change his hair and eye color, but that didn’t change the fact that his hair was now blond. Fortunately, Eustace added that it would slowly return to its original color after a certain amount of time.

He examined the mirror meticulously, tugging at strands of hair to see if any black hairs were growing in. It was useless. His sighs grew deeper and longer.

Yoon Jaewoo didn’t like blond hair. No, he absolutely loathed it.

It stemmed from the verbal abuse inflicted by the orphanage director. Whenever Yoon Jaewoo misbehaved or disobeyed, the director would unleash a torrent of insults. So that’s why your mother abandoned you. Your mother was a whore who slept with a blond foreigner. That’s why you look like that, and so on.

Along with that, even the children, who didn’t know the meaning of the words, teased Yoon Jaewoo, calling him a “foreigner.” Yoon Jaewoo would thoroughly beat up any kid who dared utter those words, ensuring they never said them again.

Every time this happened, the director would beat young Jaewoo, saying, “I knew you would do that.”

As a result, Yoon Jaewoo intensely disliked drunk men, men who wore round horn-rimmed glasses like the orphanage director, and middle-aged men with bad breath. Among all of these, he hated blond men the most. And yet, here he was, with blond hair!

“What is this? Damn it!”

Yoon Jaewoo grabbed his hair with both hands and shook it back and forth.

It wasn’t that it didn’t suit him.

Yoon Jaewoo originally had features that blurred the line between Eastern and Western, making people wonder if he was mixed-race. With the addition of the blond hair and golden eyes, his nationality became even more ambiguous. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say he had become even more beautiful. But regardless of whether he looked more beautiful or not, the biggest shock to Yoon Jaewoo was the fact that he had blond hair. Above all, the increasing whispers and stares directed at him in the castle made him incredibly anxious and uncomfortable.

I need my black hair to grow back quickly.

“I don’t know. He said it will return, so it’ll work out somehow.”

Yoon Jaewoo glared at the mirror before turning away. As he walked dejectedly down the hallway, someone called out to him cheerfully.

「Ramia! Hey, Ramia.」

It was Yatenbaum.

Yoon Jaewoo pretended not to hear and continued walking. After that day, Eustace had repeatedly whispered to him in a low, subtle voice, “If you speak to Yatenbaum unnecessarily, imagine with your inadequate mind what will happen to you.”

「Ramia.」

However, it was impossible to shake off Yatenbaum in the first place. Yoon Jaewoo bowed politely to Yatenbaum, who was now right beside him.

「Where are you going?」

“Wherever I’m going, it’s none of your business… Actually, where am I going?”

He was wandering the hallways, bored with receiving massages in his room and eating delicious food. As punishment for his attempted escape, he had been strictly forbidden from setting foot in the garden for the time being. The only place Yoon Jaewoo could wander was the hallway connecting the buildings.

「Have you eaten?」

“…Yes.”

He nodded and answered, but the suspicion in his eyes directed at Yatenbaum didn’t disappear. Yatenbaum, who had clearly said he was going west, had suddenly declared that he would stay here longer for some reason.

According to the head servant, one needed the god’s permission to stay in the divine land. This was especially true for Dweord. Entering without permission was considered an act of war. The reason there wasn’t a war when Yatenbaum first entered the northern lands was because of Eustace, which meant he had implicitly given his permission. It was considered proper etiquette not to expel a guest until they themselves expressed their desire to leave.

Ultimately, there was no way to expel Yatenbaum unless he committed a grave error that would bar him from ever entering the country again.

「What did you eat?」

“Well, the usual. Bread, meat, some unknown fruit, and so on. But why are we having this pointless conversation that we don’t even understand?”

When Yoon Jaewoo blinked and frowned slightly, Yatenbaum smiled faintly. The smile was so sly and unreadable that Yoon Jaewoo took a step back.

「Why? Are you afraid I’ll eat you?」

“…Well, not really, but…”

「You said you wanted to come to my land.」

Yatenbaum grabbed Yoon Jaewoo’s hand abruptly and smiled subtly. Yoon Jaewoo could clearly feel that the way he was looking at him had changed completely.

「I’ll take you.」

“…Why?”

When someone, or in this case, something not quite human, offered unprovoked kindness, there was definitely something fishy going on.

As Yoon Jaewoo looked at Yatenbaum with suspicion, he stroked Yoon Jaewoo’s hair with his large hand and said,

「If you come to my land as my Ramia, I’ll provide you with even better lodgings and food than this. Of course, I’ll also heal your leg.」

“Whoa! Really?”

Yoon Jaewoo grabbed Yatenbaum’s clothes and asked. He had no idea that touching a Dweord’s body or clothing without permission was punishable by death.

“Can you really heal it? Will you heal my leg? Can you heal it?”

Seeming to understand what he was saying, Yatenbaum nodded.

The strength drained from Yoon Jaewoo’s hand.

He’ll heal my leg. Back to normal. Back to the way it was.

I can play soccer again. I can run like before. I can be loved and cheered for, kicking the ball on the field.

It was unbelievable, but something he desperately wanted to believe. His hands trembled. What he had prayed for night after night, crying for days on end, was finally coming true.

Yoon Jaewoo clasped his trembling hands together and closed his eyes. Even winning the lottery wouldn’t feel this joyful. He bit his lip to hold back the tears that threatened to spill.

If only my leg heals, if only it returns to normal… then no matter what, I’ll escape back to my original world!

Yoon Jaewoo opened his eyes wide and cheered.

“Hooray! Hooray! Hooray! Long live Yatenbaum!”

A look of satisfaction spread across Yatenbaum’s face as he watched Ramia express his joy with his whole body. Overcome with excitement, Yoon Jaewoo even started dancing on the spot.

A childlike, bright smile lit up his fair skin, and his blond hair shimmered in the light. Yatenbaum’s gaze narrowed slightly.

“Let’s go! Right now.”

Yoon Jaewoo said, looking at Yatenbaum.

「You want to go?」

“Let’s go, ah, go go! Let’s go.”

「You’ll follow me?」

“That’s what I’m saying. You’re really frustrating. When you heal my leg, heal your mouth too.”

Yoon Jaewoo pointed to his own mouth with his finger. Yatenbaum laughed loudly and nodded. He bent down and leaned his face close. Yoon Jaewoo yelled, “Whoa!” and swung his fist. He punched hard enough to make a thud, but Yatenbaum’s head didn’t move a millimeter.

There was one more thing Yoon Jaewoo hated: men who groped him or tried to kiss him. Thanks to his pretty face, Yoon Jaewoo had experienced various kinds of unwanted physical contact disguised as jokes from older members of his sports teams, another trauma for him.

“Y-you suddenly brought your face close…”

Normally, he would have lashed out with, “You damn pervert!”, but his opponent was the omnipotent god who promised to heal his leg. As Yoon Jaewoo stammered out excuses, looking flustered, Yatenbaum’s gaze slowly shifted back to him.

Fire flared up in his crimson eyes. It was the epitome of red. The arm he was holding began to feel as hot as if it were touching fire.

“Ah, that hurts… Ow! It’s hot!”

A hand reached out from behind, pulling Yatenbaum’s hand away and grabbing Yoon Jaewoo’s wrist. A cool sensation touched his skin, and Yoon Jaewoo gasped, “Haah…”

「What are you doing?」

A cool voice reached his ears. Eustace was glaring at Yatenbaum.

「I asked what you are doing. Mäden.」

「We were having a conversation. With your pretty Ramia.」

As always, they were having a conversation excluding him, the person involved, and full of sarcasm about him. Yoon Jaewoo sighed inwardly, thinking, Here we go again.

「Don’t touch Ramia carelessly.」

「Your Ramia wants to go with me, doesn’t he?」

Eustace’s sharp gaze pierced him, and Yoon Jaewoo flinched, his shoulders trembling.

「Does Ramia’s will matter?」

「That’s why I’m asking for your permission. To give him to me.」

“What do you mean? Can’t you just give him to me?”

As if I’m something insignificant, a lowly Ramia. Just give me away already!

「Once something comes into my possession, it doesn’t leave until it’s dead. You know that.」

「So you’re saying give him to me before I kill him.」

“Yes. Give him away!”

He nodded vigorously in agreement. Eustace glanced at Yoon Jaewoo with a look of disdain, then turned to Yatenbaum with a hardened expression.

「What are you going to use him for?」

「Hahaha. That depends on how I want to use him.」

“I’m going to be reborn as a soccer player.”

Since the other person couldn’t understand him, Yoon Jaewoo poured out what he wanted to say, wearing a happy expression.

「I will ask for Ramia’s will and then grant permission accordingly.」

“Ask him right away!”

「Ramia.」

Eustace called Yoon Jaewoo.

“Yes!”

「Will you go with him?」

He pointed at Yatenbaum with his fingertip. Yoon Jaewoo nodded his head vigorously. Eustace’s lips curled up slightly, making a hmm sound. He gave Yoon Jaewoo a strange look, as if smiling and not smiling at the same time, before his eyes curved into crescents.

It was a graceful and beautiful smile.

Judging by appearance alone, it was easy to understand why this man had become a god.

「Go west with Yatenbaum.」

As the words of permission left Eustace’s mouth, both Yoon Jaewoo and Yatenbaum seemed surprised.

“Really? Really? You better not go back on your word! I swear to god, no, I swear to you!”

Fearing that Eustace might retract his statement, Yoon Jaewoo pressed him for a vow.

「But you should know how Yatenbaum intends to use you.」

“Huh? Use me how?”

「If you follow the Mäden, you’ll be thoroughly ravaged. I guarantee it.」

“Ravaged how?”

Even then, Yoon Jaewoo didn’t understand what Eustace meant, so he just blinked his large eyes in confusion. Uncharacteristically, Eustace provided a kind explanation.

「He’ll wear you out down there. While he’s regenerating your leg, he might make another hole down there as well.」

“Huh? …Huh?”

It was still a barrage of words he couldn’t understand. As Yoon Jaewoo blinked his large eyes, simply staring at Eustace’s face, Yatenbaum interrupted.

「I haven’t decided whether to make it or not yet.」

「So you’re not going to make it?」

「Well, the more holes, the better. The back hole is good, but a freshly made front hole has its own charm.」

Yatenbaum’s gaze turned lewd as he spoke. Yoon Jaewoo suddenly understood what “hole” meant and grimaced.

“What the… crazy… you fucking lunatic…”

He couldn’t even speak properly. As Yoon Jaewoo stammered out curses and backed away, Yatenbaum grabbed his wrist.

「Let’s go. Eustace gave his permission.」

In the land of a god, nothing could be taken without that god’s permission. This was because everything in the land ruled by a god belonged to that god. That was why Yatenbaum, another Dweord, couldn’t simply snatch Yoon Jaewoo away.

“No… Let go of me!”

Yoon Jaewoo roughly shook off Yatenbaum’s hand. Yatenbaum looked down at him with a puzzled expression, then clicked his tongue.

「You’re scaring Ramia with your nonsense.」

「It’s better than being dragged away and suddenly having something new made and being violated. Don’t you think?」

Eustace’s voice was particularly cool and soft as he spoke. This time, a voice like a winter night’s wind brushed against Yoon Jaewoo’s ears.

「Ramia, you should take care of contraception yourself, as you might get pregnant. It’s hard to control a stallion in heat.」

“P-… pre…”

「Hey, don’t worry. I’ll take care of that. Now, let’s go.」

Yatenbaum reached out his hand. Yoon Jaewoo jumped back, yelling, “Don’t come near me!”

Yatenbaum tilted his head and laughed. A red flame flickered in his laughing eyes. Dangerous. This guy, just like the one who decorates with beaded corpses, no, he’s even more dangerous.

Sirens warning of danger blared incessantly in Yoon Jaewoo’s head.

「Let’s go!」

“I said no! I’m not going! Absolutely not! I’m not going!”

As Yoon Jaewoo shrieked in terror, Eustace laughed out loud this time. He pulled Yoon Jaewoo close to his side and spoke softly in a voice as bright as the white flowers blooming in the garden.

「Have you forgotten that I am a merciful Dweord?」

Yatenbaum’s face turned red with anger. However, in Eustace’s land, he couldn’t dare take what belonged to him. Yatenbaum left with the words, “Do as you please,” and disappeared down the hallway.

Once they were alone, Eustace stopped smiling as if nothing had happened and released the arm that had been around Yoon Jaewoo.

Embarrassed, Yoon Jaewoo rubbed his arm with his hand and muttered.

“…Thank you for telling me. If it weren’t for you, I might have… just the thought makes me want to puke.”

Rubbing his nauseous stomach, Yoon Jaewoo grimaced. He couldn’t understand, nor could he forgive, Yatenbaum for intending to use him for such a purpose.

“That crazy bastard! What’s with the holes and contraception? Ugh, crazy lunatic… I pity the people who worship him as a god.”

As Yoon Jaewoo gritted his teeth and fueled his hatred for Yatenbaum, Eustace gave him a disapproving look, his eyes narrowing slightly.

「Don’t wander around carelessly. I gave you confinement orders, but with that inadequate mind of yours, you don’t seem to understand what confinement means.」

“So I should just stay cooped up in my room?”

「Wandering around looking like that will only invite trouble.」

“What’s wrong with the way I look… fine. I’m ugly, right? I know that very well. The ugliest man in the world, Yoon Jaewoo. I’m very self-aware. And now that I’ve dyed my hair blond, it must be totally disgusting. Ugh, I hate blond hair… is there no hair dye here?”

Yoon Jaewoo asked, tugging at his hair. His eyes met Eustace’s, who had been silently watching him. In that brief moment, Yoon Jaewoo realized that the way the man was looking at him was very different from before.

“…Am I really that ugly? Ugly enough to make you sick?”

Yoon Jaewoo mumbled with a gloomy face. Eustace scanned Yoon Jaewoo’s face with a somewhat persistent gaze before opening his mouth with a placid expression.

「It’s not that bad.」

“What isn’t?”

Yoon Jaewoo weakly asked back, but no answer came. When he raised his head, Eustace had already disappeared. Left alone in the hallway, Yoon Jaewoo sighed deeply before turning towards his room.

My right leg is particularly achy today, he thought as he walked.

As night fell, Yoon Jaewoo bolted upright in bed, as was his habit. He was used to taking a walk in the garden at this time, so lying in bed made him restless and unable to bear it.

“I’m going for a walk.”

He put on his shoes and clumsily got out of bed. However, a servant, alerted by the noise, hurriedly entered the room and blocked his way.

「Where are you going?」

“For a walk.”

「Where are you going?」

“For a walk! Learn some Korean, will you!”

Yoon Jaewoo pushed the servant aside and put on his clothes. Fortunately, it seemed like this was the only servant guarding the room at night.

「You cannot go out to the garden.」

“Who said I’m going to the garden? I’m just going to walk in the hallway. The hallway.”

「You cannot go out to the garden… Huh?!」

Ignoring the servant’s protests, Yoon Jaewoo walked out of the room. He couldn’t tolerate the servant who had called him the ugliest Ramia he had ever seen.

As he walked briskly down the hallway, the servant followed him breathlessly, saying, “You can’t do this, Lord Ramia! If you do this, we’ll be punished!” But Yoon Jaewoo pretended not to hear.

「Lord Ramia! Lord Ramia!」

Even walking in the hallway had become tedious. He wanted to walk on the soil, smelling the scent of flowers and grass. Yoon Jaewoo pointed to the sky and exclaimed, “Oh!” While the servant’s gaze was momentarily diverted upwards, Yoon Jaewoo seized the opportunity and dashed into the lush garden.

「Lord Ramia!」

The voice calling after him was filled with despair, but Yoon Jaewoo quickly moved on. Knowing the garden inside and out, he hid behind a large tree and waited. He held his breath and sat behind the tree until the servant was far away.

Only after confirming that everything was quiet did he stand up. Choosing a roundabout path, Yoon Jaewoo headed towards the pavilion.

As he walked up the hill, he saw a white tail swaying in the distance. Yoon Jaewoo felt a lump in his throat with happiness. Even when he escaped, the thing that tugged at his heartstrings was that white fluffball.

“Jinsu… No, wait.”

Wanting to surprise Jinsu, whom he was seeing after a long time, Yoon Jaewoo stealthily approached and climbed the stairs. He went behind Jinsu, who was leisurely enjoying the moonlight, and wrapped his arms around his tail.

“Jinsu!”

He had been severely reprimanded for touching Jinsu’s body or tail without permission. He was prepared to be smacked by the tail and sent flying through the air.

However.

At the low growl, Yoon Jaewoo quickly let go of the tail he was holding. This was the first time he had seen the beast bare its teeth, its fur bristling as it growled.

Feeling embarrassed, awkward, and a little hurt, Yoon Jaewoo stammered,

“I, uh, sorry… I won’t touch your tail. I was just happy to see you…”

The beast didn’t stop growling. Yoon Jaewoo withdrew his hand.

“What’s wrong? Are you mad at me?”

His eyes were filled with dejection as he asked.

This white beast was the only being in this place he could open up to and rely on. It was disheartening for Yoon Jaewoo to see it suddenly acting like it had never seen him before, growling ferociously.

“Are you mad that I left you? Or could it be…”

Yoon Jaewoo touched his hair. The beast’s sharp gaze followed his hand. The only things that had changed were the color of his eyes and hair. The thought that this was what had upset the beast made Yoon Jaewoo feel even more wronged.

“I didn’t want this to happen either.”

Like a child being scolded and making excuses, Yoon Jaewoo stammered,

“I just… fell into the spring, so… damn it. I didn’t ask for this hair.”

Yoon Jaewoo tugged at his golden hair. If it were possible, he wanted to change it back to black right now. He didn’t want to endure the whispers and strange looks from people anymore.

He felt like crying. Even if everyone else looked at him strangely, he had thought that at least the beast would treat him like before.

Yoon Jaewoo tugged at his hair, his eyes welling up. Strangely, tears flowed easily in front of Jinsu.

The beast’s eyes seemed to sigh briefly before it opened its large mouth and gently bit Yoon Jaewoo’s hand. Its teeth barely grazed his skin. Yoon Jaewoo’s eyes widened as he looked at Jinsu. The beast gently bit his hand again.

It was a sign to stop.

Yoon Jaewoo stopped tugging at his hair. Jinsu also opened his mouth and released his hand. As Jaewoo looked at the beast with an embarrassed expression, the beast also stared back at him intently. Feeling the beast’s gaze, Yoon Jaewoo mumbled in a dejected voice,

“I look really weird… I must have climbed significantly higher in the ranks of the ugliest people in this world.”

Lately, Yoon Jaewoo would often sigh while looking at himself in the mirror. He couldn’t get used to, and strongly disliked, his changed appearance, with both his hair and eye color different.

“But since he said it will go back someday… my black hair will grow back. My eyes will return to their proper black color, too.”

The only fortunate thing was that there were no reporters in this world, so his current state wouldn’t be captured in photos. And of course, no internet either.

He remembered his past, when he had lost all hope and behaved disgracefully, often making headlines in gossip columns.

Followed by malicious comments, the articles would be posted on community sites, and the malicious comments would multiply a hundredfold. A vicious cycle.

When he lived as soccer player Yoon Jaewoo, he received more than enough love. As if to compensate for his unhappy childhood.

However, it didn’t take long for people’s goodwill and affection to turn into ridicule and contempt. People shared everything. Bad news spread quickly, like wildfire in a haystack.

He liked this world in that respect. He could do as he pleased and say what he wanted without worrying about anyone’s judgment.

He could even openly utter the curses he used to only keep to himself. It felt like he had been crammed into tight, ill-fitting clothes all day, and had finally returned home to take everything off and lie down on his bed.

“I’m so hopelessly optimistic.”

To think that in a situation where he could die at any moment, he found this world refreshing and comfortable. Really.

Muttering to himself, Yoon Jaewoo clicked his tongue.

The beast watched Yoon Jaewoo silently before narrowing its eyes slightly. At the hint of a smirk, Yoon Jaewoo tilted his head and said, “Huh?”

Their eyes met, but there was no discernible expression on the beast’s face. Yoon Jaewoo tilted his head and scratched the back of his head.

Sometimes, he would catch glimpses of expressions on Jinsu that seemed un-animal-like. He knew that animals had expressions, but somehow… they were more sophisticated and complex, so to speak.

Yoon Jaewoo stared blankly at Jinsu before shaking his head. What did it matter if he had expressions? Jinsu was still Jinsu.

“Jinsu.”

Yoon Jaewoo called the beast. The beast, which was about to turn around, twitched the tip of its tail as if in response. Following the movement of the fluffy white tail with his eyes, Yoon Jaewoo continued,

“You know, let’s run away.”

Jinsu’s eyes narrowed slightly at his words, as if amused. Yoon Jaewoo continued without paying attention.

“Let’s go. Let’s go to another god’s land. Not this country, not with that damn Yatenbaum. Let’s go to another country with a merciful god and…”

He was about to say, “Let’s live happily ever after,” but he closed his mouth at the beast’s sudden low growl.

“What? Do animals have patriotism, too?”

He remembered a scene where Jinsu seemed to enjoy listening attentively to the national anthem.

“Alright, alright. Sorry, sorry. I just… what’s wrong?”

Yoon Jaewoo stammered, startled by Jinsu, who was now bristling its fur and growling far more fiercely than before.

“Why, why? Is it because of my hair? Should I cover it with my hands?”

Even when he covered his head completely with his hands, the beast’s growling didn’t stop. Suddenly, Yoon Jaewoo noticed that Jinsu’s gaze was fixed on something above his head, and he turned around.

“Why? What’s there?”

Even when he narrowed his eyes, he couldn’t see anything in particular, except for the dark clouds gathering in the distance.

“It’s okay. There’s nothing there. The dark clouds are just bringing rain. Don’t worry, don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

Yoon Jaewoo tried to calm Jinsu down with various words, but it was no use.

Jinsu’s gaze remained fixed on the sky.

Dark clouds were being carried by the wind towards the castle. That was all. He’s probably sensitive to weather changes since he’s an animal, Yoon Jaewoo thought as he was about to turn back. But at that moment…

“…”

He realized that the surrounding leaves weren’t rustling at all. It was quiet. Everything was standing still, shrouded in silence.

And yet, the clouds above were still approaching rapidly. The chilling thought that something was wrong flashed through Jaewoo’s mind.

Yoon Jaewoo quickly spoke to Jinsu.

“It’s okay. It’s just clouds. There’s nothing to worry about.”

His voice trembled as he spoke. He knew that these weren’t ordinary clouds. Still, he thought he shouldn’t show his fear. Animals were sensitive to changes in emotions.

“I won’t let a single hair on your body get hurt. I promise. So don’t be afraid.”

The clouds had now drifted within the walls. Realizing that the writhing black mass wasn’t clouds, but a swarm of insects, Yoon Jaewoo breathed a sigh of relief. That explained how they were moving so fast without any wind.

“It’s okay. They must be mayflies. They usually swarm like that at night. Just don’t open your mouth. If you do, they’ll all go into your…”

The beast lowered its body, bracing itself on its front paws. Its growls grew louder. The swarm of insects was getting closer and closer. Even his reassuring words were useless. The beast’s expression only grew fiercer.

Although the situation was strange, Yoon Jaewoo’s priority was calming Jinsu in front of him.

“I’ll chase all the bugs away… Huh?!”

The ground shook. Then the air vibrated. No, everything around them shook. The leaves, which had been deathly still until a moment ago, all trembled at once. An emotion he couldn’t identify, whether fear or anger, seethed around them. Yoon Jaewoo held his breath. Even breathing felt like he was being flooded with the surrounding emotions. He felt suffocated, like he was drowning. Yoon Jaewoo’s face turned pale. He checked on Jinsu. The beast was staring up at the sky, its fur bristling even more frantically than before.

“I-it’s… okay.”

Even speaking was difficult. Negative emotions swirled within him, making it hard to stay sane. Just like those moments when he was trapped in his small room, constantly blaming himself and thinking only of death.

No.

Yoon Jaewoo opened his eyes. Even if he were to die, he had to protect this frightened beast. He clenched his trembling hands into fists. The buzzing of the insects grew louder. The piercing emotions stung like they were touching his skin. It felt like someone was constantly pricking him with the sharp tip of a knife. These were definitely not ordinary insects.

So that’s why…

It was no wonder the large beast was scared. Yoon Jaewoo stepped in front of Jinsu.

The insects swarmed towards them as if with intent. They were surrounded in an instant. His skin felt like it was tearing. Yoon Jaewoo took off his clothes. As the layer of protection disappeared, his whole body felt like it was burning.

Yoon Jaewoo gritted his teeth and used the clothes he was holding to cover Jinsu’s head. The beast bristled its fur inside the clothing as if asking, “What are you doing?” but Yoon Jaewoo didn’t loosen his grip.

The insects melted like sticky glue and clung to his body. Yoon Jaewoo closed his eyes. It was mortifying that he was going to die at the hands of something like mayflies or fruit flies. If he was going to die, he should have died when he was bitten by the black snake in the vast snowfield! That would have been a hundred times more dignified… son of a…! It hurts!

He wanted to scream, but he bit his lip to endure it, afraid of frightening Jinsu. Blood trickled from his lips.

The pain searing through his body made him oblivious to the tearing of his lips. He only noticed much later that flames were rising beside him.

“…!”

Through the flames, he caught a glimpse of the horse he had encountered in the snowfield. Yoon Jaewoo tightened his grip, worried that Jinsu’s fur would burn, and squeezed his eyes shut.

The smell of burning filled the air. The whole world turned red as if engulfed in flames. Even with his eyes closed, the red light pierced his eyelids. The unknown situation only intensified his fear.

How much time had passed? Someone tapped Yoon Jaewoo on the shoulder.

“Eek!”

Yoon Jaewoo flinched and dropped his arms. The thought of a bug with arms tapping him sent chills down his spine.

「I think you can let go now.」

However, at the man’s voice that followed, Yoon Jaewoo’s eyes flew open in surprise. Yatenbaum was standing there. Unsure when or where he had appeared from, Yoon Jaewoo stared at him with wide eyes and an open mouth.

「What’s all this commotion? I came out because it was so noisy.」

Yatenbaum said, brushing off his clothes. Black insects were melted on his clothes as well. Wherever Yatenbaum’s hand touched, red flames erupted, burning the insects with a putrid smell.

「How did Angra’s insects get all the way here?」

“What are Angra’s insects?”

Yoon Jaewoo asked, but Yatenbaum’s gaze was fixed on the large beast in Yoon Jaewoo’s arms. Yoon Jaewoo then turned to check on Jinsu.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt? The bugs are all…”

Before Yoon Jaewoo could finish his comforting words, the beast leaped into the air. At the same time, wings sprouted from its shoulders. With a single flap of its wings, the beast disappeared into the distance.

「He’s going to catch them.」

Yatenbaum muttered, looking far away. Yoon Jaewoo, unsure of what was happening, fidgeted anxiously before turning to Yatenbaum.

“Go and help him. He’s really afraid of bugs.”

He pointed in the direction Jinsu had disappeared and stamped his foot, but Yatenbaum simply stared at him with a puzzled expression.

“Follow Jinsu! Hurry!”

「Your pretty hair is stained with a dirty color.」

Yatenbaum said something nonsensical and laughed, raising his arm. Yoon Jaewoo brushed his arm away and shouted,

“What are you doing? Go after him right now!”

「What are you saying?」

“Ah, this is frustrating! Go and help him!”

Yoon Jaewoo pointed alternately at the insects wriggling on the ground and at the sky. Yatenbaum finally seemed to understand Yoon Jaewoo’s gestures and burst out laughing.

「Hahahahaha. You want me to go and help him now?」

“You’re a god! If you’re a god, you have to help! Dweord Yatenbaum!”

He knew that Yatenbaum was a rude and inconsiderate jerk, but he had to persuade him somehow. Jinsu was in danger.

「Don’t worry. Even before I go… right. He’s already here.」

The wind picked up.

The surrounding leaves trembled and bowed as if paying their respects.

Yoon Jaewoo spotted Jinsu, who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere, and ran towards him with open arms.

“Jinsu! Are you okay? Are you alright?”

The beast’s large front paws were stained with red blood. As Yoon Jaewoo bent down to examine his paws, wondering if he was injured…

“Ugh!”

The beast opened its large mouth and abruptly bit Yoon Jaewoo’s waist. Then it flew to a nearby pond and dunked him in the water.

“Pwah! What, what are you doing?!”

The beast shook Yoon Jaewoo as if washing him, and as if that wasn’t enough, it started rubbing his body with its front paws. As the pond water entered his nose and mouth, Yoon Jaewoo coughed and sputtered.

「I think that’s enough washing.」

If it weren’t for Yatenbaum’s words, Yoon Jaewoo thought he might have drunk the entire pond tonight.

“Cough, ugh. Cough.”

Spewing water from his nose, mouth, eyes, and ears, Yoon Jaewoo gave Jinsu an incredulous look.

I protected you with my whole body!

「Now I can see your beautiful face.」

As he looked down at Yoon Jaewoo with a satisfied smile, Yoon Jaewoo had a feeling something was wrong. He had thought the crazy pervert was joking when he’d said something similar earlier that day, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.

He looked at his reflection in the pond.

It was the same face, except for the changed hair and eye color.

「You look even more alluring when wet. I was going to give up and leave, but I can’t resist anymore.」

Yatenbaum said, smiling at the beast. He sneered, as if speaking for the beast to hear.

「Why don’t you leave that Dweord who can’t even stop Angra’s insects from entering his land and come with me?」

The white beast growled lowly and glared fiercely.

「Such a temper.」

Yatenbaum chuckled and extended a hand to Yoon Jaewoo, who was sitting on the ground.

“You, you pervert…!”

Yoon Jaewoo tried to jump to his feet, but his legs were weak from drinking too much water, and he fell backward.

“Aaagh!”

His vision flipped. As the back of his head hit the water, Yoon Jaewoo closed his eyes. However, even after waiting for a long time, he didn’t hear the splash.

「You don’t need to wash anymore.」

A cold voice spoke.

「If you want, we can go take a bath together now. My pretty Ramia.」

Yatenbaum’s amused voice followed.

Yoon Jaewoo blinked, seeing both men holding his arms. The white-furred beast was gone, and Eustace, who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere, was standing there with an angry expression.

「You look even prettier from above. Let’s go. I’ll heal your leg.」

As Yatenbaum licked his lips like a hungry predator, Eustace frowned slightly.

「Return to your own land, Mäden.」

「I helped you, and instead of thanking me, you’re going to chase me away?」

「It wasn’t a problem that required your help.」

「Hahahaha. Right. Of course. I was just taking a walk when I saw your pretty Ramia stark naked and took pity on him.」

「Unnecessary interference.」

Lying almost horizontally on the surface of the water, Yoon Jaewoo gazed at the moon hanging in the sky. As a gentle breeze brushed against his golden hair, slightly submerged in the water, the silver moon shimmered.

In this utterly surreal situation, listening to the two gods bickering while holding him, Yoon Jaewoo seriously considered something.

Maybe… my looks are working again.

“Now, choose.”

Yoon Jaewoo said, pointing at the paper with his finger. On the paper were two figures drawn with the paints he had obtained. The servant unhesitatingly pointed to the person on the left.

“Okay. Good. Then what about this?”

Yoon Jaewoo asked, showing the same face but with different hair colors.

「The right one, of course, Ramia.」

“Then what about this one?”

「The left one, Ramia. How long are we going to continue this obvious game?」

When he gestured and motioned for the servant to point to the better-looking person, the servant nodded with an expression that suggested he was being asked to do something bizarre yet again.

Yoon Jaewoo drew on a new piece of paper. His drawing skills were at a preschool level, but he put his heart into drawing a handsome face and then painted the hair black. He didn’t have black paint, so he mixed all sorts of colors like blue and red, green and purple, to create it.

Next to it, he drew a circle, scribbled on some eyes, a nose, and a mouth, and painted the hair yellow.

“So, this one?”

「This one, of course, Ramia.」

The servant pointed to the yellow-haired drawing that looked like a squid. Yoon Jaewoo yelled, “That’s ridiculous!” No matter how many times they did this, the result was the same.

The servant was judging beauty based on hair and eye color, not facial features.

“Do you only use your eyes to distinguish colors?”

Yoon Jaewoo asked, pounding his chest, but since the servant couldn’t understand him, he just blinked in confusion.

“Haah, this is ridiculous. I suspected it, but… this is unbelievable.”

In this world, the standard of beauty was color. Colors had ranks, and within those ranks, appearances determined superiority or inferiority.

In short, black hair was the lowest rank, so no matter how handsome someone was with black hair, they were simply considered ugly by these people.

“How can there be such a colorist world? This is absurd.”

The words “ugly black Ramia” they had used to describe him at first were all based on color.

“Is hair color and eye color all that matters to you?”

When Yoon Jaewoo pointed at his hair and asked, the servant coughed, ahem, and turned his head away. Noticing the servant’s flushed neck, Yoon Jaewoo didn’t hesitate to kick him in the shin.

「Ow! R-Ramia! Why suddenly…?」

“Don’t blush. It’s so disgusting I feel like I’m going to vomit.”

Yoon Jaewoo realized with a renewed sense of horror that all of Yatenbaum’s flirtatious remarks weren’t jokes, but the truth.

“Damn it.”

Yoon Jaewoo rubbed his head vigorously.

After half a day of playing the “switch hair color and choose the better person” game with the servant, he learned that there were ranks among colors, and the color of his current hair was among the highest. Silver, gold, red, and blue were the highest-ranking colors, and below them were various other classifications.

「Please don’t do that. You’ll damage your beautiful hair.」

The servant grabbed Yoon Jaewoo’s arm and tried to stop him. Yoon Jaewoo was dumbfounded.

“Beautiful hair? Don’t make me laugh. My hair was incredibly beautiful even when it was black. I was handsome even with black hair.”

He was glad to be considered handsome again, but he wasn’t pleased that it was due to the changed hair color from falling into the spring.

Grumbling, Yoon Jaewoo stood up and paced around the room. As the light from the window illuminated his golden hair, the servant stared blankly, muttering in a daze,

「Such beautiful gold… Oh. I-I apologize.」

“If you’re that envious, why don’t you dye your hair, too?”

Yoon Jaewoo said casually. When the servant tilted his head in confusion, he pointed alternately at his own and the servant’s hair and said, “Dye.”

「Are you suggesting I transform myself?」

“Transform? Ah, you said that means changing appearance. Yeah, whatever. How about it?”

「Don’t be absurd! Are you telling me to get myself executed?」

“What? Executed?”

「Transformation is strictly prohibited by national law. I’ve heard the legend about the spring in the Najaf Forest that changes hair and eye color, but… Oh, come on, transformation?」

The servant shook his head and waved his hand dismissively, as if he had heard something horrifying. Yoon Jaewoo didn’t quite understand, so he just blinked and tilted his head. Scratching his cheek, he pointed alternately at his hair and eyes, then made a gesture of slicing his neck.

He was asking why he wasn’t dead after transforming. The servant, as if reading his mind, said, “Ah,” and began to explain.

「That’s because you are Ramia. Lord Ramia’s life is solely determined by the power of Lord Dweord.」

“…Damn.”

That meant both his life and death were in the hands of that ill-tempered Eustace.

To think that changing hair color was punishable by death… Having come from a world where getting a jaw shave, nose job, and double eyelid surgery were no big deal, he couldn’t adapt to this.

Yoon Jaewoo grimaced. He now understood why the two men had yelled at him not to go into the spring.

If I weren’t Ramia, I’d be dead by now.

“…I guess I’m lucky to be Ramia for now.”

As he rubbed his chilled neck, the servant standing behind him hurriedly knelt. Checking the mirror to see who was behind him, Yoon Jaewoo also bowed.

「You may leave.」

As Yoon Jaewoo straightened up and was about to leave, Eustace grabbed the back of his neck.

“You told me to leave?”

Before Eustace could answer, the servant hurriedly closed the door and disappeared. Yoon Jaewoo sighed, still held by Eustace’s hand.

Eustace put Yoon Jaewoo down on the floor. As his gaze fell upon Yoon Jaewoo’s face, a chilling sensation, like a cold wind passing through his body, washed over him, and he rubbed his forearm. However, the truly chilling moment came right after.

「Take off your clothes.」

“Yes, I underst… what?”

Yoon Jaewoo, wondering if he had misheard, asked back with wide eyes. Eustace repeated the same words in a cold voice.

「I said, take off your clothes.」

“W-why?”

Despite the order to undress, Yoon Jaewoo gripped his clothes tightly with both hands. Yatenbaum, who constantly made sexual jokes and advances towards him, was already burdensome enough.

That day, while holding Yoon Jaewoo after he was pulled from the water, Yatenbaum had spouted nonsense about wanting to take him to bed right then and there. Before Yoon Jaewoo could get angry, Eustace retorted that if that was the case, he should return to his own country immediately.

Yatenbaum shut his mouth, but he repeatedly licked his lips and scanned Yoon Jaewoo’s wet body with lustful eyes. Although he was pleased that his appearance had been upgraded in this world, he absolutely hated Yatenbaum’s reaction. He had been relieved that Eustace didn’t react in that way, but…

“…Why, why should I take off my clothes?”

Yoon Jaewoo stammered, clutching his clothes with all his might. Eustace closed his eyes briefly, then reached out and grasped Yoon Jaewoo’s clothes. With a single, effortless motion, Yoon Jaewoo’s clothes slid to the floor. Yoon Jaewoo quickly bent down and grabbed his clothes again.

「Ramia. Take them off.」

His tone suggested he would cut off Yoon Jaewoo’s head if he didn’t comply. Yoon Jaewoo cursed inwardly and released his grip on his clothes. They fell at his feet.

「All of them.」

“…”

「Ramia.」

His stern voice rang out again. Yoon Jaewoo, with a feeling of resignation, took off the thin remaining garment.

Eustace grabbed Yoon Jaewoo’s shoulders and looked him over with cold eyes. Yoon Jaewoo bit his lip. He felt humiliated and angry. The man’s attitude, as if appraising an object, hurt his pride.

Eustace gestured for Yoon Jaewoo to get dressed again. Yoon Jaewoo hurriedly put his clothes back on, his face flushed crimson.

「The scars will not remain.」

He had gotten several injuries from the insects that day, but after applying the medicine Eustace gave him, the wounds began to disappear as if by magic. There were still some reddish spots here and there, but they didn’t seem like they would last long.

Watching Yoon Jaewoo clumsily getting dressed, Eustace frowned slightly and continued,

「Don’t take your clothes off carelessly anywhere from now on.」

“…Understood.”

He had already been lectured extensively by the head servant after returning to his room that day. The lecture, filled with vague pronouns, had been about how such things would happen if he wandered around looking like that after becoming like that. Yoon Jaewoo had roughly understood the meaning and nodded.

「You are the most frivolous and troublesome Ramia I have ever encountered.」

“…I’m sorry. This is my first time being a Ramia… fuck off.”

Yoon Jaewoo muttered weakly, yet venomously.

「I will be away from the castle for a while.」

At those words, Yoon Jaewoo’s eyes lit up with joy.

People were whispering about the incident with the swarm of insects entering the castle walls, calling it an unprecedented disaster.

Yoon Jaewoo didn’t think a few bugs entering the castle was a big deal, but the standards in this world seemed to be different.

“Are you, are you going on a business trip or something?”

He asked in a voice trembling with joy, regardless of whether the other person understood him or not.

「I’ll be setting up a barrier, so it won’t matter, but you are the problem.」

“Don’t worry. I’ll escape successfully while you’re away on your business trip.”

It’s good that he can’t understand me in situations like this.

Yoon Jaewoo said what he truly meant with a bright smile.

「Ramia.」

“Yes?”

「I am the Dweord who controls the wind.」

Suddenly wondering what he meant by that, Yoon Jaewoo could only blink his large eyes without giving any answer.

「I may not understand your words exactly, but I can roughly guess. Because I read the flow of air in your words.」

“…”

「So I will confine you to the Tower of Iclas.」

Eustace carefully adjusted Yoon Jaewoo’s clothes and whispered softly,

「Practice your singing in the tower for the time being.」

The door closed.

The servant who was waiting outside only stood up after confirming that Dweord Eustace was gone.

“Noooooooo!”

Seeing Ramia tearing at his hair and shouting incomprehensible words, the servant shook his head.

May not a single strand of that beautiful, enchanting golden hair fall out, the servant prayed and prayed again.

Despair.

That was the word that occupied Yoon Jaewoo’s mind.

After questioning the head servant with gestures, signs, and frantic blinking about the Tower of Iclas, he learned that it was a tower one could enter but not leave. Due to the Dweord’s barrier, no one but the god who created the barrier could enter or exit. In other words, it was a prison.

Upon hearing this, even Yatenbaum smiled wryly and licked his lips, saying, “It seems I really won’t see you for a while.” Of course, he didn’t forget to add that if Yoon Jaewoo changed his mind, even now, he would take him away and cherish him greatly. Seeing the flash of red lust in Yatenbaum’s eyes as he spoke those words, Yoon Jaewoo flatly refused.

“What did I do that was soooo wrong?”

Going out into the snowfield, getting lost, and almost dying — once. Going out again after being told not to, encountering the black snake, and almost dying — once. Sneaking past the guards, going to a strange forest, dyeing his hair and eyes, and coming back — once. Transformation was strictly punishable by death according to national law, so that meant he had almost died three times in total.

“D-did I do something a little wrong?”

Yoon Jaewoo mumbled awkwardly. Then, suddenly remembering the word “prison,” he shook his head.

“Even so, how can you lock someone up in a tower like a prison? Is that even human? …Oh, he’s a god.”

Feeling dejected as he talked to himself, Yoon Jaewoo stopped walking.

A cool breeze blew.

The thought that he wouldn’t be able to feel this wind or this garden for a while made him even more depressed.

Yoon Jaewoo, who had once again evaded the servants and was walking in the garden, sighed deeply. He thought things couldn’t get any worse, but at every moment, something unbelievable happened. Eustace’s sudden declaration that he would lock him up in the tower earlier that evening was one such example.

He felt as if he could hear the sound of his ambition to escape this place crumbling once more.

“There can’t be anything worse than this.”

Muttering to himself, he passed under a flowering tree, and a familiar animal came into view.

“…Oh.”

This was the third time.

The first time was in the snowfield, the second during the insect attack, and now, the third.

A horse with fiery red fur was strolling in a corner of the garden. Yoon Jaewoo hid behind the flowering tree and watched the horse.

Jinsu lives in this garden, and this horse lives here too… this place must be an animal kingdom.

“It’s really red.”

As if the horse heard his unintentional murmur, it turned its head. He quickly hid behind the flowering tree, but their eyes had already met. Having learned from the black snake and deer incidents that he shouldn’t approach animals carelessly in this world, Yoon Jaewoo waited quietly behind the tree for the horse to pass.

However.

Click. Click.

The sound of hooves approached. It can’t be coming this way, can it? he thought, raising his head. The horse was right in front of him, its head lowered towards him.

“Eek!”

Yoon Jaewoo quickly covered his face with both arms.

After shielding his face for a while without incident, Yoon Jaewoo cautiously peeked out again. The horse simply looked down at him with an unbelievably gentle demeanor.

“Uh… huh…”

Letting out an embarrassed chuckle, Yoon Jaewoo lowered his arms.

“Oh, hello… horse.”

Not knowing its name, he just called it “horse.” In fact, even calling it a horse felt slightly inaccurate. The horns on its head and the hard, armor-like skin covering its entire body were different from any horse he knew.

“Where did you come from?”

Yoon Jaewoo asked cautiously.

It’s not biting, breathing fire, or kicking, so it must not be dangerous. The red horse tilted its head back as if smiling.

“Whoa, whoa.”

Knowing only “whoa” as a way to soothe a horse, Yoon Jaewoo raised his hand slightly and made a gesture of stroking the air.

He’d been kicked by Jinsu numerous times for carelessly touching his fur. He shouldn’t touch any animal without permission…

“…!”

The red horse nuzzled its head against Yoon Jaewoo’s palm. Yoon Jaewoo’s eyes widened as he watched the unbelievable sight.

Touched by the horse’s gesture, as if asking to be petted, Yoon Jaewoo felt a lump in his throat.

It was a world of difference from Jinsu, who would throw him off if he even tried to touch his tail.

“Can I touch you?”

When Yoon Jaewoo asked, the horse pushed its head closer. At the same time, the hard armor covering the red horse’s body disappeared. Startled, Yoon Jaewoo took a step back, and the horse took a step forward.

He thought he saw a smile in the horse’s eyes.

“Should I pet you?”

When Yoon Jaewoo asked, the horse nodded.

Carefully, gently.

Good boy, whoa, whoa, Yoon Jaewoo patted the horse’s head with his palm. The horse narrowed its eyes and pawed the ground.

“Do you want some grass?”

Looking around, Yoon Jaewoo plucked what looked like the tastiest grass and offered it to the horse. The horse looked down at him with a puzzled expression.

“Oh, sorry. Is it not this one?”

Yoon Jaewoo picked another type of grass. He held out a blade that looked like foxtail grass. The horse stared at Yoon Jaewoo for a moment.

As if protesting, You want me to eat this?

“Not this one either? Then what…”

As Yoon Jaewoo turned around to look for more grass, the horse suddenly opened its mouth and swallowed the grass in his hand. Seeing only the stem remaining, Yoon Jaewoo smiled with satisfaction.

“Was it good? Want more?”