I Became A Married Man in Another World
Chapter 101
101. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
“Haha. My apologies. Did I startle you?”
A man approached, his arms swinging loosely at his sides. It seemed he wanted to show he wasn’t holding any weapons.
Riji flinched. She shifted uncomfortably in Juhwan’s arms, looking a bit embarrassed.
“Juhwan, please put me down.”
She could handle passing strangers, but it seemed being carried while talking to someone was too much for her modesty.
What should I do?
Juhwan hesitated for a moment, but the man didn’t seem to harbor any ill will. Not only did Juhwan feel it, but Yeonhwa and Oz were both calm as well.
‘Is he with the Guild after all?’
Juhwan lowered himself carefully, making sure not to jostle Riji too much.
However, Dorothy refused to get down. The child stared at the man with wide eyes, then covered her mouth with her hands and spoke.
“Daddy! That mister’s hat is just like Dorothy’s! It looks exactly the same. But it’s super big!”
Her voice was muffled against her palms. It seemed she was still trying to keep quiet because her mother’s head hurt.
Perhaps trying to break the awkward tension, the man gave a thumbs-up as he looked at Dorothy’s hat.
“Haha! Little lady, that’s a fine hat you’ve got there.”
“Yup! It’s cool! Mommy and Daddy bought it for me, and it was really, really expensive. Yours is super cool too, Mister! It’s just like Dorothy’s! But it’s huge! So cool!”
They were simply similar in shape and color. To Dorothy’s eyes, they looked identical, but the fur was of a completely different quality.
Perhaps the man’s hat wasn’t made from a common animal, but from a Magic Beast. If so, the price difference would be astronomical.
Dorothy hugged Juhwan’s neck tightly and whispered into his ear.
“I think that mister bought his hat at the same store as Dorothy. When Dorothy earns lots of money, I’ll buy one for Daddy too.”
Juhwan kept his eyes on the man as he flashed a faint smile.
“Right, thank you.”
“But you have to wait a little while, Daddy. Dorothy has to be, um, seven years old before I can buy it.”
No, you won’t be earning money by then. It’ll be a long, long time after that.
Juhwan placed his hand on Dorothy’s head. He could feel Oz’s small body through his palm, nestled in the hat.
Even now, he still couldn’t understand the language of the Rudolphs. Yeonhwa’s sounds just came across as horse whinnies, and Oz’s sounds were nothing more than high-pitched squeaks.
But he felt he could grasp the general sentiment of Oz and Yeonhwa.
He couldn’t put it into precise words, but he could feel it. Right now, every inch of their small bodies was filled with the determination to protect Riji and Dorothy. He could tell.
Feeling grateful to Oz and Yeonhwa, Juhwan answered Dorothy in a gentle voice.
“Alright, Dorothy. I’ll wait until you’re seven.”
“Daddy, Dorothy’s gonna earn lots of money. I’m gonna buy a really, really, really cool hat. Are you excited? Do you like it?”
“…Yes.”
The man, watching the exchange between Juhwan and Dorothy, let out a short laugh.
“Well, I’d heard stories, but you really are a peculiar family. Family parties are rare enough, but I’ve never heard a conversation like that anywhere else. I am Percel, the Guild Master of the Adventurer’s Guild main branch.”
The Guild Master? Why was someone like that following them in secret?
As Juhwan wore a suspicious expression, Percel shrugged.
“There are so many people who lie about Rudolphs, you see. I was just observing your usual behavior for a bit. I really am the Guild Master.”
Percel extended his hand. The custom of shaking hands existed in this world, but few actually did it. At most, adventurers would just exchange names.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Juhwan.”
When Juhwan stood up and reached out, Percel took his hand. For a brief second, Juhwan’s palm tingled.
“What did you just do?”
“Nothing. I just measured your mana a little.”
Percel grinned.
“You’re still lacking experience. You shouldn’t drop your guard just because someone says they’re a Guild Master. You need to be a bit more suspicious of people.”
“….”
Juhwan hadn’t dropped his guard because of the title. He had judged there was no danger because Yeonhwa and Oz had stayed quiet.
He let out a sigh. Who’s the stupid one here? This man would likely never know that he had nearly died because of that “harmless” measurement.
Even now, Yeonhwa and Oz showed no reaction. Whether Percel was telling the truth or not, it clearly wasn’t a threat.
Though it was according to his own orders, Juhwan felt relieved they hadn’t killed Percel.
Regardless, this world truly was a place where one could never let their guard down. He hadn’t expected someone to pull a trick while shaking hands with an empty palm. At this rate, he wouldn’t even be able to shake hands in peace.
‘Ah…’
Perhaps that was why adventurers rarely shook hands.
“….”
“Well, didn’t you have business at the market? Don’t mind me and go about your business.”
Percel laughed convivially. But there was no way Juhwan could feel at ease with such a stranger tagging along. Juhwan sighed and looked at Riji.
“Would it be alright if we bought the supplies tomorrow?”
Riji started to nod, but then clutched her head with both hands. It seemed her brain had rattled.
Juhwan couldn’t help but chuckle. Holding her head with her hands wouldn’t stop her brain from shaking, but she seemed too disoriented to think of that.
“Let’s go to the Guild. It would be better to settle things quickly.”
“Oh, you really don’t have to mind me.”
Percel laughed, shrugging his shoulders. His first impression had been a bit intimidating, but that feeling had completely vanished now.
It was only a short walk to the Guild office. Once they exited the market alley and crossed the plaza, the office was right there.
As they walked that short distance, Percel chatted about trivial things before suddenly asking:
“To be honest, I’ve never met anyone who’s actually seen Santa. Santa definitely exists, but no one has seen him in person. There are only countless rumors and legends.”
Percel gave a thin smile.
“I haven’t met him either, of course. What about you, Juhwan?”
Riji and Dorothy seemed curious about this question as well. Both their eyes sparkled.
“Daddy, is Santa really real? Have you met him?”
Dorothy squirmed in his arms, clearly excited.
“Yes, I’ve met him.”
“What does he look like?”
“Just like the signs. He has a round belly, a curly white beard, and wears a red hat.”
“And?”
“He’s incredibly strong.”
“For real?”
“Yeah. He grabbed my hand, and he was so strong I couldn’t even move.”
“Is that true?”
It was Percel who asked.
“Yes. He was strong, that old man.”
“You really met him…”
For some reason, Percel’s face took on a strange expression.
“I’m sorry, but may I touch that horned rabbit’s head for a moment?”
“Go ahead.”
Juhwan stopped walking. Percel gave Dorothy a gentle smile and then felt Oz’s head with his fingers. After concentrating his touch on the area around the horn, Percel muttered to himself.
“…Is it real? No, but that makes no sense.”
Percel grumbled something and scratched his head vigorously.
Before they knew it, they were in front of the office.
Before heading inside, Juhwan stopped and looked at Percel.
“Ah, may I ask one thing?”
“Of course.”
“Do you happen to know what those people are doing?”
Juhwan turned his head toward the plaza.
A crowd had gathered on one side of the square. People were acting as if they had discovered gold bars, frantically picking things up off the ground.
Horses tend to poop even while walking. Though she was a Unicorn, Yeonhwa had the form of a horse, so she often relieved herself while walking.
It wasn’t exactly like a normal horse. She dropped small, round, hard droppings about the size of golf balls. Since they had no smell, someone who didn’t know better wouldn’t think it was manure. But regardless, it was poop.
And what the people in the plaza were currently scrambling to collect was none other than Yeonhwa’s poop.
They were grabbing them before others could reach them, trying to get as many as possible. Some were even fighting, claiming they had seen a particular piece first.
Percel chuckled.
“It’s a story I heard when I was a kid. They say Unicorn droppings are a panacea that cures all ailments.”
“…I heard the horn was the panacea.”
“Oh, there’s that saying too. The horn sounds more plausible, but you know how people smear horse manure on burns or sword cuts? Since it’s Unicorn dung, they think it’ll be far better than horse manure—a literal cure-all.”
“Are there really people who smear horse manure on wounds?”
When Juhwan asked in shock, Percel looked at him curiously.
“Hmm, have you never seen it? Many people did when I was young. It’s less common now, but there are still plenty who do.”
“…They’ll die if they do that.”
“Haha. Plenty of them do.”
Juhwan sighed as he watched the people gathering Yeonhwa’s droppings in the plaza. Surely, they aren’t taking those to smear on wounds.
Yeonhwa decided to wait in front of the door. People’s gazes were still fixed on her, but almost no one approached her now. Perhaps the ghost story about the Unicorn being a man-eater had evolved further. Everyone just stared from a distance.
Inside the Guild, Chatterbox approached them upon seeing the pair.
She gave Juhwan a slight nod of greeting and then spoke immediately to Percel.
“Everything is ready. Twenty bottles of Mana Recovery Potion, five Screaming Carrot Extracts, plus spicy braised rabbit meat, ten eggs, and a bottle of wine, right?”
“Yes. That should be enough.”
Percel let out a long sigh and looked at Juhwan.
“Then, let’s go to the second floor. Your family…”
“Will come with me.”
“Very well.”
When they went up to the second floor, the items Chatterbox had mentioned were laid out on a table.
“What is this for?”
When Juhwan asked, Percel sighed deeply again.
“From now on, I’m going to verify if you truly are Santa’s contractor. We’re going to see if that horned rabbit is really Rudolph. That task requires a lot of mana and physical strength. These are to replenish them. I’m going to eat all of this.”
Not just Oz, but Yeonhwa was also a Rudolph, but Juhwan didn’t feel the need to mention that.
Dorothy, who was in his arms, swallowed hard at the sight of the rabbit meat.
Percel heard the sound and shrugged.
“Sorry, little lady. I’m going to eat all of this.”
“It’s okay. Dorothy has lots of meat in the carriage too.”
“Is that so?”
Percel grinned.
“Just wait a moment.”
Percel sat in a chair and began consuming the Mana Recovery Potions and Screaming Carrot Extracts one by one. His face contorted. Apparently, they tasted terrible. Like a child taking bitter medicine followed by sugar, he quickly rinsed his mouth with wine before taking more medicine and extract. In between, he ate the rabbit meat and eggs.
Percel’s belly began to protrude like Santa Claus’s. His taut, bloated stomach looked dangerous. It seemed like it might pop.
“Is it alright to eat that much all at once?”
When Juhwan asked out of concern, Percel gave a wide grin.
“It’s not alright. I feel like everything I ate will come back up if I press on my stomach even a little.”
“….”
“But it can’t be helped. At first, I didn’t eat enough because this process is so painful, and I almost died. If you want to live, you have to eat as much as possible.”
After cramming down the food and recovery potions on the table, Percel breathed heavily, looking visibly uncomfortable.
“Now then, let’s begin. I’m going to chant an incantation now. The air will sparkle a bit. Don’t be alarmed.”
“Understood.”
As Juhwan replied, Percel steadied his breathing and turned his palms upward.
[Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows
All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games
Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say
Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?
Then how the reindeer loved him as they shouted out with glee
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, you’ll go down in history!]
Wait, is this seriously the incantation?
Juhwan was so flabbergasted that he reflexively looked up at the ceiling. He had expected something grand, so he was either a bit disappointed, or he should have realized that since there were Santa and Rudolph, this song was inevitable. His feelings were complicated.
However, Riji and Dorothy seemed incredibly excited. They clenched their fists and watched Percel with anxious expressions.
Small, dew-like grains began to form in Percel’s palms. They were tiny, looking like frozen droplets of transparent water.
The small grains slowly floated into the air and soon began to fill the space around Percel.
Percel chanted the incantation once more.
[Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows
All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games
Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say
Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?
Then how the reindeer loved him as they shouted out with glee
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, you’ll go down in history!
You’ll go down in history!]
The grains around Percel began to shine brilliantly. A vivid scarlet light filled the room.
“Wow!”
As they watched the light in a daze, the grains that had been sparkling around Percel began to move slowly. Twinkling, they looked like a Christmas tree turned into tiny flying lights.
“Daddy! Over here! They’re coming this way!”
Dorothy cried out in surprise as the grains of light slowly gathered around Oz, enveloping the horned rabbit’s body.
As if responding to the light, Oz’s horn also began to sparkle.
After lingering around Oz for a moment, a portion of the light began to move outside. It seemed to be seeking out Yeonhwa.
“Huh? Why?”
Percel stood up, looking flustered.
“Rudolph is right here, so why is it moving? Did something go wrong?”
“It’s because there’s another Rudolph. The Unicorn outside is also a Rudolph.”
“Wha— That’s impossible…”
Percel’s eyes widened, and he rushed outside in a panic.
The sight of him running while holding his bloated belly with both hands looked incredibly precarious. It seemed like if he tripped, he wouldn’t even be able to get back up.
Excited, Dorothy jumped down from Juhwan’s arms. The child ran after Percel.
Juhwan also walked slowly, carrying Riji. For some reason, Riji hadn’t said a word for a while. When he looked at her in concern, she blinked and looked at Juhwan with a dazed expression before giving him a bright smile.
‘She’s acting a bit strange.’
As he descended the stairs, he heard Percel shouting like a scream.
“My god! This is impossible! What on earth is happening? How can something so ridiculous…! Two Rudolphs? Is this even possible?”
When they stepped outside, the sparkling light was swarming around Yeonhwa.
Oz, perched on Dorothy’s head, and the Unicorn were emitting a red glow as if in resonance.
“Wow!”
Dorothy hopped up and down with her arms stretched above her head, as if trying to catch the light. It looked as if a Christmas tree had been placed on the child’s head.
“Daddy! Dorothy is glowing! I guess Dorothy is a Rudolph too!”
Beyond Dorothy’s laughing shout, people in the plaza could be seen screaming and fleeing in terror.
Riji muttered softly.
“I don’t think I’ve sobered up yet. I see strange things. Something very beautiful and very strange. Hehe, I’ll tell you about it when I wake up.”
“….”
Riji was definitely still drunk.
As Juhwan let out a low chuckle, Riji laughed along with him. He was curious to see how she would react when she realized this wasn’t a dream.
