Chapter 1105 – #263_명절(2) – DeepL
#1099
1.
Ten years of struggling to pay off debts.
It was a more varied life than the infamous in-laws.
I’ve worked odd jobs, including a convenience store job, lived in a crumbling rooftop room, and spent nights searching for homunculi and distributing flyers….
It wasn’t easy, not even for Sharon, who had never been told, “Why are you such a dullard?
Why does the world treat me so badly? I wish I could wake up and see my debts evaporate, I wish I could win the lotto 50 times.
It was a very difficult time for me.
In retrospect, it’s how I ended up with a wonderful boyfriend like Xiu and became Sharon Evergreen, Head of the Elemental Department of the Hessian Society, 21st ranked Witch of Uranium.
Honestly, I’m only saying that because it’s in the past and I know the outcome.
I can’t make my debt-ridden life a memory with empty words.
The more difficult life is and the more difficult things are, the more envy there is.
I also had a lot of envy.
For example, an eccentric CEO who used to make money by swaying the market with a single social media post (I still haven’t forgiven her for that).
Guru’s who make money copying stock charts (this is more than magic in a way).
Couples buying that overpriced Häagen-Dazs at the ice cream stand (especially the strawberry flavor).
YouTubers getting paid to eat delicious things (up until this point, witches were not allowed to go out in public due to Duke Ketter’s influence).
High school girls coming into convenience stores and gushing about how pretty their sister is (or, more accurately, the bright future they see in her innocent face).
Wow.
Now that I think about it, I can summarize my childhood as being full of salty insides with a salinity higher than the Dead Sea.
One more example: ….
It was a picture of people enjoying the holidays with family and friends.
Lunar New Year or Chuseok, when the boss gave me 100,000 won for rice cakes.
When I was looking at the street from the counter, which was a little quieter, I saw customers who were different from the usual ones.
As Sinchon is located near the university area, there are a lot of university students, but there are fewer families during the holidays.
Grandparents and grandchildren, parents and children, cousins, siblings, and nieces and nephews.
As I watched them pay for their purchases and leave, I couldn’t help but think to myself, “I’m so alone.” I had lost my teacher.
Maybe it was because I had just lost my teacher.
“That’s why I prepared!”
Sharon’s Chuseok event!
It was also a housewarming party for Ms. Amelia, who had the honor of hosting it.
Though she doesn’t admit it, Amelia Yang’s decision not to stay at the Hesed Society is partly a matter of not wanting to take up Xiu’s time, which has been very busy lately.
Amelia is a very sweet and thoughtful person, even if you don’t realize it until you meet her because she’s so busy trying to get Xiu’s attention.
…even if she does make the odd sexual advances, cut corners, or make a sudden move.
You can’t fool these Sharon eyes, I tell you.
“Ms. Sharoni. What exactly is a harvest moon, anyway?”
“That’s a great question, Ms. Odette! It’s also called the Mid-Autumn Festival, and in our hometown of Xiu, it’s the biggest holiday to celebrate the harvest and pray for a good harvest.”
“Hmm, is it like a harvest festival?”
“It’s similar, except that the Harvest Festival is about giving thanks for the end of the harvest, and Obon is about praying for a good harvest.”
“Aha.”
Odile and Odette each nodded, since it wasn’t a particularly difficult concept.
My only regret is that Xiu is running a little late….
Well, that can’t be helped.
I work as Xiu’s secretary, so I know how much he works.
When we used to live together, I used to think, “Wow, he’s really smart. Is this a genius?” But after being around him for a few years and watching him work on this Hessian conference, I’m convinced.
He’s not just a genius, he’s a monster genius, and he’s a tremendous worker.
He even enjoys suffering through unsolvable problems.
That’s what makes the researchers in the fundamental department tick.
Of course, Xiu’s absence doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy this time.
I get to spend the holidays under the same roof as the cute Miss Amelia, the lively twins, the cheeky Leroy, and the adorable Duke, and best of all, I get to get to know the newest members of the Gehenna Pot, Linnaeus and Dorothy.
It’s always good to get to know everyone!
“Come on, everyone, gather around.”
After finishing our tea time with the bread that Amelia and I had worked so hard to prepare, we sat down in the living room of the cottage and took out the gifts we had prepared.
What could be more essential for Chuseok?
Hanbok.
Goodbye to the poverty I’ve lived with for half my life as a department chair and secretary.
I wanted to buy a hanbok from Flora Dressmaker, but….
‘You want me to modify a traditional hanbok? There’s nothing I can’t make, so it doesn’t matter, but can you give me a quote?
“…Do you do installments?”
“No.
I humbly gave up as soon as I saw the quote, which was given with a look of disinterest.
…No matter how much I thought about it, I chose the wrong major.
So a few days ago, I asked for my measurements and ordered it from a local custom hanbok shop.
It was a modified hanbok that made use of convenience and practicality, as the original one was really cumbersome to wear.
The colorful fabric and gorgeous gold embroidery make it elegant enough to appear in a photo shoot.
The personalized collar was also matched.
For me, it’s a deep turquoise color like a pond, for the twins it’s violet, for the Duke it’s light cherry blossom, for Miss Leroux it’s ultramarine blue like the sea, for Dorothy it’s pure white, and for Linnaeus it’s fine black.
They’re definitely characters, so everyone stands on their feet.
Including me, Sharon, of course.
It was fun to give them gifts and see their reactions.
“Oh, oh, oh…. Something…. It’s just… it’s just clothes.”
Leroux, the eldest of the triplets, had high expectations.
She immediately reacts by saying something is steaming.
It’s not the first time she’s done this, and you just have to look at it as cute.
After all, she’s in charge of the military flag.
“Ugh! There’s nothing I can’t say for a gift!”
“Apologize to Sharon right now!”
Odile and Odette, the fashionable twins who wore a new pretty outfit every day, held their hearts in the air.
“Oh, Miss Sharon, you always give me so many clothes, and I’m always grateful.”
“Well, well, well, Duke, you’re being very generous today, so let’s see how you look!”
The Duke wiggled his toes awkwardly and said, “Like this?” and turned away.
The twins, who had been bickering, clapped to lighten the mood, and he smiled as sweetly as a shiver.
“So, Miss Sharon, how do I look?”
Beside her, Ms. Amelia looks at Matsy awkwardly.
As Amelia is from Xiu’s hometown, she seems to like the idea of wearing the traditional clothes of Xiu’s hometown.
“Originally, I wasn’t sure whether to go with the gold or the light blue fabric, but since you’re naturally gorgeous, I think the plain colors look good on you.”
“Really? You look beautiful, too, Ms. Sharon.”
“Would you like to come over here and I’ll help you with your hair?”
“Sure.”
As I pulled her hair up and secured it with a bun, Amelia looked at herself in the mirror a few times, seemingly pleased.
Linnaeus was next.
“Sharon Evergreen. Thank you.”
“Wow.”
I couldn’t help myself.
Obviously, no matter how good a witch is at hanging clothes, it’s important to match the mood with the costume.
Rinne-sama, who wears original oriental clothing, gives off the air of a sophisticated western restaurant in Kyushu.
“The atmosphere is definitely important.”
“…….”
Rinne-sama nods her head without saying anything else.
But judging by the softly relaxed corners of her mouth, she seems to be in a good mood.
Isn’t this just like old Ms. Amelia?
Suddenly, the idea of Amelia-style sexual harassment comes to mind.
I wonder what this blunt Ms. Linnaeus would be like in bed.
“How about me, Ms. Sharon?”
The moment I saw Dorothy’s outfit, I was speechless.
This is definitely a hanbok.
Both the flowing skirt and the collar are wide garments that cover the body to some extent.
“Uh… It’s a Dongtan Chuseok look.”
“Ahahaha!”
But Ms. Dorothy’s hideous curves make up for it.
It was indeed a maternal expression that had been threatening from the very beginning.
Anyway, we’re all set for the holiday.
Now, before Xiu returns, we have a big event to accomplish….
It’s called songbun making.
We sat on the floor and brought in soaked glutinous rice dough, sesame seeds, and red beans, and I set up a steamer in the kitchen with a generous amount of pine needles.
“What else is this?”
“It’s songpyeon,” he said, “and you make it like this, just like you would make dumplings, and then you fill it with beef and steam it in the steamer, which is very, very important.”
As everyone starts to make the songpyeon, he pauses for a moment and shares a superstition, as if he’s telling a very important secret.
“They say that if you make a beautiful songbird, you’ll have a beautiful child. Well, if you look at Miss Amelia, we don’t know, do we?”
“……!!!”
The moment she said the superstition, the cheerful atmosphere turned sharp.
“…….”
For once, Ms. Amelia stopped blinking.
A moment ago, she didn’t even breathe.
“…….”
Ms. Linnaeus on the right also showed razor-sharp concentration, carefully pinching the dough as if a master was creating his final piece.
“For God’s sake….”
Next to her, Dorothy closes her eyes, says a small prayer, and reverently pulls the dough apart.
“Miss Sharon, is this how it’s supposed to be, see? What do you think of the shape I made? It looks a little squashed…. Shouldn’t it be like this?”
Even the unlikely Duke of Eloa was fidgeting in his seat.
“Hmph!”
“Hey, that would be cheating!”
“Leave the children out of it. The succession of the Nukelabi dynasty is at stake.”
“No, but you use magic? I do too!”
“Hoo-hoo, there’s a difference between your magic and Jim’s. Have you forgotten who it was that half-killed the golden witch?”
Despite the twins’ protests, Leroux was still using the sophisticated telekinesis of the Great Witch to create the Golden Ratio Song.
The others, who would normally have laughed bitterly, are sneaking glances to see if it’s okay to use telekinesis.
Miss Amelia, who was not supposed to use magic, grunted and asked cautiously.
“Miss Sharon, does the lore say that it’s okay to use magic, or that we shouldn’t?”
For the record, witches tend to be superstitious.
I guess it’s because they’re mystery seekers.
Still, it’s fun.
Too much fun.
This is the holiday I watched from the window of a convenience store, and this is my family.
I stifled a laugh as I watched everyone enthusiastically make songbuns.
“Oh, I’m sorry I’m late, I had a little business… What is this?”
My beloved Xiu returns, startled by the sight of a group of hanbok-clad lovers.
