That’s exactly why I have to see this request through to the end.
After arriving at his destination, Dojin transformed the Dragon Horse into something roughly the size of a pony, let it roam freely through the mountain, and headed up the slope himself.
He was determined to find a Serpent Yeongmul that perfectly matched Silver Jane’s ideal type. If he couldn’t even accomplish something this small, how could he ever become Immortal Iri’s lover? For now, it was a desire so distant it didn’t even have an answer—but Dojin had no intention of giving up.
On Princess Gyeryongsan, there were forty-five Serpent Yeongmul. Among them, five had no mates yet. Dojin gathered those five together and wrote letters on the dirt with a tree branch.
[ABCDE]
“Yeongmul, everyone—what do you think these letters are?”
“Are those… letters?”
“Did you perhaps draw ‘Serpent Yeongmul’?”
“More importantly, when are you going to introduce us to a mate?”
Here too, not a single one could read it. Dojin was plunged into true despair. To think he’d have to search for a lone Serpent Yeongmul all by himself within the next two days.
If he went back empty-handed like this, Iri would be disappointed… Of course, he wouldn’t be. Immortal Iri wasn’t that kind of person. But Dojin was disappointed in himself. He’d wanted to resolve this splendidly and stand proudly before Iri.
But what could he do? You couldn’t create a nonexistent ideal type out of thin air.
“I’m sorry, but you don’t quite match the type our client is looking for. I’ll be taking my leave now.”
“Are you making fun of us Serpent Yeongmul?”
“You’ve just wasted our energy.”
“How empty this feels. Let’s go.”
“At this rate, we won’t even be able to lay eggs.”
The Serpents who had gathered at the promise of being introduced to a mate dispersed in disappointment. Dojin waved them off with a casual shoo, shoo and turned around.
No—he stopped mid-turn.
“Wait. The one who spoke last?”
The Serpent Yeongmul blinked at Dojin.
“The one who said, ‘At this rate, we won’t even be able to lay eggs.’”
One Serpent Yeongmul stepped forward. It had silver scales and a tall, sturdy build, easily over three meters long.
After sending the others away, Dojin had the remaining Serpent Yeongmul sit in front of him.
“May I ask what your ideal type is?”
“I don’t really have one. As long as they can protect our eggs well, that’s enough.”
“Then why haven’t you found a mate yet?”
“There were a few Serpent Yeongmul who came asking to pair up, but I rejected them all.”
“And the reason?”
“Well, one had yellowish scales I didn’t like, one had drooping eye corners I didn’t like, one had a body that was too thin…”
For someone who claimed to have no ideal type, this Serpent Yeongmul certainly had high standards.
Dojin took out his phone and showed a photo of Silver Jane.
“This is the Serpent Yeongmul involved in my request. She looks like this. Her name is Silver Jane.”
“Uoooooh…….”
The tall Serpent Yeongmul’s entire body flushed red as it twisted and coiled in excitement.
“She’s truly beautiful. Her name is unique and lovely too. I’d very much like to meet her!”
Thankfully, he seemed to meet the high bar.
“Yes. I’m also confident that you… may I ask your name?”
“Park Cheolsun.”
“Yes, Mr. Cheolsun. I’m certain you and Silver Jane will be an excellent match.”
“Let’s go meet her right away!”
The excited Serpent Yeongmul sprang up, leaving a deep pit in the ground. Dojin grabbed him firmly by the waist and forced him back down. The thick, massive body dragged back as limply as a reed.
“Please calm down. There’s a process you absolutely must go through for this meeting.”
“And what would that be?”
“How willing are you to put in effort for mating?”
“If it’s to meet Silver Jane, I’ll do anything.”
“That’s an excellent attitude. Silver Jane has one specific ideal type—she requires someone who can read English.”
“What’s English?”
Dojin pointed at the letters written on the ground. The Serpent Yeongmul tilted his head.
“These squiggly drawings?”
“It’s a language widely used in human society. There are twenty-six letters, and you only need to be able to read them. So—starting now, let’s study together.”
Dojin grinned. His eyes glinted red.
Anyway, all he had to do was read the alphabet.
If it was hard to find an ideal type… then you just made one.
***
Park Cheolsun, having fallen in love at first sight with Silver Jane’s appearance in the photo, studied with fervent dedication. In response, Dojin became an even more passionate teacher. Not only did Cheolsun master reading all twenty-six letters of the alphabet, he even succeeded in basic exchanges like “How are you?” and “I’m fine, thank you, and you?”
Though they had to spend the night in the mountains, Dojin felt proud.
–Dojin. Silver says she likes his appearance, at least.
“Right? I went all over the place, but I’ve never seen a Serpent Yeongmul this fine-looking.”
–He really can read English?
“Yes. Don’t you trust me, Master?”
–Of course I do. Then put the Serpent Yeongmul on the Dragon Horse and come to the shop. Silver says she’ll arrive by two.
“I’ll leave right away.”
Just as Iri replied and was about to hang up, Dojin hurriedly stopped him.
“Master, but could you maybe do a video call first?”
–Why all of a sudden?
“It’s been way too long since I’ve seen your lovely face…. I think I’ve developed separation anxiety. What should I do?”
–……
“If you don’t want to, at least let me hear your clear, melodious voice a bit more. Hurry. I’m exhausted after spending a night in the mountains.”
Despite his pitiful tone, Dojin wore a broad grin.
He didn’t know why making Iri flustered was so much fun.
Was it because he was always so composed? Or was it just that Dojin himself had a rotten personality?
–…Alright. Come back carefully. I’ll see you later.
Iri let out a sigh-laden sentence and hung up. Dojin chuckled and searched for the recording file, replaying it. He’d set all calls with Iri to record automatically.
“That must’ve been Immortal Iri just now.”
Park Cheolsun, who’d been listening beside him, craned his head closer.
“Yes, that’s right. That was the Heaven-and-Earth Divine Spirit, Immortal Iri.”
“It makes me nervous, knowing I’ll meet him in person.”
“My master is quite a great being.”
Down to being a lifelong single, too.
“Alright, then—shall we depart?”
Dojin transformed the Dragon Horse into a one-ton truck and loaded the Serpent Yeongmul into the cargo bed.
They descended the mountain, briefly stopped in town to buy proper human clothes for him, and also picked up an English workbook.
“Work on it along the way.”
Park Cheolsun let out a deep sigh.
“Finding a mate really is hard.”
“Tell me about it. You think pairing up is easy in this day and age?”
“Do you have a mate, Mr. Dojin?”
“Unfortunately, I don’t. I only have unrequited love.”
“Then you should be studying English too, Mr. Dojin.”
If English study alone could win someone over, Dojin would already be more fluent than a native speaker.
“Still, you’re lucky, Mr. Cheolsun. Since your partner has a clear ideal type, you have a solid benchmark to work toward. In my case, the other person doesn’t have any ideal type at all, so it’s just… vague.”
At Dojin’s lament, the Serpent Yeongmul tilted his head.
“What do you mean? By that logic, wouldn’t you be the lucky one?”
“What?”
Thinking he was being mocked, Dojin frowned sharply. The Serpent Yeongmul blinked his vertical pupils—simple, yet not quite so simple—and spoke.
“…….”
Dojin’s eyes widened at those words.
It felt like he’d found a thread in a reality that had seemed hopelessly vague.
***
“This must be Mr. Park Cheolsun….”
“And this must be Ms. Silver Jane….”
In the garden of Iri’s Curio Rental Shop, the two Serpent Yeongmul finally met. They stared at each other, then lowered their bodies and began circling. Given their enormous size, the ground trembled as if an earthquake were happening. When Iri staggered slightly from the vibration, Dojin seized the opportunity and quickly wrapped an arm around Iri’s waist.
“Dojin. Your arm—”
“What are they doing right now? A probing match?”
“…They’re determining whether the other is suitable to protect and raise eggs together.”
Iri gently removed the arm as he answered.
“How can they tell just by spinning around? Shouldn’t they test strength or check how sharp their fangs are or something?”
“They grasp all of that while circling. They have a different culture from us, so we should just accept it.”
“Yes. Just accept it.”
Dojin watched sulkily—not the Serpent Yeongmul, but Iri. He wondered if he’d get another chance, but it didn’t come.
After a few minutes, the two Serpent Yeongmul slithered closer, looking satisfied.
“You’ve introduced me to a fine partner. It really was the right choice to ask Immortal Iri.”
“Thanks to Immortal Iri and Mr. Dojin, I can meet a good Serpent Yeongmul and lay eggs.”
With their matching speech patterns, Silver and Cheolsun looked less like strangers who’d just met and more like lovers who’d been together for ages.
“Aren’t you going to do an English test? You should check whether he matches the ideal type.”
“Ahem. Hm.”
As if asking why he’d bring that up now that everything was settled, Cheolsun slapped the ground with his tail. Fortunately, Silver smiled sweetly, seemingly uninterested in testing him.
“If he doesn’t know English, I can teach him myself.”
What did you just say, you damn snake bastard?
Unable to control his expression in his emptiness, Dojin turned away instead.
Then what was the point of staying up all night in Gyeryongsan teaching English…? Wia really were unfathomable beings.
After the two Serpent Yeongmul left the shop, Dojin hurried inside.
“I really wonder if ideal types can change that easily. Ah, Master—can I take a shower? I’m dying to wash up. After spending the night in the mountains, I feel sticky all over.”
“Go ahead. Wash up and come back.”
He didn’t actually smell or look dirty, but standing in front of someone he liked after a day without bathing had left Dojin uncomfortable the entire time.
Going up to the second floor, Dojin scrubbed himself thoroughly with body wash, squeaky clean. Feeling refreshed, he exited the bathroom—then stopped short, as if something occurred to him.
“…….”
With a determined expression, Dojin went down to the first floor wearing only his pants.
“Master. I’m done washing.”
“Mm. Rest a bit, then go to the curio room and take out the ‘Un—’”
Iri stopped mid-sentence.
Because his newly twenty-year-old disciple was standing there, shirtless, striking a deliberate pose as if daring him to look.
