Healing in the Country Side with a Baby Dragon - CHAPTER 3 (Countryside People)

*Mumble, murmur.*

Was I in a deep sleep?

I woke up to a muffled voice coming from somewhere nearby.

“Ahhhh—Great One, you have shown mercy!”

“Hoot hoot hoot, don’t eat it! Drink it!”

It sounded like someone chattering in a high-pitched, buzzing voice. 

'What is that, a bug?'

I fumbled around with my hand, just in case Seol-ah was trying to bite me.

She wasn't there.

A sudden emptiness hit my chest. I opened my eyes and sat up abruptly. She wasn’t on the floor, either.

Was it a dream? Or did she go outside?

With an anxious heart, I hurriedly ran down to the yard and looked around. Soon, I spotted Seol-ah squatting in the garden. She had suddenly shifted into her human form.

“Seol-ah.”

Even when I called her name, she was so hyper-focused on something that she didn’t even look back. What the heck was going on?

As I drew closer, I noticed tiny things moving around the garden. A crowd of minuscule creatures was gathered around Seol-ah, screaming. She was even holding one of them right in her hand.

“Seol-ah!”

Thinking it might be a dangerous creature, I quickly snatched it out of her grip.

“Are you okay? Did it bite you anywhere?”

“Huh?” 

Seol-ah just stared at me with a puzzled expression, blinking at my urgent questions.

A moment later, I felt a faint squirm of rebellion in my palm.

“Let go of me! How dare a mere human touch me!”

I looked down at my open palm. A furious little thing about the size of a finger—looking like a cross between a clod of dirt and a ball of fur—was throwing a tantrum. Its large, bulging eyes glared up at me, wide with rage.

The ball of fluff twitched again under my staring gaze.

“How dare you handle a noble being so carelessly!” 

It waved its short limbs around, attempting a threatening posture.

'What on earth is this?'

It was my first time seeing a talking ball of fur.

Intrigued, I tried poking the little guy with my finger. It felt much better than I expected. How should I describe it... a texture somewhere between a fluffy cotton ball and soft soil?

I pressed it a few more times.

“Aaah! Great One! The human—the human is trying to kill me!” the creature shrieked desperately, appealing to Seol-ah.

Seol-ah just giggled at the crying ball of fur. Seeing that, I realized they weren’t particularly dangerous. I handed the weeping creature back to Seol-ah and looked down at the rest of them scattered on the ground.

“What are you guys?”

“Oh! We are the fairies of the earth! We have come to answer the call of the Great One!”

'Earth fairies? Great One?'

There was no way they meant me, so I guessed I was just a nobody here.

“Did Seol-ah call you?”

“Huh?”

“Hey guys, did Seol-ah summon you?”

“Ba-am!”

Seol-ah, who had been tilting her head at my question, smiled brightly and pushed the earth fairy forward. It looked like she really had summoned them. She already knew how to use her abilities.

'Could my daughter be a genius dragon?'

Just as I was indulging in typical doting-father thoughts, Seol-ah’s eyes gradually downcast. She seemed to be misinterpreting my silence. She probably thought I was angry with her.

“Aboo?”

“No, no. You did a great job.”

Only when I stroked her head and smiled did Seol-ah finally relax, beaming again.

“How insane must a human be to pat the head of the Great One!”

“Come and bow down before her immediately to beg for forgiveness!”

“It’s over, we’re all going to die! Mud, mud, mud...”

It must have been a profoundly shocking sight for the furballs. They screamed, and a few of them even collapsed onto the dirt, weeping.

'Seriously, why are you guys making such a fuss over a simple pat on the head?'

“I’m Seol-ah’s father,” I explained. “So it’s perfectly fine.”

“Soil?”

“Father? The father of the Great One is a human?!”

Shocked by the news, the fairies gathered in a tight circle and whispered frantically among themselves. I felt like I was being judged as some sort of lunatic.

“It's rue, though? Right, Seol-ah? Who am I?”

“Dada!”

Only after Seol-ah proudly confirmed it did the fairies stop their whispering.

“And this house is mine, too,” I added.

“Is this Lair owned by a human?”

“Yep.”

Even if they called it a Lair, it was just the house I lived in with Seol-ah.

The fairies rolled their eyes, processing this, and suddenly scrambled away from Seol-ah to rush toward me.

“We greet the Great Master!” they chorused, bowing flat against the ground to pay their respects.

'Wow, these guys really know how to play to power.'

Seol-ah just smiled brightly at the spectacle.

“Great Master, please save me! Mud, mud, mud!”

The little fairy still trapped in Seol-ah's grip was being pulled and squeezed here and there, crying out for help, but Seol-ah completely ignored it. Well, that little guy did call me a 'mere human subject' earlier. Let him learn a lesson. I, Baek Jin-sol, am a man who holds a grudge.

When I questioned the gathered furballs about their sudden appearance, they babbled a lot of nonsense, but after filtering through the noise, I managed to summarize it in a single sentence:

“So, you guys are earth spirits, you were summoned by Seol-ah, and you crossed over from the spirit world?”

“That is exactly it!”

Seriously, why did they have to make such a theatrical fuss over such a simple fact?

“Are you planning to live here from now on?”

“We would love to stay, if only the Great Master would permit it.”

“Really? Isn’t it intimidating to live alongside such a 'Great One'?”

“It’s much colder and more dangerous outside! Mud, mud, mud,” the earth fairies cried in unison, shivering.

Seol-ah looked up at me, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. Jeez, if anyone saw us right now, they’d think I was a heartless monster kicking them out into the cold.

“Alright, fine. You can live here.”

At my permission, the earth fairies hugged each other and rejoiced. Of course, nothing in this world is free.

“In exchange, you have to work.”

The fairies instantly froze. A large human shadow loomed over them. I could see the terror trembling in their tiny pupils as they wondered what kind of horrific labor I was about to demand. 

'Do you think you can handle it?'

“Please tidy up the garden.”

I pointed to the fairly large plot at the back of the yard. The soil was a chaotic mess from when snow had fallen, and even the tree bark had been torn up. Honestly, it was a bit too much for me to tackle alone.

“I’ll help too, but it’ll go much faster if you guys pitch in.”

I didn't have incredibly high expectations. I didn't know how much a bunch of furballs smaller than my palm could actually achieve, but since they were earth spirits, I figured it was worth an ask.

The fairies stared blankly at the massive garden, their mouths agape as if they had lost their voices.

'Are they going to complain about labor exploitation now? Are they going to cry that I'm trying to kill them?'

“Oh, is it too wide?” I offered, adjusting. “Then it’s fine if you just focus on this small section here...”

They remained silent.

'No way... then what are they good for? Is just being cute their entire purpose?'

But the response I actually got completely defied my expectations.

“Your Majesty, is 'this' all you deem worthy of the land fairies?!”

“Thump, thump, thump! This plot of land is so small, it’s laughable!”

The little guys puffed out their tiny chests, overflowing with sudden, immense confidence. But the way they laughed—with a heavy *thump-thump-thump*—made them sound bizarrely like wealthy real estate tycoons.

“Allow us to show you the true power of the earth fairies!”

*Thud, thud, thud, thud!*

Fired up, the earth fairies dove straight into the dirt with a collective thud.

And then...

“Wow!”

They began swimming through the ground at an incredible velocity. Just a moment ago, they were clunkily waddling around, but once they went underground, they moved like fish in water.

Wherever they swam, the hard dirt flipped over, exposing soft, rich soil, while pebbles and stubborn roots were ejected to the surface.

“Huff, huff, huff! I’m gonna die!” one squeaked.

Ah, it seemed that while they could loosen the soil effortlessly, they didn’t quite have the physical strength to lift the heavy stones out themselves. I stepped in to clear away the displaced gravel and thick tree roots.

“Ba-am!” Seol-ah joined in, hauling pebbles away with her bare hands.

With both the big and small owners participating, the garden renovation progressed at lightning speed. The long-neglected, dry, yellowish-brown plot began to transform, turning soft, dark, and moist. The stones and weeds that would interfere with farming were cleared away in no time.

[You have tilled an excellent garden!]

[With the help of the earth fairies, a beautiful plot has been created! Whatever you plant here will thrive!]

The gardening quest was instantly completed. I had anticipated it taking at least a few days.

“Wow, you guys are incredible.”

“Heh!”

When I gave them a thumbs-up, Seol-ah proudly mimicked me, flashing a thumbs-up at the earth fairies too. I really hadn’t expected them to be this good at their jobs.

“Thump, thump, thump! Our shoulders swell with pride at the masters' praise!” The fairies puffed up their fur, thoroughly delighted. It looked like I wouldn't have to worry about managing the soil anymore.

“Brrrrr—”

Watching Seol-ah happily stomp around on the freshly turned, soft earth made me want to try it too. I kicked off my sneakers, peeled off my socks, and tossed them aside. Quietly, I stepped onto the garden bed.

“Wow...” An exclamation slipped out automatically.

The sensation of the fresh earth against my soles and the dirt squeezing between my toes was entirely unfamiliar. It felt like stepping on a plush mattress, or perhaps molding magic sand. It was moist but not sticky, incredibly smooth yet substantial.

Every time I took a step, the earth seemed to compress with a tiny, satisfying sigh, releasing a fresh, crisp scent of soil that tickled my nose.

Plus...

“Thump, thump, thump! Master, are you satisfied?”

“When our masters are happy, good things happen to us too!”

The earth fairies hiding beneath the surface began gently tickling Seol-ah's feet and mine. A burst of laughter escaped me. A genuine smile spread across my face.

How long did we spend playing like that, treading the garden?

[Healing Life of a Beginner Farmer]

[Now that the garden is prepared, it’s time to plant crops!]

[Feel free to sow whatever you like! With the earth fairies around, don’t worry and plant whatever you want to eat!]

I looked down at Seol-ah and pondered the new quest notification. The problem was, I didn't have any seeds right now. On top of that, I didn't even have proper clothes for Seol-ah; she was still swimming in adult wear. Should I head out to the market?

The real dilemma was whether to leave Seol-ah behind or take her with me. It was only our first day back on Earth. I felt incredibly anxious about parading her around in public for a multitude of reasons.

What should I do?

Right then—

*Bang, bang, bang!*

“Is anyone home?!” a voice bellowed from outside the front gate.

In an instant, Seol-ah flinched back, and the earth fairies vanished into the soil. I held my breath, momentarily tempted to pretend no one was home.

“I heard a loud racket earlier! Come out and let us see you!”

“Are you alright in there? Should we break down the door?”

The voices overlapped—there wasn't just one or two people out there, but a whole crowd. Realizing I couldn't ignore them forever, I cracked the door open and stepped outside.

“Yes? Who is it?”

“What the—there 'is' someone living here?”

More than ten people were crowded outside the gate. The age range was diverse, spanning from elderly folks and middle-aged residents to a young couple. Though the majority were older, everyone looked startled to see a healthy young man standing inside the house.

The old man at the very front peered past my shoulder into the yard and asked, “Did you just move in?”

“Yes, I moved in today.”

“We heard a massive bang earlier.”

Ah, they must have heard the commotion from when Seol-ah fell from the sky and came to investigate.

“I just dropped something while unpacking. It’s nothing serious.”

“Is that so?” His suspicious gaze remained sharp.

'Great, is this the dreaded territorial behavior of rural villagers?' I worried.

Just then—

“Hello?”

Seol-ah peeked her face out from behind my legs, making direct eye contact with the crowd. The villagers gasped.

My heart leaped into my throat. 'The horns and tail!' Fortunately, they were perfectly concealed under the oversized clothes and couldn't be seen.

As I breathed a silent sigh of relief, I noticed the old man staring down at Seol-ah with a stern, solemn expression. My stomach sank; I figured he was one of those elders who hated children. Seol-ah, sensing his intense gaze, shrank her neck back slightly.

“Oh my goodness! Look how adorable she is!” the old man suddenly burst out, laughing heartily in sheer admiration.

The villagers backing him up instantly erupted into echoes of delight, gushing over how cute Seol-ah was. Sensing their immediate goodwill, Seol-ah broke into a radiant beam.

“Oh dear, how old is she?”

“Aboo?”

“Her name is Seol-ah. She’s three years old,” I answered for her.

“Three years old! What a precious little thing!”

“Hehe!”

The tense atmosphere evaporated in a heartbeat. Seol-ah, eager to show off her new home, threw the front door wide open to welcome the neighbors inside. Her security awareness was shockingly poor for a dragon's lair.

“Wow, this yard is completely bare.”

“Hold on, you don’t have any clothes for the child? Why is she drowning in adult clothes?”

“Is there even any food in here? It looks completely empty.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. You young folks really know nothing about moving to the countryside.”

The barrage of blunt facts left me completely demoralized. Unbothered, Seol-ah continued to weaponize her cuteness, basking in the attention.

“You’re making things difficult by moving in without a word. You should have at least notified the village chief,” the old man grumbled, though his tone lacked any real heat. The other villagers nodded in agreement.

'Wait, why on earth do I need to report to the village chief just to move into a house?' I thought. 

It really was a typical rural village. Still, if we were going to live here long-term, it was best not to make enemies unnecessarily—especially for Seol-ah's sake.

Just as I forced a polite smile and prepared to apologize—

“Well, we'll go grab what you need. Come on, everyone, let's move it!” the village chief commanded. He led the bewildered crowd right back out the gate.

'Huh? What is happening?'

I stood there completely dumbfounded.

Within minutes, the people who had marched out began trickling back in one by one, each carrying a variety of items.

“Here, take these. Lettuce, green onions, chives. Plant these first. If you want to grow anything else or have questions, just come find me,” the village chief said, handing over an assortment of young vegetable crops.

“I brought some homemade kimchi, but where is your fridge?” an elderly woman asked, peering around.

“Take this homemade gochujang and doenjang. You need real paste to eat right.”

The grandmothers piled up jars of fermented pastes and various side dishes.

“These are zucchinis and green peppers from my own garden. Try them, they’re incredibly sweet.” Other neighbors proudly displayed their fresh harvest.

“We happened to have a bundle of clothes our kid outgrew. We hope you don’t mind hand-me-downs!” The young couple handed over a neatly packed bundle of toddler clothes.

Before I knew it, the entryway floor was overflowing with supplies.

“Listen here, young man. If you're lacking anything or having trouble, just speak up. Don't go making things harder for the kid out of stubborn pride, got it?”

“Uh... yes. Yes, thank you so much.”

“Alright then! Let’s get along well in our village. It’s their first day moving in, so let’s all clear out and give the young people some space!”

With that, just as swiftly as they had arrived under the chief's command, the entire crowd vanished.

I stood frozen, blankly staring at the mountain of gifts left behind.

“As expected of our Little Master! You are truly magnificent!”

“Even the humans recognized the greatness of the Little Master and brought offerings!”

“Blah, blah, blah!”

The earth fairies had completely misunderstood the situation, and Seol-ah, blissfully ignorant, just laughed happily with her shoulders squared high in pride.

As for me...

‘Is this... the legendary rural generosity?’

I was deeply moved by the overwhelming abundance of country hospitality. Country life really was the absolute best.