Tie’s eyes widened, and she blinked.

Right in front of her, Chae Boksu was hurriedly working her spoon.

"...It turned out so delicious."

She scooped up rice and dipped it into doenjang guk.

Then carefully mixed it and brought a full spoonful to her mouth.

Ever since Tie arrived in Korea, Chae Boksu had been forcing herself to eat, barely touching her food.

But now, at last, she was truly eating.

Jeong Myeongcha was no less surprised.

"Sister?"

Jeong Myeongcha called out to her.

Instead of answering, Chae Boksu only looked at her intently.

Even chewing was not easy right now—she was completely focused on eating.

This time, Chae Boksu reached for the meat Tesetan had placed on her plate with her chopsticks.

The moment she put a piece of juicy meat into her mouth, a flavor her body remembered wrapped around her tongue.

From the doenjang guk—a deep, savory, homely taste.

From the well-grilled samgyeopsal—a tender, rich juiciness.

"How many years has it been..."

Chae Boksu’s eyes reddened.

With a faint smile, Tesetan placed a few more pieces onto her plate.

"Have more."

Forgetting all sense of dignity, Chae Boksu began putting meat into her mouth again and again.

The fact that she could move her jaw and chew.

That she could taste food and swallow it—

she had never imagined it would bring her such joy.

"...Kh!"

She choked in her haste and thumped her chest.

But as soon as the coughing subsided, she scooped up another spoonful of rice with soup.

She remembered the past weeks, when she could barely swallow even thin porridge.

When there was no appetite.

When she could hardly feel hunger—

it was frightening and unbearable.

"So delicious..."

Tears finally streamed down her cheeks.

With every bite, with every sense of fullness, she understood more clearly—

what had seemed impossible was truly happening.

"Grandma, is it good?"

Tie tilted her head.

Chae Boksu forced a smile, feeling her chest swell.

"Yes. So good it brings tears."

Tie’s eyes grew round.

At that moment, Chae Boksu keenly felt the changes in her body.

'Even judging by what I can see now.'

Without a doubt.

Color had returned to the fingers holding the spoon.

They say the most frightening thing is human instinct.

And she could instinctively feel her broken body gradually recovering.

'Even the bruise is gone.'

The bruise on the back of her hand from a few days ago had disappeared overnight.

Chae Boksu shifted her gaze.

The day Jeong Myeongcha’s husband caused a scene...

there had been a deep wound on her palm.

A shard from a broken flower pot had cut her so badly it seemed stitches would be needed.

But back then, Tie had done something strange—

"..."

And that wound had completely disappeared.

Jeong Myeongcha, who had quietly followed her gaze, finally spoke.

"Sister... could it be..."

"..."

"Is your stomach really okay?"

The question sounded simple.

But Chae Boksu understood how much lay behind it.

After a moment of thought, she nodded.

"My goodness... my goodness..."

As if only now realizing everything,

Jeong Myeongcha’s hands began to tremble.

Neither of them could continue the conversation right away.

And at that moment—

"Grandma, eat this too."

As if imitating her father, Tie also placed something onto Chae Boksu’s plate.

It was a fried fish cake she had made that morning.

"It’s twice as good with meat!"

Sprinkled with sesame seeds, it had been one of Tie’s favorite foods since childhood.

A smile appeared on Chae Boksu’s lips.

Holding back fresh tears, she nodded.

She ate whatever Tie placed on her plate—again and again.

Her chest, her stomach—

everything filled with a warm, pleasant fullness.

The morning passed peacefully and completely.

The next day.

For the first time in a long while, Tie slept later than usual.

The night before, she had stayed up late chatting with her grandmother and aunt.

She told them everything about Tallocium.

How she became the King of the Dead.

How she was now hiding her power.

And how frightening and cold Papa had been when he lost his memory.

Every time the topic came up, Grandma clicked her tongue and shot an annoyed look at her father.

And the aunt from Room 203, instead of scolding, only pitied Tie and stroked her head and back.

They released the man from Room 203 from subspace exactly at midnight.

But strangely—

once outside, he was almost out of his mind.

"P-please spare me! I’ll do anything, just please!"

The moment he got out, he collapsed in front of Tie.

Behind him, his "companions" scattered and quietly snickered.

Tie immediately understood.

'So that’s how it is!'

While he was trapped, they had apparently had plenty of "fun" with him.

'He must have been very scared, right?'

The beings Tie summoned loved to frighten and tease people.

But she felt no pity.

'He hurt Auntie.'

Adults said:

bad deeds always come back to you.

That was why you had to live honestly.

"Say it yourself! Huh?!"

But even after that, the man remained the same.

He trembled in front of Tie, but the moment he saw the aunt, he changed.

"Why did you drag other people into this?!"

Tie didn’t know how to answer.

But she didn’t need to intervene.

"You still haven’t come to your senses."

Her father stepped forward.

After the memory synchronization, he had changed a lot.

His speech had become like the one Tie remembered.

And his attitude toward people—too.

He clearly treated the grandmother from Room 107 and the aunt from Room 203 warmly.

It showed in every movement.

"Seems one day wasn’t enough."

He easily lifted Tie into his arms and looked at the man.

"Maybe I should have locked you away for a few years."

The man’s face turned pale.

"Don’t be glad you got out. If I want, I can send you back."

"W-what?! Why me...?!"

"Why not. My daughter likes this aunt, and you keep bothering her."

The man looked at the aunt with trembling eyes.

And at that moment—

'Heh...'

A quiet chuckle came from behind.

A chill ran down his spine.

'Too bad it was more fun inside.'

Cold sweat formed on his forehead.

A strange voice whispered right by his ear:

'Should we take him back again?'

'We can’t. Mistress has to allow it.'

"Aaaah!"

The man shook violently.

But the voices did not disappear.

'Let’s play. Let’s play. Let’s play.'

'Toy. Toy. Toy.'

His strength drained away, his vision blurred.

And he understood.

These creatures called the girl downstairs "Mistress."

And she was the one who had opened that terrifying world and locked him inside it.

"Damn... damn..."

He clenched his fists, but the voice behind him whispered again:

'Should we just kill him?'

His heart dropped.

He raised his head and, having lost all will, {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} asked Tesetan:

"W-what do you want...?!"

Tesetan smirked crookedly.

"Now we can talk."

He shifted his gaze to Tie.

And instantly, his expression softened into something gentle and warm.

"Sweetheart, the uncle says he’ll do whatever you tell him."

"Mhm!"

"Where should we start? Have you thought of something already?"