Proofreader: Chaddude

The houses shabby.

Thats what Cloud said while eating breakfast. It was so out of the blue that Katarina inadvertently responded back.

What?

Cold breeze blows into the house through holes. Frigid breeze blew on my face for the whole night as I slept. Dont you guys feel the cold?

When Cloud asked, the children complained in unison as if they had been waiting just for it.

Cold, yes! The bed is sooo cold at night, and the blanket is thin!

I dont even have a blanket! Brenna noona always steals it.

Wh, what.. when did I steal it?!

You pull it on yourself when asleep. Sleeping warmly all alone, leaving me without a blanket!

You dont get any warmth? You can roll yourself with the bedsheet No, I didnt take it away!

Brenna peeked at Cloud as she yelled in clarification.

Hearing the childrens complaints, Cloud crossed his arms and nodded.

As expected, I aint the only one who is dissatisfied.

He turned his gaze to Katarina.

what.

Your younger siblings have also voiced, shouldnt you think out plans, elder sis?

Do you think I want to live in a house like this? What can I do if its unaffordable for me?

She mumbled and dipped her carrots with her fork, while Cloud tapped on the table with his index finger.

Then can I help you? Calling a carpenter will solve the problem.

At Clouds words, the children snapped their gazes at her with expectant eyes.

They finally wont have to fight over the futon while sleeping. They wouldnt have to worry about losing their blankets overnight.

That expectation did not last long.

Nope. You dont have to do that. Youll be leaving in a few days anyway.

Im afraid those days will be difficult.

Alright, talks over. And, youre a guest, well solve our family problems ourselves. You dont have to spend your money trying to help. Well figure it out.

They slept in the same house and ate the same food, but Cloud will always be a guest. Katarina didnt want to be obliged by a favor, she had handled the household till now and she also would.

So she clearly drew her line.

It hurt a little to see her younger siblings a bit disappointed, but it was better than having problems later.

But perhaps he understood her intention, Cloud smiled.

You mean I cannot spend my money, right?

Yes..?

What you mean is that you dont feel comfortable with me spending money over your problems. Alright, I wont spend my money.

Cloud concluded Katarinas words and stood up.

Ill be taking the sword.

And he left the house.

It happened so suddenly that Katarina couldnt even react.

She blankly stared at the door as he left.

Did he leave?

No.

Because he left his luggage behind.

Then where did he go?

Im wholly confused.

Maybe to spend time outside doing stupid things men do.

Katarina passed the day convincing herself she didnt care if Cloud returned or not.

Just when she was getting ready for dinner preperation, unable to overcome the whining of her younger siblings about being hungry

A splintering sound was heard.

Turning her head, she saw that one of the wooden beams supporting the house had been torn away.

Hell?

Why? Who did that?

If Katarina was perplexed, her younger siblings were curious.

The children rushed outside.

Guys?! she yelled from behind. Wait for me!

Katarina hurriedly grabbed her saber she kept hidden away. She didnt know who was the perpetrator, but it was clear that it was some madman. A madman who could harm her younger siblings.

She jumped out of the doorway and declared threateningly.

Dare you touch even a single hair on my brothers.. sisters?

The exhilarating voice gradually turned into a questioning one.

What the hell was happening

Wow! Oppas sword is shining!

I-Ive heard of this before! You see that sword? I heard that only the greatest adventurers can use it!

Oh, stop. If you touch it wrong, your fingers may fly off.

The scene unfolding before her eyes was beyond her imagination.

Logs were neatly stacked in front of her house.

Cloud was trimming the logs into wooden beams, shaving the thick logs with his sword beaming a beautiful blue, as if peeling a fruit.

He cautioned the approaching children, saying he was preparing a surprise.

What the hell is this

Ah, its fine. Just scaring them. Gotta be cautious when dealing with children.

What are you doing?

Me? Fixing the house, of course.

I guess I said I didnt need it.

You only said I cannot spend money, yup?

Yeah, I did, exactly. Then what is that?

Katarina pointed to the pile of logs. According to common sense, there was no way he could have obtained so many logs unless they had been purchased from a lumber yard.

However, Clouds answer was far beyond common sense.

I got it from outside.

What?

Freshly cut from outside the city.

Apparently, common sense didnt apply to Cloud.

Cloud grabbed the log and hefted it up in the air. The approach was as natural as Katarina lifting an onion.

Katarinas legs began to tremble little by little.

Oppa! Oppa! Can you take more?

More? Why, of course.

Cloud lifted another log with his other hand as well. As he started juggling the logs, Katarina couldnt stand it any longer and flopped down.

Ahhh

Wh, what had she done

Bringing such a monster into her house for just a few pennies!

Katarina clutched her head and resented her past self.

Regardless of her thoughts, Cloud diligently reassembled the ramshackle house. The shabby house was transformed into almost a brand new one, the fantasy world example of Theseus ship.

Thanks to which, Cloud and Katarinas younger siblings were able to sleep comfortably without being exposed to the cold wind.

Katarina, on the other hand, could not sleep.

The ropes that bound Clouds limbs seemed too flimsy to her.

Chains. I need chains, thick chains!

But a poor woman like her could not afford an expensive commodity like a pure metal chain, so she slept, resenting her own poverty.

* * *

Clouds eccentricity did not end with renovating the house.

The closet is small

A large chest of drawers was made.

Wouldnt you like to have a garden?

A sturdy fence now surrounded her house.

Isnt it uncomfortable when cooking?

A three-level wooden shelving was created.

If he felt uncomfortable with anything, he just hammered it up on the spot. Later, he even challenged himself with more difficult structures one after another.

Three weeks passed in such absurdity.