The moment the two people came to their senses, a fire burst before their eyes, and the place became bright.
When Violet was startled and saw the fire, Winter immediately ran over and hugged her. However, at the same time, he seemed to have lost the strength to stand, so he slid down, and Violet, unable to bear the weight, also fell down.
When Violet was surprised and hugged him, Winter, who was panting in her arms, barely managed to mutter.
“That... dog God is definitely the God my blood relatives believe in. He got angry because I cursed him. This is revenge for me coming into the temple with a gun. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have left me stranded for seven years without you!”
Winter looked at the fire and lost his temper. For a while, he couldn't calm down, and he felt his wife's face, trying to confirm that this was reality.
Only after he had examined every single feature of her face, hands, and feet, did he finally regain his senses and open his mouth again.
“Have you met that kid too? The sick kid.”
“Oh, you met her too?”
“I saw the scene where we made our three vows. It was exactly as I expected, and you were cuter than I could have imagined. Anyway, after that, that damn kid threw me into this hell, saying that she wanted me to pay for the price God gave me for giving you back.”
Winter hugged Violet again. Then he took a deep breath and continued.
“That kid said I was supposed to be one of the shamans here.”
“Is that so?”
“I was originally supposed to use my abilities for Alika, but because they rejected me as a half-blood, I ended up using them all to increase my wealth. It’s my own fault.”
"Yes."
“Your body?”
“I heard it would be okay. That there would be no problem at all.”
“Your complexion has definitely improved. Your fever has also gone down.”
Winter placed his hand on Violet's forehead again and looked at her with a pleased expression. Looking at her improved complexion, he didn't regret coming here even after the hell he had just been through.
Violet smiled along and pointed to the scarf draped around Winter's arm.
“By the way, that.”
The scarf Violet had been wearing a moment ago suddenly looked worn out, as if it had been worn for twenty years. Violet quickly turned her head to find the ridiculously fluffy shoes she was wearing.
“Isn’t this... an illusion?”
“I guess so.”
Winter folded his arms and looked down at her feet seriously. Then he gestured to the door.
“Should we just get out? I don’t even want to see that God.”
As Violet nodded silently, Winter opened the door roughly.
The moment the door opened, Winter's expression crumpled, and Violet held her forehead. At that moment, when they faced each other, their bodies had changed and their eye levels were reversed.
The two held each other's hands again to switch bodies. Soon, a surprised Winter spoke.
“Your body won’t change again?”
“Yes. What should I do?”
Both of them were flustered and touched each other, but it was still the same. Then, the shaman in front, Nother, rolled his eyes and said.
“Please refrain from excessive displays of affection in the temple.”
“The two of us swapped bodies!”
A bewildered Nother spoke as a rough voice came out of Violet's lips, who had felt that manners were familiar even after just a brief glance.
“Wow, when you enter a temple with your partner, there are times when their bodies switch! We go in together to help you understand...”
“Then how long will it be like this?”
“It could change like that unexpectedly in the future.”
“Then you should have told me in advance! Suddenly? How can I come back?”
“Please wait calmly and pray to God...”
When Winter heard that there was no answer, he immediately grabbed Nother by the collar. However, since he was still in Violet's body, he couldn't be lifted up, and Nother, rather than being frightened, only blushed, so Winter got angry and pushed him away.
Violet, whose body had been swapped with Winter's, hurriedly cleaned up Norther's priestly attire. Then, as his anger hadn't subsided, she grabbed Winter's arm as he was about to punch Norther.
“No violence.”
“This kid can’t properly convert to religion.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I should kill him and send him to the God he loves so much.”
It seemed like it should be a joke, but there was no joke. Violet barely managed to stop Winter, who looked like he was going to beat up the Shaman if she let him, grabbed his wrist, and dragged him into the hallway. Winter spoke annoyedly as he was dragged away.
“It hurts, so hold it gently. It’ll hurt.”
"Hurt?"
“You have to hold it a little bit harder than you think so that it doesn’t leave a mark.”
"...Is it so?"
Violet loosened her grip. Then she tilted her head and said.
“I think I might miss it?”
“Do you understand now? I always live with that feeling.”
Winter grumbled. Soon the two came out of the temple. Harlin, who had been waiting in front, spotted them and approached them.
“I... There’s no proper accommodation in Alika. Since there are no outsiders, there aren’t many hotels that can be called hotels. So...”
He told them to stay at his house. When Violet looked at Winter with concern, he looked surprisingly interested.
“If I start a tourism business here, does that mean I can monopolize tourism in Alika? Without any competition?”
"Yes?"
“Now there’s a reason to develop this place and turn it all upside down.”
Winter patted Harlin's arm with satisfaction. Harlin was momentarily confused but soon realized that their bodies had switched. Harlin hesitated and then continued speaking cautiously.
“That’s why I was thinking about whether you should come to my house and stay overnight.”
Then Winter pretended to kick Harlin.
“Don’t go to a house like that. Where did you hear that?”
Harlin heard Violet sigh as she saw her body acting ridiculous and quickly looked at him and said.
“How about Madam?”
“My husband’s opinion is important. I don’t care where I go.”
Violet spoke softly. Winter, slightly relieved by those words, spoke to Harlin.
“There’s no way there’s an empty house. Buy it right now. We’ll have to bring the kids here with us anyway, and we’ll have to put them to bed too.”
“Even so, if you want to clean up and go to sleep from now on...”
“There’s nothing money can’t buy. Just buy the biggest, best house with the best view.”
After Winter finished speaking, he immediately felt around in Violet's coat, found the checkbook, took it out, and quickly wrote it down.
“This should be enough.”
In Alika, Harlin's mouth dropped open at the unnecessary amount of money. As he stood there blinking, Winter frowned and said.
“What are you doing? Go quickly and find a place to sleep. I don’t want to make our Princess sleep in a corner of the house where you can’t even afford medicine.”
“You gave too many!”
“If there’s any leftover, why don’t you use it as errand money? Don’t you have that much sense?”
“Then, I’ll prepare a place for you to sleep... In the meantime, can you just eat?”
"Ho away."
“You stayed up all night for several days...”
“How selfish. Forcing something is also a form of violence. Isn’t it?”
Winter spoke confidently and asked Violet as if he was praising her. If he were to forcefully hold her, she would have nothing to say, but how could he be so shameless? While Violet was thinking this, Harlin took out a carefully folded map from his pocket.
“I’ve written down the location of the house here. Then I’ll go and find a place to sleep!”
After finishing speaking, Harlin quickly ran away to avoid being hit. While Violet, who had received the map in Winter's stead, was looking at it, Winter sat down on the steps of the temple. Violet said.
“It’s right in front of us.”
“Would you like to go?”
“No. I just looked at it out of courtesy since I received it.”
Winter nodded and changed the subject.
“By the way, you’re still not in good health.”
“Really? I feel noticeably better after coming out of the temple. If you sit in a cold place, you’ll catch a cold.”
As soon as he heard that, Winter quickly got up. Then he asked with a discontented look.
“You have to be able to believe in that piece of crap God.”
“I really enjoyed coming here.”
“If you don’t get well, I’ll tear down this temple. I’ve been without you for seven years.”
“You’ve become more mature somehow.”
Winter smiled faintly as Violet playfully tried to lighten the mood.
Only then did Winter, who had made up his mind, open his mouth again.
“Let’s eat. I told you, food is ready.”
“Would you like that?”
“I’m sure he’ll ask for money again. But for now, I’ll give you some rest. There’s got to be at least one guest bed in that damned house.”
Winter said that and snatched the map from Violet's hands to check it.
“I’ll put this body there and let it rest and eat dinner. You?”
“I’ll go and eat first. I’ll go to the hospital to check on the kids and then go to their house.”
“You’d better come quickly. You might overturn the table with your body.”
“I think you’ll forgive me though.”
“I can’t be angry about the topic.”
Winter grumbled and then reached out his hand like Violet usually did. Violet laughed at his completely nonchalant behavior.
“Shall I escort you?”
“Isn’t that obvious, gentleman?”
Violet burst out laughing as Winter imitated her cleverly.
Winter said as he rode in the carriage, escorted by Violet.
“It wouldn’t be so bad to live forever with a changed body.”
“Why do you think so?”
“Then you won’t get sick, and I won’t feel uneasy wherever you go.”
"Yes."
Violet smiled. Winter looked her body up and down.
Violet was a more formal person, so she put on the black leather gloves that were crumpled in his coat pocket, one by one, and fastened the buttons that she had undone.
When he used it, he would act like a worldly gangster, but when his wife used it, despite his strange appearance and gray eyes, he was very gentlemanly. Even his eyes, which were always rebellious, looked gentle and mature when he was with her. Anyone could see that he was the very picture of a young master who grew up in a prestigious family.
‘...I thought it was just the eyes that were the problem, but it turns out the contents were the problem too.’
While Winter was thinking discontentedly, Violet was looking at him, sitting crookedly on the chair with his legs crossed. With his arms crossed and his head tilted obliquely, she was a typical tomboy. And the fact that she could say everything frankly without beating around the bush was secretly interesting.
The two people were looking at each other whose bodies had been switched and were feeling a charm that they had never felt when they were in their own bodies.
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