I may be a sick Sparrow, but I am still the Landlord chapter 1

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“Congratulations, Baek Saewoo! You’ve become the building owner you’ve always dreamed of!”
“Haha, ha… Thank you.”

Saewoo felt awkward, unsure how to respond to the real estate agent’s heartfelt congratulations.

‘Me… a building owner. A building owner, really….’

Just as the agent said, he had truly achieved the dream of owning a building.

It was a dream that would never have been possible in reality, but here, in this novel world where beastmen lived, he had made it happen.

A few months ago, Saewoo, who was once human, had possessed a character in a grim BL novel about beastmen.

It was a novel that a female friend had jokingly sent him after he’d recently taken an interest in web novels.

At first, he wasn’t sure if he could understand a story about love between men, let alone beastmen, but the fascinating world-building had him hooked.

He’d ended up reading it all the way through, though he had skimmed over the more explicit scenes.

“So, since you’ve already paid the acquisition tax, you can move in right away, right?”

“Yes. But… I still have… a bit of a… cough cough!”

“Oh my! Are you okay?!”

Startled by Saewoo’s sudden coughing fit, the agent rushed to fetch a cup of water from the cooler.

Gulp, gulp.

Saewoo quickly downed the water, but the coughing persisted for a while.

Seeing this, the agent looked at him with sympathy.

“Oh dear, you’re still so young… How did you end up in such poor health?”

“Cough… Yes….”

Indeed.

Of all the characters he could’ve possessed, he ended up as the terminally ill side character who had an unrequited love for the main character.

The sickly and frail “Sparrow” beastmen.

Though Saewoo had read the entire novel, unlike the original story, he had made no attempts to interfere and instead acted like a cupid, helping the main character and the protagonist pair up.

As a reward for his efforts, the main character, who was a wealthy former gangster, gave Saewoo a generous reward—enough to comfortably buy a building.

At first, Saewoo thought he wouldn’t need it, given his terminal condition.

But unlike the original story, he received timely treatment and managed to survive.

Though he wasn’t fully cured, the doctor had told him that while he would remain weak, his life was no longer in immediate danger.

“Sorry, but… could I get some warm water instead of cold…?”

“Oh! Of course, give me a moment.”

As the agent hurried off to the kitchen, Saewoo quickly rummaged through his bag.

He found the packet of medicine he’d gotten from the hospital that day and swiftly swallowed a pill with some water.

“Sigh.”

The doctor had said the medicine was particularly effective against coughing, and sure enough, his coughing subsided immediately.

Now he could finally breathe again.

Saewoo let out a sigh of relief and patted his chest.

The doctor had told him that as long as he continued to manage his condition, he would be able to live normally.

It was a bit lonely not having any family to look after him, but at least he had a building.

He could live comfortably for the rest of his days.

He couldn’t help but praise himself for surviving in such impossible circumstances.

“Well done, Baek Saewoo.”

Saewoo’s heart warmed as he looked at the building contract with his name on it.

---

Splash, splash.

“Ah, why is it suddenly raining…? Ugh, so cold….”

As soon as he stepped out of the real estate office, Saewoo made his way toward the building he had purchased.

It wasn’t far, so he took his time walking and looking around, but suddenly, rain started pouring down like hail.

Without an umbrella, he had to run through the rain, and his body quickly chilled.

If this continued, he might catch a cold and be bedridden for days.

‘This can’t be… I have a party this weekend to celebrate….’

Saewoo had grown close to the main couple while helping them get together, and he worried that the celebration would have to be canceled.

They were the only people he felt connected to in this grim BL novel world.

Pant, pant…

Finally, he arrived at the entrance of his building before getting completely soaked.

Catching his breath, he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his wet face.

He was looking forward to the happy party that weekend.

“…Hmm?”

But then, something caught his eye.

Across the street, something dark was moving.

At first, he thought he was seeing things, but it was clear even through the heavy rain.

“What is that…?”

At a glance, it looked like a pile of black trash bags carelessly tossed on the ground.

But on closer inspection, Saewoo realized it wasn’t garbage—it was a beastman.

“Why is someone there…?”

Had they been in an accident?

Or were they a homeless drunk passed out on the street?

Whatever the case, it was clear the beastmen wasn’t trying to escape the rain—or maybe they couldn’t.

I could just ignore it.

Beep, beep, beep…

Saewoo hesitated, his hand hovering over the keypad at the building’s entrance.

He let out a deep sigh.

“I swear, this is why I won’t live long….”

After scanning the area, noticing the streetlights weren’t even on, he decided he had to act.

Quickly, he dashed through the rain.

“Hey! Hey, you! Can you hear me?!”

Saewoo shook the beastman’s collar and shouted.

But there was no response, only a weak twitch of the body that assured Saewoo he wasn’t dead.
However, the heavy rain and darkness made it impossible to properly assess their condition.

“At least… ugh, they’re so… heavy….”

Saewoo tried to drag the beastman, but his size was much larger than he had expected, and even lifting an arm was a struggle.

“Pant, pant… I can’t… do it….”

Exhausted, Saewoo gave up on moving him.

This was more than he could handle alone. He pulled out his phone, considering calling the police or emergency services.

And that’s when it happened.

Grab!

“Ahh…!”

A thick hand suddenly gripped Saewoo’s waist, pulling him backward.

To be precise, it was as if a powerful force had yanked him into a tight embrace.

Saewoo tried to escape the beastmen’s grasp, but the more he struggled, the tighter he held him.

“Hah… the smell….”

…!

A deep, husky voice whispered as the beastmen pressed their face into Saewoo’s neck, inhaling his scent.

Saewoo froze, too terrified to even scream.

“What are you…?”

“Uh… I-I’m just… me…?”

Saewoo stammered a response, but the beastmen took another deep breath, as if savoring a delicious aroma.

‘Oh no, don’t tell me… they’re a predator…?!’

In this novel, Saewoo had learned that beastmen predators were especially dangerous.

If a predator found a weaker beastman, they could devour them alive.

Unlike novels with cute animal-like beastmen, this one was grim and dark, and predators were considered apex predators.

If this beastman really was a predator… Saewoo was in serious trouble.

“L-Look! I’m about to call 119! We need to get you to a ho-hospital…!”

“…Not going.”

Saewoo cried out desperately to survive.

However, the predator, burying his face into Saewoo’s slender shoulder, spoke firmly.

It was dark, so it might have been an illusion, but when the predator turned his head, his eyes seemed to flash like lasers.

“T-Then… the police station…?”

“…I went there yesterday.”

“F-For what reason…?”

“Ah… I made a small threat to cut off a finger or two….”

“Eek…!”

Saewoo’s face turned pale as a sheet.

The predator, leaning completely against Saewoo, seemed to notice his trembling and lifted his head slightly.

“Where… is your house?”

“……”

“I asked, where is it?”

When asked again, Saewoo tightly shut his eyes and raised his hand, pointing toward a building across the street.

“O-Over there….”

He hadn’t moved all of his things in yet, but he had set up a temporary place on the top floor, so technically, it was his home.

“Then let’s… ugh, go there quickly.”

“W-Where…?”

“Your house, of course… ugh!”

Was he too terrified for his brain to function?

Even though he sensed the danger, Saewoo couldn’t help but worry about the predator, who was writhing in pain.

“C-Can you walk…?”

“Ugh, huff….”

Instead of answering, the predator’s breathing grew rougher.

But it seemed he still had the strength to walk.

He staggered, leaning on Saewoo’s shoulder, but managed to lift himself up.

“…!”

Suddenly, Saewoo’s waist was grabbed, and he was lifted into the air.

“Huh… huh?!”

Despite the predator’s large build and strength, Saewoo hadn’t expected to be dangling in the air like this.

With a stunned expression, he was carried all the way to the entrance of the building by the predator.

Bang.

“Open it, quickly….”

the predator slammed his fist against the locked door, his breathing even more ragged.

Worried that things were more serious than they appeared, Saewoo looked up, and the sight of the predator’s gleaming fangs sent a cold sweat down his spine.

Even if he wanted to spin this into something hopeful, there was no mistaking it—the predator was a predator.

“J-Just… wait a moment….”

Beep, beep, beep beep.

‘No way… he wouldn’t eat me after helping him, right…?’

With that uneasy thought, Saewoo fumbled twice before unlocking the door.

Thump, thump, thump.

As soon as the door opened, the predator raced up the stairs.

His heavy footsteps echoed violently as they climbed.

Saewoo, dangling like a keychain from his thick arm, trembled too much to even ask to be put down.

Clunk.

“Ah…!”

As soon as they reached the fourth floor and opened the front door, the predator roughly tossed Saewoo onto an unopened mattress.

“W-What… What… hey…!”

Saewoo hurriedly scrambled to the corner and curled up.

It was near a window.

He was already considering escaping by turning into a bird and flying out if needed.

Meanwhile, the predator, drenched, slowly revealed his true form.

“Grrr….”

The sound that filled the room was so beastly, it sent a shiver down Saewoo’s spine.

When he finally realized the identity of the predator, he froze completely.

It was a black panther beastman, one of the most ferocious and dangerous of its kind.

Bang!

Immediately, Saewoo transformed into a bird.

Thankfully, he had watched a YouTube video titled ‘How to Escape a Predator’ just in case.

But he quickly realized he had made a very foolish mistake.

“Tweet, tweettweet…!”

Oh no, I’m such an idiot…!

He hadn’t opened the window.

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