Chapter 26

Translator: Roshi

There were many types of egg dishes.

Eggs Benedict, omelet, fried eggs, scrambled eggs, steamed eggs, boiled eggs, baked eggs, and so on.

Since it was impossible for the eggs to retain their shape here,

Kim Do-yoon prepared omelets and scrambled eggs, which were great for breakfast.

"Wowaah......"

“Huh?”

In front of the amazed Hanuri and the surprised Ahn Soo-hwa, a table filled with golden-yellow dishes was spread out.

“It’s eggs! And there’s sausage too!”

“This is a cheese omelet, that one is a bacon and mushroom omelet, and here’s scrambled eggs. If you put them in bread with the sausage, it tastes great.”

“Heheh, Dad, you’re the best!”

Seeing a table full of all her favorite foods, Hanuri beamed with a wide smile.

"Here, try eating it like this first."

Kim Do-yoon split open a soft morning bread, spread Dragon Tree Fruit jam on it, and topped it with only scrambled eggs before closing it.

“What about the sausage?”

“Try it like this first. It’s delicious too.”

“Hmm…!”

Hanuri, slightly disappointed that there was no sausage, took a bite of the bread Kim Do-yoon handed her and widened her eyes.

“…It’s delicious.”

“Right?”

Seeing Hanuri’s expression, Kim Do-yoon chuckled and made the same thing for the Bear Siblings, who had arrived unnoticed.

…Kyuuung!

As expected of siblings, their eyes widened just the same.

“You should have some too.”

“Ah, yes.”

After offering some to Ahn Soo-hwa, Kim Do-yoon made one for himself as well.

Instead of Dragon Tree Fruit jam, he spread Brosia Honey and added a long sausage.

Tok-tok!

The sausage, with its firm and bouncy texture, stood out within the soft bites.

“Mmm.”

Chewing slowly, he savored the flavors.

The contrasting ingredients surprisingly blended together in perfect harmony, making each bite a delight.

The firm and salty sausage, the soft texture of the Imoogi egg scrambled eggs, and the sweetness of Brosia Honey.

And tying it all together was the rich butter aroma of the morning bread.

A combination that seemed unlikely but turned out to be amazing.

“Oh my! This egg is so soft and rich in flavor. Where did you buy it?”

Ahn Soo-hwa, after taking a bite, looked genuinely surprised.

“I didn’t buy it…”

- It’s an Imoogi egg.

“What? An Imoo- mmph!”

- Hanuri must not hear this.

Startled by the sudden transmitted message, Ahn Soo-hwa almost caused a scene.

Luckily, Hanuri was too focused on eating to notice.

“…H-hold on, is this from an S-Rank Dungeon?”

“And if it is?”

“Gasp!”

With her sharp intuition, Ahn Soo-hwa carefully asked and received the answer she feared.

She had hoped it wasn’t true, but deep down, she already knew.

An Imoogi egg had once appeared at an auction.

The final bid price was a staggering 200 billion won.

And now, the estimated value of an Imoogi egg exceeded 1 trillion won. The person who bought it back then had made more than five times their investment.

The actual benefits were worth far more than its price.

And yet, here it was, being used in a simple egg dish…

Tremble, tremble!!

As Ahn Soo-hwa thought about the price, her hands shook as if an earthquake had struck while she held her spoon.

How many billions was this single bite worth?

Munch! Munch!

‘The Imoogi egg that created Crazy Dragon, Ray Kim….’

The children were chewing on it like it was an ordinary egg.

Crazy Dragon Ray Kim, a Hunter who was a core part of the United States' national power.

After reawakening using an Imoogi egg, she became the top Hunter in just one year.

No one knew exactly how she achieved such rapid growth, but still…

“Ajumma, is it not tasty? It’s delicious though…”

Seeing Ahn Soo-hwa deep in contemplation in front of the Imoogi egg, Hanuri tilted her head.

Kim Do-yoon also looked at her curiously.

“It’s delicious, isn’t it?”

“Yeah! Hanuri loves it!”

The Bear Siblings were also busy eating.

“It’s… tasty. Very tasty. This is a multi-billion-won bite, after all.”

Ahn Soo-hwa shoved more of the scrambled eggs into her mouth.

“Guh! Cough!”

But she ended up choking.

Tap, tap!

“Ajumma, drink this.”

Hanuri handed Ahn Soo-hwa a glass of milk and gently patted her back with her small hand.

"Hanuri, where did you learn to do that?"

"Hehe, Grandma at the hospital said it helps."

"Ah."

It seemed that one of the grandmothers at the hospital, who adored Hanuri, had taught her that.

Seeing how thoughtful she was, Kim Do-yoon patted Hanuri's head and continued eating.

The soft texture of the Imoogi eggs didn't get tiresome no matter how much he ate.

And when paired with milk, the rich flavor doubled.

'Maybe I should catch an Imoogi and raise it.'

With a fresh Imoogi egg every morning, breakfast would never be a problem.

"Do you happen to know of any dungeons where Imoogis appear?"

"Huh? What? Imoogis...? U-uh, I'm not sure."

"If you come across one, could you look into it for me?"

"Why would you...?"

Ahn Soo-hwa was about to ask why but quickly covered her mouth.

She had a bad feeling that whatever answer came from Kim Do-yoon would make her lose her appetite.

'No way... He wouldn’t actually try to raise one, right? No... That can't be... But still...'

Since she had no idea and felt uneasy about it, she decided to drop the subject for now.

"I'll try looking into it."

"It doesn’t have to be an Imoogi. Any egg-laying creature would be fine. Phoenix eggs are delicious too, but I assume those aren't available?" "Keck!"

At the mention of a Phoenix, Ahn Soo-hwa choked and coughed violently.

Seeing her struggling again, Hanuri patted her back.

Watching this, Kim Do-yoon smiled in satisfaction and turned his attention to Hanuri's internal state.

'So there's no effect?'

The tangled energy within her showed no sign of movement.

It seemed that this trip to the seaside would only be remembered for the delicious food… Just as he was thinking that,

Twitch!

The energy, which had almost been untangled, suddenly twitched.

Then, as if a dragon were ascending to the heavens, it stretched and began flowing through Hanuri's body.

Rumble!

The energy, which had been moving slowly, suddenly picked up speed.

As if it were retaliating for being suppressed all this time.

Once its exploration was complete, the energy surged wildly, not only inside but also outside Hanuri’s body.

"……??"

Hanuri's hand froze at the sudden sensation.

Her instincts told her something was happening inside her body.

"Guh! …Cough… Huh?"

Kyup?

Even Ahn Soo-hwa, who had been coughing, sensed the change, and the Bear Siblings, who had been too busy eating, turned to look at Hanuri.

"Da... ddy?"

A flustered Hanuri called out to him.

By now, the mana around her was swirling like a vortex.

The released energy thrashed as if it were trying to swallow her whole.

Swoosh.

Kim Do-yoon cautiously approached and placed a gentle hand on Hanuri’s head.

The rampaging energy pressed down under his touch.

"It's okay. Daddy's right here."

"Hehe…"

As if she had never been flustered, Hanuri grinned under his touch.

The violently swirling mana calmed, now floating around her like a gentle breeze.

The previous rage had vanished, replaced by a serene dance, almost like fairies twirling in the air.

"How…?"

Ahn Soo-hwa was shocked by what she was witnessing, but there was still more to come.

Srrrkk!

In one corner of the yard were Ddugi and Chuchu, which Hanuri cherished dearly.

A rock that always stood back up when knocked over and a flower that mysteriously never wilted.

Suddenly, they began to move.

The flower wrapped its stem around the rock, while the rock floated into the air, shrinking in size.

As it became no larger than a fingernail, the rock and flower merged into one and slowly floated toward Hanuri.

"Huh? Ddugi, Chuchu?"

Recognizing them immediately, Hanuri stared at them, and as if they had been waiting, they lunged toward her.

Srrrk!

Two entwined vines gently coiled around Hanuri’s neck.

Then, they reconnected with the rock and flower.

A necklace.

Or perhaps a pendant.

‘This…’

Kim Do-yoon silently gazed at the newly formed necklace resting on Hanuri’s neck.

A rumor suddenly came to his mind.

That rumor was something he had heard long ago in another world.

‘Trolls.’

He wasn’t referring to monsters.

Rather, one of the ancient fairy races that had once existed in the past.

A secretive species, whose very birth was shrouded in mystery.

The only reason this race became known was because of a single event.

One of the Demon Kings led an army to invade them, only to be completely annihilated.

It had happened in a tiny, deep mountain tucked away in the corner of the continent.

Curious about the strange incident, people investigated and discovered that the area was the domain of the ancient fairy race, the Trolls.

As Kim Do-yoon looked at Ddugi and Chuchu, now hanging around Hanuri’s neck, he thought of those trolls.

“W-what was that just now?”

Now that the energy released from Hanuri’s body had settled quietly inside her, Ahn Soo-hwa finally regained her composure and asked.

Hanuri also looked up at him, curiosity written all over her face.

After experiencing such a strange event, it was only natural to be curious.

The fact that she believed he would know meant she trusted him that much.

But even he didn’t know.

‘That’s all I know about trolls.’

He wasn’t even certain whether Ddugi and Chuchu were actual trolls.

It was just a hunch.

But his instincts, sharpened by countless experiences and stories, were usually accurate, and this time would likely be no different.

“Well, that’s-”

Seeing Hanuri’s eager, sparkling eyes, he was about to say something, anything, when…

Kyung!

Kyuu!?

The Bear Siblings suddenly let out startled cries.

Turning around, he saw that their bodies were also undergoing a change.

Their fur was glowing and gradually…

“Ah! Kkomi, Kkoma are getting puffier!”

Their fur was fluffing up.

They were already chubby from being well-fed, but now with their fur puffing out, they looked like actual stuffed toys.

Kyuuung?

Kyung?

The two tilted their heads, seemingly confused about the changes happening to their own bodies.

‘They do look cute, though.’

It was as if they had received a free teddy bear grooming session.

Their plush-like appearance was so adorable that even Kim Do-yoon found them nearly as cute as Hanuri.

They looked like soft, fluffy cotton-stuffed dolls, just the kind that made people want to reach out and pet them.

But why were they suddenly like this?

Did the Imoogi egg have some kind of fur-thickening effect?

‘That doesn’t seem likely.’

He himself hadn’t changed at all.

Ahn Soo-hwa didn’t seem to have experienced any significant transformation either, her energy had only been slightly amplified.

Although, given everything happening around her, she probably hadn’t even noticed.

Then why…?

“Huh?”

As Kim Do-yoon looked around, he realized that these weren’t the only changes taking place.

‘I almost forgot.’

Only after carefully scanning his surroundings did he notice.

Everything Hanuri had touched was changing.

Affinity.

Hanuri’s ability.

It wasn’t an Awakening as a Hunter, but rather the power that emerged when her tangled energy was unraveled.

And now, with her ability fully blossoming, it was affecting everything around her.

Saplings had grown tall enough to reach a person’s waist, and trees stretched out their once-restrained branches, sprouting fresh leaves.

The crisp morning air turned warm and gentle, while insects that had been in deep slumber awakened, joining in a chorus of sound.

It was as if winter had ended and spring had arrived.

‘Except for these guys.’

For some reason, the furballs seemed to be moving backward into winter, but since the important thing was change, he decided to let it go.

The priority now was explaining things to Hanuri.

“This happened because Hanuri has given them so much love.”

“Hmm?”

Tilting her head in confusion, Hanuri listened as he patiently explained.

“Because Hanuri has cherished and cared for them, they are expressing their feelings for you, saying, ‘I like Hanuri too.’”

Kim Do-yoon was surprised at himself for saying something like that.

‘Maybe… this is Hanuri’s influence on me.’

Hanuri’s Affinity ability.

Even he might not have been immune to it.

But what mattered most was,

“Wow… Hehe. Then Hanuri wants to say it too!”

“Hm?”

“Hanuri likes you as much as Hanuri… as much as the ocean!”

Before he could stop her, Hanuri ran around everywhere, expressing her feelings to everything that had changed.

She lay flat on the ground to talk to the sprouting buds, jumped excitedly to speak to the trees, and ran with her arms wide open, mouth agape, declaring her love to the air itself.

Before long, she was even singing along with the chirping insects.

Pfft.

Watching her, Kim Do-yoon chuckled and subtly signaled to the Shadow Imoogi with his eyes.

It was a silent order to capture everything on video.

Swish.

As if waiting for the command, the Shadow Imoogi picked up the phone and began following Hanuri, recording her every move.

‘Now that one of her energies has been released, her lifespan should have increased by at least ten years.’

Smiling, Kim Do-yoon continued observing, making sure the energy was fully settling into place.

"Ddugi, Chuchu, I love you too! And… I love Daddy as much as Hanuri!"

Plop!

It seemed the Imoogi egg had been well worth its price, perhaps even more than its value.

Hearing Hanuri murmur those words while snuggled into his arms, Kim Do-yoon beamed with a broad smile.

*

Inside a quiet office.

“CEO? CEO!”

“Hm? Ah… What is it?”

“I’ve been calling you for a while. What were you thinking about?”

“It’s nothing.”

Ahn Soo-hwa, momentarily lost in thoughts of this morning, quickly cleared her mind.

“Here’s the information on the dungeons you requested.”

“Hmm…”

As she skimmed through the documents handed to her by an employee, the image of the Imoogi egg dish from breakfast flashed in her mind.

‘It was delicious… No! That’s not the point!’

Realizing she had subconsciously licked her lips, she quickly snapped back to focus and returned her attention to the documents.

They had compiled a list of dungeons where monsters that laid eggs might appear, as requested by Kim Do-yoon.

However, none of them seemed quite right.

At the very least, it had to be on the level of an Imoogi’s egg.

Just then,

Murmur! Murmur!

Her sharpened senses picked up the commotion.

It was coming from the lobby on the ground floor of the building.

“Please! Please, find my son! I heard a Hunter here has cleared even S-Rank dungeons! That means you can-”

“Sir, you can’t do this here. We don’t know every dungeon, nor do we have the means to search for people like that. Someone, help calm this man down.”

It was a common occurrence.

People often caused disturbances, desperately searching for family members who had gone missing in dungeons.

The staff downstairs would likely handle it as usual.

“My son said this! That the Hoik Guild had found the Phoenix’s nest! It must be there!”

However, at those words, Ahn Soo-hwa’s hand suddenly froze.