Chapter 27

Translator: Roshi

After having a hearty breakfast, the father and daughter lay sprawled out on the wooden floor with the two little bears for a while.

"Hanuri."

"Mmm?"

"Shall we go to the hospital?"

"Ah! To the hospital? But Hanuri isn't sick..."

At the mention of the hospital, she abruptly sat up, showing clear reluctance.

Even though it was a place where she had spent a bright and happy time, her reaction showed that hospitals had a hard time earning a good image.

Speaking gently to Hanuri, he said,

"For fun. Not because you're sick, let's just go visit. Didn't you say you wanted to see Grandpa, the grandmothers, and the nurse unnie?"

At his words, Hanuri immediately clung to him.

"For real, just for fun?"

"Of course."

"Hehe, then okay!"

"Let's pack some delicious food and go at lunchtime."

"Mm mm!"

Watching Hanuri bounce excitedly, he carefully observed their surroundings.

The atmosphere around them was shifting according to the child's changes.

Unlike the day when the twisted energy had been unraveled, this time, the difference was not as noticeable.

‘It really does seem like they're trolls.’

Do-yoon closely examined Ddugi and Chuchu, who were hanging around Hanuri’s neck.

Trolls.

A mystical race that even he had never seen before.

He had heard that mystical races exuded a distinct aura.

Something about the warm, damp scent of stone.

Back then, he had wondered what that even meant, but now, he could sense that exact description from Ddugi and Chuchu.

These mystical beings seemed to like Hanuri, as they clung tightly to her neck, absorbing her energy.

‘Thanks to that, Hanuri looks normal, so there’s no real issue.’

Because of Hanuri’s affinity ability, the surrounding atmosphere was gently swayed like a spring breeze, but it wasn’t too conspicuous.

Since the trolls were absorbing the energy, it only created a subtly bright and cheerful mood. Unless Ddugi and Chuchu had malicious intent, there was no problem, especially since they were showing affection toward Hanuri almost like parents would.

"Hanuri."

"Mm?"

"What should we bring to the hospital?"

"Uum."

As if facing a life-changing decision, Hanuri closed her eyes in deep contemplation. Seeing this, the others around her mimicked her actions.

It was an amusing sight.

Like a frog that had just awakened from hibernation, folding its arms and pondering life.

Like fresh sprouts bowing their heads in contemplation.

Even the stuffed toys, striking serious poses as if lost in thought.

‘It’s entertaining.’

Do-yoon chuckled and threw out a suggestion.

"How about tteokbokki?"

"Tteokbokki? But it's spicy..."

"Then we can make fried food too. We can make the egg fritters you liked and sweet potato tempura as well."

"Yes yes! I like fried food!"

"Then let’s make tteokbokki and tempura. The hospital staff will like it."

"Heheh... okay!"

Leaving the excited Hanuri to play with the bear siblings, Do-yoon hurriedly contacted Park Ki-ho.

Since he needed to prepare a larger quantity than usual, he had to go grocery shopping.

*

Oseong Hospital lobby.

Golden, crispy tempura carrying the savory scent of oil.

Chewy white rice cakes smothered in a glossy, red sauce that made people gulp in anticipation.

One by one, the hospital staff gathered in front of the tempting spread.

"Oh my, did Hanuri make this?"

"Yes! Hehe..."

"Well done."

"Mm, it’s really delicious!"

"Come on, try some tteokbokki."

"Oh? How does this tteokbokki taste like this?"

The tteokbokki, in particular, was a big hit.

Thanks to Brosia Honey being used instead of sugar.

"Hanuri made the tempura, though..."

"Mm?"

"Hanuri made the tempura?"

"This one?"

As the people's attention was focused on the tteokbokki, Hanuri muttered under her breath.

To be exact, she had just played around with the flour batter, but since she had helped in some way, she felt a little down.

Although the people belatedly responded after hearing Hanuri’s muttering, it wasn’t the reaction she had hoped for.

Do-yoon discreetly received a phone from the Shadow Imoogi and played a video.

It was a recording of Hanuri playing with the bear siblings, messing around with the flour batter.

At first, the children had started out behaving properly.

However, while he stepped away for a moment, Kkoma buried his snout into the flour batter.

Kkomi pushed Kkoma away, causing the flour batter to scatter…

Like white whipped cream floating through the air, it settled on the kitchen, the children's hair, and their fur.

And so began a game of dough-throwing.

Amidst the complete chaos, he returned, only for the three culprits to be grabbed by the scruff of their necks and dragged into the bathroom.

The video captured the pure, radiant laughter of the children, a scene so delightful that no one could watch it without smiling.

It was the exact event that had taken place while making the tteokbokki and tempura.

Swoosh.

As he subtly placed the video where everyone could see, one by one, people started showing interest.

“Oh my!”

“Goodness! What a disaster!”

“Puhuhuhu!”

“That’s right, that’s right. Hanuri really did make the tempura. Hahaha!”

“So that’s why it tasted this good?”

As people watched the video, they each took turns praising Hanuri while dipping the tempura into the tteokbokki sauce.

Only then did Hanuri’s expression brighten.

“Heheh.”

Having regained her cheerful demeanor, Hanuri began chattering excitedly among the people.

It reminded him of the past.

Of course, unlike back then, Hanuri had gained weight, and her complexion had become much healthier.

“Thank you.”

“Hmm?”

Hearing the sudden voice beside him, he turned to see Nurse Ha-eun.

“The patients were feeling anxious because of the Dungeon Break earlier. It’s a kind of aftereffect.”

“Ah.”

That was understandable.

Even ordinary people would have been startled, let alone the patients.

Even though Dungeon Breaks had become a part of daily life, experiencing one firsthand was an entirely different matter.

That was part of the reason he had come in person.

After all, the people at this hospital had given Hanuri good memories and taken care of her.

He figured Hanuri’s affinity ability would help soothe their anxious hearts.

Giving back when you’ve received, that was his way.

Besides, they had helped him take Hanuri with him, so this much was only fair.

Do-yoon turned his eyes back to Hanuri.

At that moment, she was taking some tempura to an elderly woman she was close with.

“Halmoni, eat this.”

“Eat? That’s not how you say it. You should say, ‘Please have some’, to adults!”

“…Please have some?”

“Puhuhu, that’s right, dear.”

“Ah, heheh.”

The conversation was adorable.

A little wrinkled face saying, “Please have some.”

The grandmother, chuckling mischievously at Hanuri, seemed to be having fun as well.

‘Now that I think about it, I need to teach Hanuri honorifics too.’

There was so much to teach her moving forward.

She wasn’t going to live alone with him in a rural village in Chuncheon forever, he had to teach her bit by bit.

“What about those big teddy bears?”

“Kkomi, Kkoma? Heheh, they're with uncle. They couldn’t come inside the hospital…”

“Hmm? You even have an uncle now?”

“Yeah! It’s uncle Yongyong.”

“That name’s a bit odd. And you should say, ‘Uncle.’” (TL: Formal way of saying Uncle but in english its Uncle)

“…Uncle.”

“That’s right. Puhuhu. Oh my, how adorable. You could still gain a bit more weight.”

“If I gain more, won’t Hanuri turn into a piggy…?”

“What nonsense! Hey, Hanuri’s dad! Come over here.”

Suddenly, the grandmother called out to Do-yoon.

He had been listening to their conversation and scratched his head as he approached.

But as he did, the people around them started whispering.

Not in a bad way.

“Puhuhuhu! That’s right! He’s a dad now.”

“Of course, if not a dad, then what?”

“I think I heard Hanuri calling him ‘Dad’ earlier.”

“That’s great, really.”

With that one sentence, the reality of being Hanuri’s father suddenly hit him.

“There’s some kimchi in my room. Take it and feed that child properly! She still needs to grow a lot more.”

“It’s alright-”

“Alright, my foot! Just take it and eat.”

Before he knew it, he had received some kimchi as well.

“Come by often! Ever since Hanuri left, the hospital has felt so empty.”

“That’s right!”

“You’d better not stop visiting. We’ll give you an earful if you do!”

The people quickly chimed in, agreeing with the grandmother.

It felt… nostalgic somehow.

If he had a hometown, would it feel like this?

Even though he had been scolded, it didn’t feel bad at all.

Of course…

“No! You can’t scold Dad!”

Hanuri, however, seemed to feel differently.

“Oh? You tiny little thing, so now you like your dad more than your grandma? Is that it? Puhuhu!”

“Hahaha!”

Hanuri’s adorable figure as she blocked his path made everyone burst into laughter again.

Not knowing why they were laughing, Hanuri jumped around even more, and he hugged her with a smile.

"Hanuri makes me feel reassured."

"Heheh. I'll protect you, Dad!"

"Alright, alright."

He lifted the admirable Hanuri into his arms.

It was about time to leave.

"Already leaving?"

"What would we do by staying at the hospital too long? Hurry up and go!"

"Yes, yes, go on now."

They stepped out while receiving farewells from the people.

"Thank you. Hanuri, say thank you?"

"Hehe. Hanuri will come agai…n!"

"Yes, yes. You have to come visit unnie again, alright?"

"Okay!"

After saying goodbye to Nurse Ha-eun, Do-yoon approached Park Ki-ho, who had been waiting for him.

"Uh, the Guild Leader would like to meet you briefly. What should we do?"

"Huh? The Guild Leader?"

"Yes. Well… they said they found the Phoenix’s nest."

"…!"

He had mentioned it as a joke, but they actually found it.

That meant he definitely had to go.

‘If an Imoogi egg was able to unravel one tangled energy, then a Phoenix egg should…’

*

"Well, we did find it, but there’s a bit of a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"We don’t own the dungeon."

"The dungeon ownership?"

"Yes."

He had been ready to head there immediately, but at Ahn Soo-hwa’s words, he paused.

"Dad, where are we go…ing?"

"Oh, we were planning to go see a beautiful bird."

"A beautiful bird? Chirp chirp?"

"Yeah, chirp chirp."

"Wow! A pretty chirp chirp…"

"But they said we can’t go right now."

The child, who had been flapping her arms like a bird, suddenly drooped like a puppy caught in the rain.

"Oh no, is Hanuri disappointed?"

"Yes… the pretty chirp chirp…"

"Shall this ‘auntie’ find a way then?"

"Yes?"

Seeing Hanuri disappointed, Ahn Soo-hwa stepped in.

She subtly switched from "Ajumma" to "Auntie", making it clear that it had been bothering her.

Not that Hanuri seemed to care much.

Still, Soo-hwa’s words caught the child’s attention.

"Do you have a way?"

"We’ll have to negotiate. With Go Du-ri, the representative."

"Go Du-ri?"

"Yes, the dungeon belongs to the Hoik Guild. Their representative is Go Du-ri. But since this information came up due to a dungeon disappearance, if the Hunter Bureau finds out…"

KUUUUNG!!

"Guild Leader!!"

A loud crash and commotion erupted outside, followed by the door bursting open.

Through the open door, a towering, muscular man strode in.

Even though the people trying to block him were high-ranked hunters, they looked like mere children in front of him.

It was no wonder they couldn’t stop him from getting this far.

"Mr. Go Du-ri? What do you think you’re doing…"

Ahn Soo-hwa’s expression hardened as she released a sharp aura toward Go Du-ri, who had suddenly barged in.

Then, Go Du-ri growled.

"Help me."

"What?"

"You must already know."

Despite his fierce, tiger-like face looking as though he was ready to destroy everything in sight, his words were completely contradictory.

He was asking for help.

Ahn Soo-hwa struggled to hide her surprise as she tried to figure out his intentions.

But then,

"Uwaaah! Kitty tail! But it’s sooo big…!"

Hanuri suddenly ran over, grabbed Go Du-ri’s tail, and bounced excitedly.

‘Huh? A tail?’

Do-yoon, keeping an eye on Hanuri in case of trouble, noticed something strange.

A tail… on a human?

And it was even swaying gently like a cat’s.

When Hanuri grabbed it, it twitched as if telling her to let go.

"A beastkin?"

Swoosh.

At Do-yoon’s words, Go Du-ri’s gaze shifted toward him.

"You must be the new S-Rank Hunter."

Boom, boom!

Go Du-ri bared his beast-like teeth as he spoke, slowly approaching him.

He was so massive that even his ordinary movements made the ground echo with his footsteps.

"Mr. Go Du-ri, please calm dow-"

As the two men drew closer, Ahn Soo-hwa hurriedly stepped in to block him.

But before she could, Go Du-ri spoke first.

"Help me."

"Hmm?"

"Ah, I apologize. Our Guild Leader tends to be a bit abrupt."

Was this man just asking everyone he met for help?

As Do-yoon’s expression showed his confusion, someone who had been hidden behind Go Du-ri’s enormous frame stepped forward.

This one was interesting in a different way.

"Wowww! A tail! He has three tails! Dad… Hanuri wants a tail too!"

A young man with three tails.

The owner of those three fluffy tails that Hanuri was eyeing enviously stepped in front of Go Du-ri with a frown.

"I'm Kim A-rang, the Deputy Guild Leader of Hoik Guild. Since our representative is more of a brute-force type, would it be alright if I explain the details instead?"

Despite his furrowed brows, his words and demeanor were polite and respectful.

‘A tiger and a fox, huh…’

Do-yoon noticed that Hanuri’s eyes were practically sparkling with excitement.

For her sake, at the very least, he should hear them out.

"Hanuri, don’t put that in your mouth. Come here."

"Ptuh, ptuh… Hehe, okay!"

Hanuri, who had been biting the tail out of curiosity, spat it out and ran over to him.

The beautiful chirping bird she had wanted to see was probably long forgotten, thanks to the adorable tails right in front of her.