Please!

Please! 

 

I didn’t actually lose consciousness, it just meant I was shocked enough to feel like I could. 

After that, I continued to do flower poses for the elders. 

 

‘I’m not sure why they like my flower poses so much.’ 

 

Grateful for their enthusiastic goodwill towards me, I tried my best to overcome my embarrassment and diligently did flower poses for the elders. 

 

“Thanks to Ha-eun, I feel 300 years younger.” 

“Ha-eun, would you like to take one of the buildings grandfather bought? I think it would suit you.” 

“Mr. Kim? These days, kids prefer Bitcoin over buildings.” 

 

Excessively grand things keep popping up, trying to be transferred to my name. 

Of course, I firmly refused, but the elders seemed to want to gift them to me secretly, exchanging strange looks with Han A-rin and continuously trying to persuade me. 

Watching this, I couldn’t help but have one question… 

 

Isn’t it too expensive to give as a gift…? 

 

‘Isn’t something like a building too burdensome to just give away?’

 

I’m not sure if it’s because I’m a common person, but isn’t this kind of thing usually given after a lot of careful consideration? 

Or given to someone you really care about (that’s right)? 

Just as I was thinking that I didn’t understand the reason, Han A-rin solved my question more easily. 

 

“Ha-eun, you’re an incredibly rare newbie who has appeared after a very long time.” 

“… ?” 

“To put it simply, should I say you’re the prime example of ‘without you, we’re doomed’? Anyway, Ha-eun, you’re like our last hope, you know?” 

 

Hearing that, I feel a bit scared, as if I’ve been given a heavy responsibility. 

While I was fidgeting with my fingers, mixed with thoughts of whether I can continue living like this and that I should live more diligently from now on. 

One of the elders patted my head and chuckled. 

 

“What are you talking about? We’re just giving it to you because you’re cute. Ha-eun, you don’t have to do anything, just grow up healthy.” 

“Yes…” 

“That’s right. Our granddaughter is so pretty.” 

 

With those words, the elder started cooing at me, extremely delighted. 

I floated in the air, swaying absentmindedly as I looked ahead. 

 

‘I want to repay them.’ 

 

There might not be much I can do… but still, I was thinking I’d like to do something for them while swaying back and forth, when Chae-a, who was below, approached me and said. 

 

“Chae-a too! Chae-a wants to fly too!” 

 

At those words, one of the elders nearby said, ‘Then I’ll do it for you,’ and lifted Chae-a high up. 

Seeing this, Yuna and Seo-a, who seemed to want to do it too, came running over to watch. 

The elders, sensing the opportunity, also lifted Yuna and Seo-a, playing with the little ones. 

 

As I listened to the giggles echoing from all around, I thought how nice it would be if this peace could continue.

 

* * * * * 

 

Central government awarded Ha-eun a prize 3 days ago. 

A serious voice echoed in the largest conference hall within the association. 

 

“To get straight to the point, we have succeeded in uncovering the terrorist group’s next plan.” 

 

Sung Na-yeon clenched her fist as she listened to the story unfolding before her. 

After rescuing Yuna, they hadn’t been able to obtain any related information, let alone find any traces. 

For some reason, thanks to Dragon’s side releasing information to the association, they were able to acquire far more information than imagined. 

 

‘Going further.’ 

 

Recently, they even succeeded in making contact with someone who appeared to be involved in the terrorism. 

They had managed to uncover their next plan. 

 

“Their next plan is to carry out a terrorist attack on the World Tree that is preventing the creation of gates and dungeons.” 

 

At those words, the hunters sitting there looked at each other with somewhat hardened expressions. 

If the World Tree were to be taken away or killed by the terrorist group. 

It was clear as day that the damage that would befall the city would be unimaginably large. 

 

Some seemed to disbelieve it, thinking the matter was too big to be credible. 

However, as this had already been rumored secretly, and there was no way lies would be told in a place where the association president was present. 

Even if they didn’t want to believe it, they had no choice but to accept it as the truth. 

 

The presenter continued speaking while observing the reactions of others. 

 

“We don’t know when the terrorist attack will occur, so we’re continuously monitoring the situation. The analysis team’s conclusion is that we need to increase surveillance personnel, but…” 

 

The problem was the issue of personnel distribution. 

The fact that gates don’t open ‘within’ the city meant that they were still opening in external areas not protected by the World Tree.

 

‘Also, the economy runs on by-products that can be obtained from monsters.’ 

 

They couldn’t just sit around waiting for terrorist groups that could strike at any time without going out to hunt monsters. 

That’s why the expressions of the hunters gathered in the conference room were becoming quite serious. 

Even if the priority for terrorist groups was extremely high, they couldn’t stop everything they were currently doing to prepare for something that might happen at any time. 

 

So, while everyone was showing signs of contemplation and exchanging opinions. 

The association president came to a conclusion. 

 

“It would be best to station Han A-rin there. If it’s Han A-rin, she should be able to hold off even if the terrorist group launches a surprise attack until the main force arrives.” 

 

If Han A-rin was determined to hold them off, she could certainly do so using all kinds of magic. 

To those words, Han A-rin laughed softly and spoke briefly. 

 

“Me?” 

 

At those words, the other hunters showed signs of bewilderment. 

They didn’t expect her to refuse right away without even considering it. 

Of course, since Han A-rin was a top-tier hunter and irreplaceable personnel, there would be no problem even if she refused without any reason, but there was still a matter of moral obligation. 

Han A-rin briefly explained her reason. 

 

“Who will protect Ha-eun, Chae-a, Yuna, and Seo-a if I’m not there?” 

 

At those words, one hunter mentioned the association, but. 

Han A-rin smiled slightly and retorted. 

 

“Well… I want to protect the kids myself. I’m sorry. I can certainly create protective magic circles for you, so why don’t you decide on someone else to be stationed there?” 

“We’ll discuss that part again.” 

 

Seong A-yeon felt puzzled seeing Han A-rin’s unusually cynical attitude, unlike her usual self.

Ha-eun may be lovable, pretty, cute, smart, and cheek-pinchingly adorable. 

But it didn’t seem like Han A-rin to prioritize personal feelings in a situation where countless people could die. 

 

Just as I was wondering about this, I realized something. 

 

‘The dragons suddenly releasing information, a traitor emerging from the untraceable terrorist organization to reveal their plans, and Han A-rin declaring she absolutely won’t go.’ 

 

It might be a stretch, but… 

Considering these three things, Seong A-yeon sensed there was a traitor within the association. 

 

* * * * * 

 

After receiving the award, I was supposed to learn cleaning magic as promised… but I couldn’t. 

Because Han A-rin became too busy, I was just repeating magic practice. 

In fact, all I could do was mana circulation and light magic, so I was just practicing to use these skillfully when Somteol approached and said something. 

 

“Pii-ii!” (Playground!) 

 

I was surprised by the sudden approach and shouting about a playground. 

As I tilted my head in confusion, Chae-a next to me giggled and said, 

 

“Ha-eun, you know, a huge playground has been built downstairs!” 

 

By downstairs, did she mean the underground city? 

As I was wondering when this happened, with my eyes wide open, Seo-a next to me said with a proud expression, 

 

“Playground good…! Let’s go quickly!” 

 

Seo-a, who can now use many words, proudly explained how amazing the playground was. 

Listening to this, I decided to go and see it. 

 

‘It sounds fun.’ 

 

Wondering what could be there to make the little ones so excited, I started walking with a somewhat excited mood.

As we reached the underground city, what we saw was a surprisingly large playground. 

Just as I was admiring and wondering when such a thing was built, Yuna, who was next to me, revealed the truth about this playground. 

 

“Spirit User Uncle made it for us.” 

 

Come to think of it, Spirit User Uncle was having a lot of fun creating the underground city. 

I nodded my head and wagged my tail vigorously, thinking I understood the general context. 

 

‘I should thank him later.’ 

 

While thinking that and looking around to see what kind of equipment there might be, I discovered one interesting piece. 

 

‘It’s a horizontal bar.’ 

 

In fact, the horizontal bar was a bit ambiguous to be considered playground equipment. 

After all, a playground is literally a space for ‘play’, and hanging from a horizontal bar didn’t seem particularly fun. 

Of course, others might think differently… As I was staring at it, wondering, Chae-a, who was next to me, ran over excitedly and said. 

 

“Chae-a good at this…!” 

 

At those words, I opened my eyes wide and tilted my head. 

Well, the horizontal bar in front of me looked about 2 to 3 times taller than Chae-a’s height. 

 

‘Come to think of it, it’s strange. Why did Spirit User Uncle place an adult-sized horizontal bar here instead of a children’s one?’ 

 

As confusion was setting in. 

Chae-a, seemingly about to demonstrate how to use the horizontal bar, stood proudly underneath it and started jumping up and down with her hands stretched upwards. 

 

“Eeecha!” 

 

Of course, she was jumping, not actually grabbing the bar. 

As I blinked my eyes, wondering what to do while watching Chae-a who couldn’t even reach the bar, let alone grab it.

Ha-eun looked at me with a very proud expression, contrary to my worries. 

 

“See!?” 

“……?” 

 

It seemed that Chae-a didn’t know how to use the horizontal bar properly. 

Watching Chae-a like that, I thought I should teach her how to do it and slowly stepped forward.