episode_0085

– The second search team didn’t listen to a word.

Although they identified themselves as part of the 【Chomok】, being hunters from overseas, they seemed to act recklessly.

I couldn’t believe that the prestige of the 6 major guilds had fallen so low.

– After dealing with those guys, we welcomed the third search team.

Thinking that this party might be the last one for today, I decided to fight, and this time they listened to me.

They agreed when I mentioned that the child had already been found and sent down.

– Here, we encountered the fourth search team and contacted Ian.

Since we had found Leah, I ordered him to take on the mission.

He responded with a “already done” and asked me to send more messages before cutting off contact.

“Phew. I talk nonsense that I don’t even have. Seriously. I wonder what my parents would say if they saw me like this-”

Despite my words, I returned feeling like I had done a good workout.

Returning to the balcony for dinner, I found Leah sleeping.

It seemed like our routine was set as I left a sandwich on the table for her to eat and she slept soundly.

“It’s already 9:30.”

This isn’t the life of an elementary school student that I know.

I could go out and have fun, but instead, there were study materials for a teacher on the desk.

“Ugh, frustrating. I don’t know why I feel so blocked up, but it’s driving me crazy.”

I didn’t even know why I was getting angry.

Feeling like I might get anxious if I stayed still, I took off my coat, washed my hands, and checked on Leah’s condition while chewing on the sandwich.

“Are you awake?”

“Mmm…”

She was trying to sleep beautifully, but in the end, the blanket was all messed up.

I tidied it up nicely and touched the frame.

I secretly checked the photo that I hadn’t seen in the morning.

“This is-”

A photo of a nerd girl in a checkered shirt holding a child.

It was Bridget.

*

On the second day.

The morning with Leah began.

Standing side by side in front of the bathroom mirror, we brushed our teeth together.

Both in pajamas, it felt like being an uncle with an elementary school student.

“Gororo~!”

“Gororo~!”

“Phew!”

After finishing brushing our teeth, we immediately started preparing breakfast.

This time, I stood side by side with Leah in the kitchen to help out.

It was fun to make meals together in the small kitchen.

“Sir.”

“You don’t know my name, do you? It’s Hong Chang-ki. Remember it.”

“Chang-ki, sir. If you hold the knife like that, you’ll cut your finger.”

“It’s okay. I’m holding it firmly, so it won’t slip.”

“That’s not the problem. And the lamb. What do I do with this?”

“Sorry. I only know how to cook men’s dishes…”

“Ugh.”

I got scolded for making pork kimchi stew for four people at once, as if I were living alone.

I just left it for tomorrow and finished the meal.

Today, I did the dishes, and Leah came out after washing up.

“Aren’t you going back, sir?”

“I told you yesterday. As soon as your aunt sees me, she’ll ask where you are.”

I rang my phone.

As soon as I turned it on, it started ringing and buzzing.

“It would be better to give up quietly.”

“No mother in the world would give up her daughter after hearing that.”

“It’s not my mother. It’s my aunt.”

“Don’t differentiate. She’s sincere.”

She didn’t argue with my words.

She tried to sit at the desk without showing any signs of annoyance, so I lifted her up by the waist.

“What are you doing?”

“1. Lift Leah up.”

“Sir?”

“2. Play a game together.”

“Sir??”

I carried the little one around the room, acting like an adult.

I searched hard for something to do, but there was no trace.

“What do you usually do?”

“I’m studying to become a civil servant for the future as an apprentice teacher.”

“From morning till night?”

“We have a day off today, so we can do it now. Usually, we do it before going to bed.”

“What’s the point of studying to become a government official at the Tower?”

“If you pass the exam, you can move up to a higher floor. As a high-ranking member, you can do a lot more and engage with more intellectual members.”

“Wow, you’re really going crazy. If you keep this up, I’ll go crazy too.”

“Eek!”

He put on his coat, turned his hat inside out, and covered Leia’s head with a hat.

He also grabbed a mask just in case and headed straight for the front door.

“What are you doing? Are you trying to go out!?”

“Yeah. Even if there’s no external internet connection here, there’s internal communication. Let’s buy some dedicated multiplayer games or something similar.”

“What about my studies!?”

“You are banned from studying from today until the day I leave.”

“Wait! Please take off the apron! Oh, mister! Mister!!”

Ignoring Leia’s struggles, he gave her a firm tap on the buttocks and went outside.

It was all in vain.

He ignored her and went outside.

*

On the third day.

As time passed, the nun’s phone calls decreased, but Ian sent a text message saying, “Jita Ajumma is doing ○○ today,” with a hint of exhaustion.

He is working hard to resolve the incident on the 15th floor, where the 1st place is overtaking the 4th place.

-“I’ve accepted the request.”

-“Still, something seems off.”

-“It seems like someone is targeting Leia.”

-“Please be careful, just in case.”

He asked for a little more effort, even though he didn’t know how this life would turn out.

Effort…

Is this really considered effort?

He poked Leia’s side, who was lying in bed with him.

“Why is your level 40? Our kids are still at level 20.”

“Chang-gi hasn’t leveled up. He didn’t even memorize the attribute table and just roughly memorized it, so he’s slow.”

“You win by roughly hitting the level, so why memorize it?”

“Then the efficiency won’t be good. The strategy book is detailed, so I refer to it.”

“Wow, are you really going that far just to beat me!?”

“Where is the person who plays the game to win from the beginning?”

“Oh, you’ll see today. I’m a golden generation who pours out game skills, right? This is nothing compared to that.”

“There’s not enough time to turn the situation around in this situation.”

Leia laughed at his useless struggles.

In the end, he stuck to her until the end and won.

*

Is this what you call the fourth day?

When he came to his senses, it was already night.

Leia had disintegrated in a way that didn’t suit her personality.

Whether she felt unjust about the last reversal victory or not, she enjoyed playing another game until she was tired and fell asleep.

‘You’re having fun. You can do it if you want, so why didn’t you do it?’

…Such thoughts are ridiculous.

This child wants to become an adult.

Even during the game, she continued to focus on the desk.

She was a strange child who considered restraint a virtue, studied to become clever, and wanted to become independent.

‘To be completely independent?’

She didn’t ask about the situation yesterday or today.

Because she thought it would be better for Leia to open her mouth rather than for him to ask questions.

In order to do that, let’s find something fun to do tomorrow… As he was pondering this, he heard the sound of sirens again.

‘How strange. The request must have been accepted, so why is there still a fuss?’

After handling the fourth search team, it had been quiet for a few days, thanks to Ian. But something was off.

Anyway, let’s go check it out. He put on his coat.

“…Are you leaving?”

“I’m awake.”

“Where are you going…?”

“I’m going to talk to them and come back. I’ll borrow a book on the way and let’s watch a cartoon together tomorrow.”

“Yes… Please be careful…”

Even if they talk, it will probably end up in a fight.

Fortunately, he found out that he was a decent fighter just before, so he had some confidence.

“I’m going to sleep. I’ll be back soon.”

“Yes… Mister….”

I closed my eyes without a worry.

I leaped outside onto the balcony, walking along the roof.

*

A hunter attacking at night?

Without needing to describe it, it was a cut… but for the first time, I faced a setback.

Probably the lowest rank within the same rank, yet still an A rank like Seres.

Luckily, being solo, I managed to win somehow.

“Mister, you’re too fast… I can’t keep up…!”

“If you try to catch up with someone who’s doing their job, that’s what happens. So let’s match our pace from the beginning, and don’t be stubborn.”

There were minor injuries, but I returned safely and, as the sun rose, I did a simple workout with Lea.

“I thought I could win against someone like Chang-gi Mister….”

“What happened to the image inside you.”

If I chuckled and said it was ridiculous, Lea followed me almost like a melting candle.

“Is it hard?”

“It’s hard….”

I chuckled.

“I’ll show you something fun, Mister.”

“Something fun?”

For once, I gave her a piggyback ride.

“….!?”

“Why.”

“I’m embarrassed to be piggybacked at this age….”

“You’re still a kid.”

I wondered how old she thought she was, chuckled awkwardly, and slowly climbed up.

Each time my foot got faster, her small hands on my forehead exerted more force.

“Can you show me the scenery you see, Mister?”

“Ahh!?”

I flew into the sky.

Even if I was careful not to hurt the child, the world our hunters see is nothing short of shocking for children.

“Is this how you usually travel!?”

“It’s faster than most means of transportation.”

“Can I do it too!”

“If you learn how? You’re smart, so you’ll be able to do it quickly, right?”

“Ahh…!?”

Truly a world from a comic book.

The character I admired was me.

I trained for this.

“Let’s go back and get some comic books.”

“I woke up and there was a box full of them in the room! I thought you brought trash!”

“I worked hard moving that in the early morning.”

“You’re cleaning up!?”

“Of course. Don’t worry about the aftermath and enjoy today comfortably.”

After a few more jumps, we were back in the room we had been staying in.

Lea laughed, saying it was the first time she arrived at the house through a place other than the front door.

After resting for a bit, I turned on the computer that hadn’t been touched in a while, searched for a favorite song, and enjoyed reading comic books.

………

……..

I continued to force myself to have days like this.

Four days, five days, six days, a week, eight days, nine days, and then ten days.

Ten enjoyable days for the child.

It was around that time that Lea talked about her circumstances.