The Dungeon Integration Training, which Sun and his team had mocked at the neighborhood bar, could only demonstrate its true value in the afternoon.
The Japanese dispatched team assigned to Kang Chang-soo’s area was admired with awe.
“Amazing. They’re not the same as before.”
“The healing skills of the healers are excellent too. They already have such attack skills.”
“We heard they were training to prepare for battles with undead monsters, but I didn’t expect it to be at this level.”
“We should hurry too.”
The combat skills of Korean hunters had improved dramatically.
In a way, it was all thanks to Jong-sik. Kang Chang-soo, who gained enlightenment through his duel with Jong-sik, immediately began to educate his team members harshly. Based on the enlightenment he gained.
As a result, it was natural for the skills of the team led by Kang Chang-soo to improve. And it wasn’t just Kang Chang-soo’s team that experienced such improvement.
Furthermore, the surprises from the Japanese hunters didn’t end there.
“That’s not all. Chief, have you seen Hunter Kang Chang-soo’s weapon? It’s Odin’s Spear-! I heard it was broken… But it’s finally fixed.”
“It seems like it’s finally repaired. It visited us in Japan before.”
However, the master representing Japan, Gaichi, refused to repair it, trembling his head.
Who could have repaired Odin’s Spear?
“Who on earth repaired it? And the power imbued in that spear. Isn’t that right?”
“Right. It’s imbued with the power of the Gray Rune. That means…”
“There’s someone who has consumed the Gray Rune! We could feel the divine power from the lunchbox we just ate earlier. It seems like Korea is overflowing with Gray Runes. The craftsman who repaired the spear seems to be Korean too, right?”
“We’ll have to investigate from now on. We’ll put out a warrant for both the chef who made the training lunchbox and the craftsman who repaired the spear. Both are wanted.”
“…But would they really defect? They must be receiving special treatment in Korea. If Korea offers 1, we can offer 2. And let’s not forget that Gaichi, the master of Great Japan, was once a Korean.”
That’s right. Gaichi, the master blacksmith representing Japan, had Korean blood flowing through his veins. However, he held Japanese nationality.
“Oh! That’s right. I forgot, it’s been too long.”
“They’ll make the same choice as Gaichi.”
“Yes, I’ll issue the warrant right away.”
It was the moment when the Japanese dispatched team, who came to benchmark the training, changed their minds.
And those people weren’t just in Japan.
***
Meanwhile.
Haeli was staying at his friend Jaewoo’s house. The entire family of Dok was out of the house.
Yeona went to school, Jong-pal and the company uncles went to the Healing Guild headquarters, and Jong-sik was participating in national training.
For that reason, Haeli was left alone. Jaewoo’s dad, Oh Moon-se, volunteered to be his babysitter for the day.
It was also his responsibility to feed lunch. Moreover, since the restaurant was closed, he had to prepare lunch himself. Delivery was not considered since it was food for the kids.
“Haeli, Jaewoo, are you guys hungry? Dad will make a delicious lunch for you.”
Jaewoo looked at his dad with unease upon Moon-se’s words. Haeli chuckled as well.
“Dad, really?”
“Hmm. Is it Uncle?”
It was quite understandable. It was because of what Jaewoo had heard before.
“…Dad seems to dislike me.”
“Why?”
“He keeps making me potions. I thought my mouth was burning yesterday.”
Moon-se could finally sense the children’s unease. At the same time, flashes of the past crossed his mind.
The ruined tteokbokki, his son crying out that it was too spicy.
“…He thought they were potions.”
But not today. Moon-se hastily spoke up.
“Ahaha. Potions, you say? This time, it’ll be really delicious. I’ll make the food I learned from Uncle Jong-pal.”
“Uncle Jong-pal? Our little dad?”
“Yes, Haeli’s little dad.”
“Ah, then it must be delicious!”
“Phew, that’s a relief.”
Jaewoo let out a sigh of relief at the mention of making food taught by Dok Jong-pal.
“This time, I must definitely make delicious food.”
Oh Moon-se resolved himself as he looked at his son. Then he spoke again.
“And today, Dad won’t be cooking alone. Haeli and Jaewoo will make it together.”
“Wow! What are we making?”
“Haeli and Jaewoo, do you know curry?”
Why wouldn’t they? Curry was Haeli’s favorite. Curry made by Little Dad! Making that curry themselves? Haeli’s eyes sparkled.
“Yes, I know, I know! It’s rice with potatoes, onions, and sausages. Jaewoo, isn’t that reeeally delicious? It’s not poison! So don’t worry.”
“I know too! Uncle Jong-pal made it for us last time! That wasn’t poison!”
“Of course! Little Dad doesn’t make anything like poison. He always makes delicious food. Hehe.”
“But our dad only makes poison….”
Jaewoo heard everything. Oh Moon-se chuckled awkwardly. Then he placed ingredients and utensils on the table.
“Ahem! Today, we’re making curry, not poison. It’ll be fun, right?”
“Yes!”
“Good. Then Dad will wash the ingredients for the curry. Jaewoo and Haeli, you can chop them up big. Be careful with your hands!”
“Yes yes yes yes! Please hurry.”
The two children held blunt children’s knives. Oh Moon-se looked at them and said.
“Let’s start by chopping the most important ingredient for curry, potatoes! Dad will peel them quickly. Let’s see, where are the potatoes…”
But there were no potatoes. No matter how much he looked, they weren’t there.
“Hmm? Where are they?”
Did he forget them? Oh Moon-se checked yesterday’s grocery receipt. Carrots, onions, scallions, sausages, and even mini pork cutlets were there, but no potatoes.
“Oh no, I forgot about that!”
But what could he do? Lunchtime was approaching. At that moment, he thought about making do with the available ingredients.
“No potatoes? Potatoes are the heart of curry! Big Dad always says we should eat properly even if it’s just one meal….”
Quick-witted Haeli began to grumble. Following suit, Jaewoo chimed in, “Right. I love potatoes the most!”
‘Just when I thought I could overlook it…’
With a sigh, Oh Moon-se reluctantly confessed, “Oh dear, what should I do? It seems I forgot to buy potatoes. So, how about today we make curry without curry, I mean, curry without potatoes?”
Seeing the disappointed faces of the children, he realized his words might not have been the best choice. But then, at that moment…
“Then why don’t we just buy some! They sell potatoes at the store… Let Jaewoo and I go get them!”
“Hmm? Just the two of us?”
Jaewoo’s eyes widened in surprise, recalling the times he walked home alone.
“If you’re scared, you can stay with Uncle! I can go alone! I can handle errands by myself!”
But Haeli’s subsequent challenge prompted Jaewoo to shout, taking the bait.
“No! I can do it too! I’m the older sister! Dad, we’ll go buy potatoes. Just give us… that… square money.”
“Hehe. It’s not square money, it’s a card.”
“Right, a card! Dad’s card, the card!”
Meanwhile, Oh Moon-se pondered for a moment.
‘Hmm. What should I do? Should I really let them go?’
But not for long.
‘Yeah. Why not? They should experience running errands at least once! I can’t hold them close forever.’
He made up his mind.
Then he quickly wrote a note and handed it to Jaewoo.
[Please give us 1 bag of potatoes. The kids are running errands.]
“Alright. Then I have a favor to ask. I’ll write down a list of what to buy. If you find it hard, show it to the store staff or your uncles.”
“Yes!”
“And each of you can buy one more snack with the errand money.”
“Hehe, exciting!”
“Yeehaw~!”
And so, Jaewoo and Haeli embarked on their first errand.
***
Crack!
The chocolate-flavored SsangSsangBar was split in half. The problem here is that one side is excessively short.
“Oh no~! This won’t do.”
Jaewoo, the one who split the ice cream, looked at it once, then at Haeli.
In Haeli’s hand was a basket. Inside the basket were a bag of potatoes and a box of chocolate pies. While it might not seem too heavy for a box of chocolate pies, with the addition of the potatoes, the basket looked quite heavy for a child to carry.
In fact, Jaewoo gave up carrying it himself. That’s why the load became Haeli’s responsibility. In truth, it was Jaewoo who insisted on carrying it even though Haeli had offered to do it from the beginning.
“…Since Haeli carried the heavy stuff for me, I should concede this.”
With a firm decision, Jaewoo handed over the long ice cream.
“Here, you have this.”
“Wow~! Really? Oppa likes SsangSsangBar. Can I eat this?”
“You like it, but I can share. I’m your older brother. And Haeli, you carried the heavy stuff for me.”
“Hehe.”
So it was Haeli who claimed the elongated ice cream. Haeli and Jaewoo stuck out their tongues and licked the chocolate ice cream.
“Wow…!”
Jaewoo shivered, not because it was cold. Though young, Jaewoo was also a fire attribute Awakened. He shivered not because of the cold but simply because it tasted so good.
“It’s delicious.”
“Hehe. The best, the best!”
Eating ice cream in the winter felt like heaven. In that moment of joy, something fell onto their cheeks.
“Huh? It’s snow, snow!”
It was indeed snow. Jaewoo, looking up at the sky, shouted with excitement, while Haeli remained clueless.
“Huh? What’s snow?”
“What? Clueless Haeli. Haven’t you ever seen snow before?”
Shaking his head.
“Liar!”
“It’s true! What is this?”
“It’s snow, snow!”
“Yeah, but what is it!”
“Snow is a flower grown by the celestial maidens in the heavenly realm. When they all bloom, the celestial maidens sprinkle flower petals from the sky. Silly~!”
“I’m not silly! The silly one is Jaewoo oppa.”
“What? Why am I silly!”
“You said snow is grown by celestial maidens in the heavenly realm. So you’re silly. Celestial maidens are not in the heavenly realm, they’re on earth, right? They got their wings taken away by woodcutters and couldn’t return to the sky. That’s silly! But how do they grow flowers!”
The previous day, Yeona had read the fairy tale of celestial maidens and woodcutters to Haeli. However, Haeli had fallen asleep while listening. Jaewoo shook his head vigorously.
“You must not know! The celestial maiden safely returned to the sky!”
Jaewoo’s tone was firmer than ever.
Haeli hesitated.
“R-really? Are you sure?”
Actually, Haeli felt sorry for the celestial maiden who had her wings taken away and stayed on earth. With that sentiment in mind, hearing Jaewoo say that the celestial maiden had returned to the sky brought some relief.
“Really. Let’s go home and check! We have a book about celestial maidens and woodcutters at home!”
“Yeah! Let’s check.”
“Okay, Clueless Haeli. If what I said is true, you have to apologize.”
“Okay. I’ll apologize and lend you the toy you wanted last time!”
So, if Jaewoo’s words were true, it seemed he could also concede the toy.
Jaewoo was thrilled by that promise.
“Really? Is that a promise?”
“Yep. I’ll even stamp it and make a copy.”
“Yahoo! Then let’s go quickly!”
That was until that voice was heard.
“Jae, Jaewoo? Oh, Jaewoo? Is that you, Jaewoo?”
A familiar voice coming from behind. Jaewoo’s expression, which had been beaming with a grin, suddenly stiffened.
“…Uh-oh.”
“Huh? Oppa, what’s wrong?”
