Chirp (4) >

“What the hell are you doing!”

In an instant, I was furious. Of course, not a single hair on Peace was hurt. He landed really lightly.

But even so, that didn’t mean you could just throw him around. Look there, he was frozen, possibly from being taken aback.

“……Huh? Why…?”

That little brother was also taken aback. It was a face that said he didn’t know at all why I yelled. Looking at that, I was even angrier.

If I thought about it, this jerk barely had any interest in Peace. Setting aside the fact that he said he was going to kill him since he wasn’t growing. At that time, he considered him as a normal monster. But now, wasn’t it the kid that would become his familiar soon?

“Why would you throw the kid!”

-Chirp!

“Huh? I mean, if it’s stat C-Rank, then that level wouldn’t do any-.”

“Are you going to grab anyone and throw them around as long as their stats are high? Do you think that’s a good excuse?!”

-Chirp?!

“No, it’s not like that but…”

“Don’t look down at me, and sit!”

-Chi-rp!

Yoohyun sat down on the sofa at once. But Peace, why were you sitting?

At both of them sitting on the sofa side by side and looking up at me with round eyes, the ends of my mouth automatically twitched. I can’t, hold back for now. Cute rascals.

“Hunter Kang Soyoung said that it would be her life’s partner, said even before her dragon arrives that she would take take of it like her own child. Of course, she had a lot of interest in Peace, too. It was the same with the Hunters from Breaker and Hanshin who came before. They asked about various things, and told me to contact them anytime if I needed something. On top of that, the Seseong Guild Leader even gave Peace a present. But what about you?”

While speaking, I got mad again. Supplying the kid’s food costs was basic among basic, and outside of that, there wasn’t anything he really did, this jerk.

“Because you think of him as a caught fish? Huh?”

-Cheep?

“It’s not like that…”

“If it’s not, then what? Don’t avoid my eyes and tell me properly, Han Yoohyun.”

-Chirp

And why did Chirpie keep on chiming in[1]?

“…It’s not that I’m not paying attention. It’s a highest rank familiar. Of course it’s good. And I’m looking forward to the day it becomes an adult. But that, how should I say it, even if it’s precious equipment, I’d maintain it thoroughly but something like giving a present-.”

“Equipment? He’s equipment?”

Yoohyun slightly avoided my gaze again.

“……I think I was thinking wrongly.”

“You thought of him as equipment? Peace?”

-Chirp?

“I was wrong.”

Seeing him speak, he didn’t understand a single thing. For things like this, he acted exactly as he did when he was young. Was it because he was still just twenty years old?

“I’m not telling you to look after him like he’s your own child, like Hunter Kang Soyoung. But at the very least, you should get it into your head that he’s an independent partner. Not equipment that you can handle however you like. Above all, you should know too that taming isn’t perfect.”

“I do know, but it’s a problem that, after going into dungeons two or so times, would be fixed… Or no, it’s not. I was wrong. I’ll do better from now on.”

The reply was completely unsatisfying but I couldn’t make him give affection when he didn’t have any. Should I make them meet more often at least now? Though like that guy said, once they went into dungeons together several times, camaraderie or something should form.

“Hug once.”

“……With what?”

“What do you mean what, Peace of course.”

Yoohyun stared at Peace next to him, looking completely unwilling. Peace also stared back at that guy before turning his gaze to me.

-Kkioong

“…I don’t think he’ll like it much, though.”

“He likes being held.”

He didn’t even think of his larger size and pestered to be held to the point of making me tired.

When Yoohyun stretched out his hand while hesitating, Peace’s fur stood on end.

“It’s okay, Peace. He’s not going to throw you.”

-Kkeuooong

Both of them seemed really awkward, but it was good to see. Before the dungeon level of difficulty goes up, they had to become close friends quickly. I went to sit next to Yoohyun, and Peace immediately tried to move to my lap.

“No.”

When I raised my arm, he lowered his ears down and had pitiful eyes.

-Kkiiing

And then, I didn’t know what he was thinking, but he looked at Chirpie and gently wagged his tail.

-Kkeuoong, kking

“What, you’re not going to attack Chirpie now?”

Just in case, I picked up Chirpie, who I had set to the side, and showed it to him. When I did, far from baring his teeth, he licked it once. Then he tilted to look at me.

-Kkiang

-Chirp!

“Our Peace is a good boy~.”

As soon as he heard he was good, he tried to come over to me again. This time I didn’t block him so he sat on my lap and curled up as if satisfied.

Did he think that I didn’t let him come over because he attacked Chirpie?

“Even if he pretends to be well-behaved, you can’t ever leave the two alone together. It’ll be hard for that chick to be safe.”

“Of course I won’t do that.”

You couldn’t put a bird and a cat together.

“Are you free in a week? I want to look at your skills while I increase my level and take Peace into a dungeon once while we’re at it.”

And talk with the system person too. After taking out his cell phone and checking his schedule, Yoohyun nodded his head.

“I think so. I’ll get things ready.”

Going into a dungeon in a week would be this, and now I should buy E-Rank and D-Rank exclusive entrance passes.

The time period for the Last Repayment skill had exactly four days left now. It would be uneasy to go into a dungeon on the last day, so it was actually the same as three days. For exclusive bids, if there weren’t any competitors, after 24 hours, it was a win, so if I was lucky, I would be able to attack both within the period.

I was looking forward to what title would come out. A useful one better come out this time.

[OOO[2] Building will be demolished tomorrow, and in place, the monster rearing facility will be built. Many people expressed worries about many monsters being reared at the heart of Seoul, but-.]

A broadcast about monster rearing was coming from the TV. A building next to Haeyeon Guild was emptied up to today, and the demolition would start tomorrow. It wasn’t that there wasn’t any trouble, but thanks to the compensation being plenty, the work progressed quickly.

‘Apparently only a 2-story rearing facility would be newly built, and it’ll be connected to a 10-story building that’s already there.’

While lying down stretched out on the sofa, I inspected the building plan chart that was sent a little while ago. Peace on my back, and Chirpie on my head, had each taken their seat. If other kids tried to climb onto me, it would be tough. Once the Repayment effect ended, even if I had a lot of equipment, my overall body durability would be limited to about a mid level D-Rank. The hidden value would just be F-Rank. I would be able to handle up to Peace, but if there were more…

Should I eat the restorative medicine[3] that Kim Sunghan was sending me, at least starting now?

‘The planned time for completing construction of the rearing facility is two weeks – would that really work?’

Even if it was with mostly Awakened workers with provided equipment using dungeon byproducts, wasn’t it slapdash? They were making all sorts of predictions and pointing out drawbacks about the construction on the TV too. Still, it was a stance that said it wasn’t impossible.

‘It seems like they’re firmly building the foundation without a basement floor, and putting the training and rearing facility on the 1st floor. So building the foundation takes up the most time, huh.’

Peace was small, but among monsters, there were guys that were big even as babies. And to prepare for possibilities, they were planning on making a space where adult monsters could stay, on the 1st floor. On the 1st floor, the facility that took the most money was the pen for adults.

And my residence was planned to be on the 2nd floor. Compared to the 1st floor, the area was much smaller, and the materials would be mostly dungeon byproducts so that even if the 1st floor collapsed, the floor would be fine. They were also going to put a mini portal for the entrance. The space remaining on the 1st floor roof would be decorated like a park, like my wish.

Anyways, apparently a ton of money would be poured into this.

On the other hand, the building that would be connected to the rearing facility was a normal building. Though a certain amount of remodeling would happen. Surrounded doubly with walls, the rearing facility would be made as a structure that could be entered through the building. The remodeling time for this building would be longer than the rearing facility construction time.

‘Isn’t it about time the Dokkaebi should come back?’

I had to get the data and meet Suk Hayan. And I didn’t know whether Myeongwoo would follow me.

‘Since it would be comfortable to just be a guild affiliated blacksmith.’

With that guy’s disposition, wouldn’t he try to stay at Haeyeon? Still, there was no helping it.

‘Reeling in Do Hamin. The special skill Awakening center……’

This time, I could say that a related skill came out after getting 20 levels. In order to prove the skill, I would have to bring over around two people and Awaken them into special initial skills.

The disgustingly good looking guy I saw at the broadcasting station came to mind. What was his name again?

But exactly what environment did that guy have to have to Awaken to get the optimized initial skills? If it was related to his face, the environment should already be exactly suitable. Wouldn’t he Awaken on his own if he diligently filmed movies and got popular?

‘For Awakened People with special skills, most of the cases were that they Awakened while continuously doing the related work.’

Or they Awakened if they felt danger for their life, and overcame the crisis with a related method. Would a monster see a person’s face and be captivated, and draw back? He really was ambiguous in various ways. Should I find someone else?

[Magic beast rearing skill holder Han Yoojin-ssi, aka ‘Monster’s Dad’, and the Horned Flame Lion juvenile Peace-.]

Ah, fuck. The previously filmed broadcast came up again as clips. Just why did they keep on showing that? If you were going to keep on putting it on, at least take out that ‘monster’s dad’ nonsense.

-Chirp!

Chirpie saw the TV and yelled. Did it recognize me?

-Chirp chirp!

“Hey, where’re you going? That’s not real.”

Its head was a little… bad, I thought. Then again, it was F-Rank, so you couldn’t compare it to C-Rank Peace. Just then, while Chirpie was vigorously flapping in front of the TV, I heard the door open. It seemed like Myeongwoo came back.

“You’re back?”

“…What’s that?”

“I picked it up. It’s a monster but it’s stat F-Rank, so it’s not dangerous.”

-Chirp cheep!

“It looks cute.”

“Right?”

Yoohyun, that guy, just sighed even after seeing that cute thing. Then again, he didn’t have much interest in animals since he was young.

Chirpie, who had given up on the me on the TV and come back, couldn’t get up on the sofa and was flapping again. As I raised up my body and picked up Chirpie, I checked Myeongwoo’s knife sharpening progress as a habit.

[Sharpening the blade of 10,000 bladed tools(Progress 8,266/10,000)]

Now there really wasn’t much left. He would probably finish in four days.

“You’ve passed eight thousand for the knife sharpening, right?”

As my words, Myeongwoo’s eyes looked surprised.

“How did you know?”

“You sharpened a thousand on the first day, and after that, you sharpened four to five thousand, so wouldn’t it be around that amount? You’ve also told me how many you sharpened that day from time to time.”

“Still, calculating all of that…”

Myeongwoo had a deeply moved face. I really couldn’t say anything to this guy. He could just pass over it with ‘is that so’, but he kept on being touched so I felt like I had become a conman. I’m not that selfless of a person.

“I’ll follow you to the workroom on the last day. I’m curious what skill will come out, and it’s something I started, so I should be there with you around the end.”

“Yoojin……”

He was touched again.

“Whatever comes out, I won’t forget your kindness.”

“If you’re like that, then I’m thankful.”

“I’ll really pay it back my whole life.”

No, that was burdensome. Just make me some side dishes sometimes. Snacks were good too. Or bread. Anyways, something to eat.

…Shit, should I just tell him we should live together? It was four days from now. I felt like I would cry.

“……Myeongwoo.”

“Yeah?”

“……No, it’s nothing.”

Heukheukheuk[4]. Leaving it like this, wouldn’t I be acting like a 2 o’clock boyfriend[5]? Rather than acting pathetic later, wouldn’t it be better to be embarrassing now? That’s right, so what if it was little embarrassing? Eating was important.

Holding Chirpie tight in my arms, I opened my mouth.

“Later, even after you become independent… won’t you make some side dishes for me sometimes? The type doesn’t matter, just anything.”

I’m not picky, so I’m entreating you.

At my words, Myeongwoo froze stiffly. As expected, was it too shameless?

“Oh…… A-as expected, should I start to leave? Sorry. I troubled you for too lon-.”

“No, no. If we lived together, it would be good for me!”

Fuck, I didn’t know. Once four days passed, my dining table would go from heaven to hell, so I couldn’t hold back anymore.

“I can’t eat anything except what you make!”

“……What?”

“So, please, provide me with side dishes……”

After standing blankly, the ends of Myeongwoo’s mouth twitched. Don’t laugh. It was funny, but don’t laugh.

“That much isn’t hard! Okay, don’t worry. I’ll make them for you anytime. Do you have something you want to eat?”

“……I like anything.”

“Alright. If you think of something you want to eat, tell me anytime!”

Going toward the kitchen, Myeongwoo looked like he was in a really good mood. Still, if you spoke that self-confidently, what would you do when you got busy later? Of course, he didn’t need to carry out what he just said without fail, but with his disposition, he would probably try to.

Ughh, I was embarrassed and my conscience was pricked, but I was happy.

I was able to receive the winning bid for the exclusive entrance passes for both the E-Rank and D-Rank dungeons the next afternoon. I had gone down to the training room with Peace in the morning, and then came back, so I didn’t need to make an excuse this time. Myeongwoo hadn’t returned home yet so I put Peace in the living room pen and Chirpie in a basket in my bedroom and locked my bedroom door. I sent Myeongwoo a text not to wake me because I was sleeping.

As I prayed to not get caught today either, I left with a similar method as yesterday.

This time’s E-Rank dungeon was an underground cave environment. It was a type I personally disliked, but it was nearby, and while looking for places for which it was possible to buy an exclusive entrance pass, there weren’t a lot of choices.

“Ugh, it’s damp.”

When I passed through the gate, damp air that seemed mixed with the smell of mold rushed up. In the darkness, noctilica were whizzing around. And.

[(′ ⟢ ‵ ) ؤ ђ|!! ٩ (· ‿·)]

“……Ah, yes. Hello.”

What greeting was this.

[1] lit. ‘put in 추임새’ where 추임새 (choo-im-seh) are ad-libs done by the the person who keeps the beat in 판소리 (pansori, traditional musical storytelling) to boost the excitement, so when this phrase is used like this outside of 판소리, it means someone keeps on chiming in to help rather than to interrupt. Think like greek chorus or like henchmen goons in old timey movies who are like ‘yeah that’s right’, ‘you say it boss!’ in the bg every time their mob boss says sth. Couldn’t remember if there was a specific eng term for it so I just left it as ‘chime in’.

[2] censored like so in the original text

[3] like traditional herbal tonics that are supposed to be restorative and boosts your health and such

[4] crying noises, but the only crying noise I could think of in eng was ‘boohoo’ which is, ya kno, sarcastic, so left it romanized

[5] idk what a ‘2 o’clock boyfriend’ is, and couldn’t find anything when I tried to search it, so… idk sorry guys

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