With ingredients like cornmeal, cleaned fish, horned rabbit grass, and foxtail grass… What kind of dish could possibly be made with those? Midsummer could hardly stomach the idea of just throwing everything into a pot to make porridge.

*This is definitely not cooking.*

She couldn’t even begin to imagine what it would taste like, but she was certain it wouldn’t be delicious.

“Gyeoul, if you’re going to eat, shouldn’t it at least taste good?”

“Taste good?”

“Yeah. If you mix everything together as a porridge, won’t it taste strange?”

“Yes, but it’ll still fill me up.”

“Well… that’s true.”

For Gyeoul, who was used to going hungry, filling her stomach took priority over taste. Knowing this, Midsummer couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

“Gyeoul, haven’t things gotten a bit better now? Do you still struggle to buy food?”

“It has gotten better, but it’s not wise to spend money carelessly just because I have it now.”

“I… I see…”

At an age when most kids would be asking for treats, Gyeoul was instead talking about being thrifty. Midsummer admired her maturity but felt a pang in her heart.

*It’s frustrating that adventurers don’t get meal stipends.*

Those employed by the guild received a lunch stipend, allowing them to eat at various restaurants in the guild’s building. But adventurers, like Gyeoul, weren’t entitled to such perks. Adventurers were expected to make money by hunting monsters and selling their byproducts. Meals, too, were considered part of the cost of being an adventurer.

While this setup might seem unfair, the official adventurers of the Dawn Guild didn’t mind. They earned substantial sums from their work, and rarely ate in the guild’s dining hall anyway, given their work mostly took place outside.

*And Gyeoul is no exception.*

Since she often went out to hunting grounds, she usually had to manage her meals alone. Midsummer wondered if she still ate like this and felt a pang of sadness at the thought.

*What should I do?*

Couldn’t they make an exception and give her a meal ticket? But Gyeoul, who disliked charity and special treatment, would likely refuse it.

Midsummer sighed deeply as Gyeoul fidgeted, watching her carefully.

“Um…”

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry…”

“Huh? What are you apologizing for?”

Midsummer’s eyes widened at the sudden apology.

“I didn’t realize you’d dislike it so much…”

“What…?”

Midsummer froze in place. Had she shown her distaste?

She must have made a face she should never have shown in front of Gyeoul. Disliking the food in front of her was like rejecting the life Gyeoul had led.

“I don’t hate good food, but… filling my stomach is the priority…”

“No, no! It’s not like that at all!”

In her urgency, Midsummer’s voice grew louder, and the three children’s ears perked up.

“Really?”

“Yeah, I just wanted you to eat something tasty, that’s all.”

“Oh…”

So it was just concern. Gyeoul’s tail began to wag slightly, a sign of her relief.

“Hey, Gyeoul.”

“Yes?”

“Would you like me to buy you something tasty?”

“Oh, no.”

As expected, she refused. Midsummer wasn’t surprised, given what she now knew about Gyeoul’s past and her reluctance to accept help.

*She came from a ruined world.*

In her old world, people were just as dangerous as the monsters. One couldn’t trust kindness, and every transaction had to be fair to avoid trouble. Those were the rules she lived by.

*She may not remember, but her instincts are still shaped by that ruined world.*

She must have endured such terrible experiences that they left an indelible mark on her soul. Gently, Midsummer placed a hand on Gyeoul’s head.

“How about this, Gyeoul?”

“What is it?”

“We could mix your ingredients with mine and cook something together.”

“Mix… together?”

“Yeah.”

Perhaps as long as it was a fair exchange, she would accept. Midsummer hoped that, with time, Gyeoul would learn to adapt to a more peaceful life.

—

After sharing the food that Midsummer prepared, they all went to the park together. While the kids played a game similar to house, Gyeoul sat alone on a bench, lost in thought.

“Hmm…”

She crossed her arms, contemplating her potential as an adventurer deeply. So deep in thought, she didn’t even notice someone approaching.

“Gyeoul, what are you doing?”

“Huh?”

Turning to her side, she saw Jung Yuna and Master standing there. Her tail wagged happily at the sight of them.

“Just thinking.”

“About what? Can you share it with us?”

“Yes, it’s nothing serious.”

“Really?”

Jung Yuna looked at her curiously.

“I can now clear level-one dungeons pretty easily.”

“Of course. Gyeoul, you’re strong.”

“Yes, so I was thinking… maybe I could try level-two dungeons?”

“Hmm…”

Jung Yuna went quiet, mirroring Gyeoul’s thoughtful pose. She stayed silent for quite some time, as if considering it deeply.

“Actually, with your current strength, you could probably handle level-three dungeons on your own.”

“R-really?”

Am I really that strong? Her hands came together in excitement, and she looked to Jung Yuna, who quickly shook her head, tampering Gyeoul’s enthusiasm.

“But it’s still too early for you.”

“W-why?”

“Statistically, someone of your skill level has about a one percent chance of dying in those dungeons.”

“One percent?”

“Yes.”

So they were worried about the risk of that one percent chance. While Gyeoul appreciated their concern, she wasn’t really bothered by it.

“It’s okay. I’ve always had good luck when it comes to survival.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I’ve had many close calls, but in the end, I always survived.”

“Oh…”

Jung Yuna sighed, unsure what to say, while Gyeoul’s tail curled into a question mark. Then, Master spoke up.

“Have you had any close calls recently?”

“No, not recently. The guild has helped me a lot. I’m truly grateful.”

She bowed deeply toward Jung Yuna and Master, who smiled in amusement.

“Then why don’t we try a higher-level dungeon together sometime?”

“Together?”

“Yes. I need to do some adventurer training anyway, so why don’t you come along?”

Oh, wow. Training with Master? That was a rare opportunity.

“I would love to.”

“Alright, then let’s do it.”

Master looked at Jung Yuna as if seeking her approval. With a nod, she agreed.

“As long as you stay right next to Master. No wandering more than a meter away.”

“So much worry.”

“Better to worry too much than not enough.”

“Alright, alright.”

Master waved a hand dismissively at Jung Yuna’s concerns. Gyeoul appreciated her care and felt a thrill of excitement at the thought of exploring a higher-level dungeon.

*Next-level dungeon…!*

If she succeeded, she’d earn more money and could put it all toward paying off her debt. At this rate, she might be debt-free soon. Her tail wagged happily at the thought.

—

That evening, after the kids went out to play, Midsummer sat alone in the now-empty container.

The quietness made the place feel strangely empty. Feeling a bit lonely, she glanced down at her smartphone.

*Maybe I should check the response to that photo of Gyeoul I posted last time.*

Just as she opened her social media app, someone knocked on the container door.

“Unnie, are you there?”

Thump, thump, thump! The knocks were loud and urgent. Midsummer called out to the person at the door.

“Arin, is that you?”

“Yes. Can I come in?”

“Sure, come on in.”

With a creak, the rusty container door opened, revealing a visibly upset Kwon Arin. Midsummer examined her in surprise.

“Unnie, have you heard?”

“Heard what?”

Arin’s face twisted in anger, and a menacing aura of mana began to rise from her.

*Arin’s grown stronger?*

She was almost as powerful as Gyeoul now. Why had she grown so suddenly? Midsummer looked her up and down in amazement.

“Some crazy people mistreated Gyeoul.”

“Who… who did?”

People who mistreated Gyeoul? Midsummer’s brow furrowed deeply.

“They’re absolutely terrible. How could they do that to a child?”

“What did they do?”

Even with her somewhat twisted personality, Arin was a fundamentally kind-hearted person. For her to be this furious, Midsummer couldn’t help but tense up.

“Gyeoul’s only eight years old, right?”

“Yes.”

“A few years ago, she must have been around five or six, and people abandoned her just because she learned slowly. They left her to survive on her own.”

“What…?”

Could it be…?

Midsummer froze in place.

“What kind of trash does that? I would never harm a child.”

“Uh, Arin…”

“If they were here right now, I’d beat them senseless.”

“A-Arin…”

That was us. Midsummer closed her eyes, struggling to find the words. She couldn’t blame Arin for being angry—it was entirely their fault.

“Sorry, I got a little carried away.”

“…”

“Unnie?”

Arin waved a hand in front of Midsummer’s face. She thought perhaps she had spoken too harshly.

*sigh*

Midsummer clenched her fists tightly. She knew better than to hide their mistakes. She understood that being honest was the only way to grow as a person.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep