Picked Up by Grandpa (For Real)
"A raid...?"
Honestly, I want to do it. Of course, I know it's dangerous, but thinking back to the test, my abilities seem pretty amazing. Not just Jong-woo, but Grandpa and Unnie were shocked too. Plus, Absolmi is super strong—he pierced right through the gate boss's heart, even if it was just a Grade 2.
The problem is my age, like the uncle said. No matter how much I insist I'm actually older, I just look like a nine-year-old girl...
"I want to... but can I really join a raid...?"
Kang Se-eun scratched her cheek, looking troubled. Yeah, I figured as much... Even I'd try to stop a little girl from going on a raid.
"Wouldn't it be okay if I'm with the adults...?"
"Can't I go with you, Unnie?"
I guess I have no choice but to pull out some aegyo. Objectively speaking, this body of mine is incredibly cute. No, beautiful even. As I grabbed the hem of Se-eun Unnie's clothes tight and pleaded, her eyes shook wildly. She was definitely torn.
Now's the time to drive it home...!
"I want to raid with you, Unnie..."
"W-Well, how about we find a safe dungeon next time and go?!"
"Hohoho, we'll talk about that later. First, go wash up."
Argh! She was almost there, but Grandpa ruined it by coming out of the bathroom. Kang Yong-su had this talent for making me hate him, then like him, then hate him again.
Se-eun Unnie shook her head with an "oh no" expression and clamped her mouth shut. If I'd gotten even a verbal promise, I could've whined about it later...!
"Then, Shiro, wanna wash up with Unnie?"
"Huh?"
"Unnie will wash you. Let's go in together."
"N-No! I can wash myself!"
"But bathing together is nicer, right?"
"No, no. No! I'll wash alone!!"
"Mmm... Okay..."
This... is just too much, even for me. I felt guilty and refused flat-out. Sure, I'm a little girl now, so it should be fine, but...
No way!!
For some reason, that made it feel even more wrong.
And so, three days passed. The most idle time of my life.
Kang Yong-su asked if I remembered my elementary school, and I said no, of course. If you're gonna lie, might as well go all the way, right?
So while other kids my age were at school studying, I lounged around Grandpa's spacious house, wasting days away. They fed me, clothed me, even let me use the computer. But with these short arms and tiny hands, gaming was impossible.
"Let's head to the Association."
Grandpa was the one putting an end to my utterly lazy girl life. Something about having various things to ask Jong-woo about.
Unfortunately, Se-eun Unnie was busy with hunter activities, so she couldn't come along. I exhausted myself arguing against Grandpa's offer to piggyback me there—thank goodness we took a fancy foreign luxury car to the Hunter Association instead.
If I'd really flown through the air in Grandpa's arms again, I'd have puked fifty times and it still wouldn't have been enough.
"You've arrived. Let's talk in the president's office."
"Got it. Let's go, Shiro."
"Yes!"
But being called "Shiro-ya~ Shiro-ya~" by Grandpa makes me feel like a puppy. It's not even a typical Korean name, after all.
I toddled after the uncle into the president's office. Every time I come here, it reeks of successful adult vibes.
"First off... We've searched everywhere in Seoul, but no one knows Miss Shiro or claims to have seen her."
"Hmm... Is that really true? She didn't just pop out of the ground—how can it be that clean?"
Grandpa's gaze landed on me. I plastered on my best "I know nothing" face and grinned hehe.
What would a nine-year-old know, Grandpa?
"So... We'll have to go with an official childcare facility or adoption. We'll need to create a new resident registration in the process."
"Understood for now. What about Shiro's hunter rank?"
"It's been set to B-rank. We could issue the physical Awakener ID right away, but it's best to hold off until her identity is sorted."
"Good work... Well then..."
Jong-woo and Kang Yong-su both looked at me at the same time. Ah, here it comes. That heavy atmosphere where the kid has to decide, even though it's a tough issue.
"Shiro, what do you think about living with Grandpa from now on?"
"It might be awkward explaining now, but... Hunter Kang Yong-su is a really good man. You won't have much to worry about living with him."
Is that so... Am I really getting officially picked up by Grandpa like this...?
I could refuse and go to a facility, but it didn't appeal. I'd already done the orphanage thing once before.
Grandpa seems like he'd let me do hunter stuff, but an orphanage? No way.
— Kyaa! Kyaa!
"Um, Absolmi says he wants to live with Grandpa too."
Absolmi chirped right on cue, like my body was itchy or something, so I used it on impulse. Now it looks like I want to live with Grandpa but am too shy, so I'm blaming Absolmi. He turned to look at me, as if reading my mind perfectly.
Did eating that mana stone give him mind-reading powers? No, wait, that's not it!
"Ahaha! Congratulations on your new granddaughter!"
"Hoho, no need for congrats... An adult with ability should look after her."
Grandpa seemed secretly pleased as he ruffled my hair wildly. Strands tangled everywhere, blocking my view. Some even got in my mouth—ack ack.
"Of course, the adoption process won't happen immediately. Getting recognized as an unclaimed child is pretty strict, so it might take a while. For now, think of it as getting identity through Awakener registration, with Hunter Kang Yong-su as her legal guardian."
"Good thing you're the Association President."
"Haha... If a young hunter like Miss Shiro grows up under Hunter Kang Yong-su, it'll be a huge boon to Korea's hunter world."
"That's why... "
Grandpa shot me a side-eye. This flow—he's definitely about to ask about my hunter activities, right? I sent him an excited, expectant look. Go Grandpa!
"What should we do about Shiro's schooling?"
"Huh?"
"I was thinking of sending her to the Association's direct academy, focused on practical training... But would a regular elementary school be better?"
"Eh?"
"She probably needs to go at least through middle school... Right?"
"N-No."
"Yeah, I think so. She needs to make friends and all..."
No way. At my age, I can't mix with real elementary kids. The conversation was heading straight to forcing me into elementary school. Even Absolmi nodded like he agreed. What do you know? I'm your master!
I glared a bit, and he flew right to my head and perched calmly.
"Um, I wanna be a hunter right away...!"
"Huh? Haha, Miss Shiro. You still need to go to school. What you learn there has value too."
"Yeah, Jong-woo is right. You need to make friends at school too, Shiro."
"I, I don't wanna!"
Ugh, this is bad. Sure, going to elementary won't end the world, but I have no confidence. No confidence I'd be happy there.
This feeling of mana flowing through me, spreading the Innocence skill. This sensation telling me how a body this age should act. Heart commanding, head understanding—I resolved to move that way.
I grabbed Jong-woo and Kang Yong-su's pant legs, looked up with teary eyes.
These tears are fake, from acting, so I'm not really crying. ...Okay, thinking about actually going to elementary made some real ones well up. All because of the Innocence skill.
"I hate school... I wanna be a hunter..."
"Hmm..."
Seeing how much I hated it, they both looked deep in thought. Maybe they sensed some instinctive PTSD about school. They didn't immediately say no, feeling it wasn't just "I don't wanna study."
Honestly, my appearance is a bit... cu, cute. Hard to refuse a teary plea.
If I can't go back to being an adult, I'll be a cunning kid through and through.
"How about this? Among the Association's direct education groups, there's one focused on hunter practicals. She could train there while doing basic education via homeschooling...?"
"Whoa, perfect. Please do that."
"Hmm..."
I jumped on Jong-woo's suggestion as the best option. But Grandpa looked unsatisfied, still pondering.
Fair enough. Even I'd hesitate to immediately homeschool a granddaughter who hates school. I'm relatively young-minded, but Grandpa would struggle more. Jong-woo might be the unusual one.
"We'll discuss with Se-eun at home and let you know. That okay?"
"Yes, fine. But if it drags on, it could delay Miss Shiro's education, so please don't take too long..."
"Hoho, I know. No worries. Let's go, Shiro."
Couldn't get instant approval on-site, huh... I held Grandpa's hand with a glum look as we walked.
Now I have to convince Se-eun Unnie at home too...? No confidence...
"What? Dad. I was homeschooled too? Why not for Shiro?"
"But..."
"Don't tell me you're hung up on me missing school and feeling guilty? I loved homeschooling and hunting."
"Still..."
"Ugh, fine! Let Shiro do what she wants! Why overthink it!"
"O-Okay..."
From now on, criticizing Se-eun Unnie counts as criticizing me.