Chapter 128: Even the Absolute Being Is a First-Time Dad
Even the Absolute One is New to Fatherhood - Episode 128
Even the Absolute One is New to Fatherhood - Episode 128
Clap clap clap clap clap—!
The thunderous applause threatened to sweep through the entire auditorium...
The children of the Hope Class, dressed in pristine white chef uniforms, bowed in unison.
—That was the energetic and lively percussion performance by the Hope Class children!
Kang-jun, sitting in the audience, subtly glanced at Crabsley beside him and cautiously asked:
"How much longer until Seol's turn?"
In response to Kang-jun's question, Crabsley stared intently at the performance pamphlet that neatly outlined the festival's program for a moment.
"It's the last performance..."
Then he immediately raised his head.
"Which means it's next."
At that moment, the emcee on stage stared at the cue card in their hand and spoke:
—Watching the children's performances, which they've practiced diligently in their spare time, makes time fly by without notice...
—But unfortunately, we've already reached the final performance of today's parent-invited arts festival.
—The grand finale that will conclude this arts festival is a play prepared daily by the children of the Love Class for their parents...
The emcee, who had been flawlessly reading the script provided by the kindergarten teachers, suddenly hesitated without realizing it.
'Is... is this right?'
This is just a 'children's play,' isn't it?
—The production budget alone amounts to hundreds of millions of won...
They spent hundreds of millions on a children's play?
—Not to mention that the 'living legend' of theater, Director Oh Min-seok, served as acting coach and advisory committee member, praising it highly and making it a hot topic...
For a children's play at a kindergarten arts festival?
—The Love Class presents: Children Heroes!
—Before we all enjoy the performance together...
—Let's give them a big round of applause and cheers to boost their energy!
The auditorium lights dimmed once more...
"Alright..."
Kang-jun fumbled to pull out the professional-grade DSLR camera worth hundreds of millions of won that he'd bought specifically to film the arts festival.
'As expected, you get what you pay for.'
Though he knew almost nothing about cameras, Kang-jun couldn't help but feel satisfied with his purchase.
'The image quality is amazing.'
He loved the substantial weight of the camera with its large, cannon-like lens attached.
How should he put it?
It felt like if he gripped it tight and swung it down, knocking someone out would be child's play.
"Hoo..."
Just as Kang-jun brought the viewfinder to his eye, determined not to miss a single moment of Seol's performance...
"One, two, three..."
A familiar voice began counting down.
It was the voice of Go Du-yeol, who insisted on being called "Uncle Tiger."
As Go Du-yeol counted to three...
"Love Class, fighting—!"
The S-rank Hunters all raised their voices in unison, cheering for the Love Class children.
"Must be a Hunter's kid in the Love Class."
"Who could it be...?"
"Whoever it is, they're blessed."
The murmurs spread through the audience again when suddenly...
—Long, long ago, in a time far, far away...
—There lived a Demon King.
The play officially began, and...
Flash!
A bright light illuminated the Demon King—a monstrous dog with a human body—sitting on a lavish throne surrounded by menacing skeletal soldiers.
"I am the Demon King Marbas..."
Every audience member was mesmerized by the flawless costumes of the supporting actors, completely immersed as the play unfolded.
How much time had passed?
Clap clap clap clap clap—!
The performance came to an end...
"Bravo!"
Theater legend Director Oh Min-seok, seated in the front row, rose to his feet, applauding and praising the young actors...
The other audience members were no different, exchanging praises about the play they'd just watched while continuing to clap without rest.
"Wow, that was no joke..."
"What did we just watch...?"
"The Love Class's performance was legendary..."
The children's play Children Heroes, performed by the Love Class, was a continuous spectacle of mind-blowing production.
"The blizzard scene felt so real. For a second, I actually felt cold..."
The blizzard had been conjured by S-rank Hunter #16, the Ice Witch Seol Eun-bin, using her 'Blizzard' magic—of course it felt real.
"Those skeleton soldiers looked terrifying. Honestly, if someone told me they were real, I'd believe it..."
Similarly, the skeleton soldiers were actual 'Skeletons' summoned by Kang-jun, so believing they were real was only natural.
"And the angel that appeared when the Demon King was defeated? That was insane too..."
That was also the highest-tier magic 'Angel's Punishment,' wielded by S-rank Hunter #4, the Guide Jo Min-jin.
"Even the prop quality was next level."
From the holy sword that continuously emitted radiant light to every single prop used by the children on stage...
They were all top-tier 'Artifacts' rarely found even in the deepest layers of the Abyss, so being overwhelmed by their realism was inevitable.
"Honestly, the Demon King gave me chills..."
The same went for the actor playing the Demon King.
Marbas.
Though now just a family dog living with Kang-jun's household, ranked at the very bottom of the domestic hierarchy...
Hadn't he once been the 5th highest-ranking among the 72 Demons, ruling over the entire demon realm?
It was only natural for ordinary spectators to feel something akin to fear.
—Now, let's have a curtain call for the Love Class children, who delivered such a wonderful performance!
—One last round of applause for the Love Class children and their amazing play!
Soon after, the children who had participated in the play began returning to the stage, stepping in time to the march playing in the background...
The Skeletons who had played the skeletal soldiers and Marbas, who had portrayed the Demon King, all stood together on stage.
"That's Seol!"
Kang-jun immediately zoomed in with his camera, capturing Seol standing at the center of the stage...
—Finally, a short celebratory performance!
—The hit song sweeping the nation!
—Performed now by our actors!
Then...
—Rollin'!
As the emcee's announcement ended, the march music faded out, replaced by the trending song...
The children, the skeletal soldiers, and the Demon King actor all began dancing to Rollin' together.
"Woooooah—!"
The adorable sight had everyone bursting into laughter, erupting in thunderous applause and cheers.
Amidst it all, Marbas—expressionless as he executed the girl group's sharp choreography—pondered deeply.
'Is this really okay?'
Thanks to his intensive training, his dance moves were nothing short of art.
And so, the long-awaited kindergarten arts festival came to a close.
Of course...
The best performance, secretly voted by parents and staff...
Was the Love Class's Children Heroes.
In front of Daejeon Station, bustling with endless crowds.
Whoosh—!
A shimmering white light flickered before finally taking human form.
"This is..."
The man who had suddenly appeared muttered.
"...the dimension of ■■■."
His long, flowing hair gleamed a dazzling gold, and his exposed upper torso looked impeccably toned.
After briefly observing the pedestrians busily walking down the street, he murmured in a low voice:
"The high deity of the star system Asgard."
Then once more.
The thunder that none can withstand.
And finally.
"Thor has arrived..."
Meanwhile, the passersby who noticed him didn't seem particularly pleased.
"Did he just appear out of nowhere? Is he an Awakened?"
"Must be."
"Couldn't he at least dress properly?"
Thor then recalled his recent conversation with Kang-jun.
When he had asked where to meet him, Kang-jun had replied:
"Yeoksam Artville."
He had said he would be at a place called Yeoksam Artville.
"Yeoksam Artville..."
Thor strode forward and stopped a middle-aged man smoking beside his parked car, abruptly asking:
"Do you know where Yeoksam Artville is?"
The man replied:
"Well, if it's Yeoksam Artville, it must be in Yeoksam-dong."
Then he countered:
"By the way, you look young—why the informal speech?"
Thor answered again:
"This one's name is 'Thor.'"
"Ah, a foreigner."
"Do you know how to get there?"
"If I don't, the GPS will."
The middle-aged man gestured to his car and added:
"Hop in."
Pleased by the straightforward answer, Thor beamed and sincerely expressed his gratitude.
"Truly, thank you!"
At that, the man stubbed out his cigarette on the sole of his shoe and replied:
"Thank me? I should be thanking you."
Then he added:
"It's been ages since I had a 'long-distance fare.'"
With that, he got into his parked car, turned on the meter, and asked:
"You know about the out-of-town surcharge, right?"
"Surcharge?"
"It's gonna be a pretty long ride to Yeoksam-dong..."
Thor tilted his head at the unfamiliar term, then shrugged and said:
"Time is short—let's just go."
The taxi driver nodded a few times, pressed his foot on the accelerator, and replied:
"Alright, let's go."
Thor stared at the numbers on the meter attached to the center console, deep in thought.
'By the way... what are those numbers?'
The middle-aged man, Lee Ho-yeon...
Was...
A taxi driver.
As the sun began to set...
"Here we are."
The taxi driver, exhausted from the long drive, stretched and spoke. Thor nodded magnanimously and said:
"I shall not forget this kindness and will watch over you."
The driver blinked. "Huh?" Then he pointed at the meter and quietly added:
"285,500 won."
"Huh?"
"You need to pay up."
Then he asked:
"Wait, don't tell me you don't have money?"
Thor answered immediately.
"I don't."
At his shamelessly confident reply, the driver raised his voice.
"Then what gives you the right to act so proud—?!"
Only then did Thor begin to process the situation.
'Ah... so it wasn't free.'
He quickly came up with an alternative and replied:
"My friend lives here."
The driver frowned. "Friend?" He glanced up at the Yeoksam Artville building through the window and asked quietly:
"Then I'll have to get the fare from your 'friend.'"
"Very well. I shall bring my friend at once."
As Thor moved to step out of the taxi...
"Hey—! Hold on, where do you think—?!"
The driver urgently grabbed Thor's arm...
"The fare isn't just 10,000 won—you'll have to leave something valuable as collateral."
Thor blinked. "Something valuable?" He looked down at the hammer in his hand.
Mjölnir.
He couldn't possibly leave her behind.
Next, his gaze fell on his gloves.
Járngreipr.
The iron gauntlets required to wield Mjölnir.
Leaving those behind was out of the question too...
"Then..."
Thor untied the belt around his waist and handed it to the driver.
"Take this."
The driver stared at the belt and asked:
"What's this?"
Thor answered proudly.
"One of this one's three divine treasures—the belt Megingjörð. A sacred relic that doubles the wearer's strength..."
The driver cut him off.
"Oh, for—!"
He shoved 'Megingjörð' back and scolded:
"You think this old rag is good enough collateral?"
"Tch!"
"Unless you're leaving your phone, we're going together."
Thor looked shocked.
"A 'phone' is more valuable than this one's divine Megingjörð?!"
"Even a piece-of-junk belt like this is worth several times more than whatever that is."
With that, the driver got out and opened the door...
"Let's go."
Keeping a firm grip on Thor with one hand, he began knocking on every door in Yeoksam Artville.
Knock knock knock...
"Anyone home?"
How much time passed?
"Who is it?"
When they knocked on the door of the penthouse occupying the entire fourth floor, a child opened the door...
"Is there an adult home?"
At the driver's question, the child nodded and turned around, shouting, "Daddy!"...
Thud, thud.
Kang-jun, dressed comfortably, came to the door at his daughter's call—and frowned when he saw Thor.
"How did you—?"
"My friend!"
At this fateful reunion...
"Uh, sir, is this your friend?"
The driver got straight to the point.
"Your friend here skipped out on his fare."
"Huh?"
"You'll have to pay for him."
Silence fell over the room.