Chapter 168 Even the Almighty is New to Being a Dad Chapter 169
Absolute One Is Also New to Fatherhood - Chapter 169
Absolute One Is Also New to Fatherhood - Chapter 169
Thud, thud.
Seo Do-cheol stepped into the dimly lit interrogation room.
"What's their status?"
The Awakened and Gate Management Bureau official on duty shook his head in response.
"No change."
He then glanced through the glass wall at the handcuffed cultists of the Maleficent God Sect sitting motionless and added,
"They've been like this for days."
Their condition was undeniably abnormal.
"They haven't eaten a single meal or even taken a sip of water for days now."
"Hmm..."
"Not only that, they haven't slept a wink. Just sitting there, staring blankly into space..."
Any normal "interrogation" or "questioning" was impossible under these circumstances.
"Should we transfer them to the Awakened Detention Center?"
At that, Seo Do-cheol turned to Iriel and Dibalde, who stood beside him, and asked,
"What do you think?"
Not long ago, Kang-jun had assigned them to assist in interrogating the cultists, believing they'd be of great help.
Thus...
He had brought them to the interrogation room to assess the situation firsthand.
"A classic 'Restriction' spell," Dibalde remarked.
Seo Do-cheol immediately turned his gaze toward him.
"They've likely been bound by magic to prevent them from divulging any information about their organization."
Dibalde smoothly continued,
"But it's not entirely impossible to break."
"Then...?"
"If we squeeze them hard enough, they'll talk."
With that, Dibalde stepped into the interrogation room.
He possessed the insight to analyze the structure of any magic.
"Hmm."
For a moment, he silently observed the cultists, who sat like marionettes with their strings cut, staring blankly into space.
Then, with a fluid motion of his finger, he traced a large, intricate magic circle in the air.
Whoooosh—!
The magic circle contained three notoriously complex spells: [Dispel], [Interrogation], and [Discernment].
Any orthodox Awakened who witnessed this would undoubtedly be stunned by the sheer impossibility of the sight.
Fzzzt—!
The first spell, [Dispel], activated, temporarily lifting their restraints.
"Wh-where...?"
Immediately, the second spell, [Interrogation], took effect.
"State the name of your organization."
As Dibalde's words trailed off, the cultists, their eyes still glazed, spoke in unison.
"M-Maleficent God Sect..."
Then, the third spell, [Discernment], activated.
This was a high-tier magic that determined the truthfulness of their statements.
Good. They're telling the truth.
However, there was one problem.
Drip, drip...
Blood began streaming from the cultists' eyes, noses, and mouths.
How meticulous.
They had clearly prepared for the eventuality of their restraints being forcibly broken.
They'll all die soon.
Time was running out.
"What is your organization's ultimate goal?"
"T-the... end of the world..."
"Where is your organization's headquarters?"
"W-we're... decentralized... don't know..."
Dibalde gritted his teeth. He needed to extract as much information as possible before they died.
"Assist the Bureau in interrogating them. Extract as many details as you can."
His lord had given him a direct order.
"They are unnecessary in the world my daughter will live in."
For the first time since arriving on Earth, Dibalde saw a glimpse of Kang-jun's imperial demeanor resurface.
"Only by erasing their existence will I feel satisfied."
And so, with utmost solemnity, he carried out his lord's command.
"I'm hooome!"
Kang-jun and Seol returned home, and as he stood at the entrance, shaking the rainwater off his shoes, Lee Soo-bin called out from inside.
"Kang-jun, it's really coming down, huh?"
Taking a rare moment to enjoy a cup of tea, she glanced at him.
"Yeah, guess summer's really here," Kang-jun replied.
The rain had been pouring relentlessly for days now, showing no signs of stopping.
"Monsoon season, huh...?"
Soo-bin muttered as she gazed out the window. Kang-jun, meanwhile, scanned the unusually quiet house and asked,
"Why's it so quiet today?"
Lately, the house had been bustling with guests, but now it was oddly peaceful.
The sudden silence felt strangely unfamiliar.
"They all went to the arcade."
"Arcade?"
"Yeah, the old man took them."
Kang-jun blinked. "Oh?" Then, he fell into deep thought.
An arcade, huh...
Come to think of it, he used to frequent arcades as a kid too.
Next time, I should tag along and establish my dominance...
Especially against Crabsley—he had to win at least once.
The humiliation from their last PC bang showdown still lingered fresh in his mind.
Yeah, definitely...
Looking back, he remembered being unusually good at arcade games compared to his peers.
Metal Slug, 1945, Tengai, Tekken, Street Fighter, and more...
"Dada. Dada."
Seol tugged at his sleeve.
"Hm?"
She pointed outside.
"Wain fallin' a wot."
"Yeah."
"Gonna keep wainin'?"
Kang-jun looked out the window at the relentless downpour and nodded.
"Probably for a few more days."
Seol puffed out her cheeks.
"Hmm..."
She seemed deep in thought about something.
"What's up?"
After staring out the window for a while, she suddenly turned to him and asked,
"Dada, what if gwanma no have 'brella?"
"Huh?"
"Wain fallin' a wot. What if no have 'brella?"
She was worried about the elderly street vendor who sold vegetables and herbs.
Suddenly...
An image flashed in Kang-jun's mind—Seol crouching beside the old woman, sharing her tiny umbrella.
"You're worried about her?"
Seol nodded. "Mm-hmm..."
Then, she flipped up the hood of her yellow raincoat and chattered on.
"I go see."
"By yourself?"
"I can go 'lone."
Kang-jun nodded.
"Alright, but make sure you come back before it gets late."
"Pwomise!"
"And what do you do if something happens?"
Seol immediately held up her tiny hand, showing the ring snugly fitted on her finger.
"Tawk to wing."
"What?"
"Say 'miss Dada.'"
Kang-jun smiled softly. "That's right."
He gently patted her head.
"Be careful."
"Bye-bye!" she chirped before scampering outside.
Soo-bin frowned.
"Kang-jun, are you sure it's okay to let her go alone? Don't you think she's still too young?"
Kang-jun shook his head.
"She'll be fine. Don't worry."
The ring Seol wore had been meticulously crafted by the dwarven master smith Dvergr.
Inside, runes were intricately engraved—starting with a [Protection] spell that activated automatically when the wearer faced physical danger...
And ending with a high-tier [Summoning] spell triggered by the wearer's will alone.
If Seol spoke into the ring, Kang-jun would be summoned to her side instantly.
"Hmm..."
But then—why?
Kang-jun bit his nails.
His leg bounced. His eyes darted around.
"Kang-jun, are you okay?"
"Yeah..."
"You're sweating."
Kang-jun muttered, "Cold sweats are a symptom caused by illness or tension. It's a compound word, so you shouldn't put a space between 'cold' and 'sweat'..."
Soo-bin stared at him.
"Kang-jun, you sound like a Wikipedia article right now!"
No matter how safe things were, there was always an exception.
Thud!
Kang-jun abruptly stood up and shoved his feet into his sneakers.
"I'll follow her."
Seol might be ready to go out alone, but Kang-jun clearly wasn't ready to let her.
Watching his flustered retreat, Soo-bin couldn't help but chuckle.
"Yeah, that's more like it..."
Not long ago, the monsoon season had begun.
Whoooosh—
Today, too, the rain fell endlessly.
"Aigoo..."
Kim Yeong-rye, an elderly woman selling vegetables and herbs at a street stall, sighed as she struggled to stand.
"This rain just won't stop..."
She figured she wouldn't be able to keep her stall open today.
Even with her parasol up...
The raindrops kept splashing onto her goods.
"I should probably call it a day now...."
Just as she was neatly packing the scattered vegetables and wild greens from her stall into a large plastic bag, a voice called out.
"Granny."
A pretty little girl approached.
"Dear!"
It was the same kind-hearted girl who had stopped in the middle of yesterday's sudden downpour to shelter her with an umbrella.
And that wasn't all.
The girl's father had bought every last vegetable and wild green from her stall simply because it had started raining.
"It's raining heavily."
"Oh dear..."
"You should head home now."
Like father, like daughter.
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
"Sweetie, you came again?"
"Not 'sweetie'—Seol!"
"Oh my, is that so?"
"Yeah, not 'sweetie,' it's Seol!"
Kim Yeong-rye broke into a wide smile.
"Seol—what a lovely name."
The girl, dressed in a bright yellow raincoat and boots, reminded her of a little chick.
"Can Seol help?"
"Your hands will get dirty..."
"I'll wash them after!"
"No, no."
Despite Seol's repeated offers, Kim Yeong-rye couldn't bring herself to let the child help and simply watched in silence.
"How old are you, dear?"
"Three."
"How adorable..."
Suddenly, she remembered her own daughter—now grown, married, and sent off to her husband's household.
Once upon a time, her daughter had been just as small.
"Have you eaten yet, dear?"
"Not yet."
"Should Granny make you something?"
She wanted to give the lovely child something—anything—but with nothing proper to offer, she at least wanted to feed her a good meal.
"Hmm..."
Seol crouched down, deep in thought.
Daddy said not to follow strangers.
But Granny wasn't a stranger anymore, so it should be okay, right?
Besides, it had been a while since she last ate, and her stomach was growling.
"Seol wants to eat!"
Kim Yeong-rye quickly finished packing up her stall and stood with a groan.
"Alright, let's go eat with Granny."
Meanwhile...
"Huh? Where are they going?"
Hidden behind a telephone pole in the distance, Kang-jun concealed his presence and began following them.
Rain or shine, Kim Yeong-rye had never missed a single day of work.
It was habit.
After losing her husband early, she couldn't let her child go hungry—so she lived like this.
She had lived her whole life that way.
Even now, when she no longer had to worry about "putting food on the table," she still lived the same.
Looking back, it had been a relentless life.
Her grown daughter had graduated from a prestigious university and landed a job at a major corporation...
She had married a good man, so there were no more worries.
All Kim Yeong-rye wished for was an occasional call from her.
"Let's eat, dear."
She set out a carefully prepared dinner.
Soybean paste stew, braised tofu, fried eggs, stir-fried anchovies...
She had even grilled some ham crisp—something kids usually loved.
"Wow, it's so yummy!"
"Eat as much as you want."
The cozy aroma of stew filled the small room.
Kim Yeong-rye turned her head slightly to watch the rain falling outside.
She had lived in this house for 55 years.
Even though she now had enough wealth to never work again...
She stayed, refusing to leave this place.
Her daughter often scolded her for it.
"Mom, why are you so stubborn?"
Why not move to an apartment in Seoul?
But Kim Yeong-rye hated apartments.
Big houses felt like chicken coops to her.
"No."
Her daughter found her frustrating.
"At least stop working..."
A person must work diligently to live.
That was the survival she had learned.
"It's just something to pass the time."
The conversation with her daughter flashed through her mind.
"So yummy..."
Meanwhile, Seol was scarfing down her food.
"Chew properly, dear."
The way the child ate heartily without fussing over side dishes made her endlessly endearing.
"Yummy..."
Kim Yeong-rye then asked,
"Should Granny walk you home?"
"Seol has to go home now?"
"They'll worry if you're late."
How anxious would parents be if such a lovely girl came home late?
"Seol has to pay for the meal..."
At that, Kim Yeong-rye let out an involuntary chuckle.
"Pay for the meal?"
Where had she learned such a phrase?
"Yeah, gotta pay for food!"
Seol had picked it up from Kang-jun, who often scolded the freeloaders at home with similar words.
"How should Seol pay...?"
Seol looked around, wondering what she could do.
"Huh?"
Her eyes landed on a label stuck to a water bottle.
— Barley Tea.
Kim Yeong-rye's crooked handwriting was barely legible.
"Granny, you spelled it wrong."
"Huh?"
"It's not 'Barley Tea'—it's 'Barley Tea.'"
Kim Yeong-rye flushed.
"Is that so?"
She had never learned to read or write properly.
Too busy raising her daughter...
Too busy surviving.
"Yeah, it's wrong."
She had learned words by context, counted with matchsticks to run her stall.
Though she had lived without shame, the topic of education always made her self-conscious.
"But it's okay!"
Seol smiled.
"Teacher says nobody's perfect at first."
"Huh?"
"Seol couldn't write well at first either."
She chattered on.
"But now Seol can write!"
"Oh, you clever thing..."
"Then Seol will pay like this!"
Seol puffed out her chest proudly.
"Then how about Seol teaches Granny?"
"Dear, you?"
"Yeah! If Seol doesn't know, I can ask and learn, right?"
Seol grabbed a pen from the TV stand and clumsily crossed out the incorrect label.
— Barley Tea.
She rewrote it in crooked letters and beamed.
"See? Just write like this!"
Kim Yeong-rye's eyes widened.
"How are you so smart...?"
Seol replied immediately.
"Seol's not smart—just studied a lot!"
Then Kim Yeong-rye remembered something.
"Dear, could you write something for Granny?"
"Huh?"
"Granny wants to write a letter, but I can't..."
Seol pondered.
Could she do it?
She decided to try.
"Okay!"
Kim Yeong-rye began dictating.
"To Yeong-mi, your mother."
Seol wrote it down.
Easy enough.
She could manage this much.
"There's something I must say, but I can't bring myself to say it aloud, so I write this."
Seol muttered, "Granny's slow," as Kim Yeong-rye continued haltingly.
"There's something I want to say."
"Wan say sumting."
Seol nodded. "Got it."
Kim Yeong-rye went on.
"I can't bring myself to say it."
"Can't say it."
"So I write it here."
"Write here."
After a pause, Kim Yeong-rye added,
"The doctor said..."
"Doctor said..."
"That the day I see your father..."
"See Daddy..."
"Is not far off."
"Not far."
"I keep forgetting things."
"Forget things."
Tears welled in her eyes.
"Granny, crying?"
Seol set down the pen and looked up.
Kim Yeong-rye forced a smile and shook her head.
"Dear, you should go now."
"Huh?"
"The sun's setting—come again next time."
"Okay..."
"Granny will walk you home."
Seol shook her head.
"It's okay, Daddy's coming."
"Huh?"
"Just wait for the ring."
As Seol whispered to her ring—
Knock knock.
Someone rapped on the shabby country house's door.
"I've come for the child."
The rusty iron gate creaked open as Kang-jun stepped inside.
"My child seems to have troubled you."
"How..."
"I happened to hear her voice."
He scooped Seol into his arms.
"Wow, so cool!"
"Huh?"
"Seol was just thinking of Daddy!"
Seol waved at Kim Yeong-rye with a bright smile.
"Granny, Seol will come again!"
A promise for next time.
"Alright, come again."
"Yeah, write more next time!"
As father and daughter left...
"So kind..."
She carefully folded the letter Seol had written.
Then she dressed in the funeral clothes she had prepared in advance.
She never knew when her time would come.
Every night, she slept in them.
Waiting endlessly for her daughter's call...
Too afraid to call first, she always fell asleep like this.
"She must be busy..."
Busy with work at a big company, busy raising her own children.
Too ashamed to call and bother her.
"Daughter..."
As she tightened the knots on her funeral garments, she murmured.
"What was my daughter's name again...?"
With death looming before her eyes...
Sadly...
Her memories were fading fast.