Chapter 181 Even the Almighty is New to Being a Dad Chapter 182
Absolute One Is Also New to Fatherhood - Chapter 182
The World Tree.
This was the term used to collectively describe ancient trees that had lived for immeasurable ages, all possessing a certain mystical energy.
While the expression "World Tree" was used across multiple dimensions, the actual species varied dramatically in shape and form.
For instance, elf tribes would worship and protect the massive trees rooted at the center of their villages, calling them "Mother"...
Spirit beings referred to the tree standing at the heart of the Spirit Realm as the "Pillar Tree," drifting around it through the changing seasons.
World Trees—or ancient trees commonly called as such—generally shared similar properties, emitting extraordinarily pure mana that attracted benevolent beings.
Thanks to this, such mysterious and sacred ancient trees often became gathering spots for playful fairies and spiritual creatures with special powers...
They all shared the wondrous ability to promote the growth of nearby plants and breathe vitality into them.
"Appa."
And now.
"What's this?"
A sapling of such a World Tree was held in Seol's small hands.
It was the World Tree sapling Kang-jun had "acquired" from the Spirit Realm.
About the length of a palm, its leaves were a vibrant green.
"Seol, this is called a 'sapling.' If you plant it in the ground and take care of it every day, it'll grow into a big tree someday."
At those words, Seol's eyes widened.
"Wow..."
She seemed utterly amazed that such a tiny sapling could one day become a massive tree.
"How can that be...?"
Seol's eyes sparkled as she asked again.
"Will it grow bigger than the tree in front of our house?"
Dibald answered in Kang-jun's stead.
"In time, it may grow larger than any tree Your Highness has ever seen."
Seol tilted her head in thought.
"But it's so tiny now..."
Kang-jun flicked his finger with a snap! and continued.
"Remember Tiger Uncle?"
He was referring to Go Du-yeol.
"Yeah, Octopus Uncle."
"Right, he's huge, isn't he?"
"Yeah, big like a dinosaur."
"That uncle was also..."
Kang-jun emphasized his words.
"As small as you once."
Seol's pupils shook like aspen leaves in a storm.
"No way..."
"It's true."
"That can't be..."
Looking utterly shocked, Seol suddenly asked with hopeful eyes:
"Appa, then can Seol grow big too?"
"If you stop being picky and chew your food properly..."
"Then can I grow bigger than the fridge?"
Seol glanced sideways at the refrigerator.
What?
Why was she treating the fridge as her rival?
"Well, maybe..."
Though even if Seol grew to her full height, whether she could surpass the massive French-door fridge was questionable.
The French-door refrigerator in the kitchen was a "smart fridge" that Lee Soo-bin had splurged on after much deliberation—taller than an adult man.
"But why the fridge of all things?"
At Kang-jun's question, Seol stared at the top of the refrigerator with a determined expression.
"Seol wants."
"Huh?"
"It's up there."
Then she looked at Kang-jun.
"Appa, you know what TenTen is, right?"
"TenTen?"
"Seol's favorite candy."
TenTen was Seol's beloved chewable children's vitamin, a sweet strawberry-flavored treat packed with various nutrients like vitamins.
Though like most health supplements, overconsumption could backfire...
"Because I saw Auntie take TenTen from the top of the fridge! If Seol gets as big as the fridge, I can eat lots and lots of TenTen!"
Kang-jun let out a short "Guh—" sound and clutched his chest.
"So cute..."
Seol's ambition struck him as utterly adorable.
Just then.
Someone cautiously knocked on the villa's door...
"Who could it be at this hour?"
After glancing at the wall clock, Lee Soo-bin went to open the door.
"Who is it?"
Standing there was a young dwarven apprentice.
"I've come at my master's command, though lacking in courtesy, to deliver the product commissioned by Lord Immortal..."
"Finished already?"
The apprentice nodded proudly.
"My master said to convey that this is one of his life's masterpieces, without equal..."
Crabsley asked in surprise.
"My Lord, did you commission a weapon from the dwarven blacksmith?"
With a brief "No," Kang-jun accepted the gold-adorned case from the apprentice and opened it...
"Kindergarten supplies."
He pulled out a small trowel neatly stored inside.
"A planting trowel."
This was no ordinary trowel—it was crafted by Earth's greatest blacksmith using otherworldly minerals like orihalcon and mithril, materials whose value was beyond measure.
'If the regular clients of the workshop knew, they'd faint in shock...'
The young dwarven apprentice shook his head vigorously.
The next day dawned...
"There she is."
Kang-jun, accompanied by the only idle member of his entourage—Dibald—looked down from the kindergarten rooftop.
In the distance...
The figure of Seol and her classmates could be seen following their homeroom teacher, Lee Ji-hee, in a waddling line.
"Okay, let's line up neatly!"
At Lee Ji-hee's words, the gathered children responded like a choir, "Yes!"
"Now, I'll show you how to plant flowers."
She crouched down and struggled to dig a small hole with her trowel, then placed the prepared freesia seeds inside before covering them with soil.
"If you follow my example and water them daily, flowers will grow."
The children all gasped in admiration...
"The freesia I planted symbolizes innocence, purity, and eternal friendship."
Seol asked curiously.
"Teacher, what's 'flower meaning'?"
After a brief pause, Lee Ji-hee explained gently.
"It's the hidden message in flowers."
"I don't get it..."
"Let me give you an example."
As if recalling a suitable illustration, she murmured "Right" and continued.
"Red roses mean passionate love. If someone gives Seol red roses, it means they love you very much."
The children nodded in understanding...
"I like that."
At Seol's words, Lee Ji-hee asked, "Huh?"
"If Seol gets lots of red flowers, I'll give them to Appa."
Lee Ji-hee smiled.
"Seol loves her dad, doesn't she?"
She understood Seol's feelings perfectly.
Having met countless parents...
Few were like Kang-jun.
"Now, let's plant flowers like I showed you. If you're unsure, call me for help."
The children took out their trowels from home and began digging earnestly while crouched down.
"Seol, wanna make a trap?"
The question came suddenly from Jang Jun-woo, who had a crush on Seol.
"Jun-woo, that's bad..."
"But it'll be fun..."
"What if friends get hurt?"
Seol answered firmly while digging.
"Seol will plant flowers and trees."
While some children lost interest and started playing in the dirt or chasing each other...
Dig, dig, dig.
Seol stuck out her tongue slightly in concentration as her tiny hands worked the trowel tirelessly.
"Seol, you're doing great!"
Lee Ji-hee approached quietly...
After digging several holes effortlessly, Seol replied.
"Yeah, but it's getting tiring."
"Should I help?"
"Okay, let's work together!"
"Here!"
Seol handed over her trowel...
"So light..."
Lee Ji-hee muttered as she took it and dug in Seol's place.
Dig, dig, dig...
Tilting her head, she murmured quietly.
"Why does it dig so well?"
Unlike her own trowel, this one felt feather-light, requiring almost no effort to penetrate the soil.
"Do trowels have quality differences...?"
Considering Seol's father's wealth and love for his daughter, he'd undoubtedly buy the most expensive trowel even for temporary use.
"Expensive things really are better..."
Indeed, the trowel Kang-jun had prepared for Seol was the absolute pinnacle of quality.
Made from orihalcon and mithril—materials impossible to obtain with money alone...
Its monetary value would undoubtedly make jaws drop.
"All done!"
She looked at Seol.
"Seol, ready to plant now."
Seol carefully placed a sapling into the hole they'd dug...
"Wow, a sapling?"
"Yeah, it'll grow big."
After planting the sapling and covering it with soil, Lee Ji-hee suddenly took a deep breath.
"What's this...?"
The moment Seol's sapling was planted, the air suddenly felt refreshingly pure.
"I must be imagining things..."
Assuming it was just her mood, she smiled and continued.
"What flowers did you prepare?"
Seol began reading the labels on the ziplock bags Kang-jun had prepared.
"This is tulip."
The first flower was a tulip.
"What's its meaning?"
"Eternal love."
After planting the tulip...
"This is statice."
The second flower was statice.
"It'll grow purple flowers."
Seol pointed at the photo on the bag with her tiny finger.
"Right, that's statice."
"What's its meaning?"
"Eternal devotion."
Next, Seol pulled out another flower.
"This is lilac."
The third flower was lilac.
"What's its meaning?"
"First love."
Lee Ji-hee gently stroked Seol's head.
"Seol, you're so lucky."
"Why?"
"Because your dad loves you so much."
"Yeah, really love."
Lee Ji-hee's initial suspicion when Seol first took out the tulip seeds had now turned to certainty.
At first, she wondered, 'Did he choose these flowers considering their meanings?'
But as Seol took out seeds for flowers symbolizing eternal love, eternal devotion, and first love in sequence...
It became clear he had indeed selected them with their meanings in mind.
'Come to think of it, he mentioned memorizing flower and tree names in his free time...'
Just then.
"Teacher!"
Other children called for her...
"Seol's finished planting. Should I go help the others?"
Seol answered energetically, raising her hand.
"Seol help too!"
"Okay, let's help together."
As they turned away from the World Tree sapling and flowers they'd planted...
"Oh, wait."
Seol suddenly stopped, closed her eyes tightly, and pressed her tiny hands together in prayer.
"Grow up healthy and pretty..."
A sincere wish.
Rustle.
The World Tree sapling's leaves trembled as if shivering.
A voice echoed in Seol's ears.
Seol opened her eyes.
Seol looked bewildered.
"Yeah, Seol planted you..."
The World Tree responded.
"Just planted..."
Seol quickly glanced around.
Could the others hear this?
After a moment's hesitation, she pursed her small lips.
"Seol likes friends."
The tree answered.
At that exact moment.
Whoosh.
The newly planted flowers sprouted.
Then.
The World Tree continued.
Seol recalled the storybook Kang-jun had read to her—The Giving Tree—and shook her head.
"Don't need anything."
"Grow healthy and strong without pain."
Seol repeated the words her family often said to her, then puffed out her chest proudly.
Somehow, mimicking adults made her feel grown-up.
"Eun-hye is also a friend in Seol's class..."
The next instant.
A radiant light emanated from the World Tree.
Whoooooosh.
It flowed into Seol's body.
"Seol strong now? Can carry kindergarten bag every day?"
Just then.
"Seol!"
Kang-jun and Dibald, who had been watching from afar, appeared before her instantly...
"Father...?"
Lee Ji-hee, who had walked ahead, turned back in shock, eyes wide...
"Correct?"
Dibald answered Kang-jun's question.
"Yes..."
A brief silence fell.
"The Circle has opened."
Meaning.
"How..."
Seol had "awakened."
"Appa! It's me, Seol's Appa!"
Meanwhile, Seol remained blissfully unaware, simply hugging Kang-jun's leg with a bright smile.