Absolute Beginner Dad Episode 194

Seol's magic skills had improved significantly.

Thanks to that...

The morning routine had become much simpler.

"Seol, let's get ready for daycare."

At Kang-jun's words, Seol smoothly activated a 1st-circle spell.

Clean.

A spell that instantly removed all impurities from her body, leaving her fresh and clean.

"Wow, you're getting good at this?"

Even though he had seen it several times already, the sight of her effortlessly casting magic still amazed him.

"It's not a big deal, Daddy."

Then she picked up her socks.

The ones with little chicks printed on them...

A cute, tiny pair.

"Seol can put on socks by herself now?"

"Really?"

"Watch Seol do it!" ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Lately, her sense of independence had grown rapidly.

Eating, bathing, putting on socks...

She wanted to do everything by herself now.

'Is this typical for kids her age...?'

Not that she had suddenly become mature.

She still refused certain vegetables and threw tantrums occasionally.

In short, she seemed to have taken a liking to pretending to be an adult—acting like she could handle everything on her own.

"Daddy, all done."

Seol plopped down on the floor, planted her hands beside her, and lifted both feet high.

But the way she had put on her socks looked... a little messy.

"Wow, you did great!"

"Really?"

"You looked just like a grown-up."

Seol beamed at that.

'Ah.'

She was really hooked on the idea of being an adult.

"Let me just fix them a little."

"Huh?"

"This way, they'll look even cooler."

Kang-jun crouched in front of her, straightened out her socks, and asked again.

"How's that?"

Seol nodded with a satisfied expression.

"Very good."

Then she sprang up.

"Daddy, is Seol really like a grown-up now?"

"Yeah."

"Right? Seol is actually the most grown-up."

"Huh?"

"The most grown-up of all my friends."

Kang-jun chuckled, "Oh?" and started heading toward the front door. Seol trotted after him, continuing her explanation.

"But there's one friend who's also like a grown-up."

"Who?"

"His name is Lee Geon-taek."

Kang-jun tilted his head, muttering, "Lee Geon-taek, Lee ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Geon-taek..." a few times.

"I feel like I've heard that name before?"

"He's in the same class as Seol."

"Is he mature too?"

Seol's eyes sparkled as she answered.

"Yeah! In our class, Seol and Lee Geon-taek are the most grown-up."

"Really?"

"Because Lee Geon-taek can also put on his socks by himself!"

But then, with a sudden surge of determination, she added:

"But Seol will become a grown-up first."

'Are kids this age competing over who's more mature?'

Kang-jun figured it was possible and patted her head.

"Sure, if you're going to compete, you might as well win."

'Huh. Guess competitiveness is hereditary.'

And so...

Another day began.

Seol wanted to grow up fast.

"Seol, you can't eat too many sweets."

"Why?"

"Because kids' teeth will rot if they do."

Kids couldn't eat as many sweets as they wanted.

"Seol, time to stop watching TV."

"But I wanna watch more..."

"Kids' eyes get bad if they watch too much."

They couldn't watch TV freely either.

"Seol, it's bedtime."

"But I wanna play more..."

"Kids have to sleep early."

They couldn't stay up late to play.

Because...

They had to sleep early to grow tall.

"Sigh, I gotta be a grown-up..."

When Seol let out a sigh, her best friend, Ban Ha-na, clapped and chimed in.

"Seol! You sounded just like a grown-up now!"

"Really?"

"Because grown-ups sigh like that!"

Seol tilted her head, trying to recall.

Come to think of it, her aunt used to sigh a lot too.

"Siiigh—"

When Seol sighed again, the kids in her class crowded around, fascinated by her performance.

"Guys, Seol is just like a grown-up!"

"She sighs like an adult?"

"Wow, Seol is so good at it!"

Then—

"Hmph, but that's not a big deal."

A boy spoke up.

Seol's rival...

Her classmate, Lee Geon-taek.

"Siiigh—"

When Lee Geon-taek let out an exaggerated sigh, the kids gasped again.

"Whoaaa..."

Soon, the two of them started sighing back and forth like they were in a competition...

"Oh my, kids!"

Their teacher, Lee Ji-hee, rushed over in alarm, eyes wide.

"Why are you sighing so much?"

Lee Geon-taek answered.

"We're acting like grown-ups!"

"No, you can't do that."

"But grown-ups sigh."

"You're kids."

Lee Ji-hee looked between them and continued.

"Kids should run around and play without a care in the world. Both of you, promise me you won't sigh anymore."

Reluctantly, the two nodded.

"Okay, promise..."

"Seol."

Lee Geon-taek declared firmly.

"The sighing contest is a tie."

"Seol could've won..."

"Wanna have a picky-eating contest next?"

Seol flinched.

"P-picky eating?"

Lee Geon-taek narrowed his eyes.

"Don't tell me you still pick at your food?"

Seol hesitated.

'Actually, Seol still does...'

Just last night, she had secretly picked out the beans from her rice and tried to give them to her grandpa, only to get scolded when she got caught.

And that wasn't all.

A while back, she had eaten only the meat from her galbi-jjim and hidden the leftover vegetables in Mung-mung (Marbas)'s bowl, earning another scolding.

'What do I do...?'

Seol glanced around at her friends, who were staring at her with admiration and expectation...

"Seol is a grown-up, so Seol doesn't pick at food!"

The lie slipped out before she could stop it.

"Seol loves vegetables the most!"

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠other kids gasped in unison.

"Whoaaa..."

Even Lee Geon-taek, who still avoided carrots, burdock roots, bell peppers, and broccoli, muttered in surprise.

"Wow... you're actually pretty good."

And so, the next contest was decided.

Lunchtime.

"Guys! Seol and Lee Geon-taek are having a contest to see who's more grown-up!"

Not just their class, but even kids from other classes swarmed around them in excitement.

The menu today was red bean rice, spinach salad, stir-fried burdock root, and doenjang soup.

The moment the two kids saw their trays, their faces turned pale in perfect sync.

'It's the beans Seol hates...'

'The burdock root and carrots I hate the most...'

But...

There were too many eyes watching.

"Eek!"

Seol mustered her courage, scooped a big spoonful of red bean ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rice, and forced herself to chew with a straight face before asking casually:

"Mmm, Lee Geon-taek, aren't you eating?"

Not to be outdone, Lee Geon-taek stabbed a piece of burdock root and stuffed it into his mouth.

"I love burdock root the most!"

"Wow, me too!"

"I love carrots the most too!"

"Same as me?"

How much time passed like this?

"Whoa..."

Seol's best friend, Ban Ha-na, stared at their empty trays in awe.

"They both finished everything..."

And so, the picky-eating contest also ended in a tie...

"What should we compete in next...?"

Then, Chae-ah spoke up.

"Seol, Lee Geon-taek."

All eyes turned to her.

"Can you guys drink milk?"

The two kids' pupils trembled.

'Seol doesn't drink milk...'

'I can't drink it without strawberry powder...'

Unaware of their inner turmoil, the other kids excitedly chimed in.

"Seol and Lee Geon-taek can both drink milk, right?"

"Yeah! Because they're both like grown-ups!"

Seol forced a shaky smile.

"Y-yeah, of course."

Lee Geon-taek took a deep breath...

"L-let's have a milk-drinking contest!"

He tried to sound calm, but his voice wavered.

"Hmph, yeah... I like milk too..."

And so, the next event was decided.

The next challenge was...

A plain white milk chugging contest.

A pile of white milk cartons sat on the low table.

"Chae-ah will give you hers."

"Me too..."

"Jun-u will share too."

The other kids, curious to see who was more grown-up, had donated their own milk cartons for the contest.

"Ready, go!"

Ban Ha-na, who had somehow become the referee, shouted loudly.

Gulp, gulp—

Seol and Lee Geon-taek glared at each other as they chugged the milk.

'It's so gross...'

'I can't do this...'

In their minds, milk was only good with flavored powder—chocolate, strawberry, banana, cookies & cream, and so on.

For kids their age, plain white milk was torture...

But...

"Whoa, they're both so grown-up..."

Under the weight of everyone's expectations, neither could stop.

"They're drinking it without any powder..."

"Just plain white milk..."

"They're real grown-ups..."

How much time passed?

One, two, three, four...

Seol grabbed her fifth carton.

"Ugh..."

Lee Geon-taek whimpered.

"Seol... I give up..."

Then he gagged—"Blegh!"—before wiping his mouth and forcing out the words.

"You're... more grown-up now..."

But Seol didn't stop.

"Princess."

A memory surfaced—something Halbu-ji (Grandpa Crabsley) had once told her.

"If anyone dares to challenge you, you must show no mercy until the very end. Only then will they never defy you again."

"Me...?"

"You carry the blood of the imperial family. It is only right that you become the leader of your daycare class."

She didn't fully understand what that meant...

But instinctively, she tore open another 200ml milk carton.

"Seol, you're not..."

She chugged it down.

As if to prove her dominance, she tilted her head back and stared down at her rival.

Gulp, gulp.

She finished the fifth carton in one go.

Then she slammed it down with a thud and declared:

"Seol is..."

A sudden burp interrupted her.

"Buurp."

She continued.

"...the boss of our class."

Seol, age 5.

Had officially become...

The leader of her daycare class.

For some reason, Seol looked unusually pale when she came home.

"Seol—"

"Hurk!"

She suddenly bolted to the bathroom.

'What's going on?'

Just as Kang-jun muttered to himself, his phone buzzed.

A call from her teacher, Lee Ji-hee.

"Yes, Teacher."

After hearing the full story about the contest at daycare, Kang-jun chuckled.

"Got it. I'll make sure to talk to her at home."

He hung up.

"My liege, is something the matter?"

At Crabsley's question, Kang-jun shrugged and explained the day's events with amusement.

"Ohh..."

Crabsley was impressed.

"As expected of the imperial bloodline..."

Then he approached the closed bathroom door and whispered:

"Your Highness, I heard everything."

From behind the door, weak groans ("Gurgle...") and Seol's pitiful voice answered.

"Grandpa... Seol is the boss now..."

Crabsley solemnly replied.

"Your Highness, are you in pain?"

"Yeah... Seol's tummy hurts..."

A brief silence.

Then, in a grave tone, Crabsley added:

"One who wears the crown..."

"Must bear its weight."

Watching from a distance, Kang-jun muttered, "Good grief..." and shook his head.

And so, another peaceful day came to an end.