Chapter 224
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 224
Chapter Title: Her Wish
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To Han Minguk, Kang Chaeyoung was by no means a woman with such an overwhelming presence that he couldn't live without her.
She was simply one of the women in this world who caught his interest on par with Team GGW. If there was anything more, it was just a bit of curiosity sparked by her title as the top-ranked dealer in the country.
Besides, Kang Chaeyoung was now a veteran planning to retire from the war against the darkness monsters and focus on her own future.
In other words, she wasn't someone who could be much help to him in taking down the darkness monsters. At best, she might serve as a mentor to his team members, drawing from her vast experience.
But now that she'd announced she was carrying his child, he couldn't stop thinking about her for some reason. Even if it was due to her desperate plea to have a child and the quest that came with it.
'It's my kid.'
...That thought kept circling in his mind.
"Hm."
Minguk recalled the text and photo Kang Chaeyoung had sent him once more. Me, who never even had a girlfriend back home, a dad in this world.
It felt strange.
Come to think of it, it wasn't impossible here to have hundreds of concubines and thousands of kids like some emperor of the Indian Empire.
'What pointless thoughts.'
Anyway, shaking his head to clear his mind, Minguk felt the need to redefine his relationship with Kang Chaeyoung.
They were going to be the father and mother of a child, after all. A one-sided dynamic where she was just part of his cartel didn't sit right anymore. What would the kid think?
Even if this world saw such things as normal, he hadn't been born here. He still wanted the child to feel that mom and dad loved them.
"We should at least get engaged."
"That sounds good. Marriage might be a bit much right now, so start with an engagement, live together a few years, and if it feels right, have the ceremony... Huh? What?!"
Hyun-ah, who had been nodding absentmindedly to Minguk's words, suddenly jerked back in shock.
"With who?"
Her stunningly beautiful face, already knowing the answer, filled with jealousy to the point it stole his breath. Her pretty lips began to pout bit by bit.
"Hm."
Watching her like that, Minguk thought it might be better to properly define his relationship with Hyun-ah first. He wanted something more serious than their current cartel setup, which was basically just sex partners.
They'd been together since he opened his eyes in this world, nearly three years of living together now.
He'd seen every side of her, and the number of times they'd been intimate was easily in the hundreds.
Of course, Minguk had no intention of distancing himself from such a Hyun-ah. Her jealousy was just her way of craving his affection, and he could understand and overlook it to some extent.
"You first."
"Me? Me...? M-meee?!"
Hyun-ah, who had naturally assumed it was Kang Chaeyoung, leaped up from her seat in horror moments later.
She stared at Minguk with a look of utter shock. But that emotion soon turned to joy.
"R-really?"
"No joke."
At Minguk's follow-up, Hyun-ah collapsed back down. Her legs had given out.
She'd been content with just a sliver of affection within the safety of Minguk's cartel... She never imagined he saw her as special.
"I'll do even better from now on."
Hyun-ah's eyes quickly welled up with tears.
Overwhelmed, she crawled to him like a puppy and hugged him tight. She couldn't stand yet; her legs still wouldn't hold her.
"I'll earn lots of money so you never go hungry... And take down even more of those darkness monster bastards..."
Minguk smiled awkwardly as Hyun-ah clung to him, sniffling.
'Feels like I should be the one saying that...'
Besides, as raid leader, he earned more than her anyway. But considering women's positions in this world, it was natural for her to say it.
"Anyway, I'll get engaged to you and Chaeyoung together. You know she's pregnant, right?"
"...Yeah."
Her face, immersed in emotion just moments ago, twisted in dissatisfaction but softened into a smile upon looking at Minguk.
Yes, she would be Minguk's fiancée, loved by him.
'And the reason I'm not having a kid right now is...'
Unlike someone else, it was because Minguk needed her. Realizing that, the jealousy in her heart vanished completely.
"Still, it's my kid, so I have to take responsibility."
Hyun-ah's eyes widened in surprise at Minguk's continued words.
"...Huh? Wait, you're getting engaged to her because Hero Kang Chaeyoung is pregnant?"
"Yeah? Obviously."
"Whoa... You really are..."
A man taking responsibility for a woman carrying his child. Hyun-ah's eyes filled with admiration once more. Naturally, word of Minguk's engagement plans spread instantly through Team GGW.
"Seriously?"
"Pfft! Cough! Hack! *Cough cough*!"
Jung Ye-rin, shocked upon hearing the story, spat out her water and burst into a coughing fit.
Choi Yuna beside her had her eyes wide open too. The raid leader getting engaged was surprising enough, but the reason was the real shocker.
"Yeah. He said he's engaging Hero Kang Chaeyoung to take responsibility for her pregnancy."
"Wow, that's incredible. How does a guy this perfect even exist?"
The two women's eyes filled with envy. They gushed and praised Han Minguk effusively.
It wasn't just his skills or looks; his mindset and actions were simply too admirable.
And with that, a flicker of hopeful expectation began to stir in them. They too were women in Minguk's cartel. In this world, one man having multiple wives was no flaw at all.
As planned, Minguk cleared the 【A-4】 difficulty dungeon and returned straight to Seoul.
He filed his report at the clan house, then headed home. Team GGW was on a two-day break starting today. Hyun-ah said she'd spend time with her sister today and come home tomorrow. She probably thought he'd meet Chaeyoung.
"Let's see."
Sitting at his desk, Minguk ran through his to-do list.
This engagement would include Hyun-ah, who'd been with him the longest. A quick search showed options like booking a fancy hotel or venue, but...
"Just something simple to confirm our feelings... No."
On second thought, he wasn't some lone wolf making all the decisions alone. He needed to discuss it with them.
Besides, he had no idea how Kang Chaeyoung would take it. Though he didn't think she'd refuse. It wasn't baseless confidence; he genuinely believed it.
[Han Minguk]: Got something to say. Can we meet now?
[Kang Chaeyoung]: Now? Got it! Getting ready right away.
[Han Minguk]: No need to come out. I'll head to your place.
Leaving home, Minguk took a taxi straight to Kang Chaeyoung's place.
The driver teasingly chatted up the handsome guy with the masked face, but when Minguk casually flashed his gear score gear, the man shut up in astonishment.
Of course, he had to give an autograph instead of cab fare at drop-off.
"You're here?"
Ringing the bell, Kang Chaeyoung greeted Minguk warmly. Undeniable joy radiated from her face.
"Pfft! Uh, what's that?"
Entering the living room, Minguk glanced at the tablet screen naturally in view and burst out laughing. She must've been shopping online; it was all baby clothes and toys.
"That excited, huh?"
"...Of course."
Kang Chaeyoung grinned at his question, gently caressing her belly.
"They pulled me from trials three days ago. Said intense movement fighting darkness monsters risks the baby. I won't even swear anymore. Gotta use only kind, gentle words."
"Clan okayed that?"
Minguk tilted his head.
Even so, she was a core member of Memoria Clan. Considering her value, did they really approve so easily? Back in his old world, pregnancy didn't mean you stopped working until birth.
But Kang Chaeyoung looked at him like he was the odd one.
"Huh? Isn't that obvious? It's pregnancy, not some minor thing."
"Ahh, right, it is."
"Well, guys wouldn't know."
Seeing his dumbfounded face, Kang Chaeyoung began listing maternity benefits one by one.
"Whoa..."
Listening, Minguk's jaw dropped unwittingly. Not just for pregnant women, but support for fathers too was massive.
This world's government measures for their disastrously low birth rate were tear-jerkingly thorough. No wonder; without them, humans would die out before the darkness monsters did.
Anyway, Kang Chaeyoung had gotten ten months of extended leave. She planned nearly two years off post-birth too.
"So I'm thinking of doing my retirement ceremony at the same time. Gotta say goodbye properly to the fans who love Memoria and me."
"You could still go pro though."
"But now I want to live as a mom, not a hero."
Her face lit up with imagined happiness, a smile returning. Seeing her like that, Minguk knew it was time to bring it up.
"Thing is, I don't know if I'll be a good dad to our kid."
"Uh, yeah?"
Was he unhappy about the pregnancy? Her eyes darted anxiously at his sudden words.
"But I want to be a good one."
"R-really?"
"Yeah. And I think the most important thing for a kid's emotional health is having both parents. Especially since it's our child... So, here's the thing."
What was he getting at? Kang Chaeyoung blinked curiously.
"Too much to prepare for marriage right away, so how about we get engaged first? What do you think, noona?"
"...!"
She jumped in surprise at his words.
She knew he thought differently from other men. But to feel this level of responsibility just because she was pregnant...
"Y-yeah. I love it. Absolutely love it..."
His heartfelt words reddened her eyes once more. She smiled softly and nodded.
Minguk pulled her into his arms. They savored each other's warmth for a long time before discussing future plans.
"Honestly, I've never prepared anything like engagements or weddings. Heard people usually book hotels or halls..."
Lying with his head in her lap, Minguk asked her. She probably knew better than him.
"What do you think? Nothing too fancy?"
"Yeah, honestly. With raid duties too, just something to explain our relationship to family and relatives would be ideal."
"Same here."
Kang Chaeyoung nodded at his words.
Just knowing he was doing this for her made her heart soar. She caressed her belly again. It felt like an angel had come to her.
"For me, just bringing mom and my side's family is fine. Or just mom if it's complicated. But you?"
"Uh...?"
Her gaze on him suddenly made Minguk feel choked.
Introducing his parents was impossible. They didn't exist in this world.
So he'd have to bring the original owner's parents...
Thinking about it, he hadn't contacted them in years. Not once since arriving here. It was natural, since they weren't his parents.
Plus, raid life kept him so busy he'd forgotten about them entirely.
Digging into memories, their relationship hadn't been great. Not the parents' fault, but the original owner's. There was even a sister.
'This'll force me to meet a sister and parents I've never even seen.'
Even so, considering no contact for years, those parents were something else. TV was full of their son's exploits.