Chapter 176
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: 161. Yongyong and Heungbu
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Since things had come to this, I decided to attend the entrance ceremony.
Back when I was a company drone living a dog's life, my own childhood entrance ceremony had been a total disaster.
—Where are Mom and Dad? Why's this big brother here?
—Kukukuku. Your mom's my wife now. That makes you my kid.
—Shh. Don't say that stuff in front of the kid, you jerk. Dad's busy today and couldn't make it. This big bro's gonna play dad for you. You don't want an entrance ceremony without a dad, right, our little one?
I should've realized right then that the guy was a homewrecker, damn it.
And when I went tattling to my deadbeat dad? That bastard was busy banging one of his subordinates.
What a messed-up family.
Still, it's a fond memory now, in a way.
I swore I wouldn't put my own kid through that kind of crap.
"Alright, let's go. Can't give our daughter bad memories."
"What? Did something happen to you?"
"Nah, just... stuff."
And so, I left Songdo and headed to the sports field at Hansung Academy's middle school division, where the 'men's' entrance ceremony was being held.
At the academy gates, there were hunters checking admissions.
I'd thought they'd rushed to open it, but apparently not entirely.
"Hello."
"Oh! Welcome. Um... are you from another world, by any chance?"
To anyone looking, we'd pass as a couple from another world.
Not quite—I was a silver-haired hunk awakener, Rachel was a pureblood elf, and our kid Rei was elf-adjacent, at least.
"Yes."
"Oh my, an elf!"
"Yeah, something like that. Elf. Do they assign classes by grades here like in high school?"
There weren't even grades to begin with, but I was curious.
Rachel asked the staffer.
No way they split them by elementary scores or something, right?
"No. They all learn the same, and classes get split by performance when they move up to high school."
"Got it. Thanks."
If my girl ended up in the back class by grades, heads would've rolled.
Once admissions checked out, we entered the field. Quite the crowd.
"Whoa, tons of people at the entrance ceremony."
"It's an entrance ceremony? But since it's late in fall, they're rushing it and jumping straight into classes, from what I hear."
"Oh, you already scoped that out?"
"It's for my daughter. Obviously."
She was all in on Rei stuff.
After a bit, parents and fresh-faced kids lined up.
Once checks finished, a screen popped up in the distance.
["Ahem, mic test. Hmm. Ugh, what a pain."]
["Dean, that's why we should do it remote... Wait, we're live!"]
That lazy bitch was doing it via screen because she couldn't be bothered?
["Huh? Ahem. Hello. Parents and cadets of Hansung Academy Middle School. I'm Hansung Academy Dean Lee Young-hee."]
["Today marks the opening of Hansung Academy Middle School's first entrance ceremony. You—the promising cadets who may one day shoulder Korea's future, and your parents—are witnesses to history..."]
Kim Young-hee was personally hosting the damn thing.
And that's when it hit me. Why they were jumping straight into classes after.
The ceremony alone dragged on for two freaking hours.
"Goddamn it. Two hours of nonstop yapping."
"Daddy, is the dean a goddamn it?"
"Yep."
Smack!
Rachel's palm cracked across my back.
"What're you teaching the kid?"
"She knows it all anyway. Ow!"
A violent elf beating her husband!
Anyway, Lee Young-hee was a bitch. No wonder she spewed that crap about classes right after.
I'm gonna make her pay. Yeah?
Walking the hall, some oddballs ahead.
Something dwarflike, pint-sized.
Definitely otherworlder vibes, not quite human.
"Oh. Dwarf clan?"
First time seeing one up close. Dwarves only got passing mentions in stories, never real roles.
"Hm? You know us?"
The hairy little dwarf approached our family.
"Nah, just first time seeing a dwarf."
Dwarf height. Bushy beard. Textbook dwarf.
Elves were in Korea, so why not dwarves?
"Kahahaha! Ah, I handle subcontracted weapon supply for Reform Guild. But my girl's getting Korean citizenship this time. Gotta send her to school, so middle school it is. Nice to meet ya. Name's Lakra. This here's my wife, Kim Mi-young."
Not that I asked, but he launched into intros anyway.
"Hello."
Kim Mi-young bowed politely.
A bushy-bearded hairy dwarf and a somewhat skinny woman. Quirky combo.
How do they even do it?
Her on top? Him doggy-style from behind?
Probably the furry shota pounding her either way.
Her slim build might make it iffy, though. Anyway, they're buddying up, so manners call for a greeting—Korean hospitality and all.
"Ah, sure. I'm Yoo Eun-seok. Nice to meet you. This is my wife, the elf Rachel."
"Hello."
"Hoo. An elf—precious connection. And the kid?"
"Yeah. Our daughter, Rei."
I pushed Rei forward for intros.
Networking with dwarves? Not a bad move.
"This is our daughter, Ryu-ah. How about our otherworlder kids stick together?"
The dwarf introduced a brown-haired girl.
Oh, pretty cute. Dwarf stock makes her tiny, but girly small is adorable.
Total legal loli vibe? Middle school uniform suits her well, too.
"Not a bad idea. Looks like the girls are already warming up."
Lies. Not even close.
Rei greeted Ryu-ah, then eyed her up and down, drooling.
Hm. My girl's got my predatory instincts. Sizing up prey already.
Ryu-ah's pint-sized—perfect proof Rei's a lolicon.
My daughter's a lolicon. Kate's purity's doomed soon.
Hang in there, Kate!
We chatted a while, and watching Rei and Ryu-ah bond was heartwarming enough.
This must be what parenting feels like!
Just as my paternal instincts kicked in, a familiar face appeared.
Big build, but always in rags.
Yeah. Yi Heung-bu. The man himself.
"Daddy. You're an S-Rank hunter—why do we always wear these torn-up clothes?"
Some little girl with him, not in uniform.
Just black clothes that look like a uniform.
Remodeled mourning wear?
Creepy as hell. Straight out of some gacha game where they cosplay anime chars.
Dressing his daughter like that?
"Th-that's... to get stronger, like I told you a million times?"
"Stronger for what?"
"So I can feed you all, duh?"
For that, he looks way too broke.
Feed the family, sure—but staying poor to keep power? Vicious cycle, never escapes poverty.
Pathetic.
"Bean rice and kimchi every day! Waaah!"
"Gotta, so I get stronger! Korea's pride, S-Rank hunter?"
"Other S-Ranks live rich! Waaah!"
The girl plopped down, bawling.
"Ye-jin, sorry. But I'll make it up later. No uniform, though!"
"Everyone already treats me like trash!"
Trash, huh. Yeah, trashy look.
"Wow, she says you're trash!"
Rei unleashed verbal violence on this stranger kid.
"See?! She called me trash! Waaah!"
Unbelievable. Straight-up picking a fight.
"Rei, what're you saying?"
"Oops."
Rei covered her mouth too late.
"Say it behind her back if you must. Geez."
"That's not the point, dummy. Learn to sugarcoat. 'You look poor.' That's better, right?"
My wife gets it. Yeah, euphemisms are key.
"No, that's not it."
"You people... parents!? How do you raise your kid? Like mother, like daughter! Don't you care for her?"
The dwarf tackled us, Heung-bu pointed fingers.
Glancing at Heung-bu's girl... Does he even qualify to talk?
"Speak for yourself."
"Ha! You're a failure as a parent!"
"Better than dressing your daughter like trash."
"You wanna go?"
I'm a pacifist, hate fighting—but can't let a guy trash his kid like that slide.
"Hey. That's Yi Heung-bu. S-Rank hunter!"
Dwarf kept blocking.
I'm stronger, though?
"You gonna fight here? This is the academy?"
Rachel tried stopping me, but time to show 'em.
An S-Rank starving his daughter for power? And she's a cute black-haired girl with potential!
Girls that age get bullied easy. She'll be an outcast at this rate.
"Let's do it."
"You mad? That's Heung-bu! No way a pretty boy freeloader like you wins!"
Whoa, this dwarf's rude as hell. Punch him first?
Nah. Heung-bu first, moderate thrashing.
He's Blue House hunter. Can't touch me lightly. Might poke back, though.
"Heh. My love for my daughter trumps yours."
"What?"
Heung-bu's vibe shifted.
Dumb brute, but cares for family his way.
Ignores their misery, though.
Heung-bu: Yoo Eun-ha's most regrettable creation?
Unlike folktale Heung-bu, this one's dumb, selfish. No better than Nolbu.
"Short version: I won't lose to a guy who turns his daughter into a ragamuffin."
"Hah, bring it!"
Thwack!
Blocked his bare fist effortlessly.
Nothing stops Yongyong.
Time my couch-potato Rei saw Dad's prowess.
"Aigoo, knew it—huh?"
"My hubby's got strength that beats anyone."
Rachel, shameless hype. Praise me more.
"It's not about strength..."
Shocked dwarf couple, proud Rachel. Yes, cheer hubby on.
"That's him. Ignore and you lose."
"Yay! Daddy's the best!"
Heh. See that, Rei? That's Daddy power!
Not like pauper Heung-bu fighting with poverty.
Crack!
I ground his bones audibly. Heung-bu's brow twitched.
"Hoo. See? I love my daughter more. No dad qualifies raising a young girl like a beggar!"
"Think I do this for fun? To preserve my power!"
"Yet you're weaker than me?"
What now? Weaker than me.
I crushed his fist mockingly; he grimaced hard.
"!!"
"Wow, losing in words and strength? Humiliating."
He strained, but I held easy.
"How... with raw strength?"
"Ease up. Embarrassing for a Blue House guy."
He should back off for face. But He's dumb, stubborn.
No quit in him.
"Blue House or not—internet buzz or not—my daughter's everything!"
Heung-bu shoved his bulk at me mercilessly in the hall. But Rachel powered up, and a woman blocked him.
"Honey, enough!"
Up close: Heung-bu's wife.
Fresh from fried chicken? Smells like it.