Chapter 68 Daddy!
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Daddy!
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Jeong Yoo-shin screamed internally with his eyes still closed.
'What the hell is going on?'
Could it be the Female Virgin Corruption imprint?
All sorts of thoughts swirled in his mind.
He had intended to pretend that he was just waking up to surprise Mion, and then enjoy a pleasant chat with her.
But the situation had suddenly taken a strange turn.
"Ehehe."
Mion's cute laughter rang in his ears.
A soft hand brushed his forehead.
Lick.
He felt the touch of a soft tongue on his forehead.
Jeong Yoo-shin's body froze.
"Then... tomorrow as well."
Mion's murmur, along with her comforting scent, faded away.
Shuffle. Shuffle.
Creak.
The door then closed, and Jeong Yoo-shin's eyes snapped open.
"N-No, really, what was that?"
Jeong Yoo-shin muttered while staring at the ceiling.
The heart of Jeong Yoo-shin, a 23-year-old virgin who had always longed for the sweet, romantic narratives of fantasy novels, was filled with confusion.
This hadn't appeared in any of the dramas, books, anecdotes, YouTube videos, or any other media he had consumed.
The meaning of a woman sucking on a man's cheek.
'Is it a green light? Or a red light?'
If it had been a light kiss on the cheek, he would have interpreted it as a sign of affection.
But cheek sucking?
"...Have I misunderstood this world?"
Jeong Yoo-shin raised a stiff hand and rubbed his cheek.
"Squeak?"
Lin, the white rat, opened her sleepy eyes, yawned, and looked at Jeong Yoo-shin.
"Go down."
"Squeak."
Lin licked Jeong Yoo-shin's cheek.
"Sigh."
Jeong Yoo-shin sighed and closed his eyes again.
After lying there blankly for about an hour, he got out of bed.
He couldn't go back to sleep because his mind was in turmoil.
He stood on the floor, stretched, and checked his condition.
His body was completely healed, without a single scar.
'Good.'
Jeong Yoo-shin changed his clothes and left the room.
As he went downstairs, he saw a bustling crowd of customers.
"Skar!"
Tarman, the large, bald man, called out Jeong Yoo-shin's name loudly.
Jeong Yoo-shin smiled and waved at him.
Tarman ran over and hugged Jeong Yoo-shin.
Jeong Yoo-shin frowned.
'This is a bit much.'
A man hugging another man... It felt strange.
"Let go."
"Yes!"
"Skar!"
Snout also approached him, his arms outstretched.
"Don't. People will misunderstand."
Jeong Yoo-shin said while stepping back. Indeed, a few customers were watching them with interest.
"I apologize."
Snout bowed his head apologetically.
"It's fine. Is Anne in the kitchen?"
"Yes."
Tarman replied.
Jeong Yoo-shin nodded and entered the kitchen.
Anne was busy cooking. Despite being alone in the kitchen, she handled the orders skillfully and flawlessly. She truly was talented.
Anne, engrossed in her work, turned her head and made eye contact with Jeong Yoo-shin.
"I'm back."
Jeong Yoo-shin said.
"You're back."
Anne's eyes reddened slightly.
Jeong Yoo-shin smiled, patted Anne's shoulder, and said.
"It must have been tough. You're working hard."
"No. It's nothing compared to what you went through, Skar. I'm glad you're alright."
Jeong Yoo-shin smiled awkwardly and scratched his head.
"Sorry for interrupting you while you're busy. Let's talk later."
"Yes!"
Jeong Yoo-shin returned to the inn's common area after Anne's reply.
'There are so many people.'
There shouldn't be this many people around at lunchtime, but the crowd kept growing.
He had no idea what was happening.
Snout and Tarman were running around frantically while serving food.
He thought about asking them, but decided against it.
He had many questions, but he didn't want to interrupt their work.
He could wait a little longer.
Jeong Yoo-shin sauntered over to a counter seat and sat down. It was soft and comfortable.
The comfort was incomparable to the hard, damp floor of the labyrinth.
He felt the reality of his return.
"Squeak, squeak!"
He looked down and saw Lin tugging on his leg.
He picked her up by the scruff of her neck and placed her on his lap.
Lin wasn't satisfied with that and wriggled her way up to his stomach.
Jeong Yoo-shin leaned back against the chair.
Lin leaned against Jeong Yoo-shin's stomach.
Jeong Yoo-shin closed his eyes as he listened to the bustling sounds of the inn, and dozed off.
"...Skar."
Someone called his name. He opened his eyes and saw Snout looking down at him.
"Your meal is ready."
"Alright."
Jeong Yoo-shin stretched and looked around.
Lin was nowhere to be seen.
The inn was now quiet, as the peak time had passed, and the customers had already left.
He went to the table where Anne and Tarman were sitting and sat down.
"Here you go."
Anne handed him a bowl of porridge.
Oatmeal porridge with vegetables and chicken.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked at the porridge and asked.
"Was I unconscious for a long time?"
"Yes. About a week."
Snout replied.
"That long? But I feel much better than I expected, all things considered."
"Priestess Mion visited every day and cast a 'vitality' recovery spell on you."
So that's why.
'Could the cheek sucking have been the vitality recovery spell?'
Was there such an imprint?
He suppressed his curiosity.
"I see. By the way, has everything been alright?"
"Yes. We've all been well."
Snout, Anne, and Tarman all smiled.
Jeong Yoo-shin smiled back and took a spoonful of porridge.
It had a rich, savory flavor, as if it was made with a strong chicken broth. The salty seasoning made his mouth water even more.
The tender chicken and vegetables complemented the oats, adding a pleasant texture.
Jeong Yoo-shin's eyes widened.
"This is really delicious."
Tarman smiled contentedly.
Jeong Yoo-shin tilted his head.
"Tarman, did you make this?"
"No. Anne made it."
"Then why do you look so proud?"
"W-Well..."
Tarman stammered, his face flushed.
"Tarman helped me a lot."
Anne said.
"I see. Thank you."
Jeong Yoo-shin ate as slowly as possible. He wanted to give his stomach, which hadn't been active for a while, time to adjust.
There was another reason, too.
The taste was on a completely different level compared to the jerky and biscuits he had eaten in the labyrinth. He wanted to savor this feeling for as long as possible.
A short while later.
Jeong Yoo-shin, having finished his porridge, bowed his head slightly.
"Thank you. You saved my life."
Tarman and Anne waved their hands in denial.
"N-No. Thank you for eating it."
Jeong Yoo-shin smiled and said.
"Alright. You two go and rest. Snout, stay here. Let's talk."
"Yes."
Tarman and Anne, practically glued to each other, went into the kitchen.
He had suspected it, but seeing them being all lovey-dovey confirmed his suspicions.
Jeong Yoo-shin turned his gaze from the kitchen to Snout.
"What's it like to date your childhood friend?"
"I don't really know."
Snout scratched his head and continued.
"Isn't that a world we men can't understand?"
'We men?'
Jeong Yoo-shin frowned.
"Why are you lumping me with you?"
"Isn't it true? Even though Tarman and Anne are explorers, they're semi-retired, and the world they live in is a bit different from ours, isn't it? A life where you risk your life on the edge of a sword."
'Since when was it such a romantic world?'
Jeong Yoo-shin clicked his tongue inwardly, crossed his arms, and spoke.
"Did Aldein look for me?"
"He did come to see you once after hearing that you were unconscious."
"Did he leave any message?"
"He said to come work if you're bored."
Is that so?
"Do you know anything about Oswald?"
"Whaaat?!"
Snout suddenly yelled.
His eyes were wide, as if they were about to pop out.
'What's wrong with him?'
Jeong Yoo-shin leaned back.
He felt uncomfortable with Snout being so startled.
"Do you know him or not?"
"H-He's an executive of the Shadow Clowns, as far as I know."
"Tell me more."
Snout suddenly looked around and then whispered.
"It's difficult to talk about it here."
"Is it some big secret? Then where can you tell me?"
"I don't think it's something to hide that much, but just in case, why don't we talk at Aldein's office?"
Hmm. Was it that serious?
"Alright, that’s it for now."
"..."
Snout's eyes sparkled with a mixture of worry and anticipation.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Nothing. Are you going now?"
"Wait, where did my party go?"
"After moving you from the infirmary to here, they visited you for a few days and are now resting."
"Did they leave any message?"
"Not really. They asked if it would be alright to gather at this inn soon since the payment has been settled."
"Alright."
He was relieved that everyone was safe.
He was even more relieved that they hadn't talked about the nanny or Oswald, as he had requested.
"One last thing."
"Yes."
"What... what do you think about a woman kissing a man on the cheek?"
"I don't really know, but logically, it should be a sign of affection."
"Right? Then what about cheek sucking?"
"Huh...?"
Snout's eyes were filled with confusion.
"Uh… Uh..."
Snout seemed to have suddenly lost his ability to speak.
"Never mind. Let's go. To the monster dismantling shop."
"...Yes."
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Walking down the street under the midday sun.
He entered Aldein's office at the monster dismantling shop with Snout.
"You're here? It's been a while. Sit down."
Aldein, who had been wrestling with a pile of documents, looked up at me and said.
"Yes."
Snout stood beside Aldein, and Jeong Yoo-shin sat on the chair opposite him.
"So, what brings you here?"
"Do you know anything about a guy named Oswald?"
"I do."
"Tell me."
"You talk first. Let me hear what happened in the labyrinth."
Snout's eyes sparkled.
He looked like a little boy anticipating a heroic tale.
Aldein, though not as expressive as Snout, seemed curious as well.
Jeong Yoo-shin scratched his head and began to speak.
"Alright. Let's see. So..."
Thirty minutes passed.
"...So, I killed all those assassins, had a bit of a squabble with that Oswald guy, and that was it. I lost consciousness after that, so I don't remember anything else."
Jeong Yoo-shin finished his story.
He couldn't tell them everything that had happened in the labyrinth, so he summarized and relayed only the necessary parts.
"Huh..."
Snout's jaw dropped, speechless.
"..."
Aldein silently rubbed his eyes and finally spoke.
"No way, Skar, is this for real? You slaughtered all those assassins after being hit with so many bolts? And on top of that, you picked a fight with Oswald? And you're still alive? How, you crazy bastard?"
Jeong Yoo-shin shrugged.
"I just did it."
"..."
Aldein and Snout stared blankly at Jeong Yoo-shin.
Aldein looked up at the ceiling for a moment, then held his head.
"W-Where was I? Snout, where did I leave off?"
"You haven't said anything yet."
"Right. Oswald is an executive of the Shadow Clowns. He's an intermediate-rank explorer, but he's not your typical intermediate-rank. It's because of his special imprint abilities."
Indeed.
Veil of Darkness was a stealth imprint.
Deadly Back Strike was an imprint that inflicted critical damage when attacking enemies from behind.
Even individually, they were good imprints, but it wasn't difficult to imagine how terrifying they would be when combined.
Jeong Yoo-shin nodded.
Aldein then continued.
"He has a good eye and good skills. Though I've heard that his personality is a bit strange. Impulsive, you could say. He treats human lives like flies. But he gets the job done."
"His evaluation is a bit inconsistent, huh?"
Jeong Yoo-shin asked.
"Because he's a bit inconsistent himself."
At Aldein's reply, Jeong Yoo-shin nodded and said.
"His eyes were gleaming. He seemed a bit crazy."
"..."
Aldein and Snout fell silent and stared intently at Jeong Yoo-shin.
Jeong Yoo-shin tilted his head at that.
"What is it? Please continue."
"Uh... In short, he's not so much strong as he is good at killing. An assassin rather than a warrior. Frankly, it's extremely unusual for Oswald to have spared you. But giving you a magic stone and even throwing a recruitment offer your way… It’s hard to believe."
"But it actually happened."
"...Well, yeah, but... Huh. Does this make any sense?"
Aldein's face contorted in confusion.
Snout then quickly spoke.
"Skar, what are you going to do about the Fifth Prince's nanny?"
"...I'm not sure yet. With assassins running around Labyrinth City, it's risky to just go to Oswald's clan and bring back the nanny. It's also questionable whether he'll hand her over without a fight. Honestly, there's no reason why I should even bring her back."
Aldein interrupted.
"Skar, the situation is precarious, so watch how things unfold first and decide then. Stay in the city and don't enter the labyrinth for a while."
"I'll think about it. Then, I'll be going."
Jeong Yoo-shin finished speaking and stood up.
Creak.
Thud.
Silence filled the office after Jeong Yoo-shin left.
"What the hell is that guy Skar up to?"
Aldein muttered.
"Isn't it a good thing that he came back alive?"
At Snout's reply, Aldein's forehead creased.
"Snout, stop making me speechless. It's infuriating."
"Yes."
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He returned to Dalmong's inn around sunset.
It had taken quite a while because he had a long conversation at the monster dismantling shop.
As he entered the inn, he felt a wave of heat.
People were crowding one corner of the common area.
Clap, clap, clap, clap!!!
The sound of applause?
"Haap!!! Yah!!!"
He could also hear shouts.
What was going on now?
Jeong Yoo-shin pushed through the crowd.
And then he saw it.
A small fox beast-person was performing with three soft slimes.
People were clapping and smiling contentedly at her performance.
Jeong Yoo-shin sighed in relief.
Oh. It was nothing.
Just a simple performance.
He had given the fox beast-person permission to come and perform occasionally during the chef interview. It wasn't that surprising.
The fox beast-person, who was busy manipulating the slimes, spotted Jeong Yoo-shin and smiled brightly.
Jeong Yoo-shin smiled back.
The fox beast-person fidgeted, got down from her chair, ran towards him, and shouted.
"Daddy!!!"
All eyes in the inn focused on Jeong Yoo-shin.
Jeong Yoo-shin's expression froze.
"Uh...?"
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T/N - Wow… The MC suddenly became a daddy despite still being a virgin. That’s like getting the result without being able to enjoy the process! 😂
Honestly, with how the last chapter ended, I thought the daddy title referred to something else, but alas…
Also, I find it really funny how the MC is so determined to not see the signs as they are. Talk about dense. I don’t blame him though. I would also be confused if a hot nun suddenly sucked my cheek and licked my forehead. What kind of signs are those?!