Chapter 110
Chapter 110
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: B-Rank Hero Promotion... Picnic (1)
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I was participating in the B-rank hero promotion exam.
This was an opportunity I absolutely could not miss.
It meant more money and greater popularity.
'With more popularity, I'll get DMs from countless beauties, right?'
Clench—
It was time to resume my briefly paused dating business.
That said, it wasn't like I was aiming for B-rank just for dating.
It would just be a nice bonus if I could advance my dating business on the side.
With that in mind.
"Hey, my daughters. Dad's heading out."
I announced to the dragons that I would be leaving the house for a bit.
The kids reacted with furrowed brows.
"What are you talking about! Who'll take care of my meals if Dad's not here!"
"Who said you could just leave the house, Dad?"
"Father! If you're leaving, step on me on your way out!"
The dragons stretched out their arms to block my path.
Their eyes screamed that they wouldn't let me through no matter what.
"You're busy packing, and now a surprise protest? You kids really plan to obstruct me to the end."
"We're not letting you go!"
Gulp—
The tiny dragons spread their arms wide to bar my way.
When it came to surprise protests, force was sometimes necessary.
I picked them up and moved them aside.
"Move. Don't bother Dad."
"Kwaaaang—"
In an instant, their defensive line crumbled helplessly.
I cleared the path and continued stuffing my backpack.
"Got all my underwear too. Good."
Time to head out.
I slung on the packed backpack and headed for the entrance.
Seeing them glare resentfully, I pointed at the fridge.
"It'll take about two days. Three at the latest. There's food in the bowl, and tasty side dishes in the fridge, so Hwaryeon, heat them up nice and hot. Dad's going."
Bye-bye—
I waved at the kids shooting me death stares.
They weren't about to let me go that easily, it seemed.
"Wait!"
Hwaryeon stepped forward as their representative and yelled at me.
"Dad! Double-check your bag! You might've forgotten something important!"
"I checked everything. Got all the necessities."
"No! You didn't! Check now!"
They were starting to throw a tantrum.
Since I wouldn't see them for a few days, I decided to humor Hwaryeon.
I set the bag down and rummaged through it.
"I don't think I forgot anything..."
Hmm.
Was this their plan?
I glanced at where the dragons had been just moments ago.
"Where'd they go? They were right in front of me."
The dragons had vanished as if by magic.
No sign of their horns or tails anywhere.
I couldn't help but scoff.
"Ha, you still think Dad's a fool, huh."
Those little rascals.
I immediately went back to rummaging in the bag I'd briefly looked away from.
Then, my hand felt something out of place.
I grabbed the foreign object and pulled it out.
A blue lizard tail dangled from my fingers in midair.
"Shaa—"
"Think Dad wouldn't notice if you dropped polymorph and hid? I'm not falling for it anymore. You've tricked me plenty already."
Suryeon arrested.
I set the blue lizard Suryeon down, and she scampered across the floor like a shot.
"...Shaa—"
She seemed embarrassed at getting caught by me.
"Ha, you underestimated Dad too much."
I rummaged through the bag again to find the next culprit.
As I dug through my neatly folded underwear, I felt another odd texture.
"Gotcha, you!"
"Shaaa—!"
Dangling—
A green lizard hung in the air.
Choryeon.
She'd apparently hidden in my underwear to come along with me.
"Choryeon. You need to stay home and play with Mangmung. Where do you think you're going?"
"Shaaa—!"
"Stay home and rest with Mangmung. I'll be back soon."
"Shaaa..."
Downcast—
The green lizard Choryeon slunk away dejectedly.
'Choryeon arrested.'
Riding that momentum, I rummaged for the final offender.
But no matter how much I searched, I felt no moist, scaly texture like dragon hide.
"...What? Where is she?"
This was bad.
I might be late for roll call.
Sweat beaded on my cheek from growing anxiety.
"Shaaa—!"
Choryeon approached and spoke to me.
She spread her stubby legs, pointing toward the bathroom.
The sound of a toilet flushing came from there.
Whoosh—
"Shaaa—! Shaaa—!"
Nod nod—
Choryeon nodded emphatically.
I finally exhaled in relief and slung the bag over my back.
"Phew, I can make it before I'm late. Anyway, Dad's going! No mischief while I'm gone. Rest well over the weekend! Dad's off!"
"Shaa—"
"Shaaa—!"
The two kids, out of polymorph, saw me off.
I planted a kiss on their foreheads, stepped out the door, and left home to become B-rank.
"Ugh, my shoulders. Did I pack too much?"
My back felt a bit heavy.
But to make roll call on time, I hurried to the destination.
***
The house after Dad left.
Suryeon and Choryeon eyed each other.
"Why'd I have to get caught? This is all your fault, Choryeon."
"Why is it my fault, Suryeon sis!"
"I hid in the bag first. Then you came in and got us caught. Not happy about it. And..."
Suryeon stared at the firmly shut door.
"The dumbest one, Hwaryeon sis, didn't get caught, and it hurts my pride. How could Dad not notice Hwaryeon sis clinging to his back? And Choryeon, why'd you help Hwaryeon sis?"
Choryeon answered matter-of-factly.
"Helping each other is good, right!"
"...That's why I hate talking to dragons whose heads are full of flowers."
Huff—
Suryeon turned away and used polymorph to return to human form.
Then, as usual, she fiddled with her A-pad and started gaming.
"I hate that Dad's gone. But fiddling with the A-pad should make him come back."
Choryeon agreed with the sentiment and shifted to human form too.
Though dragons, they spent far more time in human shape.
"Come on out now, Mangmung! From the bathroom!"
"Mang—!"
Mangmung pushed open the firmly shut bathroom door.
Choryeon petted and praised him.
"You listened and ran straight to the bathroom! Good job, Mangmung! Flushing too—you're a total genius!"
"Mang—!"
"Dad's not home, so it's sad... But let's play together and wait for him! Got it?"
"Mangmang—!"
Choryeon petted the proud Mangmung.
It was sad with Lee Ha-jun away for the weekend.
Still, the dragons decided to pass the time in their own ways, waiting for him.
They knew Dad would return, so no need to stare at the door all day.
***
I rode the bus provided by the association.
It used cutting-edge tech to defend against external attacks, so it was safe.
'...Quite a few famous heroes here.'
The bus was packed with what you'd call big-name heroes.
Including my master Han Ji-su, there were about ten A-rank and B-rank heroes total.
Some chatted to build camaraderie, others wore wireless earbuds, ignoring everyone.
'Am I the only C-rank among these A- and B-rank heroes?'
The old me would've envied them.
But not anymore.
I had a family more precious than their power, fame, or money.
"Ah, DM from that model I mentioned last time."
Fuck.
That, I was jealous of.
I sat in the front row, seething inwardly.
Then, sudden pain stung my nape.
"Hiss, what? Bug bite?"
It smarted.
Assuming a bug, I ignored it.
"Shaaaak—!"
"?"
Weird sounds started too.
But since this erosion zone came with hallucinations and auditory illusions, I barely relaxed.
"Finally here."
Incheon.
The bus stopped at the A-rank dimensional gate erosion zone in Bupyeong.
I stepped off the stuffy bus and gazed at the city eroded by the dimensional gate.
"Hard to call it a city anymore. More like a jungle."
A jungle blanketed in dense foliage.
Choryeon would've loved the look.
Ironically, this erosion zone reportedly had effects similar to Brazil's Amazon rainforest.
'Good for the planet, but it steals human living space.'
Choryeon might've thrown a fit if she'd heard the mission details.
I was pretty sure of it.
As I wandered a bit away from the group to sightsee, Han Ji-su approached.
"Lee Ha-jun. All prepared?"
"Of course. Just move solo as instructed?"
"Yeah. Roam alone and find the dimensional core. The dimensional core probably surfaced outside too. Scout carefully, no injuries."
Han Ji-su cautioned me earnestly.
I nodded.
As we wrapped up and prepared to start,
Han Ji-su pointed beside me, puzzled.
"But, Lee Ha-jun."
"Yeah?"
"You didn't think today was a field trip, did you?"
"What're you talking about?"
"Look to your side."
Swish—
I looked as she said.
There stood Hwaryeon, casually dressed, poking at vines wrapped around a streetlamp.
She'd apparently just dropped polymorph.
"..."
"..."
Hwaryeon met my eyes and asked innocently.
"Dad! Where are we?"
"Ah."
A sudden headache hit.
Mission to resolve an A-rank dimensional gate.
And Hwaryeon had tagged along on that dangerous op.
Oblivious, Hwaryeon grinned and looked around.
"So many Choryeons everywhere! Wanna burn 'em all! Rwaaaang—!"
"Sigh, when will the eldest grow up?"
I'd just come for the promotion exam.
And now, it had turned into a surprise picnic with just Hwaryeon and me.