Chapter 114
Chapter 114
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: A Peaceful Day in the Life of a B-Rank Hero
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Having safely completed this mission.
I was officially recognized as a B-rank hero.
My face was just appearing on TV at that moment.
-The hero Lee Ha-jun, who has been promoted to B-rank this time, is said to have achieved this rank in a short time due to his outstanding achievements compared to his level of fame.
They know me well.
The news anchor seemed to know all about me.
It would be troublesome if too many DMs came in.
I poked Suryun, who was sitting next to me, and bragged.
"See that, Suryun? Your dad's such a big deal he's on TV."
"TV shows criminals too. And regular people in interviews. Being on TV doesn't make you a big deal."
"..."
Suryun must be a capital-T Troll.
My bragging didn't work, so I pouted and opened my smartphone.
I figured there would be a ton of messages by now.
"Let me see... Personnel Office Director... Gu Bong-gu... Tubby and Skinny... Wait, why are they all guys?"
The congratulations were nice.
But getting them only from guys didn't feel great.
"This can't be right!"
Suryun looked at me coldly and said.
"That's reality, Dad. Accept it."
"No, this isn't reality!"
There had to be a flood of DMs from pretty girls if I checked.
I tapped the Outstagram app and logged into the account I'd made last time.
'My DMs must be on fire by now.'
But.
Contrary to my expectations, my DM inbox was completely empty.
Not even a single follow request.
It felt like my world had been cut off from everyone else's.
I sighed at the harsh reality and pocketed my smartphone.
"Sigh, does that mean my dating venture failed again this time?"
"You failed again, Dad."
Suryun snickered.
She was fiddling with her pad next to me.
She mocked me and recited.
"What dating, Dad? You don't even need to check DMs. Just give up."
Suryun coldly advised me to give up on dating.
But I couldn't do that.
"You still have to try dating."
"Why? We've got you."
"That's why I want to. Don't you kids need a mom?"
Mom.
I thought the dragons needed a mom.
There needed to be a parent to fill in when I was away.
The kids were overly dependent on me.
But Suryun's eyes sharpened as if she thought differently.
"Dad."
"Yeah?"
"What mom? We don't need a mom. We just need you, Dad."
And.
"You said you'd marry me when I grow up. So we don't need a mom, Dad."
Suryun's words that they didn't need a mom seemed sincere.
More than that, she still remembered that.
Dragons really do have good memories.
"You still want to marry Dad?"
"...There aren't any decent humans around. I just think marrying you would be better."
Suryun hid her face with her A-pad, embarrassed.
Anyway, Suryun's words made me think maybe they really didn't need a mom.
Still.
"We can do without a mom. But Dad can have a girlfriend, right? Right?"
"You're an idiot, Dad."
Suryun turned her head away as if she didn't want to talk to me anymore.
For some reason, she seemed really sulky.
With her back turned, Suryun muttered softly.
"Good thing I blocked them in advance."
"What was that, Suryun?"
"...Nothing."
Something felt off.
But Suryun had already turned away, cutting off our conversation.
And so, my dating venture—which I'd thought would bloom into a field of pink flowers after ranking up to B—made no progress at all.
Very disappointing.
'But at least I'll make a lot of money.'
***
Weekend afternoon.
A day off from work.
I went up to the rooftop with the kids.
Because the crops I'd planted last time had grown quite a bit.
'And I have those Venus flytrap seeds I picked up in Bupyeong.'
Not edible plants.
But maybe they'd come in handy somewhere if I grew them.
With that in mind, I handed the Venus flytrap seeds to Choryun.
"Here, Choryun. New seeds. Take them."
"Okay! I got them! But what plant are these seeds from?"
"Venus flytrap. It opens its mouth super wide and eats bugs. Like this!"
Rawr!
I made a huge mouth shape with my arm and chomped at Choryun.
Choryun, caught in my arm, dangled in the air and giggled.
"Hahaha! Daddy, that tickles! Put me down!"
"Come to Daddy!"
"Ehehe!"
While I was playing Venus flytrap with Choryun.
Hwaryun body-slammed me, jealous.
"Hurry up and work, Dad! Masked Ranger's starting soon!"
Thud!
Hwaryun's body slam sent me and Choryun rolling across the rooftop floor.
Her brute strength was insane.
"Ow, that hurt... Hwayun, we almost got hurt because of you!"
"Hmph, the Dragon Dad won't get hurt from that!"
"You okay, Choryun?"
Choryun, who had rolled with me.
She seemed fine and grinned as she answered.
"Hehe, I'm okay! Not hurt!"
"Good."
Up I got.
I checked Choryun's body once more and stood up.
Then, I checked the grown crops and assigned tasks.
"Hwayun, peppers!"
"Okay!"
"Suryun, lettuce!"
"Got it."
"Choryun, Venus flytrap with me!"
"Yay, Daddy!"
Clatter clatter.
Choryun dashed to an empty flower bed.
She added soil, then diligently dug spaces for the seeds with a seedling spade.
"Like this... Done! Yay!"
"Wanna put the seeds in?"
"Yes!"
Choryun carefully placed the seeds like a craftsman, then covered them perfectly with soil.
"Ta-da! All done. Daddy, let's pray together!"
"Pray?"
"Yeah, Venus flytrap... But hell sounds bad, so Fly Heaven! Let's pray for Fly Heaven with hands together!"
"O-okay..."
Yeah, the name Venus flytrap does sound harsh.
I clasped my hands and sat next to Choryun as she prayed.
Together with Choryun, we prayed for Venus flytrap... no, Fly Heaven.
"Grow big and strong!"
"Grow big and strong."
A short, simple prayer.
With a prayer from Choryun the Green Dragon, it'd grow on its own just fine.
'If my daughter prayed for it, it'd better grow right.'
Of course, if it didn't, I'd snap it myself.
My good girl prayed for it—it should grow fine on its own.
After the short prayer, I turned to look at Hwaryun and Suryun.
They'd finished harvesting the crops I'd assigned.
"Looks like everyone's done. Let's head down. Dad'll make food."
"Yay! Mealtime!"
Clatter clatter thud.
Hwaryun bolted ahead at the word "mealtime," all excited.
I chased after her, yelling.
"Hey, Hwayun! I told you no running on the stairs!"
"I won't fall! It's fine!"
"Ugh, that contrary kid."
"I'm not contrary! I'm a dragon!"
She wouldn't listen at all.
That was Hwaryun, though.
***
After finishing the B-rank mission.
My daily life returned to its peaceful routine.
In the mornings, I drop the kids at kindergarten, rush to any call-ups, and pick them up when kindergarten ends.
Then, holding their hands as the sunset hits, we head home.
"What'd you learn today?"
Choryun smiled and answered my question.
"We did math problems, played with blocks, and read picture books!"
"Sounds fun."
"Yeah!"
Choryun beamed happily.
But Suryun said primly.
"Hmm, kindergarten classes aren't on my level. All so boring."
Yeah.
To an internet addict like Suryun, the lessons probably seemed childish.
"...Dad, what are you thinking right now?"
"Hm? Nothing?"
"Hmm..."
Suryun eyed me suspiciously.
She's sharp.
We were chatting about our day on the way home when.
Hwaryun and Mangmung—who had run ahead—stopped in front of the corner store.
'What's up with them?'
I approached the two troublemakers standing there.
"Not going ahead? What're you doing?"
"Mang mang-! Mang mang mang-!"
"Sorry. Can't understand you, Mangmung. You, then."
"Meow..."
Mangmung looked dejected for no reason.
Hwaryun pointed inside the store.
"Dad! Grandpa's inside!"
"Grandpa?"
"He's asleep! We could grab junk food and he wouldn't know!"
"No stealing, you rascal."
Bonk.
I flicked Hwaryun's crown.
She freaked out and yelled.
"Why hit me! Wanna fight, Dad?"
"Quiet. But Hwayun, want some junk food?"
"Yeah!"
"I'll buy you some, then."
Maybe some junk food as a treat after so long.
I opened the door confidently.
Ding-a-ling.
With the bell's chime, the corner store grandpa—who'd been dozing against his chair—opened his eyes.
"Wh-who's there!"
"It's us. Here for junk food."
"Oh, you family. Dang, must've dozed off without realizing. Been busy lately."
"Busy? Wasn't this place about to go under?"
Crackle.
Grandpa snapped at my words.
"Go under? Selling adult toys hard as heck!"
"Oh, right. You sell guns here. Lots of orders lately?"
"Yeah, way too many for no reason. Feels like something's brewing."
The corner store grandpa sighed with uneasy eyes.
He turned to us and said.
"You all should be careful going out for a bit. Ever since guns started pouring in like this, trouble always follows. Oh, and take all the leftover junk food."
"Huh? All of it?"
Even I, who loves free stuff, felt a pang of conscience.
But grandpa glared.
"Was gonna quit the junk food business anyway. No money in it, and no one buys but you kids. So take it quick."
Shoo shoo.
Grandpa waved us to hurry and take it.
I felt a bit uneasy.
But the kids were thrilled at "all free" and scooped it up.
"Grab this too!"
"This is enough for me."
"Hmm, I'll take these two."
"Mang mang-!"
These freebie-loving thieves.
They must take after my bad side.
I thanked the corner store grandpa with the kids and headed out.
'Something's coming... Gotta ask Tubby and Skinny later.'
I hoped nothing big would happen to us.
Their birthdays—the days they hatched—were coming up soon.
I desperately prayed nothing would happen on their birthday.
So they could be happy, blessed, and joyful on the day they were born.