Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Dragon Craft
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I visited the Hero Association to report yesterday's events.
Angel Isaiah.
I'd beaten him and his gang to a pulp and handed them over to the association.
According to the association, the guy was looking at decades in prison.
"He'll never set foot in my neighborhood again."
And from what I heard at the association.
Isaiah wasn't the king of drug supply—he was someone closer to the tail end.
The real king was hiding deeper in the shadows.
Unfortunately, I hadn't been able to uproot the source of the crime.
'Well, it would've been too much to hope the kingpin was someone I could just stroll up and arrest.'
At the very least, unlike regular criminals, an Awakened criminal 'Villain' was probably holding the throne.
The ones I'd run into this time seemed like just the tip of the iceberg.
"Having a chubby guy and a scrawny one as underlings didn't add up from the start."
They weren't on the arrest list, so they must've been good at laying low.
Whatever. They'd fend for themselves.
With those thoughts, I left the Hero Association.
On my way home, I pulled out my smartphone to check this time's reward money.
[Hero Association Deposit: 150,000 won]
"Sigh. If I'd caught the real king, I could've made millions."
Even if we locked Isaiah up.
Someone else would just fill his spot.
09 District was crawling with criminals who could replace him.
That's why the reward was on the low side.
"Still, at least I got some spoils of war."
Criminals like that, carrying good stuff around.
Honestly, the loot value outweighed the reward.
Isaiah's gold ring.
Before heading home, I stopped by a gold shop to sell off this shiny little number.
"I'm here to sell this. How much?"
"Hmm, hand it over first."
The stern-looking old man inspected the ring meticulously.
Please be worth a lot.
As I prayed desperately.
The stern old man cautiously spoke up.
"18K. For this thickness... I can give you up to 200,000 won."
Nice.
Guess good things do come to those who live right.
I sold the gold ring and promptly left the shop.
"This is why I do the hero thing. Am I not making too much money?"
At this rate, I'd be rich soon.
Though I still had a mountain of debt.
Suddenly feeling down.
"...When am I ever gonna pay this off."
Sigh.
Just thinking about the debt soured my mood.
Better get home quick and change that.
To kick off my healing life ASAP, I hurried my steps homeward.
"Huh?"
Right before hopping on the subway, as I walked the street.
I spotted a toy on display through the mid-sized mart's glass window.
I wanted to pass it by, but it wasn't something I could easily ignore.
I went inside and checked out the box the toy came in.
"I used to play with these a ton back in the day. Nostalgic."
I'd made good money today, so it should be fine.
Work like this for the month, and I'd pay off debt with some left over.
'The kids could use a toy each right about now.'
Wouldn't it be great if they played with something like this while I was out?
With that in mind, I bought one.
"How much for this?"
"150,000 won."
"..."
Expensive as hell.
Always has been ridiculously overpriced.
***
I came home, opening the front door with the toy box in one hand.
"Daddy's home. Kids, don't cause trou—"
"We behaved perfectly!"
"Y-yeah, good job, Hwaryeon."
She already knew what I was gonna say.
Dragons sure learn fast.
Hwaryeon greeted me happily, then eyed the toy in my hand.
Looked intrigued.
"Daddy, what's that? Food?"
"Not food. A toy."
"Toy? What kind? Lemme see!"
Hwaryeon reached for it to check it out.
But I quickly pulled my hand back.
"Why!"
"Food first. Toy later."
"Then make food quick!"
Was she that curious about the toy?
No dinner ready yet, but she was already in her chair, banging the table.
Thud-! Thud-!
"Food! Food!"
"Jeez, you little gold nugget. I'll make it soon, so wait."
I changed clothes quick and came out.
Suryeon and Choryeon were eyeing the toy box I'd brought too.
Choryeon placed her hand on the box and looked up at me.
"Can I open it, Daddy?"
"After dinner."
"What does it do?"
"You build it piece by piece."
"What's that mean."
Suryeon tilted her head, not getting it.
Better to just show them.
I whipped up dinner fast and filled their bellies.
'They're eating quicker than usual today.'
Must be excited about the toy.
After we finished eating.
We finally opened the long-awaited toy box.
"Ta-da!"
"What's this? So many square things!"
"...I dunno. Never seen it before."
"Me neither, Father!"
They didn't know after all.
I flipped the box confidently.
"Ahh, this is called Lego."
The Lego bricks poured out.
Rattle-
I showed them the completed model from the instructions.
"We assemble these bricks to build a castle like in this picture."
Simple Lego brick assembly, great for brain development.
Suryeon nodded like she got it perfectly.
"So we put the bricks together like this picture until it's done. Looks easy."
"Well, could be easy. Could be hard."
"Dragons don't find things hard, Daddy."
Suryeon said that and started assembling bricks one by one.
You should follow the steps, but.
She assembled just by looking at the picture, skipping the manual.
"She doesn't even need to look and she's nailing it?"
Smart kid.
Still, good to know I'm smarter for now.
I stepped back to watch them work.
The kids busily moved their hands, assembling the Lego diligently.
"Put this brick here, and one wall's done!"
"Hwaryeon sis, not there. Left side."
"Hmph, I knew that!"
Click-
They stacked the bricks slowly, bit by bit.
Still, the sisters cooperated well.
"Choryeon, move your hands faster."
"This is my max, Suryeon sis!"
"..."
As expected.
Suryeon was the best.
She assembled the Lego easily just from the picture.
"Hwaryeon sis, mistake again. Not there."
"I knew it!"
"And Choryeon, if you don't need that, gimme."
"Okay, sis!"
Like a machine, cold and precise.
Suryeon maximized efficiency as she built.
She seemed to enjoy the process.
Total science type.
'She's having the most fun.'
Even keeping a straight face, she couldn't hide her excitement.
That way, they slowly stacked bricks, nearly finishing the outer castle walls.
"...This is fun."
Smirk-
Suryeon smiled faintly at the progress.
Choryeon saw it and beamed brightly.
"Whoa, Suryeon sis just smiled!"
"...No. I didn't smile."
"I definitely saw it! For real, Father!"
"..."
Choryeon insisted strongly.
I asked Suryeon based on that.
"Suryeon, how is it? Lego fun?"
"..."
Suryeon stayed silent for a bit.
Then slowly spoke.
"...This is fun. I'll admit it straight up."
"Good to hear it's fun."
"There's fun in assembling exactly as calculated."
Worth the high price.
I'd worried they might not like it.
But they were enjoying the Lego just fine.
"Once it's done, we smash it, right?!"
"...Why build it if we're smashing later? No."
"Smash it! That'd be fun!"
Hwaryeon's dopamine-addicted brain only thought destruction.
Anyway, the kids pooled their efforts slowly.
They built the outer walls sturdy, neatly stacked the inside, and placed the block figures in good spots.
Thus, a block castle was born from dragon hands.
"Wooow, done! Now smash!"
"...Said no smashing, sis."
"Father, we did it! Amazing!"
Woooah-!
The kids cheered in the joy of completion.
Double the happiness since they made it together.
"Adorable."
Couldn't miss this scene.
I pulled out my smartphone and snapped pics of their joy.
Click-!
The photo captured them surrounding the finished castle, cheering.
Cute enough to keep forever in my gallery.
"Nice shot."
"...Daddy, what're you doing?"
"Taking pics 'cause you're all so cute."
"...Don't take mine."
Embarrassed, huh.
Suryeon hid her face with the blanket, not wanting to be in it.
Unlike her, Hwaryeon and Choryeon were all for it.
"Daddy, put me in the center! I'm the star!"
"Anywhere's fine for me, Father!"
"How about everyone make a V with your fingers?"
Like this.
I showed first, and Hwaryeon and Choryeon made Vs.
Click-!
Super cute photo.
Our first completed Lego castle together.
I smiled contentedly and saved it.
"Hey, what's this, Suryeon."
"..."
Looking close, Suryeon had snuck a V from behind.
Even if she's embarrassed.
And so, we shared the joy of completion.
We stuck the Lego castle against the wall on display.
A new piece of furniture in the cramped studio, but since we made it ourselves.
It didn't feel any more crowded.
If anything.
Looking at that finished castle made the room feel bigger.