First Outing
Thanks to Kim Na-yeon’s physiotherapy, my body—once softened by the S-rank gate raid—had returned to normal within just a few days.
Thankfully, the sound that came from my waist wasn’t bones cracking.
She called it “chiropractic.” I didn’t understand the details, but it was a terrifying technique.
As a slight side effect, my body had learned to tremble in fear whenever Kim Na-yeon’s hand drew near.
The world of hunters in South Korea was changing rapidly, yet I didn’t need to step onto the front stage right away.
A lifespan of over a hundred years, guaranteed at the Harmony Realm, had eased my mind. There were many things to check, but nothing was urgent.
Martial artists must always prepare for the threat of assassination.
In the body of a fragile little girl, that threat was even greater.
No matter how much of a supreme expert I was, I still couldn’t sustain protective inner energy for twenty-four hours before reaching the Harmony Realm. The consumption of internal energy would have been unbearable. If I stood defenseless before Kim Na-yeon or slept while someone drew a sword, I would have died instantly. So until I obtained the body of the Harmony Realm, I had quietly remained inside the protective barrier of the adults.
But now that I had reached the Harmony Realm, everything was different.
With no need to hold back anymore, the first action I took was…
“I handled the negotiation with Unnie Na-yeon today.”
“Are you sure it’s okay?”
“The young cult leader wants to go out and play, right?”
“But there’s no adult with us…”
“I’m here, so it’s fine.”
“Mm.”
Lee Da-yeon’s small hand tightly squeezed mine.
I returned the grip.
The place we stood alone was right in front of the guild’s main gate.
Today, we were crossing that barrier—the one that had protected my young body.
Without an adult escort, for the very first time.
Whoosh!
Lee Da-yeon and I leaped simultaneously, crossing the guild’s protective line and the outer boundary.
“Hehe.”
“We’re out.”
A strange thrill of cat-like excitement, an absolute confidence that I could do anything.
Facing each other with wide smiles, we walked forward hand in hand.
“Hm…”
In one hand I held my smartphone to check the map, in the other I carried the warning note Kim Na-yeon had printed and read it.
[Address adults politely]
[Don’t follow even if they buy you sweets]
[Don’t use powers unless in danger…]
…
…
“According to the laws, every minor awakened person going out needs a hunter guardian.”
“That’s why Unnie was so fiercely against it.”
The guild’s training grounds and academies thoroughly educate awakened children so they won’t swing powers around carelessly.
But now I could serve as Da-yeon’s guardian.
The body was small, yet the soul inside was hundreds of years old.
Moreover.
“Huhuhu, Young Cult Leader, look at this. This is the pocket money I got from Unnie Na-yeon after receiving a Level Upper.”
“Waaah… Ji-yeon is rich!”
I opened the bank app synced to my smartphone and showed Lee Da-yeon the account balance.
[One Child Account]
[Lee Da-yeon]
[Balance: 100,000 won]
Money ruled the laws of this world. Money was power itself. In a way, it was merely the means to earn strength. With money, one could do almost anything.
With this much, we could buy endless desserts and still have change left over. And in the city, there might even be playgrounds I had never experienced before.
I heard from YouTube that game centers and escape rooms are fun.
There’s a kids’ cafe too. They say it even has the same ball pool as the guild’s welfare center.
“Oh, a kids’ cafe sounds great. It’s pretty close by.”
The bustling shopping district lay just past the Shingyo Guild. Compared to the old guild building on the city outskirts, the location was far superior.
We walked the elevated walkway between tall buildings for quite a while, then finally stepped into the crowded shopping street lined with countless stores.
We blinked in amazement.
“Wow.”
“Waaah…!”
In the past, were the lights of Luoyang’s Hongdong this bright?
Even at noon, the neon signs blinded our eyes. People swarmed everywhere.
Was it really so unusual for two small children to go out? Around us, the passersby stared with an almost curious gaze.
I felt discomfort from those stares.
“Ugh, ugh. My head’s spinning…”
“It’s okay?”
A warm hand held mine firmly.
Lee Da-yeon’s grip calmed my racing thoughts.
She too glanced around uneasily, as if the stares bothered her as much as me.
This was all because of the child’s body.
Since I had to live in this body, I would eventually have to get used to the stares.
I could never stay forever in Kim Na-yeon’s arms.
I wrapped my arms around Lee Da-yeon protectively, then glared back at the surroundings.
The staring gazes quickly turned away in fright.
I puffed out my chest.
“Hmph.”
Lunchtime had arrived.
The first place we visited was a rather upscale restaurant.
The delicious aroma wafted from the entrance.
Inside, a neatly dressed hostess greeted us with a smile.
“Welcome… children?”
She gave the curious glance, then glanced anxiously toward the kitchen.
A young woman emerged from inside the kitchen.
She bowed politely, lowering her waist until we were eye level.
“Oh my, little missies? What’s the matter? Where are your parents?”
The worried look Lee Da-yeon gave me made her stop.
I spoke boldly.
“Our parents aren’t here. We came out to eat together.”
Instantly, a trace of pity flashed across the woman’s eyes.
Before she could say anything, the hostess led us to a side table.
“Over here. Guests, this way.”
Following her, we sat at the table. The chairs were high, so our feet didn’t touch the ground.
The hostess spread the menu with a smile.
I fell into deep thought.
The menu was long. I had no idea what half the items were. The descriptions were written in tiny English letters.
“Uhm…”
After long hesitation, I finally decided to order the all-purpose menu.
“Oryuk-gui with somyeon! And… um… a drink too.”
Jokyul-cheong was alcohol.
I would get scolded if I drank it. My bottom would catch fire.
The hostess tilted her head.
“Somyeon…? Oryuk-gui? We don’t sell those here.”
“What?! Basic food items aren’t on the menu?!”
“How about this? It’s a kids’ lunch set. It’s the only thing our little guests can eat.”
I checked the menu and nodded.
“That’s fine.”
After the hostess left, Lee Da-yeon, still uneasy, asked.
“This place looks really expensive. Is it okay?”
“It’s fine. Haven’t you seen it? Today, Bonjwa has plenty of money.”
“Mm. I trust only Ji-yeon.”
We smiled at each other, then sipped the bright yellow juice that came first.
“Oh.”
It tasted good too.
It seemed like fruit juice, yet the sweetness defied description.
“Mango juice.”
“Mango…? I’ve never heard of that fruit. Anyway, it’s delicious.”
I checked it on my phone. It said the fruit was ancient, but the sweet taste was completely new to me.
I had only been awake in this world for about a year, yet there were still many foods I hadn’t tried.
The Heavenly Demon Wiji Yeon of my past life had always been fond of delicious food. Even in this new life, the joy of being a glutton would never fade.
“The kids’ lunch set is ready!”
“Waaah…!”
“Wow!”
The exclamations never stopped.
Of course we ate well and lived comfortably inside the guild, but this was the first time we tasted a neatly boxed meal. The feeling of being properly served was overwhelming.
There was a large piece of meat and a small portion of rice.
Moreover.
“Kuhuhu, and somyeon is properly there too.”
In the small bowl beside it floated somyeon in a light broth.
It was unbearable.
Slurp.
I immediately grabbed the chopsticks and slurped the somyeon down.
A storm of flavor exploded on my tongue.
This texture, I recalled, was called “creamy.”
It reminded me of the pasta I sometimes ate at the guild cafeteria, but the taste was more than twice as rich.
“Huu…”
Even my body melted with creaminess.
But my hands didn’t stop.
In an instant I finished the entire bowl of somyeon, then speared the meat chunk with my fork and bit into it.
Delicious!
Delicious!
After the meal, we headed to the register.
“Did you enjoy your meal?”
“Yes! It was super delicious!”
“It was a wonderful lunch.”
I folded my arms and nodded.
The Heavenly Demon Wiji Yeon, rated 4.5 stars. It would have been worthy of selection.
I took out my smartphone to pay.
But the hostess waved her hand anxiously.
“You don’t need to pay. I treated you because you looked hungry.”
I glared.
“What are you saying?! After eating, you have to pay!”
“N-no? You have money? Then, Guardian-nim?”
“It’s just us who went out today.”
The hostess looked relieved, then held my smartphone to the terminal.
Beep.
The sound of money leaving the account.
“Hmm, I liked it. Come again.”
“Huhu, next time bring a guardian too.”
I patted my stomach and left the store.
Lee Da-yeon stuck to my side and asked.
“How much did it come out?”
I checked the account balance.
And my eyes widened in shock.
[xxx Restaurant -66,000 won]
[Balance: 34,000 won]
“This… this…!”