The Filial Son Title
My mother looked at me with a puzzled expression.
"Son~ What brings you here at this hour?"
"I had some free time."
"What about work?"
"It's been two years since I had a job."
"What? ...Wait, why?"
"They asked me to resign."
"...!?"
My mother's face darkened in an instant.
She seemed to have plenty she wanted to say,
but appeared to be swallowing it all down.
Of course, I just smiled and answered.
"Don't worry. I found a new job."
At that, my mother's face brightened.
"Oh my, oh my! I knew it. No wonder you were buying all that premium beef out of nowhere! Where do you work? Someplace where you can just walk out in the morning like this?"
"Well, it's—"
Right then.
Riiing—
The front door opened,
and my father walked in.
"...Honey? Why are you home so early?"
"Today's job got canceled, so I just came back. Looks like I'll be working again tomorrow."
My father said it matter-of-factly, but there was a bitterness laced through his voice.
Of course, I thought it was perfect timing.
"Hello, Father."
"Oh, Jaewoo, you're here."
"Actually, this works out well. There's something I need to tell you both."
"And what would that be?"
"Let's start with some emotional preparation, so you don't faint on me."
It was a little too soon to tell them everything,
so I decided to ease them in—
with a luxury wallet, a luxury bag, and gift certificates on the side.
"I've awakened."
"...!"
The moment I revealed I had awakened, my parents were struck speechless.
I could feel it on my skin—a flicker of joy shadowed by a deepening worry.
Being an Awakener was a profession that swept in money hand over fist, but it was also one that put your life on the line.
The atmosphere in the house shifted in a peculiar way.
For parents, while a child making good money mattered, their safety and health came first and foremost.
My father was the first to speak.
"Was being scarce with your calls these past two years because of the awakening?"
"Whoa. Dad, your instincts are razor-sharp."
"I knew it. So you've been climbing the Tower for two years?"
"I deserve a pat on the back, don't I?"
My mother asked with a worried face.
"Is-isn't it dangerous?"
"Oh please. If it were dangerous, I wouldn't do it. You know how I am, right?"
"...Well, true."
In fact, after awakening, I
had given up on climbing the Tower entirely.
Why?
Because back then, I thought I was a nobody.
I've never been the reckless type by nature.
A life-or-death brawl against goblins with an ordinary civilian's body?
No chance in hell.
Perhaps because my mother knew this about me, she set her worries aside quickly. My father, for his part, put on a positively proud expression.
"Now, now, hear me out. I've made quite a bit of money over the past while."
"Oh my, they say awakening is like winning the lottery. Is that really true?"
"Not for everyone, but that's how it worked out for me."
"Wow. Our son's a goldmine!"
My mother clapped her hands in delight,
and my father nodded along, looking thoroughly satisfied.
The awkward tension dissolved in an instant,
and the room soon brimmed with nothing but anticipation.
I briefly hesitated over whether to whip out my phone and show them the selfie I'd taken with Team Leader Cho Sanghyeok, but I let it go.
Nothing good comes of that kind of fame.
Letting people around you know is one thing—going too grand about it is another. Neighbors' envy can run a lot deeper than you'd think.
Ahem! Ahem!
After clearing my throat a couple of times, I declared:
"From this moment on, I intend to claim the title of filial son of the Yu household."
I made my grand proclamation,
and my parents shot it down flat.
"Oh, son~! The best way to be a filial son is to live well yourself. Don't you worry about us. Once you've bought everything you need and still have plenty left over, then come back."
"That's right. Your mother's got it right."
I waved my hands dismissively, just like my master does.
"Anyway—first gift is for you, Father."
Naturally, I opened my inventory and produced a box containing a G○ld wallet. My father glanced between the unmistakably high-end box and me.
Having noticed me eyeing that wallet last time, he put on a 'could it be?' expression. I gave him a 'could-it-be is exactly what it is!' look and gestured with my chin.
"Go on. Open it."
My father tore off the wrapping and lifted the lid.
A gleaming G○ld wallet emerged.
His jaw dropped wide open.
He fished out his old wallet right away,
and as he transferred over his cards, cash, and business cards, he murmured:
"My oh my—look at this beauty."
"Of course it is."
G○ld is a relatively young brand, but that's exactly what makes it perfect.
It felt like sending off my father's years of toil raising three sons, together with that worn-out old wallet—and my chest felt that much lighter for it.
Of course, my mother couldn't hold back.
"Hey! Why did you buy something so expensive?"
I knew perfectly well that wasn't concern—it was a nudge asking where hers was—so I flashed a grin.
"Relax. Yours is more expensive."
I pulled a C○line bag straight out of the inventory and handed it over. My mother recognized it instantly.
"A C○line!?"
She was genuinely overjoyed.
After years of carrying nothing but market bags and grocery sacks, receiving a designer bag seemed to lift her spirits sky-high.
Was it because she loved luxury goods?
No—more likely, it was that her problem child was doing well enough to buy her designer things. Probably, anyway.
Mom and Dad are definitely going to brag about these to every relative they've got.
The thought alone made me laugh.
"Stop, stop. We're not done yet."
I calmed my parents, who were still staring holes into the wallet and bag, and continued.
"These are for you too—go to the department store and buy yourselves some proper clothes."
Since my father still couldn't tear his eyes away from the wallet, I handed the gift certificates to my mother.
Five certificates of one million won each.
My mother's eyes went round as saucers.
"Jaewoo, sweetie, is my eyesight going, or...?"
"They're million-won certificates. Five of them."
"What!? Five million won in gift certificates!?"
Startled by the price, my father clutched the wallet and stepped closer.
"Jaewoo. You're not overextending yourself just to spoil us, are you?"
"I'm not. I can give this much gladly, so I am."
"Really? You're absolutely sure it's not a strain?"
My parents checked—genuinely checked—several times,
and I told them again and again that it was nothing.
"Our Jaewoo. Looks like you've really made it... Thank you."
My mother's eyes reddened.
But just then,
my father cut straight through the moment.
"These can be exchanged for cash, right? We could put it toward Jaehui's tuition."
Aigoo, I knew he'd pull this.
One kid's doing fine, so now it's time to worry about the next one.
I made my parents a solemn promise—on one condition.
"But there's a condition."
"A condition?"
"You use it only on clothes. Nothing else. Please. I'll handle Jaehui's tuition myself."
"...You mean that?"
"Of course I do."
My parents looked a little taken aback, but soon the muscles around their mouths started twitching. Goodness. They must be absolutely thrilled.
"There's still more."
"What now?"
"First—Dad. You love fishing, right?"
At the word fishing, my father's eyes lit up like sparks.
"Fishing is life itself."
"Then accept this."
I drew the [Fisherman King's Fishing Set] from my inventory and presented it. The kind of item that money could never buy on the open market.
"WHOOOOOAA!"
At the sight of the custom rod, crafted from scales like a dragon's, my father let out a whoop like a man twenty years younger.
"Such sleek, flowing curves!"
My mother, naturally, wore a look of displeasure.
"And Mom, this one's yours."
"Slather this on and turn back the years~"
"Oh my goodness gracious!"
My mother lit up like a girl on the first warm day of spring.
And of course—
I had no intention of stopping there.
"Now, tell me about all your loans. Every debt you have, every single one."
My parents had no idea why I was suddenly bringing up debt. Maybe that was why? Their expressions turned complicated.
Having their debts paid off would be wonderful, of course,
but somewhere in there, they looked a little sheepish about it too.
"Ah, it's fine, so spill it! I've got money to burn!"
"Re-really?"
"We're fine, really..."
In the end, after a couple more rounds of coaxing,
I was able to pay off my parents' debts in full.
It set me back about seven million won,
but seeing my parents' faces grow that much brighter, my pride was beyond anything words could capture.
After wiping out their debts,
I handed them spending money.
Ten million won each.
My parents looked like their faces might split open from grinning.
Even I had to marvel at myself.
Just how deep do these pockets go, Yu Jaewoo?
Afterward, I retreated to my room.
Mom headed to the master bedroom,
Dad went out to the living room.
And then—
phones started ringing all over the house.
Granted, they were making their calls through the walls,
but with my hearing dialed up to superhuman levels, both conversations came through crystal clear.
"Oh~ it's me. How've you been? No, no, nothing special. It's just, Jaewoo came by today, and get this—"
Mom was calling my aunt.
Sorry, Aunt. That's going to sting a little.
"Hey—it's me! You know that fishing trip we planned for the other day? Yeah, yeah. About me saying work might keep me from going—let's do it this time. Yeah, yeah! Of course we're betting on it. Obviously!"
Dad was calling his fishing buddies. Sounded like he was placing wagers with them. Whoever those poor souls were, wherever they lived—my condolences.
Listening to the two of them chatter away,
the corners of my mouth kept climbing.
My cheeks ached from smiling.
And then, suddenly,
I got curious about my remaining random boxes.
C-Rank Random Box × 4
E-Rank Random Box × 1
"Hmm. Guess this calls for the Fusion Agent again?"
I took out all the random boxes
and applied the Fusion Agent.
Then I poured in my inner energy—several times more potent than the last time.
Vuuuum—!
Wriggle— wriggle—
The Fusion Agent flushed a deep violet
and swallowed every box whole.
And then—
Shaaaaa—!
A dazzling radiance flared,
revealing an antique-styled box.
"Whoa."
Another ?-Rank Random Box.
I honestly can't figure out why this keeps happening.
I looked it up online,
and apparently fusing C-Rank Random Boxes
tended to yield B-Ranks, or sometimes A-Ranks—
but mine keeps coming out ?-Rank.
Does it have something to do with the Heavenly Demon?
Setting my curiosity aside, I opened the box.
Random Skill Point Voucher
"Whoa."
Of all things—now skill points are a gacha!
But hey, that just means more to love.
Dopamine's flowing.
Life truly is all about the gacha!
Use the Random Skill Point Voucher?
"Yes!"
On the bluish window,
four question marks popped up and spun around in a dizzying blur.
Dum-dum-dum-dum-dum—
Ding—!
"Holy sh—!!"
A curse slipped out before I could stop it.
I clenched my fist and said:
"Tell me more about Contractor Descent."
Contractor Descent — 5,000p
└ Once a month, for 24 hours, summon into the real world one being bound to you by a Dream Soul Pact. (Upgradeable)
"Insane."
I was short 500p, sure,
but if I could truly summon my master—
Floors 48, 49, and 50.
A legendary-tier clear wouldn't be a joke anymore.
"Whew. Calm down. We don't know how it'll pan out yet."
Just then—
"Jaewoo~ We're heading to the department store. Want to come?"
"I'm good. You two go enjoy yourselves."
I wanted to do right by my parents,
but tagging along on their shopping trip was a step too far.
I saw my parents off and headed outside.
Then I thought of the youngest one.
"Hmm. Right—she's a student. Better this way than handing it over in person."
I called Section Chief Jeon Sua.
"Yes, this is Jeon Sua."
"There's something I'd like to ask of you."
"Of course. Just say the word."
"I'd like to give the kid a scholarship—oh, and of course, I'll be providing the money myself—"
"No, sir. The Association will cover it."
It wasn't just the voice that was polite.
The content was excessively gracious too.
"A full scholarship with living expenses included. Would one hundred million won per semester be sufficient?"
"Excuse me? No—way too much."
What kind of college student gets a hundred million won in living-expense support? Even for them, this scale is absurd.
"Just make it two million won a month, please."
"Understood. It will be arranged."
I hung up and thought of my little sister.
A laugh bubbled up out of nowhere.
"That kid's going to flip."
And with that, I left the house and launched myself into the sky.
Whoosh—