5:00 a.m.
At the break of dawn, I got up, quickly washed my face, and started my work for the day.
First, I went out to the field to check the crops nearing harvest and inspect their condition.
After that, I checked the state of the fields where new crops would soon be planted.
“Alright, we’ll plant level 5 tomatoes here… and eggplants at level 3? They’ll wilt soon, won’t they?”
Gulp!
“Okay. I’ve got an errand to run later today, so let’s plant them when I get back. Prepare the seeds in advance.”
I reviewed the crop inventory, ensuring there were no shortages for the delivery deadline.
Fortunately, all the crops were stocked well above the required quantities.
Surplus produce was usually consumed by us.
While priority was given to crops that weren’t considered “items,” occasionally, even those designated as items—if harvested in excess—ended up on our plates.
Thanks to this, Ara was growing stronger day by day!
“In a few years, she’s going to be unbelievable, isn’t she?”
Even now, Ara’s hexagonal stats were on par with the other members of the Seven Deadly Sins.
This level of growth occurred in just over two years.
What would Ara’s capabilities look like after three, no, five more years?
The thought filled me with excitement.
By then, we’d likely have cultivated a variety of new crops, allowing Ara to acquire even more diverse abilities.
6:30 a.m.
After finishing the bulk of the chores, I went to wake up the kids.
When I arrived at Ara and Cheong’s room, Emily was already there.
“Good morning, sir! It’s such a lovely morning!”
“You’re up early.”
“Yes! I was so excited that I woke up right away. Hehe.”
I had anticipated this ever since I told her yesterday that we’d be visiting Iron Blood Entertainment for a tour.
Emily, a fervent fan of K-pop and Korean dramas, was so passionate that she’d mastered Korean to a native level.
Knowing this, her excitement over visiting an entertainment agency was hardly surprising.
Her boundless energy brought smiles to everyone in the household.
“Shall we go wake up the others?”
“Yes!”
Emily and I went to wake Ara and Cheong.
The kids, half-asleep, slowly opened their eyes.
Their adorable, groggy expressions made me smile as I hugged them and carried them to the stream.
At the stream, Kyler was already washing up, shirtless.
“Good morning, Kyler.”
“Ah! Good morning, Kyu-seong. Please take care of Emily today.”
“Of course. We’ll be back safely.”
There wasn’t much to worry about, honestly.
The only thing we needed to hide was that Emily was Kyler’s daughter.
Oh, and the fact that Emily was both an 8th-level Awakener and a Hero candidate.
…Okay, that’s a lot to hide, actually.
Emily, who became an 8th-level Awakener at a younger age than Ryucheon, was a Sword Master to boot.
Her quests weren’t the usual kind—they were advanced, specifically tailored for Hero candidates.
Currently, she was stuck on a quest requiring her to forge a sword out of rare metals, but it seemed like she’d overcome this hurdle soon enough.
“It’s ironic… gathering the Seven Deadly Sins to complete a Hero’s quest.”
The Hero was supposed to stand as a counterpart to the Seven Deadly Sins.
Yet here we were, a peculiar scenario where the Seven Deadly Sins were indirectly aiding the Hero’s cause.
After finishing the kids’ washing and dressing them up, I picked out nicer outfits than usual for the agency visit.
“Ara, you look great in that dress.”
“Yeah! What about this hat?”
Ara proudly showed off the straw hat I’d gifted her, twitching her tiger ears with excitement.
Emily patted Ara’s head affectionately, clearly charmed by her.
Oh, and for the record, the Relic of Gluttony had now joined Ara’s hat collection.
A Mythical-Grade Item Stuffed in the Hat Storage Room
It was probably humanity’s first mythical-grade item, yet…
‘It doesn’t matter.’
As long as our Ara was happy, that was all that mattered.
With Ara and Cheong all dressed up and ready, and Emily by their side, we prepared to head out.
By now, it was already 7:30 a.m.
We headed to the kitchen and ordered a light breakfast from the Breeding Tribe.
Soon, breakfast was ready in no time.
Golden-toasted bread.
Various jams made from my crops.
Soft and fluffy cream made from radiant light.
Alfheim honey was an added bonus.
For pancake-loving Emily and the kids, pancakes were specially served.
We wrapped up our light breakfast with vegetable juice.
“Ahhh.”
If it had been any other vegetable juice, I would have grimaced and forced it down, but juice made from my crops tasted phenomenal.
In fact, just drinking the vegetable juice was hearty enough to serve as breakfast.
“See you later!”
Beep!
The Breeding Tribe kids waved us off enthusiastically, wishing us a safe trip.
When we stepped outside, we found the car had already arrived, even though it wasn’t time yet.
“Oh, you’re out early.”
“Hello, Mr. Kyu-seong. It’s been a while.”
The manager who had previously overseen us greeted us with a warm smile.
“Ah, Manager. I brought something light for you to enjoy. It’s vegetable juice.”
“Oh, thank you so much.”
I handed a bottle to the manager and another to the road manager who would be driving us. Meanwhile, Emily was brimming with excitement as she inspected the car.
“It’s the kind of car celebrities ride!”
“Ohh! Does that make us celebrities too?”
“No, today’s just a day tour.”
“Ohh! So we’re day-tour celebrities?”
Their adorable chatter brought a smile to my face, while the managers, downing the vegetable juice in one gulp, expressed their amazement.
“As always, the food you bring, Mr. Kyu-seong, is incredibly delicious. Are you sure you didn’t sneak something special in here?”
“Hey now, don’t say something so disappointing.”
It was obviously meant as a compliment, and I understood their reaction perfectly.
After the pleasant greetings, we got into the car.
The schedule included a visit to the company for an internal tour.
The company was massive, with various facilities, including recording studios and more. They mentioned we might even run into celebrities if we were lucky.
“Wow, who might we see? If it’s Iron Blood Entertainment, Seo Ye-eun, Park Hyun-soo, Choi Jin-woo, Rest of Peace, Exceed, and Frequency are all famous!”
Emily rattled off a list of actors and singers like a true fan.
Clearly, she had a deep interest.
Since I wasn’t particularly into the entertainment industry, I only vaguely recognized some of the names.
“Oh, Frequency is scheduled for the recording studio today. There’s a high chance you’ll see them.”
“Wow! Frequency! I absolutely love their music! What do I do? I’m already nervous and excited!”
Look at her.
Who would believe that Emily was an 8th-level Awakener?
At this moment, Emily looked like nothing more than a young girl visiting Korea, captivated by Hallyu.
Emily and the manager continued discussing various actors and singers I couldn’t recognize.
Thanks to the lively conversation, we arrived at the company in high spirits.
“By the way, your niece speaks Korean so fluently! Is she mixed?”
“Pardon? Oh, no, she’s the daughter of an acquaintance. I treat her like my niece.”
“Wow, so she’s a full American and speaks Korean this well? That’s incredible.”
The manager’s eyes shone with admiration, but there was a sharpness in his gaze.
For a moment, his expression reminded me of when CEO Baek looked at our Ara.
“You’re not thinking of scouting Emily into the entertainment industry, are you?”
“Huh? How did you know? Was it that obvious?”
“That look in your eyes. I’ve seen it before.”
The Manager Scratched the Back of His Head with a Laugh
“Haha, it’s rare to see a foreigner who speaks Korean so fluently, almost like a native. And Emily’s visuals don’t fall behind compared to celebrities, so I couldn’t help but estimate her potential.”
“Hmm…?”
“Of course, it was just a thought. She’s still young, and I wouldn’t recklessly suggest it to someone just visiting from the U.S.”
He said that, but you can never be sure of someone’s true intentions.
I took a moment to think.
What if Emily decided she wanted to pursue a career as a celebrity?
In today’s world, the line between Awakeners and entertainers has blurred significantly.
It’s an era where Awakeners can also be celebrities.
With Emily’s star potential—her 8th-level awakening and outstanding looks—it wouldn’t take long for her name to become widely recognized.
‘I wouldn’t stop her. If that’s what she wants.’
She’s never been able to do what she wanted before.
Having spent her life in a treatment facility, confined to a bed, I wanted to grant her any wish she had.
We got out of the car and headed toward the company.
“Follow me.”
As we moved inside, following the manager, we saw people bustling around.
Among them, a few were moving leisurely, and Emily reacted immediately.
“Oh my gosh! That’s Diana! The singer-songwriter! Amazing!”
Even I had heard her name before.
I’d come across some of her songs.
But I didn’t know she was with Iron Blood Entertainment.
It was quite surprising to see her here.
We also passed by several other celebrities, but there were some I didn’t recognize.
Each time, though, Emily would excitedly call out their names.
“Wow, that’s the rookie idol group MaxQ! I watched their vlogs!”
At Emily’s words, one of the idols called MaxQ flinched and turned to look at us.
Soon, with a fiery gaze, he walked toward us briskly.
“Huh?”
What… what is this?
Was he upset about being called out?
Contrary to my expectations, the idol bowed deeply and greeted us.
“Thank you so much for recognizing us! I’m Hee-seong from MaxQ!”
“Oh, hello! I really enjoy your vlogs! You’re the basketball-loving Hee-seong, right?”
“Y-Yes! You’ve really watched our vlogs! Even though they barely get 200 views…”
It seemed they weren’t a well-known idol group.
For Emily to even follow such minor idols—it made me admire her enthusiasm.
‘I heard her favorite entertainment agency was somewhere else, so how does she know all this?’
It was impressive.
But it also made sense.
What else could Emily have done while lying in bed all her life? The internet must have been her only connection to the outside world.
She probably learned all about the entertainment industry over time.
With so much free time, she eventually stumbled upon vlogs of rookie idols like these.
“Guys! Someone here has watched all our vlogs!”
“They’ve watched all of them?”
“Who is it?”
The male idol group—six members in total—gathered around us.
Cheong, startled by their sudden approach, hid behind my leg.
In contrast, Ara puffed out her chest confidently and stepped forward to greet them.
“Hello! We are the boy group MaxQ!”
Their spirited greeting made me chuckle awkwardly and nod politely. Ara, meanwhile, bobbed her head approvingly.
“Hello! It’s so nice to meet you! I’m a fan!”
“This is the first time we’ve met someone who says they’re a fan! Could we possibly get your autograph?”
I never imagined I’d see a scene where idols beg a fan for an autograph.
The absurdity of it made me laugh unintentionally.
Even the manager with us chuckled awkwardly, watching the situation unfold.
“C-Could I get your autograph too?”
“Of course!”
At Emily’s shy request for an autograph, the members eagerly showcased their practiced signature skills.
However, some seemed nervous, their hands trembling slightly, and I soon understood why as I overheard their whispers.
“This is my first time signing for real.”
“Me too. I never imagined someone would watch all our vlogs.”
“And to meet them at the company, no less…”
Their youthful energy made me want to cheer them on.
Although I’d just learned about this idol group, I couldn’t help but hope for their success now that we’d crossed paths.
Emily received a sheet of paper signed by all the members, her face glowing with excitement as she bowed deeply.
“Thank you! I’ll treasure this as a family heirloom!”
“It’s nothing! Please continue to support MaxQ!”
After exchanging farewells, we parted ways.
Some of the members expressed regret at saying goodbye to their first genuine fan, but the schedule quickly moved on.
“They haven’t officially debuted yet, so I didn’t expect anyone to recognize them, let alone watch their vlogs.”
“I stumbled across them by chance, but they were so lively and charming that I ended up watching all the videos. After that, I became a fan, but I never thought I’d get their autographs!”
Emily proudly held up the signed paper.
Ara crossed her arms and chimed in.
“I can do that too. I also have autographs!”
“Huh? You have an autograph too, Ara?”
“I am very popular!”
It was true, so I couldn’t argue.
Ara hadn’t been out much recently, so it was hard to gauge her popularity, but back when she used to go out often, crowds would form around her, recognizing her immediately.
Her fame peaked after she filmed a mukbang with Seo Ye-eun, an actress from this very agency.
I remembered how daunting it was to go out back then.
“Hello, Mr. Kyu-seong! Hi, Ara!”
“Eh? Seo Ye-eun?!”
Speak of the devil.
Seo Ye-eun appeared before us, looking just as she did before.
“Wow! It’s Seo Ye-eun!”
“E-Emily…”
Embarrassed by Emily’s direct reaction, I called her name, and she quickly clapped her hands over her mouth.
“Sorry!!”
“It’s fine. This happens sometimes. You must be Mr. Kyu-seong’s niece, right? I’ve heard about you.”
Wait, she wasn’t here by coincidence?
Did she already know about us beforehand?
“You’ll be joining me for today’s schedule. You’ll also meet some other actors along the way.”
“W-Wait, with Ms. Ye-eun?”
“Yes. Is that a problem?”
“No, it’s just… I’m worried we might be a burden or cause trouble.”
“Don’t worry. I suggested it myself.”
Joining Seo Ye-eun’s schedule? I hadn’t expected that.
“And you might even participate as surprise guests.”
“Huh? Surprise guests?”
“Yes. I’m appearing on a variety show today. It’s a real variety show, so Ara might unexpectedly appear on-screen.”
Seo Ye-eun glanced at Emily and smiled mischievously.
“Your niece might also make an appearance.”
“W-Wait…”
This was quite sudden.
Still, it didn’t seem like a bad idea.
If it created a good memory for Emily, then why not?
Though Ara made sense, why Emily?
“She’s an Awakener, right? This week’s theme is connected to awakened individuals.”
“Oh, y-yes. She is awakened.”
A real variety show.
The theme connected to Awakeners.
Gulp.
Emily.
P-Please hide your strength. Okay?
Cliche Novel 