“Flying monsters.”
Kyler, hiding cautiously in the bushes, observed the flying birds.
Soon, he pulled out a notebook and began jotting notes diligently.
He was currently exploring various parts of Kyu-seong’s dungeon.
From places Kyu-seong had never found to every plant and animal, he discovered them all without exception.
“Time to head back now.”
Looking at the self-made map, he realized the return journey would take quite some time.
It had already taken him four days just to get here.
Thanks to Kyu-seong taking care of Emily, Kyler was able to venture far.
Now, in just a few days, Kyu-seong would be heading to China.
It was said to be a brief visit for business with the Skyscraper Guild, and Emily might go with him, so Kyler decided to bid them farewell.
‘I’m glad Emily seems to be doing well.’
The child, who had spent her entire life confined to a clinic, was now living happily, experiencing all sorts of things.
She even got to see the Korean celebrities she had always wanted to, went on various adventures with friends, and filled her belly with the most delicious foods in the world.
Seeing her living so well, as if being compensated for all the hardships, was truly heartwarming.
The only regret was that going on outings with Emily was difficult.
That was inevitable.
Due to their unique bond, exposing Emily to danger would have been the last thing he wanted.
Rustle.
Kyler rummaged through his bag and took out some dried food.
Kyu-seong and Jae-seong had specially made these preserved provisions for Kyler.
The food, designed for long-distance travel, consisted of well-smoked and dried fish and vegetables, shaped into fishcake-like forms.
“A cup of tea would have been nice with this.”
Kyu-seong mentioned recently bringing in and cultivating varieties of coffee and tea, which Kyler was eagerly looking forward to.
How fragrant would coffee and tea grown by Kyu-seong be?
After a simple meal, he finished his short break with great satisfaction and got up from his seat.
Kyler set off again, feeling reinvigorated for the return journey.
Unlike the trip there, the return journey went by quickly.
“Dad!”
“Emily!”
He embraced his adorable daughter running toward him.
The lovely daughter who could do no wrong.
She seemed to have just come from the fields, with dirt smudged here and there.
“What was my girl up to?”
“Dad! The coffee and green tea plants arrived! So I helped plant them, and we just finished!”
“Oh!”
What a coincidence; the very thing he’d thought about on his way back had already arrived.
With a gleam of anticipation, Kyler scanned the surroundings.
Seeing this, Emily grinned widely and said,
“Let’s check them out together! The trees I planted!”
“Shall we?”
Smiling at Emily’s excitement, Kyler followed her lead.
In the distance, he spotted Kyu-seong bathing the kids in the creek.
“Ah, Kyler! You’re back.”
“Yes. I heard you’d be heading to China soon, so I came back early.”
“Oh, I see.”
The kids, splashing around in the water, seemed unsure if they were washing or playing.
Nearby, Kkumuris and the slimes floated aimlessly in the creek.
Soon, Emily joined in, splashing around joyfully with the others,
as Kyler watched over them with a pleased expression.
“Kyler, I actually have a favor to ask.”
“Go ahead.”
“I’ll be in China for a few days. Of course, I can visit the dungeon once a day with my ability, but I’d feel better if someone could keep an eye on the village.”
“Oh, if that’s the case, don’t worry. I’ll look after the village.”
“Thank you. What about Emily? Should she come along to China?”
“If she wants to go, I’d love for her to gain as much experience as possible… Do you think that’s alright?”
“If you’re okay with it, of course! My sister will be joining me on this trip, so she’ll be well looked after.”
Kyler, grateful, expressed his thanks with a bright expression.
Meanwhile, the slimes, having gathered near them, lingered around.
“Oh, look at that, you’re all here. Come over here for a moment.”
Hmm? What was Kyu-seong up to this time?
Though Kyler had come to see the coffee and tea plants Kyu-seong had mentioned, Emily was already playing in the water with the kids.
So Kyler simply observed the peaceful scene while watching what Kyu-seong was doing.
“Alright, everyone. Line up according to your levels. Yep, just like that.”
Kyu-seong carefully inspected each slime one by one.
Though they were all brimming with unique traits, Kyler wondered what Kyu-seong hoped to see by doing this.
“Alright, you’ll do.”
Blorrrp!
The chosen slime quivered with delight.
The others sagged, disappointed.
“Sorry, everyone. Next time, I promise.”
Blorp.
Squish squish.
Kyu-seong then brought the selected slime alongside the one he always carried on his back .
When Kyu-seong began doing something…
Squirm squirm.
Blorp!!
The two slimes started merging.
‘No matter how many times I see this, it’s fascinating.’
A sight Kyler had already witnessed several times.
It seemed to be an awakening ability of Kyu-seong’s.
However, this time, it was the beloved slime named Bokkeum undergoing the fusion process, making it impossible for Kyler to look away.
Blorrrp!!
“Done!”
The fused slime.
Not much different from before.
It still bore the shield-shaped bag on its back.
“I wonder how much its capacity has increased.”
Bokkeum.
Fusing slimes appeared to enhance their abilities.
Watching this, Kyler once again felt the sheer potential of Kyu-seong’s powers.
‘Slimes can be summoned infinitely, with a wide range of abilities. If he creates an extraordinarily powerful slime and keeps enhancing it…?’
Just imagining it gave him goosebumps.
Of course, this was only possible because he still didn’t know the truth about the slimes Ara and Cheong.
As Kyler shivered in excitement on his own, Kyu-seong approached him.
“Ah, I have some news that will make you happy. Did Emily mention it?”
“Huh? What?”
“The coffee and tea plants arrived. We just finished planting them all together.”
“Oh! Yes, I heard. I was on my way to check them out, but I got sidetracked.”
“Emily seems to be playing, so why don’t you come with me for a bit?”
“Sure.”
Kyler’s mind was still tangled with thoughts about the slimes.
But those thoughts quickly vanished as he saw the vast field spread before him.
“Wait, you managed to do all this already?”
An enormous tea field.
The terraced plantation gave off a refreshing and invigorating vibe.
“We had been preparing the field little by little in advance. We just needed to plant the saplings, so it didn’t take too long.”
“Wow.”
“We’ll have to monitor how fast they grow. I’ve learned harvesting techniques from experts in tea cultivation, but since the growth rate might differ, it’s a bit worrisome. Missing the right harvest period could be disastrous.”
Listening to Kyu-seong, Kyler felt a sense of admiration.
Judging by his earlier impression, it seemed like Kyu-seong delegated most tasks to the slimes, leisurely enjoying the benefits.
However, upon closer observation, Kyler could see that wasn’t the case.
Kyu-seong constantly studied whenever he had the chance.
He diligently researched crops, fields, and farming, pouring over various materials.
He even went through academic papers, trying to learn and understand everything himself.
‘He’s someone truly worthy of respect.’
He was in a position where wealth and fame naturally came to him.
Yet, he didn’t settle for that.
In truth, he didn’t seem to place much value on wealth or fame.
From what Kyler had observed, Kyu-seong’s ultimate goal was simply small, daily happiness.
Wealth and fame were just bonuses along the way.
After touring the coffee and tea plants, they noticed the children drying themselves off nearby.
Of course, the Kkumuris and slimes were with them as usual.
The idyllic scene felt like something out of a fairy tale, stirring a peculiar emotion in Kyler.
His life until now had been a series of suffering and despair.
Even the peace he had barely achieved after Emily’s birth hadn’t lasted long.
‘This happiness feels like a dream.’
Sometimes, he would wake up drenched in cold sweat, anxiously checking his surroundings, fearing it might all be an illusion.
“Kyler.”
“Yes, Kyu-seong.”
“You don’t have to push yourself so hard.”
“Huh?”
Kyler flinched at Kyu-seong’s sudden remark, which felt out of the blue.
“I heard you’ve been exploring the dungeon quite extensively lately. But you don’t need to overdo it. Why not use this time to pick up a hobby and enjoy it with Emily?”
“A hobby…”
“You’ve been here about a month now, so you know my dungeon doesn’t have any major dangers. Of course, your reports have been very helpful, revealing things about my dungeon I hadn’t known, but there’s no need to stress yourself.”
Kyler nodded at Kyu-seong’s words.
Indeed, he realized he’d been obsessively working so far.
It wasn’t even necessary, but the thought of repaying Kyu-seong’s kindness and the anxiety of doing nothing had unconsciously driven him.
“Spend more time creating memories with Emily. There are moments you can only cherish now.”
“You’re absolutely right. I’ll keep that in mind, Kyu-seong.”
Someday, Emily would grow up.
She might even start her own family with someone.
Although it was still a distant story for young Emily, the fact that he had hidden his presence and created no memories with her so far weighed on Kyler’s mind.
“If you’re not sure where to start with hobbies, learn from the dungeon’s residents. The fairies excel at crafting ornaments and gardening, while the Mamons and goblins are skilled at carving.”
“I’ll also learn fishing from Kyu-seong’s father.”
“Ha-ha, that’s a great idea. And ask Jae-seong to teach you cooking. Emily would be thrilled to eat dishes made by her dad.”
Talking with Kyu-seong, Kyler realized there were plenty of things to do.
Although he started writing a meticulous plan in his notebook out of habit, he froze when he felt Kyu-seong’s gaze.
“Looks like you’ve got a workaholic streak, but I guess it won’t be fixed overnight, right?”
“Ha-ha.”
It couldn’t be changed immediately.
But gradually, over time, Kyler was learning to relax.
***
“Alright, I’m off. Please look after the dungeon.”
“If both you and Ara leave, how am I supposed to manage the dungeon?”
“That’s true.”
On the day of our scheduled visit to the Skyscraper Guild, we bid farewell to our families.
Since both Ara and I were leaving, once we exited the dungeon, re-entry wouldn’t be possible.
Still, with Kyler remaining inside, I asked him to take care of it and left.
“By the time we return, most of the restaurant renovations should be done.”
“Oh, I’m looking forward to that.”
I nodded at my father’s words.
Finally, the long-awaited opening of the Gluttony Restaurant was near.
Of course, finishing the renovations didn’t mean we could open immediately.
There were still many preparations left.
‘I’ll be waiting for it.’
The children we decided to hire from Dasom Orphanage had been waiting for a long time.
Once back from China, we’d call them in to start working together.
Recently, the orphanage contacted us, expressing gratitude for helping many children get jobs with the Ironblood Group’s subsidiaries.
Their thankfulness was almost overwhelming.
‘It’s all thanks to Director Baek, not me.’
In any case, while most of the children had found jobs, those who were waiting must have been growing impatient.
Maybe we should call them in advance?
“Jae-seong, should we call in the ones we decided to hire earlier?”
“Sure. It’s better to work together and get used to things sooner.”
“Then I’ll call them in.”
I contacted the orphanage separately.
Once everything was ready, it was finally time to leave.
“Alright, we’re really leaving now.”
“Take care. Watch over Ara and Cheong closely.”
“Mom! Aren’t you worried about your daughter?!”
Since Seon-ah was also coming along, she pouted at the family’s attention being solely on Ara.
But Seon-ah was quickly ignored as Ara waved energetically, saying,
“Don’t worry! I’ll take good care of Cheong!”
“Oh, our Ara has grown up so much!”
My parents gazed at us with eyes full of affection as if sending off their grandchildren.
Meanwhile, the car from Ironblood arrived to pick us up.
Director Baek stepped out and greeted us courteously.
“Alright, we’re off for real now.”
“Okay, take care and come back safely, my little ones.”
It had been about half a year since I last visited the Skyscraper Guild.
I was curious to see how much it had changed and developed.
Above all, though, I was concerned about Seon-ah.
‘Will studying abroad work out for her?’
I hoped this journey would bring her valuable experiences and learning opportunities.
Cliche Novel 