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Snooze, snooze…

When we returned to the dungeon, we saw Frey still sleeping on top of Woofy’s belly. As a result, Woofy couldn’t do anything but continue chewing on its toy bone.

“Frey is still sleeping, huh?”

“Frey is quite the sleepyhead.”

The other fairies who had enjoyed the hot springs with us and followed us here had all left at some point, leaving Frey alone, peacefully asleep. Whether it was cute or just silly, it was hard to tell…

Not wanting to wake her up, I waited quietly beside her until Frey started to stir and wake up.

“Just a little more…”

Even though no one had woken her, Frey mumbled in her sleep. Eventually, she groggily opened her eyes, still half-asleep.

“Where am I? Who am I?”

“Did you sleep well, Frey?”

“Oh, Grand Lord…”

Upon seeing me, Frey tried to respond but quickly started nodding off again. Ara, seeing this, lay down next to Frey.

“Huh? Lord Ara?”

“Frey, it’s time to wake up.”

“Huh? Just a moment…”

Still not fully awake, Frey quickly checked her surroundings and then, startled, got up in a hurry.

“This isn’t a dream?!”

“It’s not a dream!”

Frey, now fully awake, flapped her wings energetically. However, it seemed she was still too sleepy to fly properly, as she wobbled in the air. Seeing this, Ara quickly grabbed Frey and placed her on her head.

“How does that feel?”

“Thank you so much!”

Now more awake, Frey looked at me and Seon-ah with an embarrassed expression and scratched her head.

“I’m so sorry. I got too comfortable and ended up being rude. My apologies. Hehe.”

“It’s okay. But I have to admit, Woofy is so soft and warm, it felt really nice to sleep on.”

I felt a little bad for Woofy, but it really was comfortable. I had a feeling I might be using him as a pillow more often in the future.

“Frey, I’m sorry to ask this right after you’ve woken up, but you mentioned something about the World Tree before going to sleep. Can we go check on that now?”

“Of course! Let’s go right away!”

Unlike Ara, Frey became fully alert as soon as she woke up.

Soon, we mounted Purr and Woofy and headed straight for the World Tree.

When we arrived at the village, Frey flew up and placed her hands on the World Tree, closing her eyes.

“Ah, ah. Can you hear me?”

Frey’s tone changed, becoming more formal. Although we couldn’t hear any sound, the rustling leaves made it seem as if the tree was responding.

“Oooh.”

Impressed by the scene, I noticed that Frey’s wings seemed to flap even more energetically.

“I have brought the Grand Lord. Now, greet him.”

Swaaash—

Several leaves fluttered down from the tree. Given the size of the tree, each leaf was about the size of Ara’s face.

“Is this the tree’s way of greeting us?”

“That’s correct, Grand Lord. Ah, the World Tree has something it wants to ask you.”

“Oh? Go ahead.”

Communicating with a tree was a first for me. Life really does have its surprises.

“The tree has formed a bud, but it’s struggling to bloom on its own. Could you possibly help?”

“Oh, is that what the World Tree is saying?”

“Yes, that’s the general idea.”

A flower, huh? Frey had been eager to see the tree bloom, but it seemed it wasn’t going to be easy.

“How can I help?”

“This place is the Dungeon of Gluttony, a place like the origin of slimes. And as someone who grew up here, I too have been influenced by them.”

“Mmm.”

“Most slimes are good at taking care of plants, but we need a particularly skilled slime. We need the abilities of that slime.”

“Oh, do you mean Mark2?”

Mark2 was currently managing the Slime Village, the Meluca Flower Field, and the Goblin Village. He was essentially in charge of all the farms in the dungeon. He had a lot on his plate.

“I wonder where Mark2 is right now.”

“It so happens he’s at the Meluca Flower Field!”

“Oh, really?”

He’s close by. That’s convenient. I told the others to wait for a bit, and then quickly rode Purr to the Meluca Flower Field.

“Wow, it’s already grown so much!”

The flower field was filled with lush, green Meluca plants. Although they were still young and had not yet formed buds, there were so many of them that it was quite a sight to behold.

And then, we saw a few slimes and Mark2 leisurely passing through.

“Mark2!”

Squirm!

Mark2 happily greeted me as he approached. He then eagerly crawled towards me and proudly lifted his head.

“Wow, Mark2, you’ve worked really hard. You’ve been through a lot.”

Squirm-

Mark2 looked a bit embarrassed, as if to say it was nothing, and it made him look even more adorable than usual.

“Mark2, do you have some time right now?”

Squirm!

“It seems like the World Tree is looking for you.”

Mark2 nodded enthusiastically, and I couldn’t help but chuckle as I picked him up.

“Let’s go!”

Hiiing.

Squirm!

We waved goodbye to the other slimes and headed back to the fairy village.

“You’ve come, Mark2.”

Ara greeted Mark2 with a solemn expression. Mark2 also lifted his head confidently and greeted Ara.

Squirm!

“Indeed, Mark2 was the one we needed.”

Wobble-?

“I believe Mark2 will do a great job!”

What are they talking about? 

While the cute little ones were having their serious conversation, I attempted to communicate with the World Tree again through Frey.

“I’ve brought Mark2.”

“The World Tree is asking if you can attach Apostle Mark2 to it.”

“Attach him?”

Not entirely sure what it meant, I lifted Mark2 and brought him close to the World Tree. Then, Mark2 began to wiggle and do something.

“Huh? Mark2?”

His movements didn’t look normal, and a memory flashed in my mind. 

It reminded me of when Poispois absorbed Mammon’s poison. Poispois had exhibited strange behavior at that time, and there was an indication on his status screen that said he was ‘awakening an unknown potential.’

“Hey, is Mark2 going to be okay?”

“Well, let’s wait and see.”

I wasn’t too worried. If it was something dangerous, we would have been warned beforehand.

And just as I expected, Mark2 soon calmed down and tilted his head.

Squirm?

As if nothing had happened.

[Mark2 (Slime) LV.5]  

[A peculiar slime]

[He is Lee Kyu-seong’s familiar]

[Capable of liquid synthesis]

[Currently awakening an unknown potential]

[Ability: Farming LV.5]

“Oh, just as I thought.”

When I checked, a new line saying ‘awakening an unknown potential’ had been added, just like with Poispois.

I was curious, though—how long would this ‘awakening’ take? Even with Poispois, after absorbing Mammon’s poison, there hadn’t been any noticeable changes for a long time.

“Is synthesis the answer…?”

Level 6. 

Maybe it’s time to level up.

Even while working hard, I’ve been using liquid synthesis and slime summoning compulsively. Especially with liquid synthesis, since there hasn’t been much need for fruit juice lately, I’ve been investing more into synthesizing slimes.

Thanks to that, if I wanted, I could easily raise a Level 5 slime to Level 6 within a few days.

There was also a quest to create five Level 5 slimes, so it seemed like a good opportunity to complete that as well.

‘But this wasn’t the main reason for bringing Mark2 here.’

I waited for the World Tree’s response.

With his eyes closed, Frey was communicating with the World Tree in a mysterious manner.

Wasn’t Mark2 supposed to help the tree bloom?

“It’s done, Grand Lord.”

“Huh? Done? What is?”

“The World Tree has left a seed with Apostle Mark2. Now, Mark2 has the potential to become the World Tree’s slime.”

“Oh?! Really?”

Wow, so that’s what the ‘unknown potential’ was about? It sounded quite impressive. A slime of the World Tree…

“In the future, as Apostle Mark2 grows, he will naturally gain extensive knowledge about the World Tree.”

“I see. Then I should synthesize him to level him up.”

To help the World Tree bloom, Mark2 would need to be synthesized. It’s a win-win situation.

After dropping Frey off in the village, I returned to the Slime Village. There was no time to waste; I still had some liquid synthesis to do today.

“Level 4 slimes, gather up!”

I called the slimes to gather. The ones who were playing enthusiastically came squirming over in response to my call.

“Why are you guys here? Not that it matters.”

Hehe.

When I called for the slimes, a bunch of squirming slimes tagged along, just like a “buy one, get one free” deal. This sight made Ara and Seon-ah burst into laughter. While I watched the adorable scene, the slimes I had been waiting for gathered.

There were currently 13 Level 4 slimes—a considerable number. If you’re wondering why I hadn’t upgraded them to Level 5 yet, it was because I was hesitant. After all, once they reach Level 5, it feels a bit wasteful to synthesize them.

“Raise your hand!” 

“Alright, who wants to be the first to reach Level 5?”

Squirm!

Wobble-wobble~!

Squuuirm!!

Chaos ensued as all the slimes eagerly presented their nonexistent hands and feet, each wanting to be the one to level up. As I found myself in a dilemma, Ara stepped in to organize the situation.

“First come, first served!”

Squirm!

A slime that happened to be closest to Ara quickly stepped forward. Another one followed suit, and just like that, the decision was made in an instant.

“Alright, you two will become Level 5 first, and the rest will have their turn later. Just wait a little longer.”

Not only Mark2, but also Poispois and Bokkeum needed to be upgraded to Level 6. Plus, if I happened to get a useful Level 5 slime, it would be a waste to use it for synthesis just to make a Level 6 slime.

In the end, slime synthesis would have to continue without pause.

“These ones are Gale Slime and Ultrasonic Slime.”

The Gale Slime can blow wind from its mouth and is relatively fast. The Ultrasonic Slime emits ultrasonic waves, but to be honest, I wasn’t sure what use that would be.

“Liquid Synthesis!”

When I synthesized the two, they squirmed and merged into one. Soon after, the new form started taking shape, and a choice appeared before me.

[Choose an ability to inherit.]  

[Gale] 

[Ultrasonic]

Hmm, I suppose Gale would be the better choice. Although it didn’t really matter since this slime was going to become Mark2 anyway. Just in case, I selected Gale, and soon a green slime with a pair of small wing-like decorations on its head was born.

[Gale (Slime) LV.5]  

[A peculiar slime. He is Lee Kyu-seong’s familiar]  

[Capable of liquid synthesis] 

[Ability: Gale LV.4, Solar Power LV.1]

Oh, it gained a new ability this time too. Solar Power? What kind of ability is that?

“Gale, what’s Solar Power?”

Squirm.

As soon as I asked, Gale struck a pose and started emitting light.

Oh? Could this be…

“…Perfect for growing peppers.”

I never expected to gain such an ability. While I was already using machinery to grow peppers, having Gale around would make the process much smoother. Moreover, the machine uses magic stones, and while it’s worth using given the value of the peppers, it’s better to avoid it if possible.

‘Well, I was planning for this slime to become Mark2, but things turned out differently.’

Synthesis, or rather, slime fusion, is always unpredictable and exciting.

So it seems I’ll need to create a new Level 5 slime to reach Mark2’s Level 60.

[Quest Completed]  

[Awakening Quest: Foster Growth]  

[Grow your slimes]

[Level 5 or higher slimes: 5/5]

At the same time, the Awakening Quest for the Slime Grand Lord was also completed.

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Originally, Ryu Cheon didn’t plan on staying the night, but after much deliberation, she decided to spend the night in the Dungeon of Gluttony with the kids.

“Hehe.”

“Snore.”

“You’re already asleep.”

After finishing up at the hot spring, they had dinner and saw Jae-seong off. Only Seon-ah, Ara, and Ryu Cheon were left behind. When they returned after saying goodbye, they found everyone cuddled up and asleep. Out of all the places, they chose to sleep huddled together on an outdoor mat. 

“Well, I guess it would be warm.”

The Kkumuris, the slimes, and all the other familiars, along with Seon-ah and Ryu Cheon, had Ara nestled in the middle, each holding Gomgom and Soo. Woofy had grown large enough to act as a bed, with a bone resting beside him, sleeping peacefully. 

They all looked so comfortable that I didn’t have the heart to wake them up to go inside.

“Mmm…”

Just then, Ara, who had been fidgeting, furrowed her brow and half-opened her eyes. She suddenly sat up and looked around.

“Kyu-seong Kyu-seong ?”

Seeing her searching for me, I quietly waved my hand. Ara soon spotted me, and groggily got up and ran over. She was still half-asleep as she snuggled into my arms. When I crouched down to receive her, she buried her face and rubbed against me.

“You’re sleepy…”

“It’s time to sleep, my little Ara.”

I patted her head and lifted her up into my arms. Before long, Ara, nodding off, fell back into a deep sleep.

Flap, flap, flap.

“Oh, Frey.”

“Have you returned, my lord?”

Frey spoke softly, not wanting to wake the others. Her now familiar wing beats caught my attention.

“Weren’t you sleeping with them?”

“No. I have something to tell you, my lord. I fought off the sleepiness just for this.”

“Something for me?”

I wondered what Frey had to say. It seemed important if she had waited all this time.

“The World Tree wishes to speak with you, my lord.”

“The World Tree?”

I was a bit surprised by the unexpected news. I hadn’t given much thought to the World Tree’s existence, so I was more curious than anything when Frey mentioned communication.

“Will you be translating for me, Frey?”

“Yes. It seems the World Tree wishes to greet the lord of this land.”

I found it hard to believe that such a significant being as the World Tree wanted to greet me. Though I was indeed the lord of this dungeon, the World Tree’s grandeur made me feel a bit nervous.

“Alright, then. I’ll go see it tomorrow after I get some rest.”

“Understood. I’ll convey that. Yawn.”

Having said what she needed to, Frey yawned and then gracefully landed on my shoulder, where Ara was already nestled. She curled up and drifted off to sleep. The sight was so natural it made me smile.

“Alright then, let’s all sleep together.”

Since it had come to this, I decided to use one side of Woofy’s back as a pillow. Fortunately, Woofy had grown to about 5 meters in size, providing plenty of room. 

Soft.

The warmth and softness of the fur felt amazing. Since I was already tired, my eyes naturally began to close.

“Mmm.”

I carefully laid Ara down next to me and settled beside her. I placed Frey on the soft fur of Woofy. 

Ssss. 

A gentle breeze blew, creating a perfect harmony with the warmth of Woofy. Combined with the post-hot spring drowsiness, a supreme sense of peace washed over me.

“This is nice.”

In the quiet dungeon, with everyone asleep, I smiled contentedly and drifted into a restful sleep. 

***

The Next Day

As soon as dawn broke, I woke up and gently tried to rouse Ryu Cheon, who was still sleeping.

“Ryu Cheon, it’s time for you to go.”

However, she seemed to be a heavy sleeper and couldn’t wake up properly. Eventually, my voice woke Ara first, who groggily sat down beside Ryu Cheon with a sleepy expression.

“Ryu Cheon, Ryu Cheon, you need to wake up.”

Surprisingly, at Ara’s words, Ryu Cheon’s furrowed brow relaxed, and her eyes slowly opened.

“Ara?”

“It’s me.”

“Ara…”

Still not fully awake, Ryu Cheon hugged Ara tightly, then noticed me.

“Is this a dream?”

“For a dream, you speak Korean quite well, Ryu Cheon.”

“Oh.”

She quickly glanced around and realized that she had been using Woofy as a pillow, causing her face to flush with embarrassment. 

Oh, that’s a new expression. I always thought she was emotionless, but seeing these rare moments made me feel oddly proud.

“My apologies.”

Despite apologizing, she couldn’t bring herself to let go of Ara, who was just happily snuggling in Ryu Cheon’s arms.

“Is it morning already? I had such a good sleep.”

Seon-ah also woke up amidst the commotion, scratching her head as she sat up. When she noticed Ryu Cheon beside her, she quickly adjusted her posture.

“Oh, Ms. Ryu Cheon, you’re here. Hehe.”

“Casual speech.”

“Oh right! We agreed to speak casually. Sorry. Hehe.”

When did they get so close? I thought it would be difficult to get close to Ryu Cheon since she rarely showed emotions, but I guess I was wrong. Seon-ah really is friendly with everyone.

Seon-ah then turned to me, looking somewhat confused.

“Where’s Jae-seong?”

“He went home last night. I even saw him off, remember?”

“Oh, right? I must’ve been so tired I completely forgot.”

Now that Ryu Cheon was awake, it was time to prepare to leave. Thanks to Ryu Wang-jin’s schedule, we were able to stay for a night, but it was time to head back.

After a quick wash by the nearby stream, we emerged outside. Seon-ah insisted on seeing us off, repeatedly asking Ryu Cheon to visit again.

“Can I come back again?”

Ryu Cheon asked me in a slightly wistful voice. Seon-ah, who was beside her, also looked at me with teary eyes and grabbed my hand.

“Brother, we can, right?”

“Of course. You’re always welcome to visit whenever you have time.”

I would always welcome them. Seeing the people around me happy and satisfied made me happy too, so there was no reason to refuse.

“I’ll drive you.”

“They’re coming to pick us up.”

“Oh, really?”

Just then, a vehicle approached from the distance. The top of the vehicle opened, and Ryu Wang-jin, with his massive frame, emerged and waved his hand.

“I’m here!”

“Whoa!”

Ara’s eyes lit up with excitement as she saw him. Did she find that impressive?

“I didn’t expect Ryu Wang-jin to come in person.”

“Ry-Ryu Wang-jin?!”

Seon-ah, upon realizing she was meeting yet another big-shot, looked as if she might faint, her face frozen in shock.

The vehicle soon stopped, and Ryu Wang-jin, along with a man who appeared to be his assistant, got out of the car.

“Thank you for taking care of my granddaughter!”

“It was our pleasure. We had a great time as well. Oh, this is my sister, Lee Seon-ah.”

As I introduced them, Ryu Wang-jin’s eyes sparkled as he extended his hand for a handshake. Seon-ah, looking terrified, hesitantly took his hand.

“L-Lee Seon-ah, it’s nice to meet you.”

“I’m Ryu Wang-jin, Guildmaster of the Skyscraper Guild! They call me Jecheondae-seong!”

“Son Goku it is!”

Seon-ah was practically being shaken by Ryu Wang-jin’s enthusiastic handshake, looking even more dazed than before.

“It’s a pity. If we had more time, I would have joined in the fun.”

“Next time, come play with Ryu Cheon, Son Goku!”

“Indeed! I’ll make sure to find time to visit my friend! Hohoho!”

After shaking hands with Ara as well, Son Goku—no, Ryu Wang-jin—winked at me.

“If you ever face any trouble, don’t hesitate to reach out! I’ll help as much as I can.”

“Thank you so much for everything, including this time. Next time, I’ll make sure to set aside some time to treat you properly.”

“I’ll look forward to it!”

Ryu Wang-jin smiled warmly as he took Ryu Cheon away. Ryu Cheon, hesitant to leave, kept stopping and looking back at us.

“Ara, stay healthy. Seon-ah, make sure to meet again next time!”

“We’ll meet again!”

And me? Ryu Cheon? Am I just being left out? But I didn’t voice it out loud—I didn’t want to seem petty.

“Kyu-seong, this visit has been a very meaningful and memorable experience for me. Thank you, as always.”

“Oh, no problem. Please come visit again.”

Almost as if she had read my mind, Ryu Cheon quickly expressed her gratitude. I knew she wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye to me. Of course.

“Ryu Cheon!”

“Hmm?”

“In a few days, a new drama is airing in Korea, and Ara is in it! She only appears in one scene around episode 7, just a small role, but if you’re interested, you should check it out.”

“A drama!? Got it. I’ll definitely watch it.”

A faint smile appeared on Ryu Cheon’s usually expressionless face. Seon-ah, surprised, looked at her in awe.

“Wow…”

Seon-ah was in awe. Given how expressionless Ryu Cheon usually was, even a slight smile had a powerful impact.

Ryu Wang-jin, who also noticed, nodded with a very satisfied expression.

“It was definitely worth helping you, Kyu-seong!”

How did he connect those dots? Anyway, seeing them both in such high spirits made me smile as we exchanged farewells.

“Goodbye!”

Ara enthusiastically shouted and waved as the car drove away. Ryu Cheon and Ryu Wang-jin also waved back from the now-open-top vehicle. We stood there, waving until they were out of sight, and only then did we start moving again.

“Wow, was that all just a dream?”

“Would you prefer if it was?”

“No way! I just can’t believe it. I mean, I became friends with Ryu Cheon and shook hands with Ryu Wang-jin!”

For Seon-ah, a huge fan of Awakeners, this was probably a historic event. Of course, all of this happened thanks to who?

“Be grateful to your big brother.”

“Of course, dear brother, I’ll continue to rely on your greatness.”

“That’s more like it.”

Since we were on the topic, it was almost time for the drama featuring Ara to air. That also meant the commercial shoot was coming up soon.

“The commercial shoot is the day after tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah. You set an alarm so you wouldn’t forget, right?”

“Of course.”

After the commercial shoot, the drama would air shortly afterward, and the commercial would be out soon too. The thought of Ara appearing on TV gave me a strange feeling.

“She’s already a star online, but it feels different.”

And soon, the Wrath Permit from the European Union would be released. Busy days were ahead. But before that, there was something else that needed to be taken care of.

“Let’s head back.”

“Huh? Not going out today?”

“No, there’s nothing scheduled, and I have something to take care of.”

“Something to take care of?”

“I need to greet the World Tree.”

“The World Tree? Greet it?”

Seeing Seon-ah’s confusion, I gestured with my head.

“You should come along too. It’s not an opportunity you get every day.”

“Oh! Of course, I’m coming.”

“I’m coming too!”

Ara shouted excitedly.

Finding Ara so adorable, Seon-ah immediately picked her up.

“Let’s go right now. Frey is probably waiting for us.”

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I took Jae-seong to where the jars were stored. The well-organized jars were kept outdoors rather than indoors, with two small creatures standing guard as if on watch.

“Hehe.”

No abnormalities while on guard.

They were diligently following my orders.

“Wow, you’ve made a lot. How many jars are there?”

“About 50, maybe a little more.”

And this isn’t the end. The cultivation and harvesting of beans are ongoing, and as soon as this batch of doenjang (fermented soybean paste) is successful, more will be made right away. At the moment, all the lids were covered, and since it had only been a few days since we started, it would take much longer before it was ready.

“Can I check it out?”

“Of course.”

I was curious too, as I hadn’t checked on the fermentation process since starting it. Had there been any changes?

Clank.

As I opened the lid, I saw a dark-colored liquid and pieces of charcoal and dried peppers floating inside the jar.

“It’s still a long way to go.”

“Yeah, it’s only been two or three days.”

From what I’d read, the fermentation process could take up to three months, or at least 40 days. Of course, the timeline for my homemade paste was uncertain, so it was best to check on it regularly.

“The meju (fermented soybean blocks) was ready faster than I expected. It didn’t take months like I thought it would.”

“Really? Then maybe this will ferment quickly too. Something to look forward to.”

Jae-seong scooped up a bit with a ladle and tasted it with his finger. He then hummed with a not-bad reaction.

“Oh, should I try it too?”

“It’s not tasty yet.”

“Then why did you hum in appreciation?”

“It seems to be fermenting well, so that’s good.”

Oh, hearing that from Jae-seong was a relief. Afterward, he opened the lids of each jar one by one, inspecting them more seriously than I had anticipated. I felt a bit embarrassed that I hadn’t been as diligent.

“Good, good.”

“Good?”

“Yeah, I think they’ll be fine if we leave them as they are. Are you opening the lids from time to time?”

“Yeah, these guys are.”

I pointed to the little creatures, who tilted their heads with their distinctive sound.

“Hehe.”

“They’re reliable.”

How so?

I couldn’t quite understand Jae-seong’s perspective, but I moved on as we headed toward the peppers. The peppers we had initially harvested were spread out on a mat. There were both red chili peppers and green ones, with a ratio of about 8:2. The green peppers are better eaten fresh rather than dried.

“Are these peppers?”

“Yeah. They kind of look like bell peppers or paprika, don’t they?”

“Can I try one?”

“Sure.”

He picked up a drying red pepper and sniffed it before taking a bite. I watched him closely as he crunched on it.

“Hmm! It’s a pepper, alright.”

“It is a pepper. How is it?”

“The flavor is quite rich. Oh, this is interesting.”

“Really?”

I had tried them before, but they didn’t seem particularly special to me, though they were tasty. I guess Jae-seong’s palate picked up something different.

“You’ve tried them too, right?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah.”

“Have you tried the dried ones?”

“No.”

“Here, try this one.”

Come to think of it, I hadn’t yet tried the half-dried peppers. So I took a bite of the partially dried one that Jae-seong handed me.

‘Oh!’

It tasted a bit different from when it was freshly harvested. It was hard to say which was better, but the dried one had a concentrated flavor.

“It’s spicier now.”

“Can we try the freshly harvested ones too?”

“Sure. Let’s head to the field.”

As we headed to the field, we found some visitors there. Seon-ah was showing Ryu Cheon around the field. They were tasting the freshly harvested Layla, strawberries, and paprika, which were at their peak of ripeness.

Squish~!

The slimes, like devoted servants, were bringing the harvests to them from all around. Seon-ah and Ryu Cheon accepted and ate the offerings with ease.

“Aaahhh.”

Ara was sitting beside them, mouth open, receiving food like a baby bird being fed by its mother.

“Oh, the brothers are here,” Seon-ah casually greeted us.

I had asked her to show them around the village, and she turned it into a little tasting session.

“Kyu-seong’s place is like heaven,” Ryu Cheon mumbled as she ate the crops with her usual expressionless face. Nearby, Soo was rolling around with a satisfied look, clearly having eaten his fill.

-Krooom.

Even Gomgom, who usually acted cautiously around strangers, was quietly nestled in Ryu Cheon’s arms. Despite her stoic face, she seemed to have a knack for charming the kids.

“The pepper field is over there.”

“Oh, so you’ve set it up to get plenty of sunlight.”

“I’ve never had much trouble with farming, but I failed with peppers and rice before. But this time, the peppers have finally succeeded, and the rice seems to be going well too.”

As Jae-seong and I headed toward the pepper field, Ara automatically followed us, not because she had something to do, but as if out of habit. Seeing this, Ryu Cheon also followed, holding Gomgom in her arms.

“Is this paprika?” Ryu Cheon asked, looking at the peppers.

I could understand her confusion, so I corrected her.

“These are peppers.”

“The spicy kind?”

“That’s right, the spicy kind.”

We picked a pepper and tasted it right away. It seemed slightly spicier than before, but not overwhelmingly so. If it continues to become spicier gradually, it would be easier to control the flavor. However, considering how much spicier they became after drying, some research might be needed.

“There’s definitely a difference. Hey, can I take a few with me?”

“Of course. While you’re at it, take some of the other crops too.”

As Jae-seong and I chatted about cooking, Seon-ah came over to me and spoke up.

“Brother, Ryu Cheon mentioned that something happened recently?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s nothing.”

In reality, it was something significant. But I didn’t want to worry them unnecessarily. Jae-seong looked at me with wide eyes, wondering if I hadn’t told my family.

“I just caught a suspicious person, but it turned out they were connected to the European Union, so it caused a bit of a stir. They apologized to me directly.”

“The European Union?”

“Yes. Oh! I might be going to Europe soon. Just Ara and me.”

At my words, Ryu Cheon’s eyes suddenly lit up with interest.

“Are you going to Europe?”

“Yes. Just to take a look around.”

“It’s dangerous.”

Her words were simple, but I could sense the concern behind them.

“The European Union is dangerous, and so are the dungeons.”

“Oh, it’s just a quick visit for sightseeing. We were invited, so it’s more of a chance to take Ara on a trip abroad.”

“Hmm…”

Ryu Cheon still looked worried, while my siblings, not fully understanding the conversation, just tilted their heads in confusion.

“I’ll try my best.”

“Huh? What will you try?”

Ryu Cheon’s sudden statement left me puzzled. Was she still struggling with Korean? I couldn’t quite grasp where her comment fit into the conversation.

The conversation ended there, and we began planning our next steps. Since we had guests, it was time to give them a proper tour.

“How about showing them the fairy village and then taking the kids to the hot springs? Or maybe we could go to the lake?” Seon-ah suggested.

Nodding in agreement, we all decided to head to the fairy village.

“Fairies?”

“You know what fairies are, right?”

“Ara.”

“Ara isn’t a fairy.”

Ryu Cheon seemed confused. There’s nothing like seeing it firsthand, so we decided to let her experience it herself.

Seon-ah, Ryu Cheon, and Ara rode on Woofy, while Jae-seong and I took Purr. As we approached the World Tree…

“It looks a bit different, doesn’t it? What is it?”

The once bare branches of the World Tree, after winter, were now lush with vibrant green leaves, giving off the feeling of spring.

‘Ah!’

I finally noticed what had changed. Something pale pink was densely growing on the branches that usually only bore leaves.

“What the—?”

“What did you say?!” Jae-seong shouted in response to my muttering.

It seemed he hadn’t heard me over the wind.

“Nothing!”

I’ll have to go check it out. It could have been there from the beginning, or maybe it naturally appeared after winter ended. Since I’ve only experienced one winter here, there’s still a lot I don’t know.

When we arrived at the village, as always, the fairies enthusiastically welcomed us. By now, they were so used to visitors that they even adorably greeted the new guest.

– \(w)/

– \(0)/ 

– \( ﾟヮﾟ)  

– (≥V≤*)

Ryu Cheon stood there, staring blankly at the scene in front of her, seemingly in a daze.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Yes,” she replied immediately.

At least she answered quickly.

As we waited for Ryu Cheon to snap out of her daze, Frey appeared, flapping her wings. She had returned to her usual form from the round, rolling shape she had earlier.

“Lord, you’ve arrived! Ah! We have a new guest!”

“Yes, she’s my friend. By the way, you’re back to your original shape? You’re even flying a bit now.”

“Hehe, I’ve been practicing every day.”

Ryu Cheon’s gaze naturally shifted to Frey. Given that Frey had wings and could communicate, it made sense that Ryu Cheon would be interested.

“Fairy.”

“Yes, a fairy. Now you know what I meant by ‘fairy,’ right?”

“It’s a fairy.”

Suddenly, communication seemed to break down again. Frey, noticing Ryu Cheon’s interest, flapped her wings and flew over to her. Ryu Cheon instinctively held out her palm.

Flap, flap—

Frey landed gently.

“Hello?”

“It’s a fairy.”

“Hehe. I’m Alfheim. ‘Fairy’ is too grand a title for me.”

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Frey! The queen of Alfheim!”

“Frey.”

Soon, a crowd of tiny fairies gathered around. It seemed that Ryu Cheon had a peculiar knack for attracting them. Without doing much, she seemed to naturally draw them in.

“Wow…” Seon-ah looked on with envy.

Honestly, I was envious too.

‘Ah, they did say she had innate magical power. Maybe that’s why?’

It seemed like a plausible theory as we continued our tour of the fairy village. The tour didn’t take long since it was a miniature village.

“Oh, right. Frey.”

“Yes!”

“I noticed something other than leaves on the World Tree. Has that always been there?”

“Ah! Recently, I was able to communicate with the World Tree, and I asked it to try blooming some flowers!”

How should I respond to this? 

Frey was now able to communicate with the World Tree, and the first thing she asked it to do was bloom flowers?

“Why flowers?”

“Aren’t they beautiful?”

“Well, yes, but anything else?”

“Anything else? Is there supposed to be another reason?”

Frey asked me back, clearly puzzled.

“When the World Tree blooms, nothing strange or dangerous will happen, right?”

“I’ll ask again just to be sure.”

“So you really just asked because you wanted to see it.”

“Hehe…”

The World Tree’s flowers… I have to admit, I’m curious too. What kind of flowers will bloom?

‘I wonder if I might get a World Tree seed or something?’

Honey, pollen, fruit, seeds… Thoughts of flowers naturally led to those things. Unlike Frey, I was getting lost in all these worldly considerations.

But who could blame me for being excited?

After exploring the fairy village, we headed to the hot springs. When asked if she preferred the hot springs or the lake, Ryu Cheon chose the hot springs.

“We could go to both, you know.”

Seon-ah, Ryu Cheon, Ara, and Frey had become a close-knit group by now, laughing together as they walked ahead. It seemed like they didn’t even hear my suggestion.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been to a hot spring.”

“You live in Japan. How can it have been a while?”

“I only work when I’m there. Just researching cooking.”

“Why do you live like that?”

“What? You’re one to talk. I bet you’re not much different from me.”

That’s true. But at least I’m enjoying life here. I make sure to visit the hot springs once a week! 

That’s why I even set up a changing room and a storage bin for bathing clothes near the hot springs!

Prev | TOC | Next

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After Ara and Ryu Cheon’s meeting ended, I tried to meet Jae-seong separately, but in the end, Ryu Cheon ended up following along.

“We have about two days of free time.”

“But is it alright for you to be going around alone? Didn’t Yu Bihong come with you this time?”

“Since I came to Korea on short notice, Yu Bihong couldn’t come due to her schedule. And yes, it’s fine for me to be on my own.”

Ryu Cheon said that and then continued speaking clearly.

“I’m an adult.”

“Yes, of course.”

“I can take care of myself.”

That’s not what I was asking. I meant, is it alright for such an important person to be wandering around alone, but it seems she misunderstood.

“Hey, bro! Oh, who is this?”

Just then, Jae-seong arrived.

He tilted his head curiously as he looked at Ryu Cheon, who was bundled up tightly.

“This is my guest. Actually, no, this is Ara’s guest.”

“She’s my fan!”

Ara said, waving her hand instead of greeting.

“Oh, you’re a fan. Hello?”

“Hello, younger brother of Kyu-seong.”

Thanks to Ryu Cheon’s now native-sounding accent, Jae-seong didn’t notice anything strange when he heard the greeting.

I’ll have to introduce him properly later. There are too many people here right now, so it’s difficult to openly say he’s Ryu Cheon.

“Shall we get going?”

“Huh? What about the fan?”

“Oh, She’s a fan, but she’s actually a friend.”

We went to where the car was parked.

And as expected, Jae-seong’s reaction came out.

“What the heck, bro?! Is this your car?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Wow.”

I felt a thrill from the reaction I had been hoping for.

Ryu Cheon seemed indifferent, but Jae-seong kept examining the car, mumbling constantly.

“No way, bro. Did you really buy this car? I can’t believe it…”

“Actually, I didn’t buy it, I received it.”

“You received it?!”

Jae-seong was shocked once again.

And Ara, watching Jae-seong, smiled contentedly.

“Just watching you is satisfying enough.”

Ara, is that really how you say it?

Ara also subtly enjoyed people’s reactions.

After getting in the car, Jae-seong became even more excited.

When asked if he was interested in cars, he waved his hand, saying that wasn’t the case.

“It’s just fascinating, that’s all. Really.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. I’ve never known you as someone who would drive something like this. Of course, it’s also my first time riding in such an expensive car.”

That’s true.

In fact, this is also my first time riding in such an expensive car.

Although I’ve ridden in Hanul’s car before, it wasn’t this expensive. But still, that was also a car worth hundreds of millions.

“Oh, and I couldn’t say this earlier, but the person sitting in the passenger seat right now is Ryu Cheon.”

“Ryu Cheon? Ah! The one from yesterday!”

Jae-seong hurriedly greeted him.

Ryu Cheon gave a simple greeting and then focused back on Ara, indulging in her presence to his heart’s content.

“We happened to end up coming together.”

“Was it an inconvenience?”

“What? No! Not at all.”

I should stay close with Ryu Cheon, or rather, the Skyscraper Guild. After the last tour, I felt that we might collaborate on various projects in the future. As a huge corporation, no, a guild, I might need their help more often than not.

We soon arrived home.

Jae-seong marveled at the site where construction was nearly complete.

“Would it be okay to just build a restaurant on this empty land?”

“Yeah, that should be fine.”

“Well, if you want, you could just build it in the dungeon too. The dungeon has a better atmosphere anyway.”

“Thanks, bro. I’ll think about it a lot.”

Actually, Jae-seong has already been here a few times, so that’s that, but I was curious about Ryu Cheon’s impressions.

However, Ryu Cheon just stood there blankly with her characteristic expressionless face. At least she had removed her hat, mask, and sunglasses.

“Shall we go inside?”

“I! I will guide you!”

“Alright. Ara, guide Ryu Cheon.”

“Ryu Cheon, Ryu Cheon! Hold my hand tight! You shouldn’t get lost!”

Ryu Cheon nodded quickly and tightly held Ara’s hand.

Seeing her somewhat affectionate demeanor, I couldn’t help but feel amused and followed them contentedly.

We entered the dungeon.

As usual, Ara was supposed to guide us, but unfortunately, the Infinite Slime Dungeon had long been cleared out.

“Hmm…”

Ara rolled her eyes, searching for something to say.

But there was hardly anything to say, looking at the empty dungeon.

“Uh, um… It’s been cleared out!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Hmm… A field! There’s a field!”

Ara headed towards the remaining vegetable garden.

There, a rookie slime, meeting its first guest, wiggled curiously.

“A slime?”

“This guy is a rookie! All rookies manage this garden before moving on to the next stage!”

“Rookie? Next stage?”

Ara picked up the slime.

The squishy slime bounced cutely.

“Do you want to touch it?”

“Can I?”

“Yes, you can!”

Ryu Cheon grabbed the slime and began to squish it.

Soon, it seemed she liked the texture and got completely absorbed in the slime.

“A slime. This is my first time seeing one.”

“Huh? Ryu Cheon, it’s your first time seeing a slime?”

“Yes.”

Ah, now that I think about it, Ryu Cheon was born as an level 8 awakener.

If that’s the case, she might not have had the chance to see lower-level monsters. After all, lower-level monsters don’t even produce magic stones, so they’re rarely targeted for subjugation.

“Slime. It’s cute.”

“I’m cute too.”

“Yes. Ara is cute too.”

After playing with the slime for a while, they started walking again. As they did, Ryu Cheon tilted her head.

“Did you make potions here?”

“Oh, this is just the entrance; there’s another place for that.”

“Hmm?”

Ryu Cheon had a puzzled expression, as if wondering if there was more space in a lower-level dungeon.

Ara and I, as well as Jae-seong, who had already experienced the Dungeon of Gluttony, all looked expectant.

I can’t wait to see that expressionless face filled with surprise!

We descended underground.

The area was truly empty. There was a trickling spring, but it was mostly neglected except for when the rookie slimes occasionally took a break or when Ara and I used it for washing up.

“This used to be a field too.”

“Why is there nothing here now?”

“They moved out!”

“Moved out?”

The more confused Ryu Cheon became, the more frequently Ara’s lips twitched with a smile.

And finally, the long-awaited entrance.

We passed through a cracked altar-like place and descended the stairs. The stairs had been reinforced, making them even more sturdy.

“A door?”

Ryu Cheon muttered as she noticed a door that appeared out of nowhere. Still holding Ryu Cheon’s hand, Ara turned the doorknob.

“Welcome!”

With that, Ara and Ryu Cheon disappeared into the door. Jae-seong and I followed behind them.

As soon as we entered, I checked Ryu Cheon’s reaction.

However, surprisingly, Ryu Cheon just stood there blankly without any expression. Her face was still as expressionless as ever.

“Um, what do you think…?”

Ara asked cautiously.

Then, finally, Ryu Cheon’s head slowly lowered.

She stared blankly at Ara, then lifted her head again to look around before finally locking eyes with me.

“This place…”

“Tada! This is our home!”

Ara exclaimed, spreading her arms wide.

Ryu Cheon then lifted Ara up, looking around once more.

“I’ve explored many dungeons, but this is the first time I’ve seen a place like this.”

“This is our home.”

“…Ara’s home. It’s amazing.”

Her voice sounded dazed.

I thought she wasn’t reacting, but she seemed so overwhelmed that she was stunned.

Ara, still in Ryu Cheon’s arms, gestured towards the direction of the slime village. At the same time, Woofy came running towards us from afar.

“A monster?”

“It’s Woofy!”

“Woofy.”

Ryu Cheon reached out with a trembling hand to pet Woofy, which was lying on its back, showing its belly and acting cute.

“Huff, huff.”

“Cute.”

“I’m cute too!”

“Yes. Ara is cute too.”

Hehe, I’m satisfied.

Although the reaction wasn’t as intense as I expected, it was still a satisfying response.

“Hey, bro, how far do we have to go to get more of those seafood we found earlier?”

“Hmm, it’s a bit far. If you ride Purr or Woofy, it would take about 10 hours? Maybe a little less than 10 hours?”

“Wow, that’s really far. So how big is this place?”

That’s exactly what I was thinking.

In fact, with the existence of the sea, the Dungeon of Gluttony is not just a space but could be considered a whole other world.

“I’m planning to make a proper trip there next time to gather a lot more.”

“Honestly, I think the seafood here is a bit tastier than the ones on Earth. Some of them were overwhelmingly better. I want to use them more often. I’d like to serve them to the customers at the restaurant too.”

“I’ll do my best, brother.”

As we walked as if on an outing, we soon arrived at the slime village. Ryu Cheon, who had paused there, stood still, staring at the scenery.

Various slimes were bustling around.

Their dazed, somewhat blank expressions resembled Ryu Cheon’s.

The landscaping and buildings, decorated like a village from a fairy tale, softly glowed under the dreamy starry sky.

I waited for a moment to let Ryu Cheon take it all in.

Just then, Gomgom and Soo appeared at the entrance of the village, waddling along.

“Gomgom! Soo!”

Ara, who had already gotten off Ryu Cheon’s arms and was now riding on Woofy’s back, waved her hand. Soo waddled over without any sign of caution, and Gomgom slowly approached, cautiously observing the surroundings.

“-Sooo.”

Soo, who had come running in a clumsy manner, alternated between looking at Ryu Cheon and Jae-seong, whom he was seeing for the first time, darting back and forth.

“Who’s this? So cute.”

“This is our new family member, Soo. Lee Soo.”

“You even gave him a last name?”

“It wasn’t given, it just attached itself.”

“?”

As the curious Soo continued to wander around, inspecting the new people, Ryu Cheon suddenly lifted him up.

“-Sooo.”

Like a toy that makes a sound when squeezed, Soo let out his characteristic cry and stared blankly at Ryu Cheon.

Ryu Cheon also gazed intently at Soo.

“Cute.”

Bang, bang!

Ryu Cheon declared this as if a judge had reached a verdict. It seemed that, for Ryu Cheon, the world was divided into things that were either cute or not.

“Huh, Brother?”

“Oh, you were here.”

Just then, Seon-ah appeared as well. She was taking care of a slime, but when she saw Ryu Cheon, she paused.

“Ryu Cheon?!!”

“Hello.”

Ryu Cheon, still holding Soo, bowed slightly.

They had already met during the orphanage event.

“Oh, hello. Jae, Jae-seong is here too?”

“Yeah.”

Jae-seong waved warmly like a bear, but Seon-ah, focused on Ryu Cheon, quickly greeted him and then approached cautiously.

“It’s been a while, Ms. Ryu Cheon.”

“It’s been a while. Please just call me Ryu Cheon.”

“Gasp. Can I really do that?”

She seemed excited to meet someone she admired. Even though she wanted to become a monster veterinarian, she still held a deep admiration for awakeners.

“Today, we’re just here for fun. I brought her to show around the village and the fields.”

“You did well, brother!”

Does she like it that much?

Well, if my sister is happy, then this brother is happy too.

“Then, can I leave Ryu Cheon with you and Ara for a bit? I need to talk with Jae-seong about some ingredients and cooking.”

“Sure! Leave her to us!”

“I’ll be the one to guide you!”

Spending time with our kids would make the day fly by. I wanted to show her the fairy village, the lake, and the hot springs, but I needed to talk with Jae-seong quickly.

‘Doenjang, soy sauce, gochujang!’

And soon-to-be-harvested rice.

There was quite a bit to discuss with Jae-seong.

Prev | TOC | Next

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After a busy day, the next morning dawned bright. Ara, feeling refreshed after a good sleep, was once again energetically running around the fields, playing a game of catching bugs.

“Hmm, the Seven Deadly Sins…”

Meanwhile, I was deep in thought about Wrath. With this recent event, I had gained access to the Dungeon of Wrath, so I had a chance to take it all in. But first, I needed to gather reliable information. Ara and Mammon seemed to know about the leader, Ras, but I had no idea.

“Ara!”

“Yes!”

“Shall we go visit the Goblin Village? I want to ask you and Mammon about Ras.”

“Sounds good.”

Since we’re going, we might as well bring Frey along. I wonder what she’s been up to since the curse was lifted. I took Woofy, who was enthusiastically chewing on a bone, since Purr was nowhere to be seen, probably hanging out with Seon-ah. As we ran towards the World Tree, surrounded by soft fur, we began to see the fairies in the distance.

“Hello, everyone.”

-(^()^) 

-(^()^)

The children greeted us warmly. But something was off—they all looked puffed up.

“They’ve gotten chubby!”

When we arrived at the Fairy Village, I noticed that all the other kids were also plump. I tilted my head, wondering if something had happened, and then I spotted Frey in the distance.

Flap, flap—

Frey was flapping her wings vigorously, but something about her seemed a bit strange.

“Frey?”

When I called out, Frey quickly turned her head and spotted me.

“Lord! My Lord!”

“Wait, you…”

Frey had gotten puffed up, almost like someone had blown air into her. She was even chubbier than the other children.

“Why have you gotten so round?”

“Ah, haha.”

Frey awkwardly scratched her head. She tried to jump by flapping her wings, but she couldn’t lift off because of the weight.

“After successfully cultivating the Meluca flower field, I ate all the stored food. We also celebrated the lifting of the curse. Now, out of 365 days, 348 are festival days.”

Frey had a habit of declaring a celebration at every little thing. It didn’t seem like there was any real problem; she just ate a lot.

“Isn’t the Meluca still in the early stages? I thought the flowers hadn’t bloomed since you moved the field.”

“We’re celebrating in advance! Hehe!”

Ah, this child… No sense of planning at all!

Frey, who had become so round that she looked like she might turn into a slime, finally gave up on flapping her wings and rolled over to me. Seeing this, Ara’s eyes sparkled.

“You’re rolling! That’s amazing!”

“Hehehe, it’s not that amazing.”

Frey, pleased by the praise, accepted it happily. Watching these cute creatures interact warmed my heart, so I decided to ask anyway.

“Frey, we’re going to the Goblin Village now. Want to come along?”

“Ugh.”

Frey suddenly showed hesitation and mumbled cautiously.

“Mammon keeps teasing me, saying I can’t fly even though I have wings.”

“I’ll help you practice flying later.”

“Oh! Really? Thank you, Lord!”

Leaving behind the fairies, who looked like they would roll away with just a little push, we headed toward the Goblin Village, with a brief stop at the mine.

“Heh heh.”

When we arrived at the mine, the sluggish goblins building a strange structure quickly scattered as if they were caught red-handed. Their faces were still cheerful, making it hard to read their intentions.

“What are you making this time?”

It didn’t seem like they were up to anything bad, but it was a shame they were using materials meant for the Goblin Village. But since they were so cute, I decided to let it slide.

“Kirik!”

“Kiriik!”

The goblins who were working jumped around excitedly like children, welcoming me. I handed out snacks like tomatoes, carrots, and strawberries to them and checked their progress.

“Nothing left in storage, huh?”

It seemed that as soon as they gathered materials, they were immediately used for building the village. I was looking forward to seeing the Goblin Village take shape.

“Headbutt! Stick together!”

Ara was chattering away excitedly, catching up with the slimes she hadn’t seen in a while. After a brief reunion, we continued our journey to the Goblin Village.

“Lord!”

Mammon, who had been supervising the site, came running out to greet me barefoot. On his head, instead of a crown, he was wearing a yellow construction helmet he must have found somewhere.

“Oh, it looks like you’ve got things pretty well organized already?”

“The Kkumuris are really good at their work! When it comes to construction, they’re even better with their hands than us goblins!”

If Mammon is praising them, they must be doing really well. Mammon is not one to compromise when it comes to craftsmanship.

“It’s good to hear they’re doing well.”

“I’ll guide you through the village!” 

“Alright.”

Following Mammon, I toured the planned village site. Unlike the Slime Village, where everything was more spontaneous, this one felt like a carefully designed puzzle. It lacked the charm of a quaint village, but it had a certain grandness to it.

“But it’s a lot bigger than I expected.”

“Yes! Even after all our goblins move in, there will still be a lot of space left over!”

“Hmm.”

“But that’s okay! We can always welcome more settlers!”

Hearing my thoughtful hum, Mammon hastily added, “Ah! I’m glad you brought that up. While we’re here to check out the village, there’s something I wanted to ask you about.”

“Anything, just tell me!”

“Last time, you and Ara mentioned someone called Ras. I’ve got the chance to visit the dungeon where Ras lives.”

“Oh! He’s a simple and strong brute! His followers are just as simple!”

“Did you guys fight?”

“No! Ras could never be a match for me, so we didn’t really fight.”

Mammon sounded very confident. I gathered Ara and Mammon together and asked them to tell me anything they knew about Ras.

“Hmm… He’s cute?”

“He may be simple, but he can be cunning at times! When he pretends to be cute with those big eyes, he seems truly devious!”

“He’s brave!”

“He’s simple-minded, that’s for sure!”

It was clear to me now: Mammon definitely fought Ras. That was my conclusion.

“Is he dangerous?”

“Dangerous? Him? Well, if you make him angry, I guess he could be considered dangerous…”

“Ras is brave and righteous! He’s not dangerous at all!”

Simple-minded, brave, righteous, but cute? He seemed like a unique character.

“Does Ras have any special abilities? Ara can eat anything, and you can handle poison, Mammon.”

“He’s just really strong.”

“He’s a dog stronger than me!”

Is his only defining trait just strength? If that’s the case, maybe there’s not much to worry about.

“I can’t really guess until I meet him.”

“Let’s bring Ras here! He’s a cute doggy!”

“Hmm, his appearance might be cute, but his personality isn’t. Ara, you’re being fooled.”

Their conflicting opinions were confusing, but since they both said he wasn’t dangerous, I felt a bit more reassured. If he were truly dangerous, I wouldn’t even consider bringing him here. Even if I did, it could cause problems.

‘Of course, once he’s registered as a familiar, that won’t be an issue.’

No matter how dangerous a monster is, once it becomes a familiar, it can’t act on its own. I usually give my familiars a lot of freedom, but that’s because they’re all kind-hearted.

“Alright, got it. Thanks, both of you.”

“Are you really going to bring Ras? If so, let’s settle him in this village! We’ll have space left over once it’s completed!”

“Okay. I’ll give it a try.”

I’m going to the Dungeon of Wrath. If it gets dangerous, I’ll open a portal as the Lord of Gluttony and escape. Then, I’ll use a return stone. A perfect safety plan. Of course, opening a portal requires a door as a medium, but…

‘I’ve discovered a loophole.’

After conducting several experiments, I found out that the door doesn’t necessarily have to be attached to something. It just means I can carry a single door with me using Bokkeum and open the Lord of Gluttony’s portal as a workaround. Once the pass is issued, I’ll head straight there. Everyone will probably be surprised, but as long as I don’t leave any evidence, they can’t accuse me based on suspicion alone.

“Hmm, I should probably head out now.”

As I checked the time and muttered to myself, Mammon looked at me curiously.

“You’re going out again?”

“Yeah, I’m expecting a guest.”

“Oh! Could it be your parents?”

“No, I have another sibling besides Seon-ah. He’ll be coming to the dungeon with me…”

I was also supposed to meet Ryu Cheon, but I wasn’t sure if she would come to the dungeon. Ryu Wang-jin was busy with various business matters since he was in Korea.

“I’ll just stay here and supervise the construction quietly.”

“Alright, if that’s what you want to do. Oh, by the way, do you happen to have a nickname or something?”

“Nickname? The Stingy Demon King!”

“…Well, they asked if you had a pseudonym or alias for the art pieces, but ‘Stingy Demon King’ might not be the best choice…”

“Hmm, what would be a good one?”

We spent some time brainstorming. Ara, Mammon, and I all racked our brains to come up with a pseudonym Mammon could use as an artist’s name.

“How about ‘Ingo’?”

“Ingo?”

“It means ‘the Goblin of Stinginess,’ and it also means ‘enduring suffering.’”

“Oh! That’s a double meaning! I really like it!”

And so, Mammon’s pseudonym became Ingo. It sounded surprisingly fitting, almost like a real person’s name.

***

As Ara and I headed to the meeting spot, Ryu Cheon was already waiting. Jae-seong hadn’t arrived yet.

“Ryu Cheon Ryu Cheon?”

“Ara.”

Ryu Cheon, who had been sitting, quickly ran over and hugged Ara. With a hat, mask, and sunglasses, Ryu Cheon looked suspiciously bundled up to anyone watching. Adding Ara to the mix only heightened the commotion around us.

“Oh, it’s Ara.”

“Wow, it’s really Ara?”

More and more people were recognizing Ara. However, they kept their distance and just watched from afar.

‘Being famous is tiring.’

With the drama about to air, would she become even more famous? Still, since it was only a minor role in one scene, it probably wouldn’t cause too much of a stir.

“How have you been?”

“I’ve been well.”

“The medicine I sent last time, was it enough?”

“Yes.”

Though she was answering, Ryu Cheon’s attention was fully focused on Ara. Still, it was a relief to see her looking much healthier than last time.

‘It seems to be working.’

Just as I was thinking that, Ryu Cheon, who had been crouching to meet Ara’s eyes, stood up and suddenly extended her hand. As I stared blankly, she spoke.

“Shake hands.”

“Oh.”

Suddenly? I reached out and shook her hand, expressing my surprise.

“Your hand is warm!”

“It’s thanks to you.”

Wow, was this really the same Ryu Cheon who once felt like she was frozen solid? Though she still had a cold touch, it was a huge improvement compared to before.

“How’s your health now?”

“I’m so healthy that I can hardly remember how I used to be. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to that.”

“You won’t go back! With the permanent effects of the treatment, you won’t need to take my medicine anymore to maintain it. Of course, full recovery is the goal!”

I felt a rush of excitement. Helping others with my abilities was incredibly fulfilling, just as it was when I treated Si-young and Baek Seung-hyun.

‘I should keep helping people from now on.’

As long as I have the power, I want to make sure everyone around me is happy.

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