Chapter 19
What should I say?
“It was something you needed to do.”
“For me, it’s no big deal.”
I was about to say a few words but ended up smiling wryly and lifting the child up.
“Did you cry because of me?”
“Uuuh?”
“I was just trying to chase someone unpleasant away at the center. Didn’t you notice?”
“…!”
Grew’s eyes flickered as if he’d been hit.
“You’re supposed to be the smartest kid in Chick Class, right?”
Hee. Teasing him gently, Grew puffed out his cheeks like an angry pufferfish.
“Oh, really?”
Joorim pressed down on the puffed-up cheeks with one hand, and air huffed out softly.
Grew flapped his front paws like an angry rabbit and pulled his hand away.
Joorim smiled lightly and backed off, and the child furrowed his brows and muttered in a sulky tone.
“Even so… don’t hurt yourself.”
“Mm.”
Joorim smoothed back his messy beige hair with his hand. Grew calmly leaned into the gentle touch.
I thought I could just bring him, feed him, and dress him. Had I underestimated it? I almost forgot that a child is a living being with intelligence.
‘This isn’t easy.’
Of course. It would be troublesome if a guardian suddenly collapsed and slept for a week…
He brushed Grew’s soft cheeks with his thumb and then checked the date on his phone.
He remembered the date as the 16th, so at the earliest, it would be around the 21st…
…No, it’s the 16th.
‘What?’
Joorim frowned slightly and stared at Grew.
The only thing that’s different is that little kid. Right now, it’s obviously just Grew.
He decided to check immediately.
“What did you do to me? Did you give me some syrup or…?”
“Yes~. Filial skill!”
“…What?”
“Filial skill! When Grew uses this power, mana shoots out, and when he went booo at the guild master, the guild master’s eyes went wide open!”
Grew completed his incomprehensible explanation using both hands, then looked at him triumphantly.
“Any skill penalties? Are you hurt, or did you get a debuff?”
He shook his head.
“So… you did something, huh?”
“Yes~! Filial skill!”
“Alright, then.”
Joorim, watching with cloudy eyes, dried his face.
‘Ha… I have no idea what might happen next.’
Being too powerful is also a problem.
A skill that recharges depleted mana in a short time with no penalties.
If this got out, it would obviously endanger this already delicate child.
When Grew tried to do his woo-woo-boo trick again, Joorim raised a hand to stop him.
“Okay… for now… it’s a secret from everyone except me.”
It’s difficult. So difficult.
Do all parents in this world manage to communicate smoothly with these animal-like little humans? I suddenly felt a surge of respect.
To think I’d need help from a little kid who can’t even explain properly what they did…
A slight sense of self-doubt came over me.
Filial, huh… Joorim let out a small laugh. He never expected to hear that word in his life.
‘Not bad.’
“Thank you.”
Joorim ruffled Grew’s hair into a messy bird’s nest and got up from the bed.
‘…!’
Grew, mouth agape, shook his head, stood up, and followed Joorim out of the room, asking:
“Did Grew help?”
“Very much.”
‘Grew helped!’
Grew is useful to the guild master!
Joorim went to the living room and placed a towel with ice on Grew’s eyes.
‘Ah—so refreshing.’
As Grew melted into the ice, Joojun’s voice came from somewhere on the phone.
“No, I know that too. But this is a kindergartener, right?”
He was taking a call in a corner of the living room.
Is he talking about Grew being a kindergartener?
Joorim looked at Joojun upon hearing “kindergartener” as well.
“Yes, I know… anyway, I’ll contact you again. Yes, thank you.”
Joojun sighed and ended the call.
“What was that? Something about Grew?”
“Guild master?!”
Joojun dashed over in surprise, and Joorim moved sideways with a horrified expression.
“How are you already awake? Why?”
Grew raised his hand to explain that it was his doing, but Joorim blocked him.
Aw, I wanted praise…
“We’ll talk about that later. Where was the call from just now?”
“Oh—guild master, it was from the Administration Bureau. They said things were too hectic today to guide me…”
“What guidance?”
Hopefully it’s not about needing a re-measurement… Joorim asked anxiously.
Joojun hesitated, then cautiously spoke.
“Well, you know the recent advertisement for promoting the ‘Awakened Special Act Amendment,’ right?”
“Mm, yes.”
Joorim wrinkled the bridge of his nose and nodded.
I heard the guild received a modeling offer.
True to his nature, Gidan insisted he’d rather run another dungeon than take the offer. But the PR team regretted it greatly and even begged Joorim to persuade Gidan.
“That was what the call was about.”
Joojun ran a hand through his hair, frustrated.
“To get a Hunter license, Miss Grew has to go to a dungeon.”
Joorim, slow on the uptake, frowned as he repeated the words.
“Dungeon?”
Grew perked up his ears and raised his head at the word.
“Dungeon?”
