Chapter 36
Gru entered the agency app and registered information about the potions.
While waiting for the hunter license, Gru had been singing so much that Jurim taught him how to use the Hunter Market.
In the Hunter Market, direct trades were possible like on Onion Market, but usually people went through intermediaries. Pricing and negotiating trades could be such a hassle.
Gru, having experienced some of this trouble on Onion Market, nodded in understanding.
In truth, disposing of guild members’ farming items (items obtained from monsters) or crafted items was up to the guild, like the items from Malikian this time.
But…
“You get special treatment.”
Jurim said this casually, adding repeatedly not to go to the sales department asking them to sell syrup or toys.
“Hmph!”
Gru thought that “special treatment” probably didn’t mean anything good.
Anyway, that was why they planned to sell on the Hunter Market. The intermediaries allowed for anonymous transactions and handled all the tedious procedures, so as soon as Gru got his hunter license, he had already registered with an intermediary.
‘Sell… request…’
Gru pressed the “sell request” button on the app.
Zzzz—
[Everything you want is here! Click now!]
The kids’ phone screen flickered with some static, and an ad notification from Onion Market popped up.
“Hmm?”
He was curious, but he didn’t need Onion Market anymore.
Without a second thought, Gru dismissed the notification, slung his bag stuffed full with syrup bottles over his shoulder, and stood up.
At that moment, the door opened.
“Are you ready?”
“Yesss!”
Gru ran forward with a pitter-patter, while Jurim blocked the way instead of just opening the door.
“Uh—are you going to carry all that?”
“Yesss!”
“Leave some behind. You won’t even be able to eat it all.”
Jurim let out a quiet sigh and chose how to explain to the child.
“Dani has been taking too many potions. If you bring so many, he’ll just… bleh.”
Gru already knew Kidan’s condition. That’s why he was so stubborn about packing potions.
“You fight alcohol with alcohol, and potion addiction with potions!”
“Who told you that?”
“Nayeon unnie!”
Jurim pinched his face, dumbfounded that he was talking like this to a kid.
“Don’t play with her. She’ll give you bad influence.”
“…!”
He hadn’t expected Jurim to say not to play with Nayeon, who wasn’t even his peer.
“Let’s go now.”
Jurim naturally took his hand. Gru happily laughed, grabbed it, and they left the room together.
“Auntie! Gru is heading out!”
Gru hopped along, waving his hand.
Yeongran, who was preparing food in the kitchen, wiped her hands on her apron and saw them off.
“All right, I’ll make some tasty side dishes for you.”
“Yes!”
As Jurim bent down to put on his shoes, Gru whispered in his ear:
“Guild Master, you have to say goodbye when you leave.”
Since Gru hadn’t attended kindergarten, he lacked basic etiquette, so some strict training seemed necessary.
Jurim’s mind seemed complicated, but he eventually gave a brief bow to Yeongran. She blinked in surprise.
“Y-yes, have a good day… sir.”
In the five years Yeongran had been helping Jurim, she had never received a greeting first.
In fact, Jurim’s antisocial nature wasn’t a problem unique to her.
If not necessary, he behaved as if glued to the spot, utterly lacking social skills.
“Oh my…”
A cute child came along, and suddenly he seemed more human.
The worry that a man who found everything in the world bothersome wouldn’t be able to raise a child properly seemed completely unfounded.
“Dani oppaaa!”
When they entered the hospital room, Kidan, who was looking at his laptop, smiled brightly at them.
“Oh! What brings you here?”
“Just in case you get into trouble again.”
“Hahaha! I don’t have the energy for that anymore.”
Kidan laughed, picked up Gru, and set him on his lap.
“GruGru, did you miss oppa?”
“Just a little!”
“Just a little? That’s mean! Oppa will be sad.”
He tickled Gru, who laughed until he surrendered, then hugged him and said he missed him a lot. Only then did Kidan let him go.
Heehee, Gru snuggled close to Kidan, settling in as they looked at the laptop screen.
“Huh?”
On the screen, a teacher was giving a lesson while students in uniforms appeared in small split windows.
“They’re wearing the same uniform as Dani oppa.”
The school was Usticia International School, a global private academy established to educate highly gifted students with magical potential.
If Gru was in the same class as Kidan, the students would be prodigies with the potential to rank at the very top.
Meanwhile, Jurim looked around the luxurious hospital room and asked:
“Has anyone else come by?”
Kidan tilted his head at the sudden question.
“No, just you and Gru are first. Nayeon unnie and Team 1 said they’ll come after work…”
Jurim nodded slightly and picked up an apple beside him. As his skill activated, the peel magically disappeared.
“Wow!”
Gru was amazed by the tiny precision control, taking the apple and rubbing it in his hands.
“Now your hands are all dirty.”
“Oops.”
Jurim and Kidan spoke in turn. Jurim took the apple away while Kidan cleaned Gru’s hands.
“Aww…”
Gru, suddenly losing his spoils and being held, pouted.
“Kidan, are you in class?”
As soon as the topic of school came up, Kidan’s expression changed, and his shoulders slumped.
“If I don’t attend, I’ll fail. So I’m trying to catch up while hospitalized. Most classes are remote anyway unless it’s practical work…”
Even an S-rank student has high school struggles.
High schoolers at the orphanage always looked exhausted, too. Stay strong.
Gru patted Kidan’s hand.
“High school is tough.”
Kidan chuckled.
“Definitely harder than kindergarten.”
“Mmm, kindergarten is fun.”
“Good for you.”
“How much attendance do you need to make up?”
“Just a few days. Like this.”
Kidan pointed at the laptop showing the ongoing class.
Jurim fed Gru a piece of apple, and he eagerly ate it. Crunch crunch.
Meanwhile, Kidan turned on the webcam and playfully held Gru’s hands.
“Huh?”
Gru drew hearts and pretended to shoot a gun, capturing everyone’s attention.
So cute!
What is this, so cute! Who is he? A younger brother?
Wow, so pretty.
Hey, Kidan, you have a sibling?
Hearing all the compliments, Gru’s cheeks flushed.
Everyone, I know Dani’s excited to be here, but let’s focus on class.
At the teacher’s voice, Jurim sighed softly and hugged Gru again.
“Come on, time for class.”
“Yeah, hyung! Hyung!”
As he tried to stand with Gru in his arms, Kidan waved his hand.
“Wait, wait. Teacher, I’ll be away for a bit for guild business. Sorry. Oh, and she’s not my sister, she’s the Guild Master’s daughter.”
What?
Daughter?
What…?
The shocked questions echoed around the room.
The Guild Master’s daughter?
Even the homeroom teacher looked like the world had collapsed.
Despite the barrage of questions, Kidan closed the laptop without answering.
‘Daughter…’
Gru fidgeted, uncomfortable with being introduced as Jurim’s daughter. He glanced at Jurim, who seemed indifferent.
‘Good…’
Gru calmed his pounding heart and exhaled slowly.
