Fluffy clouds drifting across the midday sky could be seen from the window of the Fissure Management Division Office at Seoul City Hall.
Tusitala looked into the mug on Do-Jun’s desk. She saw a dark brown liquid with three ice cubes floating inside. She sniffed the aroma of the Americano, then turned to look at the middle-aged man sitting next to Do-Jun, who was engaged in conversation with him.
“Your mana increased significantly after the last physical enhancement session. Your level also went up by three. At this rate, you’ll likely be able to reach D-rank in your next promotion exam. You’ve worked really hard, and it shows,” Do-Jun praised the man.
“Thank you, but the credit should go to you, Supervisor Lee. I wouldn’t have managed this without your guidance. If I had ended up in some second-rate guild, I’d probably still be stuck as an F-rank porter Hunter,” said Kwon Oh-Heum, a rookie Hunter.
He had been working as a contracted Hunter for Seoul City Hall for the past three months. He was an F-rank with no specific traits or class, and the only reason he had even become a Hunter was because his mana level was detectable. Yet, within just three months, he was already on track to challenge the D-rank next year—thanks entirely to Do-Jun’s curriculum.
“Oh, and here.” Do-Jun opened a drawer and handed a small box labeled “Men’s Style” to Kwon Oh-Heum.
Kwon Oh-Heum stared at the box, puzzled as to why it was being given to him.
Seeing his reaction, Do-Jun added, “I heard your son got a job recently?”
“Ah, haha. It’s not a very impressive company or anything.”
“Regardless, congratulations. You’ve been worrying about his employment for a while, haven’t you?”
“T-thank you so much for remembering,” Kwon Oh-Heum said with a smile.
He remembered mentioning his son’s job during a team dinner last week. Do-Jun was sitting nearby, so he likely overheard it, quietly remembered, and even prepared a gift.
When Kwon Oh-Heum first started, he had heard nicknames like “Drill Sergeant” associated with Do-Jun and thought he was inflexible and stern. But over time, he realized Do-Jun paid attention to even the smallest details, frequently checked on the Hunters’ well-being, and was a considerate person overall.
“I’m looking forward to seeing you develop, Hunter Kwon.”
“Thank you, and thank you so much for the gift, Supervisor Lee!”
After a polite bow, Kwon Oh-Heum left the office. Watching the exchange, Tusitala felt a strange emotion. The humans in this building—including Kwon Oh-Heum—were pathetically weak, even compared to the most inexperienced newbies on the first floor of the Core. On the other hand, Do-Jun was a monstrous being who exceeded Tusitala’s wildest expectations.
“Seriously, why would someone who orders dragons and Transcendents around bother with a place ...?” she muttered in a voice quiet enough that only Do-Jun could hear.
To Tusitala, it was incomprehensible that Do-Jun, known and revered as the “King of Earth,” would speak respectfully and politely to such weaklings. Curious about Do-Jun’s life on Earth, Tusitala decided to follow him to work, expecting to see the lifestyle of a ruler. But here, Do-Jun was treated as the lowest in the pecking order of his team and an ordinary citizen—a position completely opposite of a reigning supreme.
“Because this is good for me,” Do-Jun answered.
However, his answer seemed to have left Tusitala even more puzzled. “Pardon?”
Do-Jun slid a printed document into the folder to be submitted for approval and stood up from his seat.
“Oh, could you pass this on to Yong-Yong at home? It’s for dinner—tell him to pick up these ingredients at the grocery store.” He handed Tusitala a small note.
Sure, Do-Jun’s situation was hard to understand, but there was something else that was even more baffling.
“Wow... That guy’s truly awful,” Yong-Yong commented.
He was lying on the sofa, scratching his head with one front paw and his rear with the other, fully absorbed in the daytime drama “That Day, That Time, That Summer.” Even while scratching, he reached out to grab a potato chip, crunching it loudly while chuckling.
Tusitala found it impossible to reconcile this image of Yong-Yong with his past self, the once-dreaded Overlord who had ruled the Deep Realm.
Am I dreaming? This has to be a dream, right?
Yong-Yong had fully adapted to life on Earth and was now completely unrecognizable from the cold, fearsome figure who once instilled terror in everyone. These days, he was nothing but relaxed and carefree.
“What are you watching?” Tusitala asked.
“A drama. Wanna join? I was just about to re-binge it. Let me just find the remote... uh...”
Yong-Yong scanned the table, but it was littered only with empty soda bottles. Scratching his head, he searched around the TV stand.
“Man, where did it go? I swear it was here just now. It’s always when you’re actually looking for something.”
Yong-Yong scanned the room.
“Isn’t it in your hand?” Tusitala pointed out.
Clearing his throat, Yong-Yong used the remote to open the rewatch menu and started playing the first episode of “That Day, That Time, That Summer.” The screen faded to black, then transitioned to a shot of clouds in the sky and chirping sparrows, showing a woman cleaning windows on a skyscraper.
“She’s the female lead,” Yong-Yong explained.
Soon after, the protagonist accidentally spilled a bucket of dirty water on a well-dressed, handsome man in a suit passing below, soaking him from head to toe.
“That guy’s Lim Wan-Tae, the male lead. After that bucket incident, they fall in love, but later, it turns out Lim Wan-Tae is her half-brother. Oh, and then Wan-Tae’s older brother becomes the male lead, the very man Wan-Tae has been fighting with for control of their father’s company. His brother eventually falls in love with the female lead and manages to frame Wan-Tae for something huge, but in the end, both brothers end up dead, and the female lead inherits the company.”
Yong-Yong smiled proudly, clearly satisfied with his explanation.
“What do you think? Sounds good, right?” he asked.
Tusitala’s expression stiffened.
Tusitala absentmindedly watched the TV.
“Here, the male lead’s mom gets kidnapped. But it turns out the female lead was behind the whole thing.” Yong-Yong continued with his commentary from the side.
Tusitala looked up at the clock and realized it was already 3 PM. What had started at 11 AM as a drama marathon had become unbearable because of Yong-Yong’s constant spoilers. Frustrated, Tusitala turned her gaze away and spotted a note on the kitchen counter.
Tusitala flew to grab the note and brought it over. “Lee Do-Jun asked me to give this to you.”
Yong-Yong read the note aloud. “Pork, tofu, scallions...”
“He said they’re for dinner. You’re supposed to pick them up from the grocery store,” Tusitala explained.
Yong-Yong crossed his front legs in a very human gesture. Normally, Yoon-Hee would stop by the store after school to get groceries, but it seemed like that responsibility fell on him today.
“Hmm... Who’s cooking, though?” he asked.
“Dinner. Who’s going to make it?”
“Uh... I’m not sure. He didn’t say,” Tusitala answered.
Imagining how exhausted Do-Jun would be after a full day’s work, Yong-Yong crossed his arms and looked at the note. Then, he made his decision.
“Alright, I’ll do it.”
After a full day of napping, Byeol wiggled her toes under the blanket before slowly opening her eyes and sitting up. Still groggy from sleep, she nodded off while sitting until a fragrant smell drifting from the kitchen snapped her awake.
Could it be? Was Do-Jun home already?
She toddled toward the kitchen, then blinked in disbelief, rubbing her eyes with both hands. It wasn’t Do-Jun moving back and forth in the kitchen.
In a daze, still half confused and sleepy, Byeol slowly walked toward the kitchen.
“Ah, you’re awake, Byeol?” Yong-Yong remarked.
He stood on a chair he was using as a step stool, holding a ladle in his tiny front paw.
“Mmhm. But... Yong-Yong, what are you doing?”
“I’m making dinner—kimchi jjigae. It smells good, doesn’t it? Hehe.”
Standing on her tiptoes, Byeol peeked into the pot. At first glance, there didn’t seem to be anything wrong. However, Byeol, who had been the victim of Yong-Yong’s “culinary experiments” one too many times, unconsciously muttered, “I... I don’t think I need to eat tonight.”
“Huh? You’re not eating dinner? Why not?”
“Because... I’m not hungwy?”
At that moment, her stomach betrayed her with a loud growl. Byeol gasped, startled, and quickly covered her stomach with both hands.
“Sounds like you’re hungry, though?”
There was no hiding it now. Realizing this, Byeol drooped her head in defeat.
“Haha! Just wait a little longer.”
Byeol had a unique way of handling her emotions. When something unpleasant occurred, her initial response was to avoid it. When avoidance didn't work, she’d become upset.
“How am I supposed to eat this?” she asked angrily.
However, throwing a tantrum didn’t make things better. Eventually, she would accept whatever was happening and resign herself to it.
Peeking into the pot again, Byeol muttered in a gloomy voice, “But I guess I have to...”
Dragging her feet, she dropped onto the sofa with a thud.
Watching her from the side, Tusitala asked Yong-Yong, “What’s wrong with her?”
“My previous attempts at making kimchi jjigae didn’t exactly... turn out well.”
However, this time, things would be different. Yong-Yong reached up toward the ceiling and pulled out a magical powder.
The bright red broth boiled in the pot, filled with well-aged kimchi, pork shoulder, tofu, and green onions. Visually, it looked like a perfect, delicious kimchi jjigae. However, Byeol wasn’t about to be fooled by appearances. She remembered all too well how disastrous Yong-Yong’s kimchi jjigae had been in the past. Even so, as Yong-Yong tasted the broth with the ladle, a satisfied smile spread across his face. At last, a truly delicious kimchi jjigae was ready.
“Byeol! Wanna taste it?”
Startled, Byeol flinched on the sofa. Then, she sighed in resignation and trudged toward the kitchen. “Fine. But just a little, ok? Just a tiny bit!”
Yong-Yong nodded, scooping up a small spoonful of broth and offering it to her. Trembling slightly, Byeol hesitated before taking the spoon into her mouth. Then, her eyes widened in shock. She smacked her lips, savoring the flavor.
“Give me more,” she said.
“Here you go.” This time, Yong-Yong offered a bigger spoonful, and Byeol didn’t refuse.
“This... this is weird. Why is it good?” Byeol muttered, looking genuinely confused.
“I can’t believe this,” she muttered again.
“You’re hungry, aren’t you?”
Byeol grinned brightly, her earlier gloom completely forgotten.
After finishing work, Do-Jun returned home and saw the dinner table already set with steaming bowls of rice and kimchi jjigae.
Byeol ran over to him, grabbing his pant leg. “Daddy!”
She had been waiting for him to come home. Noticing tonight’s simple yet previously traumatic dinner menu, Do-Jun checked Byeol’s expression.
She was smiling. Why?
“Yong-Yong, did you make this?” Do-Jun asked.
“Yes, I did!” Yong-Yong answered proudly.
Do-Jun sat down at the table. He looked at the kimchi jjigae, its steam rising into the air. Byeol happily scooped up a spoonful of the stew and slurped it down, smiling blissfully.
“Is it good?” Do-Jun asked her.
“Yep! We added magical powder!”
Do-Jun took a spoonful of the stew and tasted it.
The taste was... familiar.
“How does it taste like ramen? So cool!” Byeol exclaimed.
As she slurped spoonful after spoonful, Do-Jun’s and Yong-Yong’s eyes met. Yong-Yong grinned and gave a confident thumbs-up.