Episode 8 – “Did our daughter… get stung by a bee?”
Morning had come, sunlight peeking through the window.
Eire was sitting at the table, nibbling weakly on some steamed carrots.
Harin had arranged a healthy breakfast for them in advance.
“No, no, that’s not it,” Eire muttered as she broke the carrot into small pieces.
Michael, watching her quietly, slipped his hands under her arms and lifted her up into the air.
Her short legs dangled.
“What’s wrong with my daughter? You’re not crying because you don’t like carrots, right?”
“No. Iwe didn’t cry.”
“Hmm. Then maybe you did get stung by a bee?”
Eire frowned, thinking hard, then her eyes welled up with tears.
She threw her arms around Michael’s neck.
“Daddy, I want to protect you no matter what.”
“…You took the bee sting instead of me?”
“Not just bees! I can take a spider bite for you too. As long as Daddy stays safe…”
“…”
Michael went quiet for a while, then gently hugged her back.
“But Daddy doesn’t like that idea. I don’t even want a single bug near you, Eire.”
Eire peeked up at his face.
He looked a little sad, and that made her eyes water again.
“Daddy… how long are you gonna live? Can you live to a hundred?”
“Haha, a hundred? Hmm. Maybe if I try hard enough?”
Michael playfully poked her nose.
But Eire looked dead serious. She grabbed his finger with both hands and huffed.
“No! I’ll try hard! I’ll make sure you live to a hundred! I promise!”
Just then—
A blue screen suddenly appeared in front of Eire’s eyes.
[ ~Saving Father~ Create a new Guild!]
‘Huh? Another sub quest?’
[Do you want to protect your father from danger?
Then create a guild and gather allies!
It might be hard alone, but together you might succeed!
Reward: A-rank Skill (Saint-exclusive)]
‘A skill to save Daddy?’
Her tiny mouth opened wide.
‘I can save Daddy! I can do it!’
“Hm?”
Michael tilted his head when he saw her face suddenly brighten up.
Before he could say more, the doorbell chimed—beep beep beep—click!
“Good morning! Did you sleep well?”
It was Harin.
Eire jumped out of her dad’s arms and ran toward the door.
Michael just stared at his now-empty arms in shock.
“Princess!”
“Kyaa! Eire!”
Harin scooped her up and spun around happily.
It was like pink flowers were popping up around them.
Meanwhile, Michael looked like he’d just lost his whole world.
“Princess! Princess! Do you know what a guild is?!”
Eire asked excitedly.
“Guild?”
Harin blinked.
“Of course I know. It’s like an association of hunters. They take quests to clear dungeons and defeat monsters together. But why?”
“I want to make one! Iwe’s own guild!”
“You… want to make a guild?”
Harin let out a weak groan.
“Well, that’s not easy. You need startup money, a license, and at least three registered hunters…”
But she suddenly stopped talking.
Michael was glaring at her from the couch, silently mouthing, Come back here, my daughter.
Then it hit her.
‘Wait. A guild? He’s an S-rank, right? He probably doesn’t have a guild yet…’
A spark flashed in Harin’s mind.
‘If I make the guild and recruit him, I could make a fortune! And I’d finally show that old man—Grandpa Park Daebang—what I’m capable of!’
Her imagination ran wild.
Eire waved her hand in front of Harin’s face, but the woman was totally spaced out, eyes unfocused.
“Princess?”
“Ah—!” Harin flinched, snapping out of it.
In her mind, she had already become the number one guild master in Korea, receiving a presidential award.
“So… you can’t make a guild? It’s too hard?”
Eire’s lip trembled, her eyes shiny.
“No! You can do it, Eire! I’ll help you!”
Eire’s face lit up with joy. Her round cheeks turned pink.
“Really?!”
“Of course! But first, we need three registered hunters. Your dad can register at the Awakening Ability Center… but we’re still one short.”
“Iwe has a rank too!”
“Huh?”
Harin blinked.
“See? It says it right here!”
Eire pointed at the air—probably her status window.
“You… awakened too?”
“Yup! It says Mythic-rank!”
“Mythic… rank?”
Harin’s eyebrows shot up.
The highest known hunter rank was S.
There was no such thing as “Mythic.”
‘She must be imagining it,’ Harin thought. After all, Eire was only four years old.
“So how do we register?” Eire asked.
“Well, you have to go to the Awakening Ability Center, take a test, and get your license. But…”
Harin trailed off, glancing between Michael and Eire.
“Do you two… have any IDs? Like a passport, national ID card, something?”
“…”
“You do, right? You’re not telling me you don’t have any, are you?”
Michael frowned, thinking, then pulled something from his pocket.
“This?”
It was a round copper badge engraved with a world tree—the emblem of a Holy Knight of Asteria.
Harin’s jaw dropped.
“Are you kidding me? What are you, a secret agent? That’s not a legal ID here!”
She clutched her head.
They were basically illegal residents—no records, no identity in the system.
‘Ugh, fine. We’ll do this the fast way.’
She took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and looked at Eire.
“Money. We’ll solve it with money.”
***
Awakening Ability Center (AAC)
The government office that measures awakening levels and issues hunter licenses.
Michael, Eire, and Harin stood outside, staring up at the building.
“You’re sure about this?” Harin asked.
“You’ve already asked me many times,” Michael replied calmly. “I’ve made my decision.”
Harin rubbed her temples.
“Fine… but seriously, Kim Daebang?!”
Here’s how that happened:
Harin had used her family’s power and money to create fake identities for the two.
They needed Korean names.
“I’ll be Kim Daebang,” Michael said immediately.
Harin tried to stop him—after all, “Daebang” was her grandfather’s name: Park Daebang, the head of Daebang Confectionery.
But Michael refused to change it. He was already attached to the name.
‘Ugh. I hate this!’
“I like it! Kim Ire! Hehe, Kimi-re! It sounds like a squirmy worm in your mouth!”
“Ugh. So cute.”
At least Eire was happy, Harin thought.
The fake IDs were ready, and there was no turning back now.
‘Once Michael registers as a hunter, others will come running to join our guild.
Considering his power during the dungeon break, he’ll definitely rank high.’
“Alright,” Harin said, straightening her shoulders. “Let’s go in.”
The three of them stepped into the building together.
‘Daddy… I’ll save you!’
Eire clenched her tiny fists, smiling brightly.
She didn’t know it yet—
but what happened inside the Awakening Center today would soon shake the entire nation of Korea.
