Daddy is too Strong-Chapter 97

Tonight’s menu was kimchi jjigae[1], which turned out perfectly with aged kimchi, pork, tofu, and green onions simmering in the pot. There was no need for special seasoning; just the kimchi brine alone created a spicy, tangy flavor.

Recently, Byeol had developed quite a taste for Korean food.

“You’re eating so well,” Do-Jun commented, watching Byeol dipping rice into the stew and taking spoonful after spoonful.

He smiled contently, propping his chin up with one hand.

Meanwhile, Yoon-Hee seemed a bit nervous. Since the kimchi was spicy, she worried that young Byeol might choke or suffer if it was too much for her.

“Make sure to chew it well, okay?” she said to Byeol.

“Mhm.”

Yoon-Hee was so focused on Byeol that her own bowl of rice was almost untouched.

Seeing this, Do-Jun chuckled softly and mumbled, “You’re like a real mom.”

Hearing that, Yoon-Hee blushed, looking a bit flustered.

“T-that was... a compliment, right?” she asked.

She couldn’t help but wonder if he meant she looked older. Though she was done with her puberty and whatnot, hearing something like that at the young age of seventeen was still a bit of a shock. Of course, she knew Do-Jun had no ill intentions, but it was still hard not to think about it as criticism.

“I’m all done!” Byeol put down her spoon, looking satisfied.

The bowl was spotless, with not a grain of rice or drop of broth left. It was quite a large portion for someone who wasn’t even a meter tall, yet Byeol looked as satisfied as ever.

“Mommy, um...”

“Yeah?”

“Can I go pway?”

Byeol fidgeted with her fingers, glancing at Yoon-Hee, knowing it was 6 PM and the sun was already setting. Yoon-Hee usually didn’t like letting Byeol out in the evening.

But just as Yoon-Hee was about to say no, Do-Jun butted in. “Go ahead. Just make sure to stay away from anyone suspicious.”

Although it would be pretty dark soon, Yoon-Hee held back after Do-Jun gave the permission. Byeol’s face lit up, and she nodded eagerly.

Do-Jun glanced over at Yong-Yong, who was entirely focused on his meal and wasn’t paying attention to the rest of the world. When their eyes met, Yong-Yong coughed a bit as if he’d choked.

“O-one simply does not bother a dragon in the middle of his meal...”

Slowly, Do-Jun extended his hand under the table. A glowing yellow fifty-thousand-won bill appeared between his fingers. Yong-Yong stopped all jaw movement, took the bill with his front paw, gave Do-Jun a salute, and followed after Byeol.

“See ya,” Byeol said with a bright smile.

***

Yong-Yong and Byeol’s destination was an F-rank Fissure in a nearby park. F-rank goblins were the main monsters of this common grassland-type field, and it was under Do-Jun’s management. Having been open for three years now, it was also thoroughly raided.

Yong-Yong had a drink and snacks strapped to his back. He glanced at the entrance and noticed an intern from the Hunter’s Bureau standing guard.

Seeing the intern dozing off, he nudged Byeol and muttered, “Now’s our chance.”

They hurriedly slipped into the Fissure, and it swallowed them with a brilliant flash.

When they opened their eyes, they were in a completely different world. Unlike Earth, where it was almost past sunset, the world inside the Fissure was bright as day. They saw the goblins spread across the green field and some Hunters hunting them clumsily. Judging by their skills, they were absolute beginners.

“Let’s play around for about an hour and head back,” Yong-Yong told Byeol.

Do-Jun wouldn’t mind them staying for a while as long as they had fun, but Yoon-Hee would surely have a lot to say.

Understanding Yong-Yong’s intent, Byeol nodded and added, “Mommy is scawy when she’s mad.”

“Actually, Master’s the one I’m more scared of.”

Yong-Yong noticed a young man lying on the ground. He didn’t even have a mana gun, an essential item for Hunters, and was carrying a backpack nearly as big as himself.

“A porter, huh.”

Porters were people who followed Hunters around, carrying loot like mana stones and monster corpses. Some ill-mannered Hunters would disrespectfully call them “inventory.”

Anyway, the young man, likely a porter, seemed to have fainted.

Yong-Yong approached him and started slapping his face with his paw. “Hello! You good?”

It seemed like his lights were out.

Yong-Yong couldn’t help but mutter, “Passed out like this in such a low-level zone...”

Just then, the young man frowned and groaned, slowly opening his eyes. “Ugh... cough!”

This young man was called Yoon Min-Woo. He sat up slowly, feeling a warm sting on his cheek as if he’d been slapped a few times. He looked up to find a child and a puppy staring at him.

“A kid...?” he muttered.

She looked about four years old, with long, light brown hair down to her waist. She wore a white dress with a bear print and character slippers—the image of a typical little kid.

“I’m not a kid,” Byeol replied. “I have a name. It’s Byeol.”

With a slightly annoyed expression, Byeol looked at Yoon Min-Woo, wondering why people kept referring to her as a kid when she had a lovely name that Do-Jun had given her.

“So... how did you get in here?” Yoon Min-Woo asked her.

Only Hunters or authorized personnel were allowed into Fissures. It wasn’t a place for children or dogs, and if someone didn’t show a Hunter or staff ID at the entrance, the Bureau staff wouldn’t let them through.

“Um... I hopped in,” Byeol replied innocently.

“That’s not what I meant... Never mind. Anyway, it’s dangerous here. Where are your parents? We should get you out of here before they start worrying.”

Byeol shook her head. “Daddy said I could come here.”

“Y-your father let you come in here?”

“Yup! He said I could go pway.”

What kind of parent would let a child who could barely speak go into a Fissure? Yoon Min-Woo looked at Byeol in disbelief.

“By the way, Mistah... are you a suspicious person?” Byeol asked as she recalled that Do-Jun had told her to stay away from suspicious people. She had to figure out if the man in front of her was suspicious.

Yoon Min-Woo laughed awkwardly, somewhat impressed by the proper home training for such situations.

“So, guy, why were you sleeping here?” Yong-Yong asked him.

“Huh?! T-the dog is talking!”

Yong-Yong clicked his tongue and sighed. Why did people always mistake him for a dog when they saw him? He created a mirror with his magic to check his appearance.

“What part of this looks like a dog? Anyway, if you’re awake, get moving,” Yong-Yong said, annoyed.

At those words, Yoon Min-Woo checked his watch. It was already past 7 PM. He had tried to find a party but failed, so he attempted to hunt solo, only to be knocked out by a goblin’s club.

“Another day wasted...” Yoon Min-Woo muttered dejectedly.

He hadn’t earned a penny in days, even though he had bills and tuition due. At this rate, taking up a day labor job seemed more appealing. Despite Awakening and registering as a Hunter, his F-rank non-combat skills didn’t allow him to do much.

“Even one mana stone would’ve helped...”

An F-rank mana stone from a goblin could sell for about 50,000 won each. He was desperate for even that much with no money left for daily expenses. Sighing, Yoon Min-Woo stood up, deciding to call it a day since it was already completely dark outside now.

He looked so dejected that Yong-Yong frowned. “Ugh, seriously.”

As Yoon Min-Woo trudged weakly toward the Fissure exit, Yong-Yong ran ahead and stopped him.

He asked, “How many mana stones do you need?”

***

A short while later, Yoon Min-Woo stood in awe.

“Are... are you sure it’s okay to give me all of these?” he asked Yong-Yong.

The ground was covered with a pile of F-rank mana stones, all from goblins hunted by Yong-Yong. Yoon Min-Woo rubbed his eyes in disbelief as he stared at what seemed to be at least fifty stones.

“Yeah,” Yong-Yong replied casually.

“I don’t know how to thank you...”

This was worth over 2.5 million won in cash, more than enough to cover the few months of rent he was behind on and then some.

Yong-Yong sighed. “Seriously, man... Who comes into a Fissure without a weapon? Use this money to buy yourself a weapon or something and stop getting beaten up by goblins. If you’re going to die, at least do it somewhere else.”

This was an F-rank Fissure managed by Do-Jun. Since it was low rank that had hardly any casualties, a corpse turning up would be a hassle. Knowing that, Yong-Yong couldn’t just ignore Yoon Min-Woo.

Regardless of what this puppy was saying, Yoon Min-Woo was so grateful that he started to tear up.

“Why are you crying, Mistah? Isn’t this good?” Byeol tilted her head, puzzled.

She only knew crying as an expression of sadness.

Yoon Min-Woo shook his head with a smile and knelt before Yong-Yong.

“Can I know your name? I want to remember this kindness and repay you if I ever get the chance.”

“No, there’s no need...”

Yoon Min-Woo took Yong-Yong’s paw, his eyes shining with gratitude.

Yong-Yong sighed and replied, “It’s Izaa... no, Yong-Yong.”

***

“Got it? You cannot tell Master that we were just at a Fissure,” Yong-Yong warned Byeol.

“Okidokie.”

“We were just playing at the playground.”

“Mhm!”

After they agreed to keep their stories straight, Yong-Yong jumped up to open the front door, letting Byeol inside first before following her in.

Do-Jun was reading a newspaper on the sofa and called out to Byeol. She ran over to him and jumped into his arms.

“Did you have fun in the Fissure?” Do-Jun asked.

“Yup!” Byeol nodded happily, then froze, her eyes widening. Realizing her slip, she quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

“N-no, we pway at the playground.”

“Did Yong-Yong tell you to say that?” Do-Jun asked with a grin.

“Ye... n-no!”

Do-Jun found her flustered response so cute that he couldn’t help but chuckle.

***

Meanwhile, in a small studio apartment measuring just over thirty square meters, a young man was drawing on a tablet under the warm light of a desk lamp.

As the pen moved, the drawing gradually took shape. A blue sky, a green field, a small red dog with a mana stone on its head, and a little girl smiling at it.

“Done.”

As it turned out, Yoon Min-Woo was an amateur illustrator of five years. Though it was just a hobby, he had a bit of a reputation on community forums. He had a solid fan base, and his illustrations usually received hundreds of comments and over fifty thousand views when he posted them on art boards.

A message appeared as he prepared to upload the illustration.

[Please enter a title for the drawing.]

Without hesitation, he typed: Yong-Yong and Byeol.

1. Kimchi stew made with kimchi and other ingredients, such as pork, scallions, onions, and diced tofu. It is one of the most common stews in Korean cuisine. ☜