I had forgotten that my body was in a terrible state. Getting hit head-on by the Creten Bull was akin to being in a car accident. Also, crash-landing a flight of several meters made it impossible for my body to be fine. I had to stay in the hospital for several days to fully recover. But thankfully, as a hunter, my recovery was relatively quick.

All right. What happened after this again? Being in the hospital had its perks. Without the demands of everyday life, I could calmly think about my future plans and actions from the hospital bed. I didn’t remember everything that had happened in the past fifteen years, but I had a good recollection of the major events and important moments. Keeping a record of those events kept me from getting too bored.

“When you first encountered the Creten Bull, what were your thoughts?”

“Oh, well I think my first thought was that I needed to protect my daughter.”

I even did an interview for a media outlet and from then on, the people I shared the hospital room with began to look at me differently. Sometimes, the doctors and nurses would recognize me and greet me. The attention made me slightly uncomfortable, but I also felt a little bit of pride. Time passed in the blink of an eye, and my discharge date approached.

“Daddy! I’m here!”

Seola and Eunhye had visited almost every day. On the day of my discharge, she appeared with a cake in one hand. It was increasingly clear that the people in the room were more excited to see Seola than me.

“Oh my, Seola is here.”

“Grandma! Is your back okay?”

“Of course it is. Thank you for asking!”

“I hope you get all better soon!”

“I will, I will.”

The elderly lady from the neighboring bed often took care of Seola when Eunhye and I had things to discuss privately. It seemed she had grown quite fond of the child.

“Seola, are you here for a visit again today?”

“Hello, sir!”

“What a good girl! You’ve got very good manners.”

“Hello to everyone else too!”

“Oh my, hello.”

The man across from us, the elderly man by the window, and even the nurses were all charmed by Seola. She often received candy and treats from the hospital staff and patients. Her friendly nature, along with her cuteness, made her a beloved presence in the hospital room, bringing cheer to everyone.

“Seojun, are you being discharged today?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Does that mean we won’t get to see Seola anymore?”

The people in the room began to murmur among themselves and the man across from us gave me a playful glare.

“How about staying in the hospital a little longer?”

“I-I have things I need to—”

“I’m pretty good at convincing people, you know.”

“What—”

“Didn’t I mention I used to be a boxing champion?”

It was a somewhat extreme suggestion, but the moment Seola entered the room, the atmosphere shifted to a more gentle one. Seeing how much they liked children, I knew they weren’t bad people, but they still unnerved me.

Thankfully, Eunhye intervened. “I brought this.”

“What is it?”

“Ice keem cake!” Seola’s eyes sparkled. It was no ordinary cake, but an ice cream cake.

Eunhye chuckled as she looked at her cute girl and whispered to me, “We wanted to celebrate your discharge, and it seemed Seola really wanted it.”

“Great choice.”

The man across from us playfully whistled and teased us. “Whew, I wouldn’t be surprised if the ice cream has melted already from all the lovey-dovey heat!”

“Leave them be! They’re still young,” the elderly lady said with a laugh.

Eunhye immediately distanced herself from me. Due to social norms, we were pretending to be a married couple at the hospital. As I was contemplating how to change the subject, something sparkled brightly from the side.

“Ice keem...” Seola was so focused on the ice cream cake that it seemed like she was going to stare a hole through it.

Eunhye skillfully cut a slice of cake with a plastic knife and placed it on a small plate.

Seola, who had been eagerly waiting, received the plate and licked her lips. But instead of taking a bite, she extended her plate of ice cream cake to me. “Daddy, this is yours!”

“Huh? No. It’s your cake, Seola.”

She shook her head and I took the plate. Eunhye seemed to have chosen that piece for Seola, which is why it was heavily decorated with chocolate. But Seola, who had been so eager, readily offered it to me. My emotions swelled, and I couldn’t just playfully brush it off as I usually did.

“Thank you,” I finally mumbled after a long silence.

“You’re welcome!” Seola laughed.

The elderly lady in the adjacent bed watched us with a warm smile.

Eunhye cut another piece for Seola and watched her offer it to the lady in the neighboring bed.

“Grandma, you should have some too.”

“Oh dear, are you sharing with me?”

“Yes!”

“I’m not sure if I should eat this.”

“Go ahead and enjoy.”

The lady looked unsure, and Eunhye nodded with a smile. Beaming, the lady enjoyed a bite of the ice cream cake. But Seola didn’t stop there. She continued to share the ice cream cake with everyone in the room, including the man across from us. It was no wonder the people in the hospital room were so fond of her. Eunhye had wisely cut the cake into eight pieces, so there was still plenty left for both of us.

“Now let’s have ours.”

“Thank you!” Seola received her own piece of ice cream cake last.

Cutting the tip of the cake, she placed it in her small mouth. With her eyes closed and a joyful smile on her face, she carefully enjoyed every last bite of her treat. Seola’s small body swayed from side to side as if dancing with delight. Her enchanting performance melted the hearts of everyone in the room.

Curious to hear her thoughts, Eunhye asked, “Seola, how does it taste?”

“It’s super, super delicious!”

***

When I was finally discharged, the people in the hospital room congratulated me, but they also subtly hinted that I should stay a little longer.

After the ice cream cake, the people began treating Seola like their own daughter or granddaughter. The man across from me was particularly enthusiastic about extending my stay, but I managed to avoid him by claiming that I had things to do.

At first, it was difficult for them to accept, but they finally let me go when I said I was the breadwinner of the family. There were even those who pressed money into my hand, urging me to feed Seola something delicious.

I’m so relieved that Seola has such a lovely personality.

Now I was the problem. My arms and legs, which had remained immobile for a long time, felt awkward. The hospital recommended physical therapy, but I refused as a hunter’s body returned to its original state quickly. Before my return, there had been times when I was deployed right after an injury, so this wasn’t much of a concern.

First, I need a weapon to protect myself. I remembered my hopelessness in the battle against the Creten Bull. Luckily, I could buy a hunter’s weapon without a license.

While in the hospital, I explained my plans to Eunhye in detail. She was a little surprised to hear I was an Adapted but having stopped the Creten Bull gave weight to my words. So Eunhye and I ended up going to buy a weapon together.

“Daddy, where are we going?” Seola, of course, came along.

While I was in the hospital, the elderly lady took care of her, but now there was no one to entrust her with. Leaving her at home alone was out of the question, especially considering her history of destroying homes.

“We’re going to a market today.”

“A market? You must be excited, Mommy!”

“Hmm? Why is that?”

“Because there’s lots of tteokbokki there!” Seola replied with a smile.

I looked at Eunhye, wondering just how much tteokbokki she had eaten for her child to immediately associate the market with it.

She averted her eyes and asked awkwardly, “Uh... Is there really a workshop at the market?”

“There definitely is. Do you not believe me?”

“No, it’s just that workshops are usually in department stores or guild buildings.”

“Workshops in department stores are usually expensive because they are made by renowned artisans. They’re considered luxury items.”

“What about workshops in guild buildings?”

“Workshops in guild buildings are made by blacksmiths who belong to that guild. So they restrict purchases to guild members.”

“I see... I didn’t know that,” Eunhye mumbled, tilting her head sideways like a bird.

She reminded me of my younger, more innocent self. I used to be like that too.

“Then what kind of workshops are at the market?”

“Usually ones run by nameless blacksmiths.”

“Does that mean they are less skilled?”

“Being an unknown singer doesn’t mean they can’t sing. So, being a nameless blacksmith doesn’t mean they can’t make good weapons.”

“You’re quite persuasive. I guess you’re right.”

We traveled quite a distance by bus and subway, reaching a place on the outskirts of Seoul called Sangbong-dong. After crossing a few streets and walking a bit more, we finally arrived at Urim Market.

Eunhye seemed surprised as if she had expected a street lined with workshops. “Isn’t this place just an ordinary market?”

It was, in fact, just an ordinary market. Rows of old vendors, pharmacies, and various shops lined the streets.

“Follow me.”

I led the way through winding alleyways. As we entered a dimly lit street, Seola seemed a bit nervous, clutching my hand and scanning her surroundings. In this dark alley, hidden in a corner, I stopped in front of an old shop with no sign.

Eunhye looked bewildered. “Is it here?”

“Yes. this is it.” I entered the shop immediately, pushing open the creaky door that seemed to have gone without oil for years. From the outside, it looked like an abandoned building. But from my memory, this was a workshop. “It is indeed a workshop.”

“It’s pretty!” Seola exclaimed.

Inside, various weapons were displayed. Despite the shabby exterior of the building, the weapons were unbelievably dazzling. Even at first glance, their craftsmanship was exceptional. Seola stood in front of the display, closely examining the weapons. Eunhye was also eagerly taking in the surroundings.

“Who is it?” asked a voice from inside. An elderly man emerged from behind the door of what appeared to be the main workroom. His face was drenched in sweat, and he looked slightly younger than I remembered.

Bingo. I knew I had come to the right place. Wanting to leave a good first impression, I greeted him respectfully. “Hello, sir. I’m Seojun, an aspiring hunter.”

I subtly nudged Eunhye’s side to signal it was her turn to introduce herself. She politely bowed and said, “Hello. I’m Eunhye and I’m also an aspiring hunter.”

Seola also decided to introduce herself, though she hadn’t been given any instructions to do so. “Nice to meet you! I’m Seola, Mommy and Daddy’s daughter!”

The old man stared at us for a moment, blinked, and then laughed heartily. “Hahaha! You’re a friendly bunch, aren’t you? Are you a family?”

“Yes!” Seola replied, grabbing mine and Eunhye’s hand.

The elderly man scrutinized her closely. With eyebrows and the corners of his eyes turned up, his demeanor could be easily mistaken for anger. Another child might have found it intimidating, but Seola didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she was all smiles as she looked up at him.

“You can’t possibly be a bad person and raise a child with such good manners!” he exclaimed, extending his hand to Seola.

Not even knowing what a handshake was, Seola grabbed the outstretched hand. He shook her hand up and down, then offered a handshake to Eunhye and me. After that, he finally introduced himself.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you! My family name is Kang! Given name is Chulyi! Together, it’s Kang Chulyi!”

Kang Chulyi, the jovial elderly man, was a blacksmith destined to become one of the greatest in the world.