Healing in the Country Side with a Baby Dragon - CHAPTER 33 (Awakened Han Ga-ram)

[It was a fun picnic! Seol-ah will cherish this moment too!]

Our autumn picnic was a massive success. I got to see plenty of beautiful flowers and spent a long time just losing myself in the open sky. 

Out there, Grandma Kim’s 'jangtteok' (savory chili paste pancakes) and 'dongchimi' (water kimchi) made for the absolute perfect snacks. Besides, what's so special about a picnic anyway? Just packing up, going somewhere nice, and having a great time is what makes a picnic.

As the days were growing shorter, we decided to pack things up just as the sun began to turn a deep, brilliant red.

"Hiyung..."

Seol-ah, who had been running wildly around the flower garden all day long, was completely exhausted and passed out. As I held her close, she leaned her tiny face against my shoulder, letting out soft, rhythmic breaths. It looked like she really had a wonderful time.

"It seems Miss Seol-ah had a lot of fun." Oh-sik remarked.

"Yeah, it really looks like it."

Oh-sik seemed to have been thinking the exact same thing. Right next to us, a heartwarming conversation drifted over.

"See, Grandma? I can walk really well now."

"Oh my, be careful, dear. You might fall."

"But it’s been such a long time since I’ve been to a cosmos field. Do you remember back then? When I was little, whenever the cosmos flowers bloomed, we would always come here for a picnic."

"That’s right, we did."

"How does it feel to be back after so long? Was it fun? Should we come back again next year?"

"...I wonder?"

Hyung-seok’s face brightened immensely at his grandmother’s gentle response.

"Let’s come here every single year! Next year, the year after that, and every year after!"

"Okay, let's do that."

The setting sun cast a warm, golden glow over the smiling faces of the grandson and grandmother. In that light, Grandma Kim’s face looked incredibly smooth, almost as if the deep wrinkles engraved on her skin from enduring the harsh ravages of time had completely vanished.

If I wanted to make sure Hyung-seok's beautiful wish came true, I knew I would have to work a lot harder. No, more specifically, I would have to work hard with Hanseong.

'I wonder if the new drug development is actually effective.'

I realized I would have to contact Executive Director Han Ga-ram sooner or later. Suddenly, a chuckle escaped my lips because the sheer absurdity of my current situation hit me.

"Did a funny thought cross your mind,my lord?"

"No, it's nothing."

I shook my head dismissively at Oh-sik's question.

If I really think about it, I was able to completely turn my life around after coming here. This is something I couldn’t even dream of back when I was living day-to-day, cooped up in a cramped, single-room apartment. I don’t know if China is shocked, Japan is jealous, or the US is utterly obsessed, but here we are—cultivating special crops in our garden and joining forces with a massive conglomerate like Hanseong.

It’s all thanks to Seol-ah, who is currently fast asleep right next to me, drool pooling on my shoulder.

"You really are my lucky charm."

Meeting Seol-ah is the absolute greatest blessing of my life. Is this what it actually feels like to be a parent? Looking up at the autumn sky, I silently wished that Seol-ah would always remain healthy and happy.

Mornings at the farm where happiness grows have been incredibly hectic lately.

When I open my eyes to the morning sunlight streaming through the window, Seol-ah is already asleep on top of me. She always leans her face tightly against mine, just to listen to my heartbeat. Even in my groggy morning daze, she is just too cute. When I stroke her head, she opens her eyes, smiles bashfully, and buries her face deeper into my chest.

After patting Seol-ah on the back for a moment, I step outside, and the crisp autumn air instantly envelops my body.

"Brrr, it's freezing."

Just as I begin to shiver, a fire fairy flies over and lands gently on my shoulder. Warmth spreads through my entire body in an instant. Ah, that feels amazing. Thanks to the fire fairies, we’re enjoying warm days without even turning on the boiler. If you carry one of them in your pocket when you go out, you don't even need a hand warmer.

Out in the yard, Oh-sik is doing his early morning training. He looks like a cool, blond knight, silently swinging his sword. It’s a striking image, but I have to deduct a few points for the baggy t-shirt and baggy pants he's wearing. No, wait—maybe I should give him extra points for managing to look that cool in clothes like that?

"My lord, are you awake?"

Noticing me, Oh-sik pauses his training and greets me politely.

"The Great Master has risen!"

"Whoooosh!" 

(Rise, you who care for the Great Being!)

The earth fairies and fire fairies immediately follow his lead and greet me.

"The Great Master is the Great Master! Don't call him by any other name!"

"Hwarur—!" 

(Please don't force me to call him whatever you want!)

"You garden tiger moth!"

"Hwaru! 

(Puppy!)

A fire fairy and an earth fairy began arguing fiercely, completely clashing with one another. It wasn't until recently that I learned fire and earth fairies are natural enemies. Still, when they fight, someone has to step in.

'They're so cute.'

It was honestly hard to break them up because their 'fighting' just looked like they were patting each other on the back. But a fight is still a fight.

"Hey, you shouldn't fight with your friends."

I gently separate the two with my index finger. The two tiny creatures struggle, their little limbs flailing against my finger.

"You'd better return to the ground today!"

(I'll burn you to ashes!)

The words they exchange are fierce, but looking at them, it just looks like butterflies fluttering and cotton balls rolling around. It's completely harmless.

"You two, stop it."

"Ah, that was my mistake, Great Master!"

"Hwar—" 

(I'm sorry. Please forgive me.)

The petty squabble finally calms down after a bit of finger-pushing.

"Just call me Great Master, you fire fairies, just like the earth fairies do. The other title is too long."

Since the title issue needed to be sorted out anyway, I decided to side with the earth fairies this time.

"As expected, the Great Master is wise and grand! Clap clap clap clap!"

"Our earth fairies have won! This day will be remembered forever in history!"

The ecstatic earth fairies laugh and clap their hands, while the fire fairies smirk sullenly and turn away. The earth fairies are laughing, the fire fairies are pouting... it's making me a little dizzy.

"Oh-sik, what about the wood?"

"I put it over there."

Oh-sik points to the firewood he set aside during his training. I pile the logs onto the makeshift brazier I built yesterday.

"Ah, I need a fire, but I wonder where I can find a great being who is excellent at controlling flames?" I say loudly, intentionally glancing over at the sulking fire fairies.

At the mention of needing fire, the fiery little butterflies immediately perk up their antennae.

"Isn't there a gas stove right over there?" Oh-sik asks.

I quickly gesture to the idiot, telling him to shut up for ruining the mood with modern conveniences.

"Man, lighting a fire manually is just too hard." I repeat, channeling the struggles of my ancient ancestors.

Right on cue, the fire fairies begin to swarm the brazier.

*Hwarhwarurururuk!*

Sparkling embers fill the air around us.

(Great Master, if it’s fire, leave it to us!)

(No worries when a fire fairy is around!)

(I’ll burn down whatever you need!)

They actively eagerly appeal to me. Though, that last statement sounds a bit dangerous. Either way, I've managed to cheer up the gloomy fire fairies, so my first goal is accomplished.

"Then, could you light this firewood for me?"

*Hwarurur—!*

(Just leave it to me!)

One of them dives straight into the wood with burning passion, and before long, a spark catches.

"Can you turn this into charcoal?"

*Hwaru!*

(As ordered!)

As the fire fairies flap their wings to turn up the heat, the pile of firewood is instantly engulfed in beautiful flames. The yard warms up immediately from the blazing fire, and I stare blankly into it. Is this what people mean by 'fire-staring'? It feels a bit different from a normal campfire, though. Tiny fairy butterflies dance amidst the embers. A dance of sparks—it's absolutely beautiful.

Since the fire was lit by fairies, there is almost no smoke or soot. I bet it would look even better at night. Anyone watching this would instantly feel at peace.

"Oh, right."

For a moment, I was so mesmerized that I almost forgot what I was doing. I pull a large container out of the refrigerator. Inside is the pork I marinated yesterday. I used pork front leg meat mixed with a good amount of fat, seasoned with red pepper paste, red pepper powder, soy sauce, green onions, and onions. I even added fresh apple juice for sweetness and tenderization. Looking at its rich, red color, the seasoning has clearly absorbed perfectly overnight.

This morning's menu is open-fire stir-fried pork. The idea came to me the last time I tasted the fire fairies' dust. 

'I bet it would be absolutely delicious if I grilled this over an open fire.'

Everyone loves meat packed with a smoky, fiery aroma. That's why I prepared the pork yesterday and built the simple brazier.

I grab the meat and the grill grate.

"Oh, it's perfect."

Before I know it, most of the firewood has burned down into beautiful charcoal. Normally, we would have had to wait a long time, but thanks to the fire fairies' abilities, we saved so much time. I spread the seasoned pork across the grill grate and place it over the brazier.

"Can you guys control the heat of the charcoal, too?"

*Hwareuk!*

(Of course!)

"Then can you make it low and gentle?"

Instantly, the intense heat radiating from the charcoal dies down. Wow, this is literally better than a natural gas stove.

The meat cooks with a beautiful, sizzling sound. I flip it several times to let the smoky flavor lock in, and the fire fairies flutter around, lightly sprinkling their fairy dust over it. Honestly, cooking with fairies feels like a fantasy. Well, I suppose my life is already halfway in another world anyway—what with dragons, fairies, and S-class knights running around.

While my mind wanders, the pork finishes cooking.

"Turn up the heat just a tiny bit more at the end, okay?"

They blast it with heat until the outer layer is perfectly browned, completing our direct-fire stir-fried pork. With a few beautiful char marks on the edges, it is cooked to absolute perfection.

Meanwhile, Oh-sik washes and prepares a variety of fresh vegetables picked straight from our garden.

"Buh—"

Seol-ah finally wakes up and waddles outside, her hair completely disheveled. The earth and fire fairies rush over to welcome her, and our three puppy brothers run circles around her feet.

"So cute—"

"Hey, pretty girl."

Seol-ah happily exchanges morning greetings with all the fairies and the puppies. I just stand there for a moment, watching the heartwarming sight with a giant smile on my face.

"Seol-ah, let's eat!"

"Yes!"

The three of us sit down around the brazier, scooping warm white rice into our bowls. First, I take a bite of the perfectly charred pork. The spicy and sweet marinade hits my tongue first, and as it mixes with the air in my mouth, it releases an incredible smoky aroma. As I chew, the rich flavor of the meat and the savory fat blend together wonderfully.

Next, it's time for a lettuce wrap. I layer a perilla leaf over a piece of lettuce, add a spoonful of rice, a generous piece of stir-fried pork, a dab of ssamjang, and stuff the massive wrap into my mouth. The more I chew, the more the subtle scent of fire harmonizes with the crisp freshness of the vegetables.

"Seol-ah, open wide—'ah'."

"Ah—"

When I offer Seol-ah a small, bite-sized wrap, she opens her tiny mouth and pops it right in. Even though I made it small, her little cheeks puff up like round dumplings. Every time she chews, her rosy cheeks move so dramatically that I have to fight the urge to poke them.

"Is it good, Seol-ah?"

"Yum!" she answers loudly, clearly loving it.

After a deeply satisfying meal, I pat my full stomach and enjoy the warm autumn sunshine with Seol-ah.

'Ah, I'm so happy.'

I find myself smiling out of pure bliss. This happiness feels almost too good to keep to ourselves.

Suddenly, Seol-ah pipes up with a question.

"Babah."

"Huh? What is it, Seol-ah?"

"Is sister coming?"

"Sister? You mean Sister So-yoon? You just saw So-yoon yesterday, didn't you?"

"Woooooo—" Seol-ah shakes her head vigorously from side to side.

Who is she talking about then? Who would she call 'sister'? She calls Director Ham Sa-rang 'Teacher Sa-rang'...

"The pretty sister!"

A pretty older sister... Ah.

"Do you mean Executive Director Han Ga-ram?"

"Yeah! That's it! Ga-ram unni!"

"Why are you looking for Executive Director Han Ga-ram?"

"She made a promise with Seol-ah!"

"A promise?"

Oh, right. Ga-ram must have promised to come back and visit her last time. Looking at her now, it seems Seol-ah hadn't forgotten at all and has been waiting this whole time. But what should I do? Director Han is an incredibly busy person.

"Seol-ah, Ga-ram unni is super busy right now, so she'll probably come a little later."

"Ahhh..."

Tears immediately begin to well up in Seol-ah's disappointed eyes. Seeing her heartbroken face, I instinctively pull out my smartphone. Surely it wouldn't hurt to just give her a quick call?

A massive crowd of personnel and vehicles completely blocked a wide intersection in Nowon-gu, Seoul.

"Hey, what's going on? Why are you blocking the road?!" a driver shouted, trying to protest the sudden traffic control.

However, the moment he realized his path was blocked by Hunters, he promptly shut his mouth. Normally, if it were just regular Hunters, he would have complained, but the moment he spotted the word 'Hanseong' emblazoned on their gear, he didn't dare say another word.

"A Gate has opened along this route. The road is currently under lockdown, so please take a detour."

At the Hunter’s stern warning, drivers quickly turned their cars around to escape the area. The busy road emptied out in a matter of minutes. Barricades were erected on all sides, completely sealing off the perimeter, and high-tech equipment filled the area.

Gate raids were never simple affairs. A single raid required a massive logistical operation, including analysis teams, relay squads, field assistants, and tactical support. Naturally, Hanseong’s personnel and equipment were the undisputed best in the country—and ranked among the absolute elite worldwide.

Everyone had to be exceptionally careful today.

"The Executive Director will be arriving shortly, so make sure everything is prepared perfectly without a single mistake!"

Inside a sleek, unmarked command truck sat Han Ga-ram—a domestic S-class Hunter and the Executive Director of the Hanseong Guild. She had decided to personally lead the Gate raid today. Knowing Ga-ram’s notoriously perfectionist personality, the staff knew that even the slightest error would be catastrophic.

While the anxious staff analyzed coordinates and inspected the Gate, Ga-ram was dealing with a completely different kind of tension inside her private vehicle.

"Sigh... this is driving me crazy."

Surrounded by millions of dollars worth of tactical equipment, Han Ga-ram let out a heavy sigh, her eyes glued to her smartphone.

|"How are you doing? How is Seol-ah?"|

'No, that makes it sound like I'm only interested in the baby.'

|"It's already autumn. Are you staying healthy? As for me, I'm doing well. I'm always curious to hear updates about Jin-sol and Seol-ah—"|

'What am I, a pen pal?'

|"Send me a photo of Seol-ah right now."|

'That just sounds like a blackmail text!'

She repeatedly typed out messages only to aggressively delete them. Handling multi-million dollar business deals was easy, but how on earth was she supposed to casually ask a man for a photo of his daughter? Ga-ram, who had been rigorously trained as a guild successor her entire life, was a master at raiding Gates and managing corporations, but she was completely clueless when it came to normal social interactions.

She kept writing and erasing, writing and erasing. She was just about to give up and browse a blog instead when her phone suddenly buzzed with a notification.

[Benefactor Baek Jin-sol]

The moment she saw his name flash across the screen, she almost dropped her phone.

|"Hello, Executive Director Han Ga-ram. This is Baek Jin-sol. Do you have a moment to talk?"|

"Yes! Absolutely!" she gasped aloud.

Quickly typing, she replied: |"I'm completely free. What's going on?"|

The response from the other side came almost instantly.

|"Seol-ah is looking for you, Executive Director. She wants to hear your voice."|

"Gyaaaaah—!"

Suppressing a feral scream of joy, she rapidly typed: |"I'll call you right now."|

She dialed the number immediately.

"Hello?"

Seol-ah’s clear, angelic voice echoed through the speaker. Ga-ram bit her lip, barely managing to hold back another squeal as she forced her voice into a calm, professional tone.

"Hi, Seol-ah. How have you been?"

"Yes!"

"Why did you call me?"

A brief moment of silence hung on the line. Then, Seol-ah’s tiny, whispering voice drifted through the phone.

"Unni... when are you coming to see Seol-ah...?"

The moment she heard that timid, longing voice, Han Ga-ram's face completely froze.

'Ah. Ah. Ahhh!'

The promise! Seol-ah hadn't forgotten the promise she made to return, and the sweet baby had been waiting for her this entire time!

"Seol-ah, unni misses you so much..."

Ga-ram's eardrums felt like they were literally melting from Seol-ah's heart-melting, slightly sad 'aegyo'. By the time the call ended, Ga-ram's soul had practically left her body. Her eyes snapped open, gleaming with a terrifying, absolute resolve.

'I have to get to Seol-ah. Right. Now.'

"Executive Director, we are fully prepared." a radio transmission chimed as she stepped out of the command truck, adjusting her armor.

"Gulp."

Every staff member who caught sight of Han Ga-ram’s current expression collectively swallowed a breath of pure terror. She was radiating a fierce, razor-sharp aura so intense it felt like she would rip anyone who crossed her into shreds.

Glaring at the swirling vortex of the open Gate in front of her, she ground her teeth.

'The annoying obstacle standing between me and Seol-ah.'

She felt like tearing it apart with her bare hands.

"Commence the raid immediately."

Without a shred of hesitation, she marched straight into the dungeon. That day, the monsters inside the Gate had to face a brand-new, terrifying nightmare: a completely unleashed, highly motivated S-class Hunter, Han Ga-ram.