Healing in the Country Side with a Baby Dragon - CHAPTER 34 (The Ripening Night)

The inside of a gate is usually connected to an entirely new world—forests, jungles, volcanic areas, or dungeons. Sometimes, it opens up to a space that is almost weightless and completely alien to Earth, or a chaotic realm closely linked to the conscious mind. There, hunters fight against the enemies trying to cross over to our world. We are the warriors who protect the Earth.

Of course, we don't save the world without any gain. The new substances harvested from monster carcasses have become the gold mine of the Great Hunter era. A massive amount of capital has poured in, and talent always gravitates toward where the money flows.

The same goes for the Hanseong Guild. Honestly, if you took away the halo effect of being the granddaughter of the Hanseong family, there were quite a few hunters who were better than Han Ga-ram. At least, everyone used to think so.

"What... what the heck is this...?"

Until they saw Han Ga-ram today.

The gate they had entered was a labyrinth filled with pitch darkness. Normally, you would have to proceed with extreme caution, staying wary of traps and monsters that could appear at any moment. Instead, the path they walked was littered with dead monster corpses and shattered traps. From deep within the shadows, the distant screams of dying monsters echoed out. It was hard to tell who was the invader and who was the defender.

Deep in the labyrinth, only Han Ga-ram’s eyes sparkled, emitting a strange, intense heat.

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations, Executive Director!"

As soon as Han Ga-ram finished her gate raid and stepped outside, the staff erupted into applause.

"A new record has been achieved!"

"This is definitely the shortest clear time in the country. You are amazing, ma'am. You've grown once again!"

According to the analysis team, the time it took Han Ga-ram and her team to conquer the gate was the shortest in the country, a speed that could compete with the world’s elite. It was nothing short of a blessing for the Hanseong Guild.

"How about we prepare a press release right away? If we spread it to the media, I’m sure the response will be incredible."

"Let’s draft an official release immediately, send it to the media, and make sure we make headlines tomorrow morning."

Even as her aides smiled broadly and praised her achievements, not a single trace of joy surfaced on Han Ga-ram’s face.

"Please prepare the press release slowly. We don’t need it right now. Support team, please handle the follow-up quickly."

As usual, she simply urged them to process the rest of the gate clean-up with a calm, businesslike attitude. The others were inwardly amazed once again. How could she remain so unwavering even after setting a national record? Despite her young age, she carried herself with weight and had the presence to lead everyone. With Executive Director Han Ga-ram at the helm, the Hanseong Guild could only continue to prosper.

"Then, I have some personal business to attend to, so I'll head out first. Thank you all for your hard work."

After completing all the on-site instructions, Han Ga-ram got into her personal car and drove away. Only then did the remaining guild members breathe a collective sigh of relief.

"What the hell actually happened in there?"

"I don’t know. The Executive Director just swept through the whole thing by herself."

Even when asked, the strategy team members who accompanied her could only offer surprised, dumbfounded answers. An in-depth discussion followed regarding the secret behind her sudden growth. There were many hypotheses—a heightened sense of responsibility toward the guild, an explosion of latent potential, the acquisition of new high-grade equipment, or perhaps a rare elixir.

But no one knew the real answer.

‘Is Seol-ah still waiting?’

Han Ga-ram felt anxious as she gripped the steering wheel. The secret to her growth that no one else knew about was a simple promise she made to Seol-ah. The moment she had heard Seol-ah’s gloomy voice earlier, her heart had ached terribly. But she was also incredibly happy that the little dragon hadn't forgotten their promise and was waiting for her.

It was true that she had pushed herself harder than usual. Normally, she would have prioritized safety and cleared the labyrinth without any risks, but today, she had poured every ounce of her energy into clearing the gate as fast as humanly possible.

‘It was easier than I thought.’

She didn't realize it herself, but under the constant pressure of leading the guild and the mental burden of needing to look flawless in front of others, she had unconsciously been holding back her full strength. But today, the moment she heard Seol-ah’s voice, she threw away her pride and prestige, exploding with everything she had.

Whether this would lead to permanent growth or if it was just a temporary surge remained to be seen. In her mind, the only thing that mattered was the image of Seol-ah waiting for her with a sad little pout.

‘Seol-ah! Big sister is on her way! Just wait a moment!’

She arrived.

Han Ga-ram entered the village and urgently sought out a familiar gate. It was already late at night. Honestly, she had considered stopping by tomorrow morning instead, thinking an unannounced late-night visit might be rude.

However...

[Seol-ah is waiting ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

The text had come with a photo. It showed the back of Seol-ah sitting on the floor, staring intently at the front door. Even from behind, her chubby, adorable cheeks were perfectly visible.

Now was not the time to worry about etiquette. In fact, making her wait until tomorrow morning would be the real rudeness.

Standing in front of the door, Han Ga-ram took a deep breath and straightened her clothes. She was finally going to see Seol-ah.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

"Who is it?" I called out from inside the house.

"It’s Han Ga-ram."

"Huh? Director Han?"

Surprised to hear her voice at this hour, I quickly unlocked and opened the front door. I greeted her with a bewildered look. 

"What brings you here at this time of night?"

"Because Seol-ah said she was waiting."

"You rushed all the way here at this hour just because of that photo?"

"Yes. I received the message earlier. Is it inconvenient?"

"No, not at all. I should be the one apologizing for making you worry. Please, come in."

Seol-ah had just sent a cute picture, but Han Ga-ram, who didn't really know how to take a joke, had taken it entirely seriously. It was late, but I couldn't turn away a guest who had traveled all this way just to see the baby dragon. I opened the door wide and welcomed her inside.

And finally...

"Seol-ah!"

"Sister—!"

The reunion happened in a flash. Seol-ah, spotting Han Ga-ram walking through the door, ran forward with her silver hair fluttering and clung tightly to her leg. Han Ga-ram, on the other hand, froze up, looking completely helpless with joy.

Clinging to Han Ga-ram's leg, Seol-ah tilted her head back and stared up at her intently, her large eyes sparkling beautifully in the moonlight.

"Please hug me."

Hearing her words, Han Ga-ram finally snapped out of her daze and carefully lifted Seol-ah into her arms. She handled her with extreme gentleness, terrified that she might accidentally use too much strength and hurt the baby dragon.

"Seol-ah, did you miss me a lot?"

"Yes!"

Nestled in Han Ga-ram’s arms, Seol-ah looked up at her and smiled brightly. Ah, this was pure healing. Just looking at Seol-ah's smile made all the accumulated fatigue and stress melt away. How could such a cute creature exist?

What made Han Ga-ram’s heart beat even faster was the realization: 'Gyaaaa—Seol-ah is actually in my arms!'

The fact that Seol-ah, who used to just watch her cautiously from a distance, had actively run to hug her meant they had grown so much closer. This was the greatest harvest of all. To her, this moment meant far more than any national gate-clearing record.

"Did you come straight here after work?" I asked.

"Yes, I just got back after finishing a gate raid."

"Oh my, you must be exhausted."

"No. Just looking at her makes me feel energized."

"Please, make yourself comfortable on the floor." I said, gesturing to the seating area.

Seeing her bright smile, I decided to prepare something special for her. I gathered some firewood and started a fire.

*Fwhosh!* 

The logs caught fire immediately.

"Have you heard of 'Bulmung' (fire-staring)? I heard it’s quite trendy these days. Take a break and relax while watching the flames."

"Thank you."

Han Ga-ram wondered briefly what 'bulmung' even meant. Lighting a fire inside a gate was out of the question—unless you were suicidal, there was no reason to attract monsters like that. But soon, she understood exactly why it was so popular.

It was just... peaceful.

*Crackle, crackle.* 

The fire danced and flickered to the rhythmic sound of burning wood. Watching the shifting flames felt like being gently pulled into a trance. The soft warmth of the campfire pushed back the chilly autumn night air. The flickering embers were strangely beautiful, almost resembling golden butterflies at a glance. It was genuinely mesmerizing.

"Fire!" Seol-ah suddenly chirped, pointing at the hearth. I wasn't entirely sure what she was trying to convey.

"Nurungji! Siru! Seolgi!"

When Seol-ah called out, the three puppy brothers came running over all at once. Han Ga-ram looked confused, trying to interpret what the names meant in this context.

I smiled and explained, "Seol-ah has been learning to speak recently. That’s why she’s babbling. Please give her a compliment."

Oh my gosh, Seol-ah was already learning to talk!

"Seol-ah, you're so smart. Good job." Han Ga-ram said softly. 

In truth, she wanted to shower her with kisses and scream 'good job!', but this reserved praise was the limit of her expressive abilities.

Still, Seol-ah seemed thrilled by the compliment and burst into bright laughter.

"My goodness..."

Han Ga-ram reached out and patted Seol-ah's head, finally letting out a genuine, lighthearted laugh herself. How long had it been since she had laughed out loud like this?

"Seol-ah is much prettier—"

"Hello?"

"Yeah! The prettiest in the world!"

"Hee—"

The three puppies, who had crept closer before anyone noticed, wagged their tails as they watched the two of them.

"Oh my..."

"The baby is pretty..."

Seol-ah and Han Ga-ram began petting the three puppy brothers together. A sudden thought drifted through Han Ga-ram’s mind: 'I wish time could just stop right here.' She deeply wished this peace could last forever.

Han Ga-ram must have been truly exhausted, because she eventually fell asleep right there on the floor, still tightly hugging Seol-ah. I stood quietly for a moment, looking down at her peaceful face.

Suddenly, a system message materialized in my vision:

[You comforted a friend who was tired from work.] 

[She was healed by the warm fire and cute Seol-ah.]

[She will always remember this moment whenever she face a difficult time!]

I nodded slowly. I recalled the message that had appeared when Han Ga-ram first arrived at the farm:

[Healing Life of a Beginner Farmer!]

[A friend who is tired from work has come to visit!]

[A friend who is exhausted by their busy and harsh daily life has come to the farm. Heal their heart with warm and cute things! If you do, happiness will surely come rolling in like a vine, right?]

It was a quest. I had never actually imagined Han Ga-ram could get tired. In the media, and even when I met her briefly in real life, she always seemed like an iron woman who was completely impervious to exhaustion—a superhuman pursuing absolute perfection anytime, anywhere. That was the image the world, including myself, had built of her.

But the truth was, she was human, and she was tired. Only now could I see the subtle signs—the faint dark circles around her eyes, her rigid posture, and her guarded behavior. Things that had been completely masked by her striking beauty.

That was why I had built the fire, set up this little indoor picnic, and given her a quiet space to bond with Seol-ah.

‘Well, who in this world doesn’t get tired?’

There is no such thing as a flawless superhuman. There were times when I, too, was desperately running through life, constantly telling myself 'I'm fine, it's okay,' when it clearly wasn't. The same applied to Han Ga-ram. I sincerely hoped this would help her lay down some of her heavy burdens and find a bit of comfort.

"Fire fairies, will you stay nearby so they don't get cold?" I whispered into the quiet room.

*Crackle!* 

(Just leave it to me!)

At my request, the fire fairies who had been hiding within the wood fire gathered around the sleeping Han Ga-ram and Seol-ah. Like golden butterflies, they fluttered gently above the two lying side by side, scattering a warm, glowing dust that enveloped their bodies like a cozy blanket.

"Uhm..." Han Ga-ram let out a soft sigh, as if she were having a pleasant dream. It was a relief to see a faint, happy smile playing on her lips.

Turning to my other companion, I asked, "Oh-sik, shall we all sleep on the floor today too?"

"I will stay right here and protect you and the young lady, my lord." Oh-sik replied dutifully.

"Stop talking nonsense, get comfortable, and get some rest. This is an order."

"...Yes, my lord." he relented quietly.

On this quiet autumn night, backed by the crackle of burning firewood and the gentle chirping of crickets outside, we all lay down together. It was a natural lullaby that no YouTube ASMR video could ever hope to match.

While everyone was fast asleep, drifting through happy dreams, the fire fairies continued their gentle dance, landing softly on their resting bodies before taking flight again.

Then, something miraculous occurred.

The fire fairies that alighted on Han Ga-ram’s body began to gently draw something out—the deep-seated fatigue and stress that had accumulated within her core. The tiny, glowing butterflies carried this heavy energy straight toward the plants from which they were born.

Flashing in vibrant hues of gold and red, the fire fairies purified the impure, stagnant energy, filtering it down and secreting a crystal-clear fluid. Upon absorbing it, the nearby plants began to sprout rapidly, twisting and intertwining with one another until they formed a lush green vine.

Soon, tiny, delicate baby strawberries began to form.

However, the fire fairies could only do so much; they simply continued to fly around the new growth. Though they did their best to shield the vine from the chilly night air, the minuscule strawberries looked incredibly fragile, as if they might wither and drop at any moment.

Right at that moment...

"If you ask me politely, I suppose I could help you just this once."

"Those are far too delicate for fire-born fairies who don't know the first thing about cultivating crops."

A few other earth fairies emerged from the shadows, secretly showing off their elemental magic. Though their words were sharp and haughty, their eyes darted sideways, betraying their eager desire to tend to the tiny strawberries.

"Whoooooooo—!" 

(Please, please, just help us! We'll keep the fire going!)

Knowing they needed the assistance, the fire-dwelling fairies blurted out frantic pleas. For a second, the two groups of earth fairies flared up with excitement, nearly bickering right next to the fragile vine. They held their breath, praying they wouldn't accidentally damage the tiny fruit.

"Is the baby strawberry alright?"

*Crackle... *

(Are you okay? You're not hurt, right?)

In unison, both sides quickly leaned in to inspect the delicate strawberry.

"Hmph!"

*Fwosh!*

(Tsk!)

They quickly turned their backs on each other in a huff. But as a stray autumn breeze swept through the room, causing the little strawberries to tremble, they immediately put their differences aside.

"H-honestay, it’s not like I actually 'want' to help you!"

"It can't be helped, it's for the sake of the garden!"

"We underground secret agents work for the prosperity of this garden, so we shall overlook petty grudges for now."

The earth fairies grumbled and complained, putting on an annoyed front, but their hands were incredibly gentle as they carefully nurtured and stabilized the strawberry vine.

*Crackle...*

(Thank you for the help...)

The fiery fire fairies fluttered around them, illuminating the dark garden with a soft, warm glow. It was a beautiful, magical night, and the strawberries were ripening deliciously.