“Hyup-cha!”
Geuru sat down on the floor and opened the skill window.
‘Piggy bank!’
When Geuru opened the piggy bank where filial piety points accumulated whenever he was praised, his mouth fell open.
‘20,000!’
Even now, his filial piety points were continuing to rise by 1 at a time.
It meant people here and there were praising Geuru.
“Whoa……”
Geuru let out an exclamation, his eyes sparkling.
Was it because of the presents Santa Geuru had delivered?
“Hoooop!”
Geuru drew in another breath, puffing his cheeks up round.
He was so elated he nearly shouted.
“Phoo!”
After letting out his breath, Geuru used his filial piety points with a reverent heart to upgrade the skill “Pluck It Right Out” as much as possible.
It consumed every filial piety point he had saved.
Would this be enough to make you mine?
‘You, the Supreme Acorn!’
Geuru took the acorn out of his inventory and glared at it challengingly for a moment.
Hmph! Geuru snorted and activated the skill.
[Activating the skill “Pluck It Right Out.”]
Soon, a star candy of brilliant color appeared in his hand.
Geuru held the star candy in both hands and raised it high toward the sky.
He had done it! Both his arms trembled.
“Geuru, supreme……!”
[Star Candy Imbued with Elixir (SSS)]
It contains a special power of purification.
SSS-rank! His vision spun, and it felt like his heart would burst.
‘Now I knead this and this together…….’
Geuru took out the retainer quest reward, “Suspicious Star Candy,” as well, and fixed his gaze on the snow rabbit he had just made.
‘Mm.’
Instead of ears, two leaves had been stuck in at random, but even so, it was plenty cute.
Then he placed the “Star Candy Imbued with Elixir” and the “Suspicious Star Candy” on the snow rabbit and activated the skill.
[Activating the skill “Knead, Knead.”]
‘Thump, thump.’
[You have created your first blood kin.]
[Achievement: Complete!]
‘Blood kin?’
On the face that had been nothing but white, pitch-black eyes suddenly popped open. Eyes like black beans blinked a couple of times.
Then the leaves sank into the snow, only to pop back out as a sprout with two cotyledons.
“Kkyuu……”
The tiny snow rabbit pattered over and rubbed its cheek against the back of Geuru’s hand.
When the ticklish white fluff touched him, Geuru smiled brightly.
“It’s so soft.”
As Geuru burst into a clear laugh, Mephisto, who had been sitting on top of his head and watching with wary eyes, shuddered as if shocked.
Mephisto looked at Geuru and the snow rabbit with a face blazing in fury, and then.
“Ppit!”
He launched a kick at the baby snow rabbit.
“Kkyuut!”
The snow rabbit, suddenly kicked, let out a death cry.
As the rabbit’s eyes grew watery and it trembled, the snowball that had been the size of cotton candy shrank smaller than Geuru’s fist.
“Mepi! You can’t do dat to your baby sibling.”
“Kkyuuuu……”
The snow rabbit wriggled over to Geuru and melted into him.
“Huh!”
It disappeared?!
That was when it happened.
He felt a ticklish sensation near the crown of his head.
When he touched his hair, two cotyledons had sprouted on top of his head.
“Hup?”
‘A sprout grew on Geuru’s head!’
While Geuru marveled at it, Mephisto had fallen into shock with an expression as if he had lost his country.
“Ppiiit-!”
Mephi, whose spot had been stolen, viciously pecked at the sprout with his beak.
“Kkyuuuu!”
The sprout sobbed as it fled here and there, dodging the onslaught.
“Eeeh, stop it—”
It seemed Mephi was more jealous than expected.
The sprout turned back into a bead-sized snow rabbit and wriggled its way onto Geuru’s palm.
Hmph! Mephisto snorted, puffed up all his feathers as if boasting of his victory, and sat majestically on top of Geuru’s head.
Geuru carefully soothed the sniffling snow rabbit.
“Phew, raising a baby is hard.”
Geuru shook his head from side to side.
Just then, the sniffling snow rabbit’s snot stretched out and plopped onto the ground.
The moment the snot touched the softly piled snow, the surroundings stirred.
And then.
Ding!
[To the cradle……]
Pop!
‘Huh?’
A status window had definitely been about to appear.
‘It disappeared before it even finished!’
At the same time, the two sprout leaves fell off the snow rabbit with a plop.
‘Eh!’
Once the sprouts fell off, the trembling snow rabbit flipped over and showed its round belly.
‘Huk!’
Geuru swallowed, holding the snow rabbit in both hands.
‘It’s d-dead……’
What should he do?
Was he saying bye-bye to Geuru’s first blood kin, whatever that was, like this?
While Geuru was frozen in shock.
“Ppit!”
Mephisto flew up once more and kicked the plump snow rabbit in the belly.
The snow rabbit rolled to the side and let out a feeble groan.
“Kkyuut……”
“S-stop! Stooop!”
Now it really might die!
Geuru grabbed Mephisto with both hands and placed him back on top of his head, then let out a deep sigh.
‘It’s not dead.’
Thank goodness it wasn’t bye-bye. Geuru gently put the snow rabbit, now purring in its sleep, into his bag.
As the disturbance finally settled, On Suhyeong, who had been unable to take his eyes off his phone for a while, called Geuru.
“Geuru, shall you go inside with Grandpa for a moment?”
“Yees—”
When Geuru toddled over, Suhyeong quickly bent down and gathered the child into his arms.
“Oh my, did you have fun playing?”
“Yes!”
“That’s a relief. Geuru likes a big house like this too, doesn’t he? The house next door has a garden this big as well. It’s good for running around, and you’ll be able to make as many snowmen as you want.”
“Whoa!”
Coaxing Geuru gently, Suhyeong entered the house, warmed Geuru’s face and hands with his large hands, then lifted him up and set him on the sofa.
Then, after seeming to check something on his phone, he turned on the TV and changed the channel.
A special interview was just beginning on a news program.
After checking today’s interviewee, Geuru blinked a few times and craned his neck forward.
No matter how he looked at it, that was……
“Dad?”
The man sitting with his legs crossed and a bored expression on his face was definitely Jurim.
*
“Today, we have managed with great difficulty to invite Guildmaster On Jurim to join us. Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
The anchor, a little nervous, turned his gaze toward that handsome face.
He smiled with a relaxed expression, like a seasoned broadcaster.
“I’m On Jurim of Hyeonak. Thank you for inviting me.”
The anchor had to struggle to hide his excitement.
It was an interview request he had made without any expectations, but On Jurim had accepted it as if he had been waiting for it.
That On Jurim had suddenly sent word saying, “I’ll agree to the interview. But I’d like to appear on today’s live broadcast,” so they had hurriedly prepared this segment.
“I understand you’ve been spending extremely busy days because of this potion crisis. How do you view the outlook going forward?”
“The situation has improved a great deal, and negotiations are proceeding smoothly, so the outlook is optimistic. Everyone involved is making an effort, so I hope the public will watch with generosity.”
“If there was anything you personally found difficult……”
“Well, it’s hard that my daughter doesn’t recognize how busy I am working like this.”
A sloth, really. As Jurim let out a small sigh, the anchor burst into laughter.
After a few more perfunctory questions and answers about the potion crisis, the anchor brought up the next question.
“From Hunter Gidan entering the 3rd rank to Hunter Sin Nayeon becoming S-rank, it would not be an exaggeration to say that all eyes have recently been on Hyeonak. And for the past few days, claims that the much-talked-about ‘Santa’ belongs to Hyeonak have been spreading widely. Hyeonak has consistently maintained a no-comment stance, but those ambiguous answers have also stirred up suspicions. Guildmaster On Jurim, do you have anything to say about this today?”
“Mm.”
Jurim, who had been tapping his thigh with his legs crossed, soon spoke lightly.
“Yes, that much-talked-about awakened one is in Hyeonak.”
“Yes…… I knew it…… Yes?”
He had naturally expected a formal answer saying it could not be confirmed. The anchor was so flustered that he was at a loss for words for a moment.
At that, Jurim spoke clearly once more, as if driving in the wedge.
“The production-type awakened one who recently became a hot topic for donating potions is indeed affiliated with Hyeonak.”