Once his mind had settled somewhat, he picked up his phone and called somewhere.
[“Theodora. It’s me, Han.”]
A delighted woman’s voice came through.
— I was waiting for you to call.
[“That sounds meaningful.”]
— How is Urian?
[“He hasn’t woken up yet.”]
— How strange… Would you send him back to me?
[“That was a funny joke, Theodora.”]
— Haha, I’ll be waiting anytime. A supply of test subjects is always welcome.
Theodora Weiss.
An authority on physical reconstruction.
She was the woman who had overseen all manner of unethical experiments on criminals at the Guantanamo Research Institute.
However, after she was caught conducting an experiment in which she attempted to implant Beilac Shadows, an SSS-rank monster the United States had gone to great lengths to capture alive, into a human body, she herself fell to the status of an SSS-rank criminal.
In particular, once it was revealed that she had kidnapped innocent people and experimented on them, her scheduled sentence kept growing longer and longer.
— Anyway, the fact that you called me means you’re willing to make a deal with me, doesn’t it? What do you want?
[“I need someone fit to become the master of the 99th floor.”]
— Mm, that’s a difficult request.
[“Not necessarily.”]
On Ijo shrugged and continued.
[“When you were at Guantanamo, how did you summon Beilac?”]
— Aha… So that’s the angle you’re taking? Right. That makes sense. But it’ll be hard to do in Korea.
[“Why?”]
— How did I summon Beilac in America, you ask?
She spoke with laughter in her voice.
— I caused Dungeon Breaks. A great many of them.
[“…….”]
— It’s hard to cause a lot of Dungeon Breaks in Korea, because the awakened pool there is good. In my view, it’s better than America or Europe.
[“It is.”]
— Besides, On Jurim is there, so he’ll cover most situations.
[“…….”]
After a brief silence, she suddenly asked.
— Shall we make a deal?
Her tone suggested she had a good idea.
[“A deal?”]
— I’ve been working all this time because I wanted to use On Jurim as a test subject, you see. I’ve finally found a lead.
[“Use On Jurim as a test subject?”]
— Yes.
A hollow laugh escaped On Ijo.
[“Theodora, aren’t you a little too confident? Your opponent is On Jurim.”]
— I can do it. I have a plan.
[“……How exactly?”]
— I’m going to open a Great Dungeon in Korea.
[“So that’s why you needed me?”]
— I was going to try somehow even without you… but then you happened to contact me. I’d say it’s an opportunity sent by God. What do you think? Will you join in? I’m thinking of making a big move. It won’t be bad for you either.
Thinking it was truly laughable for a woman who repeated unethical experiments to invoke God, On Ijo lowered his eyes.
Was this truly God’s will? The title flickered before his eyes.
However.
[“You’re saying you’ll catch On Jurim by using a mere Great Dungeon as a smokescreen?”]
— No. Of course not!
She laughed and continued.
— Everyone knows On Jurim has Sheier, the master of the 99th floor. His power must come from there.
[“…….”]
— I’ll put Sheier into a vessel. Like with Beilac.
[“That’s all? Just like with Beilac, the vessel won’t be able to endure it.”]
— I’ll fuse Sheier as the master of the newly opened Great Dungeon. Once he becomes the master of the dungeon, the vessel should be able to last a little longer. So, to put it simply, I’m asking you to help me open a Great Dungeon in order to capture Sheier.
[“Hmm…….”]
— Not a bad idea, is it? If he loses Sheier, On Jurim will have no choice but to weaken in the end.
It was not a bad idea.
No—he could not tell whether it was his own thought or the influence of the title.
Instead, his mouth moved naturally.
[“So, how do you intend to pay me for helping?”]
— I have an SSS-rank monster contained in a vessel. Once this is over, I’ll hand it over to you. It should be useful as the master of the 99th floor.
[“……Fine.”]
— I knew you would. I’ll contact you when I’m ready, Han.
[“Yes, I’ll be waiting.”]
On Ijo ended the call.
His eyes sank.
On Jurim and Sheier… All sorts of thoughts tangled together in his mind.
Chapter: Endure the Weight of Parents’ Day
The Chick Class classroom was unusually busy today.
It was because a lesson on making carnations for Parents’ Day was in full swing.
Among the children gathered close together, folding flowers and attaching leaves as they made carnations, Geuru suddenly let out a deep sigh.
Glance.
Uju, who had been watching Geuru’s gloomy face, carefully peered at the bouquet of carnations Geuru had made.
“You made them well.”
“Ppi!”
Mephisto, sitting on top of Uju’s head, agreed with Uju’s praise, and Gu Huiyeon, seated across from them, primly added her own opinion.
“They don’t look bad to Huiyeon either. They’re not worth sighing over.”
But Geuru shook his head hard.
No matter how much sincerity had gone into the handmade carnations, Geuru felt they were lacking.
“This much won’t do.”
Receiving all the puzzled gazes gathered on him, Geuru continued solemnly.
“Geuru, this is the first Parents’ Day since I got a dad.”
The atmosphere suddenly froze solid.
For the other children, who had celebrated Parents’ Day every year, it might have been a familiar holiday, but for Geuru, it held the special meaning of being his “first.”
Ignoring the stiffened children, Geuru added.
“And besides……”
There’s more?
While Uju and Huiyeon were at a loss, Geuru spoke.
“Compared to an ordinary family, the weight Geuru has to shoulder on Parents’ Day is different.”
“……Is it?”
Uju looked confused, but he did his best to nod.
However, he could not maintain his composure at the words that followed.
“Because I have two dads.”
“What?!”
“Uwah?!”
Uju and Huiyeon screamed in shock.
As the table where Geuru sat grew noisy, the teacher stepped in.
“Now, now, Chick Class! Let’s zip our lips~”
“Zip!”
The children pressed their mouths tightly into straight lines and rolled their big eyes toward Geuru.
“Why? How? What happened?”
“Did you maybe f-find him?”
Huiyeon and Uju rushed at Geuru.
Geuru nodded.
“I foun’ him. My real dad.”
“Whaaat?”
The excited Huiyeon crumpled her carnation with a crunch, then startled, hurriedly began smoothing the petals back out.
“What kind of person is Geuru’s real dad?”
“Uuung, he’s a little……”
Geuru tilted his head.
“Incompetent……”
“…….”
“So Geuru has to take responsibility for him.”
“Ah……”
Pitiful sighs rang out from the children.
“And Dad, he’s in the hospital right now.”
“Why? Is he sick somewhere?”
“Not that, but they said he has to hide right now.”
“Aah……”
Huiyeon and Uju’s eyes turned like dead fish.
A real dad who was incompetent and hiding from people in a hospital?
Even to the children, it did not seem like a very good situation.
Huiyeon’s eyes trembled, and she finally managed to open her mouth.
“Geuru must be l-lucky to have two dads……”
Is that the best you can do?
It was the best she could do.
Uju and Huiyeon exchanged a meaningful look.
But Geuru blinked, then.
“Ung!”
He smiled brightly.
“So Geuru is going to prepare an amazing present.”
“Amazing?”
“Present?”
Uju and Huiyeon tilted their heads.