Episode 8
……Fortunately, Teacher Eun-ah wasn’t the most observant person.
Still, to erase even the smallest trace of suspicion, I gave her a bright smile and wrapped my arms tightly around her leg.
Then I shouted—
“Thun-ten-mi lub you!”
“Ahh…”
Teacher Eun-ah’s face melted like warm butter.
“Teacher loves Ayun too!”
“Kyaa!”
I squealed in delight as she hugged me tight.
After rubbing her cheek against mine for a while, Teacher Eun-ah suddenly spoke with determination.
“Yes, our Ayun is so cute. Everything’s going to be fine.”
“?”
“Alright. Let’s go, Ayun. Time to show the world your cuteness!”
Wait—how on earth did she reach that conclusion?!
Teacher Eun-ah carried me toward the living room.
Unlike yesterday, there were many people moving about busily.
I tensed up and clutched her sleeve tightly.
“Oh, Teacher Choi Eun-ah.”
Thankfully, a familiar face—Kim Shin-jae—spotted us and waved.
“Hello, Director.”
Teacher Eun-ah greeted him politely and set me down on the floor.
“Hi there, Ayun.” Shin-jae smiled at me.
I thought quickly.
Unlike other Awakeners, I was an unusual case—a child who had awakened at an extremely young age.
I’d read about this in books. The government in this world wasn’t exactly friendly toward Awakeners. In fact, it was shady.
If Kim Shin-jae didn’t protect me, there was a high chance I’d end up in some research facility.
A research lab? Absolutely not!
They’d run scary experiments on me, and I’d end up crying every single day!
So that means…
To avoid being dragged off, I needed to win over Kim Shin-jae—someone strong enough to protect me.
Thankfully, he doesn’t seem like the type who hates kids.
Perfect. I clenched my tiny fists and toddled toward him.
Step. Step.
“?”
Once I got close enough, I did what had worked before—hugged his leg tightly.
“Ahjussi, lub you.”
“!”
The people around us turned to stare.
I smiled up at him innocently, as if I hadn’t noticed the attention.
“Heehee.”
But Shin-jae didn’t react. He just stared at me, dazed.
Huh?
Did it not work?
I tilted my head nervously.
“Kyaa!”
Suddenly, a large hand slid under my arms, and I was lifted straight into the air.
[system] The Administrator of World Law is displeased that his Contractor is being picked up so roughly.
While the Administrator fumed, Shin-jae’s brown eyes sparkled with delight.
“Ayun, do you like Uncle?”
Ah—he wanted me to call him Uncle, not Ahjussi!
Catching on, I giggled brightly.
“Mm! Tham-thon lub! (Yes! I love Uncle!)”
“Um, Director, that child… who is she?”
“Oh, I didn’t mention it, did I?”
Still holding me with one arm, Shin-jae gestured to Eun-ah.
“Everyone, this is our newly awakened Healer, Choi Eun-ah.”
“Hello.”
Eun-ah bowed politely.
“And this,” Shin-jae continued, “is Ayun—soon to become the youngest Awakener ever.”
“What? An Awakener?”
“Yes.”
I blinked up at him, pretending not to understand.
“Oh, come to think of it,” Shin-jae murmured, “her fever’s gone. Ayun, did you awaken?”
“?”
I blinked again and tilted my head.
It wasn’t exactly a secret, but admitting it out loud like ‘Yes, I did!’ as a three-year-old felt weird.
“She probably doesn’t even know what that means.”
“Well, yesterday she did say…”
Eun-ah gave me a thoughtful look—she must’ve remembered me asking her to awaken me.
I tensed slightly.
“Director, it’s more urgent that we prepare to leave right now.”
Someone interjected at just the right time.
“Ah, that’s right.”
Shin-jae handed me back to Eun-ah.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“There’s been a gate opening near Umyeon Mountain. Looks like a dungeon break—we’re heading to check it out.”
“Director!”
“Sorry, but I have to go.”
“Oh, of course. My apologies for holding you up.”
“Not at all. I’m sure you have many questions—we’ll talk later. Ayun?”
Catching his cue, I smiled brightly and waved.
“Tham-thon, bye-bye!”
“My little princess, stay safe, okay?”
He brushed my cheek gently and turned to leave with his team.
That’s when it hit me.
Wait… the Umyeon Mountain Dungeon Break…!
A memory flashed through my mind.
Kim Shin-jae, head of Korea’s Wolf Clan, lost his left arm during the Umyeon Mountain Dungeon Break—torn off by a red-eyed monster.
Oh no!
I flailed my arms and legs in panic.
“Ayun? What’s wrong?”
“Tham-thon!”
“No, Ayun. Uncle’s busy.”
No, that’s not it! How do I tell them?!
Just then—
“…”
“Oh, Mr. Hwan?”
A man with a cold, detached expression—like someone completely uninterested in life—approached us.
He ignored Eun-ah’s awkward greeting and reached for me.
“Ah.”
Then he gently pinched my cheek.
“Hwan-i Tham-thon.”
“That sounds better than ‘Ahjussi,’ at least.”
Ah!
I had an idea!
I squirmed in Eun-ah’s arms.
“Ah, Ayun!”
“I go Hwan-i Tham-thon! (I’m going to Uncle Hwan!)”
“…”
The corner of Hwan’s mouth twitched faintly.
“Don’t bother him, Ayun,” Eun-ah scolded gently.
“It’s fine,” he said quietly, reaching out. “Please, hand her to me.”
“Ah—yes.”
Startled, Eun-ah handed me over. I immediately wrapped my arms around his neck.
“…”
He didn’t resist, simply held me silently.
“Ayun doesn’t usually get this attached,” Eun-ah said. “She must really like you.”
“…”
For a second, something faintly proud flickered across his expressionless face.
But Eun-ah was wrong. I didn’t cling to him because I liked him—there was something I needed to do.
“Hwan-i Tham-thon.”
I clung close to his ear and whispered softly—
“?”
“Watch ou’ for red-eye monster.”
“…What?”
He frowned slightly, not understanding. I repeated clearly, syllable by syllable—
“Red-eye monster bad. Tham-thon hurt you.”
“…”
He looked like he was about to ask me something else—
“Hwan! We’re moving out!”
“Ah, hand Ayun back, please.”
I reached toward Eun-ah and she caught me in her arms.
“Ayun, say ‘be careful’ to the uncles.”
“Be caweful-!”
“…”
Hwan stared at me for a long moment, then turned to follow Shin-jae.
I waved both hands. “Bye-bye!”
I’ve done everything I can, I thought.
Now, all I could do was wait—and hope the future changed.
The gate near Umyeon Mountain’s tunnel toll station turned out to be connected to a low-rank, level-5 normal dungeon.
A dungeon break had occurred—monsters spilling into reality—but their levels were low enough that Shin-jae’s team could handle it without much trouble.
“Left flank! Don’t let them escape!”
At Shin-jae’s command, Hwan moved swiftly.
Everything was proceeding smoothly. There was nothing unusual—
And yet…
“Watch ou’ for red-eye monster.”
The child’s warning echoed persistently in his ears.
He could have brushed it off—but didn’t.
Even as the fight neared its end, Hwan stayed sharp and alert.
Perhaps because of that—
“Alpha!”
From the half-closed gate, a massive shape burst forth.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Hwan grabbed Shin-jae’s shoulder and yanked him back, intercepting the monster’s lunging claw with a swift, instinctive strike.
“Red-eye monster bad. Tham-thon hurt you.”
The child’s voice rang vividly in his mind.
