Chapter 49

“Enough.”

“Then why are there bruises like that on your chest? Just how did you use that slime—”

“Mom! Enough!”

Startled, Morae grabbed Nokyeong’s wrist and pulled it away.

She’d already been flustered when Nokyeong had casually walked in on her while she was bathing, but hearing her bring up her chest again was even more embarrassing.

Eun Jisung, who had been sitting on Nokyeong’s shoulder, hopped down and scampered in a little circle across Morae’s blanket.

“Right. That’s probably not something you want to talk about in front of your father. We’ll stop.”

Jisung spoke with solemn dignity.

Morae hurriedly nodded.

She hated the topic even when she was alone with Nokyeong, but with her father and Yu Jimin present, she absolutely didn’t want it brought up.

Jisung climbed up Morae’s body and rubbed his damp little nose against her cheek.

A hamster’s nose was surprisingly cool and wet.

“I received the research data on the slime. Excellent work. Creating such a rare slime that only melts clothing so reliably… this will let us deal with intruders safely and efficiently.”

“No, Dad. Don’t make it sound like I created it on purpose.”

“If we place cameras and the slime throughout the hallways with a sign saying, ‘This area is being broadcast live,’ then ordinary people won’t dare come near. Heh. Of course, a few vulgar thrill-seekers might deliberately approach hoping for something indecent, but that would simply become our entertainment. It’s all thanks to you.”

“No! It’s not some perverted invention! I didn’t make it… on purpose!”

Morae smacked the blanket covering her as she protested.

Jisung bounced into the air and this time climbed back onto Nokyeong.

Standing safely in her palm, he curled himself into a round little ball.

It was hard to believe the adorable mochi-shaped creature was actually a middle-aged man.

“Even if it wasn’t intentional, you’ve still created something remarkable. That’s how great inventions are born.”

“No! Stop trying to boost your daughter’s confidence already!”

Wasn’t she a little too old for that style of encouraging parenting?

Red-faced, Morae pounded the blanket again.

For someone as stubborn and eccentric a genius as Eun Jisung, he was surprisingly generous with praise.

That trait had drawn researchers to his side and was also one of the reasons he’d raised his daughter so well.

Still…

Sometimes it was just unbearably embarrassing.

“I didn’t want to be praised for inventing a slime that only melts clothes…”

“It’s an excellent invention. If the manufacturing process became known, the broadcasting industry would fight over it. Improve it a little more, and once it’s practical enough for television productions, you should charge them patent royalties.”

“Dad… are you really okay with your daughter’s name being on the patent for a slime like that?”

“Every invention depends on how it’s used. Besides, you’re a proper adult now. Adult products are much more profitable than people realize. Quite a few of my patents eventually found their way into that market.”

The adult world was awful.

People took her father’s research and used it for nothing more than private pleasures…

And somehow those products earned far more money than legitimate research ever did.

The whole conversation seemed to carry the unmistakable scent of sex.

Having only recently become an adult herself, Morae frowned as though it were someone else’s business.

Even so…

Curiosity quietly crept into her mind.

Which of her father’s inventions had ended up becoming adult products?

And… how exactly were they used?

Morae was nearly as curious as Eun Jisung himself.

Her thoughts spun in circles.

What kinds of things were they?

…And what kind of expression would Pado make if he saw them…?

“But it’ll probably take some time. We’re still investigating how it grew that large. Seawater contains so many different substances that we still don’t know what caused it.”

“Even you’re saying it’s difficult, Dad?”

“Mm. Dr. Yu and I are researching it together, but it hasn’t been easy. There isn’t anyone over there who should be capable of mixing something this complicated, so we’re trying to figure out how it happened. It might’ve reacted with something they brought back from a contamination zone. There are plenty of possibilities to investigate.”

Rather than being bothered by the troublesome task, Jisung’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

Wearing a gentle smile, Nokyeong carefully stroked her husband’s ears and fur with a fingertip.

“A new research topic every year. Life never gets boring. Ah, but I never expected Pado to display that kind of ability either. He fought your mother in the morning, ran across the sea that afternoon, and even had enough power to overturn entire buildings with seawater. I have to admit it now.”

“Admit what?”

The moment Pado’s name came up, Morae’s ears practically perked up.

It didn’t help that her father’s tone sounded suspiciously like a father-in-law finally acknowledging a prospective son-in-law.

“Pado is S-rank.”

The letter S wasn’t merely a ranking.

It meant Yu Pado had reached the point where he alone could perform the role of an entire Legion.

He was no longer just a powerful Hunter.

He had become someone capable of influencing the world itself.

“Pado thinks he crossed the sea by riding a boat, but what he actually did was change the ocean currents. He tracked the helicopter’s trail using seawater, then accelerated by manipulating the current itself. Seawater is fundamentally different from ordinary water, yet he still managed it.”

“He could already control seawater before.”

From her father’s explanation alone, it was difficult for Morae to grasp just how extraordinary that feat really was.

If it were a matter of combat, she’d understand immediately.

But changing ocean currents?

Her only reaction was, Oh… I see.

Still, since her father was the expert, she listened carefully.

“That’s exactly what made it extraordinary. This time I finally understood. His endurance, his control, his command over his power… every single aspect is beyond standard limits. His skill reminds me of Lord Sea God in his prime.”

Hearing her father—who had an exceptional eye for judging Hunters—declare Pado worthy of S-rank made the corners of Morae’s lips lift.

In the past, she would’ve simply felt proud that her candidate for right-hand man had become so strong.

Now…

It felt different.

Praise directed toward Pado felt strangely warm…

Almost as though she herself were being praised.

“Well, if I’m judging accurately—”

“Lord Sea God was stronger! Much stronger—and much older too!”

“Yu Pado!”

Before Eun Morae could even ask why, Yu Jimin spotted him peeking in from the doorway and called out his name at the top of her lungs.

Yu Pado stiffened.

He had only intended to stop by quietly, check on Morae’s condition, and leave if she was asleep.

Instead, every eye in the room turned toward him at once.

“…”

Han Nokyeong smiled warmly.

“Come in. We were just talking about you.”

“…About me?”

Pado stepped inside awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.

His gaze instinctively found Morae.

The moment their eyes met, Morae quickly looked away.

For some reason, her ears felt hot.

She remembered everything her mother had just said.

Mom really thinks he likes me…?

She couldn’t bring herself to look at him directly.

Pado, unaware of what had just been discussed, only interpreted her reaction differently.

“…Are you still mad?”

“Huh?”

“You wouldn’t even look at me.”

“…”

Morae’s ears turned even redder.

Han Nokyeong covered her smile with a hand.

“See?”

“…?”

Pado looked genuinely confused.

Eun Jisung narrowed his tiny hamster eyes.

“So you’re the one.”

“The one… what?”

“The one who’s making my daughter act strangely.”

“…”

Pado froze.

He slowly looked back and forth between Eun Jisung, Han Nokyeong, and Morae.

An unpleasant feeling crept up his spine.

“…What exactly were you talking about?”

“Nothing much.”

Han Nokyeong answered with a gentle smile.

“We were just saying you seem to care about our Morae quite a bit.”

“…”

Silence.

Even Yu Jimin stared at him expectantly.

Pado opened his mouth…

…then closed it again.

His expression hardened.

“…She’s my teammate.”

“Oh?”

“And she’s someone I owe.”

“I see.”

“So of course I care.”

Han Nokyeong simply smiled without arguing.

That calm smile somehow made Pado even more uncomfortable.

“…Why are you smiling like that?”

“Because it’s cute.”

“…”

“You’re still young.”

“…”

Pado frowned.

“I don’t know what you’re imagining.”

Han Nokyeong laughed softly.

“We’re not imagining anything.”

“…”

“We’re just watching.”

“…”

The room suddenly became painfully quiet.

Unable to endure it any longer, Morae hurriedly interrupted.

“M-Mom!”

“Hm?”

“Stop teasing him.”

“Oh my.”

Han Nokyeong smiled brightly.

“You’re already taking his side?”

“M-Mom!”

This time, Morae’s face flushed completely red.

Even Pado awkwardly looked away and coughed.

“…Commander.”

At last he turned toward Han Nokyeong.

“I came because I wanted to apologize.”

“Apologize?”

“For not protecting her properly.”

His voice was low.

“If I’d gotten there sooner, she wouldn’t have had to suffer.”

Morae immediately shook her head.

“That wasn’t your fault.”

“It was.”

“You came as fast as you could.”

“…Still.”

“If anything, you saved me.”

“…”

Pado lowered his eyes.

He still remembered thinking she had been kidnapped because of him.

The guilt from that misunderstanding had not completely disappeared.

Han Nokyeong watched him quietly before speaking.

“You don’t have to carry everything alone.”

“…”

“Our Morae has been kidnapped plenty of times.”

“M-Mom…”

“So don’t blame yourself every single time.”

“…”

“If you keep doing that, you’ll wear yourself out.”

Pado let out a quiet breath.

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

Han Nokyeong smiled.

“Good.”

She looked between the two of them once more.

“…Still.”

Both Morae and Pado tensed instinctively.

“You two really do get along well.”

“M-Mom!”

“Commander…”

One buried her face in embarrassment.

The other rubbed his forehead with a sigh.

Only Han Nokyeong continued smiling as if she had witnessed something heartwarming.