Chapter 9

Part-time Worker Raising a Half-Elf - Chapter 9 (9/245)

09

A message window announcing the completion of the quest blocked Han Sung's view.

A rank A? No way, I just sang a bit of Arirang to the baby, and I got such a high score?

Han Sung, who had only ever received low clear ranks like E or D, was momentarily taken aback by the unexpectedly high score.

The clear rank was surprising enough, but what amazed him even more was the amount of gold received as a reward. Despite the amount being reduced by 50%, he still received 50,000 gold, which was a significant amount compared to the usual three or four digits.

Perhaps because of the sudden influx of a large amount of gold, messages that he had never seen before started to appear and disappear one by one. Noticing that Hyeon was watching him from right beside him, Han Sung stopped trying to check what had changed in the shop menu.

"Mr. Han Sung! I've brought the counselor!"

Hyeong's energetic voice echoed from the end of the corridor.

The counselor who came with her was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his early 50s. He had a few strands of gray hair and wrinkles on his face. He extended his hand to Han Sung for a handshake and introduced himself.

"I'm Min-seok Choi, the counselor from Sarang Orphanage. Are you Mr. Han Sung?"

"Ah, yes."

Han Sung nodded and shook the counselor's hand. The counselor, who introduced himself as Min-seok Choi, glanced down at the basket at Han Sung's feet and then bent down with a very pleased smile to look at the baby.

"Is this the child you want to admit to our orphanage?"

"Yes, well... that's right."

Is there anyone else who could be admitted to the orphanage besides this baby?

Han Sung inwardly thought sarcastically about the counselor's attitude, which seemed to be confirming an obvious fact.

"I understand. Let's go to my office first. I'll explain the procedures in detail there."

Min-seok Choi led the way, and Han Sung, lifting the basket, quietly followed him to the office, hoping that he could finally return to his usual quiet and boring daily life.

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"It will take about two weeks."

"...What?"

In the quiet office, Han Sung's hoarse voice echoed.

"Excuse me, but I think my hearing is bad. Could you repeat that?"

"It will take about two weeks."

Han Sung, believing that he had misheard, asked the counselor to repeat himself, but the answer was exactly the same as before.

"No... two days, not two weeks? What takes so long...?"

"Normally, it takes that long. We need to process the paperwork, review the admission, and submit the documents... Yes, it will take almost exactly two weeks."

Two weeks is 14 days. 14 days is 24 × 14 = 336 hours. 336 hours...

Han Sung's mental arithmetic stopped there. Anyway, the important thing was that two weeks was a very long time for him.

"However, considering your economic situation and the lack of birth registration documents, the admission requirements are sufficient, so it's unlikely to be rejected."

"Then, what should I do with the baby for the next two weeks...?"

"I'll try to find a temporary shelter as soon as possible and contact you if there's a spot. Until then, you'll have to take care of the baby, which will be difficult."

"....."

Take care of this baby for two weeks? Without sleep and with all the stress?

"If it's really too difficult, you could consider leaving the baby in a baby box, but this could complicate things legally and make it harder for the baby to be adopted later."

"Baby box?"

"Yes."

Baby box. He had heard the term before, probably a few months ago. There was a CCTV video on social media showing parents leaving their baby in a baby box and leaving.

'I thought today would be the end of it, and we would never see each other again...'

Han Sung gave up on his thoughts. Min-seok Choi, seeing his dejected look, gave him a sympathetic glance and quietly stood up.

"I'll contact you with good news. Please sit and relax until you feel better."

"....."

Min-seok Choi, considering Han Sung's shock, left the office with a bow.

How did his life get so messed up?

Good fortune and misfortune are like a roller coaster; when misfortune strikes, happiness should also appear at some point. But it seemed that some extreme balance enthusiast had accidentally snapped their fingers, and now all that happened was misfortune that shattered people's mental states.

"Is this because I don't believe in religion? Is God punishing me for being an atheist?"

"Ow?"

The baby, watching Han Sung's continuous monologue, sucked its thumb and tilted its head.

"Hey. This is all your fault. Do you understand? Your existence is driving my life to ruin."

"Umm."

"Umm? Is that your response? Hey, do you even understand the situation?"

"Au."

"Well, if you were smart enough to understand the situation, you wouldn't have ended up with a homeless, penniless guy like me, especially in this hellish Korea."

The one-sided complaints paused for a moment. Of course, a one-month-old baby couldn't understand an adult's rant.

"...Fine. Complaining to you won't do any good."

Complaining to someone who can't understand is like talking to a dog. Han Sung, already drained, thought that further time spent would be a waste and quietly tried to leave the office with the baby.

"Ouch?!"

Ouch?

As he opened the door to leave the office, a dull thud and a strange groan echoed.

"Ouch, that hurts..."

The source of the groan was none other than Hyeong. She was rubbing her slightly red forehead, which seemed to have hit the door hard. Han Sung quickly approached her and apologized.

"I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

"Ah, yes... I'm fine. It happens often, so don't worry."

It happens often?

"Was that a dull thud just now? Are you sure your skull is okay? You're not a Pachycephalosaurus, you know."

"It's fine. My skull is tough."

"..."

Your eyes seem to be out of focus.

Han Sung looked at Hyeong, who was acting inconsistently, with a look of amazement. Hyeong, smiling sheepishly, regained her composure and asked Han Sung in a hesitant voice.

"Did you and Mr. Choi have a good talk?"

"No. He said I have to wait for two weeks."

"Only two weeks? I thought it would take a month, so that's good."

Hyeong seemed genuinely surprised.

"A month?"

"Yes. A month is typical, and sometimes it can take up to two months, though that's rare."

Two weeks is long enough, but two months? Just imagining it makes me feel like I'm in a chaotic nightmare.

Han Sung looked as if he had glimpsed a terrifying parallel universe.

"Why do you look like that? You look like my brother when he saw a snowstorm during a military visit..."

"Ah, no. I just suddenly felt relieved."

Han Sung, who was not a parent, tried to brush off Hyeong's analogy.

"...Mr. Busman, can I ask you something?"

"My name is Han Sung, not Busman. What do you want to ask?"

"Um... I know it's a bit forward and inappropriate, but..."

Hyeong, seemingly making up her mind, took a deep breath and asked Han Sung.

"Does Hyeon agree to sending the baby to the orphanage?"

"?"

Sometimes, you hear something, but your brain fails to interpret it.

People usually call this a brain freeze.

"?? Do I need Hyeon's consent?"

"Um... yes, you do."

"Why??"

"Because... Hyeon is the baby's mother...?"

???

Han Sung looked at Hyeong with a gaze that a Catholic inquisitor might have given to Galileo Galilei for advocating the heliocentric theory.

"Ah... So, Hyeon is my wife...?"

"Yes...?"

"Why?"

"It's obviously..."

Hyeong, instead of answering, pointed to the baby, who was happily sucking its thumb. Han Sung suddenly burst into inexplicable laughter.

"Ahahaha."

"Ahahaha...?"

As Han Sung started laughing, Hyeong, not knowing why, joined in.

"No, it's not."

"Ahahaha... Not...?"

Hyeong, taken aback by Han Sung's sudden serious tone, asked with a question mark.

"No, it's not."

"Not... what?"

Hyeong asked, clearly confused.

"Ha... Do people really only see what they want to see?"

Why do people always misunderstand things?

Han Sung, sighing inwardly, had to explain the situation again, for who knows how many times.