IDSTD 02

Chapter 2…

Perfect Parent (1)

Was there any reason for an alternate event to intrude upon a dream meant for reliving a life’s regrets?

A sense of dissonance washed over him. It was only natural, considering Jungwoo’s original aptitude wasn’t some strange ability like this.

I was a decent Lancer.

A D-Rank aptitude: Decent Lancer. It was an aptitude that provided an edge in any action involving a spear, and through training, he had developed it into the C-Rank Experienced Lancer.

Yet now, it said Perfect Parent. If that wasn’t strange enough, the rank displayed beside it was even stranger.

L? Is there even such a rank?

He had served as an exploration team leader at a mid-sized corporation, but he had never heard of nor seen such a rank for a Hunter’s aptitude. As far as Jungwoo knew, ranks ranged basic-wise from F to A. Beyond that, individuals who exceeded the standard parameters were simply classified under the S-Rank ceiling.

Did this error occur because it was a dream? The moment he subconsciously narrowed his eyes in thought—

“Daddy, do you have to go to work?” “…Ah.”

Segi tugged tightly on Jungwoo’s sleeve. Her face, which had been bright just a moment ago, had already reverted to anxiety. Startled, Jungwoo shook his head hurriedly.

“No, Daddy isn’t going to work today. I was just thinking about what we should play together.” “Really…?” “Of course, really.”

Only then did Segi feel relieved, though she still couldn’t let go of the sleeve she held tightly in her small fist. A hint of doubt remained in her eyes.

“Lying is bad…!”

In that moment, Jungwoo realized something. Segi was far sharper than he had thought. She was adept at reading the moods of adults, merely pretending to be mature without showing it so as not to cause her parent trouble.

Hearing the nuance in Segi’s voice that reminded him to keep his word since he had already made the promise, Jungwoo felt a deep pang of guilt. So he smiled to reassure her. Deciding to focus entirely on the child in front of him no matter what, he spoke up.

“First off, shall we eat?” “Yeah!”

At the same time, he thought to himself:

Is this… really a dream?

Everything was far too vivid for it to be a dream, and it lacked even the sense of omnipotence typical of lucid dreaming, deepening his doubts.

It didn’t take long for those doubts to turn into certainty.

By the time lunch had passed that day, Jungwoo was sure of it.

This isn’t a dream.

Something like this couldn’t be called a dream. After all, if this were truly a dream, there would be no reason for him to recall minor issues about the studio apartment that even he had forgotten, stains etched into the wall, or news topics from back then using information from this place. Beyond that, time wouldn’t be maintaining such a continuous, seamless flow.

That wasn’t all.

Setting aside how vivid my senses are, a dream can’t manifest information I don’t possess.

“Look at this! Teacher taught me how to make it!” “It’s a crane, isn’t it?” “Yeah! I can make this, and a teddy bear, and a turtle, and a frog too!”

Segi put on an origami performance. She was so eager to show off what she had learned that she hadn’t tired even after an hour, repeatedly making all sorts of things to show him. Yet Jungwoo, at the very least, didn’t know how to make those things. Information he didn’t possess was being outputted.

Therefore, he had no choice but to think:

Time has been rewound.

It was at that moment.

“Here! This is a present for Daddy!” “It’s a teddy bear.” “Yeah! Daddy bear! And this one is baby bear!”

Jungwoo felt a sense of déjà vu as he received two neatly folded blue paper bear heads.

Parents’ Day…

Would it be about two years from now? He remembered receiving a carnation that Segi had folded from colored paper as a Parents’ Day gift in kindergarten.

She hadn’t pinned it on him herself. That day, too, the exploration had dragged on until dawn, so what Jungwoo saw when he returned home was Segi fast asleep, holding the carnation tightly in her hand.

He recalled how he had pinned the carnation on himself the next morning, acting happy and thanking her, and how Segi had giggled softly while pursing her lips. At the time, he thought she was just being shy, but looking back now…

Maybe she was disappointed that she couldn’t pin it on me herself.

The feeling pressing heavily on his chest surfaced once more. At the same time, he came face-to-face with reality.

If…

If all of this was true—

…I can fix it.

He could spend more time with the child. Look at the world through her eyes. Protect her properly. The moment that burning desire surged within him, the reason behind this phenomenon no longer mattered to Jungwoo.

Jungwoo cherished the paper teddy bear, holding it close to his chest. He felt a swelling emotion inside.

“Thank you. Since it’s a gift from Segi, Daddy will cherish it forever.” “Hee-hee!”

If this truly was an opportunity, he wouldn’t head in the wrong direction this time. He would fix everything, no matter what. Just as he thought that—

Ding-dong!

【”Children need praise!” You positively affirmed your child’s achievement! One praise sticker awarded! [Wonderful Parent (2/10)] Collect stickers to unlock skills!】

The usual notification popped up.

Jungwoo narrowed his eyes.

So, what on earth is this anyway?

It was a completely baffling aptitude.

December 31, 1999. The dimensional portals that suddenly appeared and spewed forth monsters were named Gates. Those who awakened supernatural abilities through exposure to the magic power of those dimensional portals, using them to hunt magic beasts, were called Hunters.

These were concepts everyone living in this era knew. Among them, when it came to Hunters, Jungwoo certainly knew far more than the average person.

You obtain a game interface. You’re assigned a role based on the aptitude recorded there.

The mechanism of a Hunter closely resembled a game character. First, the job granted in the form of an ‘aptitude’, the ‘skills’ obtainable through quests assigned per job, and the ranks that could be raised by accumulating proficiency.

Since it was an intuitive system, it wasn’t hard to understand. Diving into details revealed countless specifics within the data, but that wasn’t important right now either.

Only one thing left Jungwoo puzzled.

A parenting aptitude…

He tilted his head in confusion. Setting aside the fact that nobody had ever rewound time to awaken again, hadn’t his original aptitude changed?

Was it simply an effect of this time travel? Or did the aptitude gained through awakening have an element of randomness from the start?

There was no way to know. Even beyond that—

A trait that helps you take better care of a child?

Though awakening could manifest all sorts of outlandish traits outside of combat, wasn’t this going too far?

What kind of skill is even going to come out of this?

Lullaby voice correction? Cooking skills tailored to a child’s taste? Those were the only things Jungwoo’s poor imagination could come up with. Sure, they would be useful, but as to whether this warranted a Hunter awakening… well, it was questionable.

And so, he spent the day in a state of bewilderment. Meanwhile, quests were being completed continuously.

【”Playing together is more fun!” You became a playmate for your child! One praise sticker awarded! [Wonderful Parent (3/10)] Collect stickers to unlock skills!】

【”Pickie eating is bad!” You guided good eating habits! One praise sticker awarded! [Wonderful Parent (4/10)] Collect stickers to unlock skills!】

【”To grow big and strong, you need plenty of sleep!” You put your child down for a nap! One praise sticker awarded! [Wonderful Parent (5/10)] Collect stickers to unlock skills!】

· · ·

【”Today’s child is extra cute!?” You braided your child’s hair! (You’ll need to work on your skills!) One praise sticker awarded! [Wonderful Parent (9/10)] Collect stickers to unlock skills!】

By dusk, it was at [9/10]. Just one more, and a skill would be unlocked.

By that point, Jungwoo tried not to overthink it.

…It’s not like I’m treating my kid well just to get a skill.

That would be putting the cart before the horse. What mattered to Jungwoo was making Segi smile, not using Segi for personal gain. In short, if a skill helpful for that task appeared, he would gladly use it, but there was no need to get consumed by it.

Instead of such thoughts, let’s focus on the task at hand.

“Are we going to eat something yummy!?” “Yeah, we’re going to eat something delicious. Something super delicious.”

Jungwoo picked up Segi in his arms and left the house. He suddenly remembered asking himself: How many times did I actually eat out with my child?

It seemed they had never gone out together, at least not before she entered school. Even after she started school, although he had paid for a table so she could hang out with her friends, the times the two of them ate out together could be counted on one hand.

Hence, the decision to eat out. He decided to take her to a buffet.

Arriving at the restaurant in the bustling downtown area, Segi’s eyes sparkled brightly.

“Whoa…!” “There’s a lot of food, right?” “Yeah! So much!” “Segi, you can eat as much as you want.” “Really!?” “Of course, really.”

She had a look of disbelief on her face. But then, with a worried expression, she spoke up.

“But I can’t eat all of that…” “Huh?” “We shouldn’t waste food…”

Segi fell into a state of panic.

Ah, Segi doesn’t understand the concept of a buffet yet.

She must have thought they couldn’t leave until she ate everything here by herself.

Realizing this, Jungwoo said, “You don’t have to eat it all. The people here will eat whatever Segi can’t finish.”

Only at those words did she finally let out a sigh of relief. “Whew!”

Only then did the meal begin. Jungwoo smiled bitterly as he watched Segi eat various foods with sheer delight.

She was just a child.

She had been remarkably quick to pick up speech, talking clearly, and exceptionally polite, making her seem mature. He was coming to realize that it was just an illusion born of his reliance on the child’s thoughtfulness.

It was like that right from the moment they left the house. Segi had giggled and fidgeted with her clumsily braided hair, seemingly loving it so much. When they rode the bus together, she sat on his lap and held his arm tightly, and upon arriving downtown, she babbled about which stores she recognized. Even now, every time she tried a new food, she was busy sharing her thoughts one by one. As if the outing itself was joyful, the smile never left Segi’s face all day long.

These were things he could have known in just a single day. Yet he had lived a lifetime without ever knowing them.

What a terrible parent he had been. His heart throbbed with pain, but he didn’t let himself remain downcast.

I just need to learn them one by one like this. Then things will be better than before.

That must be what he had to do in this life. He reaffirmed that resolve.

And so, the meal ended. Jungwoo stepped out onto the street, holding Segi, who was exhausted after eating until her belly was round.

Had it been a good day? Would today become a cherished memory for Segi? Thinking about it, he asked, “Did you have fun today?”

“Yeah…!” “I’m glad you had fun. Shall we go out to play again next time?” “Really?” “Really, really.” “Really, really, really?”

Her eyes sparkled once more. Jungwoo let out a soft chuckle. Just as he was about to give his answer—

“Rea—”

Rumble, crash—!

“Kyaaah!” “!?”

The ground shrieked. The sky roared. People screamed. A chill ran down Jungwoo’s spine. He looked up, and horror instantly consumed him.

A Gate…?

A deep crimson. It was a Second Gate—the type that vomits out a powerful, unique special entity. It had landed right on top of that tall building.

A black arm thrust out from within the Gate. Soon, a head reminiscent of a horned beast’s skull, an upper body with an exposed spine, a slender waist covered in black fur, and reverse-jointed legs emerged. It was about the height of a three-story building. A hollow red light smoldered within the skull’s eye sockets. The monster looked down at the downtown area.

Waaaiiil—!

Sirens blared. The city, vibrant just a moment ago, was overtaken by terror. As sirens rang out, people pushed and shoved one another, escalating the chaos.

Jungwoo held Segi even tighter. He knew what that thing was.

His legs trembled violently. A freezing sensation gripped his spine.

An A-Rank Champion…?

Fear. It was the unique aura emitted by Champion-class entities of A-Rank or higher. A monster that at least five Hunters of the same rank would have to risk their lives just to take down.

Why now, of all times? Why here? Had something like this happened originally? No, more importantly, he had to run.

Thoughts flooded his mind, but his body stubbornly refused to move.

It was right then.

“Hiccup…”

A whimpering sound came from his arms.

“Hiccup…!”

Jungwoo looked down.

“Sob…”

Segi was on the verge of tears. Watching people scream and flee abruptly, she burrowed into his chest, curling up, before stealing a tearful glance up at Jungwoo.

In an instant, Jungwoo’s mind went ice-cold.

Segi.

He had to save Segi, no matter what. This was no time to freeze up.

Without thinking, he turned around. Embracing Segi, he wrapped his arms around her head to shield her within his chest. He ran, muttering as if talking to himself.

“It’s okay. It’ll be okay. Let me take you home.” “Sob…” “Daddy’s here. Daddy’s right here.”

However—

BOOM—!

The entity that had been at the top of the building slammed down directly in front of Jungwoo with a deafening crash. Its eyes met Jungwoo’s. His movements ground to a halt. A profound, overwhelming terror blanketed his entire body.

Action took over without passing through thought.

Swish!

Jungwoo instinctively turned his body, hiding Segi from the monster’s line of sight.

I have to protect Segi.

His mind was stained pitch black, consumed entirely by those words. The thought that he could give up his own life, but never Segi’s, completely overrode all reasoning.

He squeezed his eyes shut. It was at that very moment.

Ding-dong!

Along with the chime, an unreality bloomed.

【”You must protect your child no matter what!” You prioritized your child above all else in the face of a life-threatening danger! One praise sticker awarded!】 【[Wonderful Parent (10/10)]. Congratulations! You have collected all the praise stickers!】

The unreality—

【Skill unlocked!】

—began transforming into reality.