Chapter 46
C-Rank Promotion Test
Looking at Han Ji-soo's text message, I took the Association's elevator down to basement floor 20.
"Underground, huh. Feels familiar and nice."
Ding-
I stepped out of the elevator without hesitation. Han Ji-soo was waiting for me right in front, wearing a neat black suit. She scanned my appearance and shook her head saying.
"...Lee Ha-jun."
"What, Senior."
"Aren't you taking the promotion test too lightly...? Where are your weapons, and why are you wearing shabby sweats?"
Han Ji-soo seemed to think I was trash-rank.
I confidently extended my fist and said.
"My fists are my weapons, and I couldn't buy clothes because I have no money."
"...No money because you're raising a child?"
"Well, you could say that..."
It’s actually because I'm tight on debt, but I decided not to share that TMI. Han Ji-soo had nothing to say and gestured for me to follow as she turned.
"Follow me. Everyone's waiting."
"Yeah yeah."
I followed Han Ji-soo down the corridor.
The interior was so vast we had to walk for about 6 minutes. Then, we arrived at a massive 20-meter-high steel door firmly shut.
"It’s crazy big. Even a dragon could pass through easily."
I wonder if the kids are doing well. I hope they're behaving and eating the food the old lady brings.
As I worried about them, Han Ji-soo quietly spoke into her watch.
"We're here. Open the door."
The door opened at Han Ji-soo's command.
Whoosh-!
White cloud-like smoke obscured my vision. Following Han Ji-soo inside, I thought to myself.
'It looks like cotton candy. I wonder if they like cotton candy? They must be doing fine without me.'
I’m honestly not worried about the test. Rather, I’m extremely worried about the ones I left at home.
'Should I go back now?!'
I’m going crazy with worry. I tapped Han Ji-soo's shoulder.
"Senior."
"What."
"Can I go back now?"
"Why?"
“I’m worried about my daughter."
"..."
Han Ji-soo made a 'what's with this guy' face and quietly asked.
"...Didn't you leave them with someone?"
"I'm worried. Are they eating well? Playing well?"
"...Then just pass the test. Pass so your kids can eat better food."
That makes sense. I understood after hearing Han Ji-soo's words, but my anxiety about them still wouldn't go away. This was the first time being separated from them for so long.
'I wonder if they're doing well without Dad.'
Sigh-
My sigh was full of worry. Anyway, after entering through the door and standing in the huge warehouse, other D-rank heroes like me appeared one by one.
Seeing them, I understood why Han Ji-soo had sighed.
"Guns, swords, spears... why are their weapons so sparkly?"
"Heroes should wield weapons befitting their rank. Those must all be artifacts."
Artifacts, items said to contain mana themselves and have unique abilities and also priced beyond what commoners like me can afford.
"Must make good money. So jealous."
I need to pay off my debt quickly too. When the heroes with sparkling artifacts reached 16 total, the highest-ranked Han Ji-soo shouted to everyone.
"A total of 16 people. Congratulations on participating in the promotion test. But passing depends solely on your abilities. Duration is until you pass or fail. This test's theme is patience."
Patience is essential for heroes. This test is to verify that qualification. Han Ji-soo said this and gestured to a staff member standing far away.
The staff member approached holding scissors as big as me with both hands and started cutting the space beside where Han Ji-soo stood.
Snip snip-
As a result, a blue screen, a dimensional gate, opened.
Han Ji-soo then told the test participants.
"Enter through there."
The participants including me threw ourselves into the dimensional gate. Soon after, we arrived in a dimension bright as if there was sun though there wasn't.
The dimension didn't feel particularly special until we saw the black spheres the size of my torso embedded in the ground. They looked hard at a glance.
'What's that. Meteorites?'
There were mysterious black spheres scattered on the ground. Han Ji-soo who followed us in pointed at the black spheres and said,
"From now on, you just need to break these mana-soaked black spheres. Duration is until the sphere breaks or you give up. It doesn't matter what method you use."
I see.
I heard Han Ji-soo's explanation and looked at the black spheres.
"So, I have to break that hard thing with my fists...?"
This is bad. I clenched my fist once and threw a punch at the black sphere.
Clang-!
"Ow, ow that hurts..."
There’s no signs of breaking, just my hand hurting badly.
I had a feeling my return home would be delayed longer than expected.
***
Jump-
"I finished eating! Ah, it’s delicious! We ate well even without Dad!"
Hwaryeon got up after eating and exaggeratedly patted her belly.
Though she said she ate well, half her rice remained in her bowl.
"...I'm done too."
"Me too..."
Suryeon and Choryeon also got up without eating much.
The children headed to the living room leaving the food on the table. Food smell lingered in the room since they hadn't cleaned up.
"Hmph, I’m gonna watch TV!"
Hwaryeon sat in front of the TV. Having nothing else to do, Suryeon and Choryeon sat beside her. Then, Hwaryeon started changing channels with the remote.
"What should we watch?"
"Nothing looks interesting really."
"That's true."
Boring.
The children looked at the TV indifferently then turned away. They, didn't bother turning it off, though. At least the TV sound made it less quiet.
"...It’s time to brush teeth already."
Jump-!
Choryeon got up first and headed to the bathroom. Then, she sprayed toothpaste on her brush and started brushing.
Brush brush-
Munch munch-
Spit-
Choryeon came out after brushing neatly. Suryeon followed and brushed too. Then, she asked the blank-staring Hwaryeon.
"Unnie, aren't you brushing?"
"Hmph, I won't! Why should I when Dad's not here?!"
Since Dad's not watching, I won't do it.
Hwaryeon said this and approached the castle she'd built on the floor. Then, she squatted and stared at it intently.
"...I don't like it! Should've taken us with him! Why'd he go alone?! It's no fun without Dad!"
Tap tap-
Hwaryeon vented by poking the castle with her finger. After sitting quietly in front of the castle for a while…
"Yawn... I'm getting sleepy, unnies..."
Choryeon made sleepy eyes while yawning. Suryeon closed her book and said,
"...Then let's sleep. I was getting sleepy too."
"Hmph, do what you want!"
The children started spreading out the prepared blankets.
Flutter-
Hwaryeon laid the blanket and immediately lay down.
"Something's uncomfortable!"
"Unnie, you spread it upside down."
"No way!"
Hwaryeon got up, thrashing. It was indeed spread opposite as Choryeon said. Hwaryeon puffed her cheeks like a pufferfish.
"This happened because Dad's not here! I hate Dad!"
Why'd he leave! It made me into a weird dragon!
Hwaryeon lay down while sulking on the properly laid blanket. The children all lay in their usual spots, but they couldn't fall asleep easily.
"...Someone turn off the lights."
"I can't sleep with the lights, unnies."
Usually, Lee Ha-jun turned off the lights before bed. But today, Lee Ha-jun wasn't there for bedtime. So, the eldest Hwaryeon shouted.
"Lee Choryeon! You do it!"
"Why me, unnie?"
"You're the youngest!"
"Yes..."
Shrink-
Choryeon turned off the lights with her tail drooping.
Click-
And in the dark room, the children closed their eyes, trying to sleep.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Hwaryeon spread out in a spread-eagle position. Usually she slept with her feet on Lee Ha-jun's legs, but today her bed felt disorganized without Lee Ha-jun.
"Ugh, my legs are uncomfortable! I can't sleep!"
"..."
It was the same for Suryeon. Suryeon usually slept listening to Lee Ha-jun's snoring. But today, something felt uncomfortable. Having something then losing it, that empty space couldn't be easily filled.
Suryeon briefly looked at the dark ceiling and spoke softly.
"...I never thought I'd say this but… without Dad, it feels kind of bad."
"..."
"..."
Though the children didn't say it out loud, they agreed with Suryeon inside.
In the dark room, and at home without Dad.
Wide awake, Choryeon spoke with her eyes open.
"I can't sleep well today. I miss Dad."
When will Dad come back?
Praying he'd return as soon as possible, Choryeon kept her eyes closed, waiting for time to pass even though she couldn't sleep.