According to what he had heard, Sua still didn't know Haran's true identity. Seo Munhyeok carefully thought of an explanation that was as close to the truth as possible without frightening the child.
"...We're a guild leader and a guild member."
"Huh?"
"Do you know the guild I founded?"
"Yup. Eclipse. It's one of the Five Great Guilds."
Seo Munhyeok's eyebrows rose. He'd heard she was only six, but she knew far more than he'd expected and spoke remarkably well.
"That's right. You're a smart girl, Sua. Your uncle is going to join my guild."
He explained that Pyo Haram had been recruited into Eclipse, that he intended to support him, and that this support included improving his living conditions.
"So... does that mean Hunter Seo Munhyeok is going to live with me and Uncle?"
"Mm. From now on, just call me Mister."
"Umm..."
"What is it?"
Seo Munhyeok had assumed she'd simply be happy about moving, so her hesitant expression caught him off guard.
"Well... um..."
Their eyes met through the rearview mirror. Only then did Seo Munhyeok realize the child was looking at him suspiciously.
"What is it? What are you curious about?"
"...My uncle is only an E-class Hunter. How can he get into Eclipse?"
"Huh?"
"Eclipse is one of the Five Great Guilds. I heard they don't just let anyone in because it's such an amazing place, so why..."
"How insolent. I am amazing too."
"Yeah, yeah, that's true. Uncle is amazing too."
"Don't say it like you don't mean it."
Haran and Sua immediately started bickering in the back seat. Holding back a smile, Seo Munhyeok chose his words carefully.
"Sua, do you know about the dungeon that appeared in Seoul a few days ago?"
"Yes. The one where lots of people got dragged inside."
"That's right. That's where I first met your uncle. He underwent a reawakening in the boss room of that dungeon."
This was the official story he and Haran had agreed on earlier that day. They couldn't exactly tell people that Haran was the soul of a great archmage from another world who could use magic.
"The... the boss room? Uncle went somewhere that dangerous?"
"It just... happened."
"W-Were you hurt anywhere?"
"I am a great— ahem, Hunter. I wasn't injured at all."
"...You really reawakened?"
Fortunately, Sua seemed to believe him. Internally relieved, Seo Munhyeok continued.
"Your uncle helped me defeat the boss. That's when I recognized just how extraordinary Pyo Haram's abilities were."
"Uncle became that amazing? Then... can you use magic now?"
"Of course. Didn't I tell you earlier? I am amazing too."
"Wow...!"
Haran's shoulders lifted proudly.
Sua stared at him for a moment before asking cautiously,
"So... does that mean Uncle won't get hurt anymore?"
"Hm?"
"You're really strong now. So... you won't get hurt anymore?"
"...Did your uncle get hurt often?"
"Yeah. Ever since I was really little, he was always getting hurt."
She was still so young herself, yet she was talking about when she had been even younger. Just how long had he been coming home injured?
Even knowing there was a different soul inside Pyo Haram's body, Seo Munhyeok couldn't help glancing at Haran.
"...He still has to enter dungeons, so I can't promise he'll never get hurt again. But our guild has healers, and I'll protect Pyo Haram too. You don't have to worry so much."
Sua nodded.
Even a child understood that Hunters could never completely avoid injuries.
"I know one of Eclipse's healers too. Hunter Eom Jihan."
"You really know a lot about our guild."
"Yeah. Eclipse is so cool. I want to become a Hunter when I grow up too. Then I'll protect Uncle, and I'll earn lots of money and buy him delicious food."
"I like bungeoppang."
"Okay! I'll buy you a hundred of them."
"Hmph. You can't even count to a hundred."
"I can too!"
As if she'd never cried at all, Sua's face brightened immediately.
Seo Munhyeok was relieved.
The next topic he wanted to bring up was one that could easily upset a child.
"Um... Sua."
"Yes?"
She had been counting numbers for Haran to prove she could do it, but now she sat up straight again and turned toward Seo Munhyeok.
"You heard earlier that you'll be living at my house from now on, right?"
"Yes."
"If that happens, you'll have to transfer to another kindergarten because it's too far away. You'll keep going to your current one until we find a new kindergarten nearby, but we'd like to move you as soon as possible. Is that okay?"
He worried she might stubbornly refuse or burst into tears again.
Instead, her reaction was completely unexpected.
She nodded without hesitation.
"Yes! That's okay."
"...Won't you be sad to leave your friends?"
"Hmm..."
Sua glanced at Haran before speaking quietly.
"...I don't have any friends."
"Oh... I-I see?"
That genuinely caught Seo Munhyeok by surprise.
From what he'd seen, Sua was cheerful, talkative, and exceptionally pretty.
How could a child like that end up with no friends?
"...Why wouldn't you have any friends...?"
Having almost no experience dealing with children, Seo Munhyeok awkwardly muttered the question before realizing it might hurt her feelings.
By then it was already too late.
"...At kindergarten... the kids in my class kept making fun of me."
"They made fun of you? You?"
"Yes."
Sua quietly continued her explanation.
At first, several children had approached her and wanted to play together.
Then three boys had separately confessed that they liked her.
She had turned all three of them down.
After that, the bullying began.
It wasn't obvious or physical, but they constantly mocked her family's financial situation and made fun of her family.
"...They even made fun of Uncle... because he's only an E-class Hunter... I wanted to tell him... but every time he came home he was hurt... so I couldn't..."
Tears welled up in Sua's eyes once more.
Seo Munhyeok opened his mouth to comfort her.
But Haran was faster.
"What?! Which insolent little brats were they?!"
His furious shout thundered through the car.
Seo Munhyeok's eyes widened.
Even an arrogant great archmage became furious when he saw a little girl crying because she'd been bullied.
Or so he thought.
The next thing Haran said instantly shattered that impression.
"They dared look down on this great body?! Take me there immediately! Turn the car around!"
"...Ah... so that's what you're angry about..."
Realizing he'd misunderstood Haran's priorities, Seo Munhyeok silently closed his mouth in embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Haran continued rambling about turning the car around immediately and marching over to get a good look at those children's faces.
"Please calm down."
"You expect me to calm down? I've never suffered such an insult! I'll only feel better after punching every last one of them."
"...In this world, you can't just hit other people whenever you want. Especially children. You'll be arrested for child abuse."
"What is child abuse?"
"...Sigh. Anyway. You absolutely cannot."
In Seo Munhyeok's opinion, violence wasn't the answer.
Regardless of what had happened, the other side consisted of six-year-old children.
This side consisted of adults.
Hunters, no less.
They had to be even more careful.
"Then what do you expect me to do? Just endure it? They dared insult me."
"The one who was insulted was Sua... No. That's not... well..."
Seo Munhyeok glanced toward the still-dejected Sua.
The thought of such a small child suffering through bullying alone without even telling her uncle made his heart ache.
"So, do you have some other method?"
"...They're still very young. Simply talking to them should be enough. Since they mocked Sua by using her uncle against her, it would be best to make them realize just how extraordinary you really are."
"I'm telling you, I'll just go wipe them all out."
"For the love of... absolutely not."
Firmly shaking his head, Seo Munhyeok turned the steering wheel and muttered,
"Just leave this one to me."
* * *
The following day was Sua's last day at kindergarten.
She had never liked kindergarten much to begin with, so until they found a new one, she'd simply stay home.
After dropping her off, Seo Munhyeok took Haran to a hair salon.
"What exactly are you making me do?"
The unfortunate victim of the haircut was Haran.
Seo Munhyeok asked the stylist to give him the neatest haircut possible before trying to soothe the grumbling archmage.
"We're picking Sua up later. Wouldn't it be better if you looked presentable?"
"Is it really necessary?"
"If we're going to show those children how extraordinary you are, you can't go looking like this."
"..."
Fortunately, those words quieted Haran somewhat.
He still wore an unmistakable pout, but he obediently closed his eyes, lowered his head, walked over to have his hair washed, and followed every instruction the stylist gave him.
'He's behaving much better than I expected...'
Seo Munhyeok recalled how Haran had taken care of Sua after they returned home the previous day.
His expression had remained sullen.
His tone had stayed as blunt as ever.
Yet his actions had been attentive the entire time, diligently looking after the little girl.
"How do you like it? Should I trim the sides even shorter?"
"No. This is sufficient."
"Then I'll just finish drying it."
By then, Haran looked almost like a different person.
The heavy bangs that had covered his eyes had been neatly trimmed away.
The unruly curls sticking out in every direction had been carefully shaped.
As a result, his delicate, well-defined features stood out far more clearly.
Even the stylist couldn't stop smiling, clearly pleased with the transformation.
"Your eyes are absolutely beautiful. It's such a waste to keep them hidden. You should style your hair like this from now on. I'll show you how."
"I'll manage on my own. Release me already."
"Ah, are you tired? Just one last thing..."
The stylist refused to back down despite Haran's unusual way of speaking.
Their professional dedication was truly admirable.
"All done! You can hand me the cape now."
With some strange hair gel smeared into his hair and smelling unexpectedly pleasant, Haran was finally freed from the stylist's grasp.
He staggered to his feet.
"Hurry. Hurry and let's get out of here. Quickly."