“What’s the matter!”

At Han-gyeol’s scream, the hunter guarding the door burst in. Han-gyeol quickly covered something with a cushion and shook his head.

“It’s nothing—just a bug. I thought I saw a cockroach!”

“Is that so? Shall I move you to another room?”

“It’s fine. Gyeol must have mistaken it.”

The hunter glanced around the room, then nodded.

“If you need anything, please let me know.”

“Thank you.”

Han-gyeol bowed politely. The moment the hunter left, the boy’s smiling face froze. Han-gyeol pulled up his cheeks into the fiercest scowl he could manage and lifted the cushion. Underneath...

“Well, you’re rather rough.”

Crushed flat, Seong Hyunjae rose to his feet. He looked barely larger than a smartphone, as if shrunk by a Minimini Cookie.

“What are you doing here?”

Han-gyeol growled fiercely. Seong Hyunjae brushed off his crumpled clothes, pouting as best he could, but still looking undeniably cute.

“Seong—”

“Han-gyeol.”

Thud! The cushion slammed down on Seong Hyunjae again.

“I’m Han-gyeol, Han-gyeol.”

Han-gyeol swung the cushion again like catching a bug, speaking decisively.

“One more time you call me that and I’ll open the window and throw you to the pigeons.”

“Han Yujin will be sad.”

“Why does Dad like this stuff? I’m always on Dad’s side, but I don’t get this. Uncle and Uncle Noah and Aunt Hyun-ah are here. Mr. Song-i’s dad is here. So we really don’t need this one thing.”

“I do think you’re uniquely suited to it.”

“Uh-huh. Hmph!”

Pulling his chin up in mock arrogance, Han-gyeol said,

“Tell me your purpose. If you keep spouting nonsense, I’ll throw you out.”

“First, hand me your sound-cancelling item.”

“Sound-cancelling?”

“It should be in your bag.”

Sulking, Han-gyeol obediently pulled a yellow child’s backpack from his inventory. Inside was the sound-cancelling item Seong Hyunjae had placed there earlier.

“...Dad, is something wrong?”

Putting on the item, Han-gyeol spoke seriously. Seong Hyunjae wouldn’t have come this far for no reason. Even if he disliked the visitor, his worry for Han Yujin had to be greater.

“As you can see, something happened to me.”

“That’s not your fault, Gyeol.”

“Han-gyeol has the power to make fantasies real, and it applies to himself. Transforming into a boy like this is part of that power. It’s unrefined—you must have a deep connection for it to manifest.”

“...Gyeol knew that too, you know?”

“Thanks to you, I could even take this form.”

Han-gyeol’s round eyes blinked. He didn’t fully understand, but Seong Hyunjae tapped the orb that had rolled on the table.

“‘Shard of Seong Hyunjae’ humanization. Your constant power influenced the identical shard beside you—me—Han-gyeol—”

Han-gyeol backed away. As the boy moved from the orb, Seong Hyunjae’s voice cut off and his form vanished. The round gold eyes furrowed.

“So you can only appear if Gyeol is here?”

No answer came. Arms crossed, Han-gyeol glared at the orb, then stepped back to the table. The tiny Seong Hyunjae reappeared.

“Given your small base form and that the power I receive is almost a bonus, I can only take this small shape.”

“Then why come to Gyeol like this? Where’s Dad?”

“He’s probably having fun with me by now. Gyeol might feel a bit left out.”

“...I don’t get what you’re saying.”

Feigning disappointment, Seong Hyunjae sighed deeply. Han-gyeol raised the cushion again.

“Got any cockroach spray?”

“There’s another me inside—ugh!”

“Stop coming out! There are too many of you! It’s disgusting!”

At the news of another Seong Hyunjae, Han-gyeol cursed and swung the cushion. The tiny figure dodged deftly, infuriating Han-gyeol further.

“Han-gyeol, aren’t you one of them too?”

“No! Gyeol is Dad’s son! Explain yourself!”

“I handed my body’s authority to traces of my pre-regression self.”

“Putting Dad through all this again!”

“It was an opportunity to revive the Diarma contract, to lower the Transcendents’ and prophets’ guard toward me, and to share the research on plunder with Director Song Taewon. It also let me leisurely examine what’s within me. You need someone outside so you can delve deeply inside.”

Han-gyeol’s hand paused mid-swing. He hadn’t fully understood, but it sounded like there was much to gain.

“...And why come to Gyeol?”

“There are tasks to do and things to confirm. It worries me that you’re so young.”

“Gyeol is my brother now.”

Han-gyeol straightened his shoulders and said,

“I can’t exactly be called young anymore.”

“So you gained a little brother?”

“A cute little brother. And you said there’s another one.”

Pride tinged his words, and Seong Hyunjae tilted his head.

“Not a simple monster, it seems.”

“Right. Similar to Gyeol. Star doesn’t stay in human form long yet—maybe because only monster mana stone powers it, unlike Gyeol.”

Han-gyeol had infused the shard with Diarma’s Transcendent mana stone. That made him far more than a monster. Hanseol, likewise near-Transcendent, had taken Yuhyun’s dragon blood. But Hanbyeol had been born solely of monster mana stone.

“...As expected, Han Yujin.”

Murmured by Seong Hyunjae, Han-gyeol narrowed his eyes.

“What now?”

“The difference between monster and human is language and culture. Both originate at the source, but monsters are closer to beasts. While some have human-level intelligence, no monster has formed civilization with language.”

High-rank monsters were never unintelligent. Some fought with cunning surpassing humans. Yet no speaking monster had ever been discovered, and translation items couldn’t decode monster cries.

“That must define sentient beings. And it’s likely hard even for Transcendents to produce a fully independent intellect without natural reproduction. Even Diarma’s strongest creation, the Cursed Venom Dragon King Raucitas, wasn’t a true intellect.”

“Because that’s Dad’s nature.”

Han-gyeol swallowed hard.

“And Uncle Myeongwoo says Eunhye mentions it sometimes too.”

“I heard Eunhye also had a Transcendent’s mana stone. But the one you called Star—”

“...One of Star’s mana stones was given by Uncle Myeongwoo—so he must be a Transcendent!”

“Most Transcendents lost their world and race.”

They were the last of their kind.

“Many who hold non-Transcendent mana stones too. Even without that, it’s a power one must covet.”

A power closer to the source than any Transcendent’s creation.

Seong Hyunjae recalled the night of the canceled wedding. The Crescent Moon had inhabited Han Yujin’s body. Had she truly noticed nothing? Or discovered another possibility and stepped aside willingly?

“Don’t speak of uncertain things.”

Han-gyeol’s eyes darkened.

“The mana stone base is important. We don’t know if Star’s stone came from a monster or a person who held one.”

“A monster could become sentient if it grew long enough. I think Peace will speak soon.”

“Peace already uses a phone.”

“Still, caution isn’t bad.”

“...True. How can I contact Dad?”

He frowned—Dad wouldn’t pick up.

“Han Yujin wouldn’t stray far, but for now—do you have a necklace item?”

Seong Hyunjae touched the orb. Sparks flew and it cracked.

“You can use skills?”

“A bit.”

Gold-hued condensed mana flowed from the orb. Han-gyeol pulled a necklace from his inventory—it was the lost-child prevention necklace Han Yujin had asked Myeongwoo to craft.

“Will this do?”

“Crafted by Hunter Myeongwoo, no less.”

The gold pendant bore a phone number and name. Gyeol, smart as he was, might still need it. Seong Hyunjae infused his mana shard into the pendant. Han-gyeol hesitated, then placed it around his neck.

“Lend me your phone.”

“...What for?”

“To call.”

“Don’t look at anything else.”

Seong Hyunjae tapped the phone and opened contacts: Dad, uncles, Aunt, Peace, and more. As he was about to rename one entry, Han-gyeol tried to shove him aside.

“No!”

“I thought we’d become closer.”

“We’re not!”

“I like you, Han-gyeol.”

“I don’t like you.”

Han-gyeol spoke ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) bluntly, glancing at Seong Hyunjae. Yet hearing “I like you” stung his conscience.

“...Call him, quickly.”

Seong Hyunjae dialed Seong Guild. He asked someone there to relay a message. A moment later...

“Hello, little Jin’s son!”

Hwangrim arrived at the hotel. Entering the room, she greeted Han-gyeol—who grimaced—and looked around.

“I heard Guild Master Seong summoned me. Cute prince, where’s Dad2?”

“There’s only one Gyeol’s dad!”

“Even if you’re not a prince, claim it anyway—that way Seong truly belongs to you. Jin will like that too.”

“No—it’s not true.”

Han-gyeol sulked.

“And besides, it’s not time to receive anything.”

“Well, Guild Master Seong will live a long time—unless the world ends first. I should prepare for doom too, but my dog ran away and I can’t even watch because of the contract.”

“You mean your dollmaster contract.”

Muttering, Hwangrim glanced at Han-gyeol in surprise. Tiny Seong Hyunjae sat on his shoulder.

“Oh, my. You two are identical—their presence indistinguishable.”

“It’s not really my body. And the dog’s under my care for now.”

“Be careful—he’s not neutered yet and can be feisty, especially around Jin.”

Han-gyeol tilted his head at the mention of a dog. Seong Hyunjae tapped his lips thoughtfully.

“Very well. I’ll try to be civilized. After all, I believe we should protect children.”

“Since we can’t leave Han-gyeol alone, please act as his guardian for a while.”

“There are plenty of others—why me? Isn’t he dangerous?”

“I’m neutral. At least I’m not a ruffian or filial addict.”

Hwangrim’s contractor was a neutral Transcendent dollmaster—safer than hunters who might have covertly reached out.

“And your information seems well shielded.”

“A solo neutral Transcendent system manager blocked me. Thanks to that, I got an exception. Jin would have chosen me, I’m sure.”

“Well then, Han-gyeol, gather your things.”

“How presumptuous. I didn’t say I’d accept.”

“You won’t pass up this chance, will you? I’ll pay you a fee.”

Han-gyeol’s confused gaze spun as he wondered if following Seong and Hwangrim was wise. But he didn’t want to stay alone. Hoisting his bag, he led them out of the room.

“...Wow.”

It was chaos. The not-very-large house had been remodeled mid-drama, walls knocked out everywhere. Yuhyun’s room and the bathroom were now open to the living room. It was basically a studio. A huge dragon head filled the kitchen, baring its fangs at me.

“I’m sorry, Yujin!”

Noah bowed to me. Of course, it wasn’t his fault.

“I was curious what the outside looked like!”

Riete shouted happily and Yerim feigned indifference. Yerim, you were curious too—at that age curiosity ran high.

“Hyung.”

Yuhyun, standing guard like a gatekeeper outside my room, smiled broadly.

“Your room’s intact. No one got in.”

“Th-thanks.”

“Han Yuhyun was brutal—he even made Riete give up.”

“...So what happened to Riete’s body?”

“My barrier wouldn’t break so I turned to dragon form and it just stretched to fit me!”

Ah, yes. Is our team really okay? Surely not, is our only hope Sisio?