The Laughing Chick Toy stopped in front of the information desk.
Tap—
Detecting a target, the chick stretched its neck ominously.
"Kyaaa-ha-ha-ha! Kyaaa-ha-ha-ha-ha! Kyaaa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"
As the toy let out a laugh straight out of a horror movie, the receptionist screamed in terror.
"Aah!"
"What the— What is that?!"
A small commotion rippled through the lobby.
"What’s happening now...?"
"Let’s go check it out."
The security guards left their post.
In that brief window, Hanguru scurried past the entry gate. He was so small that simply ducking his head kept him from triggering the entrance sensor.
Mission complete: successful entry!
Now, the next step...
‘There!’
Spotting an elevator with its doors still open, Hanguru bolted towards it.
The employees inside all turned their gazes toward the small figure rushing in.
Surprised, Hanguru rolled his eyes nervously.
"Hewwo! I’m Hanguru from Saebom Kindergarten’s Chick Class!"
As he gave a deep, formal bow, a chorus of admiration erupted.
"How cute!"
A friendly-looking woman crouched down and asked where he was headed.
Hanguru pointed his tiny index finger upward.
"There! The very top!"
In truth, he had no idea where Hyeonak’s guild master was.
But in his mind, "Hyeonak’s guild master = the highest-ranking person," and "high-ranking person = highest floor."
That was how it always worked in dramas.
‘If not, I’ll just check floor by floor.’
With every passing level, his heart pounded harder.
Ding—
Top floor.
Hanguru, visibly tense, stepped out of the elevator.
Luckily, the office had floor-to-ceiling glass windows, allowing him to see inside.
Whenever he spotted a man, he pressed himself against the glass and stared at them with an intense, terrifying gaze.
One unfortunate man, after locking eyes with him, recoiled as if he’d seen a ghost and approached hesitantly.
‘Not him. He’s ugly.’
Without a second thought, Hanguru scurried away.
After sprinting back and forth across the top floor, he finally found a familiar face at the corner of the office.
‘Handsome!’
Jurim had noticed the child ten minutes ago.
‘...A staff member’s kid?’
Even someone as indifferent as him couldn’t completely ignore a child staring at him like he was a sworn enemy.
The kid had been peeking out from behind a white pillar, eyes locked onto him.
Slightly bewildered, Jurim leaned on his desk and asked the hunter reporting to him,
"Shin Nayun, did you secretly become a mother?"
"Me? I was about to ask if you secretly became a father, Guild Master."
"No way."
"Hmm, but it looks like the product of a long, sticky love-hate relationship. The way they’re staring at you is unusual..."
"Not even in my dreams. A ‘long, sticky love-hate relationship.’"
Jurim gazed intently at the child.
No matter how many past relationships he ran through in his mind, he couldn’t think of anyone who matched.
When their eyes met, the child flinched and started glancing around.
‘It’s you. You’ve been caught.’
Jurim pointed a finger at them.
At that moment, the child finally revealed themselves from behind the pillar.
A little girl with doll-like features, her pale platinum-blonde hair tied into twin braids.
‘Mixed race?’
Chubby cheeks, big round eyes. A blue dress with a yellow hat.
A textbook kindergarten student.
Jurim gestured for her to come closer.
With little footsteps that practically made a pitter-patter sound effect, she hurried toward him.
Soon, she stood right in front of his desk.
"Hewwo."
"Yeah."
Jurim flipped through his documents.
The child, her enormous eyes still sparkling, continued to stare at him.
He sighed and reluctantly asked,
"Who are you?"
The girl straightened up and gave a formal bow.
"I’m Hanguru from Saebom Kindergarten’s Chick Class!"
She spoke clearly, but some of the words came out slightly garbled due to her childish lisp.
Jurim glanced at Nayun, who was barely holding back laughter with a hand over her mouth.
Expressionless, he dryly asked,
"Looking for your parents?"
He was about to call for an announcement, but Hanguru shook his head violently.
"Then are you looking for a playmate? There’s no one like that here."
"No!"
Her immediate answer made Jurim let out a small hmph as he exhaled.
He was about to send her off to find her parents when the child suddenly blurted out something unexpected.
"Guild Mastow! Pwease sewcout me!"
Silence.
Nayun blinked in shock.
Jurim, doubting his ears, repeated,
"...Scout?"
Hanguru gave him a look like he didn’t understand the word and quickly corrected herself.
"Guild Mastow! Pwease wet me join da guild!"
Hanguru’s expression clearly said, There! I explained it in a way you can understand!
Jurim smiled knowingly.
"Ah, I see. There are always kids who want to become hunters..."
Hunters were the most coveted profession in modern times.
Several guilds had already started scouting talented children and training them under programs like Youth Supporters.
It wasn’t uncommon for ambitious students to show up at Hyeonak Guild, hoping to be recruited.
Hanguru’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, waiting for his answer.
"You’d be the youngest one yet."
Ha! That’s the power of my talent!
Puffing out his chest with pride, Hanguru grinned.
Then, Jurim picked up the receiver.
"Come pick up this kid and send them home."
Clunk—
The moment his short call ended, a wave of assistants flooded the office.
"Oh my, how did you get in here?"
"Hngh."
Dangling helplessly in someone’s arms, Hanguru shot Jurim a sorrowful look.
But Jurim simply turned his gaze back to his documents, unfazed.
Hanguru pouted, cheeks puffing out in frustration.
A mistake. He hadn’t been thorough enough in his preparation.
For now, it was a tactical retreat.
The Next Day
"Hanguru never gives up!"
For the 2 million won trapped in Onion Market, for his quests, and for his mom and dad!
Fully prepared, Hanguru once again stood in front of Jurim’s desk.
And this time, he activated his status window and began reading aloud as if making a formal presentation.
"I’m wittow, but I’m an awakend pwerson! Da system’s adjwustments impwoved my intewwectual capabwitiez, and I hav da pewfect abiwities fow Hyeonak’s gwowth!"
After taking a deep breath, Hanguru exhaled dramatically.
Shin Nayun, sitting nearby, clapped enthusiastically like a proud parent at a kindergarten recital.
"Our amazing Hanguru! What a great presentation~!"
Beaming with pride, Hanguru grabbed the hem of his dress and dipped into a polite curtsy.
Meanwhile, Jurim, whose nap had just been interrupted, was utterly bewildered.
Since when was my office a kindergarten talent show?
He took off his eye mask and glanced between the excited kindergartener waiting for his response and the guild member snapping photos with an expression of pure joy.
Jurim tapped his desk with his fingers.
"Hunter Shin Nayun, you seem to have a lot of free time these days?"
"Gasp! Yes! How did you know?"
"How would I not know? You’re in my office every day."
"Ahh~ That makes sense~"
Click! Jurim clicked his tongue.
Shin Nayun was living proof that if you had strength, you never had to struggle in life.
He decided to spell things out more clearly for her.
"Hunter Shin Nayun. You can cause trouble outside if you want, but not in my office."
"Oh, really?"
Her innocent expression suggested that nothing he said would faze her. Until someone physically stopped her, Shin Nayun was unstoppable.
"From now on, only come in if you have actual business here."
"But I do have business!"
Nayun proudly gestured toward Hanguru with both hands.
"Ta-da!"
Hanguru swayed shyly, hiding his hands behind his back.
Jurim sighed, already resigned.
With a small smirk, he motioned for Hanguru to come closer.
Ooh! That seemed like a good sign!
Hanguru’s face lit up as he scurried forward.
Finally, was his talent being recognized?
Jurim slid a document across his desk.
"Here, take a look."
Hanguru stared at the paper.
A bad feeling crept up his spine.
It was filled with English.
Jurim pointed at a word that started with A.
"Read it."
"Eh...."
The ultimate villainous question for a kindergartener.
The overwhelming presence of difficult words made Hanguru dizzy.
He didn’t know them. His entire knowledge base came from kindergarten lessons and TV shows.
After much squirming and hesitant whimpers, he finally gathered the courage to say the only English word he recognized.
"Appwe...?"
"Disqualified."

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