Judging by how he didn’t react at all, it was clear that the Chairman hadn’t told Jurim about the scam incident.
If it were the usual Jurim, he might’ve noticed something was off. But the current Jurim...
That’s weird.
It was definitely weird! Hard to describe, but it looked like he was tangled up in something complicated and subtle.
Every weekday morning, Guru would wake Jurim up and take him to the bathroom so they could brush their teeth together. That was how their day started.
But now, with his face looking way more exhausted than usual, he kept nodding off...
“Guildmastuh, dat not a toothbrush.”
“Ah.”
He even tried to brush his teeth using toothpaste instead of a toothbrush.
“Guildmastuh... you okay? Your shiwt’s inside out...”
“Ah.”
He only noticed after the nanny pointed it out.
Normally, he was like a sleepy sloth, but now he looked like a raccoon that had tried to wash cotton candy in water.
Timing-wise, Jurim had started acting weird after the kindergarten parent observation day. There were so many people at the event asking for photos and autographs—maybe the exhaustion had finally caught up to him.
Guildmastuh bein’ a soggy waccoon might hewp Gwuu’s pwan fow now, but...
Guru was holding a toy tablet with rabbit ears.
A star icon sparkled on the screen. When she tapped it, an address popped up.
Just like she’d told Suhyeong, Guru was totally fine. She had no intention of letting this go easily.
Dey weally thought Gwuu gonna do nuffin?
She’d secretly attached a tiny [Spy Ladybug (C)] toy to Ham Honggi. The ladybug would transmit Honggi’s location.
Then, using her skill [Dungeon is an Open Door], she could follow him anywhere and completely block his path.
No one had taught her—but Guru was already a full-fledged Hyeonak member.
She shoved her toys into her [Expand-a-Bag-a-Bag (C)], designed to hold anything and everything.
That two million won in Onion Coins? It was Guru’s blood and sweat. If some villain who never earned a single coin on his own thought he could laugh it off, Guru would become the incarnation of dazzling revenge.
Chaos! Destruction! Vengeance!
The Black Flame Dragon sleeping deep within Guru stirred, thirsting for the villain’s blood. She had to put it back to sleep. Kukukuku, Guru chuckled and covered one eye with her hand as she began to descend into darkness.
Her phone buzzed.
An emergency alert popped up on the screen.
[Emergency Disaster Alert]
Safety Notice: An RP-Rank Dungeon has appeared near the Woongin Life Insurance HQ in Mapo-gu.
The area is under lockdown. Please avoid travel and reroute vehicles.
RP?
She vaguely remembered hearing about that rank during online training for her [Hunter License]. Other than that, she’d never heard of it—it was that rare.
Is dat why Guildmastuh’s wate?
According to the special law for Awakened that she’d studied so hard for during the whole scam ordeal, Hunters could be forcibly dispatched into dungeons.
And Jurim was always the first on the draft list. He had been a year ago, during the Great Dungeon event.
Guildmastuh gonna be okay?
He might have to take off his gloves again like back then. And if that happened... wouldn’t he need Guru?
But he did say he’d buwy da Stwawbewwy Cweamy Sweet Faiwy Bwasst Bomb Wight Hue Candy, so maybe not...?
Should she ask? As Guru hovered, phone in hand, hesitating...
Crack.
A fine crack split the surface of the egg she’d left on the windowsill.
“Shakipiyo!”
Guru carefully picked up the egg and placed it on her desk.
Is it hatching?!
After spending days and nights waiting with barely any sleep, she’d finally tried using sunlight to warm it on the windowsill—and now...
Ba-dump ba-dump!
It was the first time in her life seeing something hatch.
Guru dropped everything and focused on Shakipiyo’s movements.
The egg trembled slightly. As it did, fine cracks spread across its surface, and tiny flakes of shell the size of sand grains dropped onto the desk.
Can Gwuu hewp it bweak da sheww?
She was about to ask the nanny when—
Crack!
A thin bird leg, like a little twig, kicked through the shell with wild force. Then another leg broke out the other side.
With just its two legs out, it stood up on the desk.
Wobble wobble.
Shakipiyo teetered side to side, unable to see. It couldn’t walk properly.
Guru reached out her palm to catch it before it bumped into the wall.
The moment her hand touched it, Shakipiyo flinched and then edged closer, sniffing at her like it was trying to pick up a scent.
But maybe it couldn’t smell properly through the shell—because it started pecking with its beak.
Peck, peck. A tiny yellow beak poked out through a hole the size of a fingernail.
It reached toward Guru’s hand and opened and closed a few times, almost like it was smiling. No sound came out—just a couple of faint air-puff hisses.
Now that both its legs and beak were free, Shakipiyo tottered forward toward Guru.
Woooow...!
Guru blushed, completely enchanted and proud as she stared at it.
Sniff sniff. The tiny nostrils like dots above the beak flared. As Guru’s scent got closer, Shakipiyo picked up speed.
Tap tap tap. Wobble wobble. Then it spun around in place and landed butt-first on the floor.
“Gwuu hewp!”
Guru gently picked up the egg again and stood it upright.
Shakipiyo, angry about falling, pecked at the shell in frustration. Crunch, crunch—bits of eggshell flew in every direction.
Seemed like this one had a bit of an attitude.
After smashing the shell a bit more, Shakipiyo shook itself off, shedding the last bits of shell from its fuzzy body.
Now fully emerged, its entire form was finally visible.
So kyoot!
At first glance, it looked like a plain white puffball since its wings weren’t visible. But it was definitely a bird.
Its overall shape resembled a chick or a bushtit, but its body and face were rounder and plumper. It had chubby little cheeks that looked like they were puffed out just a bit.
So chubbeh!
Maybe it was just the fuzz, but Shakipiyo looked round and plump, like a little dumpling. But what really caught Guru’s attention was its eyes—an unusual mix of colors.
Golden irises with black pupils, and near the edges, it looked ➤ NоvеIight ➤ (Read more on our source) as if red paint had been gently diffused. Eyes unlike anything she’d ever seen before.
“Ppi!”
As Shakipiyo opened and closed its beak, a status window popped up in front of her.
[Guru]
“You know Gwuu?!”
“Ppi!”
Had it been listening from inside the egg this whole time?
Well, it had helped her with a few things even from inside. Guru brightly greeted the baby bird that looked like a ball of white fluff.
“Hewwooo!”
“Ppi!”
Shakipiyo rubbed its cheek against her fingertip. The thick, plush down was so soft that Guru burst into giggles.
“Shooo kyoot!”
She gently tapped its head with her index finger.
“Gwuu Mama gonna waise you weal good.”
Shakipiyo nuzzled its cheek against her finger again. It was just a beak, but somehow it looked like it was smiling
It stretched out its little bird legs and sat down on her palm, locking eyes with her.
“Ppi-ppi!”
Two hearts this time. Guru smiled contentedly.
Ding!
[Prospective Caregiver Detected. You may now register as a Caregiver.]
“Eh?”
Wasn’t she the mama? She should already be the caregiver. Why did it sound like the other way around?
She hit the confirm button.
In the caregiver window, a name popped up: “Mephisto.” Apparently, that was Shakipiyo’s real name.
Mephi... so dat’s yo name...
Too bad. Guru had wanted to name the baby “Shakipiyo.”
But den why no pic?
Where the profile picture should’ve been, there was nothing. She should’ve seen a chubby-cheeked baby bird—but it was blank.
“Hmmmmm...”
Guru narrowed her eyes.
“Yoouuu a weawwy suspiwious baby.”
She poked Mephisto’s cheek firmly.
“Ppi!”
Even the way pop-ups appeared on the status window whenever Mephisto chirped—there were just too many odd things about it. Did that mean there were lots of features?
Huh?
As she puzzled it over, Guru suddenly picked up her tablet.
It’s movin’!
The star icon was shifting—meaning Ham Honggi had started to move.
After watching for a bit and confirming the destination, Guru let out a gasp.
“Mapo-guuu?!”
She checked the emergency alert and her tablet back and forth.
No way...
In a situation like this, there was only one place that made sense.
The dungeon.

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