HDAAD Chapter 143

The path from the kindergarten’s back door to the auditorium was very short.

However, I had been standing on that short path for two hours now.

“Let’s go already! Come on!”

Despite my pleas, my party members, who had turned into children, didn’t budge an inch.

No, rather, they were running around in all directions, completely ignoring my words.

“Butterfly, butterfly! I’m going to catch it!”

“Wow, an earthworm!”

“Eek! I hate earthworms!!”

“Teacher, can I eat this?”

“I… want to eat too.”

Are kids always this chaotic? Or are these guys particularly like this?

These brats seemed to have endless energy as they ran around without pause.

If there were fewer of them, I could at least try to carry them by force, but even if I held, piggy-backed, and shouldered them, I still wouldn’t have enough hands.

The only fortunate thing was that Shin Sooha and Taeju were sticking close to me. Of course,

“Let go.”

“No.”

“Let go.”

“I said no.”

That didn’t mean the two of them were well-behaved by any means.

Suppressing a sigh that was about to escape, I first separated Shin Sooha and Taeju, who were on the verge of fighting.

“I told you not to fight, didn’t I?”

“But.”

“No buts or ifs. Don’t fight.”

As Taeju’s lips protruded in a pout, his chubby cheeks puffed up along with them.

‘Geez, he must have had a tough time when he was young.’

The face that had been beautiful as an adult became pretty and cute as a child.

If I wasn’t careful, I might mistake him for a girl instead of a boy.

“Put your lips back in.”

“Tch.”

“You shouldn’t ‘tch’ at adults like that.”

And this was also true for Shin Sooha, who was speaking in a child’s voice but saying things uncharacteristic of a child.

The face that had been strikingly handsome couldn’t have changed much as a child.

Shin Sooha’s features were so distinct that you could tell how such looks would develop in the future.

“It’s my choice, isn’t it?”

As Taeju answered with a pout, Shin Sooha shrugged his shoulders as if it was pathetic.

“Hey! You.”

“Stop it, both of you. If you fight one more time, I won’t let you hold onto my pants.”

At my words, the two of them shut their mouths tightly.

Now that I had stopped the fight between the two right next to me, all that was left were the brats playing separately on the path.

I shouted, thinking of the kindergarten teacher who had been in front of the house before the possession.

‘Cute and sweet.’

“Alright, everyone come to the teacher!”

The brats who were playing separately didn’t come, but they did look at me.

It wasn’t the result I wanted, but since I had at least caught their attention, I stated my purpose for calling them.

“Children, shall we go to the auditorium?”

But as soon as I mentioned the auditorium, the kids turned their heads away and started doing other things again.

‘Considering that the 15th floor was described, it seems they still have memories of the 15th floor when they escaped the tower.’

The blanket cleaning today will definitely happen. They’ll probably regret this moment while kicking their blankets furiously.

Anyway, what mattered right now wasn’t some dark history…

I clapped my hands to get the attention of the kids who were pretending not to hear me.

-Clap.

Thinking I didn’t know, even the gazes of Shin Sooha and Taeju, who were bickering behind my legs, gathered.

‘This is the last method!’

I executed the strategy I had saved as a last resort.

“Teacher is going to leave. You all stay here.”

The so-called ‘I don’t care’ strategy.

When Detective Kang advised another detective about children, he said there was no strategy that worked better on children throwing tantrums for toys than this one.

Although the current situation wasn’t about buying things, it was still about throwing tantrums, so it was worth a try.

I removed the hands of Shin Sooha and Taeju clutching my pants and strode towards the auditorium.

“Huh?”

“Oh!”

“Teacher.”

“Let’s go together!”

I heard the sound of short legs running, but I ignored it and walked even faster.

“Waaah!”

“Let’s go togetheeeeer.”

I heard crying from behind, but I also heard the sound of running, so I didn’t stop.

‘Finally arrived.’

As I stopped in front of the auditorium, Taeju, who had run crying as if he was about to pass out, hugged my legs.

“Uhuhuhu, don’t gooo.”

“I’ve stopped, haven’t I? Now stop crying.”

“Uhuhuhu.”

“What if you rub your face on my dirty pants!”

Even when I tried to remove his face, he kept crying and refusing, so I picked Taeju up.

After patting Taeju, who was clinging tightly to my neck, I checked on the others who had arrived.

‘As expected. It worked well.’

Fortunately, it seemed everyone had followed me without missing a single person.

I smiled with satisfaction and took out a tissue from my jacket.

“Oh my, you little crybabies.”

Whether adults or children, crying is the same, but why do children’s faces get dirtier when they cry?

I bent down and wiped the grimy faces with tissues.

“Next is Sooha…”

When I turned my head, Shin Sooha was looking at me with a perfectly normal face, far from crying.

‘I guess he had the same personality even when he was young.’

Instead of wiping Shin Sooha’s face, which wore an emotionless expression, I patted his head and then stood up.

“Taeju, you can get down now.”

“No.”

“You can’t always do only what you want in life.”

“No! I’ll cry if you put me down.”

‘How embarrassed are you going to be when you leave the tower?’

The memories from this place don’t just remain with the individual, but with everyone gathered here. In other words, Taeju was currently recording his dark history vividly for everyone.

“…Taeju. I won’t let you off easy if you ruin your blanket.”

“Huh?”

“There’s such a thing. I don’t know, I tried my best to prevent it.”

Not wanting to argue any further here, I moved into the auditorium with all the party members.

***

‘Now what am I supposed to do?’

After much struggle, I had brought everyone here, but inside the auditorium, there were only cushions laid out to match the number of people, and no one else was there.

“Come on, everyone sit down.”

Thinking we might as well sit since there were cushions, I spoke, and Michael was the first to plop down on a cushion. Following him, the others started to sit on the cushions too.

“You sit here too.”

“Do I have to sit?”

“Yes.”

Just as I was about to put Taeju, who was pouting his lips as if he wanted to keep being held, down on a cushion.

“I’m going to sit here.”

“No! I’m going to sit here.”

“No! This is my seat!”

“Waaah, Teacher!”

Why are they fighting again when it doesn’t matter where they sit?

I approached Baigang, who was crying after being hit by Mei.

“Don’t fight. There are so many cushions, why are you fighting?”

“I want to sit hereee.”

In response to Baigang’s tearful words, Mei glared at him and shouted.

“This is my seat!”

There’s no name tag on the seats, and what do you mean your seat, my seat? And just sit anywhere, please.

‘Ugh, this is exhausting. I’d rather fight monsters.’

Sighing, I grabbed Baigang and sat him down next to Mei.

“Sit here.”

“I don’t want to.”

“I’ll switch seats with you in a bit.”

“I won’t switch!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Waving my tired hand, I turned around to check if everyone was seated.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

The brats who were definitely sitting in their seats were now running across the middle of the auditorium again.

“Why on earth.”

It’s not like they can’t understand what I’m saying, so why can’t they just stay still? Do they grow thorns on their bodies if they stay still?

‘If only I had telekinesis like Shin Sooha, I could at least force them to sit.’

As I groaned feeling a throbbing in my head, I felt my pants being tugged.

When I turned my head, Shin Sooha was staring at me intently and said,

“Shall I help?”

“How?”

“Like this.”

As Shin Sooha waved his hand, the kids who were running around the auditorium like puppies in an alley suddenly flew into the air.

Due to the sudden lift-off, there were both joyful screams and cries, but Shin Sooha paid no attention and sat everyone down on the cushions.

Then he used his telekinesis to prevent them from moving.

“Did I do well?”

“Huh?”

Of course, I had thought it would be good if I could force them to sit down somehow, but when I actually tried to praise him for doing so, a conscience I didn’t even know I had pricked me.

‘No, he’s not even a real adult, why should I feel guilty? Besides, they’ll all say I did the right thing when they leave the tower.’

Ignoring my conscience, I praised Shin Sooha.

“Yes. You did well. Now you sit down too.”

Shin Sooha, who I thought would go to a cushion after being praised, stared at me intently.

“What?”

Then he pushed his head towards me.

‘Is he asking me to pat his head?’

As I looked at him with uncertainty, Shin Sooha shook his head.

‘He is asking for a pat.’

I reached out and gently patted his head.

“Okay. Now go.”

As Shin Sooha went and sat on a cushion amidst the children who were struggling and screaming to break free, a ding-dong sound rang out in the auditorium.

[We will now begin the Golden Bell Quiz of Nemo-Semo Kindergarten.]

***

[The 15th floor of the Tower has been cleared for the first time.]

[Clearing Location: Republic of Korea]

[First clear rewards will be distributed.]

[A permanent buff of +5 Critical has been applied to all party members.]

Along with the message that the clear was complete, an escape gate was generated.

I was briefly anxious when everyone except Shin Sooha was eliminated on the first question of the Golden Bell Quiz, but thanks to him answering all the questions correctly after being left alone, we were able to complete the mission quickly.

“The clear is finished.”

“…Hmm.”

“……”

I laughed inwardly as I watched the others, now back to adults, avoiding my gaze.

‘Yeah. I knew you guys would be like this.’

Of course they should be embarrassed, after causing so much trouble as children. But why is that guy acting like that?

I approached Taeju, who was hanging his head low, and tapped his shoulder. He raised his head.

But his face….

“What’s wrong? Are you sick?”

Seeing his pale complexion, I asked, wondering if there was a problem with clearing the tower.

“N-No. It’s nothing. Hyung, it’s over now, right? Shall we leave?”

“Yeah. Let’s all go out.”

I led everyone through the escape gate to move to the lobby floor.

The display board in the lobby floor, which used to show which floor each person had cleared, was now showing the opening time for the 16th floor.

[16th floor opens in 47:52:22]

‘The waiting time for opening is the same as in the novel.’

Since there were occasional details that didn’t appear in the novel, I had some hope, but it seemed things weren’t progressing the way I wanted.

“The 16th floor opens in two days?”

“Yes. If you want to go home, you can.”

It’s a 3-hour trip from Seoul to Mongolia.

As it’s a distance that can be easily traveled back and forth, I suggested it, and Baigang nodded with a smile.

“Then I’ll go home for a bit.”

“Yes. Mei too-“

“I’m fine.”

‘Oh my. She still hasn’t made up with her mother.’

For the filial Mei to speak so coldly, it seems their fight was worse than what I had been told.

“Then let’s disperse here for now and meet again in two days at the scheduled time.”

“Go-woon. Do you need anything?”

“No.”

“Alright! Then we’ll go first-“

It was when Michael was waving his hand while putting his arm around Lee Chaewon’s shoulder.

“Michael.”

“Yeah?”

“Take hyung with you too.”

Huh? Why me?

I thought I’d go back with Taeju since we came in the same car when we came to the tower.

“Why? Aren’t you going?”

“No. I have something to talk about with Shin Sooha.”

‘Now you’re not even adding ‘Guild Leader’ or any honorifics at all. But what does Taeju have to talk about with Shin Sooha?’

As if reading my thoughts, Taeju said,

“Noona said she has something to ask Taesan regarding the guild, so I think I need to talk about that before I go. So hyung, sorry, but can you go with Michael?”

“Why are you sorry when it’s about work? It’s fine, I can go alone.”

I’m not a little kid, do they think I can’t even go home by myself?

“It’s dangerous to go alone. You were kidnapped before, remember?”

“Hey. That was just once, what’s the big deal.”

“That’s right! Go-woon. I’ll take you home!”

“Come with us.”

Michael and Lee Chaewon looked at me with sparkling eyes.

I want to go home quietly since I’m feeling tense without realizing it.

“Please. Hm? Our driver is really good! Hm?”

“That’s right! He has 20 years of driving experience, providing comfort without any shaking!”

Yielding to their persistence, I nodded with a sigh.

“Alright. Then Taeju, what about dinner?”

It was just a casual, meaningless question, but Taeju stared at me intently.

“Hey, I’m asking if you’re going to eat before coming back.”

“…No. I’ll eat at home. Hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“I want to eat clam soup.”

I thought he was going to say something serious with that expression, but it turned out he just wanted to eat clam soup.

Somehow, it made me laugh.

“Okay. I’ll have it ready. You want soju too, right?”

“Yeah.”

I should call Hanseong to check if there’s any soju left from last time.

I nodded and turned towards Michael.