It was a warm morning bathed in sunlight. On the playground of a daycare center near her home, Byeol was busy building a makeshift sandcastle with other kids her age. Although she wasn’t officially enrolled in the daycare, Byeol would often drop by to play on the playground or join in various activities with the older children. “Alright, everyone, it’s time to head back inside,” the teacher, Han Ji-Hye, called out to the children. “Yes, Ms. Han!” the children responded, their bright smiles lighting up their faces as they ran toward her in a cheerful rush. The next day was the daycare’s field trip, and Ji-Hye planned to send the kids home early today with a flyer listing the items they needed to bring. Watching the children gather around Ji-Hye, Byeol blinked curiously. Noticing her, Ji-Hye smiled warmly and said, “Byeol, you come along too.” Ji-Hye knew who Byeol was and that this two- maybe three-year-old girl lived nearby in Changshin Villa. With a face that looked like it had come straight out of a fairy tale and a mysterious aura about her, Byeol was popular not only among the children but also with the daycare staff. “Here, give this to your dad.” Ji-Hye handed Byeol a flyer. It detailed the daycare’s plans for the field trip to Maebongjaesan Park, along with a list of items to prepare. Byeol took the flyer and read the title aloud, carefully enunciating each word. “Field... twip... guide. Items... backpack, lunchbox, dwink, snack. Don’t... foget... to pack all items.” Her eyes widened upon realizing what this meant. “I can come too?” she asked, surprised. Ji-Hye nodded with a smile. That evening, Do-Jun was in a strategy meeting with Behemoth in the Hunter’s Bureau conference room. After finishing his walkthrough of the fourth floor of the Core, there was a brief break. Leaning his chin on one hand, Do-Jun examined the field trip guide that Byeol had brought him. It looked like the daycare near their home was planning a group outing to Maebongjaesan Park. Although Byeol wasn’t enrolled, the daycare had said they’d be happy to let her join if Do-Jun approved. With a smile, Do-Jun looked over the list of items. Byeol seemed very excited about the trip. However, one thing weighed on his mind: the lunchbox. Unfortunately, Yoon-Hee was away taking exams today and tomorrow, leaving Do-Jun to prepare the lunch himself in the morning. He decided to do his best but wasn't sure what to include in the lunchbox. “Everything okay, Supervisor Lee?” Ae-Kyung approached him, glancing at the guide he was holding. “I’m thinking about what to pack in Byeol’s lunchbox for tomorrow,” Do-Jun replied. “A field trip? Does Byeol attend daycare?” “No, they were just kind enough to invite her.” “Hmm...” Ae-Kyung offered, “Should I pack it for you?” “Pardon? You would do that, Hunter Ae-Kyung?” “You have work tomorrow, and you’ll be tired. Besides, I...” Her words trailed off for a moment before continuing, “I am Byeol’s mom, after all, right?” She looked hesitantly at Do-Jun. Technically, she had temporarily played the role of Byeol’s mom during a four-day stay at his house. Worried her comment might have been too direct, she fidgeted nervously. Do-Jun observed her silently. Seeing her nervously playing with her fingers, he felt grateful for her kindness, especially considering the busy schedules of S-rank Hunters like Behemoth. “Are you sure?” Do-Jun asked her. Ae-Kyung nodded enthusiastically. After finishing the meeting, Ae-Kyung returned to her hotel: a towering forty-story, five-star hotel near Gangnam Station that seemed to reach the sky. Operated by SG Group, one of South Korea’s top companies, the hotel’s thirtieth floor was reserved exclusively for her. “Tell me again why you two are here...?” Ae-Kyung asked, looking at Kang-Hyun and Jun-Yeol, who were lounging on her sofa. The two men stood abruptly and approached the kitchen counter, examining the ingredients laid out and the small children’s lunchbox. “A lunchbox this simple won’t do,” Kang-Hyun said. “Senior Lee is right,” Jun-Yeol added. Their expressions grew serious. Then, Jun-Yeol took out a massive three-tiered lunchbox, exquisitely crafted with lacquered wood. He pushed aside the small lunchbox that Ae-Kyung had picked and replaced it with the bigger one. He added, “A field trip lunchbox is a matter of pride. If it pales in comparison to others, the child might feel defeated. It’s essentially a ‘lunch-off,’ where the contents determine the social hierarchy among friends.” At Jun-Yeol’s passionate comment, Kang Hyun nodded solemnly in agreement. “A-are you two serious?” Ae-Kyung asked, bewildered by how seriously they were taking this. “This isn’t just about packing a lunchbox,” Kang-Hyun said. “Uh... what?” Ae-Kyung asked in confusion. “Byeol, was it? She’s Supervisor Lee’s daughter. Think about it. If Byeol is delighted and satisfied with our lunchbox, we’ll win her over. Isn’t that right?” “Our lunchbox?” Ae-Kyung repeated. “And if we win Byeol over, we’ll earn points with Supervisor Lee, too.” “But what if our lunchbox disappoints Byeol?” Jun-Yeol gulped audibly and said, “That would be a catastrophe.” It was a beautiful day for a picnic. Byeol wore the yellow children’s uniform provided by the daycare and climbed up to Maebongjaesan Park along the walking trail. This place had once been the site of a C-rank Fissure, which had devastated the area with a Breakout. However, the government had restored the mountain and converted it into a park. At the fountain in the middle of the park, water shot into the air, forming a rainbow. Ji-Hye, the daycare teacher, smiled as she looked at the children gathered closely under her supervision. She then pointed to a grassy field and said, “Everyone, you brought your lunch boxes, right?” “Yes!” the children replied in unison. “Let’s eat first, then have some fun.” The children started pulling out their lunch boxes from their bags. However, Byeol didn’t take anything out. She didn’t have a lunch box because that morning, her daddy had told her that her mommy would bring it to her. Her stomach growled loudly. The breakfast she had in the morning was already moot thanks to the hike up to the park. Looking around, she saw that all the other children were taking out their lunch boxes. Byeol quickly turned her head toward the walking trail they had climbed and stared at it. Then, she lowered her head and placed her hands on her belly. “Byeol, you need to take out your lunch,” Ji-Hye said after noticing that Byeol wasn’t eating. “I don’t have lunch, Ms. Han...” “What? Didn’t your dad pack one for you?” “Daddy said Mommy would bwing it for me...” That was strange. As far as Ji-Hye knew, Byeol was being raised by her father, Do-Jun, on his own. While she didn’t know the specifics of their family situation, she had assumed that Byeol’s mother had either passed away or was not part of the picture due to a separation. But now Byeol said her mom was bringing the lunch box? “Did your mom say she’d come here?” Ji-Hye asked Byeol. “Yes... She called this monning and said it’d be too heavy for me to cawwy, so she’d bwing it.” “I see. Do you know your mom’s phone number? Should I call her for you?” As if on cue, a loud rumble resonated through the air—the sound of a car engine. A black sports car sped up the paved road leading to the park’s entrance and pulled into the lot. All the children turned their attention toward the car. With a soft whirring noise, the car door lifted upward, and a man stepped out from the driver’s seat. Then, another man and a woman exited from the passenger side. “W-wait, i-is that...!” Ji-Hye’s eyes widened in shock. The people who got out of the car were some of the most famous Hunters in Korea—no, in the entire world. Members of Behemoth Guild, the first and most legendary Hunter guild. “Dammit! We’re late! I told you, senior, the tempura was a bad idea!” Jun-Yeol said. “Quiet. The kids are watching,” Kang-Hyun warned him. “You’re both too noisy,” Ae-Kyung complained. Then, Ji-Hye saw Byeol’s face light up with a big smile. Ae-Kyung carried a large bundle and approached with a smile as Byeol ran toward her. “Mommy!” Byeol threw herself into Ae-Kyung’s arms, who lifted her up, holding her tightly. “Sorry I’m late,” she said, glancing at the other children, who had already unpacked their lunches. She patted Byeol’s back as she spoke. Byeol didn’t mind her hunger anymore—she was just happy to see her Mommy after such a long time. Meanwhile, Ji-Hye’s mouth hung open in astonishment. ‘Mommy’? That’s her mom?! Ae-Kyung unwrapped the lunch box, revealing an elaborate three-tiered container. The first layer was filled with rice balls shaped like Pororong characters, Byeol’s favorite. The second layer held a variety of freshly fried foods that were still warm and crispy. The third contained a salad and a selection of fruits. “Wow! Byeol’s lunch box is amazing!” The other children couldn’t take their eyes off the rice balls shaped like the Pororong characters. It was clear that a lot of care had gone into preparing the meal. Byeol was all smiles with pride. “It’s Pororong!” Byeol exclaimed in joy. “Do you like it?” Ae-Kyung asked. “Share it with your friends. I brought plenty.” “Can we have some too?” one of the children asked. Byeol happily started eating lunch with the other children. Ae-Kyung let out a sigh of relief. If she had been even a little later, Byeol would have been heartbroken. Ji-Hye had been a daycare teacher for eleven years and thought she had seen it all. But nothing could have prepared her for today. “Is this really happening...?” she muttered to herself. Ae-Kyung, the third-ranked Korean Hunter and the highest-ranked female Hunter worldwide, was Byeol’s mom? Ji-Hye had imagined Byeol came from a complicated family background, but this was beyond her wildest expectations. On top of that, as far as the public knew, Ae-Kyung was supposed to be single. If she had a child, the whole world would be talking about it. How had this remained a secret? Glancing over, Ji-Hye saw Kang-Hyun and Jun-Yeol setting up a tripod and mounting a camera on it. They aimed the camera at the children eating lunch. Seeing Behemoth Guild members in such a setting was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “Ryu Jun-Yeol, hurry up and take the shot! Byeol’s eating the tempura right now!” Kang-Hyun urged him. “Senior, stop shaking my shoulder—I can’t get the camera to focus!” “She’s enjoying the fried food I made! I need to show this to Supervisor Lee!” Ji-Hye stared blankly at the two men fussing over the scene, still talking to each other. “Byeol looks so happy.” “The three-tiered lunch box was the right call.” “Yes, it’s definitely a hit with her friends.” The camera shutter clicked repeatedly as they captured the moment. “Senior, look at this one! It turned out super well!” Jun-Yeol said. “Senior, I was thinking—what if we make this into a photo album and send it to Supervisor Lee? It’d definitely earn us some points.” “That is truly an excellent idea,” Kang-Hyun agreed happily. Ji-Hye could only watch in stunned silence.