Who was the coolest person in the world? There was only one person that Yong-Yong could think of. It was undeniably his master, Do-Jun. Of course, Do-Jun wasn’t conventionally handsome, but his greatest charm was in his aura. Watching Do-Jun read the newspaper, sip coffee, or occasionally gaze out the window often made Yong-Yong wish he could emulate that vibe. What could he be thinking? His gaze appeared inscrutable to the average person, as if his thoughts were out of reach. It embodied the pinnacle of an ideal image Yong-Yong had once aspired to—the noble and dignified air of someone observing the world from great heights. Yong-Yong wanted to be just like Do-Jun. Lately, Byeol had started waking up well past 10 AM. She used to wake up without fail when her favorite cartoon, Pororong, started at ten. However, since learning she could rewatch it anytime through on-demand TV, she began lazing in bed for another thirty minutes to an hour before getting up. Byeol squirmed in bed before turning toward the spot where Do-Jun had been lying. Taking a deep breath, she could smell her dad’s scent, which felt warm and comforting. She then threw off the blanket, sat up, and briefly dozed off, nodding her head as sleep threatened to reclaim her. Rubbing her eyes, she slowly slid off the bed. Reaching her small hands under the bed, she fumbled until she found a crinkly object to pull out. It was one of her favorite snacks—Choco Pie. Munching on her treat, Byeol waddled out of the bedroom into the living room. But she saw something shocking that made her drop her Choco Pie. A strange man was sitting at the dining table, gazing wistfully out the balcony window! “A-a stwanger!” she exclaimed. This was bad. Was this the “robber” she had seen on TV? Byeol began to tear up, her lips trembling as if she might burst into tears. Then suddenly, she stopped, quickly picked up her Choco Pie, and cautiously approached the suspicious man. Upon a closer inspection, he seemed oddly familiar. Byeol squinted her eyes and scrutinized him. Fiery red hair like blazing flames, sharp eyes with thick eyebrows, a chiseled nose, and tightly pressed lips. He was definitely a new face, yet he felt familiar. “Yong-Yong?” she said tentatively. Indeed, this was the feeling of Yong-Yong. At last, the man smiled slightly, lifted Byeol into his arms, and gently patted her back. Byeol took a deep breath in his embrace, then widened her eyes in surprise. “Y-you really are Yong-Yong!” “Hehe, tada—no, ahem, surprised?” “How did you get ? You’re bigger, Yong-Yong!” “Yes. This is my true form.” “Wow. Were you always this big?” It was his human form—the form of the Overlord, once feared across the Deep Realm. Byeol found the transformed Yong-Yong fascinating. She circled around him, observing him from every angle. Though he had been smaller than her before, he now stood as tall as her dad, making it hard for her to look up at him directly. “Will I grow this big too?” Byeol asked. “If you eat your veggies and go to bed early, it’s possible,” Yong-Yong said. “But Yong-Yong, you don’t eat veggies, and you’re still tall.” Yong-Yong flinched. He cleared his throat, grabbed the folded newspaper from the table, and then stood up. “I’m going out for a bit,” he said. As he approached the front door, he paused and handed a 10,000 won bill to the wide-eyed Byeol. “Order some food when Karsiel wakes up.” With a smile, Yong-Yong left the house. [Next stop: Hunter Academy. The doors will open on the right.] Stepping off the subway, Yong-Yong arrived at the front gates of Hunter Academy. For some reason, people had been whispering about him ever since he got off the train. Whenever he turned his head sharply, men averted their eyes, while women squealed and chatted excitedly. Humans were such strange creatures. Yong-Yong stepped into a café that was located in the Academy. He remembered that the last time he was here with Do-Jun, Do-Jun ordered an iced Americano. Deciding to do the same, Yong-Yong approached the counter. “W-welcome!” the employee greeted. Ignoring the stuttering employee, Yong-Yong scanned the menu. Words like “blended” and “cappuccino” were confusing, but he didn’t let it faze him. He already had his order in mind. “A-ah, yes! Would you like it iced...? And what size?” “Iced. And I’ll take a large... no, a small.” “Got it, one tall iced Americano. That’ll be 4,000 won.” With a solemn and serious expression, Yong-Yong pulled out a crumpled 5,000 won bill from the coin pouch hanging around his neck. The female employee thought it was interesting that he had a coin pouch, but brushed it off and reached for the bill. However, Yong-Yong’s hand was trembling. “Sir...?” The employee slightly tugged the bill out of Yong-Yong’s hand and then offered the change with a curious expression. Receiving the thousand won, Yong-Yong swallowed his tears. He could have bought a whole box of Choco Pies for 4,000 won. But he maintained his composure. Moments later, he took his Americano and sat by the window, gazing outside. Looking down at the dark liquid with floating ice cubes, he gulped and took a sip. Yong-Yong and the employee were the only two people in the café, and the café echoed with his loud coughing. Startled, the employee looked up from her sweeping, but Yong-Yong pretended nothing had happened, crossing his arms and gazing out the window. Then, he opened the newspaper. The next day, Lee Sun-Hye, an employee at the café in the Academy, was lost in thought as she wiped down the coffee machine with a cloth. Having taken a liking to the sculpted, movie-like handsome man she had seen yesterday, she secretly hoped he would return today. Ah! He’s back! she thought happily, seeing the man with red hair and a face as exotic as a statue. Yesterday, she had mustered the courage to ask his name. He said it was Yong-Yong. Such an unusual name. “One Americano, please,” Yong-Yong said. “Good to see you again.” “Would you like it iced?” “Shall I make it a tall size?” “Whatever you call small.” “That’ll be 4,000 won.” After paying, Yong-Yong took his Americano and sat in a corner seat. Once again, he was the café’s sole customer. Lee Sun-Hye stole glances at him while cleaning. Today as well, he sipped his Americano, occasionally glanced at the newspaper, and gazed out at the academy’s view through the window. So cool, Lee Sun-Hye thought. With eyes filled with wistfulness, he sometimes rested his chin on his hand, sighed, and alternated between picking up and setting down his Americano. The man named Yong-Yong returned the next day at the same time. “Hello!” Lee Sun-Hye greeted brightly. “I’m the only one here again,” he said. “Iced Americano, tall size, right?” “That’ll be 4,000 won.” Lee Sun-Hye gave a shy smile. He always ordered the same thing. By subtly showing that she remembered his preference, she hoped to earn some brownie points. Yong-Yong clenched his fists and trembled slightly, biting his lip as he retrieved money from his coin pouch. That night, after finishing dinner, Do-Jun stood on the balcony, silently watching Yong-Yong, who was sighing at the moonlit sky. Scratching his head, Do-Jun thought about the Nest Management Log that Yong-Yong wrote in daily, knowing well why he seemed troubled. Do-Jun sat on the living room sofa, pretending to read a newspaper. “I want to drink something,” he muttered to himself and headed to the kitchen. Filling the kettle with water, he turned it on to boil. Then, he took out a packet of chocolate powder he had bought earlier. Once the water boiled, he poured it into a cup, filling about a third of it, added the powder, and stirred quickly. A sweet, chocolatey aroma filled the air. Adding ice cubes to make iced chocolate, Do-Jun returned to the sofa, sipped the drink, and resumed pretending to read the newspaper. Predictably, Yong-Yong’s reaction was instantaneous. He approached cautiously, peering over the table to check the cup’s contents, sniffing the air. “M-Master, why are you drinking chocolate milk?” “You always drank Americano, didn’t you?” Yong-Yong’s face showed clear confusion. Suppressing a laugh, Do-Jun responded with a serious expression. “Sometimes, I drink chocolate too.” As if he couldn’t believe it, Yong-Yong blinked rapidly, his mouth slightly agape. Then, breaking into a bright smile, his tail wagged energetically. Seeing Yong-Yong’s deflated coin pouch, Do-Jun said, “By the way, you’ve filled your stamp book, haven’t you?” “Here.” He placed a crisp, new 10-thousand-won bill into the pouch. The next day, Lee Sun-Hye arrived at work with a spring in her step. The café opened early at 8 AM to serve academy instructors looking for their morning coffee fix. After a rush of orders, she took a short break and pulled out a new batch of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee beans. “He’ll , right?” she wondered. Until now, the café had served Colombia Supremo, a popular choice. But today, Lee Sun-Hye prepared a special coffee for Yong-Yong. Yirgacheffe beans, with their fruity berry notes and floral aroma, boasted a strong acidity that coffee lovers appreciated. The entrance bell jingled. He’s here. Lee Sun-Hye dropped what she was doing and rushed to the counter, clasping her hands with a warm smile. “Hello!” she said to Yong-Yong. Uncharacteristically, Yong-Yong wore a faint smile. Was he having a good day? “A tall iced Americano, right?” she asked. For three days in a row, he had ordered the same thing. Surely, today would be no different. But Yong-Yong shook his head. “Iced chocolate. A large.” She repeated his order to confirm, “A large iced chocolate?” Nodding, Yong-Yong handed over a crisp 10-thousand-won bill from the coin pouch hanging around his neck. Unlike before, he handed over the money without hesitation. “But, why...? You always order an iced Americano.” With a serious expression, Yong-Yong replied, “Sometimes, I drink chocolate too.”