There wasn’t anything notable in the newspaper this morning. Aside from large headlines about the upcoming college entrance exam and the record-breaking number of applicants for the fourth-quarter Hunter registration program, the news was filled with trivial articles, such as professional baseball results. However, it was also a sign that the world was at peace. Time had flowed steadily, and it was now November. As expected, the weather was gradually turning colder. Yoon-Hee was already wearing a cardigan over her school uniform as she prepared breakfast, humming a tune. She seemed a bit hurried since she also had to make lunch for the children. Judging by the rich, savory smell of soybean paste, today’s breakfast looked like doenjang jjigae. Suddenly, a tremor shook the road in front of Changshin Villa. Startled by the noise, Yoon-Hee accidentally dropped her ladle onto the floor. A commotion was heard in the neighborhood. Of course, it was Hakase and Kiriel making all the noise this early morning. “You’ve finally lost your mind! Are you seriously challenging me right now?” Hakase shouted. “Yes! This time, I’ll show you the true power of the great Kiriel!” “Hah, listen to yourself, you dumbass!” Although they had been at odds since their time in the Deep Realm, the duo seemed to be getting along lately—only to start fighting again. Do-Jun sighed and decided to ignore them. “Oh, those two are so lively this morning...” Yoon-Hee said with an awkward smile, then picked up the ladle and continued preparing breakfast. After finishing breakfast, Do-Jun left for work, but somehow, he got dragged into the two’s petty squabble and found himself in an empty dimension. In the void, Hakase and Kiriel started a fight to determine their “rank.” Arrows and meteor-like projectiles rained from the sky, crashing into the ground. Do-Jun silently watched their fight, occasionally checking his wristwatch. To be honest, their powers seemed evenly matched to him. While Hakase had a slight advantage in raw power, Kiriel’s collection of treasure-grade artifacts, including forbidden relics, ultimately balanced the scales. At precisely 8 AM, Do-Jun quietly exited the dimension. He had been asked to act as the judge, but seeing no end in sight, he thought it was a waste of time. “Huff... Huff... Kiriel, just admit defeat,” Hakase told him. “W-who are you to talk? I am still standing!” Three hours had passed, and both were exhausted from using their skills relentlessly. Kiriel wiped the sweat off his forehead and sharply turned toward where Do-Jun had been standing. But he was nowhere to be seen. “Where did he go...?” Kiriel asked. “Seems like... he left for work.” Without someone to act as a judge, continuing their fight was pointless. Hakase scratched his head, thinking deeply, then snapped his fingers as if he had just come up with a brilliant idea. “Let’s settle this a different way.” Byeol was in a world where lush green meadows stretched endlessly. Warm sunlight, refreshing breeze, and sparrows chirping melodiously created a peaceful scene. In this beautiful setting, Byeol was sound asleep, listening to her daddy’s lullaby. Byeol loved her dad. Somehow, his scent calmed and soothed her. Suddenly, he disappeared. Byeol, who had been nestled in his arms, fell to the ground with a thud. The impact woke her up, and she blinked in confusion. Suddenly, the ground started to shake, and two men kicked up a dust storm as they raced toward her. Byeol froze in fear upon recognizing Hakase and Kiriel. They each grabbed one of her arms and started pulling her toward themselves, growling at each other. “I picked her up first!” Byeol feared she might get split in two at this rate. “H-help! You’re gonna kill me!” she screamed with all her might. Why were they suddenly acting ? Tears welled up in Byeol’s eyes amid the sudden chaos. But despite her desperate pleas, their argument didn’t stop. “Then let’s split her evenly,” Hakase suggested. “Oh, that’s a great idea, lizard.” Upon hearing those words, Byeol’s face turned pale. “Nooo...” Byeol thrashed in her bed before her eyes snapped open. The familiar ceiling of the bedroom greeted her. Realizing it had all been a dream, Byeol heaved a sigh of relief, then rolled over to where Do-Jun usually lay, burying her face in his pillow. At that moment, familiar voices reached her ears. Hakase and Kiriel approached Byeol. Remembering her dream, Byeol’s face turned pale, but to them, her face seemed as adorably soft and round as ever. Kiriel chuckled and poked her cheek. “Come here, little one.” “Don’t go to him; come to me instead,” Hakase said softly. With their arms outstretched, both beckoned Byeol to come closer. Byeol trembled, glancing back and forth between them. Was her dream about to become reality? “Nooo!” Byeol jumped off the bed and bolted to the living room. Left behind, the two tilted their heads, puzzled. Byeol couldn’t understand. What was all this commotion right after waking up? She munched on the strawberry jelly sandwiches that Yoon-Hee had made. She woke up in a bad mood after a disturbing dream, but by the time she was on her third sandwich, her spirits had completely lifted. By the fourth sandwich, with her mouth smeared with jam, she was smiling brightly. Hakase and Kiriel finally sighed in relief, realizing Byeol was in a good mood again. Today, they had planned a competition to determine who could win her affection the most. A little later, the first place they took her was a ramen shop. The sign read Shobu Ramen, a restaurant that had opened in Bangbae-dong less than six months ago. Despite its short time in business, it had gained a reputation as a hotspot, always busy with customers. As they entered, the rich aroma of ramen broth filled the air, making Byeol smile broadly. “Are you weally tweating me too?” she asked Kiriel. “Of course. What do you want to eat? I will buy it all for you,” Kiriel replied. His plan was simple: win Byeol’s favor with food. Watching this, Hakase clicked his tongue in disapproval and pondered over which ramen to order for himself. Soon, they all made their choices. Three steaming bowls of ramen and two plates of dumplings arrived. Byeol grinned brightly at the sight of the pork slices piled high in her bowl. Despite having just eaten four strawberry jelly sandwiches, Byeol, who had a healthy appetite for her age, started eating the ramen enthusiastically. “Heh.” Watching her, Kiriel felt confident in his victory. After finishing her ramen down to the last drop of broth, Byeol’s stomach was visibly rounded. Kiriel made a triumphant peace sign with his fingers toward Hakase, while Byeol wore a thoroughly satisfied expression. Hakase, however, clicked his tongue in frustration. Their next stop was an apparel store run by Mr. Park Deok-Bae. The shop carried a variety of clothing but specialized in children’s wear. “Pick anything you want,” Hakase said in an overly confident tone. For a moment, Byeol blinked in disbelief and turned back to look at Hakase. What was up with these two today? She couldn’t understand. Having ramen alone had been a treat, but now they were even offering to buy her clothes! It felt like a dream come true. “Is this a tweat too?” Byeol asked. “Of course. And just so you know, I’m the one treating you this time,” Hakase said proudly. Overjoyed, Byeol ran off to the children’s section. A little while later, she returned with a T-shirt featuring Pororong. “Alright. Anything else?” “I can buy more?” she asked, surprised. “Of course! Today is all about you, Byeol.” Byeol blinked in disbelief. “W-wait a minute! Lizard! That’s unfair!” Kiriel protested. “Buying so many clothes is against the rules of fairness...” “Then why didn’t you buy her more ramen earlier?” Hakase challenged. “F-fine. That’s how you want to play it, huh?” Kiriel began selecting clothes that he thought Byeol would like. “What... what are you doing?” Hakase asked. “I’m buying clothes for Byeol too.” Before long, both of them were selecting children’s clothes at a furious pace. Watching them, Park Deok-Bae cautiously stepped back. Soon after, both Hakase and Kiriel were holding shopping bags in each hand. The bags were stuffed to the brim with Byeol’s new clothes, almost ready to burst. After finishing their shopping spree, they took Byeol to a chain ice cream shop, where she sampled every flavor. Humming the Pororong theme song, she skipped along the sidewalk, clearly in high spirits. “It’s about time we settled this.” “Agreed. Get ready to call me your hyungnim.” Kiriel called out to Byeol. “Byeol.” “Who do you like better: me or Hakase?” Both of them crouched to meet Byeol at her eye level. She waddled toward them, looked at both of them closely, and pondered. Today, she had eaten delicious ramen, received adorable clothes, and even tasted expensive ice cream in every flavor. It had been the happiest day in recent memory. Feeling happy, she kissed both of them on the cheek. “I like both!” she said. After giving her kisses, Byeol cheerfully hopped away, humming her song. Hakase and Kiriel stood there, staring blankly at the child’s retreating figure before breaking into smiles. They got up and followed after her. “H-how about we call it a draw for today?” Hakase suggested. When Do-Jun got home, he saw the living room floor covered with children’s clothes. The tags hadn’t even been removed yet. The prices ranged from 30,000 won to over 100,000 won—quite expensive. “What’s all this?” he asked. Byeol explained everything to him. She told him how Hakase and Kiriel had taken her out after she woke up, treated her to ramen, bought her clothes, and even splurged on ice cream. She didn’t leave out a single detail. Piecing together the story, Do-Jun burst into laughter, dumbfounded by how things had unfolded. In the end, neither Hakase nor Kiriel was the ultimate winner of their competition. It was Byeol, who, thanks to their rivalry, got to eat delicious food all day and receive a wardrobe full of cute clothes.