chapter 206
The next morning.
As the sun rose, a commotion spread among the staff.
The vegetable patch, which had been full just yesterday, was now completely empty.
“Maybe it really was a ghost or a goblin or something?”
“No way. Probably just wild animals… like a boar or something…”
“If a whole pack came through, wouldn’t it have been too loud to miss?”
While eavesdropping on the production crew, Guru stood frozen in front of the emptied garden.
‘This is a lie.’
Snf. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, and her cheeks puffed round with frustration.
She had spent the night hiding under the blanket, trembling from that ghost story, waking and falling back asleep over and over. Her eyes were heavy with exhaustion.
‘No way.’
There must’ve been wild animals that stole the crops.
Like wild boars, or rabbits, or turtles!
“That bastard even went this far, huh…”
Like… a dog bastard!
“Um?”
The one who muttered and assumed the crop thief was a “dog bastard” was Iromi.
She ground her teeth in fury, glaring at the empty vegetable patch with a serious expression. Her clenched fists trembled as if she were consumed by some heavy thought.
‘Is Romi unnie super hungry or something?’
Guru tilted her head, confused at the way she looked like she was shivering with rage. At that moment, PD Hwang clapped loudly to gather everyone’s attention and wrapped things up.
“Alright, alright! That’s enough speculation! You never know what might happen during on-location shoots, right? That’s part of the charm! In any case, since this happened, today the production team will specially provide the ingredients… but only after yesterday’s penalty is completed!”
“Penalty?”
Woojoo asked, and PD Hwang cheerfully raised an index finger in reply.
“Kids! There’s a rule here: you’re not allowed to buy ingredients! Hahaha!”
DING—!
Guru and Woojoo’s mouths fell open, while Kazuki and Iromi gave awkward laughs.
Meanwhile, Jurim stood in the back, perfectly nonchalant, as if this had nothing to do with him. Like no matter what it was, it’d never be his problem.
Seeing that clear display of disinterest, Kazuki raised his hand high.
“What if we don’t do the penalty?”
“Then you’ll have no choice but to go hungry. You knew that, right?”
Looking at PD Hwang’s smug, cheerful face, Guru muttered in a sulky voice,
“Meanie…”
“Hahaha!”
“Eviction-nim…”
“Gasp!”
PD Hwang gasped dramatically.
Then, as if impressed, Iromi patted Guru’s shoulder and asked warily,
“Alright, we’ll do it. We can’t let the kids go hungry… But what do we «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» have to do?”
“Ahh, our eldest daughter’s so responsible~ Well then, I’ll announce it! The penalty is…”
PD Hwang grinned wickedly.
***
JINGLE—!
The tambourine shook rhythmically from side to side with a cheery jingle.
Iromi belted out a high note with a clenched fist, while Woojoo and Guru waved their tambourines with dazzling flair.
Their penalty mission was to form a trio and put on a performance!
To do this, they each grabbed a mic and tambourine and climbed onto a small stage set up in front of the village hall.
Jingle!
As Iromi sang trot music for the elderly crowd, Guru shook her tambourine stiffly behind her and muttered quietly,
“Not a ghost.”
Jingle!
Jingle!
“Huh?”
“Teachuh said dey no ghosties.”
There’s no way something that scary could really exist.
Woojoo clearly didn’t know what she was talking about, but Guru was dead set on proving it herself tonight. She spun in place, keeping to the beat.
Jingle! Jingle-jingle!
With her adorable dancing and flashy tambourine moves, the elderly villagers clapped along with smiles.
Meanwhile, Kazuki had taken on a different mission—
[Activating skill: ‘Potter of the Star Festival’.]
The milky way dough turned into glittering sandpaper and fell into his hands.
As he swept the blade of an old kitchen knife with the sparkling sandpaper, the worn, chipped knife regained a sharp, silver edge.
Elderly villagers had lined up holding knives and farming tools, whispering among themselves as they watched Kazuki.
“Looks like he used to be a yakuza—dude sharpens knives real good.”
A large man with tattoos covering his body and a rough-looking Japanese face.
Somehow, a rumor had spread in the village that Kazuki was a yakuza.
His flashy appearance and knife-handling skills made it hard to believe he was Japan’s S-Rank crafter.
“Huh?”
Kazuki, unable to understand the elderly dialect, just gave them a big, innocent smile.
“What a kind yakuza boy.”
“Must’ve quit for good, huh.”
“Must be.”
One old man patted Kazuki on the shoulder.
“Hey now, don’t go usin’ knives no more. Just sharpen other people’s and live a good life. This is your calling, I tell ya.”
“Huh?”
“Arigato, arigato!”
“Aha! You’re welcome!”
The staff, intentionally letting the misunderstanding continue, burst into laughter.
And standing off to the side—Jurim.
He stared up at a massive stack of firewood.
“Young fella’s s’posed to chop all this? Sheesh…”
Chopping wood like this was normally a job for the young village head or for seasonal mercs from Scandinavia.
“Don’t just stand there all stiff. Get to work!”
As Jurim took the axe and stood idle, the village head urged him on.
“…Hmm.”
He gently set the axe down on the ground.
“I don’t think I need this.”
“Oh yeah? Then how’re you gonna do it?”
Jurim leapt onto the log pile in one smooth motion, estimating its size.
Then, with a tap of his toe, he kicked at the logs.
In that instant—
CRACK-RUMBLE-CRASH!
The firewood collapsed, cleanly split into quarters.
Everyone’s jaws dropped in stunned silence.
To be able to use a skill with that level of precision—this was proof of Jurim’s insane mastery.
Sure, there were many Hunters who could split wood using a skill.
But to do it this precisely and effortlessly? That was something only Jurim could pull off.
Kazuki’s eyes sparkled as he watched this rare display.
[“That’s our On-chan! A monstrous beast, I tell ya!”]
He clapped like a kid and smiled innocently, while Jurim muttered with a sour face,
“Monstrous beast…”
[“You’re not even human anymore!”]
Kazuki beamed from ear to ear.
Is this guy insulting me?
Jurim genuinely couldn’t tell if the idiot was complimenting him or taking the piss.
In the end, the most dangerous people were the innocent idiots.
Anyway, his task was now done.
“Well, I’ll be heading ba—”
“Not so fast!”
PD Hwang quickly stopped him and handed him “that thing.”
Jurim stared blankly at the item in his hand.
Why…?
JINGLE—
Why me?
Was it a crime to finish too quickly?
Jurim had no choice but to play the tambourine with the kids.
“…?”
Why am I holding a tambourine?
Guru, who had been hitting the beat with dazzling skill, burst out laughing.
“Daddychann’s beat is aww over da pwace.”
“Mister, you’re playing half a beat early.”
“…?!”
JINGLE—
And this iconic moment’s highlight clip remained the #1 trending video for quite some time.
***
[TRENDING VIDEO RANKINGS]
[ENG/JPN] Top-Ranking Dad Shakes Tambourine While S-Rank Crafter Sharpens Knives
(Thumbnail: Stone-faced Jurim shaking a tambourine, Kazuki sharpening a blade)
[7,824 Comments]
@447393
S-Class duo, I’m crying 😂😂😂
They really did this lmfao
They got those two and made them do THAT? PD Hwang is insane 😂😂😂
@duehaka
01:10 Guru's tambourine snap—our little chickie? A freakin' tambourine pro lololol
F-Rank dad and S-Rank daughter
Actual kindergarteners have god-tier rhythm, fr
Even On Jurim can’t match a kindergartener’s day job 🤣
@eueu988
Watching On Jurim shake a tambourine from my bedroom… This really might be the end of the world.
It’s fine. I’ve stanned Jurim for 500 years. This? I can live with.
Not that I’m thrilled either.
You think Jurim looks like someone who’d enjoy shaking a tambourine? You must be a spy.
LOL I take it back I’m sorry 😂😂
@qwer1234
Is PD Hwang still alive?
Intern writer uploaded this
Rest in power, Action Beam 🥲
PD Hwang, your final work is a masterpiece of variety TV…
@hyeonakofficial
Our Guru’s just too precious today ❤❤❤ Our Guildmastuh is the cutest too hehe
Oh my god
Confirmed: real Hyeonak public account
Someone make sure the Guildmastuh sees this 😂
Hyeonak staff, if you’re being held captive and forced to comment, shake a tambourine
@rachelXX
so lovely family i love big on and little on!
@tuski-333
[You Koreans took Amakusa-sama and made him do this www]
[Why is Japan’s beloved Amakusa-sama sharpening knives like a yakuza in Korea… but if he’s happy, then okay]
[You took one, now give one. Equivalent exchange. Give us Guru-chan ww]
[Agreed! Guru-chan is suuuper cute ww]
[F <=> Only S-Rank? Is that really equal?]
[Ultra cute little girl <=> yakuza]
[Checks out. Equivalent exchange www]
@yuurii
[If only it weren’t for Prime Minister Takahashi… Guru-chan would’ve been ours]
[Hey, snap out of it. Amakusa was ours to begin with www]
Don’t you dare lay a hand on Guru, you Japanese bastards??