Infinite Evolution Hunter - Chapter 216

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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216
Si-hwan moved into my house and became Ji-ho’s full-time nanny.
While an ordinary person would strain their voice singing lullabies for hours each day, a Hunter who used their voice professionally could croon for hours without breaking a sweat.
However, he grew bored singing the same song repeatedly and began creating parodies.
“Sleep tight~ Fart Prince~ Your stench is quite the blight~ Drinking only milk, yet~ Your nose starts to wilt~ Change those diapers quick~ Chairman, wake up tonight~ Sleep tight, Fart Prince~ Sleep tight, Fart Prince~”
Now accustomed to childcare, Si-hwan deftly changed diapers while singing his parody lullaby.
“Brother, isn’t childcare Si-hwan’s true calling?”
“Right? Combat is honestly just… mediocre for him.”
Just as it had been when he’d argued with Mother, Si-hwan possessed a tender heart and a certain naïveté. This made him unsuited for risking his life in combat within Gates.
With Si-hwan caring for Ji-ho so diligently, I, Bae Na-young, Mother, and Mother-in-law were all satisfied.
Though Si-hwan had been exhausted during the first week, once he saw the deposits in his bank account, he became quite content and cared for Ji-ho with enthusiasm.
It was a relationship where everyone thrived.
“Sigh…”
After entrusting Ji-ho to Si-hwan, I resumed training for the first time in a while, but today Yang Sang-heon’s face looked grim.
“Why are you sighing like that?”
“Huh? Was I? I didn’t even notice.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, I’m thinking of sending Ujin to daycare.”
“Already?”
“Hunter children grow quickly, you know. I’m swamped, and Akiko has mountains of work as Japan’s temporary representative.”
“Right, you’re still serving as Japan’s interim representative?”
“Yes. I have to until someone new is elected, but there’s no one available right now.”
Japan had come to the brink of collapse, so finding new leadership was hardly a simple task.
“And Ujin would benefit from playing with children his own age.”
“Then just send him to daycare, right?”
Yang Sang-heon looked at me as though I were completely clueless.
“There are no openings. And I can’t spend hours every day commuting through Gates or by car to other districts.”
“Why don’t you just move?”
“I already have a place in the Sese Zone. Why would I? There’s nowhere safer or better to live than here.”
I’d heard of the Seoul Metropolitan Area near train stations, but this was my first time hearing about the Sese Zone.
“Hmm…”
When I returned home, I told Bae Na-young about my conversation with Yang Sang-heon.
“Brother, let’s go look for daycare too. Get dressed.”
“But Ji-ho can still stay home with us, right? He’s barely starting to sit up. Aren’t we rushing this?”
“Brother, we need to send him so he doesn’t fall behind other children.”
“There’s no need to push things this early…”
Bae Na-young glared at me with fierce eyes.
“Let’s go.”
I picked up Ji-ho and stood, avoiding her gaze.
“There are no openings?”
“Yes. We have hundreds of people on the waiting list. The birth rate near the World Tree has suddenly increased, but we don’t have enough daycare facilities.”
“There’s nothing we can do about it.”
I tried to stand up, but Bae Na-young grabbed my sleeve and pulled. My body didn’t budge easily under normal circumstances, yet I found myself plopping back down onto the seat helplessly.
Part of it was that Bae Na-young’s strength was extraordinary, but the moment I saw her eyes gleaming with killing intent, all my strength drained away.
“Really, truly, there’s no space at all? We were a bit busy and couldn’t contact you in advance, but if you look carefully, wouldn’t there be an opening somewhere?”
Bae Na-young stared at the director with an icy gaze, applying pressure to make him understand who we were.
She hadn’t cast any magic, but those were the eyes of an S-rank hunter—one particularly skilled in mental attacks. She was even unconsciously radiating overwhelming pressure.
The former hunter director looked like a frog before a predator, cold sweat streaming down his face.
“Bae Na-young.”
I took her hand, and she suddenly came to her senses.
“Let’s not do this.”
“Huff… huff… I’m truly sorry. I really wish I could help, but it wouldn’t be fair to those who came first.”
The director wiped away his cold sweat. I was actually impressed that he maintained his principles while resisting the pressure.
“I understand. And….”
I looked at Bae Na-young.
“…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to….”
Bae Na-young bowed her head apologetically.
“When it comes to children, a mother can’t help but become desperate. I’ll definitely contact you if a spot opens up.”
“Thank you.”
Bae Na-young left the daycare and trudged toward home.
“Sigh… Should we send him to a daycare farther away using a Gate?”
“Even if Gates have become cheaper, there are procedures involved, and that takes time too.”
Despite his rapid growth, having a child not even a year old commute daily by Gate, car, and airplane would actually be bad for him.
“I’m worried Ji-ho might fall behind other children.”
“He’s not falling behind—he’s just going at Ji-ho’s own pace. I just want Ji-ho to be happy.”
Unlike my wishes, Bae Na-young seemed quite depressed.
* * *
After the regular Hunter Association meeting ended and I was heading back, Director Baek Young-shin stopped me.
“We’re building one.”
“Pardon?”
“I heard you were concerned about finding a daycare?”
“Yes, but how did you know that?”
“Most things that happen within the World Tree reach my ears. I’ve already given the order, so it should be completed soon.”
A week passed, and I attended the next meeting.
“Hunter Lee Ji-seok, preparations are complete.”
“…Surely you don’t mean the daycare? In just one week?”
“It’s an important matter.”
The Hunter Association meeting I’d just attended dealt with issues far more important than a daycare, yet Director Baek Young-shin seemed to be focusing more on the daycare.
“Your support, Hunter Lee Ji-seok and Hunter Bae Na-young, is the most important thing to me.”
Director Baek Young-shin spoke with a gentle smile. I knew he had my back, but I never expected him to go this far.
“Since we’ve established ourselves in District 1, shall we bring Ji-ho along to see it?”
I went home and brought Bae Na-young and Ji-ho with me.
“Thank you so much, Director!”
Bae Na-young hugged Director Baek Young-shin tightly.
“Hahaha. It’s nothing at all.”
We headed toward the newly built kindergarten, maintaining the warm atmosphere.
“… Isn’t this the building that was previously allocated to the Korean Government?”
“That’s correct. It was one of the Awakening Center Branch facilities. We didn’t have time to construct a new building, so we relocated and renovated the existing one.”
“Is that alright?”
“It is. It was a necessary measure. Shall we go in?”
The first floor of the building, renovated to suit a kindergarten atmosphere, was painted yellow in places and decorated with charming illustrations that gave it a warm feeling.
Flowers and grass spread in all directions around the entrance—I couldn’t tell when they’d been planted. Seeing how quickly they’d grown, it was clear the World Tree Spirit had lent its power.
The interior was lined with thick, soft cushions everywhere to prevent children from getting hurt.
“Did you put these cushions here to keep the kids safe? That’s nice. Hmm?”
When I pressed down, I felt something solid underneath.
“You didn’t remove the alloy plating?”
After the Helen and Franklin incident, government buildings had been fitted with anti-terrorism protective alloy. Even if bombs or powerful magic detonated outside, the building and everyone inside remained safe.
“Ah, it serves both purposes—protection from terrorism and protection from the children themselves.”
Director Baek Young-shin pointed to where children were already playing. Some facilities already had children in them.
“Since these children were born in a place where the world’s top-tier hunters gather, most of them possess Awakener-level strength. Not long ago, a two-year-old at a kindergarten near the World Tree destroyed the facility’s wall. After that incident, we strengthened regulations for all kindergartens.”
“So that’s why there aren’t many of them~”
“Exactly. Of course, this facility was built to exceed those regulations by several times over.”
“But… will Ji-ho be okay? If the other children are that strong….”
Ji-ho has no strength whatsoever. He’s just a boy whose growth is slightly accelerated. If he mixed with children possessing such power, he could suffer serious injuries.
“There’s no problem.”
Just then, a boy came bounding through the playroom on all fours like a beast, his speed and momentum far from ordinary.
The moment he was about to collide with another child ahead, a teacher wearing an apron gently caught him with wind magic.
“Western, you can’t run around inside~”
The way she gently soothed the child looked very practiced.
“We’ve employed only A-rank hunters as kindergarten teachers. Having experienced hunters who’ve been through everything in parties, they can easily handle a small child.”
“Why would people like that work here?”
Director Baek Young-shin smiled broadly.
From his expression, it seemed he’d hired them with money.
“No amount of investment here would be wasteful. The value of the work you two do is immeasurably high. Rather, I apologize for not preparing this sooner.”
Director Baek Young-shin bowed his head respectfully.
“Thank you.”
I bowed my head as well.
“The upper floors are still under construction, but we’re preparing kindergarten through elementary, middle, and high school facilities.”
We finished touring the upper floors, which were still under construction.
“We’ll prepare the finest education on Earth. If there’s anything you’d like, please just say the word.”
On the way back down to the first floor, Director Baek Young-shin whispered something to Bae Na-young.
“Director, you’re the best.”
Bae Na-young gave him a thumbs up.
“…You two just handle things on your own.”
When we arrived on the first floor, I heard a familiar song.
Turning my head, I saw Si-hwan wearing a pink children’s care gown that daycare teachers wore, singing to the infants.
“Si-hwan, didn’t you say you were taking today off?”
“… I couldn’t take it off.”
His eyes looked quite hollow—he seemed exhausted.
“Ah, Hunter Nam Si-hwan was hired on the condition that he comes after finishing his babysitting duties. Once Ji-ho enters the infant class that he’ll be managing, his work hours should decrease.”
“…You’re working hard.”
Ji-ho, who usually only stayed in my arms, reached out to be held by Si-hwan. Since we’d spent a lot of time together at home, he’d already formed a considerable bond with Si-hwan.
“How would you feel about starting today?”
“Teacher Si-hwan~ please~”
Director Baek Young-shin and Bae Na-young’s timing was perfectly synchronized.
“Sigh…. Ji-ho, come here.”
Si-hwan took Ji-ho and the two of them left the daycare without a care in the world.
“Hehehehe. It’s been a while since we’ve had time alone together.”
Either Bae Na-young or I had taken days off before, but we’d never had a moment alone together without worry.
“Let’s go, oppa.”
“Huh? Where? Bae Na-young? Where are we going?”
Bae Na-young pulled my arm and gave me a burning gaze.
…
It was time to fulfill my marital duties.
* * *
“Analysis of the materials that Hunter Lee Ji-seok risked his life to steal from the Tower of Knowledge has exceeded 50%. Among the interpreted contents, there are urgent matters to decide, so we’re sharing this information.”
Jae-in, today’s presenter at the regular Hunter Association meeting, picked up a laser pointer and began the presentation.
“The universe splits into multiple possibilities due to certain events. The Destruction God is merely a gardener who prunes universes without hope and channels more power into the remaining universes.”
Something everyone wanted to avoid talking about but couldn’t help but discuss—the matter of the Destruction God.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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