Jurim was fairly used to taking responsibility, but this time he truly felt wronged.

Why did he have to clean up after Sheir’s mess?

Why did he have to be the one wearing this stupid mascot suit?

And why, in a video where Guru was the star—“Today’s Guru”—did he have to make a special appearance?

He was swamped with questions and all sorts of emotions, but still followed quietly behind the staff member Jin Siwon had handed her over to, Yoon Arin.

At their destination, a cute platinum-haired child stood with a bird perched on her head, whispering into a camcorder.

It seemed like she was recording her opening greeting for the vlog.

“Hello, Guru! Long time no see!”

“Annya haseyo! Arin unni.”

The child bowed politely, then turned to see Jurim in the mascot suit—and her mouth fell open.

“This here is Hyeonak Guild’s mascot, Honghong-i! He’ll be your guide for today, Guru!”

“Wooooow!”

Not realizing the person inside the suit was her dad, Guru cheered loudly.

The internal camera mounted in the mascot suit was capturing all of it.

Because that was the whole point of the “hidden camera.”

This episode of Hyeonak’s PR content “Today’s Guru” was themed around a surprise hidden camera, secretly filmed by her dad.

Jurim waved his hand once with a very unwilling look on his face, then let it drop.

Guru and Mephisto both blinked at his half-heartedness.

Yoon Arin, today’s children’s program guide, had a face caught between laughter and tears.

'Why did I have to be on duty today of all days...?'

“M-maybe Honghong-i’s mad because your greeting was too quiet? Let’s try again! Say hello to Honghong-i!”

“Honghong-i, annyeooong!”

Annoying. Jurim narrowed his eyes, glaring at Yoon Arin, then sighed and spoke.

“...Hello.”

A guttural, distorted voice came out.

The only distinctive thing about it was how much he sounded like he’d rather be dead than doing this.

Guru and Mephisto blinked, then murmured quietly.

“Honghong-i sounds wike Appa...”

“Bip bip...”

Flinch! Jurim’s shoulders twitched, and Yoon Arin hurriedly stepped forward.

“Th-then, shall we start today’s program?”

“Yeees!”

“Bip!”

Guru and Mephisto raised their hands and wings.

Yoon Arin smiled and began explaining the program, while Jurim sighed in relief.

***

For the next month, the Awakened Management Bureau would be running a children’s safety education program.

The program consisted of: building awareness of safety, training kids’ ability # Nоvеlight # to respond to danger, and promoting what the Bureau actually did.

Since Awakeners avoided becoming government employees—because they earned far less than guild hunters—the Bureau hoped to plant the dream of being a public servant in the hearts of at least some promising children.

Guru, as a kind of child influencer, had come to try the program herself for promotion purposes.

And filming “Today’s Guru” was just a bonus.

“So, first you’ll need to learn how the program works, right?”

Yoon Arin pulled out a simple map of the Bureau and handed it to Guru.

“Guru, today you’ll be teaming up with Honghong-i to explore the Bureau. You’ll go through education rooms, do activities, solve quizzes, and get stickers. And if you collect all the stickers, what do you think will happen?”

“Pwize?!”

“That’s right!”

“Wooooow!”

Excited by the thought of a prize, Guru puffed out hot air through her nose and looked at Honghong-i. Jurim just crossed his arms, unimpressed.

“But unni, Honghong-i dun wanna do it.”

“...That’s not true. Honghong-i is full of motivation!”

“Reawwy?”

Guru looked at him.

Honghong-i spoke sluggishly.

“...Woooow. I’m. So. Excited...”

“...”

“...”

Guru looked at Yoon Arin with a face that said our team is doomed.

Yoon Arin forced herself to ignore it and continued.

“Anyone wearing a necklace like mine is a Bureau staff member, so you can ask them to give you a quiz.”

[Children’s Special Education Officer]

Guru read the words on the necklace and nodded.

Finally, Yoon Arin pointed out the circles on the map—those were the classrooms for activities. She then guided Guru to the first one.

Guru lifted her camcorder and filmed the sign on the door.

[Dungeon Simulation Classroom]

The first classroom was set up to look like the entrance to a real dungeon.

“Here, Instructor Kim Jinhu will teach you, so listen carefully.”

Yoon Arin handed over the baton, and Kim Jinhu waved.

“Hello, Guru friend!”

“Annya haseyo!”

Guru bowed deeply at the waist, and Jinhu smiled, moving as if to hug the cute child—

But froze at the sudden, terrifying killing intent.

“...?”

It was seeping from the ugly Honghong-i suit, sharp enough to cut.

“...?!”

Swallowing hard, Jinhu took a step back.

Only Jin Siwon and Yoon Arin knew Jurim was inside. To Jinhu, it was nothing but a giant question mark as he began the dungeon safety lesson.

“Guru friend, do you know what this is?”

“Gate!”

“That’s right! You know it well, huh?”

“Seen it wots!”

Guru boasted proudly, and Honghong-i let out a heavy sigh.

“...?”

Both Guru and Jinhu looked at him nervously.

Honghong-i flapped his hand as if to say, Keep going.

“R-right. Since you already have a [Hunter License], you must’ve seen them often. This wavering thing is called a dungeon entrance, or a ‘gate.’ Now, quiz time! If you come across a gate, what should you do?”

Quiz! Stickers! Prize! Guru raised her hand with sparkling eyes.

“Take out a fork!”

“Wrong!”

“...!”

Gasp! Guru slapped her hands over her mouth, and Honghong-i rubbed his face.

“Th-then... caww Appa?”

Jinhu was about to shout “wrong!” again when Honghong-i moved quickly beside him.

And in that gravelly voice:

“...Correct.”

Jinhu’s jaw dropped.

'How is that correct?!'

The real answer was: never touch it, evacuate to safety, and call the police or Dungeon Agency.

No way could he mark that right!

But Honghong-i ignored him and snatched the sticker, sticking it in Guru’s notebook.

“Wooooow!”

Honghong-i patted Guru’s head as she squealed with joy, then tilted his head at Jinhu.

'Keep going.'

“...?”

Baffled, Jinhu pulled out a monster plush and held it up.

“Okay, next question. If too much time passes after a gate turns red, all the monsters inside spill out. What do we call that?”

Guru answered confidently.

“Dungeon fuwake!”

“...Correct.”

“...?”

Jinhu’s eyes spun.

Honghong-i had already taken the stickers himself and was sticking two at a time in her notebook.

Should he say something? Remembering that murderous aura, Jinhu shook his head.

“Ahem. Sometimes, even without a dungeon break, monsters can escape or form outside. Do you know what to do then?”

“Yees!”

“What should you do?”

“Uuhh... puww out the fork...?”

“...”

What is this fork? Jinhu was genuinely curious now.

Guru acted like it was some kind of legendary magic sword and tried to pull it out at every turn.

“Wrong wrong wrong!”

While Jinhu hesitated in thought, Honghong-i threw his arms out and bellowed.

“...No forks!”

“Tch!” Guru clicked her tongue.

“Then... then... I caww Appa.”

“...Correct.”

“Uuu, dis not fun.”

“...Shut up.”

Pushed aside, Jinhu watched silently.

From the very first session, he’d been forced to teach a child the wrong answers.

Now Guru answered every question with “Call Appa,” and Honghong-i marked them all correct.

As Guru yawned, bored, Jinhu felt tears prick his eyes—he had somehow lost his place to a mascot.

By the time the chaotic, “fun” first class was over...

The production team was already preparing for another advertisement, since the last “Today’s Guru” episode with the drink PPL had been such a massive hit.

That was when a text arrived on Guru’s phone.

Hello, friend?

Want to play treasure hunt with me? :-)