Perseus arrived at my lair much faster than expected.
Given that it took less than three minutes, I couldn’t help but wonder if he sought permission while already on his way rather than before leaving.
Deciding to set such trivial matters aside, I greeted Perseus warmly.
“Welcome, welcome.”
With gratitude for taking care of my luggage and delivering it here, I bowed deeply.
Perseus wore an expression of great satisfaction as he responded.
“Yeah.”
Though he tried to act nonchalant, the corners of his mouth were clearly turned upward, betraying his true feelings.
As I glanced at him with a blink, my eyes wandered over the mountainous pile of luggage.
“What did I receive again…?”
Having failed to check properly, I had no recollection of what gifts might be inside. Determined to investigate, I carefully opened the first box.
Inside lay an impressive collection of expensive-looking jewels.
“Hmm?”
Confused about why someone would send such things, I was soon enlightened by Perseus’ comment from beside me.
“Looks like pocket money.”
“Pocket money…?”
His thought process was so alien, I could barely keep up.
Deciding to set this revelation aside, I gently closed the box and moved on to the next one. Opening it revealed numerous miniatures.
“Cute.”
They appeared to be decorative pieces, causing me to giggle as I examined each one. It was then that Perseus provided additional information.
“They’re scaled-down furniture. You can adjust their size using mana.”
Upon hearing “scaled-down,” I blinked in astonishment. If they could be resized, it meant these weren’t mere miniatures but actual furniture.
“Over a hundred pieces… Are they all real?”
My shock was evident as I stared, prompting a wave of amazed comments in the chat.
[UU_Milk – Is that the Lersee brand? Each piece is super expensive, yet there are a hundred here!]
[Bliaan – Lersee?! Insane.]
[SomCandyGhost – We could decorate the underground city with these.]
The reactions indicated that these were top-tier furnishings indeed. Offering silent thanks to the elder who gifted them, I distributed them among the Somtuls.
“Can you deliver these below?”
“Peep!”
Smiling brightly at their affirmative response, I placed the small furniture pieces atop their heads.
“Peep~”
“Peeppee~”
“Peeppeee~”
Delighted by their new treasures, the Somtuls peeped happily as they descended underground.
Amidst their cheerful departure, Yuna, Chae-a, and Seoa peeked out from the entrance below.
Wondering why they were lurking, I tilted my head curiously. They simultaneously grinned mischievously, wriggling their way up before rushing toward me.
“We made something!”
“Yeah! It’s super cool… As cool as Big Brother Antelope!”
“Moo!”
Evidently seeking praise, I indulged them with vigorous head pats. However…
Many gifts remained unopened, creating a dilemma.
“I should probably finish checking everything first…”
Leaving now would almost certainly mean forgetting to return later.
“But even if I don’t forget…”
Quickly unpacking gifts would expedite the cleanup process, yet…
When Seoa clutched my hand pleadingly with “Moom moo. Appa kkom,” I decided entertainment could wait.
“The children are more important after all!”
Taking Seoa’s hand firmly, I resolved to inspect the magnificent creation crafted by Chae-a, Yuna, and Seoa.
*
Descending below revealed a colossal Somtul statue.
Staring dumbfounded at the stone sculpture, Chae-a proudly announced,
“It’s an enormous Somterry! Isn’t it amazing?”
Indeed, it was impressive. Admiring the meticulously carved details, I marveled at the craftsmanship.
Yu-na then revealed the creators.
“The Somtuls made it.”
“The Somtuls…?”
How could they have managed such a feat? Intrigued, I lifted a nearby Somtul to examine its appendages, only to find…
Not even proper feet, let alone hands.
*
“Could they’ve dug with their fur?”
Examining the fur closely for any clues…
Instead of discovering anything useful, I found myself staring back at more fur…
“Ahh, not that.”
Baffled, I returned the fluffy Somtul to the ground when Chae-a offered an explanation.
“You lick like this!”
Made by licking…?
Watching a Somtul enthusiastically lick its cheek, I blinked in disbelief. The action felt too warm and squishy to sculpt stone.
“Hmm.”
Unable to comprehend the process despite deep contemplation, I set the Somtul down and resumed opening gifts.
*
Apparently finding my unwrapping entertaining, Chae-a, Yu-na, and Seoa trailed behind me, gazing intently at the gift boxes.
Smiling at their curiosity, I encouraged them to open one themselves before continuing with the next.
“This time, there’s clothing inside.”
Included were animal-themed pajamas favored by Chae-a and Yu-na, along with dresses.
Deciding to address these later, I set them aside temporarily. While examining another box, Chae-a exclaimed excitedly.
“Woohoo! There’s something amazing here!”
Approaching her revealed a box filled with various toys. From adorable animal figurines to humanoid dolls.
Clearly containing elements sure to delight the children, I approved internally as Yu-na wagged her tail enthusiastically.
“I’m happy.”
Yu-na retrieved a small teddy bear, her eyes shining brightly. Given her consistent reaction, she must have a particular fondness for bears.
Finding her cuteness irresistible, I vigorously petted her head, suggesting,
“In that case, Yu-na can have it.”
To my surprise, she swiftly shook her head, insisting it was fine and handed the bear to Seoa instead.
“If everyone has one, we’ll all be happier.”
“Koom!”
Seoa appeared thrilled to receive the bear from Yu-na, joyfully hopping around and attaching herself to Yu-na’s side while chattering animatedly.
“Moo moo. Moomoo.”
She then giggled while carrying the bear-sized as herself, darting about like Chae-a.
Seeing this, Chae-a suddenly approached Seoa worriedly.
“Running like that is dangerous! You should go slowly, understand? Take it easy!”
Who would’ve thought Chae-a would caution against running due to potential danger? Her behavior has definitely changed since gaining younger siblings.
Internally beaming with pride at Chae-a’s growth, I proceeded to open the next gift box.
Upon doing so, Yu-na reacted first.
“Storybooks. Very many.”
About ten beautifully illustrated storybooks lay inside. Deciding to place them strategically around the house later, I paused as Perseus spoke up.
“These are my gifts, so I’d appreciate it if you looked through them now.”
Unable to decline when the giver himself requested, I awkwardly smiled as I pulled out the topmost book and laid it on the floor.
[The Three Little Pigs]
Though familiar, the books themselves didn’t evoke much excitement until…
The moment I opened it, three lifelike piglets popped out holographically and began moving around as if truly alive.
“Oink! I’m the eldest pig!”
Even as an adult, I found it astonishing. How much more fascinating must it be for the children?
Watching Chae-a, Yu-na, and Seoa jump around gleefully, I nodded contentedly.
“Good decision to open it.”
Feeling exceptionally pleased to witness such adorable scenes, I subtly filmed the moment for the audience, asking for their opinions.
“Are Chae-a, Yu-na, and Seoa cute?”
[SeulinSeulin: Yep yep! And Ha-eun is cute too!]
[ToastCat: Wow, fairy tales have improved so much lately. But seriously, those kids are adorable!]
[Melttron: This is healing. THIS is healing. I want to quit hunting and just watch streams like this.]
Their agreement brought a smile to my face. Just as I chuckled and prepared to open the next gift…
Someone typed frantically in the chat.
[Toast: hA nG]
[Toast: Haeng!!! Look out! There’s a wolf ahead!]
Glancing up blankly, I spotted a large wolf approaching with a roar.
*Swiper container code appears unrelated to the narrative.*