The once delicate face had hardened into a pale mask, and the eyes that used to overflow with life were now vacant, staring into the empty air.
Every time he took their cold hands, a searing guilt wrapped around his entire body, accompanied by a pain that felt as if his heart were freezing solid.
“Dammit…!”
Sang-woong barely swallowed the sob threatening to burst out, his fists trembling violently.
‘If only… If only I had expanded the defense facilities a little earlier…!’
He had plenty of Points.
They were Points he had been saving to expand the land and upgrade the Shop Window. If he had been just a little more, just a tiny bit more wise, he might have been able to reduce the sacrifices the elves had to make.
The smiles of the elves flitted through his mind, gouging at his heart like sharp daggers. A heavy guilt began to consume his soul like a black shadow.
‘It’s all my fault. I was too complacent.’
It was then.
A soft, warm presence wrapped around his shoulder. He didn’t even need to look back to know who it was. It was Aderion. He sat quietly beside Sang-woong and gently took his hand, which was stained with dust and blood.
“It is not so, Master Sang-woong.”
Aderion’s voice was as calm as a lake, yet the resolve within it was as firm as a rock.
“This is no one’s fault. A Monster invasion is like a natural disaster that arrives without warning. And a trial like this… is perhaps a destiny we must all face together.”
His warm gaze met Sang-woong’s wavering eyes.
“The fallen elves would never resent you, Master Sang-woong. Rather, they would be proud to have fallen while fighting bravely for their kin. So, instead of being submerged in sorrow, you must remember and honor their noble deaths.”
Aderion continued, looking deep into Sang-woong’s eyes. His voice carried sincere comfort and respect.
“Thanks to you, Master Sang-woong, we found new hope in this barren land. We have come to live much safer and more abundant lives. So, please, do not blame yourself any longer.”
Each of Aderion’s words seemed to carefully pluck out the thorns of guilt embedded deep within Sang-woong’s heart.
His hardened expression gradually softened, and the hot tears that had been welling up slowly receded.
Sang-woong nodded slowly.
He was right; he couldn’t stay trapped in this guilt forever. He was now a guardian of this land and needed to be a reliable pillar of support for those living here alongside him.
Thus, Sang-woong finished clearing the battlefield and conducted a solemn funeral for the elves.
Even in their deep sorrow, the elves praised the courage of the deceased and vowed to become brave warriors themselves to protect their people.
Beyond the sadness in their eyes, a determined will began to burn.
Fortunately, the sorrow turned into new hope faster than expected.
The elves rose again from the grief of losing family and friends, and vitality began to return to their land once more.
Seeing the elves like that, Sang-woong also realized he couldn’t stay drowned in sadness. He worked even more diligently, doing his best to ensure that all races living on this land could live in safety.
***
Next to the restaurant, the vacant lot in the Field was finally completed. It was all thanks to Park Man-cheol, who had dedicated himself to the task, sweating beads in the clouds of dust.
Under his touch, the rough land was reborn as a flat, neat playground.
Sang-woong called in contractors to refine the ground and draw white lines according to precise specifications.
In no time, a wonderful multipurpose playground where one could enjoy soccer and basketball was finished.
Sang-woong’s plan didn’t stop there. As he imagined the sounds of children’s excited laughter while playing in the playground, the things he needed popped into his mind one after another.
He installed an outdoor sink where cool water poured out on one side of the playground, and right next to it, he erected a clean, new restroom building.
The finishing touch to this space was a cozy camping area established right beside the playground. He laid out several sturdy wooden decks to provide space for tents and equipped one side with a simple kitchen for cooking and a shower room with warm water.
A perfect ‘hideout’ just for children had been born, where they could create special memories with friends while talking late into the night.
If there was one most noticeable change at Sandeulbaram Bapjip recently, it was undoubtedly the significant increase in teenage customers wearing school uniforms.
This was because the story of the special ‘Reserved Seats’ Sang-woong had prepared had quickly spread through word of mouth, sparking curiosity in nearby schools and the neighborhood.
Children from difficult family backgrounds began to open the restaurant door and enter, one or two at a time, with cautious expressions.
At first, they were intimidated, merely glancing at one another and shuffling their feet.
Sang-woong welcomed those children with an even warmer and brighter smile.
“Welcome! You must be hungry. Have a hearty, warm meal here today and cheer up!”
“Thank you, Mister.”
He quickly set out a wonderful spread for them. The children were moved by the warm Bap and even more moved by the taste.
“Mister, this is really delicious.”
“Hahaha, thanks. Eat well, and if you’re ever hungry again… No, just come by whenever you’re bored. I’ll always be here.”
As he served the steaming warm Bap and the Sincerity-filled side dishes, he listened quietly to the children’s stories.
Sometimes like a father, sometimes like an older brother, he approached them without hesitation and soothed their tightly closed hearts.
Before long, the children began to let down their guard and show relaxed expressions in front of Sang-woong.
After they finished their meal, Sang-woong gestured toward the newly renovated playground and grinned.
“Now, since your bellies are full, how about you go run around and have some fun in that new playground to help your digestion? It’s a space I made specifically for you all to play as much as you want!”
The children’s eyes went wide. They all looked as if they couldn’t believe it.
“Really? We… we can play there?”
“Of course! Naturally! I made it for you! Go on, get over there!”
Though they initially hovered around the edges of the playground awkwardly, they soon burst into exclamations of admiration at its scale and facilities.
“Wow… it’s really big! It’ll be so much fun to play soccer here!”
“Look! There’s even a basketball hoop!”
That place was a new world the children had never experienced before. They no longer had to worry about the stares of adults, nor was there the threatening gaze of the so-called ‘cool kids’ who used to bully them.
Thanks to the clean and well-maintained facilities—even if they weren’t the highest quality—they kicked the ball to their heart’s content, roamed the playground, and threw layup shots.
They ran until they were out of breath, yet they didn’t tire, and even if they fell, it didn’t hurt. No, they were so joyful they forgot the pain itself.
From the speakers installed on one side of the playground, the latest hit songs blared out. No one frowned because it was too loud, and no one interfered by telling them to turn the music down.
The children sang along, their shoulders bouncing, and some even started an impromptu dance party.
Before long, this place began to be called the ‘Paradise for Children.’ The rumors spread like wildfire to the surrounding areas, and the cheerful energy bursting from the playground caught the attention of other children as well.
Even the children who had initially whispered that it was a place only for poor kids gradually began to grow curious.
‘Oh? That looks really fun over there.’
Pure admiration began to sprout.
“Hey! What are you guys doing? Can we play soccer with you too?”
“Huh? Oh… sure! Let’s do it together! Come here!”
Out of a pure desire to sweat together in the playground, children who would approach first, strike up a conversation, and become friends began to emerge.
As soon as the school bell rang or as soon as the sun rose on a weekend morning, the children flocked to the Sandeulbaram Bapjip playground as if by appointment. Laughter, cheers, and exciting music mingled to fill the playground all day long.
Sang-woong had only one rule for the children.
“Kids, I’d like you to follow just one thing here. No matter what happens, you must never fight or throw punches among friends. I absolutely cannot tolerate that.”
At his low but firm voice, the children nodded in unison and promised.
Sang-woong often prepared surprise gifts for the children. The best among them was definitely the outdoor Barbecue party. He placed a large drum grill on one side of the yard and lit a glowing charcoal fire.
When the scent of thick slices of pork neck and Samgyeopsal, scored sausages, and sweet roasted sweet potatoes and corn cooking deliciously on the grill filled the air, the children cheered as if a festival had been held.
“Whoa! It’s meat! Meat! Mister Sang-woong is the best!”
“Mister, can I eat this too? This sausage!”
“Of course! Eat as much as you want! I prepared all of this for you to eat your fill. Now, whoever wants more, raise your hand!”
The children chattered noisily, each trying to get a piece first, and the savory smell of meat and the children’s joyful laughter spread warmly under the night sky.
Even while sweating profusely, Sang-woong kept working the tongs and grilling the meat. Just seeing the children eat so hungrily and deliciously brought a happy smile to his face that wouldn’t leave.
Lee Ji-an, Gu Eun-woo, and Choi Su-a, who lived here together, also began to mingle naturally with the children, roaming the playground and enjoying the Barbecue parties.
The playground had become more than just a place to play; it was a place of healing where children with their own stories and wounds could temporarily set down the weight of the world and find room to breathe.
It was becoming a place where new friendships were forged and where they slowly opened their hearts under the warm attention of an adult.
The refreshing laughter of the children was the most beautiful background music surrounding Sandeulbaram Bapjip.
As peaceful daily life continued, one day, a precious guest they had been waiting for finally visited Sandeulbaram Bapjip.
It was early evening, around the time the red sunset began to spread beautifully across the restaurant windows like orange paint.
*Creeeak*—the restaurant door opened with a friendly sound, and *ting*—the small bell attached to the door made a clear ring.
Into the restaurant, which had been peaceful with the noisy laughter of children and the small talk of customers, a man entered, appearing as if he were draped in the atmosphere of another dimension.
The man’s stature as he crossed the threshold was of a different caliber compared to the other customers in the restaurant.
Although his clothes bore the faint, rough traces of adventure as if he had just rolled out of a Dungeon, what caught the eye first was the unapproachable sense of intimidation radiating from his well-trained, steel-like body.
It felt as if the surrounding commotion had momentarily stopped, making him seem like the quiet eye of a storm.
Sang-woong, who had been adding the final seasoning to the Kimchi Stew bubbling in the kitchen, casually looked up and froze in place.
His eyes widened in disbelief. Soon after, an uncontrollable surge of emotion and joy rose violently from deep within his chest like hot lava.
“Ji… Ji-hoon!”
Forgetting to even turn off the gas stove, Sang-woong rushed out of the kitchen with his apron fluttering. He then threw his arms around the man’s solid shoulders.