My Dad is Too Strong-Chapter 344

Chapter 344
It was finally the day of the field trip, and Byeol was brimming with excitement. She woke up at the crack of dawn, washed up, and changed into a cute, hooded one-piece tracksuit with long, floppy bunny ears and a fluffy white pom-pom on the back that served as a rabbit tail. Normally, she would wear the yellow daycare uniform, but today’s notice had stated that children could pick their own outfits for the trip.
Byeol toddled over to the full-length mirror and eagerly pulled the hood over her head. Do-Jun watched her reflection in the mirror and thought that she looked just like a baby rabbit.
Who comes to dwink from the deep mountain spwing? The wabbit wakes up eawly at dawn and dwinks the watah before anyone else♪
Byeol chirped the lyrics of a nursery rhyme about a rabbit as she picked up her backpack and checked its contents one more time. It was packed to the brim with a variety of snacks. Struggling slightly, she slung the bag over her shoulders. She now looked less like a rabbit and more like a turtle carrying its shell.
Do-Jun couldn’t help but chuckle.
Apophis stared blankly at the daycare notice, mumbling in disbelief as if he couldn’t accept reality.
—Why? Why aren’t garden shovels part of the supplies...?
Ignoring it, Do-Jun flipped to the second page of the notice, which detailed the day’s itinerary.
10:00 - 10:30 Park Walk
10:30 - 12:00 Scenery Drawing
12:00 - 13:00 Lunch
13:00 - 15:00 Aquarium Exploration
15:00 Return Home
Drawing the scenery would be fun, but the highlight, the part all the children, including Byeol, were most excited about, was undoubtedly the aquarium. The transparent glass ceiling revealed countless fish swimming gracefully overhead, creating a magical sight that fascinated children.
***
There was a large bridge across the Han River connecting the northern and southern parts of Seoul, separated by the water. On this bridge, there was a specific spot that linked this dimension to a part of the Spirit Realm called the Story Village.
“Beyond the shimmering light stood Yeongdeokjeon, the fabled Dragon Palace. There, the Dragon King who ruled the seas resided.”
However, the Dragon King was in a dire condition. Occasionally, a feeble groan escaped him. Lying in his sickbed, growing thinner by the day, his worsening condition filled his loyal lieges with despair.
“We’ve tried all the renowned elixirs and medicines, but nothing seems to be working... What should we do?”
“The royal physician said he may not make it past the year. Even the most skilled doctors cannot diagnose his illness. I can do nothing but weep.”
“Is there really no way? What meaning does the Dragon Palace have if we don’t have our Dragon King with us?”
The subordinates discussed the Dragon King's rapidly declining health with sincere sadness. The Dragon King, groaning in pain, barely managed to crack open his eyes and discreetly glance at his loyal subjects. At least he had not lived in vain, judging by the numerous people concerned about his health.
His body was frail, yet he smiled faintly before closing his eyes again.
With so many who truly care for me, how could I not be happy?
The Dragon King knew that his life was nearing its end. As his ministers had said, he would not last the year. No, he would not even survive the month, perhaps not even the week.
It was a good life...
he thought as memories of his past days flashed before him.
A short while later, his lieges left the room, and the Dragon King slowly sat up. If he had one last wish, it was to see the land at least once. Of course, if his retainers knew about this, they would insist that he not overexert himself and try to stop him, but still, he had to at least try.
***
“Swoosh, swoosh, let’s dwaw a picture,” Byeol hummed as she drew a tree.
The sixty-four-color crayon set that Kiriel had gifted her was more than enough to fuel her artistic inspiration. The easiest thing for her to draw among all the structures in Han River Park was the trees. Just a single straight line with a brown crayon for the trunk, a few branches drawn outward, and a blob of green for the leaves, and she was done.
With a single tree finished, Byeol was about to sketch the surrounding scenery when a peculiar figure caught her eye. It was a middle-aged man dressed in clothing straight out of a historical drama. From his beard to his hairstyle, he looked just like a king from the Joseon era.
“Whoa...” Byeol’s tiny hand holding the crayon froze.
The man was sitting against the tree she had drawn, his expression filled with melancholy. However, sketching him onto her paper was rather difficult.
“Aw... What should I do...?” Byeol pondered, but it didn’t take long for her to make up her mind. She resumed drawing.
She kept glancing at the man, then back at her sketchpad, repeating the process. Eventually, wanting a closer look, she stood up, dusted herself off, and plopped down right beside him.
The man looked at her with curiosity. A random rabbit was drawing a picture of him. There was something unusual about this rabbit, unlike the others.
“
Hehe
, all done!” Byeol smiled happily, holding up her finished sketch.
The man, the Dragon King, flashed a gentle, noble smile and patted Byeol’s head.
“You’ve drawn a fine picture,” he said.
“Weally?”
“
Haha
, I wouldn’t lie.”
“And so, the Dragon King saw a rabbit for the first time in his long life. This rabbit could not only talk but draw, and to the Dragon King’s eyes, it was a truly fascinating sight.”
“But tell me, rabbit. What brings you all the way here?” the Dragon King asked. He had always thought rabbits lived in the mountains and meadows, nibbling on grass.
“I came to play! What about you, Mistah? Why are you here?”
“I am doing nothing. Just admiring the view of the land.”
“Oh, okie!”
Just then, someone’s stomach growled, and it wasn’t Byeol’s.
“Mistah, are you hungwy?” she asked the Dragon King.
As if on cue, her teacher’s voice came from the distance. “Everyone! It’s lunchtime! Gather around!”
“I’ll bwing you some food!” Byeol exclaimed, hopping to her feet.
***
“Mistah, eat this.” Byeol handed two rolls of kimbap to the Dragon King before skipping off to join her friends and teachers.
Her tiny figure bounced along, her bottom swaying slightly with each step.
“Hoho...” The Dragon King stared at the kimbap.
He was, in truth, quite hungry, but his poor condition had robbed him of his appetite. Still, he couldn’t refuse the kind gesture of the little rabbit. He decided to gratefully enjoy the gift with a smile. Besides, it was land food he had always been curious to try at least once.
As he unwrapped the foil with a rustle, the fragrant aroma of sesame oil drifted into the air. The Dragon King gulped involuntarily as he picked up a piece of kimbap. Its warmth gently seeped into his fingertips.
“Ohoho, what a curious thing.”
Then, the moment he placed it in his mouth, his eyes widened in surprise.
“What the rabbit had given the Dragon King was truly remarkable. At the first bite, a sweetness spread through his mouth; at the second, a rich nuttiness bloomed; and by the third, it had melted away entirely, leaving no trace behind. No delicacy of the Dragon Palace could rival this flavor. This was the food called ‘kimbap’ from the land. And upon eating it, the Dragon King’s illness was instantly cured.”
***
To ensure smooth supervision of the large group, each teacher at Changshin Daycare was responsible for twenty children. Ji-Hye was in charge of the Deer Class, which Byeol belonged to. However, their lunchtime lasted longer than expected, so they had not yet entered the aquarium, unlike the other classes.
“Alright, everyone! Shall we head inside the aquarium now?” she called out.
“Yes, Miss Han!”
Ji-Hye smiled as she counted the children. Once she confirmed all twenty were present, she turned toward the aquarium’s ticket booth, only to see a middle-aged man in a robe straight out of a historical drama walking toward them.
What is that...?
she thought curiously.
The man dropped to his knees in front of Byeol, holding her small hands in his. Ji-Hye and the children could only stare in stunned silence.
“Thank you, thank you! Thanks to you, esteemed rabbit, my illness has been completely cured,” he said gratefully.
Byeol tilted her head, utterly confused.
The Dragon King smiled as he offered, “I wish to repay your kindness. Would you come with me?”
“E-excuse me, sir! Where do you think you’re taking that child—?” Ji-Hye’s question was cut off, as the sound of waves crashing against the shore echoed from somewhere in Han River Park.
***
“
Eeeeeeeek!
”
Byeol, Ji-Hye, and the Deer Class children plunged into the water. More precisely, they had fallen into Yeongdeokjeon, the Dragon Palace located inside Story Village. When they came to, they found themselves staring at an ancient wooden palace of stunning grandeur. The Dragon King stood before them.
“Welcome to the Dragon Palace,” he exclaimed.
“T-the D-Dragon Palace?” Ji-Hye stammered in shock.
The scene unfolding before them was something beyond belief. They were in the middle of the ocean, yet they could breathe easily and see clearly as if they were on land. It wouldn’t have been surprising if the children had been overwhelmed by fear of the unfamiliar world, but instead, they seemed quite fascinated by the spectacle, and their eyes sparkled with excitement as they watched various sea creatures swim around them.
“Where is everyone?!” At the Dragon King’s voice, his loyal lieges emerged from the palace.
“Your Majesty!” The ministers hurried out to greet their king, then froze in shock upon seeing the children. “Y-Your Majesty, t-these are humans! What are they doing in the Dragon Palace?!”
“They are my esteemed guests from the land. Treat them with the utmost care.”
“Pardon...?”
“What are you waiting for? Show them inside at once! Thanks to them, my illness has been cured!”
Tears welled up in the ministers’ eyes at the revelation.
“The Dragon King has recovered!”
“Hooray! Hooray!”
The members of the Dragon Palace enthusiastically led the children through the wondrous palace as if they had become some tour guides.
The children’s eyes sparkled with amazement as they explored the underwater world.
“Look! A whale!”
“Whoa! It’s huge!”
“This is the coolest aquarium ever!”
The Dragon King smiled as he waved his hand, causing the currents to shift. Then, the children witnessed a breathtaking sight. Like a grand aerial performance, schools of fish swam in perfect synchronization, forming intricate patterns in the emerald depths of the nearly transparent sea. A sight worth more than all the gold in the world.
“Wooooow!” The children sighed in amazement.
Ji-Hye collapsed onto the ground, utterly stunned. She pinched her cheek hard, thinking,
Is this really happening? Is this real life?
“The Dragon King treated the rabbit and its fellow land-dwellers to the finest delicacies of the Dragon Palace. Furthermore, he gifted the rabbit a treasure known as the Divine Pearl, one of the most powerful treasures of the sea, granting mastery over water itself.”
***
Exhausted from the field trip, Byeol lay fast asleep on the couch, snoring ever so slightly. She hadn’t even taken off her rabbit onesie.
Do-Jun sat at the dining table, resting his chin on one hand as he flipped through a book. A quiet chuckle escaped him. As he read, he realized the story was nearing its end.
“After bidding farewell to the Dragon King and his lieges, the rabbit returned to land and went home. That evening, the rabbit told her father all about the day’s events before drowsiness overcame her, and she fell into a deep sleep.”
Do-Jun placed the glowing Divine Pearl into Byeol’s beloved bear-shaped purse and zipped it up securely. Then, he turned to the final page.
“When asked what the name of this tale should be, the Dragon King said: ‘Since the rabbit’s name is Byeol, why not call it ‘The Tale of Byeol the Rabbit’?”
“The Tale of Byeol the Rabbit, The End.”