A Decision and a New Beginning
At first, I doubted the sincerity of those words. What if this was some elaborate psychological ploy to gauge my intentions? It was only natural for my thoughts to drift in that direction. After all, who would make such an offer to someone they’d barely met? Even by ordinary standards, it was hard to believe. If a truly clueless girl had been sitting here instead of me, she would have reacted the same way. That was how shocking his earlier “adoption confession” had been.
Yet even as the shock hit, I quickly regained my composure and rationally examined the situation. Strange details from the past began surfacing one by one. Looking back now, everything connected. The contradictory attitude of trying to bind me while simultaneously creating a new identity for me, and—most decisively—the fact that my name’s surname had already changed to “Kwon” when I saw it in that woman’s room a few hours ago. In that moment, the source of the strange sense of dissonance I’d felt became crystal clear.
The man before me had previously introduced himself as “Kwon Cheon-hyeok.” If I were adopted as his daughter, my surname would naturally become Kwon as well. That meant the woman had clearly known about this matter in advance. Using adoption as a method would let him achieve his goal of “protection” while keeping me close—an objectively clever and highly effective approach. Of course, understanding it rationally didn’t erase the lingering confusion.
Meanwhile, the man who had made this enormous proposal watched my reaction with an anxious expression. Seeing my obvious turmoil, he gave a self-deprecating smile.
“…It must be very sudden and bewildering. An uncle you’ve only just met is making this kind of offer. But please know I have no ill intentions. If you don’t want it, you can refuse. In that case, I’ll support you from behind the scenes without stepping forward until you can stand on your own.”
“But as I said earlier, that would make it harder for me to intervene if your safety is threatened. Given my social standing, I need a legitimate reason to protect you without raising suspicion. And if you become my daughter… that would satisfy all those conditions.”
“……”
He clearly understood how outrageous his proposal was and showed no sign of forcing the issue. His voice carried a sense of relief, as though he had finally voiced something he’d been holding back, and his expression remained serious as he looked at me. I could sense it instinctively—this wasn’t coercion, but persuasion meant to move my heart. His tone, his face, the atmosphere—everything conveyed that message. If his goal had been anything else, he wouldn’t have explained it in such detail. He must have assumed I could understand the complexity and simply wanted to convey his sincerity.
Objectively, there was nothing wrong with what he said. If I ever faced threats from others, his influence would be a tremendous help. Even without blood ties, the moment I was legally adopted, others would see him as far more than just a guardian. It meant giving up some freedom in exchange, but the offer was still incredibly attractive. Who would refuse an S-rank hunter with high social status and considerable wealth offering to become their parent? From everything I’d seen so far, his character was also impeccable. Viewed from a third-party perspective, his proposal had far more merits than drawbacks.
Given that I now had a child’s body, living under an adult’s protection would clearly make things easier and safer for my activities. As long as I could hide my secrets reasonably well, it was an obvious choice—far better than entering a state facility. The only thing holding me back was the lingering resistance from my past memories. I could accept the adoption because of my current appearance, but the fact that it was as a daughter, not a son, still felt jarring. I had vaguely expected something like this might happen someday, but having it confirmed so suddenly by someone else’s words was still shocking. On top of that, I couldn’t shake the hollow feeling below my waist.
Interpreting my vacant expression differently, he spoke again in a hurried voice.
“If there’s anything about my offer that bothers you, tell me now. Even if you become my daughter, I have no intention of restricting your freedom. I’ll focus purely on protection and won’t interfere with what you do. If there’s anything else you want, I’ll grant it. You don’t need to feel burdened by any of this.”
Still somewhat dazed, I snapped back to attention at his words. He claimed he had no intention of significantly restricting my actions. Though it was only a verbal promise with no real binding force, for some reason I found myself trusting it. His declaration that he would grant whatever I wanted also seemed genuine, considering his position. The sheer scale of the proposals gradually swayed my heart. The resistance born from past memories—the only remaining obstacle—began to fade with time. This was largely because I had already spent a long while in this body and had grown somewhat accustomed to it. Though I tried to deny it, my deeper consciousness was rapidly adapting to match my changed form.
Most decisively, Ulthar’s past advice had driven the final nail in. She had clearly said it would be better for me to adapt quickly to this appearance. Since reality had already changed, I had no choice but to accept it. With that convenient excuse now available, the psychological shift accelerated almost inevitably.
In the end, after an intense internal battle, my past self and pride collapsed pathetically, leading me to a single conclusion. I’d lived a hard life until now… so why not try living as a rich young lady for once? It was a golden opportunity to become one of those stereotypical privileged kids I’d only ever seen on screens with envious eyes. Besides, the offer had come from the other side first. I was merely accepting it. While it wasn’t the kind of decision one should make on impulse, the more I thought about it, the more I realized there were no problems with this proposal—or rather, this transaction. He could keep someone with an undiscovered new ability under his wing, and in return I could grow stably under his protection. It was a deal where neither side would suffer and both would clearly benefit. As long as I hid my identity well, there was nothing that could go wrong. Thanks to my newly acquired passive skill, my disguise ability was nearly perfect. The fact that Ulthar, who was surely observing all of this, had made no move so far suggested she supported my choice.
Having reached that conclusion, I pulled myself out of my deep thoughts and looked straight ahead again. He had stopped speaking after his last words and was calmly waiting for my answer. Tension was plain on his face, yet he faced me with a straightforward attitude, making no attempt to rush me. That demeanor was more than enough to earn my favor. Perhaps the inexplicable trust I felt toward him was greatly influenced by this consistent attitude.
Just as I was about to accept the offer outright, an idea flashed through my mind. Accepting it all at once felt a bit too straightforward, so this approach wouldn’t be bad either. Having made up my mind, I took a small deep breath and slowly opened my previously tightly closed mouth.
“…There’s one thing I’m curious about. The reason you’re making this offer to someone you’ve barely met… is it because of my abilities after all?”
“!?……”
A sharp question that struck straight at the core. His eyes widened in surprise, as if he hadn’t expected me to ask it here. Then again, how many children could perfectly grasp the heart of the matter and voice it in such a serious atmosphere at a place they’d never visited before? While this question risked arousing unnecessary suspicion, I wanted clear confirmation. From my long experience in society, I knew that with someone like the man before me, speaking directly was better than beating around the bush. So I didn’t hesitate.
And just as expected, he reacted accordingly. After accurately reading the meaning of my question and pondering for a moment, he met my gaze directly and answered.
“Of course, it would be a lie to say your abilities have nothing to do with it. But once I adopt you, I have no intention of treating you carelessly in the slightest. If you trust me, I’ll take on the corresponding responsibility and protect you until you become independent.”
Seeing that he didn’t betray my expectations even at the very end, I smiled inwardly. There was no longer any need to hesitate. Thus, my new life took a completely different direction from the past. What results this choice would bring in the future… I had no way of knowing at the time.
[Question] “So in the end, everything went exactly as you wanted. Are you satisfied now?”
[Reply] “Hmm~ What do you mean by that? I never said a single word about that choice. It was entirely her own decision.”
[Rebuttal] “You guided the entire process. Your intentions are far too obvious.”
[Reply] “Even I didn’t expect him to play the adoption card. I predicted she’d end up under his protection, but… well, this outcome isn’t bad either.”
Atop a tall building directly across from the Council headquarters, a suspicious black cat lay sprawled across the railing, gazing at something in the distance. Through the glass of the building opposite, a room was visible. Inside sat a silver-haired girl and a man with a fearsome impression. Of course, seeing them clearly or eavesdropping on their conversation from this distance should have been impossible by any normal standard. But such limitations meant nothing to the black cat, who existed far beyond common sense.
Though she appeared to be merely lying there, Ulthar’s gaze was fixed precisely on one spot. Her golden eyes, watching her masterpiece and sole contractor, held both pure affection and an indescribable, dangerous madness. Watching her creator’s incomprehensible behavior, Nabi let out a deep sigh. Even with their minds connected, understanding the being before her was never easy. Instead, she voiced the question that had been bothering her moments earlier.
[Doubt] “During the recent conversation, I detected several strange changes in the master’s inner psyche. Was that also… your doing?”
Nabi asked the question while subtly recalling the odd sensation she had felt. Because her mind was connected to both her creator and the master, she had clearly sensed it—the master’s inner psyche twisting strangely for unknown reasons. The master herself seemed unaware, but if left alone, changes in daily life would inevitably follow. And the only one capable of such a thing was the being before her.
At the cautious question, Ulthar’s eyes gleamed with a sinister light for a moment before she spoke.
[Reply] “Hehe… Half right, half wrong, perhaps? Every living being naturally adapts to their changed form. That’s the natural order and principle. I don’t think there’s anything more to say.”
Though her words were vague, the meaning was clear. While Nabi couldn’t hide her shock, she maintained her composure and spoke in a trembling voice.
[Warning] “…If the master notices, there’s a 99.999% chance we’ll both end up as butterfly soup together.”
[Reply] “Aigoo, you really don’t understand anything. If we don’t get caught, it’s all good, right? Why worry so seriously? This is a very natural change. All we have to do is watch it happen with satisfaction. Of course, you’ll have to help too, you know? If our contractor starts noticing anything suspicious… you’ll have to cover for it. That’s part of why I created you in the first place.”
Despite the warning, her creator only smiled chillingly and spoke those words. For the first time, Nabi felt pity for her master. Being caught by such a deranged existence… the future looked full of hardship. Thus, the two beings remained there for a while, watching the moment when a new future was decided.