Prologue
Even the Absolute One is New to Fatherhood - Prologue
Even the Absolute One is New to Fatherhood - Prologue
In a room thick with darkness, a single candle flickered to life, its wavering flame casting a dim glow.
Seated before it, a white-haired old man kept his lonely vigil—his appearance anything but ordinary.
Pomaded hair slicked back without a single strand out of place.
A monocle—rarely seen these days.
A deep, jagged scar running the length of his nose.
And finally, an immaculate tuxedo.
"Shall we begin...?"
The old man muttered softly to himself before picking up a pen.
Soon, the pleasant sound of scratching filled the air as the empty notebook pages began to fill.
"For ages, I have meticulously recorded every action of my lord, preserving them for posterity—should anyone ever read these words."
"The handwritten records I have compiled number a staggering 2,300 volumes, all carefully stored in the Imperial Library under strict supervision."
"And today, I take up my pen once more to resume the chronicles I was forced to pause."
"Ah, yes."
"Before I continue the imperial records, it would be best to briefly introduce myself—the author of these words."
"My name is 'Chartia von de Crabsley,' a vampire of roughly 1,200 years."
"Born of the vampire royal bloodline, I was once crowned king of all vampires for my intellect and unmatched martial prowess... but..."
"When I first met my lord, I was offered the throne of a vassal state. Yet I refused, choosing instead to serve by his side, overseeing administrative duties."
"Strictly speaking, my role was that of a 'strategist'—devising battle plans, managing diplomacy, and advising my lord in all matters."
"His achievements, as recorded, speak for themselves."
"A calamity beyond measure, descended from another world. The Immortal. The King of the Dead, ruling over the living."
"With mere will alone, he could raise millions of corpses as his loyal undead army—the ultimate necromancer."
"A single swing of his blade could sunder seas and cleave mountains—his martial might defying mortal limits."
"Though his body was merely human, his power was nothing short of divine."
"Fifty years."
"That was all it took for my lord, who had appeared suddenly in this world, to conquer the vast Anux continent and ascend as its emperor."
"How many mighty warriors knelt before his overwhelming strength?"
"What became of the so-called 'heroes' who dared raise their swords against him?"
"Now, they all stand reborn as Death Knights, bound in eternal servitude."
"And the archmages who once reigned from the pinnacle of the Magic Tower, boasting of their supremacy?"
"For their defiance, they were reborn as Liches, doomed to serve him forever."
"The dragons that once terrorized the continent?"
"Reduced to skeletal Bone Dragons, soaring across battlefields at his command."
"The other races who warred with humanity over territory were driven to the fringes of the continent, their homes lost..."
"And even after subjugating the entire world, my lord led his undead legions to invade neighboring dimensions."
"His throne was carved from the bones of the Demon King and the Seven Archdukes—the mightiest of the demon realm."
"The artifact embedded in the hilt of his favored sword was plundered from the Spirit King of the Spirit Realm."
"Even the luminous treasures illuminating the Imperial Palace were spoils seized from the 'Martial World'—taken after slaying the Heavenly Demon and the Martial Alliance Leader."
"One day, unable to suppress my curiosity, I dared to ask him—
'My lord, have you not already ascended to a divine state beyond compare?'
'Indeed, I have.'
'No warrior in Anux, the Spirit Realm, the Central Plains, or even the demon realm could hope to rival you.'
'Correct.'
'Then why do you continue invading other worlds, seeking battles to the death?'
"That day, I received an answer I never expected."
'Not for amusement, nor to sate fleeting ambition.'
'Then... why?'
'The truth is, I am merely searching for a way to return home.'
'...Home? You mean Earth?'
'Yes. The place where I was born, where my family and friends still live—the place I long for.'
"I must have heard tales of Earth hundreds, if not thousands of times by then."
"Whenever he had a moment, my lord would speak of it."
'My lord, surely you will find a way back.'
'Yet a century has passed without a single clue.'
'A hundred years is not so long, is it?'
'By now, my beloved family and friends must have aged, fallen ill... and passed on. I was too late.'
"For another century, my lord continued invading dimensions..."
"Yet tragically, none held the key to his return."
"Not the mightiest warriors, nor the sages, nor the priests of foreign gods, nor the heretics who devoted their lives to forbidden arts..."
"None knew of 'Earth'—or how to reach it."
"And when the last dimension connected to Anux fell under his rule..."
"For the first and only time, my lord shed tears before me."
'There is no path home.'
"Not long after, he summoned all his vassals in an unprecedented gathering."
"As we waited in breathless silence for his decree..."
"After a long pause, he called forth the Imperial Court's foremost Liches... and gave an unthinkable command."
'I am weary.'
"The moment those words left his lips, none dared speak—only exchanging uneasy glances."
"Such words were unfathomable from the ruler of all worlds."
"In a voice both calm and unsteady, quiet yet resonant, he continued—
'I wish now to enter an eternal slumber. Henceforth, devote yourselves solely to researching how this may be done.'
"In essence—he had accepted death."
"That day, the Imperial Palace echoed with endless lamentations."
"Yet..."
"Even for the greatest Liches of the court, granting eternal rest to one who had already achieved immortality was near impossible."
"No—it was outright impossible."
Just then, sensing a presence, the old man carefully set down his pen and turned his gaze to the closed door.
As expected, moments later, the door creaked open—
And through the widening gap stepped a strikingly handsome young man, a baby strapped to his chest.
His practiced hands patted the infant's back with surprising ease, though the child merely blinked sleepily.
"Hey, aren't you working today?"
The old man shot to his feet, bowing deeply before answering.
"My humblest apologies, but today is my day off."
"Lucky you. So what are you up to?"
"I was resuming the imperial records that had been—"
"Still wasting time on that, huh?"
The young man flicked on the lights, adding dryly—
"Hey, didn't I tell you to just turn on the lights when I'm home?"
"My humblest apologies, but on such a desolate night, candlelight outshines even the sun—"
"Look at you, talking back so smoothly! If you're so 'humbly apologetic,' then stop being so damn polite!"
The old man coughed awkwardly before asking—
"My lord, why are you not resting at this late hour—?"
"You mocking me? The kid needs to sleep before I can!"
"Spare me, my lord!"
"Hey, keep it down! If you wake her up—"
Just then, the baby in the carrier suddenly burst into tears.
"Waaahhh—!"
As the wailing began, the young man—his hair already a mess—frantically turned to the old man.
"Hey, you made her cry—fix it! Why is she crying again?!"
The old man cleared his throat meaningfully.
"My humblest apologies, but perhaps Her Highness is hungry—?"
"I just fed her!"
"Then might her diaper require changing—?"
"Nope, dry as a bone!"
"Alas, my meager knowledge fails me—"
"Useless as ever."
The young man dashed out, shouting—
"Noona! Noona—!"
Watching him go, the old man allowed himself a faint smile before resuming his writing.
"To summarize—though my lord failed to achieve eternal slumber, he did succeed in returning to the 'home' he so longed for."
"As today is my rare day off, I shall record the events that transpired."
"First—how my lord, who sought death, found his way back to Earth."
"Second—how he, who never took a wife nor even a lover, came to care for his only child, the princess."
"And lastly—how I, who arrived on Earth with him, now masquerade as a lowly laborer at a 'convenience store' to study this world's culture."
"Thus, I shall continue the lost imperial records."
"Let me see... We arrived on Earth on the 17th of May, 1388 by the continental calendar."
"By this world's reckoning, it was only..."
Just as his hand moved faster across the page—
"Hey! Emergency—!"
His lord's voice rang out from beyond the door.
"Come out and eat! Noona ordered chicken!"
"Chicken!"
The old man immediately flung his pen aside and rushed out, bellowing—
"My humblest apologies—!"