Chapter 41: Even the Absolute Being Is a First-Time Dad
Absolute One Is Also New to Fatherhood Episode 41
Christmas morning.
"Haaahhh..."
Seol, rubbing her sleepy eyes with a big yawn, still looked drowsy.
Her gaze drifted toward the window where warm sunlight was pouring in...
"Huh?"
She blinked a few times.
"No snow...?"
Soon, her expression turned gloomy.
Tap.
Then, someone placed a hand on her head.
"What's wrong?"
A large, warm hand.
Daddy.
Suddenly, sadness welled up inside her.
"Hiiing..."
Seol pouted and struggled to speak.
"Seol stayed awake to meet Santa Grandpa... but no snow..."
"Was there a reason you absolutely had to meet him?"
"Cuz Santa Grandpa comes through the chimney..."
Kang-jun's brow furrowed slightly.
Was she trying to say "chimney"?
That seemed to be the case.
"Daddy, but Seol's house doesn't have a chimney..."
"That's true."
"Santa Grandpa can't come cuz no chimney..."
Kang-jun hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his next words.
"I opened the door for him."
"Daddy did?"
"Yes. Look behind you."
At his words, Seol's eyes naturally turned toward her bedside, and a gasp escaped her slightly parted lips.
"Wooow...!"
Kang-jun replied triumphantly.
"He came in safely, left your gift, and even praised you for being very good this year."
Seol immediately began eagerly unwrapping the colorful gift box with her tiny hands...
[Princess Makeup Play Set.]
The moment she saw what it was, her eyes widened, and she clapped both hands over her mouth.
"Wow, this is the toy Seol wanted the most..."
Then, as if she couldn't believe it, she blinked her deer-like eyes several times and muttered,
"But how did he know...?"
She seemed genuinely puzzled about how Santa had exactly picked the toy she wanted most...
But only for a moment.
Unable to contain her joy, she hugged the toy box tightly and rubbed her soft cheeks against it.
"You seem to like it."
"Mm! Seol is happy..."
"There's an even bigger gift."
If she was this happy over a simple toy, he was certain she'd faint from excitement when she saw what he had prepared.
"Bring it."
At his words, Crabsley and Ilriel, who had been silently waiting by the door, exchanged glances...
"I do hope Her Highness will be delighted..."
"I'm a bit worried it might not resonate with her..."
Soon, Ilriel handed Seol a document she had been hiding behind her back.
"Your Highness, this is the gift prepared by His Majesty."
Seol, who couldn't read yet, stared intently at the document before tilting her head in confusion.
"This document certifies that the Princess is now the owner of a large commercial building in Bangbae-dong, Seoul, valued at 22 billion won—"
Seol suddenly interrupted.
"Seol knows what this is."
"Oh, how astute."
"This is paper."
"Yes, precisely."
"Seol will draw on it."
She immediately set the toy box down, pulled out crayons and markers from her drawer, and got to work.
Ilriel and Crabsley could only watch dumbfounded before nervously glancing at Kang-jun.
Scratch, scribble—
Without giving anyone a chance to stop her, Seol hummed a tune and began drawing on the front page of the contract.
"Y-Your Highness...!"
"Good heavens..."
"It's over..."
Perhaps today would mark the end of Christmas as a cultural event on Earth.
If it were anyone else, maybe not—but their lord was more than capable of such a thing.
As the two silently mourned the impending demise of Christmas in their hearts...
"All done."
Seol handed the stiff-faced Kang-jun the now-decorated commercial property contract and mumbled,
"Daddy, present."
Kang-jun's gaze naturally fell on the artwork (property contract) Seol had diligently created...
"Daddy and Seol."
After declaring this, Seol muttered, "Now play with toy," and walked past the two still-frozen figures.
'This is bad...'
Crabsley gulped dryly before cautiously asking,
"My lord, if you give the order, I can immediately eradicate the very concept of Christmas—"
Kang-jun, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly replied in a trembling voice,
"Look. It's me and Seol."
"Huh?"
"A masterpiece."
At his words, their eyes turned to the drawing Seol had made on the contract.
A 22-billion-won commercial property contract had been reduced to a doodle pad.
In the top-right corner was a sun, with a few fluffy clouds beside it...
And in the center, a grown man and a little girl held hands, smiling brightly.
"It's you and Her Highness..."
Kang-jun murmured as if entranced.
"This must not be damaged. Have it framed in gold and encrusted with precious gems."
"Uh...?"
"No, better yet—hire the finest art conservator on Earth to preserve it."
After muttering to himself for a moment, Kang-jun stood up with fervor.
"In fact, I'll contact Kazan immediately. Budget is no issue—build a museum to display Her Highness's work."
As he rose, he added coldly,
"And we might as well dispose of those trash tonight."
Crabsley bowed deeply.
"If you're referring to Aldebaran and his followers, we've located their base. With your command, we can eliminate them by the end of the day—"
Kang-jun shook his head.
"No. I'll go myself."
"When should we—"
"Tonight."
***
In a pitch-black basement, a bound man writhed.
"Ghhhk...!"
He had been kidnapped the previous night by an old man who suddenly stormed into his home and dragged him here.
The old man knew he was a member of the Anti-Management Bureau Alliance and subjected him to brutal torture.
Every fingernail and toenail had been ripped out, and several teeth had been knocked loose.
"Ghhh...!"
Though he eventually confessed everything he knew, the old man only repeated, "Too late."
Before leaving, the old man promised to return tomorrow to cut out his tongue.
'Before that madman comes back to kill me, I have to escape...'
He didn't care about the Alliance—he just needed to survive.
Creeeak—
The basement door slowly opened, letting in a sliver of light...
Three figures stepped inside and approached him.
When he recognized the old man who had tortured him last night, he thrashed violently.
"Hhk! Ghhk! GHHH—!"
Kang-jun pulled up a chair and sat down, clicking his tongue.
"Tsk. You're doing this in a building under the Princess's name? How unsightly."
"My deepest apologies, but we lacked a proper location to interrogate him before disposal..."
Kang-jun motioned toward the man.
"Remove the gag."
Crabsley leaned in and whispered menacingly as he untied the gag.
"A warning—if you speak out of turn before His Majesty questions you, you'll lose more than just your tongue."
The man nodded frantically, thinking:
'These are real villains...'
Though he himself had committed countless atrocities and mingled with the worst of humanity...
'These are true monsters.'
An overwhelming, sinister aura radiated from them.
As he wiped away tears and snot with the back of his hand...
"I heard your Anti-Management Bureau Alliance worships that worthless 'Aldebaran' like a god."
"Y-Yes! I've committed a grave sin! Spare my life, and I'll do anything—"
Kang-jun cut him off with a cold "Shh."
"Why do you worship him?"
"B-Because we've all witnessed his power."
The man continued cautiously, watching Kang-jun's reaction.
After joining the Alliance, new members were given a drink called "Sacred Water"—a mysterious black liquid.
Drinking it allowed them to welcome the god—to see his form and hear his voice directly.
"A-And... he grants his followers power."
"Power?"
"Y-Yes... a dark, viscous energy..."
Kang-jun nodded.
"Black Magic, then."
"I-I'm not sure about the name..."
"I'll make you an offer."
Kang-jun's voice turned icy.
"Tonight, I'm annihilating your Alliance. Every last one of you."
He continued.
"Including the 'god' you serve."
A cold smile curled on his lips.
"But I'll let you live."
"Live...?"
"I want to try that 'Sacred Water' myself."
The man's voice trembled.
"S-So you want me to smuggle you in as a new recruit?"
Given his rank, it was possible—but he had to weigh the risks.
'No matter how strong they are, taking down the entire Alliance is impossible...'
As if reading his mind, Kang-jun released a fraction of his power—and coffins erupted from the basement floor.
Clatter—!
The coffin doors swung open, revealing familiar faces—corpses lined up one after another.
The first he recognized were the Twin Specters of the Alliance's Twelve Generals, followed by Warak, their greatest mage.
Even Warak's elite unit, the Golden Spell Corps...
"H-How...?"
The man swallowed dryly before whispering hoarsely:
"I-I'll guide you..."
Kang-jun pulled out his phone.
The screen displayed the time:
10 PM.
In two hours, today would end.
Kang-jun planned to finish everything before then.
"We leave now."
His wallpaper showed him and his family smiling brightly.