The Archmage's Dad Is Here

I spat out the water in a rush and wiped my mouth with a towel.

Then I pulled up the Heroine Gallery in the air.

When something like this happened, it was always better to get their opinions instead of agonizing over it alone.

The heroines were leaving comments full of mischief, clearly finding the situation hilarious. But the person most directly involved, the Archmage, was nowhere to be seen.

…Where did she go?

She wasn’t the type to stay quiet about something like this.

The moment that thought crossed my mind, a new post popped up in the gallery.

“…Haha.”

I let out a dumbfounded laugh.

If I had to summarize what the Archmage was saying, it was this: Even if I refuse, she’s coming anyway. So there’s no point in acting reluctant and meeting her only to lose control of the situation.

“Hmmmm.”

Honestly, I still didn’t get it.

How on earth was the Magic Tower Master such a massive daughter-obsessed dad?

“What is this, some neighborhood parent?”

I muttered to myself and tapped on my smartphone screen.

[I will decline.]

Sent.

For a very brief, extremely brief moment, I wondered if Lee Chaeyeon might actually faint when she saw the message. But whatever. Not my problem.

I wasn’t the one who called for this meeting in the first place. They were the ones who caused all this chaos. I had no idea why I should have to play along with their nonsense.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, I saw Soyeon sitting on the sofa, gathering her outerwear.

“Oppa, I have a schedule so I need to head out.”

She pouted her lips and then came over to hug me.

A pleasant scent washed over me.

“I don’t wanna gooo…”

“Then don’t.”

I deliberately teased her with a mischievous tone.

Soyeon lightly tapped my chest, narrowed her eyes, and looked up at me.

“Tch, you know I can’t. I’ll be back.”

She stood on her tiptoes, gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, then waved as she headed for the front door.

“Be safe.”

“Yeah! I’ll come back soon!”

Click.

“…”

Once the door closed, silence settled over the apartment.

Feeling a bit bored, I walked over to the sofa and poked Neukgu, who was sprawled out on the floor.

“Hey, Neukgu…”

Neukgu was fast asleep on his back, belly completely exposed to the world.

“Well, I guess.”

Even when Soyeon and I were making all that noise earlier, he’d slept through it like the good boy he was.

“Would feel bad waking him up.”

I flopped down onto the sofa and picked up my smartphone.

I naturally opened the Hunter Gallery.

I’d only meant to kill some time, but—

“…Wait, how the hell did they find out already?”

The Hunter Gallery was once again in complete chaos.

The news that the Magic Tower Master was coming to Korea had spread, complete with a post claiming it came straight from an Association employee.

I clicked on the post with the highest number of comments.

The entire board was already flooded with posts about the Magic Tower Master. It was so detailed that it really seemed like one of the Association employees had leaked the information directly onto the gallery. There was nothing left to say.

Just skimming through, most of the posts were about how White was already in deep trouble, mixed in with plenty of shitposts for good measure.

After browsing for a while, I suddenly realized I needed to come up with some kind of plan, so I opened the Heroine Gallery again and immediately started a live chat.

“I already turned her down. What should I do now?”

“Hmmmm.”

Asking Soyeon for help, huh.

“Wait a second. Soyeon is a natural counter to magic?”

“Oh, really?”

…Hmm.

I guess I should treat Soyeon even better from now on.

With that thought in mind, I stood up.

I’d noticed the trash bag Soyeon had neatly tied up near the kitchen.

“Let me take this out first and think some more.”

Since I’d already decided to be nice, I might as well earn some points. I headed outside.

Even while waiting for the elevator, and even after reaching the first floor, the live chat kept flooding with messages nonstop.

While the chat was flooded with playful banter, the Archmage had been unusually quiet. Then a rather serious message finally appeared.

I opened the back door on the first floor and stepped outside, frowning slightly.

What was she suddenly talking about?

“What kind of intention?”

“…Excuse me?”

“Wait, what the hell are you—”

“…You’re the first one who has ever treated my daughter this way. Is that it?”

I tossed the trash bag into the recycling bin, dusted off my hands, and let out a sigh.

Mages’ way of thinking.

I’d heard about it before.

That was why I could somewhat understand why Ri-en acted like such a wild child.

But in this case, the scale of the problem had become way too big.

I sighed again as I headed back toward the back door.

Right as I was about to open it—

“Excuse me, young man.”

A gentle, benevolent voice.

I turned my head and saw a well-dressed middle-aged foreigner in a neat coat looking at me.

His slow, deliberate steps carried a dignified elegance.

A middle-aged man with a stylishly groomed beard.

He gave me a warm, friendly smile and extended his hand.

“I seem to have gotten a little lost. Could you possibly help me?”

His Korean was slightly accented but quite clear as he asked me for directions.

He looked exactly like an ordinary foreign tourist.

Or just a middle-aged man who had lost his way.

But something felt off.

First of all, where had he come from just now?

And the fact that I hadn’t noticed him approaching me until he was this close…

The heroines’ urgent warnings rang out.

The Magic Tower Master—the pinnacle of mages across the world—had hidden even his magic power and appeared before me in the guise of an ordinary person.

He stared straight at me, maintaining that kind smile.

And he held out a map as if urging me to answer.

I let out a small smirk and spoke in a low mutter, never breaking eye contact with him.

“No way. There’s no chance someone like the Magic Tower Master wouldn’t know the way, right?”

My tone was calm.

But the middle-aged man’s hand, which had been pointing at the map, froze in midair.

“……”

His kindly narrowed eyes widened in clear surprise.

He stared at me for a moment.

“…Haha.”

A breathy chuckle escaped his lips.

“Hahahahahahaha!!”

He suddenly threw his head back and burst into hearty laughter.

As if he found it genuinely delightful.

With every echo of that laughter, I could feel mana resonating in the air.

After laughing for a long while, he looked at me again with an intrigued smile on his face.

“Haa… ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠So you recognized me.”

His expression grew serious as he asked,

“I’d like to know exactly how you figured it out. May I ask?”

How did you know?