Chapter 183
Chapter 183
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 183
Chapter Title: Home
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I opened my eyes.
A pure white sky filled my vision.
'Is this heaven? Well, a good person like me should end up in heaven.'
But.
Why did heaven hurt so much?
Something felt like it was pressing down hard on my body.
'Or is this my karma? No way, did I end up in hell?'
Unfair.
I'd lived such a good life.
For someone like me to fall into hell.
I got angry and pushed off the weight pinning me down, sitting up just a bit.
"Eh."
"Hmmnya, hmm..."
There, my daughters were fast asleep.
"You guys were sleeping on top of me?"
Hwaryeon, Suryeon, and Choryeon, sleeping soundly on me.
I poked their heads with my fingers.
"Hey, kids, what are you doing?"
"Ugh, ugh... ? What... Dad's awake... Hmm?! Dad's awake!"
She shot up.
"Dad's awake... ?"
"Hmmnya... Father, you're up... ?"
Suryeon and Choryeon slowly started to sit up too.
With eyes still heavy from sleep, they stared at me.
"Idiot Dad!"
"Dad."
"Father!"
They rushed toward me and hugged me tight.
They must have been waiting by my side while I was out.
I pulled my daughters into my arms.
"Kids..."
First things first.
"Could you get off the bed...? Dad's gonna die of pain here..."
These kids.
They charged in without a care for my wounds.
'Hurts like hell.'
Still.
They must be that happy I'm awake.
The wound from the Dragon Slayer hurt, sure.
But with my heart healing, it wasn't all bad.
***
After the Dragon Slayer vanished.
Nearby heroes found me and took me to the hospital, apparently.
And there was a bit of trouble in the process.
'If the surgery fails, you're dead! Got it!?'
'I'll do the surgery myself.'
'If you can't save Father, I'll turn you all into vegetables!'
My daughters had grabbed the surgeons by the collar and threatened them.
'Ah, got it. We'll save him for sure!'
The doctor looked a bit flustered.
But with top-notch skills, they finished the surgery successfully.
Thanks to that, my wounds healed fast, and I was discharged quickly.
"The hospital was in nearby 01 District, so I barely made it. Good thing your recovery is strong."
"With dragon mana in you, that's a given. If you'd died, Dad, you'd have been a disgrace to our family."
"That serious?"
"Yeah."
Suryeon nodded like it was obvious.
Very calm attitude.
"I could've sworn I saw you crying when I was hurt."
"...Must've been a dream. You slept for three whole days."
She turned away, brushing it off as a dream.
"So that crying I saw really was a dream... ?"
"..."
Suryeon had no response.
On the way home from the hospital.
"Ungh..."
Hwaryeon, unusually quiet, started groaning.
No idea what was up, so I asked.
"What's wrong, Hwaryeon?"
"Dad... !"
"You need something? Gotta go to the bathroom?"
"No... !! Not that!"
Her face flushed bright red.
She stood in front of me, head bowed low.
"Mi-mi-mi..."
"Sorry?"
"Wh-what are you saying, Dad!? I don't need the bathroom!"
"You were groaning, so I thought..."
"No... ! Mi-mi... I'm sorry... !! Dad got hurt because of me... ! If I hadn't butted in, it'd be fine... !! Sorry... !! "
She bowed deeply to me.
Hwaryeon, with her massive pride and stubbornness, never bowed to anyone.
But she knew her mistake and bowed to me.
'You really mustered up your courage, huh, Hwaryeon.'
I was proud of her.
So I stroked the head of the bowed Hwaryeon.
She flinched.
"Wh-what... ! You not mad... ?"
"You were trying to protect Dad. Not mad."
"Really... ?!"
Her face lit up as she raised her head.
I gave her forehead a light flick.
"Ow!"
"But no butting in next time. Makes it more dangerous for everyone. Got it?"
"Got it..."
She deflated completely, fully aware she'd messed up.
"Hmm."
"Mm."
Suryeon and Choryeon exchanged glances, then went to Hwaryeon and whispered in her ear.
"Hope Dad doesn't get hurt because of you anymore, sis. Be careful, Hwaryeon sis."
"Right, it was really serious this time. Father almost died for real. You need to stay put, Hwaryeon sis."
Their opportunistic attacks on Hwaryeon continued all the way home.
'Getting along great.'
At least it was good to see the sisters bonding.
***
I'd been hospitalized for a total of four days.
The kids had stayed quietly by my side, nursing me the whole time.
Which meant.
"Kids."
"Yes, Father!"
"Who took care of Mangmung?"
"Ah."
Mangmung had been home alone.
"Let's hurry home! Everyone, run!"
"Y-Yes!"
We all dashed home as fast as we could.
Even if Mangmung wasn't a normal dog, leaving a dog alone at home worried me.
Clack!
"Mangmung!"
Bursting through the door in a panic.
"Whoa, too bright! What is this!"
"...The hallway's glowing."
A fragrant smell from the entrance.
A spotless hallway welcomed us.
"No way Mangmung cleaned this?"
"S-Seems like it, Father!"
Passing through the pristine hallway that Mangmung must have cleaned.
We checked the living room, our biggest worry.
There...
"Wow, what is all this?"
"Looks just like the hotels on TV!"
"Mangmung. You win cleaning duty."
"Wow, incredible! Mangmung did all this?"
Luxury incarnate.
Clean, glamorous interior.
Even a kiddie pool.
Where on earth did it get all this fancy furniture?
"Mang-"
Mangmung sat on a plush sofa, lifting a wine glass with its paw to greet us.
Looking sleek and well-fed, it must've had a comfy time while we were gone.
Choryeon ran over and hugged Mangmung the second she saw it.
"Waaah, Mangmung! I'm so sorry! I forgot about you because Father was critical!"
"Mangmang-"
No, it's fine.
Mangmung shook its head, accepting Choryeon's apology.
Then it bit down on some sunglasses and placed them on Choryeon's head.
"Mangmang- mangmang-"
"Don't say it like that. Enjoy the luxury?"
"Mangmang- mang-"
"Life's short?"
"Mang-"
Nod nod.
Mangmung nodded and raised its wine glass.
Cheers.
Mangmung had enjoyed a lavish staycation while we were away.
"What's this jerky snack? Never seen it before. Where'd you get it?"
"...Mang."
It slyly averted its eyes from me.
'Something tells me this ain't good.'
Right then.
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang—someone at the door.
"I'll get it, Dad!"
"No, I'll go. Hwaryeon."
Leaving the fidgety Mangmung behind.
I went to the door and checked who it was.
"You're home? Was just gonna leave it."
"Delivery guy? We didn't order anything."
"Really? Address is definitely here."
"Let me see."
No memory of ordering.
I took the package and checked the address.
"It really is our house..."
"Anyway, delivered properly. I'm off."
"Uh, sure..."
The delivery guy left the package and a vague unease behind.
I carried the box inside.
Suryeon took interest and asked.
"What's that?"
"Dunno, it's a delivery? Didn't order it."
"Contents unknown, huh."
"Yeah."
"Feels like a gacha pull. Fun. Mind if I open it?"
What's gacha.
Suryeon, using new slang, asked for the package.
No big deal, so I handed it over.
"Hmm, wonder what's in this box. Hope it's SSR grade."
"What's that mean, Suryeon?"
"You don't need to know, Dad."
Don't need to know.
Gen gap hurts.
Suryeon eagerly opened the package.
"This is..."
"What? What's inside?"
"Dog treats. Says premium. R-grade. Toss it."
She tossed the treats aside like they were nothing.
"Maaang..."
The bag of treats hit the living room floor.
Mangmung cautiously approached it.
And.
"..."
"..."
It met my eyes.
"Maaang..."
"No way, Mangmung, you..."
Remote.
I grabbed the remote and hit power.
Was I right?
The TV blared a home shopping ad.
"You, Mangmung..."
"M-Maaang..."
"While we were gone, you ordered from home shopping on the house phone... ?"
"M-Maaaang..."
Guilty as charged.
It deliberately avoided my gaze.
Looked real.
I said firmly to Mangmung.
"Mangmung."
"M-Mang-!"
"Treats confiscated for a month."
"M-Maaaang!!!"
That's too harsh!
Mangmung wailed like that's what it was saying.
But I had no intention of going easy.
"And all the furniture goes back."
"M-Maaang..."
"Thought you were some fairy. You're no different from my daughters. Can't leave you home alone anymore. You're coming to the academy with me, Mangmung."
"Maaaaang... !! "
Mangmung wailed at my words.
But my resolve was ironclad.
'Can't leave Mangmung home alone anymore.'
This bundle of trouble.
Our house seemed full of nothing but troublemakers.
This all happened with just three days left until the entrance ceremony.