Chapter 28
Chapter 28
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Dad, Come Up to the Rooftop!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Heroes affiliated with the Association either patrol regular routes or work through the call system.
The call system activates when someone requests help after being attacked by a villain, or when a Dimensional Gate appears.
The Association then summons the hero best suited for the incident.
In other words, if there's no call, you can just lie around at home like a total bum.
"Ahh, this job really is easy on the body and the mind. I hope patrol duty never comes my way for the rest of my life."
"Me too! I want Dad to lie around at home forever!"
Roll roll.
Choryun and I were lying in the living room, rolling around on the floor.
Left, right.
Just rolling aimlessly to pass the time.
"This is such a relaxing, healing moment."
"You're right, Dad!"
Choryun lay there using my stomach as a pillow.
Maybe Hwaryun couldn't stand the sight of us like that.
"What are you two doing lying on the floor!"
Roooaaar—
The Red Dragon, the fiercest-tempered among dragons, let out a bellow.
Suddenly, Hwaryun wedged herself between us and started throwing a tantrum.
"Lying there doing nothing! Move around or something! This is so boring!"
She must have been really bored.
Unable to endure my slow life, Hwaryun tried to stir things up.
"Hwaryun. Sometimes it's nice to relax the mind and take it easy lying down."
"Hmph, nice my foot! It's not fun at all! Get up, don't just lie there!"
Up you go, up you go.
Hwaryun grabbed my lying body and tried to pull me up.
"Come on... get up already...!"
No matter how I looked at it, she just wanted to play with me.
I was trying to rest on my day off, and here she was wanting to play.
Is this the hardship of parenting?
No helping it.
Pretending I couldn't resist her strength, I sat up.
"Alright, I'm up. What should Dad play with you?"
"Hmph, who said I wanted to play? I just told you to get up!"
Hwaryun said that, then stared at me quietly.
She was slyly waiting for me to suggest something, eyes expectant.
'What should we play...'
Hmm.
More importantly, what does Hwaryun do when I'm not around?
Leaning against the wall, I called out to Suryun, who was fiddling with her smartphone.
"Suryun."
"Yeah, Dad?"
"What does Hwaryun do when I'm gone?"
"She watches TV, then suddenly runs around the room."
"And?"
"Then she does these exercises that look annoying just to watch."
Hwaryun does exercises?
Doubting it, I glanced at Hwaryun.
"Hwaryun exercising..."
"Why are you looking at me like that! I'm good at exercise! Watch!"
Hup hup.
Hwaryun suddenly started doing push-ups to show off.
Perfect textbook form.
"She really is exercising."
"Dragons don't lie!"
Shrug.
Hwaryun's shoulders puffed up high.
She was pretty confident.
"Then, how about we exercise together?"
"Do whatever!"
Hwaryun's face brightened.
Guess it wasn't a bad choice.
Hwaryun even pulled up Choryun, who had been lying down.
"You exercise too, Choryun!"
"Huh? Why me, sis..."
"You're a dragon, but you're so weak! No strength! Exercise with us!"
"Eeeek..."
Choryun let out a pitiful puppy whine.
Hwaryun showed no mercy, of course.
Led by Hwaryun, Choryun got up too.
And so, we all started doing push-ups together.
"One. Two. Three. Four. Five..."
My body definitely felt lighter than before.
Was it because dragon magic power flowed through my entire body?
It supported me firmly, making it easy to push up.
I breezed through 100 push-ups and took a break.
'I wonder if Hwaryun and Choryun are doing okay.'
I hadn't heard Choryun's counting midway.
I turned to check on her.
As expected.
"Hmm, Choryun's taking a break, huh."
"I guess I just hate exercising. I like lying still better!"
"That makes sense."
"Right!"
That sounded just like Choryun.
She's cheerful, but laid-back, not the exercising type.
If I had to compare, she's like a sloth that always smiles.
As I thought about Choryun,
"Uwaaaah—!"
Hwaryun suddenly roared.
And then.
Thud.
Hwaryun became one with the floor.
That sound seemed like the final ember flickering out.
How many had she even done to end up like that?
"Hwaryun. How many did you do?"
Panting, Hwaryun answered with her face planted on the floor.
Her glutinous rice cake cheeks were drenched in sweat.
"Ugh... eighty-nine..."
"That's a lot."
She had less muscle than I thought.
Probably because her body was still young; she couldn't do too many.
Hwaryun lifted her head slightly and asked me.
"What about you, Dad...?"
"I did a hundred and took a break."
"Wh-what!?"
Whoosh.
Did my words rub her the wrong way?
Hwaryun shot up and got back into position.
"Dragons never lose...!!"
She bit her lip hard and resumed push-ups.
"Ninety...! Ninety-one...!"
"You really hate losing, huh."
"Ninety-three...!"
Hwaryun's arms trembled as she kept counting.
Her face was as red as her hair.
She might hurt herself if she pushed too hard.
To stop her, I got into position.
Then, faster than before, I started push-ups.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
My body moved up and down with the sound of wind.
Even against my daughter, I go all out.
'Showing her this wall should make her stop on her own.'
After adding about 100 more,
I glanced sideways.
There was Hwaryun, face turned tomato red.
"Th-this... this can't be...!!"
She grinned wickedly and yelled at me.
"This is cheating! No way! How can a human do more than me!!"
"It's the difference in experience, Hwaryun."
"I-I won't accept it! No way!"
Whoosh.
Hwaryun stood up and glared at me furiously.
"Come up to the rooftop, Dad!"
"Huh?"
"Right now!!"
Roooaaar—!
Hwaryun even breathed fire.
Looks like I hit her berserk button.
***
Today's weather was at least sunny.
Maybe because Choryun planted trees, the smog floating in the air seemed reduced.
The rooftop view wasn't bad.
Except for Hwaryun being super pissed.
"Roooaaar—!"
Hwaryun bellowed on the rooftop.
Because she lost to me?
She seemed really mad.
"Get ready, Dad! I haven't lost yet!"
"We weren't even competing just now... Seems like there's a misunderstanding, Hwaryun."
"That's a lie! You moved like you were showing off in front of me!"
Grin, grin.
Hwaryun's horns looked especially red today.
I pondered how to handle this fuming precious one.
I naturally sighed, and Suryun peeked from the rooftop door.
"Red Dragon trait. Never admits defeat."
"I haven't lost! I just let my guard down!"
"Dad, you picked the wrong day. Once a Red Dragon gets mad, she goes berserk like that."
So that's why her horns were extra red today.
"When a Red Dragon's horns turn that red, she has to fight no matter what. You totally stepped in it today, Dad."
Unbelievable.
But Suryun was right.
Hwaryun was seriously warming up.
Like she was about to challenge me any second.
'Last time I thought she had a rebellious streak. Guess it was real.'
Already trying to rebel against Dad.
I watched Hwaryun quietly with that thought.
Then, lively cheers came from behind—Suryun and Choryun.
"Red Dragon trait. Once mad, she fights until it wears off. Play along well, Dad."
"Dad, fighting! Don't get hurt!"
Being a dad is tough.
I waved to them.
'I absolutely can't lose in front of my kids. Especially not to them.'
I locked eyes with Hwaryun, who had finished preparing.
Her red dragon eyes were fierce and sharp, unlike usual.
Zap.
Hwaryun glared piercingly, then kicked off the rooftop floor and leaped at me.
"I'm mad!!"
She swung her fist hard toward where I stood.
Whoosh.
The punch grazed my shoulder by a hair.
Her small frame made her movements incredibly agile.
'More serious than I thought?'
Had she watched a lot of martial arts shows on TV?
Hwaryun's punch was sharp.
She took a stance like a pro fighter, aiming precisely for my body.
If dragon magic power didn't flow through me, I'd have taken that hit.
Maybe I could learn some fighting from Hwaryun later.
"She copies moves just by watching once. That's dragon talent..."
"Eek! Dad! Don't dodge! Fight back!"
True.
Her technique and battle sense were top-notch.
In the future, I might not beat her.
But Hwaryun was still young and tiny.
Her fists drummed my body at high speed, but I felt no pain.
'Time to wrap this up.'
Using my size advantage, I charged while taking all her attacks.
"Hwaryun, come here!"
"Let gooo!!"
Flash.
I grabbed Hwaryun's body and lifted her high into the air.
Then, spun around in circles holding her.
"U, uwahhh... uwaaaa..."
Hwaryun made dizzy, weakening noises.
After spinning with her for about a minute,
The color of Hwaryun's horns started fading.
"Uwaaah... eeeuh..."
"Does this calm the berserk down?"
Berserk mode over?
I checked by meeting her eyes.
"Uuuuh... so dizzyyy..."
Hwaryun was out of it from dizziness, dangling in my arms.
Her horns had returned to normal.
"Hwaryun. You okay? Feeling alright?"
"Does this look okay... uuu... just you wait, Dad... next time I'll win..."
Thud.
With that, Hwaryun closed her eyes.
Berserk mode ended, and she was out cold from exhaustion.
"...What the heck just happened?"
As I stood there,
Suryun came over and explained.
"Berserk mode's over, so Sis Hwaryun's resting."
"...That's how it works?"
"Yeah, always."
No different from kids falling asleep right after playing.
I picked up Hwaryun and headed back inside.
She slept in my arms, mouth open, drooling.
"Roooar... kruuuh..."
"...Sleeping like a log. Who'd think she's a dragon?"
Oblivious in her dreams, Hwaryun was deep asleep.
No doubt about it—she was just a kid zonked out after playtime.
Even as dragons, they still needed adult help, I realized.
Talented as they were, they were fragile children.