Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: In a Home Without Dad (5)
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Just one day.
I'd only been away from home for a single day.
So why were the kids in this state?
"Daddy, you can't die!"
"You absolutely can't die!"
Why would I be dying?
I couldn't make heads or tails of it, so I gathered the kids in the living room to hear their explanation.
"Hmm, so that's what happened."
"Yes!"
After hearing the rough outline, I finally understood the flow of the story.
"So, humans die quickly, and you thought I was dead. Your hearts were pounding with worry. Is that it?"
Nod, nod.
Hwayeon and Choryeon plopped down in the middle of the living room, nodding their heads.
*Cute.*
They'd been so worried, thinking I was dead.
While I was gone, they'd been fretting over nothing.
I stroked their heads and said,
"You're right. Unlike dragons, humans don't live long. Probably around a hundred years if we're lucky. If not, we might go sooner."
At those words, the dragon kids' faces fell.
"Humans are so weak…!"
"..."
"Daddy dying… I can't even imagine it…"
These kids, who hadn't even lived that long themselves, were already worrying about my death.
It was absurd, but they seemed so endearing.
To reassure them, I said gently,
"But Daddy's going to live a long time. I won't die young."
So,
"You kids just eat your meals, play, and don't get into trouble. You're still little."
Kids should act like kids.
Worrying about their parents' death was jumping the gun.
Suryeon timidly raised her hand and said,
"Then, Daddy hasn't died yet?"
"I haven't. And I'll live a long time."
"...Really live a long time?"
"You think I'd leave you kids behind and die early? That doesn't make any sense."
"...Okay then."
Had she regained her composure?
Suryeon nodded as if convinced by my words.
No matter how I thought about it, my daughters were beyond comprehension.
*These kids, still so young and green, worrying about death?*
I didn't even know when I'd die.
Even for dragons, wasn't it too early to think like that?
I glanced sideways at the house to check, then glared lightly at the kids and said,
"Anyway, you didn't cause any trouble while I was gone, right? Anyone fess up?"
"I didn't!"
"...Me neither."
"Me too!"
The kids all claimed innocence, insisting they hadn't caused any mischief.
Criminals never confess on their own, after all.
But looking at their faces, it seemed like they really hadn't.
"I'll acknowledge your innocence."
There were no broken items, and the house was fine.
I headed to the dining table that had been bothering me since I walked in.
The breakfast dishes were still sitting there, uncleared.
"Cleaning up right after coming home? What's this—no one ate? Whose bowl is this?"
Flash—
I held up the rice bowl toward the kids.
There wasn't a single trace of a spoon in it.
"You have to eat your rice. Who didn't eat? Confess now."
Criminals, turn yourselves in right now.
Hwayeon immediately replied,
"It wasn't me!"
"Yeah, I already knew that."
Of course it wasn't Hwayeon—she'd never skip a meal.
"Who else didn't eat?"
Choryeon cautiously approached and checked the bowl.
"It's not mine. I ate a lot!"
Two confessions so far.
Hwayeon and Choryeon.
That naturally narrowed the suspect down to one.
"Suryeon."
"..."
"Did you skip meals because Daddy wasn't home?"
"!"
Pat pat pat—
Suryeon ran over to me and reached for the bowl.
But due to the height difference, she couldn't reach it.
"Give it back…! I didn't skip because Daddy wasn't home…!"
"Then why?"
"I just had a lot on my mind… that's all…!"
Jump jump—
Suryeon jumped desperately to snatch the bowl.
She seemed determined to deny skipping meals because I was gone.
"Let go…! That's not mine…!"
"Suryeon must have been really upset while Daddy was away. This Daddy feels bad that you didn't eat."
"Give it back, I said…! Quick…!"
Heave, heave—
Suryeon stood on tiptoes, stretching toward the bowl.
Of course, she couldn't reach.
*Ha, this is recharging me.*
I'd pounded that black orb so many times to pass the exam.
Teasing Suryeon was filling me back up.
But maybe it was time to stop.
"G-Give it back…!"
Suryeon was a bit of a crybaby—if I pushed too far, she'd start bawling.
Looking at her stretching so hard, I said,
"Alright, I'll stop now. But in return, you have to eat all your lunch."
"..."
"Answer me."
"...Okay."
Snicker—
A smile crept onto my lips naturally.
With that, I immediately started preparing lunch for the kids.
Just like always, even after returning from the exam.
I carried out Dad duties, making sure the kids ate.
The cuts and bruises on my fist from the test no longer hurt.
***
After coming home.
I made sure the kids ate.
While eating, Hwayeon shouted happily,
"As expected, Daddy's food tastes way better than that monster's!"
Maybe because of the wrinkles.
Hwayeon had decided to call Grandma "monster."
"Sigh, Hwayeon. You can't say that about Grandma. From now on, call her Grandma, not monster."
"Why? She's a wrinkle monster!"
"Still, you have to be polite to adults."
"Hmph, I know manners! I'm a Confucian dragon! I know all about it!"
Where'd she even learn about Confucianism?
Anyway, what was a Confucian dragon supposed to be?
It didn't make sense, but I decided to let it slide.
"I'm a Confucian dragon!"
She seemed satisfied with herself.
Anyway.
We chatted while eating.
This time, the kids polished off their bowls clean.
"You have to eat well to grow big and strong, Suryeon."
"...I know."
"No skipping meals next time just because I'm gone."
"...I said I didn't!"
After the meal, I teased Suryeon a bit.
I played with the super excited Hwayeon now that I was back.
I gave airplane rides to Choryeon, who wanted to play with me.
Just like that, after coming home, I was busy tending to them and playing.
In the midst of it, Choryeon must have noticed the cuts on my fist, because she gasped and said,
"Daddy! Your hand looks weird! What's wrong with it?"
"It got like this during the exam. The test was to smash something super tough with my fist. Want me to show you how Daddy did?"
Whoosh whoosh—
I swung my fist through the air, just like when I'd shattered the black orb.
At that, Hwayeon's eyes sparkled as she said,
"Whoa, Daddy! Not as cool as me, but still cool! Your fist feels stronger! Those scars on your hand are cool too!"
"Well, they're wounds of glory from passing the exam. Gotta be cool."
"Wounds of glory! I want some too! How do I get them?!"
Woooow—
Seeing my scars made Hwayeon's red eyes shine.
But to the pacifist Choryeon, they seemed to bother her a lot.
"You can't get hurt! It hurts! If it hurts, you die!"
Choryeon grabbed my hand and inspected the cuts on my fist.
With a serious face, she brought her mouth to the wound.
Then she stuck out her tongue.
Lick—
"Why are you licking it, Choryeon!"
"Stay still, Daddy! I'm treating it!"
Choryeon kept licking the wounded area without stopping.
My daughter licking my wound.
It tickled, and I felt embarrassed.
"How long are you gonna do that, Choryeon…?"
"All done! Daddy will be fine now!"
Swipe—
Choryeon confidently showed me the spot.
"Oh?"
"See? No scars left!"
Just as Choryeon said.
The cuts on my fist had vanished completely.
"I forgot—you have healing powers too, don't you, Choryeon?"
"Yes! That's right!"
Hehe—
Choryeon grinned from ear to ear at her successful treatment.
As thanks, I patted her head.
"Nice work, Choryeon. You could be a doctor someday. Make lots of money."
"A doctor? Don't know what that is, but if Daddy says it's good, I'll do it!"
"Yeah, yeah."
I gazed at Choryeon with a warm smile.
Seeing her like that stirred an irresistible urge.
"Choryeon's chubby cheeks, come here—!!"
"Eek, Daddy!"
Squish squish—
I stretched her soft cheeks every which way.
The more I did, the more they puffed out like glutinous rice cakes.
*Ahh, this is true healing.*
The exhaustion from the exam washed away.
While playing with the kids like that.
Bedtime crept up before I knew it.
I brushed their teeth, then gathered blankets in the living room.
"Lights out."
"Hmph, fine!"
"Okay, Daddy."
"Yes!"
Click—
Darkness fell over the lively one-room.
I turned off the light and lay down in my spot.
As usual, Hwayeon draped her legs over me, and Choryeon nestled her head on my arm.
"Hmm, want Daddy to tell you what happened at the exam before bed?"
"Yeah, tell us."
Suryeon, who usually slept a bit apart, scooted closer and replied.
She must have been curious too.
I decided to spin tales of Daddy's exploits as their lullaby.
"It was a test to smash black orbs, and…"
I recounted what happened at the exam.
People forfeiting, injuries piling up, the sunless dimension.
The dragon kids peppered me with curious questions.
"Did Daddy pass first?!"
"Yeah, I was the strongest there."
I answered Hwayeon's question.
"How'd you pass, Daddy?"
"I just hammered one spot relentlessly. Until I lost feeling in my hand."
"...Good job. You came back as fast as you could."
I heard Suryeon's praise-tinged reply.
"Didn't it hurt a lot, Daddy?"
"It did. But thinking of you kids made it better."
"Be careful next time, Daddy!"
I took in Choryeon's worries.
We chatted before bed, filling in the time we'd missed.
And their most common question.
"So, what were the black orbs?!"
"What's the deal with those black orbs?"
"What on earth were the black orbs?"
To their shared curiosity.
I casually mentioned what Han Ji-su had told me.
"Apparently, they were dragon poop? Said the dimension dragons used as a toilet was right under the Hero Association."
Weirdly enough.
Maybe because my answer was so out of left field.
The kids had a totally unexpected reaction.
"Pfft, dragon poop!"
"...Pfft."
"That's funny, Daddy! Tell us more!"
Kids and their obsession with poop.
Since they loved it, I kept going.
"This is from when I was little…"
Until the kids drifted off.
I spun old stories, hearsay, experiences—fun tales nonstop.
Once they were all asleep, I whispered quietly.
"...At least nothing happened while I was gone."
I'd been worried, but it was fine.
Only after confirming they were all sleeping soundly could I finally relax.
Now it was my turn.
"Sweet dreams, everyone."
And so, our family gathered together, heading off to the land of happy dreams.