Some time later that night.
　I was in my living room.
　We had just finished dinner and were having a family discussion.

"Hey. Dad. Are you going to go play with me tomorrow?

　Meryl plopped down on the table and suggested.

"I'm sorry. I have an assignment tomorrow.
'What?　Another mission?　You were there yesterday and today!

　Meryl flopped her legs in the air in frustration.

"Daddy's not paying any attention to me lately!
I don't think so.
Compared to the average family, I don't think I'm a big fan of them at all.
'I don't care about the rest of the family!　Because I'm the standard for what I've been doing!　I want to make out with my dad all the time!
You're going through withdrawal symptoms because you can't be with your father. ......

　I chuckled.
　Lately I've been going on missions as an adventurer.
　That's why I had to cut back on my duties as an instructor of the order, part-time teaching at the magic school and tutoring the princess.
　As a result, she didn't spend much time with her daughters.
　It's only because--

Come on. You're having your youth back now.

　Anna with her cheekbones smiled and muttered that while smiling .

''The dream of being an S-ranked adventurer that I had when I was young is now within my reach. You can't blame me for being so eager.''

　That was a very mature point of view.

　But yes. Anna's opinion was spot on.
　I am buoyed by a thread of hope that has suddenly been hanging in the air. Lately, it's been like life has gone back to normal.
　Everything else is out of sight.
　I just keep running, aiming for the heights.
　That feeling of immersion was a long-forgotten emotion.

You know, I never really heard that one before.
Hmm?
How did you become an adventurer?
Ha ha. What. Just like that.

　I can't help but laugh at Anna's words.

"Seeing my dad when he was with Regina, I thought. You were our age once, too.
That's right. I was a baby, and I was a kid, and I was a young man. It didn't start out that way.

　Well, I can't even imagine my father as a young man.

I became an adventurer because I didn't have a choice. My parents were attacked by a monster when I was very young. I was raised as an orphan in a village.
Was my dad an orphan ...... so?
Yeah. After my parents died, I grew up in an orphanage in a village where I knew people. That's where you grew up, in the village of Yuzuha, your home village.
So you think Dad is like us?
It's the circumstances.

　Me and Anna weren't raised by our real parents in the same way.
　But there is one crucial difference.

Well, in my case, my parents left when I was a kid. I remember the two of them pretty well.

　And--.

...... and the sight of the two of them being attacked and killed by a demon in front of me.

　I could feel my daughters gasp for air.

"My parents have a fencing school. They taught me swordsmanship when I was little. I was good enough to hear about it. So when the demon horde came for our village, I knew I could fight just fine.

　But it was no good at all.

"When I came face to face with the monster, I couldn't move a muscle. As I cowered, my parents tried to shield me from the demon that was attacking me and told me to go to ......

　That's right. I'll never forget it.
　In front of me, my parents were killed by the monster that was protecting me. The ogre wielded a giant axe that crushed my skull.

At that moment I thought my parents were killed because I was weak. When you're weak, you let the stronger ones do what they want you to do. So I decided to become an adventurer. The stronger I became, the safer I was from having what was most important to me taken from me. You'll be able to protect what you want to protect. And it was the only way someone with no family and no education could make it.


I asked Miss Regina once about her old dad. She did. She said Kaiser was very intense in those days.
"As an orphan, I had nothing. I needed something solid. Something to prove that I was better than I was that day.

　I whispered to myself, thinking back to the days of yore.

'Maybe Anna was right, those were the days of my youth. I didn't realize it because I was struggling every day back then, but it sure was fun.
So it's like a second childhood for both of you.
Two?
It's Miss Regina. What else could it be?
Oh, no. The guy just doesn't have the balls to think like that. I don't think he's got any special feelings about it now or ever.
Yeah?　To me, I'm sure Mr. Regina feels the same way about your father . Obviously, he's been softening his expression lately.
I don't think it's going to change: ......
Well. It's kind of hard for a guy to understand. But it's pretty obvious to the guys in the same s*x.

　Anna smiled as if she could see it all coming.

It's almost as if the dads nowadays are following the common trend of classmates who have not seen each other in a long time at a reunion and get to know each other well.
Dad. I'm not, okay?　If you make out with Miss Regina!　Daddy has a beautiful daughter named me!

　Meryl put the nail in my mouth.

"Ha, ha. I know.

　I didn't have that relationship with Regina in the first place.
　I think she and I are old buddies, and we have a deep trust in each other ....... But there's nothing s*xual about it.
　I'm sure she'll say the same thing.

"So you're gonna make out with me!
What's [that means]?
"If you can't make out with me tomorrow on duty, make out with me now!　Specifically, sleep with me next to you...

　Well, if that makes sense to you: .......

d*mn. I'll have to do it.
Yes!

　I was on my way to the bedroom with a jubilant Meryl when...

Elsa. What's the matter?

　Elsa was staring at me.

'No, no ......'
Oh. Okay. I know you want to sleep with your dad.
''~!　So, that's not what I'm talking about: ......!

　Elsa was turning red and retorting.

I, uh, need to work on my sword before I go to bed. I'll take my leave. Father. And good night, all of you.

　After saying that, he left as if he were running away.

"?　What was that?
　I was just tilting my head in that direction.
Well, it's a difficult age, isn't it?

　Anna muttered to herself with her cheekbones .
　...... No, you're the same age as Elsa . Anna is more than a little too mature compared to girls her own age.

Dad. Hurry up, hurry up!

　Meryl gingerly tugged on my arm . I chuckled at her gooey pampering and thought she was a little too young.