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chapter 4
At that moment, Kaisar, who had been rummaging through the house searching for Lirian, suddenly lifted his head at the sound of his daughter’s voice from afar.
“Princess!”
Thud!
Ever since Lirian was tiny enough to fit in his hands, Kaisar had been ready to catch her.
But his daughter jumped with such force that he ended up catching her body with his face.
As a result, Kaisar fell backward.
“Ugh, Lirian, are you okay?”
“Yeah!”
“That’s a relief.”
Kaisar got up and sat down, holding Lirian in his arms.
Even in disarray, he looked impressive, proving that he was a handsome man in any situation.
Brushing back his messy hair, he asked,
“So, what did you do?”
“Oh, right. Dad!”
“Hm?”
“I time-traveled.”
Lirian looked up at him with eyes full of anticipation.
“Hm.”
Looking into her mysterious amethyst eyes, Kaisar recalled the playful glint of someone mischievous.
He chuckled softly.
“Really?”
“Yeah!”
“Then we’ll have fried chicken tonight too. Since what we had for breakfast didn’t count anymore.”
Lirian blinked.
Wait, that’s not it.
“That’s not it…”
“Hm? Not going to eat fried chicken?”
“Oh, no!”
Lirian tried to explain, but lost to the lure of fried chicken.
Ugh, first loss to world-saving fried chicken!
“I’ll eat… but Dad, listen to me first.”
She lowered her voice, trying to persuade her father.
“Twelve years from now… the Abyss… the world’s destruction… if it’s left as it is…”
She tried to explain the future as briefly as possible, but thinking hard was difficult.
“So that’s why it happened.”
It left a tinge of regret, but she had done her best.
“So we have to stop it before the destruction comes in twenty years!”
She clenched her fists and shouted with utmost seriousness.
That should convince Dad, she thought.
“Okay, okay, I get it. This time it’s hero play, right?”
Huh?
“Our princess is getting more and more expressive.”
Kaisar, who had been quietly listening to her, smiled warmly.
Lirian flinched.
“That’s not it!”
“Hmm, isn’t it? Then what… villain-hunting villain play?”
“Nooo! It’s not play!”
Kaisar still thought Lirian was just role-playing.
Finally, Lirian shouted the magic words.
“I hate you, Dad!”
“Li… Lirian?”
“Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! You’re an orc, ogre, troll!”
“Gah, such harsh words…”
Kaisar staggered in shock, but fire-element filial Lirian stood up resolutely.
“I’m leaving.”
“Lirian, wait!”
Once again, their father-daughter bonding ended in chaos.
Kaisar felt serious concern.
Ever since the previous day, Lirian had locked herself in her room.
She hadn’t even eaten.
Could it really be true…?
His expression turned serious.
“Lirian.”
Knock, knock.
“Can we talk for a moment?”
At night, the man called “father” stood by his daughter’s door, speaking in a quiet voice.
Click… creak…
After a while, the door cracked open slightly.
Through the gap, he noticed her chubby cheeks had seemed thinner—or maybe not—and his heart ached.
Kaisar laughed softly, almost like a sigh.
“May I come in?”
Lirian nodded and opened the door.
They sat on the bed, a short distance apart, with awkward tension between them.
Lirian fidgeted with her fingers, head down, while Kaisar quietly observed.
He spoke.
“About what you told me yesterday, Lirian… I’ve thought about it.”
Startled, Lirian’s fingertips trembled.
“What I want to say first is…”
“……”
“I’m sorry.”
Lirian slowly turned her head toward Kaisar.
“For not taking you seriously.”
He reached out and gently patted her head.
With a wry smile, he said,
“Will you tell me again? I want to hear your story.”
Lirian opened her mouth slightly, then nodded.
They spent a long time talking about many things.
At the end, Lirian emphasized,
“If we don’t stop the dragon, a lot of people will die.”
She clenched her fists tightly.
“So, Dad…”
She looked up at him with eyes filled with infinite trust and desperation.
“Please help me.”
It was her child speaking.
Kaisar didn’t respond immediately.
“Let me ask one thing first.”
Instead, he got up, knelt in front of her, and hugged her small body tightly.
“Were you in pain?”
She hadn’t fully explained, but Kaisar noticed much from the absence of family in her story.
How many nights of tears must the child, who had faced the world’s turmoil alone, have endured?
“I wasn’t in pain,” she said.
She had traveled back in time.
…Then what happened to the child of the destroyed world?
Kaisar couldn’t even imagine that family.
Lirian felt the faint trembling of her father’s body holding her.
Surprised by the unexpected reaction, she stammered,
“Dad, I’m okay.”
Really okay…
Her little hands patted him.
She comforted him.
Kaisar gritted his teeth, holding Lirian close.
Even at twenty-five, he was younger than his present self.
I must prevent such tragedies from happening in her future.
They say humans grow strong when they have something to protect.
Then how strong must someone called a parent be?
A light resembling the dawn flared fiercely in his blue eyes.
“Alright. Let’s do this.”
World salvation? He could do it, as long as he could protect the children.
The Next Day – Family Meeting
“Family meeting, everyone.”
The next day, after a thorough reconciliation, Kaisar said in a solemn voice.
“Family meeting?”
“Liri, this is your first time. When there’s an important matter, the whole family gathers.”
Thus was the Ersioni Family Meeting.
Lirian was happy to see her mother and brothers after a long time, but wondered how they would gather.
Currently, her three older brothers were in the capital for school and sightseeing, and her mother lived alone at a remote northern villa.
Lirian didn’t know why her mother stayed there. She was told she would learn when she grew up, but Abyss came before that…
No thinking. No thinking!
She shook her head to return to reality.
“When will it be?”
“Let’s see… 3…”
Ah, 30 nights later, she thought.
“…2, 1.”
“Lirian! My baby!”
Bang!
The door slammed open.
A gust of wind swept through as Lirian was lifted into the air.
“You missed Mommy, didn’t you!”
Her hair was deep violet, eyes radiating a magnetic aura.
Her beauty was overwhelming—Lirian thought she might stretch if held up like that.
It was none other than the Duchess of Ersioni, Resa Ersioni.
Lirian stared blankly.
“…Mom?”
Why was Mom here?
It was at least a three-week journey from the north!
Ahem.
As Resa checked her daughter’s plump cheeks, Kaisar discreetly approached and hugged them both.
“Your cuteness pocket isn’t getting any smaller on my watch.”
Resa shot her husband a side glance and laughed softly.
“Why’s that? I think I’m a professional at this.”
Then Kaisar grinned at Resa…
“Waaah! No, no! This isn’t suitable for underage!”
Lirian quickly blocked her parents trying to kiss her.
She was a perfect example of a fire-element filial daughter!
Though the viewing age restriction was maintained, Kaisar looked slightly disappointed, and Resa seemed amused by Kaisar’s expression.
Lirian suddenly remembered.
Right. Dad is soft.
She felt like she had peeked at her parents’ secret.
“What about the other kids?”
“They contacted me that they’re warping here this morning, so they should arrive in an hour or two.”
From her parents’ conversation, Lirian realized more than she had before.
I see. The Mage Tower still existed at this time.
Warp magic, which allows instant travel over long distances, was known to be unusable by individual mages.
Only the massive Mage Tower contained the warp circles.
After the Abyss incident, the Mage Tower was the first place attacked.
Its mobility was lost then.
Lirian’s eyes sparkled.
She was starting to grasp which part of the future needed changing.
“Are the brothers coming too?”
“They’ll be here soon, Liri.”
“Coming soon?”
“Yes. Shall we have a bath together with Mom until then?”
“Honey?”
“You stay here. Don’t interfere between mother and daughter.”
Suddenly sidelined, Kaisar looked panicked, while Lirian was moved to the bathroom, leaning against Resa.
She whispered to herself, seeing her father’s sad expression,
Sorry, Dad.
“This is cute, and that is cute. How can I choose? I can’t decide.”
She had forgotten: Dad loves kisses, Mom loves dressing her up.
After the bath, Lirian wore the cute pigtails Resa had tied and pondered seriously.
Looking at the dozens of outfits spread on the bed, she realized she couldn’t decide in three hours.
“Mom, I’ll take this one.”
“This one? You like it?”
“Yes!”
“Then let’s go with it.”
Trying to ease her mother’s worry, Lirian picked the nearest dress and ribbon set.
“Our Liri is really pretty.”
Resa’s lively cheer softened into affection.
She hadn’t seen her daughter properly since leaving for the north.
It’s been a long time…
Lirian, thinking the same, debated one word in her mind…
Ugh, brain strike! Strike!
Her brain, overworked lately, declared a strike.
If it was really important, she’d remember.
She decided to think simply.
Soon, they headed to the ornately decorated hall.
This was where the Ersioni Family Meeting would be held.
Lirian was seated at the place marked [Lirian (Youngest)].
Seeing the remaining three seats, she tilted her head.
“Where are the brothers?”
“They’re coming just in time.”
“Good morning. Father, Mother.”
Click. The door opened.
A heavenly young boy appeared.
Black hair swaying, soft blue eyes, subtly smiling lips.
Firstborn, Serran. Nine years old.
“……”
Next came the quiet second, Yuri.
A sharper young boy with blackish-blue hair, seven years old.
He quietly scanned the family—then nodded.
With a satisfied look, he found his seat. Though his expression didn’t change, it was readable!
Finally, the last arrived.
Sounds of running came from outside.
“The third one is always full of energy.”
“What if he gets hurt?”
“Kids grow up a bit rough. You worry too much.”
Unlike the anxious Kaisar, Resa was calm.
Sure enough, with Serran’s quiet voice, the door burst open noisily.
Bang!
“Dad! Mom! Brothers!”
“And little one! How’ve you been!”
Silence fell over the room.
