“All right, breakfast is over and we’ve had our fun. It’s time to get ready for work,” Lü Erlu said, gently stroking Baining’s head and pinching Ziya’s cheek.
“Okay, Father! We’re getting ready to head out now!”
Ziya replied, her eyes curving into crescent moons.
“I know, Master!”
Baining huffed, once again slapping away his hand that was making a mess of her hair.
Longjiu, standing nearby, also nodded in agreement.
In the brief conversation that followed, Lü Erlu gave them a few more reminders.
“Be careful on the road. Don’t forget to eat lunch!”
The three girls responded obediently as they picked up their small cloth bags by the door, chirping and waving goodbye to him.
Lü Erlu leaned against the doorframe, blankly watching the three figures as they walked away, chatting and laughing.
‘My daughters have all grown up, and they each have their own jobs.’
‘Sigh, time flies so fast. Before I knew it, I was already in my early thirties…’
‘And… in order to focus on raising these three daughters, I haven’t even had time to date. I’m still single as can be.’
‘But being single is fine. I can’t exactly tell those three girls out of nowhere that I want to find a stepmother for them. They probably wouldn’t accept it right away…’
‘Our relationship as father and daughters might even fracture because of it. Well, it’s possible.’
Lü Erlu stood at the door, complaining to himself as he watched the three figures grow smaller in the distance.
His fingertips still held the soft sensation of his daughters’ hair.
The wind outside swirled the fallen leaves, carrying the lingering sound of his daughters’ laughter and chatter far into the distance.
‘Sigh.’
Lü Erlu let out another deep sigh.
In a daze, his mind filled with memories of the past.
When she was little, Longjiu used to timidly grab the corner of his shirt, shrinking her small body behind him and not even daring to lift her head.
Now, she could hold her own.
She even carefully straightened her sisters’ collars.
Should he expect any less from the daughter of the Dragon Queen?
Baining always loved to stand on her tiptoes, shouting for a hug.
Her words never matched her heart as she would wrap her small arms around his neck; even though she said she hated it, she refused to let go.
The surprising thing was that she turned out to be the one who required the least amount of worry.
Ever since she was small, she knew how to comb her own hair and fold her clothes, as if she were born with the knowledge.
To this day, it remained a mystery to Lü Erlu.
Perhaps it was just a natural talent for domesticity?
‘A tsundere with a virtuous streak… Why does that feel so strange? Whatever, I won’t overthink it.’
Then there was little Ziya.
When she was small, she was always quiet, sitting in a corner and staring blankly while hugging a doll.
This had made Lü Erlu worry that she might have autistic tendencies.
After all, when the Succubus Queen was killed, Ziya might have witnessed everything from behind the throne.
However, he hadn’t expected that as she grew, she would warm up to him.
Now, she was the lively “happy pill” of the house.
Her little mouth never stopped moving, turning their quiet home into a bustling place.
All of this proved that Lü Erlu’s original idea was correct.
As long as one used their heart and put effort into education, any race could be nurtured to be good.
Even if they didn’t become great successes, at least they wouldn’t bring harm to the world.
Recalling the Human Empire’s stereotypes of the Demon Race, he shook his head with a smile.
He turned back into the house, preparing to clear the plates.
The scent of breakfast lingered in the air, mixed with the laughter of his daughters from moments ago.
Every little bit smelled sweet.
He was in his early thirties, having spent ten years on this.
While others were busy scurrying about to make a living, he felt that these days were precious beyond measure.
After all, in this Other World, who else had the chance to raise three monster girls?
In the past, he thought he would be all alone, walking through this Other World in solitude until the end of his life.
He never expected that after picking up three “little troubles,” he would lead such a happy life.
Every now and then, Lü Erlu thanked the heavens for the fate they had arranged, giving him the feeling of being a protagonist.
Lü Erlu walked to the window and watched the clouds floating lazily in the sky.
His lips curled into a gentle arc.
Reminiscing about the past, he reached out to open the window and muttered softly to the empty street.
“Walk slowly. I’ll be waiting for you all to come home for soup this evening.”
***
“This should be far enough. Father shouldn’t be able to see us anymore.”
Longjiu stopped walking and waved her hand, a hint of caution on her small face.
“Hey, Longjiu, keep moving! Wait until we turn at the fork in the road ahead!”
Baining quickly urged her on.
Baining didn’t stop, continuing forward, which prompted Ziya to tease her from behind.
“Baining, you’re being too careful! Honestly, even if Father finds out, so what? It’s not like he would actually punish us.”
“Sigh, Ziya.”
Longjiu furrowed her small brows and gently pulled on Ziya’s sleeve.
“Father loves us so much. Keeping things from him like this is already bad enough.”
“Exactly!”
Baining turned around, hands on her hips as she glared at her.
“You act like such a good girl in front of him all day. If he finds out we’re lying to him, won’t he be heartbroken?”
Longjiu and Baining spoke in unison, together reprimanding their mischievous younger sister.
Ziya shrank her neck, her voice growing weak.
“I know, I know… but… but there’s nothing we can do about it…”
She hung her head, her fingers picking at the hem of her clothes, looking quite aggrieved.
“We can’t exactly tell him… that we’re no longer the little girls in need of protection he thinks we are. Instead, we’re already the Queens of our respective races, right?”
As soon as those words were spoken, Baining and Longjiu fell silent.
The wind swept through the treetops, making a rustling sound.
Who could have imagined that the three daughters whom Lü Erlu had spoiled since childhood now possessed unfathomable power?
Bearing royal bloodlines, they had long since awakened their powers in secret.
Using the excuse of going out to “work,” they had rebuilt nations belonging to their own races in various corners of the continent.
Only Lü Erlu, with his “daughter filter” firmly in place, still foolishly believed his little girls were the same fragile, cute children who needed to hide behind his back.
One wonders what kind of expression Lü Erlu will have when he eventually discovers his daughters’ secret.
Please look forward to it.
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