Recently, I had been quite busy.
I’ve been running around between the UK and Japan, making sure to greet my in-laws. I’ve worked hard with the association chairman for the succession. And of course, I’ve been secretly working behind the scenes for the "small gift."
Amidst all these busy days, today felt like a rather special one.
Rustling.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve been with my wives all together.’
Shia was out on clan-related business. Alice, apparently bored with the night life lately, was secluded "studying." Master was running around buying baby products.
Kkong was in Vietnam, handling necromancer-related restoration work. Sibylla had left for a business trip to Korea to discuss matters with Brother Morrison. Winterer had gone to work at the base.
By chance, all but one of my seven wives were busy today.
“Hehe. Just the two of us, Daddy. This is the best.”
“You really like it that much?”
“Yep! Big families are great, but just the two of us sticking together like rice cakes, that’s the best!”
I was the only one not busy today.
It seed like she was happy to just be with . She wouldn’t let go of , holding tight.
How cute. A smile naturally spread across my face.
‘Our daughter. She’s so cute...”
“Then let’s do it, Daddy ♡ Let’s do the spicy thing... ♡” “......”
Scratch that, cute comnt.
I slapped her hand, which was subtly heading toward a certain area.
“Tsk. We did it yesterday too. With Master, until we both passed out.”
“I’m all good now!”
“If you lie, I’ll spank your bottom like I did with your sister?”
“...Actually, it still hurts a little!”
“That’s right.”
She was listening well, so I gave her a pat on the head.
She seed to be in a good mood, humming a little tune.
“Hehe. But still, being with Daddy like this is the best ♡”
“......”
‘Hmm. Maybe I should take good care of Haru today.’
As we were enjoying this peaceful ti, a thought crossed my mind.
Days like this were rare, after all. I had seven wives. How often would I get to spend the whole day with one of them?
It seed too wasteful to just goof around. I wanted to make it aningful.
I ran my hand through her silky hair, deep in thought.
“Haru, is there anything you want to do with Daddy today?”
“Hmm… Anything with Daddy is great. Hehe.”
“How about an amusent park? Want to et Panda and say ‘nice to et you’?”
“I like Daddy more than Panda!”
“...Thank you~.”
Well, trying to get an easy win failed.
Our daughter would be happy just spending ti with , and I had to take care of her to make her feel like it was worth it.
That made think...
‘Wait a second...?’
[Hypnosis-chan, my soulmate, are you there?]
I quickly summoned Hypnosis-chan.
It was a good idea that just crossed my mind, and to make it happen, I needed to use her as a bridge.
Thud thud. Squeak.
“Did you call, Master~?”
“Daddy? Why did you call the little one?”
"I have sothing to ask.”
Hypnosis-chan, who had been watching TV, ca running over.
I focused on her eyes. The things I was about to say were going to be sowhat against the natural order, so Haru couldn’t overhear.
[Where’s Mir-sama?]
[Mom? She’s with that old lady who keeps peeing herself.]
[They’ve been hanging out a lot lately. They seem to get along since they’re the sa age.]
[If you say that to Mom, she’ll spank you, Master~.]
[Sorry. Anyway, are you busy right now?]
[I'm comforting Paimon who's crying?]
[Must be nice to have such free ti.]
First, I checked in to see if she was busy. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to be.
[So, Hypnosis-chan, can you ask her if this is possible? I need...]
[I understand, but it would take a lot of divine energy, Master~.]
[Is there no other way? If we go about it carefully, won’t Ichi turn a blind eye?]
[It can’t be that simple… Mom?]
Hypnosis-chan’s eyes widened.
Her lips slightly parted in a perfect "O," clearly impressed.
[Master! Mom says she’ll help you out~!]
[Really?]
[Yep! Here’s how….]
[Wow.]
‘Hypnosis-chan. Your mom really is sothing else.’
After hearing the explanation, I was just as stunned.
She was truly wise. I had noticed it ever since I heard her foreign operations plan, but still... it was impressive.
I decided to graciously accept her help.
[When can she do it?]
[If you fall asleep right away, she’ll send you down automatically~.]
[Thanks. Now go back to watching TV.]
[If you need anything, just let know, Master~.]
“All done! Haru, did you wait long?”
“Mm? I didn’t even notice the ti because your hand felt so nice, Daddy. That’s a new discovery!”
“I’m glad you liked it.”
After sending Hypnosis-chan off, I casually placed my hand on Haru’s pajamas. Of course, I wasn’t intending to do anything improper.
“Haru, how about a nap with Daddy? Just the two of us, snuggling.”
“......! That sounds perfect!”
“Alright, let’s go to bed.”
I lay down on the bed and held Haru.
It had been a while since I tried to sleep properly, but... I wasn’t really planning on sleeping, so it didn’t matter.
“I’ll sing you a lullaby. Lullaby, lullaby~.”
Ding.
[Skill 'Complete Hypnosis ' is activated.]
My eyes glowed golden.
Thanks to that, I could see Haru’s soul. She seed to be so happy to be with , all soft and gooey like sticky rice cake.
My soul stretched out and gently embraced hers.
[The souls are deeply connected!]
[You and the target rge together.]
Our vision blurred, turning sepia.
***
Haru, who was called to sleep by her father’s lullaby, fell into the happiest slumber in the world.
However, for so reason, a different scene unfolded before her eyes.
In a pure white space, she found herself standing naked, with...
“Haru?”
“...Daddy!!”
Unlike her, Daddy was dressed in a tracksuit.
She instinctively clung to Yujin, the unease in her heart quickly settling.
“…Where are we?”
“This is Haru's dream. Right now, you’re dreaming with Daddy.”
“Dream! Hehe. Daddy’s in my dream. It’s the best dream.”
“Right. Now, let’s get dressed. Since it’s your dream, anything you want can happen here.”
“Got it!”
Then, whoosh.
A rainbow light flickered across Haru’s body. It looked just like the transformation scenes in her favorite magical girl cartoons.
“...”
‘That’s the one, right? The one Kkong looks like the main character from.’
Yujin observed, thinking, ‘Yeah, that really suits Kkong.’ But still...
“Transformation complete! Teddy Bear Haru!”
“Since it's a dream, didn’t you want to wear sothing other than pajamas?”
“This is the best!”
“Well, if you like it.”
Haru changed into her animal pajama, and Yujin began walking ahead. Haru followed him, matching his pace.
Ahead of them, a research laboratory stood.
‘Normally, I’d avoid it, but... now that Haru is starting to stabilize ntally, we should face it at least once.’
“Do you rember where this is?”
This was the place where Haru had beco a victim of the ‘Awakened Reproduction Project’—a military laboratory from the 1990s.
“Hmm. I don’t rember. Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. You were really young back then. Of course, you wouldn’t rember.”
“…I’m glad.”
Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, Haru’s mory was incomplete, unlike her older sister’s. She unconsciously hugged Yujin’s arm.
She was a little scared, which was a reaction Yujin had anticipated.
“...Yeah.”
‘It seems like the scars on her soul are still there.’
Even if the physical scars were healed, the ones on the mind and soul could not be easily erased.
The pain and suffering from the terrible experints still lingered in her soul, like a foul odor that could not be simply wiped away, even with Yujin’s hypnosis.
Today, he was planning to uproot those scars entirely.
“So, Haru, how about we eat first?”
“Eat…?”
“Here, you can eat as much as you want and never get full. Let’s eat a lot of delicious food that you like.”
“...Okay!”
The mont Haru nodded, a table filled with food appeared in the previously barren laboratory.
Katsu, chicken, pizza, hamburgers, and all the foods Haru loved were steaming and ready to eat.
“Daddy, let’s feed each other. Hehe.”
“Okay~ Oh, look, there are pink sausages too. Did you like these?”
“Yep! The day after I t you, Grandma grilled them for !”
“...”
‘Grandma. Thank you again today...’
There were so very simple, hoy foods mixed in, but they were good for Yujin, as he was determined to prepare a ‘surprise gift’ for Seol Hayeon. But that’s a story for later.
For now, it was ti to eat.
“This is amazing! No matter how much I eat, I never get full!”
“Isn’t it great? So, what should we feed you now?”
“Cutlet! Four pieces at once, with a fork!”
“You sure know how to eat.”
“Hehe~.”
Father and daughter happily shared a al.
Where once Haru had cried herself to sleep from hunger, the place was now filled with the comforting sll of food.
“Now, should we go play?”
“Play with Daddy! What should we do?”
“Hmm... there’s a perfect bed here. How about playing doctor?”
“Sounds aweso! I’m the doctor, and you’re the patient who ca because your ‘spicy’ part hurts!”
“...Hmm. Well, it’s a dream, so alright.”
They played doctor.
In the place where Haru had once been bound and subjected to experints, now there was the sound of happy laughter.
“And, and...”
“Yeah. Let’s do everything you want to do today, Haru.”
“Hehe. Daddy’s the best!”
The two of them went to and from various places, filling the laboratory—once a place of only bad mories—with joyful monts.
Whether it was effective or not, Haru’s heart gradually beca much more at ease.
“...”
‘It’s working. This really is the right approach.’
This was Yujin’s plan all along.
To overwrite bad experiences with good ones.
To replace the torture she had undergone, the gaps in her mory, with mories of spending happy tis with her loving father.
It was a simple but effective thod.
“Phew~ The dance battle with Panda was the most fun! How about you, Daddy?”
“...It was nice being with you, Haru~.”
‘I never thought I’d be dancing at my age.’
Yujin was a little embarrassed, but still...
“So, should we head to the last place?”
“Last?”
“Yep. Soone is waiting for you.”
“...Who?”
“Don’t worry. You’ll see.”
And so, the two walked on.
Unlike the sepia-colored places they had been to before, now they were heading towards a small office, a place that had always shone in full color.
Squeak. Haru opened the door, and...
“—Lieutenant Seo, have you arrived?”
Yujin respectfully bowed his head.
This was the man he had summoned with Mir’s help. Due to the imnse consumption of divine power, materializing here in person was impossible, but he had appeared as a ‘manifestation’ through a form known as the ‘divine dream.’
Lieutenant Seo smiled warmly at them.
“Good to see you again, Yujin. And... Seoharu-chan.”
“...Who?”
“Haru, don’t worry. He’s a good person. Go talk to him.”
Haru seed a little cautious.
But Yujin silently nudged her forward. This was sothing that needed to be settled between them.
“Mm. Nice to et you. I’m Seoharu.”
“Nice to et you. Just call the researcher, Mr. Seo.”
“Got it. Mr. Seo.”
“Indeed.”
Lieutenant Seo’s smile deepened.
It was a relief that she didn’t rember him.
And then, he finally spoke the apology he had been holding in.
“I’m sorry. I made a promise that your father would co after a hundred nights, but I couldn’t keep it.”
“...Huh? Promise?”
“Yeah. You might have forgotten, but we made a promise here a long ti ago.”
“Hmm. I kind of rember it, but not really.”
For Haru, it was already sothing she had forgotten, and it didn’t seem necessary to apologize.
However, Lieutenant Seo didn’t hesitate to lower his head. Knowing how things turned out in the tiline where Yujin and Haru never t, it was only natural for him to feel regret.
His sincere actions created a small ripple in Haru’s heart.
“...Mm. It’s fine. You don’t need to apologize.”
“...Haru-chan?”
“Grandma said. It wasn’t on purpose, and if you apologize, I’ll forgive you.”
She smiled broadly, her expression a complete contrast to when she had t him with a blank face long ago.
“Dad said you were a good person, so it wasn’t on purpose. Right?”
“...I’m not deserving of being called a good person. There’s still a lot I need to apologize for.”
“If Daddy says you’re a good person, that ans you are!”
And then, with a tight hug, she smiled proudly as if showing off.
“And, anyway, since Daddy’s here, it’s okay now! I forgive you!”
“…Yes.”
At long last, the goodwill that had once been lost was finally bridged, even if only in this dream.
The saddest mory in Haru’s heart, the ti when she waited for ‘Daddy’ and he never ca, was overwritten by the mont of forgiveness.
Swoosh.
“It looks like it’s ti. I’ll take my leave now.”
‘Yujin, thank you.’
Lieutenant Seo’s form slowly faded into light.
After all, he was only a ‘manifestation,’ summoned for the purpose of delivering a divine ssage.
He couldn’t stay longer.
‘Well... Mir-sama might not like this, but should I give him a little hint?’
“Before I go, Yujin, I’ll give you a prophecy.”
Just before leaving, he spoke, without thinking, the words that carried his gratitude.
“Huh? A prophecy, suddenly...”
“I know well because I created Yujin’s body...”
Smiles.
“—Seven might not be enough.”
“...What!!?”
For those listening, it was as if a bolt from the blue struck. The warm atmosphere turned to confusion.
“No, Lieutenant Seo, what do you an by that?”
“Hehe. Well, that’s enough for now.”
“Lieutenant!!?”
Yujin was left dumbfounded.
‘I knew my wives might be a bit overwheld, but...’ he muttered.
“…Daddy, is seven not enough?”
“Huh!? Ah, no! What I ant was...”
“Then Daddy, let’s do it! Since seven isn’t enough, let’s play ‘fusion’ with !”
“No, you’re still hurt...”
“It’s okay!”
Swoosh.
“...In the dream, it doesn’t hurt at all ♡”
“Hah.”
Haru, hearing that, figured out the perfect way to end her happy day.
And thus, the happiest mory in the laboratory was created.
But, in the end, this was not a sudden turn of events but rather about 90% of Yujin’s own doing.
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