Chapter 66

“You always tell me to come.”

Eve, whom I hadn’t seen in a while, started grumbling as soon as she saw me.

“Then should I take the kid downtown? Isn’t it better for you to come?”

“Persuasive.”

“Dad!”

“Kabe, have you been well?”

Kabe, also seeing her dad after a long time, happily clung to Eve.

Her face was full of a genuine smile, clearly showing how happy she was.

Eve also smiled brightly, finding Kabe cute.

“My, my, you’ve gotten even prettier since I last saw you.”

“Dad, you’ve gotten prettier too!”

After kissing Kabe’s cheeks for a while, Eve put her down and grabbed my arm.

“Why?”

“Your ear.”

As I leaned my ear closer, Eve whispered into it.

“Hasn’t Kabe gained too much weight?”

—

“Hello~”

A few days ago, I bought twelve chickens from that chicken shop.

As I opened the door and entered, the owner recognized me and greeted me with a big smile.

“Oh, Yoon-Woo. What’s with the heating here…”

The heat hit me as soon as I opened the door.

I expected it, so it didn’t bother me, but Eve seemed a bit weird.

As soon as we entered, the owner greeted us.

“You’re back! Takeout again today?”

“Ah, no. We’ll eat here today and take some later.”

“I see. Have a seat!”

The dining area only had two tables.

We sat at one of them with Eve and Kabe.

“One whole chicken, one cola, and two 500cc draft beers. Bring the beer first.”

“Sure! I’ll bring the beer right away!”

The owner glanced at Eve, tilted her head slightly, and then went into the kitchen.

People recognize Eve wherever we go.

But why don’t they recognize me?

Weird.

I’ve been on TV quite a bit.

“So, why did you want to meet?”

“Just. It’s been a while since I saw your face.”

“Such a trivial reason. It’s not like we meet often enough for it to matter.”

Eve pouted, clearly not pleased with my indifferent expression.

“It’s just a casual meet-up. Does there have to be a reason?”

“Well, I guess.”

“The beer’s here~!”

A cola can, an ice cup, and a 500cc cup of beer were placed in front of Eve.

“Cola! Cola! Cola!”

“Hey, Kabe. You have to wait.”

I poured the cola into the cup, leaving a bit to spare, and drank the rest myself.

If Kabe spills it, it would be troublesome.

“Here, have a drink.”

Eve and I clinked glasses and drank the beer.

As soon as I put the glass down, Eve wiped the foam from her mouth and asked,

“Did Keru return safely from the Dark Realm?”

“Huh?”

Come to think of it, Keru returned this afternoon, and no one else should know.

How does she know Keru is back?

“How did you know?”

“Know what?”

“That Keru returned. He came back this afternoon. How did you know?”

“Huh? Ah, no.”

Eve suddenly started stammering at my question.

What’s with her?

“It’s just that usually, when Karin goes on a mission, it takes about this long…”

Keru said it took longer than expected.

The phrase ‘longer than expected’ implies it took longer than usual.

“Eve. You…”

“The chicken’s here! I put extra green onions on it!”

“Wow! Chicken!”

Whatever. Feeding Kabe is more important than such simple curiosity.

“Owner, you didn’t bring the baby today, did you?”

Now that I think about it, the heating is warm, but I don’t see the baby.

“I brought her. Over there.”

At the end of where her finger pointed, there was indeed a baby seat firmly secured.

And occasionally, small hands and feet waving in the air.

“I didn’t see her. Can I take a look? The baby is so cute, I wanted to see her again.”

“Of course! Go ahead!”

With the parents’ permission, I put plenty of meat on Kabe’s plate and stood up to approach the seat and peek inside.

Ah.

She’s awake.

Her black bead-like eyes looked up at me.

“Bwa, bwa, bwaa!”

She stretched out her tiny hand and waved at me.

“Bwabwabwa, bwaa!”

“Um, excuse me.”

“Yes! You can hold her!”

Before I could even ask, the owner’s quick response allowed me to carefully pick up the baby from the seat.

With her lower teeth starting to show, the baby smiled brightly at me.

—

“Yoon-Woo.”

“Yeah.”

“Are you listening?”

“Yeah.”

“What did I say?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re not listening, are you?”

“Yeah.”

I wasn’t listening.

Even after sitting back down with the baby in my arms, Eve kept talking, but I didn’t hear a word.

All my attention and gaze were focused on the baby in my arms.

She’s so cute. So pretty, so precious, that holding her and feeling her squirm made everything else irrelevant.

“Mom.”

“Yeah, Kabe.”

Kabe is an exception.

“Baby?”

“Yeah. Isn’t she tiny?”

Kabe, also curious about the baby I was holding, came closer to take a look.

“Her eyes are like beads.”

“Yours too, Kabe. Like red beads.”

“Hehe.”

Kabe reached out and gently touched the baby’s cheek. It didn’t seem like I needed to warn her.

“She’s cute.”

“Right?”

“Mom, can you make me a sibling too?”

Huh?

—

After dinner at the chicken shop, I bought twenty chickens for the kids.

Eve handled the payment and easily transported them using her inventory.

Why don’t I have something like that?

So unfair.

Since Eve was here today, we couldn’t gather the kids to eat together, so I told Dusik and Sohee to spread them out in my living room and have each kid take one. Eve and I went to my office.

Sitting on the sofa facing each other.

“Is there another reason you wanted to meet today?”

“Yeah. There are a few things. First, the advertising contracts are finalized.”

Eve waved her hand in the air again and pulled out an envelope, pushing it towards me.

A yellowish-brown envelope.

Wow, haven’t seen that in a while.

“Let me explain briefly first. We’ve signed contracts with seven companies. Mostly big corporations, and one wanted to contract with you, but I convinced them to contract with us instead.”

Wait, what’s this?

Why did you decide I couldn’t do it?

“Hey, why did you say no? I can do it! I can do ads!”

Anger surged within me.

Money is important.

Thanks to Eve, our financial troubles have eased, but extra money is always good.

And Eve just decided on her own…!

“You can’t use magic. How are you going to do ads?”

Ah.

The anger subsided.

“That’s true.”

“Anyway, seven companies. The total contract amount is 700 million, and we’ve received 60% upfront, so 420 million. Split in half, that’s 210 million each. Check the contracts.”

There were seven contracts in total.

Placing them side by side with the seals intact, it was clear they were genuine originals.

—

“Done reading?”

“Yeah.”

It took an hour to read all seven contracts.

No particularly problematic clauses, but one thing bothered me.

“Perform the ad at least three times per battle… What are we going to do about this? Our kids have to take the hits. The damage is more than expected.”

“Damage? What damage? The minions can take the hits.”

“Well, if the minions take the hits…”

But the kids disappear.

We can summon them again, but they have personalities too, Eve.

They’re living, breathing beings. Not just disposable items.

“Just summon them again.”

– You’re the prettiest when you smile, sis.

– Sis, you really can’t cook…

If Chilho disappears, can we summon him again?

“Alright, I’ll think about it more.”

This is something I need to solve.

I handed the original contracts back to Eve and decided to get scanned copies via email.

“Anything else?”

“Yeah. Kabe’s identity is almost sorted. She’s six now. Just need to register her, but…”

“Oh, finally.”

“The problem is what to do about her parents. Registering her as an orphan would be simple.”

We can’t make her an orphan.

Absolutely not.

“Just register her as my daughter. What’s so hard about that?”

“I knew you’d say that. But there’s one problem.”

“What?”

Eve stared at me, then slowly lowered her gaze.

“If we register her as your daughter… that person you’re dating…”

What?

“Who I’m dating?”

“Yeah. The person you’re dating. You know, your lover? Partner?”

“I don’t have one.”

What are you talking about?

This is the most absurd and ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.

Even though only Keru and I know, I was originally a man, and it’s been a while since I became a woman, so living as one isn’t awkward anymore.

But just because it’s not awkward doesn’t mean I want to date a man.

What? Who I’m dating?

“There’s no way. Why would I date a man?”

“Really? You sure?”

“I’m sure. I have no intention of dating a man.”

“Really? Then that key…”

“Key?”

“…is a waste. You’re tall and have big breasts, why aren’t you dating a man?”

“That’s my business.”

But strangely, Eve’s face brightened.

Must be my imagination.

“So, you’re single now, right?”

“Yeah. No, I’m not single or anything, what are you talking about?”

“Alright, that’s settled. Anyway, I’ll register her as your daughter. Is that okay?”

“Sure. No problem.”

The only concern would be if Kabe dies, no, no, no… disappears during battle.

But I won’t let that happen. I’ll absolutely prevent it.

“Good. Then that’s settled. I’ll head out now. The fight with Aquamarine is in six days, right?”

“Yeah.”

Eve got up from the sofa and stretched.

“You’ve figured out her weakness, so I don’t need to worry, right?”

“Yeah.”

Eve turned and opened the office door.

As she closed the door and left, I threw out a comment.

Aquamarine might have said something, but given her personality, she probably didn’t go into detail.

So then.

“Don’t spy on me in the bathroom.”

“Hey, even I wouldn’t follow you into the bathroom… huh?”

She fell for it.

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