All the sand on the hourglass fell below.
Time to take turns watching.
Merrill had always wanted to be with his dad, but convinced him to go back to the carrier because it would sound like tomorrow's battle.
Anna came to me in the wrong place.
"Merrill. I was rather dissatisfied, though."
"I guess."
"Hehe. Dad's gonna have a hard time."
"Not as good as Anna. You're usually dealing with adventurers. It's going to be hard for me to deal with them strong."
"Sort of. I wish everyone was like my dad. When I came to Wang Capital, I found out that my dad was an adventurer."
"Ha. Well, have a seat. There will be stories."
"Right. I wanted to talk to my dad, too. That was just fine. Something I can't get into the ears of the other kids right now."
"What. Is that a problem?
"Yeah. That's not it. It's already been resolved in me. Just wanted to check with my dad."
"Confirm?"
Anna nodded small.
"Hey. Dad. You're sticking to the Enchanted Dragon crusade because - there's a burden of failing to protect our hometown village?
…………
I lose my words.
A warm wind blew and the flames of the burning shook loosely heavy. A red light is raising the outline of Anna's face in darkness.
"... what do you mean?
"My dad was originally active in Wang Du as an A-rank adventurer. If you held the sword, Kensei, you were powerful enough to be called a wise man if you used magic, right? I was told it was only a matter of time before I was promoted to S-rank Adventurer. But after a mission, Kaisel Cloud was virtually retired from the Adventurer."
Anna held her breath as she stared at the bonfire.
"After I came to King's Capital and became an Alliance employee, I was going through a lot of past literature. At first it was just because I wanted to know about my adventurous dad. But as I looked into it, I got to the record of that assignment. Wyburn crusade mission on the volcano. Although the crusade itself was a success, it awakened the enchanted dragon in doing so. And the dragon burned down the whole village at the foot."
…………
"My dad has since retired from his activities as an adventurer. Even though he didn't suffer enough injuries to be unrecognizable during the mission. When I spoke to people I knew about at the time, they said they brought back three babies after that assignment. I wasn't even married. I thought you said you took over the survival of the burned down village. Hey, Dad."
Anna finally turned her eyes to this side of the fire.
"Those three sisters must be us, right?
I can hear the patsy...... and the branches in the burning fire blowing up dry.
The voice was clearly raised in this place surrounded by dark darkness. That was a core voice color because I was sure.
Anna was getting to the truth.
That I'm not their real father. For the real reason of burning obsession with the crusade of the enchanted dragon.
This would no longer be useless to delude......
"... oh. Yes."
I shrugged when I noticed.
The moment I admitted it, I felt the starch I'd been accumulating inside my chest unraveling.
That's when they noticed me again.
I've always felt guilty.
"I knew you did. Glad to hear it directly from your dad's mouth."
"... does Elsa or Merrill know about this?
"Yeah. I'm the only one who knows. I didn't tell you two. Because maybe you'll be shocked."
Anna squeaked with her knees in her arms.
"My dad kept this in his chest the whole time."
"... I'm sorry. I've tried to break it down many times. But I couldn't. It's been here forever with the cheats as they are."
There was a burden.
They say my inability to defeat the Enchanted Dragon has left my daughters real parents dead.
Certainly, I am also the enemy of their parents.
"Anna. It would have been a shock...?
"Yeah. Originally, compared to the house around me, I didn't think I had a mother, but I never thought I had a blood connection to my dad. I'm surprised. If they'd told me when I was a kid, it might still have been better."
"... I was scared. I'm telling you the truth. Then I feel like we're not family anymore."
"Daddy......"
"... Anna. Do you resent me?
"... right"
Anna shrugged pompously.
"... maybe, if it were meant to be, I should resent it. Because my dad was originally a tenant who separated us from our real parents. But"
"But?"
"To resent my dad, to hate him, because I got too much love. Because I made too many irreplaceable memories. So...... I can't resent it or hate it. I still love my dad."
"Anna......"
"Today, when Bloodwolf showed up in the woods. I've been watching my dads fight on the carriage carriage. He looked just like Elsa's sword muscle, stood around, and dad. And a little trick when you put your sword in the sheath. And how Merrill works out her magic when she activates it. My dad had this unconscious habit of using magic."
Anna said.
"Look at that, I, I thought. We may not be family by blood. But I have a lot of things I inherited from my dad. Blood connections, genes, and all that nonsense has nothing to do with anything like that. The time we've spent, the memories we've enjoyed, makes us a real family. I'm sure Elsa and Merrill will think the same thing about me."
"... thanks. Anna."
My vision blurs with tears.
The word of forgiveness pierced my chest deeply.
And I was proud to have such a sweet, fine daughter. If you look from the side, you might be fooled to say you're a fool.
But I will still keep my chest up.
As the father of these children.
As a family.