"Papa Elias is completely asleep... I guess today's work really wore him out."
"Seele, we should avoid moving too much. Bronya estimates he's still in light sleep—it wouldn't take much to wake him."
"Ah, o-okay."
At Bronya's words, Seele immediately tensed up, even softening her breath to avoid disturbing him.
Still, her gaze never left Elias' face. Maybe it was the light from the fireplace, but her cheeks seemed especially flushed.
(Papa's really handsome...)
Seele admired his sleeping face with a dreamy expression.
When asleep, Elias was completely defenseless—or rather, he never put up defenses around them to begin with.
In this world, aside from the girls of House of the Hearth, only a few others in another timeline—like Mei, Kiana, and Sirin—had seen Elias' sleeping face.
The flickering glow of the hearth danced across his snow-white hair.
The silken strands were tinged with a golden-red hue, making them appear luxuriously radiant. Combined with his mature, handsome face—flawless in every detail—it was like something from a painting.
Even if he had no other skills, Elias' face alone could ensure he'd never go hungry in this life.
"Hehe~"
"Seele?"
"Ah, n-no, it's nothing!"
That silly smile on Seele's face just now—it had to be Bronya's imagination. Seele, with her quiet personality, liked spending time in warm, peaceful places doing simple things—reading, daydreaming...
And in all of House of the Hearth, there was nowhere warmer or more comforting than being beside Elias. Nothing more beautiful to look at, either.
Especially in this family of girls who had all been saved by him—each and every one of them adored Papa Elias immensely.
The biggest dream most of the House of the Hearth girls shared was: to one day marry Papa Elias!
"Seele, can you tell me more about Papa Elias?"
"Eh?" Seele blinked in surprise.
"Bronya wants to understand him better," the duck said seriously, staring at Elias' sleeping face.
Today had been like a dream for her.
A failed mission didn't result in death, but in being adopted by the target. Her organization was wiped out. And now—her first day living a life without guns or killing.
Delicious food. Warm baths. Beautiful songs. And... the warmth of his embrace.
Bronya's entire world had changed.
Her heart, frozen just like this perpetual Siberian winter, now had a sun rising in its sky. The long, dark night was beginning to thaw.
Elias had taken her from being a weapon and made her human again. And so, instinctively, she yearned for his warmth. She wanted to know him better.
"Of course! I'll tell you everything I know about Papa Elias! Hehe~ He's the best person in the whole world."
Seele spoke with certainty, her face bright with a sweet smile, like she was proudly showing off her most treasured possession.
Bronya listened carefully, and as she did, her dull, lifeless eyes gradually began to shine—growing brighter, more alive with every word.
The two girls, delicate and adorable like cherry blossoms in spring, sat on Elias' lap. But as their conversation deepened, the warm firelight and cozy atmosphere slowly lulled them to sleep.
Eventually, Bronya and Seele both drifted off, curled up against Elias' chest like small, cuddly animals.
When Elias woke and saw the scene before him—
He was instantly healed, body and soul.
...
Several months passed after that.
Since Bronya joined House of the Hearth, Elias had felt significantly more at ease.
This capable (and very cute) ducky managed the house impeccably whenever he was away, keeping everything neat and orderly. It saved him a lot of trouble.
And the heart she had once kept sealed gradually began to open. Though her default expression remained calm and stoic...
That changed completely when she was around Elias or Seele.
Only in front of them did Bronya's expressions become so lively and animated.
"Everyone, I'm home~"
"Welcome back, Papa Elias."
"Mm... Looks like even when I'm not here, Bronya can take care of everyone just fine. You really are my good girl. Here—this is a special reward for you."
He handed her a beautifully wrapped gift box and gently patted her head.
"Thank you, Papa. Bronya really likes it."
"Uh... but you haven't opened it yet."
"As long as it's from Papa Elias, Bronya will love it no matter what."
"Haha, hearing that makes me so happy. I love you too, ducky."
This duck was just too adorable.
Elias couldn't resist crouching down and hugging her tightly—then kissed her on the forehead.
Bronya responded with a rare smile few outsiders would ever witness, wrapping her arms around his neck.
She shed her cold, aloof demeanor and snuggled into his embrace like a spoiled child.
Recently, Elias had started calling her "ducky"—a nickname between just the two of them... though honestly, it was just a habit from his previous life.
At the sound of the front door opening, the other girls came running in.
"No fair! Bronya was first again! Papa belongs to me!"
"Hmph! Not true—Papa Elias belongs to Rozaliya and Liliya!"
"Welcome back, Papa Elias. Dinner's ready—we even made borscht!"
As expected, Seele was the most thoughtful little sweetheart. Elias affectionately ruffled her hair.
"Did you make dinner again today, Seele? I'll have to give it a proper taste test. Here—this is for you."
"Ah, thank you, Papa! I love it!"
"You're just like Bronya. Saying you love it before even opening it... At least take a look first. I picked it out carefully—it'll definitely suit you."
"Papa, Papa! We want gifts too!"
"Alright, alright! Everyone line up—there's a present for each of you."
After months of development, House of the Hearth had become a fully functional home. Not only was the mortgage paid off, but Elias had stocked up on all sorts of living essentials.
...Though it hadn't been cheap.
A massive villa big enough for this many girls, fully renovated and furnished—
The total cost had exceeded eight figures.
But now the property belonged to them completely. And with some money to spare, Elias' favorite hobby had become buying gifts for his girls at every opportunity.
Elias: (I'm not like Raven, hoarding money endlessly just to buy some island villa. Ugh, poor girl—saving up all that money just to watch it sink into the ocean. At this rate, I should just help her spend it myself.)
He sighed in sympathy for Raven once more. Elias silently vowed to help her however he could once he returned to the main timeline. Sure, as a captain, he found it hilarious to tease the island-bombing crow...
But as her current partner, he deeply understood how hard-earned every coin was.
Just imagining all that money going to waste made his chest ache.
"Hmm? Papa Elias, what's wrong all of a sudden?"
"Ahem, nothing. Just feeling sympathetic for a friend's future. Anyway—everyone! Eyes on me! I've got an announcement!"
Elias clapped his hands to draw the girls' attention, then held up a colorful brochure featuring blue skies, white sands, and tropical waves.
"Tomorrow, we're going on a trip to this place! After dinner, we'll all go pick out swimsuits."
"A t-trip?!!" xN
With that one sentence, the room exploded.
Everyone immediately swarmed to look at the flyer in Elias' hand. No matter their usual personality, every pair of eyes sparkled like lightbulbs.
"Yay! Long live Papa Elias!!" xN
"Come on, Seele, let's hurry and eat!"
"Yeah! I've never bought a swimsuit before!"
"Aaah~ I can't wait for tomorrow to come!"
The energy in the room soared—so much that even the flames in the hearth seemed to burn a little brighter.
While Siberia technically had coastlines, they were absolutely not suitable for vacations. No sand—only snow. No swimming—just freezing.
Naturally, the girls were full of curiosity about the ocean they'd only read about in books. Even those uninterested in the sea were excited about the trip itself.
Dinner, which usually took at least half an hour, was over in just ten minutes. Soon after, Elias rented a large bus and brought all the girls to a nearby mall to buy swimsuits.
"Papa Elias, what made you suddenly want to take us to the beach?"
Seele, who was the first to finish picking her swimsuit, sat quietly beside him.
Due to her gentle personality, she hadn't taken long to choose—she avoided flashy or expensive styles and hugged the shopping bag close to her chest.
The normally calm and quiet beauty now had a rare look of excitement on her face.
Seele had always longed for the ocean.
There was a book in House of the Hearth titled The Little Mermaid that she had read countless times.
Elias reached over and gave her a practiced headpat.
"I've wanted to take you girls on a trip for a while now. The timing just worked out—one of my good friends has a work arrangement that allows us to bring a big group to the beach. Make sure to thank her properly when the time comes."
"Mm! Seele definitely will!"
"Haha, good girl... Though honestly, it's also a bit of a coincidence. I'd already planned to take you to the beach."
"Eh?"
Seele blinked, momentarily stunned. Her excitement paused as she tried to process what she'd just heard. Had he really said "you" instead of "you all"?
Noticing her surprised expression, Elias chuckled and gently pinched her cheek.
"Did you think I hadn't noticed how often someone's been rereading The Little Mermaid? Seele's always dreamed of the ocean, right? Well—your wish is about to come true."
"Originally, I could only afford to take Seele alone on the trip, so this really worked out nicely. After all, going together with everyone is how we make the best memories."
"Eh? Seele, why'd you suddenly go quiet?"
Seeing his little angel fall silent, Elias knelt down with concern, about to use his power to check if she felt unwell.
But in the next second, Seele dove into his arms, burying her face in his chest.
"Thank you, Papa Elias... sniff Seele's so happy—really, really happy."
"Heh, it's nothing. Our sweet Seele has been so obedient lately, even helping with cooking. Of course Papa should reward you."
"But I'm just so happy... Being adopted by Papa Elias makes me feel so, so lucky."
Seele Vollerei had never been a confident girl. She was sensitive and emotional, prone to tears whether she was happy or sad.
Quiet and thoughtful, Seele always stayed close to those around her, silently helping however she could. She remembered everyone's preferences and offered her support in the gentlest ways.
Take cooking, for example—she noticed Elias getting busier and quietly took it upon herself to learn.
And now, this perceptive girl realized something.
Her Papa Elias always did the same thing for them—he paid attention to the things they liked, the wishes they never voiced, and made them come true.
When Bronya showed interest in computers, Elias—without being asked—gifted her a laptop under the pretense of a reward.
When Rozaliya and Liliya became obsessed with singing and dancing, Elias gave them matching idol outfits and karaoke microphones that played background music automatically.
Even Sin Mal, who was probably the most troublesome in House of the Hearth, received his full love and attention. On her birthday, Elias had gifted her a beautifully crafted gear-shaped pocket watch.
They never asked for anything...
But their father always knew.
And he always delivered with a casual smile.
"Seele, aren't you exaggerating a little?"
"It's because I really am happy."
Wiping away tears of joy, Seele smiled brightly from the heart.
What moved her most wasn't the trip itself, or even the gift. It was Elias' actions—how he made each of them feel seen, known, and cared for.
To be noticed by the person she loved most—
How could Seele not feel overjoyed?
"I don't fully get it, but... as long as you're happy. Our Seele suits the sea perfectly—she'll be a little mermaid for sure."
Elias hugged the girl in his arms, gently patting her back.
(A mermaid? If I'm the mermaid in that story... then Papa Elias must be—ah! Seele, what are you thinking?! That's way too bold...)
Her cheeks flushed red as she shook the thought out of her head. Assigning Elias the role of the prince in The Little Mermaid was far too much.
Elias blinked in confusion as he watched Seele suddenly turn into a steaming teapot.
(Girls are so hard to understand... What is she even thinking right now?)
Still...
Seele was just too cute like this!
Just like a heroine in a fairytale. Adorable~
Truly worthy of being his daughter. (Well, not biologically... but still.)
...
The next day arrived.
Elias drove the girls to the airport.
Raven was already waiting for them.
Unlike her usual attire, she wasn't dressed in her black World Serpent combat gear today. Instead, she wore casual clothes—a rare sight.
Without her hood, her surprisingly beautiful face was fully visible in the sunlight. Elias couldn't help but glance her way again.
Ash-gray short hair, a small ahoge poking up, rose-red eyes, a beauty mark near the corner of her lips—and a pretty stacked figure, too.
"Hmm... Y'know, Natasha, even if you didn't become a mercenary, I feel like you'd totally make it as a gloomy-type idol. You could get rich easy."
"Hey, what's with the 'gloomy-type' comment? You calling me gloomy now?"
Raven raised an eyebrow and gave him a playful kick. Now that they were familiar, Elias' mouth really had no filter.
Besides—her, an idol? Don't joke. The shady rules in that industry were worse than anything in mercenary work.
"If we're talking looks, Elias, you're way more suited to that role than I am."
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