Chapter 112
“Surely, if Owen is there, things would be much more stable.”
Kyle’s dad spoke, and Harzen’s dad slowly nodded in agreement.
“Of course, I’m skilled in group battles too, but when the opponent mixes with civilians, it’s harder to handle.”
“We can’t manage close combat on our own.”
Derick’s dad also agreed in a flat tone.
“Exactly. Most of us are ranged fighters, and since we don’t know the enemy base, it’ll be hard to gain a geographical advantage.”
“……”
“We need overwhelming force—enough to protect us while being able to handle even a few attackers without breaking a sweat.”
Kyle’s dad spoke decisively once again.
Listening to the dads, I nodded to myself.
So that’s how much trust Dad Zion commands among the fathers.
‘Well, of course. Dad Zion is that incredible.’
He was always at the frontlines when hunting the Demon Lord, shouldering the party with overwhelming skill.
That person—wasn’t he Zion Owen?
“But……”
At that moment, Mom, who had been silently listening to the dads, quietly spoke.
Her brows were slightly furrowed, as if displeased with the plan.
“Zion is currently following the emperor’s orders at the border. We can’t ask him to abandon those orders for our sake.”
“Oh, that!”
As soon as Mom finished speaking, a memory flashed through my mind like lightning.
Wait—I completely forgot to tell Mom!
“Grandpa said he would try asking Dad to come back!”
“Huh?”
“As a birthday present for me! Grandma Margo asked him!”
Whether it was a request, a threat, or a lament, I wasn’t entirely sure.
At my words, the eyes of all the dads—except Derick’s—went wide.
“He said he’d try asking again?”
“So he wasn’t deliberately keeping him from coming back?”
Of course, the dads were thinking the same thing I had thought before.
“Yeah, Grandpa said so.”
I shook my head vigorously and spoke firmly.
Hopefully, this clears up another misunderstanding about Grandpa.
“Grandpa told Dad many times that it was fine to come back, but Dad said he wouldn’t return until his mission was complete.”
“Stubborn as ever……”
Mom frowned slightly and let out a long sigh.
She probably missed Dad Zion a lot too.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t complain so openly like that.
“But wouldn’t that make it even harder for him to come back?”
Kyle’s dad shrugged and spoke in the meantime.
“Who’s going to stop his stubbornness?”
“I can’t.”
“He even refused the emperor’s offer—there’s no way he’d come just because we asked.”
The other dads clicked their tongues in exasperation.
“Hmm…….”
I paused, stretched out my lips, then suddenly raised my hand.
“Me!”
Maybe I could do it?
“……Cici?”
Mom and Dad murmured in surprise at my confident shout.
I nodded emphatically again.
“Yeah, I think I can do it.”
Because Dad Zion is a dad who dotes on his daughter like no other!
“—Come to think of it, Cici has never really asked anything of Owen until now.”
Kyle’s dad muttered under his breath as if a thought had crossed his mind.
“With his personality, there might actually be a chance……?”
“See, I told you so.”
Of course, if this doesn’t work, we’ll have to consider alternatives.
‘This time, Dad Zion probably won’t ignore it.’
I just came up with an incredibly clever idea in my head.
“Harzen’s dad.”
I grabbed Harzen’s dad by the collar as soon as I finished my thought and asked.
“Is there any kind of magic that lets Dad Zion receive a letter immediately?”
“If it’s remote teleportation magic, that wouldn’t be too difficult.”
“Great!”
Then the preparations are perfect!
Hearing his answer, I beamed brightly.
“I’m going to write a letter to Dad Zion!”
I’ll write a message so important that he’ll have no choice but to come back!
The Esturk region, at the very northern edge of the empire.
Within it, the border defense zone, adjacent to the former demon realm.
“Brr, it’s cold.”
A man standing atop a watchtower shook his shoulders and said playfully.
His golden hair, shining brilliantly and visible from anywhere, fluttered like a flag in the winter wind.
“I just can’t get used to this weather. Right?”
“Not sure.”
In contrast, the man beside him shrugged as if he didn’t feel the cold at all.
“If you move around a bit, it should help.”
“While wearing this thick fur? Are you serious?”
“Be grateful you can even put that on.”
“You’re just too harsh.”
The man with golden hair clicked his tongue at the cold remark.
“Yet at home, you’re so kind.”
“……”
“By the way, it’s been a while since we came here. Why not go back?”
At the man’s words, piercing blue eyes quietly glanced down below the watchtower.
The blond man followed his gaze and continued speaking.
“Fewer monsters have appeared than before. Those little ones that kept attacking—whether demon or what—aren’t showing up anymore.”
“……”
“If you can’t leave because you’re worried about your only close friend, I suppose it can’t be helped. You could spend your life together peacefully like this—”
“That’s not it.”
“Oh? You’ve even forgotten honorifics after talking about family, huh, Zion?”
The man smiled playfully at Zion Owen once again.
“You mention your close friend first, then say that.”
Zion Owen glanced at him and exhaled deeply.
Of course he wanted to go home—it was inevitable.
But the reason he hadn’t returned until now wasn’t just concern for this seemingly frail friend.
‘Somehow, the thought that I must not leave this place has dominated my mind.’
When he had been ordered to exterminate the remaining monsters and demons at the border, he thought it would end quickly.
But contrary to his expectations, monsters kept emerging endlessly around the area he believed he had finished clearing.
So, thinking it best to completely eradicate them, he had stayed here for several months.
Until recently, monsters and demons had appeared so frequently that he couldn’t think of anything else—but now, their appearances were gradually decreasing.
Along with that, the obsessive compulsion that he had to stay here—almost like brainwashing—was slowly fading.
“The emperor suggested your return once again.”
As if sensing his thoughts, his close friend and superior continued to provoke Zion’s mind.
“I like it here, sure, but you’re different. Your family must be waiting.”
“That’s…….”
Just as Zion opened his mouth to reply—
“……?”
A faint golden light fell from above.
A letter fluttered down directly in front of Zion Owen.
“This is…….”
Reflexively, Zion caught the letter and checked the recipient.
To Dad Zion
So, this is……
“Cici?”
