Chương 22: Chapter 21: A-Rank Dad

The Hunter's Guild somehow manages to look exactly the same every single time I enter it. Massive lobby. Hunters everywhere. Too much noise. Too many people. Far too much responsibility floating around the building. Honestly, it's exhausting just looking at it. I step through the entrance with the girls beside me and immediately feel several gazes shift toward us. Some hunters recognize me from the previous incident involving the goblin dungeon.

Others probably recognize me as "that unlucky support mage who somehow survives things that should absolutely kill him." Which, to be fair, is technically accurate.

"Hikari remembers this place!" Hikari says happily while looking around.

"Of course you do," I reply.

"You almost stole a mana crystal from the reception desk last time."

"Hikari was investigating."

"... That is not better." Karin is already looking around excitedly like she's preparing to challenge random hunters to combat. Meanwhile, Ruri walks quietly beside me in a properly neat outfit, carefully fixing her sisters' collars whenever they drift too far from basic civilization. Honestly? She's carrying this family structurally. The girls are dressed up properly today, mostly because I refused to let them walk into the guild looking like tiny magical disasters.

Karin is wearing a dark hoodie and skirt combination that somehow still looks energetic despite her attempts to look"cool." Hikari has somehow accessorized herself into maximum cuteness through sheer force of instinct. And Ruri looks calm, neat, and composed enough to fool people into thinking at least one child here is normal. A dangerous misconception. We head straight toward the upper floors, bypassing most of the noise in the lobby before eventually reaching Aaron's office.

The moment we enter, Aaron looks up from his paperwork with the exact expression of a man who already regrets today.

"... Master."

"I'm here," I say while sitting down across from him. The girls immediately scatter. Of course they do. Aaron watches them for exactly two seconds before slowly removing his glasses.

"... Should I be worried?"

"Yes," I answer honestly. That is enough information for him. He sighs deeply before setting the paperwork down.

"... Alright," he says.

"Let's talk business." That immediately sounds exhausting. I lean back into the chair while the girls begin their own independent operations around the office. Karin starts exploring immediately, opening drawers she absolutely should not touch.

"Hikari wants to touch this!"

"Please don't," Aaron says instantly. Ruri is already trying to stop both of them.

"Karin, don't open that..."

"Hikari, that looks important..." Meanwhile, I ignore all of it. They're enjoying life. That's healthy. Probably. Aaron pinches the bridge of his nose before finally focusing back on me.

"As of today," he says, "your official rank will be updated from C-rank to A-rank." That part still feels slightly ridiculous. Not because the promotion is inaccurate. Mostly because pretending I'm merely A-rank while sitting across from someone who knows I could probably erase the building if sufficiently irritated is a very strange experience. Still, appearances matter, and right now appearances are the only reason my life remains remotely manageable.

Officially, I'm still just a capable A-rank support-type awakener with decent instincts and unbelievably terrible luck. Unofficially? I'm sitting across from one of the few people on the planet who knows I could probably flatten half the city if sufficiently irritated. It creates a very strange social dynamic. I nod slowly at Aaron's explanation.

"That's fine. Honestly, that was probably the smartest way to handle it." Aaron leans back slightly in his chair, looking more tired than a man his age realistically should.

"I handled the media situation regarding the mall incident personally," he explains.

"The official statement says Ruruka and I suppressed the S-rank dungeon before a large-scale outbreak occurred." The moment he says that, the atmosphere inside the office changes. Not dramatically. The girls are still running around in the background causing manageable levels of chaos, but the memory itself settles heavily in the back of my mind anyway. Broken stone. Blood. The suffocating pressure inside the Abyss Throne Room.

The sound of the girls crying behind me while I fought something that honestly should not have existed inside a newly formed dungeon. Yeah. Definitely one of the worst family outings I've ever experienced. Aaron continues while adjusting his glasses.

"As for you, I stated that you volunteered to assist the emergency response team and suffered severe injuries during the operation." I immediately nod.

"That was smart," I admit honestly.

"That explains the hospital stay while still keeping attention away from me." It really is the best possible solution. Aaron and Ruruka are believable heroes in this scenario. Aaron is the Guild Master, one of the strongest hunters in the region, and Ruruka already has a strong public record. Together, people would accept them clearing an S-rank dungeon. Me? I'm officially just a lazy support mage who somehow keeps surviving disasters through what the public probably assumes is stubbornness and blind luck.

Honestly, I prefer it that way. Aaron exhales slowly, the kind of exhausted sigh that sounds physically painful.

"You have no idea how difficult it was dealing with the media," he says.

"I can imagine."

"No," he replies flatly.

"You genuinely cannot." Fair enough. He rubs his forehead before continuing.

"If this story collapses, then everything collapses with it. The media investigation alone would become unbearable, and once external guilds and government oversight start getting involved, the situation escalates beyond our control." I already know that. An unknown hunter strong enough to erase an S-rank abyss dungeon without official deployment would immediately become an international-level issue. Investigations. Surveillance. Recruitment attempts. Political interference.

Every organization with power would start digging. Which means my peaceful retirement would officially die. Again. Very unfortunate. Meanwhile, behind us, the girls continue their own completely separate storyline. Karin somehow discovers Aaron's adjustable office chair and immediately starts spinning around like she just unlocked forbidden technology.

"This thing moves!" she announces proudly.

"Please stop before you launch yourself into a wall," I say without even turning around. At the same time, Hikari has apparently located Aaron's hidden emergency snack supply.

"Hikari found snacks!"

"That is my emergency storage," Aaron says weakly.

"Hikari is helping."

"That is not helping." Ruri, meanwhile, is physically trying to drag both of her sisters away from Aaron's shelves with the exhausted expression of someone carrying the emotional burden of an entire household.

"Karin, stop spinning..."

"Hikari, please don't touch that..." Honestly? She deserves financial compensation. Aaron watches the chaos in silence for several seconds before sighing again. I'm beginning to think excessive sighing has officially become one of his passive skills. Eventually, his expression shifts slightly as he returns to the actual problem.

"... Putting that aside," he says, "the dungeon itself was strange." That immediately gets my full attention. Because he's right. Everything about that S-rank dungeon felt wrong. Aaron folds his hands together on top of the desk, his expression noticeably more serious now.

"An S-rank dungeon should never have emerged like that," he says.

"Normally, large-scale dungeon manifestations show warning signs before materialization. Mana fluctuations, spatial instability, resonance spikes, system alerts... something always appears before emergence." I nod slowly. That's standard procedure. Even unstable dungeons usually leave traces before fully forming, which is why guilds can evacuate civilians and deploy hunters ahead of time. But the mall incident? Aaron exhales quietly.

"There were no proper warning signs," he continues.

"No buildup. No evacuation window. One moment the area was stable, and the next moment an S-rank abyss realm had already manifested directly in the middle of a civilian zone." That alone is already terrifying. But Aaron isn't finished.

"The forced absorption was even stranger," he says while tapping his fingers lightly against the desk.

"Newly formed dungeons aren't supposed to immediately drag civilians inside on that scale. Gates are normally unstable after manifestation. That instability is exactly why hunters are deployed before civilians are allowed near them." Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. I slowly fold my arms.

"... But that dungeon ignored the normal process." Aaron nods.

"It behaved almost deliberately," he says quietly.

"Like it specifically wanted people trapped inside before the guild could respond." Yeah. That part still bothers me. A lot. Aaron's expression hardens slightly.

"And then there's the abyss corruption itself. Abyss-type manifestations are already rare under normal circumstances. An abyss realm appearing naturally inside a crowded commercial district without proper warning signs should be nearly impossible." The office falls quieter after that. Because the deeper we look at the situation, the less it resembles a natural dungeon emergence. And that's exactly the problem. I slowly fold my arms.

"... It reminded me of the previous anomaly." Aaron's eyes narrow slightly. The earlier dungeon investigation. The one he specifically asked me to investigate because the mana behavior felt unnatural. The one that already bothered me before the mall incident even happened. Aaron nods slowly.

"Ruruka submitted her report after returning," he says.

"And after reviewing the data myself... I agree with your assessment." That is significantly less reassuring than he probably intended. Aaron taps his fingers lightly against the desk while speaking.

"The mana fluctuations don't match normal emergence behavior. The timing patterns are inconsistent, and dungeon formations themselves are becoming increasingly unstable."

"... Great," I mutter.

"There's also the issue of abyss corruption." That part bothers me too. Because abyss-type manifestations are supposed to be extremely rare. Rare enough that most hunters go their entire careers without encountering one directly. But now? An abyss dungeon appeared inside a crowded commercial district without proper warning signs, and it happened shortly after another anomalous dungeon incident. That is not coincidence. I exhale slowly while staring at the desk.

"... Something big is coming." Aaron doesn't respond immediately. Which honestly tells me more than words would. After several seconds, he finally nods.

"... I believe so as well." The room quiets slightly after that. Even the girls seem calmer somehow, though that might just be because Karin finally exhausted herself from spinning around in the office chair. Honestly impressive. Still, whatever is happening behind the scenes? It's dangerous. And if my instincts are right, then things are only going to get worse from here. Very inconvenient timing. Because I just started adjusting to fatherhood.

I stare at Aaron's desk for a moment before deciding priorities matter.

"... Anyway," I say, immediately cutting through the heavy atmosphere, "my promotion." Aaron slowly closes his eyes. Not angrily. Just tiredly.

"... Right." He sounds deeply disappointed in me. To be fair? Reasonable. But I'm not wrong. Potential global catastrophe is important, yes, but so is paperwork. Especially paperwork connected to higher rank privileges and significantly better income. Aaron rubs his forehead before finally speaking again.

"There's no need for an additional combat evaluation," he says.

"... Good."

"Because I already know what you're capable of." That earns a small amount of smug satisfaction from me. Not visibly. Mostly. Probably. Aaron notices immediately anyway. Of course he does. He sighs again. Honestly, I'm becoming genuinely concerned about his lungs.

"... Probably more than anyone," he mutters. Correct. Very correct. I lean back slightly with all the confidence of someone pretending not to be catastrophically overqualified for the current ranking system. Aaron stares at me for several long seconds before finally giving up on life.

"... Alright," he says tiredly.

"I'll prepare the paperwork so we can update your guild card." Behind us, Hikari immediately raises both hands.

"Hikari wants a card too!"

"No."

"Aww..." Karin immediately points toward her sister.

"She would abuse that power immediately."

"That is the first intelligent thing you've said today," I reply.

"HEY!" Ruri quietly fixes Hikari's slightly crooked sleeve before looking toward me.

"... Papa," she asks softly, "does this mean we're really moving?" The question catches me slightly off guard. Not because of what she asked. But because of how carefully she says it, like she's afraid the answer might suddenly change. I look at her for a moment before nodding slowly.

"... Yeah," I answer quietly.

"We are." Hikari immediately cheers. Karin looks excited enough to explode. And Ruri—quiet, thoughtful Ruri—smiles softly. Small. Gentle. But genuinely happy.... Yeah. Maybe all this chaos really is worth it after all. Aaron leaves the office shortly after that to finalize my updated guild documents, which means I'm temporarily left alone with the girls. Allegedly alone. Because technically speaking, being alone becomes impossible once three dragon children enter your life.

The office remains quiet for approximately eight seconds before chaos immediately resumes. Karin starts running laps around the room again for reasons known only to her, Hikari climbs directly onto my lap like it belongs to her—which, honestly, at this point it basically does—and Ruri quietly follows behind them both while trying to preserve what remains of civilization.

"Papa?" Hikari asks while staring up at me curiously.

"Are you thinking?"

"... Unfortunately," I answer.

"Hikari thinks Papa looks tired."

"That is because Papa is tired." Ruri watches me carefully from nearby. Unlike her sisters, she notices things. Too many things.

"... Is it because of the dungeon?" she asks softly. Ah. There it is. I glance toward her for a moment before answering honestly enough to satisfy her without making the girls worry too much.

"... Partly." Karin pauses mid-run long enough to look toward me before apparently deciding the atmosphere has become too serious and immediately resumes sprinting around Aaron's office again. Honestly, that's probably the healthiest reaction available. I lean back slightly while absentmindedly patting Hikari's head, though the thoughts in the back of my mind refuse to disappear completely.

The dungeon anomalies, the abyss corruption, the unstable formations, the forced civilian absorption—every instinct I have is screaming that something is wrong. Not normal wrong either. Dangerous wrong. And considering those instincts were sharp enough to survive both war and the Demon King, I've learned not to ignore them. Something big is coming. I know it. Aaron knows it. Probably Ruruka too.

And honestly, I really wish the universe would stop escalating things immediately after I finally decided to settle into peaceful fatherhood. Very inconsiderate timing. Still, I force the thoughts away before the girls notice too much. They don't need to carry that burden, especially not now while they're finally smiling normally again. So instead, I casually ruffle Hikari's hair.

"... Don't worry about it," I say.

"Hikari worries professionally."

"... That is not a real skill."

"It should be." Ruri lets out the tiniest laugh at that. Good. That's better. A few minutes later, the office door finally opens again and Aaron walks back in carrying several folders along with a small black card. Without saying anything, he places the updated guild card directly onto the desk. A-rank. Officially. Still feels strange. Not because it's impressive, but because it's technically still understating things by an absurd margin. Aaron adjusts his glasses afterward before looking toward me.

"Come on, Master," he says.

"Let's get going." I blink once.

"... To where?" Aaron stares at me with the exact deadpan expression of a man rapidly losing patience.

"You need a vehicle," he replies.

"Remember?"

"... Oh." Right. That. The moment the girls hear the word 'vehicle,' the atmosphere changes instantly.

"Hikari wants a car!"

"We're getting one?!" Karin practically teleports across the office. Even Ruri's eyes visibly light up at that. Subtle. But definitely there. Cute. Very cute. A short while later, we end up riding inside Aaron's personal vehicle heading toward one of the larger dealerships nearby. Honestly, the situation itself still feels stranger than the actual car ride. A few months ago, I was perfectly content living alone while avoiding responsibility like it personally offended me.

Now I'm sitting in traffic while three children loudly debate what color our future family car should be. Life is terrifying.

"Karin wants black!"

"Hikari wants shiny!"

"Those are not mutually exclusive," Ruri quietly points out. I stare at her through the rearview mirror again. Proud. Very proud. Aaron drives in silence for most of the trip, though I can tell he's listening to everything. Probably against his will. Eventually, we arrive at the dealership, and the moment the girls step outside, their excitement immediately multiplies.

"Hikari sees so many cars!"

"Karin wants the fastest one!"

"No," I say immediately.

"Aww." Ruri quietly follows beside me while her sisters immediately sprint toward the nearest row of vehicles.

"... Please don't scratch anything," I mutter. I already know they aren't listening. The dealership itself is massive, filled with polished vehicles lined up beneath bright lights that honestly make everything look more expensive than necessary. I slowly look around while trying to determine what exactly qualifies as a good family vehicle. Because up until recently, my transportation priorities mostly consisted of whether it moved or not.

Now apparently I need to consider things like safety, space, storage, child seats, and dragon durability. Very different lifestyle. Aaron walks beside me calmly.

"Looking for something specific?"

"... Something durable," I answer honestly.

"Preferably something capable of surviving my children."

"That significantly narrows your options." Correct. Meanwhile, Karin and Hikari are already causing problems.

"This one looks strong!" Karin announces dramatically.

"Hikari likes this one because it's shiny!"

"Please stop touching random vehicles," Ruri says while desperately trying to catch them. Honestly, she really deserves financial compensation and two days off for this. Then suddenly, all three girls stop moving at the same time. That immediately concerns me. Because synchronized silence from children usually means something dangerous is happening. Sure enough, the next moment they immediately grab my arms and start dragging me toward one specific vehicle.

"Papa!"

"Hikari found the perfect one!"

"You have to see this!" I let them pull me forward mostly because resisting three determined dragon children sounds exhausting. Aaron follows behind us with the tired patience of someone who has already accepted this situation spiritually. Eventually, we stop in front of a large black SUV. I pause. Aaron pauses. Then both of us quietly stare at it for a moment before I finally mutter:"... Huh." Aaron folds his arms while looking over the vehicle carefully.

"... This is actually reasonable," he admits. That alone is shocking. The SUV itself is large enough for all four of us comfortably, spacious enough for long-distance travel, durable enough to survive everyday chaos, and practical enough that it doesn't attract unnecessary attention. Honestly? It's perfect.

"Hikari likes this one!"

"Karin approves!" Ruri quietly nods beside them.

"... It looks nice." And somehow, that's enough. A sales agent approaches us moments later, smiling professionally, though the moment he notices Aaron his expression immediately changes into recognition and slight panic. The agent is an elf—sharp features, silver hair, perfectly tailored uniform, and the kind of customer-service smile that looks professionally engineered.

"Guild Master Aaron," he says politely.

"Welcome back. Are you looking for a new vehicle today?" Aaron immediately points at me.

"It's for him." The agent's attention instantly shifts toward me, followed by a brief pause where he visibly reevaluates my existence. Honestly? Reasonable confusion. The agent recovers professionally almost immediately.

"Of course, sir. I can assist with the paperwork right away." Meanwhile, the girls are already exploring the SUV like tiny inspectors.

"Hikari likes the seats!"

"Karin calls window seat!"

"Please don't argue over seating arrangements before we even buy the car," Ruri says. I look toward the vehicle again. Then toward the girls. And before I really think too hard about it, I make the decision.

"... I'll take it." Aaron looks mildly surprised.

"That quickly?"

"I know what I need," I reply. And honestly, seeing the girls this excited already settled the matter. The paperwork itself goes surprisingly smoothly afterward, mostly because Aaron's presence makes the entire dealership operate at approximately three times normal efficiency. The manager personally appears halfway through, additional staff members start appearing from nowhere, tea somehow materializes beside us, and at one point I'm fairly certain someone bowed at me for no reason. Very concerning.

Eventually, the payment discussion arrives. The agent smiles professionally.

"Will this be installment or—""Cash," I answer. The silence afterward is brief, but extremely noticeable. The manager blinks once, clearly caught off guard, while Aaron slowly looks away like he expected this outcome from the beginning. Meanwhile, I casually complete the transfer while the dealership staff collectively reevaluates my existence. Honestly, after nearly dying against the Abyss Throne Guardian, I fully intend to enjoy the financial compensation attached to the trauma.

A short while later, the agent finally returns carrying the keys, and for some reason, the moment they land in my hand feels strangely significant. Not because the vehicle is expensive. Not because it's practical. But because for the first time in a very long while, it genuinely feels like I'm building something real. A home for the girls. A stable life. A future that actually exists beyond surviving one disaster after another. I stare quietly at the keys for a moment before letting out a small breath.

"... Huh." Aaron notices immediately.

"You look strangely emotional."

"... I think I just achieved something important in my dad life." Aaron stares at me for several seconds before unexpectedly smiling slightly.

"... Congratulations." That catches me off guard more than it probably should.

"... Thanks." The girls immediately surround me afterward, their excitement completely overwhelming whatever emotional atmosphere existed five seconds ago.

"Papa! Open it!"

"Hikari wants to sit inside!"

"Karin still claims window seat!" Ruri stays quieter than her sisters, but she looks just as excited despite trying very hard to appear composed. Aaron watches the four of us for a moment before speaking again.

"... Before you move out," he says, "let's have a proper meal together sometime." I glance toward him before nodding slowly.

"... That sounds nice." And honestly? It really does. Aaron gives one final nod before preparing to leave.

"I'll contact you once the remaining paperwork is finalized."

"Understood." After he leaves, I look toward the girls again. Three excited faces immediately stare back at me with complete trust and expectation written all over them, and somehow that still feels more terrifying than fighting abyss monsters.... Yeah. I can get used to this. I twirl the keys once before grinning slightly.

"... Alright, kids," I say. Their eyes immediately sparkle.

"Ready for the test drive home?" The cheers that follow are loud enough to probably violate several public noise regulations. Honestly? Worth it.

End of Chapter 21 Dad Status Report: Name: Ren Arclight Former Occupation: Retired Archmage / Former Demon King Slayer Current Occupation: Full-Time Dragon Dad Primary Objective: Maintain stable family life while investigating increasingly abnormal dungeon activity.

Daughters Under Supervision: *Karin – Fire / Speed / Property Damage Probability *Ruri – Ice / Emotional Intelligence / Family Stability Core *Hikari – Light / Curiosity / Unauthorized Snack Acquisition Chapter 21 Activities: *Visited Hunter's Guild for official status revision *Successfully promoted from C-Rank → A-Rank *Maintained operational concealment successfully *Survived extended conversation about global threats *Allowed daughters to roam Guild Master office (questionable) *Prevented media catastrophe indirectly *Discussed abnormal dungeon phenomena *Confirmed large-scale anomaly suspicions *Initiated relocation logistics officially *Acquired first family vehicle *Unlocked "Dad Buying Important Things" emotional milestone *Agreed to future family dinner like functional adult New Developments: *Official guild status updated *Public cover story stabilized temporarily *Dungeon anomalies confirmed unnatural *Abyss-type manifestations increasing *Potential large-scale escalation approaching *Ren consciously prioritizing family future over isolation *Aaron emotionally adopting responsibility for this disaster family *Ruri continues carrying household stability statistically alone Threat Level (World): Escalating Threat Level (Household): Manageable (Conditionally) Daughters Safety Status: Stable Excited Vehicle Ownership Achieved Dad Financial Status: Recovered Functional Suspiciously Responsible Dad Stress Levels: Moderate Suppressed Preparing Spiritually Parenting Skill Growth: 24% Current Dad Status: Licensed Motorized Domestically Progressing Immediate Priorities: *Finalize relocation to Chiba *Secure family residence *Prepare school registration *Monitor dungeon anomaly developments *Prevent children from weaponizing SUV ownership excitement *Maintain "normal father" disguise Operational Assessment: Mission Type: Stabilization + Concealment + Domestic Advancement Difficulty: Increasing Emotional Status: Protective - Concerned - Weirdly Happy Chapter Outcome: A-Rank Status Secured Family Vehicle Acquired Future Officially Under Construction Dad Personal Statement:"I think I just achieved something important in my dad life."

Reality's Response:"Congratulations. Incoming catastrophe scheduled."