Chương 5: Chapter 4: This Is My Life Now

All I wanted was a peaceful retirement. Not a legendary one, not a heroic one, and definitely not one that involved mythical creatures suddenly appearing in my apartment like it was some kind of side quest I never accepted in the first place. A normal day, to me, was supposed to be simple. Wake up, eat something decent, watch anime, maybe go out if I absolutely needed money, then come back and continue doing absolutely nothing productive. That was the goal. That was the plan. That was the dream. And yet somehow...

I found myself standing in the middle of my living room, staring at my couch like it had personally betrayed me. Two small girls were sitting there, looking at me with curiosity, while a third one remained asleep, completely detached from the chaos she had contributed to. I let out a long, exhausted sigh. At this point, I had probably sighed more times today than I had in the past month.

I stopped counting somewhere around the moment the eggs started glowing, and honestly, keeping track didn't feel worth the effort anymore.

"This," I muttered under my breath while rubbing my temples again, "is exactly what I was trying to avoid." The blue-haired one—calm, composed, and suspiciously well-behaved—sat properly with her hands resting neatly on her lap. Her tiny horns peeked through her hair, and her small wings were folded behind her like she had been taught proper etiquette in a dragon academy I was somehow not aware of. The red-haired one, on the other hand, was the complete opposite.

She was swinging her legs, looking around the apartment with obvious curiosity, occasionally flicking small sparks of fire between her fingers like it was a completely normal activity that definitely wouldn't result in property damage. The golden one was still asleep, curled up like a cat, breathing softly without a single concern in the world. I rubbed my face slowly.

"Alright," I said, forcing my brain into problem-solving mode.

"Step one... clothing." Because as it turned out, suddenly having three dragon girls in your apartment came with a list of practical problems, and right at the top of that list was the fact that they couldn't exactly walk around like this. I walked over to the storage cabinet and crouched down, opening it with a quiet creak. After a bit of digging through things I hadn't touched in months, I finally found what I was looking for. A small stack of clothes. Ruruka's spare clothes, to be exact.

She had left them here a while ago, probably because she assumed she'd visit more often. That... clearly hadn't been happening lately.

"Sorry, Ruruka," I muttered as I picked them up.

"Emergency situation. I'll explain later. Maybe. Probably not." When I returned to the living room, the two girls immediately focused their attention on me like I had just become the most interesting thing in existence.

"Papa?" the blue one asked.

"Not my title," I replied instantly, without even thinking. The red one leaned forward with interest, eyes practically sparkling.

"Are those clothes?"

"Yes," I answered.

"A very important concept called 'not freezing or getting arrested.' Both of which I would prefer to avoid today." Getting them dressed turned out to be easier than expected. The blue one—calm, cooperative, and suspiciously efficient—followed instructions without issue, adjusting the oversized sleeves with quiet focus. The red one treated the entire process like a game, occasionally spinning or asking unnecessary questions mid-change, but somehow, despite that, it still worked.

A few minutes later, both of them were wearing slightly oversized but usable clothes. It wasn't perfect, but it was functional. The golden one remained asleep, completely unbothered and unmoved—utterly unaffected by the concept of clothing or reality in general. At some point, while she was still asleep, I had changed her into the spare clothes myself, treating it as a normal, necessary thing without thinking much about it. I stared at her for a moment, then let out a small breath.

"Right," I said.

"I changed her. Of course I did. She needed clothes." I rubbed the back of my neck, frowning slightly at myself.

"... I really did that on autopilot," I muttered. The red one nodded enthusiastically.

"Papa did it," she said helpfully.

"Not my title," I replied automatically, then sighed.

"But yes. I did it." I exhaled slowly.

"This day keeps getting worse." I looked at them again and let out a long sigh.

"This is a mistake," I said. The blue girl tilted her head slightly.

"What is, Papa?" I closed my eyes briefly.

"Everything," I replied. Before I could continue, both of them hopped off the couch. I didn't notice immediately because I had already started pacing across the room, trying to think of a solution—back and forth, slow steps, controlled breathing, and a steadily growing headache.

"I can't take them to the guild," I muttered.

"Too many questions, too much paperwork, and they'll definitely take them away." I turned, then turned again.

"I can't leave them outside either. That's irresponsible. And probably illegal." Another turn.

"And bringing them into a dungeon is just asking for problems. That's basically feeding them to other monsters." I stopped and slowly turned my head. The two girls were walking behind me, perfectly in sync, mirroring my movements like this was some kind of training exercise. I stared at them. They stared back.

"... What are you doing?" I asked. The blue one answered immediately, completely serious.

"Copying Papa. You are moving, so we are moving."

"Not. My. Title," I said, slower this time. The red one nodded enthusiastically.

"It looks fun. Also, you look like you are thinking very hard. Is that a skill?"

"It's called being stressed," I replied flatly. I walked over, picked them both up—one under each arm—and placed them back on the couch.

"Stay," I said. They nodded very seriously, as if I had just issued an extremely important command. I stepped back and exhaled slowly.

"Man..." I muttered, then looked at them again. Three dragons. No—three dragon girls. In my apartment. Waiting. Expecting something. I sighed again, longer this time.

"Alright," I said finally.

"Let's start with the basics." They leaned forward slightly, paying attention.

"My name is Ren Arclight," I said. They blinked, then tilted their heads simultaneously.

"... Right," I muttered.

"You don't have names yet." Of course they didn't—they had been alive for barely six hours. I looked at the blue one first. Calm. Collected. Easy to handle.

"Starting today... you're Ruri." She blinked once, then repeated softly, "Ruri..." She touched her chest lightly, as if confirming it belonged to her, then said it again with a small, satisfied smile.

"Ruri." That seemed to work. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. I nodded and turned to the red one, who was already leaning forward expectantly.

"Me next?" she asked.

"Yes," I said.

"From now on, you're Karin." Her reaction was immediate.

"Karin!" she repeated, grinning widely.

"I like it! It sounds strong—and fast—and cool!"

"It sounds loud," I muttered. Then I looked at the last one—still asleep, completely ignoring the naming process. Unbelievable.

"And that one..." I said, crossing my arms as I thought for a moment.

"Hikari should be fine." I nodded to myself. Yes. That worked. Right on cue, the golden girl stirred. She shifted slightly, rubbed her eyes, then slowly opened them. For a brief moment, she looked confused, as if she was still deciding whether she wanted to wake up or go back to sleep. Then her gaze locked onto me. Her face lit up instantly.

"Papa!!!" I felt something inside me give up. Not break. Just quietly give up and sit in a corner.

"No," I said weakly. She jumped off the couch and ran straight toward me, immediately wrapping her arms around my leg like she had done it a hundred times before.

"Papa! Papa!"

"Please stop saying that," I replied, already tired. She tilted her head and looked up at me with bright, innocent eyes.

"Papa is Papa," she said confidently, as if that explained everything. I stared at the ceiling for a moment, silently asking any higher power listening to give me strength. None responded. That made it another sigh. At this point, I had definitely passed forty. I looked down at her again and exhaled slowly.

"Alright," I said, giving in just enough to move forward, "from now on, you're Hikari. That's your name." She blinked once.

"Hikari?"

"Yes," I answered. She tilted her head again, clearly processing the concept.

"Hikari's name is Hikari?"

"That is generally how names work," I replied. Her expression brightened even more, like she had just received the greatest gift imaginable.

"How pretty!" she said happily. Behind her, Karin leaned closer.

"Hikari! That's your name!" she said, poking her lightly.

"And I'm Karin!" Ruri nodded calmly.

"I am Ruri," she added, as if formal introductions were now required. I watched the three of them interact for a moment. Then looked away, rubbing my temple once more before letting out another long sigh.

"This is going to be a long day," I muttered. Because somehow, without planning, without preparation, and definitely without approval, I had just named three dragons. And deep down, whether I liked it or not, I already understood one very important thing. That was the moment everything became irreversible.

I ended up sitting across from them. That sentence alone felt like a mistake. Three small dragon girls—no, three children with extremely illegal biological features—sat on my couch looking at me like I was about to explain the meaning of life, taxes, and possibly the universe itself. Ruri sat properly with her hands on her lap, posture perfect like she had attended formal lessons for this exact situation.

Karin leaned forward with restless energy, eyes scanning the room for something flammable or interesting, which in her case were probably the same thing. Hikari leaned against my knee, still half-asleep, using me as a very convenient piece of furniture. I rubbed my temples and exhaled slowly.

"Alright," I said, trying very hard to sound like someone who had control over the situation.

"Now what do we do?" That was a genuine question. Ideally, the answer would be something simple. Something efficient. Something that solved the problem without increasing my responsibilities, my expenses, or my involvement with government organizations. Preferably something that did not involve paperwork. Or attention. Or raising three dragons. I opened my mouth, preparing to think out loud. Then a low growl interrupted me. It wasn't loud. Not threatening either. Just...

a small, honest sound of biological necessity. All of us paused. Ruri looked at Karin. Karin looked at me. I slowly looked down. Hikari was staring at her stomach with a deeply serious expression, as if she had just discovered a new and urgent problem. Another small growl followed. I sighed.

"... You're hungry," I concluded. Hikari looked up immediately, eyes sparkling with sudden clarity. Ruri straightened slightly.

"Oh... that might be why my stomach feels weird," she said, sounding thoughtful but still very much like a kid trying to figure things out. Karin practically lit up.

"Food?" she asked, already excited like she had just been promised a reward.

"Shall we eat, Papa?" Ruri added, polite as ever. I closed my eyes for a second.

"Stop calling me that," I said out of habit more than hope.

"But yes. We'll eat." The reaction was immediate. Three pairs of eyes brightened like I had just announced a festival.

"Food!" Karin cheered.

"Hikari is hungry!" Hikari declared proudly, as if this was new information.

"Food sounds good," Ruri added with a small nod, trying to be polite but clearly just agreeing like a normal kid. I stood up with the quiet resignation of a man who knew his next few hours were no longer his own.

"Kitchen," I said, gesturing. They followed. Of course they followed. All three of them. In formation. Again. I walked to the fridge and opened it. Then stared. Silence. There were... a few pieces of meat. And nothing else. No vegetables. No rice. No eggs—those had been promoted to dragon status. No sauces worth mentioning. Just a sad, minimal collection of items that perfectly represented a lifestyle built around convenience store runs and low-effort survival. I closed the fridge slowly and let out a quiet breath.

This was not enough. Not for one person, and definitely not for three small creatures who, based on recent evidence, could inhale entire meals in seconds like they were competing in some kind of speed-eating contest. I pulled out my phone and opened my bank app. Balance. 100, 000 points. Still intact. Points that could be converted into money whenever necessary. I stared at the number for a moment, mentally calculating how quickly that number was about to disappear, then glanced back at the three girls.

Ruri was waiting patiently, hands folded like she trusted me to solve everything. Karin had somehow leaned halfway into the fridge, clearly hoping there was a secret second layer of food hidden behind the emptiness. Hikari tugged lightly at my sleeve.

"Food?" she repeated softly. I sighed.

"Alright," I said. Three heads snapped toward me instantly.

"We're eating out." The reaction was immediate.

"Yay!" Karin shouted, practically bouncing.

"Hikari approves!" Hikari added, raising both hands like she had just voted on something important. Ruri gave a small nod.

"Okay," she said simply, sounding satisfied. Of course they were happy. It also sounded expensive. Very expensive. I slipped my phone back into my pocket and grabbed my wallet.

"If we're going out," I continued, "then we're also getting necessities. Clothes that actually fit. And maybe something that prevents you from setting things on fire." Karin looked mildly offended.

"It was one time," she said.

"It was five minutes ago," I replied.

"Still counts as once," she argued. I looked at her for a moment, then sighed.

"If it happens again," I said, "it becomes a pattern." She paused.

"... Then I just won't do it again," she said confidently.

"That is exactly what someone who will definitely do it again would say," I replied. I walked toward my room and changed into something slightly more presentable. Pants. Shoes. Basic human decency. When I returned, the three of them were exactly where I left them. Which was... surprising.

"Good," I said.

"No property damage."

"Yet," Karin added helpfully.

"Don't," I said. Then I paused. Right. There was one more problem. I looked at them carefully. Small horns. Tiny wings. Eyes that occasionally reflected light in ways that normal humans absolutely did not. Yeah, that wasn't going to work outside.

"You three can't go out like that," I said. They blinked.

"Why?" Ruri asked.

"Because," I replied, already raising my hand, "people tend to panic when they see dragons." Karin tilted her head.

"We're not dragons." I stared at her. She stared back. I didn't have the energy to argue.

"Just stand still," I said. I activated Arcane Concealment. Mana flowed quietly, wrapping around the three of them like a soft veil. Their horns faded from view. Their wings vanished. The faint glow in their eyes dimmed to something normal. A moment later, three completely ordinary-looking children stood in my living room. I crossed my arms, taking a second look just to be sure. No horns. No wings. No suspicious glow. Just three kids.

"There," I said with a small nod.

"Now you look like proper human children." Karin immediately inspected herself, turning her hands over.

"My wings are gone," she said, sounding mildly betrayed.

"Temporarily hidden," I corrected.

"Still there. Just... not visible. Which is exactly how I'd like them to stay in public." Hikari spun in place, nearly losing her balance before catching herself on my leg.

"Hikari is normal!" she declared proudly.

"That is... technically correct," I admitted. Ruri gave a small nod, glancing between the three of us.

"Thank you... Papa," she said softly. I waved it off with a tired sigh.

"Don't mention it. This is mostly self-preservation. I'd like to avoid causing a city-wide incident today." I turned and walked toward the door, grabbing the handle.

"Let's go," I added. I barely made it one step outside before something latched onto me. I looked down. Hikari had climbed onto me with alarming speed, arms already wrapped around my neck like she had done this her entire life.

"Carry!" she demanded. I stared at her for a moment, then let out a quiet breath.

"Of course," I muttered, lifting her with one arm and adjusting her so she wouldn't slip. Ruri stepped forward next and gently took my free hand without hesitation. Karin grabbed Ruri's other hand immediately, completing what I could only describe as a formation. Again. I looked down at them. One in my arms. Two holding hands. All of them following me like this was the most natural arrangement in the world.

"You know," I said as we stepped into the hallway, "most people ease into responsibility. Slowly. Gradually. Over time." Karin looked up.

"Is this not slow?"

"No," I replied flatly.

"This is the opposite of slow." Hikari leaned against my shoulder.

"Papa warm," she mumbled happily.

"Not my title," I said automatically, though with significantly less energy than before. Ruri glanced up at me.

"Are we going somewhere far?"

"Food," I said.

"That's the priority. Everything else is secondary."

"Food is important," she nodded.

"Very," I agreed. I exhaled slowly as we moved down the hallway, adjusting Hikari's weight slightly in my arm.

"... Yep," I muttered under my breath. No dramatic realization this time. No denial. Just a quiet, tired acceptance of reality as it unfolded.

"This is my life now," I said. And somehow, I had the feeling it was only going to get worse.

End of Chapter 4 RETIREMENT STATUS REPORT Owner: Ren Arclight Former Occupation: Demon King Slayer / World-Saving Archmage Current Occupation: Full-Time Problem Manager Peaceful Life Goal: Watch anime, eat snacks, and eventually live alone on a quiet tomato farm.

Today's Activities: *Assigned names to three dragon girls *Established basic household rules (largely ignored) *Provided clothing using stolen sister resources *Accepted temporary responsibility (unofficial, unwilling) *Confirmed all three now consistently call him "Papa" *Identified immediate issue: feeding three growing dragons *Decided to leave apartment voluntarily (critical mistake) New Developments: *Dragons can fully transform into human children *Exhibit independent personalities *Show strong attachment to me *Demonstrate coordinated following behavior (formation) Resource Status: Food Supply: Critically Low Patience: Rapidly Depleting Sanity: Questionable Peaceful Retirement Stability: 100% → Before Doorbell 0% → Dragons Hatched –300% → First "Papa" –500% → Naming Them –800% → Leaving House With Them Current Retirement Status: Functionally Bankrupt Active Responsibilities: *Feeding three dragon daughters *Preventing public panic *Avoiding Hunter Guild detection *Maintaining basic civilian disguise for dragons Immediate Risks: *Public exposure of dragon identity *Property damage in public areas *Unexpected magical incidents *Children asking too many questions Future Outlook: Increasingly Expensive Archmage Personal Statement:"I just wanted dinner."

Reality's Response:"You now have dependents."