Stepping outside with three dragons disguised as children felt like the kind of decision that would come back to haunt me later.
Not immediately, of course. Nothing ever goes wrong immediately. It waits. It builds up. It chooses the worst possible timing, preferably when you are already tired, hungry, and surrounded by witnesses.
Still, the world outside looked… normal.
Normal in the way the current era allowed, anyway.
Fifteen years ago, this would've just been a street. Now it was a street layered with things humanity had simply accepted over time. Mana-powered streetlights hummed faintly even in daylight.
A delivery drone floated past, its core glowing softly as it navigated between buildings with more confidence than most drivers. Across the road, a pair of beastfolk argued with a vendor over the price of something that looked suspiciously like monster jerky.
A few blocks away, a stabilized dungeon gate shimmered quietly behind a containment barrier, guards stationed nearby like it was just another public facility.
Which, in this world, it basically was.
People walked past without much concern.
Awakeners.
Civilians.
Mixed races.
Even someone walking a small floating pet creature that looked like it had opinions and possibly a strong dislike for its owner.
I glanced down at the three girls with me.
Ruri stood properly beside me, her hand lightly holding mine, posture neat and composed, though her eyes quietly moved from one thing to another as she took everything in.
Karin was already leaning forward, scanning everything like she had just discovered the concept of "outside" and decided it was the greatest invention in history.
Hikari remained attached to me like a particularly determined accessory, arms wrapped around my neck with unwavering commitment.
"Hikari will stay here," she declared firmly.
"I noticed," I replied.
We stopped at the bus stop.
I checked the schedule out of habit, though I already knew the timing. A few other people were waiting nearby. No one paid us much attention, which meant the concealment was holding.
For now.
Karin tugged on my sleeve.
"Papa, what's that?" she asked, pointing at a passing vehicle.
"Bus," I answered.
"What does it do?"
"It carries people from one place to another," I said.
She paused, then nodded seriously. "That's useful."
"Yes," I replied. "That's generally the point of transportation."
Ruri looked up at me. "Will we ride it?"
"That's the plan," I said.
Hikari shifted slightly in my arms. "Hikari will ride with Papa."
"You are already riding with me," I muttered.
"Good," she said, satisfied.
The bus arrived a moment later, slowing to a stop with a soft hiss. The doors opened, and we stepped inside.
The interior was mostly quiet. A few passengers glanced at us, then looked away. Normal reactions. No suspicion, no panic, no one screaming about dragons.
That was already a success.
We moved toward the back and sat down.
Ruri sat properly, hands on her lap, posture straight as always, though her gaze shifted from passenger to passenger with quiet curiosity. Karin immediately claimed the window seat and pressed her face close to the glass, pointing at everything that moved like she was conducting a live investigation.
"Look! Another one!" she said, pointing at a hovering transport unit.
"That's a mana-powered transport unit," I explained. "Runs on a mid-grade mana crystal core. More efficient than older fuel systems."
"And that!" she pointed at a group of hunters walking past a gate.
"Hunters," I said. "Probably C to B rank based on gear. The gate behind them is stabilized, so they're likely on rotation duty."
"And that!" she pointed again, this time at a pair of beastfolk walking along the street.
"Beastfolk," I replied. "Mixed lineage. Enhanced physical traits. Generally stronger than average humans depending on type."
She turned back to me with a wide grin. "There's a lot of things outside."
"There are," I said. "Try not to set any of them on fire."
"I will try," she said confidently.
"That does not reassure me," I replied.
Meanwhile, Hikari had fully settled into my lap, head resting against my chest like she had found her permanent position.
"Papa is warm," she said contentedly.
"Stop calling me that," I replied automatically.
Ruri looked between us. "But you are Papa."
I looked out the window.
I was outnumbered.
The bus moved smoothly through the city, passing familiar sights—shops powered by mana crystals, small market stalls, adventurer supply stores, and the occasional reinforced building designed to withstand monster incidents.
Three years ago, I had been part of the chaos that shaped this world.
Now I was just… riding a bus.
With three dragons.
In human form.
Calling me Papa.
I closed my eyes briefly.
"My slow life," I murmured under my breath, "has officially been compromised."
The ride didn't take long.
Eventually, we arrived at a mall that wasn't too crowded. That was intentional. Less people meant fewer variables, and fewer variables meant a slightly lower chance of disaster.
We stepped off the bus.
Karin immediately looked around with wide eyes.
"It's big!"
"It's a mall," I said.
"Can we explore everything?"
"No," I answered immediately.
Ruri followed calmly, though her eyes betrayed quiet excitement. She was observing everything carefully, like she was trying to understand how the world functioned piece by piece.
Hikari tightened her hold on me.
"Hikari will stay here," she repeated.
"You've made that very clear," I said.
We entered the mall.
Cool air greeted us immediately, along with the low hum of activity. Shops lined both sides, selling everything from clothes to enchanted gadgets. A few awakened individuals passed by, their presence subtle but noticeable if you knew what to look for.
A few mall-goers glanced our way, their expressions mild and harmless. Most of their attention lingered on the girls.
Which was… understandable. They were, objectively speaking, very cute, and that naturally drew a bit of attention—nothing alarming, just the kind people give to well-behaved kids in a public place.
I kept my senses relaxed but aware, scanning out of habit for anything off. No hostile intent, no odd mana spikes, no one paying us the wrong kind of attention.
Good.
I looked down at the girls. "Alright," I said, "first priority: food."
Karin reacted instantly. "Papa! I want meat!"
"Of course you do," I muttered, then glanced at Ruri.
Ruri thought for a moment before nodding slightly. "I… also want that one," she said.
Of course she did.
Hikari beamed up at me, clearly excited. "Hikari too! Hikari likes it! And the white triangle Papa gave Hikari!"
I blinked once. "Onigiri," I corrected.
"Yes! That!" she said, nodding rapidly.
Karin tilted her head. "White triangle, the one from before?"
"Yes. Food," I said simply.
"It's good food."
"Decent food."
Karin immediately nodded. "Then I want that too."
"Of course you do," I repeated with a sigh.
I exhaled slowly, already feeling my wallet suffer in advance. "Alright. Meat and onigiri. That's the plan."
Simple. Manageable. Probably expensive.
Definitely expensive.
But manageable.
I glanced around the mall. The food court was the obvious choice—less walking, more options, and a higher survival rate if something went wrong.
"Let's go," I said.
Karin immediately moved ahead like a released projectile.
I caught her by the collar before she got more than three steps. "Stay within range," I said.
"Range?"
"If I can't see you, that's too far."
She paused, thinking about it seriously, then took one careful step forward. "So… this far?"
"That's acceptable," I said.
"Okay!" she replied, clearly satisfied.
Ruri stayed close, holding my hand again without hesitation, while Hikari remained in my arms, perfectly content with her current position.
We started walking toward the food court.
This was fine.
Everything was under control.
No fire.
No ice.
No suspicious behavior.
Just a normal outing.
A normal day.
With three completely normal children.
I paused mid-step and sighed.
"…This is going to get worse, isn't it?"
Karin turned around mid-walk and grinned. "Probably!"
I nodded slowly. "Yeah," I said. "That sounds about right."
***
The food court was louder than the rest of the mall, but not overwhelmingly so. It was the kind of background noise that blended everything together into a constant hum—people eating, talking, trays clinking, orders being called out. It wasn't peaceful, but it was manageable. More importantly, it was predictable.
Which meant, naturally, something was about to go wrong.
I scanned the area carefully, filtering through movement, sound, and presence out of habit rather than necessity.
Eventually, I found a table near the glass wall overlooking the outside. Fewer people passed through that section, which meant fewer chances for attention, fewer chances for accidents, and—ideally—fewer chances for my life to spiral further out of control.
"Over there," I said, gesturing toward it.
The girls followed immediately. Ruri walked beside me, calm and attentive as always, her eyes quietly taking in everything without getting overwhelmed.
Karin, on the other hand, bounced slightly with each step, her attention jumping from one thing to another like she was trying to process the entire world at once.
Hikari remained exactly where I expected her to be—attached to me. Arms around my neck, head resting comfortably against me, as if she had already decided this was her permanent position in life.
We reached the table, and I attempted to set Hikari down.
She lasted exactly half a second.
Then she climbed right back onto me.
I paused, stared at nothing in particular, and let out a slow breath.
"…We're going to have to work on that," I muttered, even though I already knew we wouldn't.
I turned to the other two. "Sit. Stay. Do not cause trouble."
Ruri nodded immediately and sat properly, hands neatly placed on her lap. "I will behave," she said, serious and sincere.
Karin dropped into her seat as well, grinning like she had just been given permission to do the exact opposite. "I'll behave too!" she said.
I looked at her for a long second.
Then slowly looked away.
I did not believe that. Not even a little.
I glanced back at Hikari. "You're coming with me."
"Hikari stays with Papa," she replied, as if that had always been the plan.
"Yes," I sighed. "That is exactly what I just said."
With that, I headed toward the food stalls while carrying her. My eyes scanned the menus quickly, filtering options based on efficiency rather than preference.
I didn't have the luxury of standing around deciding what felt good to eat—I needed something fast, filling, and unlikely to result in chaos.
Rice bowls, tempura, grilled meat. Simple. Reliable. Enough to satisfy three rapidly growing appetites that, based on previous evidence, bordered on alarming.
Hikari suddenly pointed with enthusiasm. "That!"
I followed her finger. Tempura and rice bowls.
"Good choice," I said. "We're getting that."
We stepped up to the counter. While I looked over the menu, Hikari continued pointing at items like she was personally approving each one.
"Hikari likes that. And that. And that one too."
"Yes," I replied, "we are not ordering the entire menu."
She paused, then pointed again. "But that one looks happy."
I blinked. "Food does not have emotions."
She looked unconvinced.
I placed the order—three rice bowls, a mix of tempura, and several onigiri—keeping it balanced between quantity and the limit of how much I was willing to spend in one sitting. The cashier handed me a number.
"We'll bring it to your table," they said.
"Thanks," I replied, taking it.
Simple. Efficient. No problems so far.
Then I made the mistake of looking back at the table.
I paused.
Counted.
Then frowned.
Ruri was still there, sitting exactly as instructed. Hikari was in my arms. Which meant…
"…Oh come on," I muttered under my breath.
Karin was gone.
Of course she was gone.
I walked back quickly, already feeling the beginning of another headache forming. "Ruri," I said, keeping my tone calm out of sheer effort, "where did she go?"
Ruri pointed immediately without hesitation. "She ran that way, Papa."
Of course she did.
I followed her finger and exhaled slowly, already preparing myself for whatever I was about to deal with next.
"Stay here," I said. Then I looked at Hikari. "You too. Do not move."
"Hikari will wait," she said, nodding seriously.
I set her down beside Ruri and turned, moving quickly through the crowd in the direction Karin had gone. My steps were controlled, but my pace was fast enough to draw the occasional glance.
It didn't take long to find her.
Karin was standing in front of a small group, talking like she had known them for years. The group clearly looked like a proper party of awakeners.
At the center stood an elf girl—the one Karin had clearly latched onto—her posture composed, her presence sharp but controlled. Her mana signature was refined, stable, the kind that suggested both talent and experience.
Beside her was a human man, relaxed but alert, the kind of stance that came from real combat experience rather than show. On his other side stood a stocky dwarf with thick arms and equipment that looked far heavier than what most people would comfortably carry.
Slightly behind them was a dark elf, her features sharper, her aura heavier and more oppressive, with a faint but tightly controlled mana presence that felt deeper and more dangerous than the others.
Four members. Balanced. Experienced.
A proper party.
All of them carried themselves like seasoned hunters—steady posture, controlled breathing, eyes that moved just enough to stay aware without looking tense. The kind of people who had seen enough danger to stop reacting loudly to it.
And somehow… Karin had decided they were perfect conversation partners.
Karin was smiling.
They were smiling.
This was already too much interaction.
I walked up to them, keeping my expression neutral, already preparing to end this before it turned into something more complicated.
"There you are," I said. "You menace."
Karin turned immediately, bright and cheerful like she hadn't just wandered off in a crowded place. "Papa!"
The elf girl—the one Karin had clearly attached herself to—looked at me, her gaze sharp but measured. Not hostile, just observant. Evaluating.
"Is she your child?" she asked.
I paused for half a second.
There were multiple ways to answer that question, and almost all of them would lead to complications I had no interest in dealing with.
Denying it would invite questions.
Questions would lead to explanations.
Explanations would lead to attention.
And attention was exactly what I was trying to avoid.
So I chose the simplest option.
"Yes," I said.
Clean. Efficient. Problem avoided.
The elf studied me for a brief moment longer, then her expression softened slightly. "She's very energetic," she said. "You should keep a closer eye on her. She might get lost."
"I understand," I replied.
Which, unfortunately, was completely true.
The human gave me a knowing look, like he had dealt with similar problems before. The dwarf snorted quietly, probably amused. The dark elf said nothing, but her gaze lingered just a second longer than necessary.
Then the elf gave a small, polite nod. "Take care."
"You too," I said.
They left without further questions.
Good.
I looked down at Karin. She was still grinning, completely unapologetic, like this entire situation had been perfectly reasonable.
I stared at her for a moment, then sighed.
"Come here," I said, picking her up before she could wander off again.
"Hey! I was talking!" she protested.
"You're not allowed to network," I replied flatly. "Especially not with experienced hunter parties."
"That was networking?" she asked, curious.
"No," I said. "That was you causing problems."
She seemed to think about that, then nodded. "Okay!"
That did not reassure me.
We returned to the table.
Ruri was exactly where I left her, sitting properly. Hikari was beside her, waiting just as instructed, though the moment she saw me, she immediately reached out like she had been waiting the entire time.
The food had already been delivered and neatly arranged across the table.
I exhaled slowly, feeling a small sense of relief settle in.
"Good," I said. "At least two of you listen."
Ruri straightened slightly, clearly pleased.
"Hikari listened," Hikari added proudly.
"Yes," I said. "You did."
I set Karin down and took a seat.
Then I looked at her.
"Karin," I said, voice calm but firm, "please behave."
She smiled brightly, completely sincere.
"Okay!"
I stared at her for a long moment, searching for even the smallest hint of deception.
There was none.
Which was somehow worse.
I leaned back slightly and let out another quiet sigh.
She was not going to behave.
And somehow…
I already knew this was only the beginning.
*****
End of Chapter 5
RETIREMENT STATUS REPORT
Owner: Ren Arclight
Former Occupation: Demon King Slayer / World-Saving Archmage
Current Occupation: Public Guardian of Three Chaotic Entities
Peaceful Life Goal:
Watch anime, eat snacks, and live quietly without responsibility, attention, or emotional attachment.
Today's Activities:
*Successfully transported three dragon daughters into public space
*Maintained concealment magic without detection
*Rode public transportation with minimal incident
*Entered mall environment (high-risk zone)
*Initiated food acquisition process
*Lost visual contact with one (1) dragon child
*Retrieved said child from interaction with experienced hunter party
*Publicly confirmed parental status under social pressure
New Developments:
*Dragons capable of blending into human society
*Strong attachment behavior persists in public
*Karin demonstrates high-risk curiosity and zero restraint
*Ruri exhibits stable and reliable behavior
*Hikari remains permanently attached
Financial Status:
Current Funds: 100,000 points
Projected Loss Rate: Increasing Rapidly
Peaceful Retirement Stability:
100% Before Doorbell
0% Dragons Hatched
–300% First "Papa"
–800% Leaving Apartment With Them
–1200% Public Outing Initiated
–2000% Karin Wandered Off
–3500% Confirmed "Yes, They Are My Children"
Current Retirement Status:
Irrecoverable
Active Threats:
*Public suspicion
*Hunter Guild involvement
*Karin making new "friends"
*Accidental magic usage in crowded areas
*Food expenses exceeding expectations
Emotional Status:
Denial - Exhaustion - Acceptance - Regret
Future Outlook:
Escalating
Archmage Personal Statement:
"I don't remember agreeing to this."
Reality's Response:
"You said yes."