(Seele… you actually snuck out!)
Bronya was utterly shocked. The normally sweet, shy, angelic Seele had actually snuck into Papa Elias' room last night?
She nearly turned to stone.
But quickly, she realized—it must have been Dark Seele. Only that insane girl with the polar opposite personality would do something so bold.
Bronya: "I saw you as a little sister, but you want to be my mom?! Dark Seele, I won't forget this betrayal."
(So frustrating... no, infuriating! Doesn't she realize that disrupts the harmony of the House of the Hearth? What did they even do last night? Seele's not even awake yet. Don't tell me... no way, impossible!)
Nothing happened, actually.
To Elias, it was just a cozy night's sleep with a soft, fragrant cuddle pillow. Dark Seele didn't do anything mischievous—aside from a little casual groping and staring at his sleeping face until morning... and now she was catching up on sleep.
"Ahem, Papa Elias, do you have time today?" Bronya hesitated a few seconds, then decided it was time to make her move.
Lately, Seele had been getting all the attention. But she was supposed to be the true big sister—the one Elias trusted most.
"I don't have anything planned today. But even if I did, if it's you asking, I'd make time."
Elias gave her his usual affectionate headpat. Confirming she hadn't lost favor, Bronya let out a small breath of relief.
"Then I want to use my wish ticket. I want Papa Elias to spend the whole day with me."
"Oh? Using it now?"
"Yes. Bronya is sure."
She nodded seriously, like she'd made a momentous decision. Then she picked up her stuffed Homu doll, unzipped it, and pulled out a golden ticket.
This was a reward she'd received long ago after helping Elias with a major task. It granted her one wish—anything within reason, and Elias would comply.
It sounded dramatic, and Bronya had treasured it like a rare gem, reluctant to use it. Elias himself had nearly forgotten it existed—it had just been something he came up with on a whim.
And honestly...
Even without the ticket, he'd never refuse a wish from one of his girls.
"Alright. Then today, I'm yours. Let me just deal with a few... interruptions that might ruin our perfect day."
"Got it. Bronya will prepare, too."
Elias then walked to a trash bin outside the house.
He casually dropped a note on a corpse left over from the night before and turned away without a second glance.
[Today I'm spending the day with my daughter. If anyone interrupts us, I'll make sure there's nothing left of them—no corpse, no trace, and their entire organization will be wiped out.]
This was Bronya personally inviting him to play. No way would Elias let trash like that ruin it.
Sure enough, a group of assassins, mercenaries, and killers—who had planned to target Elias and kidnap the stigmata host Seele—found the note.
They collectively went silent.
"...Let's just take the day off."
"Agreed. It's not like the client said it had to be today."
"I'm not scared of dying, but..."
"But dying in the most painful way possible? No thanks. That's just unnecessary."
They say great rewards attract brave men—but brave doesn't mean stupid. Every intruder who had dared to enter the House of the Hearth recently had gone in standing and come out lying flat.
That trash can—originally meant for garbage—had seen more famous underworld figures than most warzones: assassins, mercenaries, spies, and even a few elite Valkyries from Schicksal and combat mechs from Anti-Entropy.
Trash Can: I've lived a legendary life.
Those shadowy veterans who had been observing the House of the Hearth for weeks would never forget the image of a mighty A-rank Valkyrie, dumped head-first into the bin, legs and butt sticking out.
Or the Anti-Entropy mechs that were dismantled and sold as scrap to the local recycling guy.
...Back at the House of the Hearth...
"Alright, I don't think anyone will interrupt us today. So, Bronya, what do you want to do with me?"
Having taken care of business, Elias looked at Bronya with eager anticipation—only to see her dragging a massive chest out of her room and pulling out several gaming devices.
"Bronya wants to challenge Papa Elias to some games."
"No problem. I accept the challenge. But just so we're clear—I won't go easy on you."
"That's exactly what Bronya wants."
As for the rule about no gaming for more than one hour a day? Elias wasn't going to be that uptight.
Today was special—and rules were made to be broken! (He says, brandishing a bat.)
Besides, he was the one who made that rule in the first place.
This time, Bronya didn't sit in her usual little chair. She climbed right onto Elias' lap—clearly a trick she'd picked up from a certain black-haired Seele.
Elias naturally wrapped an arm around her while holding the controller she handed him, the two of them looking like a man playing games with a beautifully crafted doll.
...
"Ugh! Papa Elias, you're too strong!"
"You're not bad either, Bronya. But you're still a bit green. Auto-targeting is useful, but with enough skill, manual aim is much faster."
"Understood. Bronya is learning."
"Nice, you're applying it already. But your accuracy still needs work. Also... with enough skill, even a ranged archer can fight in melee."
"What?! You dodged Bronya's skill while firing point-blank? Such precision! But... as long as I have HP left, I won't give up!"
"Heh~ That's my proud little duckie."
Three hours later—
Bronya leaned back against Elias' chest, needing a breather.
She never expected to struggle so much against her beloved Papa, even though she ranked first on multiple PVP leaderboards.
But the intense back-and-forth battles were exactly what she had been hoping for.
"As expected of Papa Elias... Bronya admits defeat."
"You really love games, don't you, Bronya."
Elias nodded with certainty.
Even in the original timeline, Bronya never managed to beat him in games. Let alone this version.
But even so, it was still incredibly fun. Elias hadn't felt this thrilled by competitive gaming in a long time.
"Yes. Actually... if possible, Bronya would like to work in gaming someday. I want to become a game designer," she said with eyes full of hope.
"...Your dream will definitely come true, Bronya. You absolutely can do it."
"Papa Elias, what's wrong?"
Bronya looked up, puzzled. She sensed something emotional and trembling in Elias' voice, like she had just said something deeply important.
Before she could fully look at him, she found herself pulled into a tight embrace. Elias rested his chin on her shoulder and spoke with heartfelt emotion.
"I'm just... so happy. Our little duckie has a dream now—something she wants to do in the future. Back then, you were... well, never mind."
He trailed off awkwardly.
But Bronya knew exactly what he meant.
Before she met Elias, before joining the House of the Hearth, Bronya Zaychik had been nothing more than the Silver Wolf of the Urals—a weapon with no will of her own.
Now, looking back, even she was surprised by how much she had changed.
"...It's all thanks to you, Papa Elias. You saved me. You gave me a warm, loving home. That's what turned me from a weapon back into a person."
She smiled softly, her lips curling with affection as she rested her head on Elias' chest, listening to his heartbeat like it was the most beautiful sound in the world.
Yes, everything Bronya Zaychik was now—all of it was because of Elias' love.
He gave her a home.
He gave her a new life.
He gave her a present so warm and bright that she could finally dream of a future.
She wanted so badly to repay him.
But she knew—even if she spent her whole life trying, she could never repay Elias fully.
And that was okay...
She'd just keep repaying him in her next life.
Because she would never leave him.
She couldn't leave him anymore.
"Papa Elias, do you have a dream?" Bronya suddenly asked.
"Hm? Me?"
Elias blinked, caught off guard.
"Yes. If you have something you want to achieve, Bronya will do everything she can to help."
She nodded earnestly. If he asked for the stars, she'd find a way to bring them down for him.
Elias rested his chin on her head, thinking seriously for a moment before shaking his head.
"I can't think of anything. I don't really have a future goal. My current life is already more than enough... because I have all of you."
"...Bronya thinks your ambitions are far too small."
"Really? I actually think they're pretty big."
Elias twirled one of Bronya's silver curls, clearly amused—he never got tired of playing with them.
And truthfully, his desires were quite strong.
Physically and mentally.
His constantly evolving body gathered more and more impulses with each passing second, but with the residual authority of the Herrscher of Death, he was able to perfectly control every cell—suppressing all that instinct.
Still, whoever ended up being the first girl to truly be with Elias... that night would probably be brutal.
"But Bronya, even if I don't have a dream, I can still protect dreams. I'll make sure you have a future where your dream can come true," Elias said gently.
"That makes Bronya happy, but... please also think more about yourself."
"Alright, alright~ Actually, while I don't have a dream, there is something I want to do."
As he spoke, Elias pressed the random button on the console, landing on a racing game. They both grabbed their controllers and dove in.
"What is it that you want to do, Papa Elias?"
"I want to save people."
"...What?"
Bronya was so stunned by his words that she almost drove off the track.
Elias, meanwhile, seized the opportunity to widen the gap.
"There are so many people I want to save. So many tragedies I want to undo. The world is vast, and fate is cruel. But it's also unfair and irrational."
"Too many good people never get the happy endings they deserve. I guess I just can't stand that—just like I couldn't stand what you went through as a child soldier. That's why... I want to change things. I want to save them."
"I want to change how their stories end. I want them to survive—to find their dreams, like you did—and have a chance to make them real."
"Even if the path is difficult, well... if I want to do it, I will. And... win."
His car crossed the finish line, earning him his tenth consecutive victory.
Though honestly, this time was because Bronya had completely zoned out and was still stuck on the wrong track.
But she didn't mind anymore. She slowly set her controller down and looked at him.
"So... Papa Elias wants to be a hero?"
"A hero? Huh... I guess that's what it sounds like. Kind of childish, doesn't it?"
"Not at all. Bronya doesn't think that's childish in the slightest. Because I'm one of the people you saved."
She said it with conviction, eyes full of admiration.
Bronya felt incredibly lucky to have met Elias—it was easily the greatest blessing of her life.
"Still... Papa Elias, you always think too much about others. Never about yourself. Bronya worries what will happen to you because of that."
"Getting lectured by my daughter about my future... kinda hurts."
"But Papa doesn't have to worry. Bronya will take care of you from now on!"
Saying that, a sense of purpose surged through her.
That's right—if he wouldn't look after himself, then she would!
If Elias wouldn't be kind to himself, she'd do it for him. She'd take care of him for life. Honestly, she really wanted to do just that!
It didn't matter that they weren't related by blood. Sure, the age difference was a bit much—but compared to true love and deep bonds, that was just a trivial detail!
But... there was still a major problem.
(What kind of girls does Papa Elias like...? Based on the data I've gathered... my chances are under ten percent.)
Bronya visibly deflated.
As for how she gathered this intel? Simple. She watched which characters Elias picked in games.
She had even chosen a game filled with a wide variety of female characters just for this purpose.
And based on what she knew about Elias, he always picked characters based on personal preference—XP over stats, every time.
And...
(He always picks the big ones. Seven out of ten times, minimum. The remaining three? Still all curvy types. Not once has he picked a flat loli-type... So this is Papa's taste, huh.)
Bronya glanced down at her own body—a perfectly flat runway. She could see her feet clearly. Not a curve in sight.
Her stoic expression almost cracked. Her eye twitched violently as color drained from her face.
(Ah... Bronya can no longer see the future.)
"Uh, Bronya? Are you okay? Why do you look like your soul just left your body?"
Elias was startled. One moment they were happily gaming, and now she looked completely drained.
Seriously, no matter the age, a girl's thoughts were always a mystery...
If only the Herrscher of Sentience were here—Elias really wished sometimes he could just ask what they were thinking.
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