Second Life of a Dragon Raising Hunter

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Chapter 471

“…Can someone explain what’s going on for me?”

That was the first thing Baek In-hwa said when she returned home. It wasn’t an unreasonable reaction considering that nearly everyone in the family was huddled around Nea, excluding Riley.

“Ugh, it’s hot….”

At Nea’s distressed voice, Yeon-woo, who had been burying her face in her arms, peered up and turned on the air conditioning.

I wondered if everyone was so mesmerized by Nea that they couldn’t hear anything else.

Riley, having finished the dishes, approached with a towel in her hand, her face expressing annoyance.

“It’s been like this since yesterday. I’m glad In-hwa is here. Watching them all day has really been unbearable….”

Baek In-hwa flinched at Riley’s fierce tone, despite the fact that everyone was bundled together, making it look uncomfortably warm. Honestly, I couldn’t see how it was that infuriating.

“You’re not planning on joining them inside, are you? I trust the primary subject.”

“Y-Yes…”

However, she couldn’t voice that doubt. The overwhelming aura radiating from Riley was intimidating to Baek In-hwa.

“Nea is pregnant, you know. I get that it’s a happy occasion, but isn’t it a bit much to cling to her like that? Do they think only they can have a romance…?”

Riley started grumbling under her breath. Baek In-hwa deliberately ignored it.

No matter what she said here, it wouldn’t sound nice in Riley’s ears. After all, she herself was also linked to Choi Yeon-woo. While her current position felt somewhat unstable, Baek In-hwa thought, ‘Perhaps it’s for the best.’

As much as she liked Choi Yeon-woo, she liked Nea too. She wouldn’t want Nea to get hurt.

But she had heard that Nea’s body made it hard for her to conceive. So, it wasn’t impossible that Baek In-hwa could get pregnant before Nea.

She once thought that, but seeing Nea’s situation now, it turned out her worries were unfounded, as Nea had already become capable of welcoming a child.

‘Worries about things that haven’t happened are pointless.’

With that thought, Baek In-hwa smiled contentedly. No matter what happened, it felt nice to know that potential conflicts in the future had been eliminated.

“…Hmm. You seem to be having some unpleasant thoughts…”

“Of course not. I’ll just drop my things off and come back.”

“Sounds suspicious… Well, fine. Your old room has been cleaned.”

Luckily, Baek In-hwa’s poker face seemed to be doing its job.

But I couldn’t help but wonder how Riley came to associate everything about love with unpleasantness… Maybe that too was Yeon-woo’s fault.

‘They should delegate the work a little!’

Because of the tasks that Yeon-woo assigned, Baek In-hwa hadn’t had a chance to have any real connections, while Yeon-woo, as the employer, seemed to be meeting all sorts of people, which was understandably infuriating.

It was sad to see how much Riley had changed since she originally wasn’t like this, and with that, Baek In-hwa headed upstairs.

*

The world was overflowing with happiness, and Yeon-woo felt that deeply.

With Nea’s body temperature being a bit cooler compared to humans, and the children clustering together like barnacles, along with the faint wave of life sensed from within Nea…

Truthfully, this was something Yeon-woo had never imagined even once before. Even now, it was hard to believe.

Although he was already the father of two kids, he had never once considered that he could have a child with his own blood.

Of course, there were worries. He was a abandoned child. The reasons were unknown. He had never once thought of looking for his parents.

The absence of his biological parents had been filled by Claire. With a mother like Claire, there was no reason to seek his biological parents.

Of course, Riley had once come to a tentative conclusion. After all, if they saw his face, they’d likely realize he was their child, but the fact that they hadn’t shown up implied they were either decent humans or dead.

Yeon-woo’s worries always lingered in that area. Even when adopting Shar and Tae-oh, that was the case. He knew about his mother but had no knowledge of his father.

While there might not be a gender role difference for parents, he still had a desire to be an ideal father, having grown up without one.

Baek In-hwa, who returned with her luggage, quietly observed Yeon-woo, who was lost in thought next to Nea.

‘He looks like he’s worrying over something unnecessary.’

Since Yeon-woo could recognize Baek In-hwa’s expression, it was only natural that Baek In-hwa could read Yeon-woo’s expression quite easily as well.

As a famous philosopher once said, when you look into the abyss, the abyss also looks back at you.

‘Does that mean I’m the abyss? I don’t like that idea.’

Chuckling to herself at this solitary jest in her mind, Baek In-hwa pulled Yeon-woo’s arm as he sat on the sofa.

Whose hand is this, that feels so refreshing? When she lifted her head, she saw Baek In-hwa.

“Really sorry, when did you arrive?”

“…That statement might be a little hurtful.”

Pouting, Baek In-hwa tugged at Yeon-woo’s arm as if to encourage him out. After briefly assessing the situation, Yeon-woo noticed Nea’s subtle gesture and got up from the sofa.

“Hehe! Now Mommy is ours!!”

[Daddy can no longer cling to Mommy!]

“Hey, you little rascals…!! Save my spot!”

Yeon-woo found himself being dragged out by Baek In-hwa while tussling with the kids.

Watching Baek In-hwa throw herself onto the hammock in the yard, Yeon-woo lost his composure entirely.

“…You want me to lie there while you sit here? No, more importantly, why did you bring me here?”

“Because you looked like you were worrying over something pointless. There are things you can’t say in front of the kids.”

“I wasn’t thinking anything that wild….”

“Not like that. I meant self-esteem as a father? The dignity of being the head of the family? Something like that.”

“I mean, I do have some… kind of.”

“Right, so get it off your chest. I can read your expression, but I can’t figure out what you’re thinking.”

Her soothing voice surprised Yeon-woo, who looked at Baek In-hwa in disbelief. Sensing something unpleasant from his expression, she raised an eyebrow.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You, could you actually be this considerate of others?”

“That’s rude. I’ve grown up quite a bit.”

Well, I couldn’t argue about that. Not only was she strong, but her personal growth had made her stand out among friends.

Yeon-woo also felt a mix of emotions about that. It was astonishing to see how this formerly cold Ice Golem was now imbued with feelings.

“It’s nothing big. I just wonder if I can truly be a good father to the new baby, unlike the smart kids I’ve raised so far.”

“…So you were really worrying about such trivial things.”

“Isn’t that a bit harsh?”

Now it was Yeon-woo’s turn to express displeasure. With such serious considerations, anyone would react like that if they were dismissed.

However, there was a reason why Baek In-hwa reacted that way. She had a father.

Part of the reason they had visited the Ice Palace was to hand down the duties of the next ruler, but it was also to hear her father’s thoughts before getting engaged to Yeon-woo.

After their talk, she understood that such worries were commonplace. Baek In-hwa had also wondered if she could be a good mother.

Of course, her love for Yeon-woo was stronger than such concerns, allowing her to boldly charge ahead.

“Dad said that no one can do well from the start.”

“…That’s true?”

“Knowing that, why are you worried? Becoming a dad for the first time is the same for everyone. You won’t do well from the get-go. You just give it your all. If it works, it works; if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”

“…So the Ice Lord said that too.”

“This time, I almost saw my dad cry.”

“Come to think of it, you just called him dad. You used to call him Father or Ice Lord.”

Baek In-hwa blushed at Yeon-woo’s remark.

What a strange dynamic this father and daughter had, confirming their thoughts just before marriage. It was cold beyond belief. Yeon-woo could only promise himself not to let it be this way.

“Anyway, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Nea won’t be a perfect mother either. Let’s take it one step at a time.”

“…Ugh, okay. I understand.”

Yeon-woo nodded, lowering his head as if reflecting. He knew that if such words could solve his worries, he probably wouldn’t be pondering alone in the first place. Life isn’t that simple.

Nevertheless, he was a person who made an effort to listen to others.

Even if he didn’t fully understand what she meant right now, Choi Yeon-woo would strive to comprehend.

“I feel like I’ve sighed a little relief, personally.”

“Huh? What do you mean out of the blue? Was there something you were worried about?”

“There was. But now it’s settled. I can tempt you without hesitation.”

“…What did you just say?”

“Oh, I think it would be good to set a date with you. I’ll head in first, there’s something important to discuss.”

Baek In-hwa, who had just spilled such shocking words, sprang off the hammock and headed into the house.

Yeon-woo, left behind, could only stare at her in a daze.

“Life is truly unpredictable.”

How did it come to this? Perhaps it is the fate of a hero. To end up involved with a woman he’d never crossed paths with in his previous life, only to hear such direct words from her…

When I’d see those mandatory defense scenes in internet memes, I’d wonder if it were really like that, but now I felt like I understood it a bit…

…Not that I had no expectations either….

*

Time flowed peacefully. In that time, Yeon-woo experienced many things and visited numerous places.

Among those was the wedding venue where preparations were in full swing, Claire’s orphanage, and various other locations.

However, no matter what, the place he would ultimately end up at was here. Though in terms of position, it wasn’t much different from the orphanage, it held great significance for Yeon-woo.

“Master, how have you been?”

At Yuri’s grave. After Yuri passed away, when Yeon-woo rummaged through the Department Head’s office, he found a will, and it also mentioned a burial spot.

It was quite an unexpected place, but there was no reason not to hear the words of the deceased, so he sought Claire’s permission and created Yuri’s grave here.

The site was where Yeon-woo had swung his sword for nearly ten years.

Coincidentally, he had also asked Claire to manage the grave, truly shameless of him.

‘I understand wanting an Elf to take care of it.’

Yuri’s grave was incredibly neat and beautifully maintained. Even the weeds seemed to grow artistically.

“It seems like tomorrow is the day of the showdown. I thought I’d have a drink beforehand.”

Yeon-woo chuckled as he poured some alcohol. There was no reply. Still, as he sat down on the ground, he offered a drink to the air and then took one for himself.

It felt strangely lonely yet comforting, as if someone were there by his side.

“Master never got to marry. I guess I’ll be the one to do that. You should have at least had one child and then left.”

He thought, feeling a bit regretful.

(To be continued in the next episode)