“Welcome home!”
“Welcome back, Father!”
Iris ran up to Aldo with quick steps, and when Aldo extended his hand, she took it and walked with him into the living room.
“Iris, were you a good girl and stayed at home while I was out?”
“Yeah. But… I finished reading all the books.”
Iris looked down, a little disappointed. She stayed inside all day, so she quickly read through all the books she had.
“Well, there were so many books, too.”
“But it’s fine. I’ll read the same books over and over, like always.”
“Well, reading books again can bring new discoveries, but don’t you think it would get boring reading the same ones all the time?”
“Uuuh…”
Iris groaned. Indeed, Aldo had not bought Iris any new books for years, so she could understand the struggle of constantly reading the same ones.
“See? But don’t worry. I’ll buy you some new books, Iris.”
“Father, are you sure? Do you have enough money?”
Iris looked up at Aldo with concern. Aldo scratched his head awkwardly.
“Well, I’ll do my best so you won’t have to worry about money. Actually, I’m going into a dungeon again.”
“Again? I’m worried…”
Iris grabbed the hem of Aldo’s clothes tightly. Her attempt to express her worry, as a young girl with weak strength, was a sign that she didn’t want to let go of him.
“Ah, it’s okay. I’ll be going with a fellow Digger. So, there shouldn’t be too much danger.”
“Really? Is that person strong?”
“Yeah, they’re strong. They’re a big guy, like a muscular mountain of muscle from the slums. I’ve already beaten him.”
“Oho!”
Iris’s eyes sparkled as she listened with interest to Aldo’s story. It seemed like a hero had come to deal with the troublemakers in the dangerous slums.
“Hey, hey, what kind of person are they? Are they like a big, bear-like guy?”
“No, not at all. It’s the complete opposite. It’s a girl. She’s… probably around 13 to 15 years old.”
“A girl…?”
Iris looked sideways at Aldo, staring at him. Aldo, feeling a little confused, scratched his head.
“W-what’s with that look?”
“Hmmm, she’s a girl, huh. Heh, so you’ve become friends with a girl, Father.”
Iris puffed out her cheeks and turned away, sulking. Aldo was flustered, not sure why Iris had suddenly gotten upset.
“Ah, Iris, it’s not like I’m doing anything with her. I’m way too old for that, and she’s like a daughter to me.”
“Really? Like a daughter, huh…”
Iris’s mood darkened even more. She huffed and stomped off toward her bedroom. Aldo quickly followed her, but Iris lay down on her bed.
“Iris, are you going to bed now? Isn’t it still too early?”
“Good night.”
Iris ignored Aldo’s question and turned her back to him, deliberately pretending to snore in an exaggerated manner.
Aldo, although unsure of what was going on, felt a bit relieved and chuckled quietly.
Children aren’t just good and obedient. They can be stubborn, moody, and show their more difficult sides. But it was a sign that Iris was truly relying on him in her own way.
Still, as a father, it hurt to be disliked by his daughter. So, Aldo spent the day with a mixed feeling of discomfort.
The next morning, Aldo woke up. When he glanced at the bed next to him, Iris was already gone. It seemed like she had gotten up before him.
When he headed to the kitchen, Iris was trying her best to prepare breakfast. Aldo watched with a bit of worry but kept an eye on her.
“Ah, good morning, Father.”
“Good morning, Iris.”
Iris greeted him with a smile, not showing any trace of the sulking attitude from the day before. Aldo felt relieved that her mood had improved and sat down at the table.
“Here you go.”
Iris brought over Aldo’s breakfast. It consisted of toast, soup, and salad—an incredibly healthy breakfast. Thanks to these meals, Iris’s once-thin body had started to gain healthy weight, and her complexion had improved.
“Ah, thank you, Iris.”
“Father, you’re going to the dungeon today, right?”
“Well, before the dungeon, I have some work in the mine. After all, my main job is there.”
Aldo answered and then took a bite of the salad. The lettuce had a crunchy texture. Fresh, crisp lettuce wasn’t something you often found in the slums, but Aldo had a strange memory of how fresh lettuce was always crisp, and he had always hoped to one day let Iris experience it.
“After work, you’re going to the dungeon… Hey, Dad, I hope you come back early today,” Iris said, casting a quick glance at Aldo with an upward tilt of her eyes. Her pleading gaze made Aldo’s heart waver.
“Is something going on?” he asked.
“Nothing, but… I get lonely when you’re not around,” Iris replied honestly, expressing her feelings. Aldo wanted to fulfill her request as much as he could, but it wasn’t good to let her think that everything would go her way. There were things that couldn’t be done. He needed to teach her that clearly.
“In that case, I can’t do it, Iris. I made a promise with Clara,” Aldo explained.
“Clara?”
“Yeah… She’s a fellow digger I’m going into the dungeon with. She’s preparing for today’s promise, so I can’t break it. That would be a betrayal to her. If someone broke a promise to you, wouldn’t you be sad?”
Iris imagined it. The promise she made with Aldo — that when she became a magician, he would grant any of her wishes. If Aldo ever broke that promise after her dream came true, she would be deeply saddened.
She figured that Clara would probably feel the same way if Aldo broke his promise to her. Iris felt ashamed of herself.
“I’m sorry, Dad. I was only thinking about myself,” she said, her head hanging low in sadness.
But Aldo gently patted her on the shoulder.
“It’s okay, Iris. Everyone has moments like that. Especially since you’re still a kid, it’s okay to be a little selfish. Well, there are things you can ask for and things you can’t, but… I hope you can understand that.”
Aldo spoke to her kindly, and Iris felt a little better. The resistance to Aldo going off with a strange woman began to lessen. Though, she couldn’t deny that there was still a little jealousy lingering in her heart.
“Got it, Dad! But I’ll allow you to go into the dungeon with Clara!” Iris declared.
“Thank you. I’m glad you understand,” Aldo replied.
“But, make sure you come back soon. If you make me feel lonely, I’ll punish you with the ‘hug sentence’!” Iris said, placing her hands on her hips as she gave a mysterious judgment. Aldo let out a dry chuckle.
“The ‘hug sentence,’ huh? That sounds terrifying.”
“It is! So, hurry back, okay?” Iris urged.
“Yeah, I got it,” Aldo replied.
He finished preparing for work and getting his dungeon gear ready before heading to the front door. Iris came to see him off.
“Take care, Dad!” she said.
“Yeah. I’ll be back soon,” Aldo responded.
