Chapter 122: Dragons in Elementary School (2)

A refreshing morning signaling the start of a new day.

I opened my eyes in the bed surrounded by dragons.

"Yaaawn-"

"..."

"Mmm-hmm-"

"Why are they sleeping in my bed instead of their own rooms...?"

Sigh-

What time is it now?

I moved aside the dragons' legs and smooth tails that were weighing me down. Then, I reached out to check my smartphone on the shelf.

"7.50 AM..."

The alarm is set for 8 AM. But I naturally woke up at 7.50 AM, about 10 minutes early.

It was only natural. Today is a very important day for my daughters.

"Time to start preparing. Elementary school entrance ceremony."

I shook the bodies of the kids sleeping soundly and shouted.

"Everyone wake up! It's time for school!"

"Mmm... I want to sleep more..."

"..."

"Hmm-nyaa-"

These kids?

No matter how much I shook them, they just groaned and wouldn't get up.

'I guess I have no choice. I'll have to use the last resort.'

First impressions are important. We can't be late for the entrance ceremony.

I grabbed a frying pan and ladle from the kitchen. Then, I struck the frying pan hard with the ladle.

Clang clang clang-!

"Everyone wake up!!"

"Aaah-! I'm dying-!"

"...So noisy, Dad."

"Ugh, Father... I'm up... Please stop..."

"W-Woof..."

Do I really need to use this method to wake everyone up?

All the sleeping children had opened their eyes. I took the still half-asleep Hwaryeon to the bathroom.

"Come on, Hwaryeon. Let's wash up quickly."

"Uuugh..."

"Let's start with washing your face."

I turned on the faucet and splashed water on Hwaryeon's face.

Splutter-

"Even if you torture me like this... the Masked Ranger headquarters will never find out..."

"This isn't water torture, Hwaryeon."

"Uuugh..."

Starting with washing Hwaryeon's face, I wiped the children's faces and put toothbrushes in their mouths.

The children brushed their dragon teeth diligently and started dressing for the entrance ceremony.

"Dad! Where are my pants!?"

"In the leftmost part of the closet there."

Pitter-patter-!

"Lee Suryeon, stop that. Leave your A-pad at home."

"...Tch."

Crash bang-!!

"Father, what should we do with Mangmung?"

"Elementary school is different from kindergarten. We have to leave Mangmung at home."

"Our poor Mangmung... Guard the house well even when I'm not here! Okay?"

"Woof..."

As always, morning preparation time is chaotic and busy.

While the children changed clothes in their rooms, I prepared a simple breakfast.

"Everyone eat cereal quickly and let's go to school."

I poured fresh milk over bowls of corn cereal.

The cereal, soaked in milk, maintains its crunchiness before softening for easy eating. The milk, filled almost to overflowing, gets sweetened by the sugar from the cereal.

"Why isn't there meat in the cereal!"

"Yawn... Too lazy to eat..."

"I love cereal, Father! The milk is delicious!"

They're eating well.

Although Hwaryeon complained a bit about the lack of meat side dishes, the children generally eat cereal well in the morning.

"Yaaawn..."

Except for Suryeon, who was moving slowly and yawning as if still sleepy. I brought a spoon to Suryeon's mouth, who still hadn't fully woken up.

"Suryeon, say ah-"

"...I'm not a little kid. I can eat by myself."

Huff-

Suryeon turned her head, blushing. Looking closely at her face, I noticed dark circles under her eyes.

"Suryeon."

"...What?"

"You played games late last night, didn't you?"

"..."

Suryeon chewed silently, keeping her mouth shut. It seems she played games late into the night despite being told to sleep early.

'I need to speak sternly about this.'

I spoke firmly to Suryeon.

"Lee Suryeon."

"..."

"If you keep playing games late at night and it affects you the next day, I'll take away your A-pad."

"...!!"

Munch munch-

Only then did Suryeon's spoon start moving faster.

I could sense her determination not to have her A-pad taken away.

I immediately turned to look at Choryeon sitting next to me.

"Choryeon."

"Yes, Father!"

"Why are you eating so slowly again?"

"Hmm... Is that so? I must be sleepy too!"

Her eyes are bright and alert, not looking sleepy at all. I put cereal in Choryeon's mouth before we were late.

"Choryeon, say ah-!"

"Aah-"

"Whoosh- Here comes the airplane!"

Suryeon glared at us slightly, perhaps envious of the airplane, but we managed to finish breakfast leisurely and leave the house.

"Mangmung! We'll be back soon! Good luck guarding the house!"

"Woof-!"

And so, leaving Mangmung, who responded bravely, alone at home, we left the house and took the elevator down.

'My daughters are already entering elementary school.'

Time really flies.

We left the old-fashioned apartment and walked towards the elementary school about 10 minutes away, mixing with elementary school students coming out of the neighboring new apartment complex.

The dragon kids commented on seeing these elementary school students.

"Hmph, there are a lot more humans than in kindergarten! I'll have many more subordinates!"

"...Too many humans. Half of them could disappear and it'd be fine."

"It looks like I'll make many friends! It's completely different from kindergarten, Father!"

That's right.

The dragons will surely experience group life very different from kindergarten.

I could only pray that the children would adapt well to this human world. So that they could safely enjoy their amusement in the human world without me after I die someday.

"We're almost at the school, kids. Let's all focus now."

"Hmph, I'm always focused!"

"Dad, you focus first. You're so nervous."

"Yes, I'll focus! I'll do my best!"

And so we passed through the school gate with its entrance ceremony congratulatory banner.

Perhaps because my daughters' appearances are quite unique, somehow it felt like the parents' gazes were directed at us today.

***

First, the children had to go through the enrollment procedures.

"Please fill out these forms here."

"Yes, yes, I just write here and that's it, right?"

I quickly signed the documents.

Then, the children's physical examination began immediately.

"Today we'll be measuring general physical information and magic power capacity. It won't take long."

"Okay, please proceed."

Apparently, standing on the machine's thin plate automatically measures everything.

I spoke to the kids, who looked full of complaints, in front of the machine.

"It'll be over soon, so relax your expressions."

"How dare these humans try to judge me! I don't like it!"

"I agree."

Growl-

Hwaryeon and Suryeon glared at the entrance supervisor.

As the supervisor didn't know what to do, I picked up Hwaryeon.

"Lee Hwaryeon, come here."

"Ugh, let me go-!"

"Be quiet and just get the examination quickly. You're wearing the ring, right?"

"Hmph, who do you think I am? Of course I'm wearing it!"

I checked Hwaryeon's middle finger and saw the yellow ring was securely in place.

I put Hwaryeon on the examination platform, and after about 10 seconds, the results came out.

The entrance supervisor looked at the results and told me.

"Her height is taller than average for her age. Good muscle mass too. She's a healthy student."

"How about her magic power?"

"The magic power quantity itself is above average, but she's not in an awakened state. It seems there's an attribute to the magic itself. If she awakens later, she could become an outstanding hero."

Phew-

What a relief.

Thanks to the ring, we could hide the dragon's enormous magic power. If we hadn't hidden it, it would have set a world record.

For a mere elementary school student who just entered.

'I should thank the Yellow Dragon.'

The rings the children are wearing on their fingers are from the Yellow Dragon, received through the Association President.

My daughters' magic skills are still lacking, so they can't hide their abilities.

That's why the Yellow Dragon enchanted the rings with 'magic concealment' and sent them.

'I was surprised when he sent them in a box with firecrackers.'

Still, even though she's quite mischievous, she's a good dragon.

After Hwaryeon's examination was over, I picked up Suryeon, who was standing with a sulky expression.

"Lee Suryeon, come here."

"I-I'll go on my own feet. Put me down quickly. The humans are watching."

"Now, now, stay still."

"I don't like humans examining me... I hate you, Dad..."

This is Suryeon's fault for not cooperating with the examination quickly. I picked Suryeon up and put her down on the examination platform right away.

Soon after, the examination results came out.

"Her height is average, but her weight is low. She needs more exercise and to eat well. As for magic power... it's high indeed. She's a promising child."

"How dare you humans think you know- mmph!"

I quickly covered Suryeon's mouth. Then, we started Choryeon's examination.

Choryeon was wearing the ring on her left ring finger.

'When she received the ring from me, she was so happy, asking if we were finally getting married.'

She was so excited when she got the ring, saying "It's a marriage!"

Although she was disappointed when she found out that wasn't the meaning. Choryeon keeps wearing the ring on her left ring finger, insisting it's a wedding ring.

"Hehe, this is my engagement ring. I'm going to marry Father soon. Kufufufu."

Choryeon finished the examination with a sly(?) smile.

All examinations were completed.

"Both her height and weight are below average. She needs to eat more meat."

"Meat is violence! I won't eat it!"

"Her magic power is above average. These sisters have innate talent."

I wanted to say, "It's because they have an excellent father." But I decided to hold back, considering the gazes around us.

There's no need to reveal that I'm a hero.

'But why isn't anyone asking for my autograph? Don't they recognize me?'

No, that can't be.

There's no way they wouldn't recognize me. They must be considerate and not asking for autographs. 

Thinking this, I moved with the children to another location.

"What a considerate society."

"Dad, you're just not popular."

"Now, now, Suryeon. Watch your words. Dad is very popular."

"Hmm, if you say so."

I'm telling the truth, you know?

I felt a bit hurt that Suryeon wouldn't acknowledge me, but I went with the children to the auditorium where the entrance ceremony would be held.

Parents watch their children's entrance ceremony from the back, while the children sit in their assigned seats for the ceremony. I pointed to the children's seats.

"Your names are written there, from number 8 to 10 in class 1-1."

"Hmph, I can see it all with my good eyesight!"

"Go sit down. Dad will be watching from the back."

Parents have their own area, and students have their own seats. The kids slowly walked away from me towards their seats.

"Ahem."

"..."

"Father..."

The kids kept looking back, seemingly anxious about being separated from me. 

Each time, I smiled and waved to reassure them. As if to say, don't worry, you're doing well.

"I'll be watching from the back, so hurry and sit down! It's about to start!"

"..."

Only then did they feel reassured and bravely walk to their assigned seats. Knowing I was watching, they didn't look back anymore.

Finally, they sat down, and only then did they turn back and wave at me.

"Dad, I'm here! Look or don't, whatever!"

"...What's so great about an entrance ceremony. You don't really need to watch."

"Father! I'm entering school! Please look at me!"

Waaah-

The kids waved at me, smiling. Their appearances were already eye-catching, and this behavior made them stand out even more.

"Oh my, whose daughters are they? They're so pretty."

Their hair colors are unusual, must be different magic attributes. I wonder if their parents are heroes?"

"To think triplets could be so pretty. Their parents are blessed."

Ahem-

I feel good hearing my daughters being praised.

'It feels good, but it's a bit awkward too. They're all moms except for me.'

There are occasionally parents who look like dads, but all the parents around me were moms.

'It's my first time being surrounded by so many women like this.'

It's a shame I can't pursue romance since they're all taken,

But even though it's awkward, I stood there without feeling intimidated.

As I waited like that, the long-awaited entrance ceremony began.

There was talk about uninteresting sponsor organizations, and a famous hero's son gave the representative pledge.

'It's obvious whose son he is.'

He's the son of a hero I remember.

An S-class hero who mainly uses a sword, and the son of a major corporation's chairman. He's even handsome, naturally invoking feelings of inferiority.

'I don't remember his name since he's a guy.'

Anyway.

This black-haired, smart-looking son of an S-class hero raised his hand and said.

"Pledge. I, Kim Si-hoo, and 150 other entering students, pledge to study diligently at Mirae Elementary School and become the light of South Korea's future."

Clap clap clap-

Applause erupted.

Choryeon also joined in, clapping enthusiastically. Of course, Hwaryeon and Suryeon didn't move a muscle.

And so, with the principal's boring speech at the end, the entrance ceremony concluded.

'I hope they enjoy school and do well.'

Watching my daughters' backs, clearly visible even among over 100 people, I just hope my daughters have a happy elementary school life.

Healthy and without causing trouble, regardless of grades.

"Dad's going now, kids."

The children left for their respective classes, and the parents just left the school to return to their own places.