Chapter 68: Letters from the Heart

To minimize conflicts between the children, I decided to introduce a cutting-edge system at home.

"Everyone, pay attention!"

Clap—!

I clapped my hands to get the children's attention. Once I had their full attention, I decided to get straight to the point.

"I think each of you has complaints that are hard to express. So, I prepared this. Do you see this small wooden box in my hand?"

Nod, nod—

The children nodded as they looked at the small box. I placed the box on the dining table and continued my explanation.

"This is a heart mailbox for storing letters from the heart. It's a place where you can put letters containing your feelings that are hard to express."

Letters from the heart, a policy to mediate conflicts between the children.

I plan to listen to the children's opinions as much as possible by receiving their complaints.

'This way, complaints won't pile up, and the relationship between Suryeon and Choryeon might improve.'

No matter how I think about it, it seems like a good policy. The dragon kids seemed to think the same.

"We just need to write our complaints honestly on paper? I'm in favor of this!"

"We can handle things quietly. I think it's a good policy too."

"I like it too! To think of such an idea! As expected, Dad is amazing!"

Fortunately, they were satisfied with the heart letter policy.

Now, if they have complaints, they can resolve them through me instead of bottling them up. So, I implemented the heart letter policy in our house.

As a result, the children started to express their complaints to me without hesitation.

"Today's complaint is... from Hwaryeon..."

Hwaryeon's writing was free-spirited and messy, making it hard to read. But I sat in a dining chair and read the heart letter.

-There's not enough sausage side dish!! Bring more! No, bring it all!!

"This kid is complaining about side dishes when I asked for complaints?"

I even provide a lot of meat side dishes. I felt a surge of anger for a moment, but I calmed myself down and endured.

"Whew, no. This is cute. It's a valid complaint if you think about it. I should listen to it."

I'll provide plenty of sausage side dishes. My back bent slightly, but I decided to accept Hwaryeon's opinion.

"Let's see, next is Suryeon."

Neat handwriting that looks like it was written by a machine. I unfolded the neatly folded letter and checked its contents.

"Wow, what's this?"

It's a long letter. The letter was filled with text.

-Dad, I always tell the truth. But recently, you've been favoring Choryeon, the youngest. You give Hwaryeon strong power, cherish the youngest like a jewel, and I'm stuck in the middle in an ambiguous situation. First of all, I'd like you to give me unofficial power. And...

...It was too long, so I gave up reading halfway through. It was quite long because she wrote down her complaints and solutions.

'Next time, I hope she summarizes it in three lines.'

Regrettably, I decided to pass on Suryeon's complaint. Then, I opened another letter from the box. Choryeon used cute handwriting and wrote formally.

-Father, I don't have many complaints, but if I had to say something, this seems to waste too much paper. It will have a negative impact on the environment. And, it's not that I dislike Suryeon, but I think she depends on you too much. For Suryeon's sake, I think it might be better to keep some distance.

"Choryeon. You say you don't have complaints, but you seem to have the most?"

It wasn't as long as Suryeon's, But the content was the same for both. It felt like they were jealous of each other.

"Still, I understand the feeling well."

Rip—!

I tore up the letters for confidentiality and put them in the trash. Then, sitting at the table, I called out.

"Lee Suryeon, Lee Choryeon. Come near Dad, everyone."

It was for an interview.

"It's annoying, but okay."

"Yes, I'm coming!"

Pitter-patter—!

Suryeon and Choryeon ran to the dining table. Choryeon, who arrived first, took the seat next to me.

"Hehehe."

Looking at Choryeon, who was grinning, I said.

"Not next to me, sit across from me."

"Oh, okay..."

Dejected—

Choryeon sat across from me, looking disappointed. With the two dragons in front of me, I opened my mouth.

"I've read all the complaints you wrote today. I understand what you want to say."

Glance—

Hearing that I had read them, Suryeon and Choryeon looked at each other worriedly. However, what they were worried about was not going to happen.

"First, Lee Suryeon."

"...What, Dad."

"Next time, summarize it in three lines. It was too long."

"...Okay."

"And I understand what you're not happy about. You don't need to worry too much."

And then.

"Choryeon, listen well too. I have no intention of favoring anyone. You're all my daughters. I'll treat you fairly. There might be differences between older and younger sisters, though."

This should be enough of an answer to what they wrote in today's heart letters. After hearing my words, Suryeon and Choryeon nodded as if they understood completely.

"I'm smart, so I understand perfectly what you mean."

"Me too, I understood what you said, Father. I'm sorry for troubling you unnecessarily..."

"I'm glad you understood. Now, everyone go do what you want."

Scrape—

The children immediately got up from their chairs and headed to the living room. Then, they continued what they were doing as if nothing had happened.

'...Is this one problem solved?'

The heart letter policy is a success!

They might fight later, but for now, they won't fight.

'I've done quite a parental thing.'

Ah—

I'm pleased with myself.

However, Hwaryeon immediately shouted, interrupting my self-satisfaction.

"Dad! My heart letter! I asked for more sausage side dishes! No, I asked for all of them!"

"...Alright, I'll do it."

That sausage-obsessed kid.

So, our family's heart letter policy turned out to be a success. Still, since the heart letter box will remain in place, I thought I could control complaints as much as possible, even if I'm away from home for long periods.

"Because you're my daughters, I'll treat you fairly. You should try to trust Dad's words."

"Since you said you understood... I'll trust and wait, Father."

Of course.

If I can't resolve the children's complaints, it might lead to unfavorable results.

But I'm their dad.

I decided to shoulder this burden. It was something I had to do as a father.

***

Roll, roll—

An afternoon rolling around at home with my daughter when there's no call. I was playing fairly with the dragon kids without favoring anyone.

"Choryeon, belly raspberry!"

"Ahaha! Father, I'm dying of tickles!"

Choryeon laughed brightly at the belly raspberry. Then suddenly, a thought occurred to me.

'If I only give Choryeon belly raspberries, won't the other kids feel left out?'

So, I fairly approached Hwaryeon.

"Hwaryeon. Dad will give you a fair belly raspberry-"

"Ahhh! Belly raspberry monster! Get away!"

Pitter-patter—

Hwaryeon quickly ran away to avoid being caught by me.

"Hwaryeon, I was trying to be fair. Are you rejecting it?"

"Hmph, I don't need it! I absolutely refuse!"

Well, if that's the case.

I approached Suryeon, the next target. Usually, Suryeon would have run away too, but for some reason, today was different.

"Suryeon, come here... What, why aren't you running away?"

"..."

Suryeon stayed still even when she saw me. Usually, she would have run away to the bathroom, hating belly raspberries. Suryeon just stared at me quietly, her face turning red.

"This isn't the Suryeon I know...?"

"...What nonsense are you saying, Dad? I'm just me."

Suryeon said this and turned her head away in embarrassment. I approached Suryeon to give her a belly raspberry to treat her fairly. However, suddenly the smartphone Suryeon was holding started vibrating.

Buzz—!!

"...Looks like a call came in."

"...Ah."

Suryeon let out a slightly disappointed sigh. I had no choice but to pick up the smartphone and check the call details.

"I thought I might get some rest today. I understand why they sent me a call at this time."

The address is nearby. It seems a dimensional gate has appeared near our house. It was in a place that could be considered right in front of our house. I finished preparing lightly and opened the door.

"I might be a bit late, but since it's nearby, I'll be back quickly."

I should handle it quickly and come back.

I stepped out to go outside. However, for some reason, I couldn't move forward.

"...What's this?"

"Don't go! Take me too! The magic power I feel from above! I'm curious about that too! I want to see it with my own eyes!"

"I don't like going out, but if it's with Dad, I want to see too."

"I'm curious too, Father!"

The dragon kids were all clinging to my legs. I tried shaking my legs, but they didn't seem to want to let go.

Although it was troublesome, I thought it might be okay since it was right in front of our house.

"Since it's in front of the house, you'll just look with your eyes? No fussing, and you'll come straight back home?"

"Okay!"

"Alright."

"Yes!"

After getting everyone's agreement, I went outside with them to see the dimensional gate.

The dimensional gate was created near the playground, next to a tree that had already grown as tall as me.

"That's the dimensional gate! The magic power is intertwined in such an interesting way!"

"Hmm, I want to analyze it. Let's get closer."

"Wow, the dimensional gate seems to like my tree too! To appear right next to it!"

The kids each showed interesting reactions. I felt relieved that there were no people around.

"You've seen it now? Let's head back soon."

The Association staff will be here soon. I decided to turn back to send the children home.

However, suddenly Hwaryeon stopped walking and looked back.

"...Hm?"

"Hwaryeon, why did you suddenly stop?"

"The flow of magic is strange, Dad. This is... Dad, dodge!!"

Whoosh—!

Hwaryeon suddenly jumped into the air. I didn't understand why Hwaryeon was acting like this all of a sudden until the magic from the dimensional gate stretched out and wrapped around Hwaryeon's body.

'It's a crazy trap type?! The Association didn't say anything!'

Erosion type, trap type, and so on.

Normally, when the Association's satellite detects the magic of a dimensional gate, they inform what type of gate it is during the call process. Unlike regular type gates, trap type gates forcibly drag nearby people into the dimensional gate.

'Damn, the Association didn't say anything. Should I have been more careful?'

Hwaryeon was dragged into the dimensional gate first. Then, the rest of us started being pulled towards the gate.

I never dreamed this would happen so suddenly.

"This is really crazy."

"Interesting. The dimensional gate is using magic with its own will to grab my body. What kind of structure is this?"

"Is this really okay, Father...?"

And so, my dragon kids and I were caught by the magic of the dimensional gate and forcibly transported to another dimension.