Chapter 91
After the chilly autumn passed, cold winter approached. In that sense, our family had to prepare for winter.
"Dad! Why do we need to prepare for winter?! I can just melt everything! Raaah!"
Hwaryeon breathed fire, raising the room temperature. She probably thinks she can overcome the cold with her breath, but that's underestimating Korea's cold wave.
"Hwaryeon."
"Huh?"
"Come here!"
Heave-!
I lifted Hwaryeon and opened the front door. Then, I took the struggling Hwaryeon outside.
"W-What are you doing! Dad!"
"Let's experience firsthand how cold winter can be."
I carried Hwaryeon in my arms and left the villa. Then, the cold wind hit our bodies.
I asked Hwaryeon, who was shivering in my arms.
"How is it, Hwaryeon? Do you understand how cold winter is now?"
"N-No?! I-I don't know?! I think I can endure it!?"
"Your body is more honest than your mouth."
Shiver, shiver-
Hwaryeon shivered hard. She was shaking so much it felt like getting a massage.
'This should be enough for her to experience how cold it is outside.'
From my direct experience, these dragon kids don't listen when you just tell them. They're a species that only understands through direct experience.
I took Hwaryeon, who was making woodpecker sounds, back into the house.
"Now do you understand how cold winter is?"
"I-I don't know! I think I could endure 10 hours outside!?"
"Sigh, you stubborn thing. Go cover yourself with a blanket."
"H-Hmph! I'll do what I want!!"
Hwaryeon got down from my arms. Then she immediately ran to the blanket, wrapped herself in it, and melted away the cold. It seems she finally realized the severity of Korea's cold wave.
'My national pride is swelling.'
Korea's cold wave that even dragons can't beat.
Feeling a strange sense of pride, I looked at the dragon kids.
'I wonder if the kids can quietly get through this cold wave.'
Gradually, it seemed better to prepare for the approaching winter. After the dimensional gates opened, winters became more dangerous than imagined, especially for the poor like me.
***
After the appearance of dimensional gates, Korea's climate became a mess. Summers became disgustingly hot, winters became deadly cold. Because of this, people started dying easily from the climate.
'I almost died too when I had nowhere to stay.'
Sleeping in places without wind, exchanging fists with other homeless people to secure warm spots. Thinking about those times makes me feel cold to the bone.
"Should I think it's fortunate that I can solve it with money now?"
I put a box on my shoulder and opened the front door to enter the house.
Creak-
As the iron door opened, the kids who had been waiting for me while I was at the mart greeted me.
"Dad, you're late!"
"You said you'd come back quickly. Liar."
"I almost died waiting!"
"Woof woof-!"
They seem angry that I went to the mart alone, but it couldn't be helped. If I take the kids to the mart, it's too chaotic.
'At least they didn't cause any trouble while I was gone.'
That's a relief. But when will I be able to stop thinking this every day before opening the house door?
'What kind of trouble did the kids cause today?'
They usually cause minor troubles. Days without any trouble are few and far between.
'Maybe I won't be able to relax until the kids enter middle school at least.'
A father's worries.
Thinking this, I put down the box I was carrying on the floor. Then, the interested kids rushed over and said to me.
"I'll open it!"
"Me too. I want to play the gacha game."
"Me too! I want to do it, Father!"
The dragon kids seemed to want to experience the fun of opening the box. I smiled at the kids gathered around the box and said.
"Okay, you open it. I bought it for you anyway."
"Me! I'll do it!"
Flash-!
Hwaryeon raised her hand and stood up. Then, looking down at the box, she opened her mouth wide.
"Raaah..."
"Hey, Lee Hwaryeon, that's not allowed!"
Grab-!
I covered Hwaryeon's mouth as she was about to breathe fire.
"You brat! What are you doing suddenly trying to shoot your breath!"
Hwaryeon looked at me with wronged eyes. I removed my hand to hear what she found unfair. Then, Hwaryeon shouted angrily.
"Why are you covering my mouth! I was trying to open the box!"
"You were going to burn the box completely."
"But that's the fastest way to open it!"
Speed is all that matters. That seemed to be Hwaryeon's thinking.
I released Hwaryeon and said.
"Quiet down and use your hands."
"Why should I!"
"Surely a dragon isn't saying she can't do something so simple?"
"...!! I can do it with my hands!!"
Hwaryeon immediately started tearing open the box with her hands. Suryeon and Choryeon also eagerly opened the box and took out the contents.
What I bought for them was...
"What's this? The clothes are so thick!"
"Heh, Hwaryeon doesn't know. This is called a 'padding'. It's mainly worn in cold weather."
"Padding?"
Padding. It's a piece of clothing that every Korean person owns at least one of. The kids need padding to go to kindergarten.
'It wasn't easy buying them in matching colors.'
Anyway, it's damn expensive padding. I handed out the paddings to the puzzled kids according to their colors.
The kids felt a bit strange at first but started putting them on one by one. Hwaryeon put on the padding, put her hands on her waist, and said confidently.
"I've become huge! Come at me, everyone!"
It looked no different from a Pomeranian mistaking its fur for its body size. On the other hand, Suryeon was analyzing while wearing the padding.
"Padding seems good for overcoming the cold. The fur inside is soft and nice. It doesn't matter much to me since I'm not very sensitive to cold, but it would be helpful for weak humans."
As expected of Dragon GPT Lee Suryeon. She showed considerable analytical skills. In contrast, Choryeon complained of discomfort wearing the padding.
"Father, is this really how you wear it? The sleeves are too long for me!"
Swish, swish-
Choryeon swung the padding sleeves wildly. I felt quite shocked seeing this.
"I bought the smallest size... And it's still big? The length is no different from a long padding..."
Damn. Choryeon has completely turned into a penguin.
Choryeon, who became a green penguin, swung her arms wildly and said.
"Father, my arms have gotten longer! But it feels warm, so I think it's not bad!"
"...Is it because she's the youngest and only eats vegetables?"
Certainly. Choryeon's growth does seem slower compared to the other kids.
'She needs to eat more nutritious food from now on. Vegetables can't be grown in winter anyway.'
For Choryeon's growth, I might have to mix in protein like meat in her food occasionally. There are some truths in the world that don't need to be known, after all. Thinking this, I looked at Hwaryeon who was rummaging through another box.
"What's this! Dad! What's this?!"
"This is something we'll use at home. It's called an electric blanket."
"Electric blanket?"
"Yes."
I took the electric blanket out of the box and laid it out in the living room. Then, I turned the dial to set it to an appropriate temperature.
"Come here, kids! Come and sit down!"
"No! Why should I!"
"Bothersome."
"I'll come!"
Pitter-patter-!
All the kids listened to me and sat on the electric blanket. To increase the effectiveness of the electric blanket, I covered it with a comforter. Then, Hwaryeon expressed doubt and asked me.
"What is it, Dad? Nothing's happening? Why did you call us here!"
"You'll know if you wait."
"Waiting is what I hate the most!"
"Just be patient. You'll like it the most."
At this, Hwaryeon tilted her head. She seemed not to understand. But as time passed, Hwaryeon quickly turned her head towards me and said.
"Dad! What is this! My butt is getting really hot!"
As expected, I knew she would like the electric blanket. Hwaryeon burrowed into the blanket to feel the heat more.
"Hehe, it's hot! This is nice!"
As if swimming in the electric blanket, Hwaryeon enjoyed the hot warmth. To this, Suryeon got up and said.
"...I don't like it. It's too hot. And Hwaryeon is making it chaotic."
Suryeon wiped away her sweat and left the electric blanket. But Choryeon seemed to like it, sprawled out on the electric blanket with Mangmung.
"It feels drowsy... I want to lie here forever..."
She seems to really like the electric blanket, all stretched out. I watched this scene quietly and felt satisfied.
'Even though I spent a lot of money. It's nice to see the kids comfortable.'
I can earn money later. For now, it's enough to see the kids happy.
'I did spend too much money. But Dad will work hard for you, kids.'
I'll have to work even harder than now for the kids to grow up in a better environment.
I decided to increase my work even a little, even if it means I'll be busier than now.
All for the happiness of the children, because their happiness has become my happiness.