My Daughters Are Regressors

Among my brain skills, I had one called “Brass Face”. It was a skill that let me keep a straight face no matter what bad things I did or how guilty my conscience felt.

As an additional effect, it also improved my facial skin’s defense, allowing me to maintain firm, wrinkle-free skin. But today my face was unusually itchy. When I kept fidgeting because of it, Naru, who was drawing in her sketchbook, growled.

“Dad needs to stay still…! This is Naru’s art homework to draw Dad’s face! If you keep moving the drawing will look weird!” “Art is a basic refinement for noble ladies. I, Cecily, shall draw it elegantly and we must hang it as decoration in the room.” “Hina likes drawing. Dad’s face is fun…”

The children were in a situation where they were drawing me as their model. From what I heard, it seemed to be some art class homework, and I thought this must be what people mean when they say something is “embarrassing”.

After drawing for a while, the children finally put down their brushes at the same time. Naru had artistic talent and drew my face very realistically. It would have been really nice if it didn’t have ‘Wanted’ written under it.

“Is this a criminal’s composite sketch?”

When I asked, Naru said “Naru doesn’t know!” then went Wa— raising her hands and dashing out into the hallway. While wondering where she was going so happily, I looked at Cecily’s drawing. Cecily’s drawing was very abstract. It had artistic value like a master’s abstract painting.

“Cecily, your drawing skills improve day by day.”

Pat- Pat— I patted Cecily’s head gently. Then Cecily’s face turned slightly red and she growled “You must pat more vigorously!”

Now only Hina remained in her seat. Hina’s drawing… Hina wasn’t good at drawing. More precisely, her skill level was exactly right for a 7-year-old in 2nd grade. It’s just that Naru and Cecily had higher artistic abilities. Still, Hina’s drawing had its own cute and adorable charm in its own way. The charm point was the text saying ‘Dad, cheer up!’ written on it.

“Hina is such a good girl.”

Tight— I hugged Hina tightly. When I gave her a big kiss on the cheek, Hina squirmed.

“H-hehehe-! That tickles!” “Yes.”

Hina finally escaped from my arms. Then she disappeared down the hallway where Naru and Cecily had gone. As I was watching this, Brigitte, Cariote and Salome appeared. They all looked quite pretty in flowing dresses fitting for the warm spring day.

Brigitte in her navy dress spoke.

“I wonder if playing outside is that fun? These days the kids go straight to the park after finishing homework.”

Brigitte was right. Soon Cariote added a comment.

“Could they have gotten boyfriends?”

Slit—

“What boyfriends for children who are just 7 years old?” “Kids these days are quick with everything. We always think of them as children, but it wouldn’t be strange if they suddenly came home holding hands with boys—“ “Nooooo!”

I couldn’t help but shout. My daughters bringing home boyfriends?

“Over my dead body!”

To think there would be thieves trying to steal my preciously raised daughters! I was so angry my body was trembling and I felt like foam would come out of my mouth! So while I was trembling, Brigitte patted my back as if slightly taken aback.

“Come on, how could the kids have boyfriends?” “They could! Because the kids are cute!”

The children of the mansion had an adorable and lovable aspect like little fairies. Because they were born to be loved by people, being loved was natural! Of course there must be boys who like the children! Just imagining it made me angry! Suddenly I noticed Tywin watching this scene. Tywin was 13 years old this year. Considering that Juliet from the famous story was 13 years old, Tywin might also bring home a Romeo from somewhere and hurt my heart saying they can’t live without each other. Of course, among my daughters, Tywin was an especially filial daughter.

“You said they need to bring men stronger than father to be boyfriends. That won’t happen anytime soon.”

Tywin spoke as if comforting me. As Tywin said, my policy was that if they ever bring boyfriends, they must be stronger than me. At those words, Cariote lightly brushed her face with her palm.

“Judas, there’s no way there are men stronger than you in the world. I’m worried the kids might end up living and dying alone at this rate.” “That’s how the world works! Fathers-in-law and sons-in-law are meant to be in a kill-or-be-killed relationship!”

Was my opinion moving? Brigitte shuddered.

“Judas, when you say it like that, it doesn’t sound like a joke…?”

It wasn’t a joke though. I actually took care of fathers-in-law who might oppose marriage myself! But since I’m never careless by nature, I always kept the opposite situation in mind too.

I have three daughters. There’s a high chance there will be three sons-in-law who might target my life. That’s why I always needed to improve my skills. Right now I felt confident I could win even if 13 Demiurgos came at me.

“But I just thought of something.”

Then Salome spoke as if something occurred to her.

“What would you do if one amazing son-in-law candidate appeared and tried to take all the daughters at once?”

Instead of bringing separate sons-in-law, one person taking all my daughters? That was absolutely unacceptable! My daughters being taken wholesale! There’s no way I could allow such a ridiculous harem!

“I’ll kill him!”

I was so angry I really couldn’t stand it. If something like that really happened, I was confident I could become an evil god surpassing Nocturne. While I was trembling like that. “Ahem-“. Brigitte cleared her throat.

“Won’t you be lonely if all the daughters get married? So I discussed with Cariote and Salome, and what if we increased the family?”

Increase the family? Something flashed in my mind at those words.

“…Are you telling me to increase my wives?”

It was a very strange suggestion. However at my question, Brigitte, Cariote and Salome frowned deeply and started punching my sides, back and stomach with their fists.

“What increase!” “You bastard!” “Let’s beat him up!”

Thud- Thudthud—! Thud—! It hurt.

“…How frustrating!”

I was frustrated. Actually it was a joke. I had absolutely no desire to increase my wives any more. Because I love my current family the most. Enough to want to protect them forever.

But… But someday the birds will leave the nest. The day might come when I walk down the wedding march holding the children’s hands, and hand over those white-gloved hands to some thief-like guys. When that time comes…I might really cry loudly from sadness. Just imagining it now made my chest feel heavy and tears well up in my eyes.

“Sob“

So I cried. Salome said to me.

“So, we thought about having a second child.”

I see. It was a thought-provoking suggestion in many ways.

# # #

Naru, Hina and Cecily. They played energetically with friends at the park. Then Cecily fell down with a thud. Seeing that, Yoruba, daughter of warrior queen, laughed “Puhaha—“

“Ah, Cecily fell! Your dress is all dirty!” “Hmph, I don’t care if the outside gets dirty. What matters is the inside!”

Cecily got up casually dusting off her knees and clothes. Yoruba was surprised seeing Cecily like that. That prim and proper Cecily had become so mature? She seemed like an adult. Yoruba said.

“You all have changed a lot since that amazing ‘Secret Base’ appeared. Everyone seems grown up. Naru, I heard you can solve science problems well these days?” “Naru’s dream is to become a scientist who makes the world happy someday! Naru will study harder and make Mom and Dad and family and Sifnoi and Elizabeth and everyone happy!”

Naru laughed “Mwehehe—“. Step— Just then Hina, who had gone to the street vendor far away, returned. In Hina’s hands were ice creams matching the number of children.

“…Let’s share.”

Yoruba was surprised when Hina distributed ice cream to the children. Hina was known as ‘Gluttonous Hina’ for her strong attachment to food. For such a Hina to use her most precious ‘money’ to share food.

Yoruba asked.

“You all changed a lot during winter break?”

Naru answered that.

“Yeah, yeah! Because we’re 7 now! We can’t stay little kids forever!”

While saying that, the children played happily like young children, kicking balls in the park, picking pretty spring flowers, and catching butterflies with nets. Before they knew it, the sun was setting. When they thought the red sunset was beautiful, long shadows appeared.

When they turned their heads, a large person was standing on the hill waving to the sisters. Because they were backlit by the sun their form wasn’t visible, but Naru, Hina and Cecily immediately recognized who that shadow belonged to. No matter how much time passed, no matter how far back in time they went, no matter what form they took, the children were confident they would recognize him.

“Dad!” “Dad!” “Dad!”

The three children shouted simultaneously and ran towards the man. The children clung to him. The man realized the children’s weight had become heavier than before and their size had grown too.

Why do children grow up so quickly—. While thinking it was very lovely but also somewhat regretful how they kept growing, the man patted each child’s forehead equally once.

“Are you getting bigger? Or is the world getting smaller? Of course, no matter how much you grow, you’ll always look small and pretty in my eyes.”

The sunset-obscured figures of the man and children were now indistinguishable like black shadows.

Warak—! The three children each clung to the man’s left and right hands. The problem was that the man only had two hands. When the remaining child trembled Bareureu— the man put that child on his shoulders for a piggyback ride.

“Will there come a time when you don’t want to hold Dad’s hands? Until then, Dad will keep holding your hands so you don’t get lost. Okay?”

The man asked. One daughter answered.

“We’ll hold hands with Dad every day from now on too! From now on! Even when we grow up! We love Dad the most in the world!”

It was a very cute answer. When the man smiled slightly, one child suddenly stopped. The child suddenly remembered not saying goodbye to their friends they played with at the park. So the child turned around and waved their hand vigorously towards the sunset park.

“Bye! See you all tomorrow!”

With that final farewell, the children walked forward energetically without looking back. The park that the children left one by one became a bit lonely. But it was okay. Because tomorrow, and the tomorrow after that, and the day after that too, the children would gather at the park again and spend fun days chattering away.

***

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