Chapter 39: Challenging Elara

The two adults shared a quiet dinner after Jean woke up to find that everything had already been prepared. She felt quite guilty about it.

Elara had woken up at some point too but after eating a little she returned to her mother side and took another nap.

Kai assured her that it was fine and that she wasn’t supposed to cook for them every single meal.

"Mm, this is quite nice," she complimented the soup he had prepared.

There was nothing particularly special about it. Just mushrooms and vegetables, seasoned mildly. Yet the moment Jean drank it, the drowsiness from earlier and the lingering fog in her mind seemed to disperse almost instantly.

Kai faintly smiled. "I’ve been making a few changes based on what we both like. I’ve come to realize that you prefer mild food too."

Jean’s brows lifted. "I found spicy noodles on the first day I arrived."

Kai chuckled. "A lack of options tends to bend your preferences over time. But honestly, I don’t digest spicy food very well."

That suddenly reminded Jean of what she had heard about him earlier from that bastard.

She hesitated, unsure whether she should bring it up at all, but eventually asked, "Kai... was he telling the truth about your profession?"

She wasn’t sure whether it was appropriate to ask. However, when she saw no change in his expression, some of the tension left her shoulders.

"He was telling the truth," Kai admitted. "Until recently, I worked as a subject people used to vent their anger on. Drake was just another client of mine."

The realization made Jean’s shoulders loosen further, though concern immediately replaced her uncertainty. She stared at him quietly.

Kai merely shrugged. "I didn’t tell you before because I was embarrassed. I didn’t want to appear like some lazy loser in front of someone who clearly held me in high regard. I mean, you were right about me being academically gifted, but then I got influenced by others and foolishly dropped out of the university that was funding me so I could graduate from their institute."

He leaned back in his seat and let out a quiet sigh.

"Later, I found out that my skill, despite being utterly broken, was actually meant for me to endure pain, and even that ability was limited to a very basic degree. Because of that, I never actually became a proper hunter."

He looked at her with a helpless smile.

"Sorry. I turned out to be far worse than you imagined."

Jean immediately shook her head.

"You didn’t become a criminal, which is more than one could have said given the circumstances. Yes, what you did was unusual, and I can barely imagine how much pain you must have gone through, but in the end, everyone has to do something to afford a living."

She shook her head and added, "And don’t think you are a disappointment, Kai. You are strong and kind. You are still a man I admire and want to learn from."

Kai was genuinely flustered by how freely she had spoken her mind.

Her words, however, did help him relax. There was something strangely reassuring about hearing such an honest affirmation from her, especially after admitting something he had been ashamed of for so long.

But then Jean asked, "How are you affording all this, then? The burden of two more people..."

"First of all, you and Elara could never be a burden. And secondly..." Kai paused, a faint smile appearing on his face. "You could say lady luck suddenly smiled upon me, much like Elli did the first time I held her. Ever since then, my life has started changing for the better."

Jean still looked worried. "You’re sure you aren’t doing anything risky to provide for us, are you? You left quite late last night too. Tell me... you aren’t perhaps..."

Kai chuckled. "Don’t let your mind wander in strange directions. I’m doing nothing that goes against my principles, and I’m not borrowing money either. All of this has come to me one way or another."

Jean finally relaxed at his words and leaned back in her seat.

The silence between them didn’t last long.

"Come on-."

"Mm..."

A small yawn suddenly came from behind them.

Both turned toward the sound and found that the little cherry had woken up. Elara was sitting upright on the bed, her eyes still heavy with sleep as she rubbed them with her tiny fists.

Kai immediately stood up to pick her up, but before he could take a step, Jean stopped him.

"No, wait."

Kai looked at her in confusion.

"Stand on the other side of the bed and let her come to you."

Kai groaned. "Right now? My baby wants some cuddling after her nap."

Jean nodded with absolute seriousness.

He sighed, then moved to the other side of the bed and opened his arms.

"Come to me, baby. I’m right here, Elli."

Elara turned her head toward him. The moment she saw her father waiting with his arms open, she raised her own little arms toward him, clearly asking for some upsies.

Kai’s heart melted right there and then.

But before he could move, Jean grabbed the back of his shirt and firmly shook her head from side to side.

Kai froze.

He took a deep breath.

This was so difficult.

He tried again.

"Elli, come to me. Come on, I’m right here."

He crouched slightly, keeping his arms open as he continued encouraging her, his voice soft and patient.

"Come on, baby. You can do it. Come to Daddy."

Elli, however, was quite irritable after waking up, and tears immediately began gathering in her eyes.

Jean knew she would be dragged off her chair if she kept holding him now. So, she released her hold on his shirt, and in the very next breath, Daddy had his little princess safely in his arms.

Jean could only watch helplessly as Elara’s tears disappeared almost instantly the moment she was held by her father.

Leaning comfortably against him, Elara turned her round, innocent eyes toward her mother, as though silently telling her who won.

Jean stared at the two of them for a moment before finally giving up.

She would let him have his way.

Just for today.