Chapter 243: Harper, the Twins’ New Nanny

Liam finished arranging the twins' toys while Lydia gave the living room one last look.

Harper could arrive at any moment.

Although Liam was happy to see an old teammate again, he also felt a little anxious about the interview. They needed to find someone they could trust before leaving for Antarctica, and he hoped she would be willing to take the job.

"Do you think she'll like the children?" Lydia asked.

"I'm sure she will. Harper has always been very kind."

"That doesn't mean she's ready to take care of two babies with special abilities."

Liam glanced toward the blanket, where Lionel and Liana were playing peacefully.

"I know. But at least she won't be as surprised as someone who's never seen an awakened person's ability."

Lydia smiled.

"Let's hope you're right, darling."

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang.

Liam got up to answer it.

"Harper!"

"Liam!"

The young woman approached with a wide smile and threw her arms around him in an enthusiastic hug.

"It's been so long!"

"Yeah, way too long."

Harper stepped back and looked him up and down, as if checking how much he had changed since they last saw each other.

"Look at you! You're the sub-captain of Ace of Spades now. Who would've thought?"

"Things have changed quite a bit."

"Looks like it. And now you're a father, too. It suits you."

"Yeah. Come on, Lydia and the kids are inside."

Harper entered the apartment and greeted Lydia with a friendly hug.

"Lydia! It's so good to see you."

"You too! It's been a while."

"And now you have twins. I still can't believe it!"

Lydia smiled and led her into the living room.

Lionel and Liana were lying on a blanket, surrounded by toys. When they saw their visitor, they both turned their heads toward her.

Harper pressed a hand to her chest.

"They're absolutely adorable!"

She knelt beside them and spoke gently.

"Hello, little ones. I'm Harper. I hope we'll get along really well!"

Liana responded with a happy little sound and reached out a hand toward her.

Harper laughed.

"Oh, you want to say hello!"

She gently took the baby's hand. A moment later, Liana's arm stretched several inches farther, reaching a toy near Harper's knee.

Liam held his breath.

He had seen it before, but he still wasn't entirely used to it.

Harper, on the other hand, widened her eyes in surprise and then smiled.

"Wow! Now that's interesting!"

"Doesn't it scare you?" Liam asked.

"Scare me? Not at all! It's amazing."

Liana waved the toy around, pleased with herself.

Harper looked at Lionel, who was watching her curiously.

"And do you have a special ability, too?"

The little boy opened his mouth unnaturally wide and brought a cloth doll toward it.

Liam quickly leaned forward.

"Lionel, don't eat it!"

The baby closed his mouth, but Harper had already started laughing.

"They're wonderful!"

Liam blinked.

"Really?"

"Of course! I've never seen babies with such unusual abilities. Though I suppose, being your children, I shouldn't be surprised."

Lydia giggled.

"That's exactly what I told Liam."

"It's not the same as seeing it in person!" he protested.

Harper kept playing with the twins for a few more minutes without showing any sign of discomfort. On the contrary, she seemed delighted by every little reaction from the children.

Liam began to relax.

'Maybe this really could work…'

When the twins went back to entertaining themselves with their toys, the three adults sat down to talk.

"I'm glad you came," Lydia said.

"I still remember the good times we had as a team, grinding through those low-rank dungeons."

"Yeah. Those were good times."

"You bet they were!" Harper laughed.

"There was more than one occasion when I thought we weren't going to make it out of a dungeon."

Liam smiled.

"But we always found a way."

"That's true. And I'm glad to see things are going so well for you now."

Harper settled into the sofa and looked at Lydia.

"How have you two been? How are you getting used to being parents?"

"It's been a lot of work," Lydia replied.

"But we're happy."

"I can imagine. You both look really happy."

Liam nodded.

"We are. Though there's something we wanted to talk to you about."

Harper straightened up, giving him her full attention.

Liam explained that he and Lydia would be taking part in an international operation in Antarctica, so they didn't know how long they would be away or what dangers they might encounter.

He also told her they needed someone they trusted to look after Lionel and Liana while they were gone.

Lydia's copy, created with [Split Slime], would stay at home to help with the children, but they wanted another person who could take care of them as well.

"That's why I thought of you," Liam concluded.

"You're an experienced hunter, you're responsible, and you're someone we trust. Besides, after what you just saw, you know our children aren't exactly ordinary."

Harper looked at the twins and smiled.

"I'd love to help you."

Liam was taken aback.

"That quickly?"

"Of course! You're my friends. If there's anything I can do to help, I will."

"But we haven't even discussed the pay yet."

Harper waved a hand dismissively.

"That's not necessary. I'll do it as a favor to you."

Lydia frowned slightly.

"Harper, it's a real job. We don't want you to feel like you have to do it for free."

"I know, but it's not about the money. I'm just glad you thought of me."

Liam shook his head.

"Either way, we're going to pay you what you deserve. You'll be looking after our children, and we want you to have everything you need to do the job well."

Harper looked at him for a moment, then smiled.

"All right. I'm not going to argue with you about that."

"Perfect," Lydia said.

"Once we've worked out the details, we can discuss the schedule and anything else you'll need."

"Sounds good to me."

Harper stood up and walked back over to the blanket.

Liana raised her arms toward her, and Harper carefully picked her up. The baby settled against her chest while Lionel tried to get her attention from the floor.

"Don't worry, little ones!" she told them with a smile.

"We're going to spend a lot of time together."

Liam watched them, feeling a sense of relief he hadn't experienced since they began looking for a nanny.

Harper hadn't just accepted the job. She seemed genuinely happy to take care of the twins.

"Thank you," Lydia said sincerely.

Harper glanced over her shoulder at her.

"You don't have to thank me. I'm really happy I can help."

Liam moved closer to his wife and put an arm around her shoulders.

He felt as though one of the worries surrounding the operation had finally been taken care of.

They still had a lot to prepare before traveling to Antarctica, and the threat posed by the dungeon remained just as uncertain as before.

But now they knew Lionel and Liana would be in good hands.

And that was enough to let Liam breathe a little easier.