The World’s Strongest Daughter.

Lee Dae-san, sitting across from us, spoke in a low voice.

“It’s good to work hard, but what’s the point if you cause trouble for other students?”

“”… We’re sorry.””

Min So-yeon and I were called to the faculty office and got scolded by Lee Dae-san.

“Well… Since it wasn’t intentional, I won’t impose any disciplinary action… But you need to be more careful from now on.”

Just as I was relieved we weren’t being punished, Lee Dae-san added a remark.

“And that ‘tag’ game is prohibited for the time being.”

At Lee Dae-san’s words, Min So-yeon was startled and said:

“What? P-Prohibited?”

“Yes, prohibited. It’s fine if it’s just you two, but if other students imitate you, the training grounds will become a mess.”

“B-But… Not yet…”

Min So-yeon glanced back and forth between me and Lee Dae-san, moving her lips.

It seemed she was hung up on not being able to settle the match.

But seeing that she’s not saying anything, she probably thinks Lee Dae-san’s words are reasonable.

“To be precise, you can’t do it this semester, but it’s possible next semester.”

Huh? Next semester?

I didn’t understand Lee Dae-san’s intention to limit it by dividing it into semesters.

“We’ve decided to add ‘tag’ to the curriculum for next semester, so you can play to your heart’s content then.”

Huh?

Thinking I might have misheard, I blinked, and at that moment…

Lee Dae-san gestured to me.

“Your name will be listed as the proposer, so you might even receive an award at the end of the year.”

“Pardon?”

I inadvertently made a dumbfounded sound, not believing Lee Dae-san’s words.

Will the training my wife created be used in the curriculum under my name?

“It’s a quite systematic training. It fits perfectly with the academy’s educational philosophy that emphasizes partnership.”

“Well… That’s…”

“Congratulations.”

“…Thank you.”

What could I say?

If it’s a record of receiving an award at the academy, it’s always good and never bad.

However, I felt a slight prick of conscience since it wasn’t a training I had created.

“Anyway, quietly receive training for the time being and work hard within the limits of not causing trouble for other students.”

With those formal words of advice, Lee Dae-san sent us out.

On the way down to the training grounds after leaving the faculty office…

I casually observed Min So-yeon walking next to me.

As if something was bothering her, she slightly furrowed her pretty brows and walked with irritation.

From experience, it’s best not to even talk to her in moments like this.

As we silently headed to the training grounds, Min So-yeon suddenly turned in the opposite direction.

“So-yeon, where are you going?”

“…I don’t know.”

It seemed she didn’t want to tell me.

“…Then, should I wait for you at the training grounds?”

She disappeared without any response.

Since I couldn’t follow her recklessly, I decided to trust her and wait patiently.

*

How long had it been since I started waiting for Min So-yeon?

Glancing at the time, an hour had already passed.

In the meantime, I even sent her a message, but there was no reply.

Thinking she might have left early, I went to find the homeroom teacher, but…

“She didn’t come looking for me. Is something wrong?”

After a moment of contemplation, I made an excuse and left the faculty office.

It wasn’t an early leave either.

Too much time had passed for her to have gone to the restroom, and she wasn’t in the classroom either.

I checked all the other places she might have gone but couldn’t find her anywhere.

Then where on earth did she disappear to?

“…”

Returning to the training grounds without success, I fiddled with my phone in vain, waiting for Min So-yeon to come.

As I blankly watched the students train, a thought crossed my mind.

Could it be that she went to smoke?

I thought about it, and it seemed plausible.

All educational institutions are non-smoking by default, and the academy is a type of educational institution.

There is a smoking area for teachers, but even Min So-yeon wouldn’t smoke there.

Naturally, the places Min So-yeon might secretly smoke were outside the building, and in areas with few people.

It made sense that I couldn’t find her just by walking around the building.

How many secluded places are there in this vast academy?

I had no idea that the experience of enjoying secret meetings with my wife while wandering around the school would be so helpful.

“…Good.”

Determined to find Min So-yeon, I immediately left the training grounds.

The first place to check was behind Building 1.

It was a place my wife and I frequently used because it was easy to handle…

“…W-Wait… Someone’s coming…! Be quiet!”

“D-Don’t move…”

There was no sign of Min So-yeon, and I only caught an embarrassing scene.

It’s spring for some people…

Judging from the red brooch on the male student’s chest, he seemed to be a third-year student.

“…”

Ignoring them, who were diligently repopulating the country, I quietly left the place.

It wasn’t behind Building 1. Then what about Building 2?

The central building is close, but compared to behind Building 1, there are more spots, and above all, it’s a place where you can’t see well because of the lush grass.

I have a memory of being very tense here, thinking I had a second child.

Fortunately, it wasn’t.

Choosing the closest spot, I quietly approached, muffled my footsteps, and saw a couple in the midst of kissing between the bushes.

“Mmm… Haah…”

I couldn’t see their faces well, but the girl’s hair was red.

Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be So-yeon.

I let out a sigh of relief and quietly moved my feet.

“Phew…”

If So-yeon had been kissing here, how would I have acted?

I probably would have launched an attack spell first.

…I can’t give So-yeon to a man weaker than my wife.

After moving a bit more, I reached the second place.

“…”

This time, it was empty.

Yes, this isn’t a motel… You should study and train hard. Having a child at a young age is tough.

Really.

After that, I thoroughly searched behind Building 2, but there was no trace of Min So-yeon.

“Where on earth did she go…?”

Thinking it might be time to give up, feeling it was a wasted effort, but seeing the still unread messages, I made up my mind again and began wandering around to find Min So-yeon.

I passed the central building and Building 3 and headed towards the last building, Building 4.

Boom…

A low explosion was heard from somewhere.

“…Huh?”

It’s not unusual in a place full of ability users.

During my school days, there was a time when an angry Ju Yeon-hee destroyed a building, and people mistook it for a gate opening.

Thinking it wasn’t a big deal, I moved my feet again.

Boom…!

A slightly louder explosion was heard.

What on earth…?

Kaboom!!!

The explosions that were going off one after another started getting louder.

It seemed like something was wrong.

Bang!!!

And it had to be from the direction of Building 4, where I was heading.

Feeling an ominous premonition, I quickly drew up mana and ran toward Building 4.

*

So-yeon’s POV

Shwiiing-

The tip of a spear rushed towards me.

“Urgh…!”

Cursing inwardly, I twisted my body.

Thwack!

The spear that narrowly brushed past me was deeply embedded in the wall.

I gulped, looking at the spear slightly vibrating while stuck in the wall.

…It didn’t even leave a scratch when I dodged it…

After a moment, the spear stuck in the wall disintegrated and disappeared, and a man’s voice was heard from beyond the bushes.

“Ah, this is a big problem… Where did she hide?”

It was the voice of the sharp-faced man who had thrown the spear at me.

“Hey, hey, finish it quickly. Or else the Young Lady will scold us, you know?”

This time, it was the voice of the chubby man who had been setting off explosions from a distance.

They were leisurely conversing and searching for me.

“…We need to find the target, or else we’ll get scolded.”

“So boring.”

As I eavesdropped on the terrorists’ conversation, who were boldly laughing, a small question arose.

…Young Lady…?

Rustle- Rustle-

At that moment, the bushes next to me rustled, and suddenly someone poked their face out.

“Oh.”

It was Yoo Ji-hwan.

Startled by the eye contact with him, I quickly covered his mouth.

Mmph-

Ji-hwan also seemed quite surprised, looking at me with widened eyes.

“Mmph… S-So-yeon, it’s oka…”

“B-Be quiet, you crazy bastard…!”

As I was having a small struggle with the flustered Ji-hwan…

The chubby man’s voice was heard nearby.

“Huh? I hear something from over here.”

And the rustling sound began to approach.

We were caught.

The moment I realized we were caught, a huge sense of despair weighed on my shoulders.

Those guys are not at a level we can handle.

Coming to my senses, I whispered to Ji-hwan while pushing his face into the bushes.

“…Q-Quickly run away! Those bastards are hunters!”

“H-Hunters? So-yeon. What on earth…”

…This wasn’t a place to come and smoke. I should have run away quickly…

“Oh, what’s this? There are two?”

“A couple? Absolutely unforgivable.”

At that moment, hearing the voices from behind, my heart started thumping as if it was broken.

Regret, fear, and despair pressed down on my entire body.

Unable to overcome the fear, I covered my head and tightly closed my eyes.

“…D-Daddy…”

For some reason, I unconsciously called out for my dad.

My dad who had left me…

In the deep darkness, as I was endlessly calling for my dad and waiting for death…

‘So-yeon.’

A warm voice echoed in my head.

‘Wait just a bit. I’ll protect you.’

It was a voice as warm as my dad’s, though different.

*

Ji-hwan’s POV

“…What are they doing?”

“Shit… I absolutely can’t forgive couples!”

I carefully released Min So-yeon from my embrace and glanced at the two terrorists standing a short distance away.

“Those bastards…! I’ll kill them!!!”

“H-Hey, calm down! Save your mana! I’ll handle it quietly…”

They were completely off guard, thinking we were just students.

I shifted my gaze back to Min So-yeon, trembling in fear, curled up tightly.

“…D-Da……Dad…”

She was muttering something in a daze.

I wondered if the explosions I had heard earlier were aimed at Min So-yeon. Her combat uniform was charred black and torn in places as if it had been cut.

Seeing Min So-yeon’s miserable state, I was overcome with rage. I stood up abruptly and shouted loudly.

“Hey, you fucking bastards!!”

The terrorists, who were entangled with each other, trying to stop one another, looked at me.

“…What?”

“Huh?”

I approached them and shouted again.

“How dare you lay a hand on our So-yeon?”

I gathered mana from deep within my body and spread it around.

“Ha, you’re really making me work…”

The sharp-faced man summoned a short spear, pushed the chubby man away, and began to take a stance.

It was a typical spear-throwing stance.

“Kill him!!!”

The moment the chubby man, who had stepped back, shouted…

The sharp spear flew towards me.

Shwiiing-

So-yeon must have been hit by that spear.

Gritting my teeth, I immediately activated a spell and shouted.

“Sin is paid for with death!!!”

Frost Explosion.

Boom!!!!!!

When the cold explosion occurred, a scream of agony was heard, and a fierce wind swirled from the explosion’s aftermath.

I couldn’t see an inch before me due to the dust scattering like snow.

But it’s okay even if I can’t see.

I had frozen their lungs solid.

Clang-

The spear rushing towards me had already flown far away, colliding with the wall and rolling on the floor, powerless.

Leaving the dissipating dust behind, I quickly approached Min So-yeon.

The protective magic I had cast beforehand seemed to have worked well. White snow powder was piled up in a circle around Min So-yeon.

“So-yeon, Min So-yeon!! Try to come to your senses!!”

She was trembling, showing no response.

The thin protective barrier couldn’t block the temperature, and her exposed skin was frozen stiff.

It was due to my lack of mana.

Startled, I embraced Min So-yeon as if holding her, praying for her to regain consciousness.

How much time had passed? People began to gather at the ongoing explosions.

“Wh-What, a person is frozen!!”

“There are students over there!!”

People gathered instantly and took control of the scene, and Min So-yeon’s trembling gradually subsided.

“Ha, student! Are you okay? Hey! Take care of her from here!!”

I received help to move Min So-yeon onto a stretcher first, and just as I was about to let go of her…

“…D-Dad…”

Min So-yeon, who had been in my arms, seemed to have regained consciousness and met my eyes.

At Min So-yeon’s cold and trembling gaze, my heart also became soaked.

Even though the dad she was looking for was ‘me’…

I couldn’t give her any answer.

Swallowing the bitter reality, I brushed her fallen bangs and showed her a slight smile.

It was the best expression of affection I could give her now.

Min So-yeon, who had been looking at me with a wavering gaze, gradually loosened her grip.

Until the moment she was carried away on the stretcher, her gaze remained fixed on me.