After two days of peaceful routine, the girls started to trust me more.
Sometimes they were warm—like winter sunlight.
Other times, they trembled… as if the ghosts of their broken past had returned to knock on the doors of their fragile hearts.
As for me… despite my harsh nature and long isolation, I tried to be a gentle father.
Even though, in the past, I couldn't stand anyone getting close.
Every interaction had once felt like a burden.
But these girls…
They changed me.
When I looked at them, I didn't just see their faces—I saw myself.
I saw my lost soul, waiting for a hand to embrace it… and never finding one.
So I became that hand—the one I never had.
They say:
"You can't give what you've never received."
But I say…
"Those who have lost the most can often give the most."
Gradually, I began to understand each of their personalities.
Each one carried a world of her own:
Kathy – cheerful and clever, with a deep kindness.
Despite her pain, she always tried to smile… to forget.
Aisha – strong, as if born for battle.
Always ready to protect the others.
But behind her silence hides a shy, soft-spoken heart.
Stazia – I still don't know what's going on with her.
Sometimes she avoids my eyes entirely.
Other times… she silently comes to sit beside me.
When I speak gently, she bows her head and vanishes like a cool breeze.
Dona – clumsy, but overflowing with affection.
I realized her wish to die—back when we first met—was simply the reckless cry of an innocent heart.
She's warming up to me.
She tries to help with cooking, even though she sometimes breaks the plates—accidentally, of course… thanks to her long wings and tail.
But I never got angry.
If anything… I felt joy.
Because in those moments, she acted like a child who had finally found her place.
The Next Morning
I woke up from a deep sleep, and for the first time in ages…
I didn't feel a weight on my chest.
Only warmth.
The cabin basked in a serene silence.
The girls were still asleep, their little faces calm. Peaceful. Unburdened.
I watched them breathe… their eyelashes fluttering.
And I smiled.
Like someone who had finally found his treasure.
I wanted to protect them.
Spoil them.
Bring them joy.
And now, without a doubt, I was ready to destroy the world for their sake.
Aisha stirred beside me.
She'd fallen asleep on my arm.
She slowly opened her eyes.
I kissed her forehead and whispered:
"How beautiful the morning is… when I see the moon without the night."
Her cheeks flushed crimson.
With a soft voice, she replied:
"Good morning… Daddy."
I laughed from the depths of my heart.
"Such a little one… your sweet words torture my heart."
One by one, the girls woke up.
I hugged them.
Kissed them.
Welcomed them into a new day—our day.
That's when I made a decision:
"I won't settle for equality—I'll give them fairness."
Every day, I would give my full attention to one of them.
Devote her a special time, a moment just for her.
Because hearts divided too thinly leave some unloved.
And I refused to let even one of them feel forgotten.
We went to the bathhouse.
I washed their faces, helped brush their hair.
Prepared breakfast—eggs, fruit, bread still warm from my magic hearth.
They ate with joyful hunger.
And as I gathered the dishes, a thought hit me:
"They need clothes. Toys. Their own things. They can't keep wearing my oversized shirts like war orphans."
But the problem was…
I hadn't left this forest in ages.
I had no idea what this mad world had become.
So I stepped out, closed my eyes, and activated:
[Map Creation]
The land unfolded in my mind. I scanned nearly 100 kilometers.
A village revealed itself—four hours away on foot, past the forest's edge. A trade hub.
Perfect.
I reached into my memory.
An old skill… one I hadn't used in years.
[Summon: Four Shadows]
A dark mist formed. From it emerged four assassins—cloaked, silent, deadly.
Their leader bowed.
"Your command, my lord?"
"Drop the formalities," I smiled. "What's the situation in that village? Who lives there?"
They vanished. I returned inside.
"Girls… get ready. We're going shopping."
Their faces froze in fear. Nervous.
I raised my voice—not cold, but strong:
"No one will harm you. I swear on my life… I'll kill anyone who dares."
Then I brought out four amulets and four rings.
Amulets around their necks.
Rings on their tiny fingers.
"The amulets will protect and heal you.
The rings… bind your soul to mine.
I'll always know where you are."
Kathy jumped into my arms.
"We trust you, Papa."
The others followed.
Their faith was pure. Raw. Real.
The shadows returned swiftly.
"The village belongs to the Kingdom of Asvia. Demi-humans live there—elves, demons, beastkin. No humans. Peaceful."
"So… the world really has changed," I murmured.
Thankfully, I still had the ring that hid my human blood.
I dressed the girls in long, dark cloaks.
"Ready?" I asked.
"Y-Yes…" they whispered.
And then… I remembered my old companions.
I summoned the Hell Riders.
With a blast of the summoning horn, the skies split.
Four flaming steeds descended—fiery legends of war.
Behind them… a grand carriage of blackwood and crimson leather.
The girls stepped back in awe.
"Don't worry. They're my friends. Want to ride?"
Nods. Small. Hopeful.
I lifted them in gently, one by one.
"Go," I told the horses. "But stop before the village. We don't want to scare them."
And the journey began.
Despite the speed, the carriage floated silently. Magic smoothed every bump.
Dona sat in my lap, quiet.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"I'm scared of the people we'll meet…"
I laughed gently.
"If anyone dares harm you… I'll feed them to monsters."
She looked up… smiled.
That smile melted every chain on my heart.
"That's the face I want to see, Dona.
You're Motz's daughter.
Hold your head high."
Two hours passed. We arrived swiftly.
At the edge of the forest, the village lay just ahead.
I carried Kathy on my back, Stazia in my arms.
Held Aisha and Dona by the hand—each clinging to one finger.
Enchanted cloaks around their shoulders.
We walked.
Ten minutes…
Then we reached the gates.
Four hearts beat with fear.
One heart beat with resolve.
This was it:
Our first journey into the world.
A memory… we would never forget.