Accidentally become a father-Chapter 95: The Foundation of the World

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I stepped forward.

The ground was cracked.

Dry.

A hot wind blew.

Carrying dust.

The blue sky was bright.

Cloudless.

As far as the eye could see—

Only a vast, endless desert.

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I stopped.

My hand moved.

A scroll appeared.

I opened it.

Complex lines.

Coded letters.

And a massive structure.

Footsteps approached.

Fast.

A soldier stood before me.

Silver armor gleaming in the light.

While I was clad in pitch-black armor.

"Commander."

"All materials have arrived."

I closed the scroll.

"Good."

I raised my hand to the sky.

The wind stopped.

"We will build it..."

"Here."

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The voice shook the air.

Dust blasted in all directions.

Echoing far into the distance.

From afar—

a line of giant elephants appeared.

Their steps were heavy.

Each footfall shaking the earth.

They were pulling.

Giant blocks of white stone.

Wooden logs the size of towers.

Piles of iron.

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The elephants raised their trunks.

Their roars answered the command.

I lowered my hand.

Construction began.

Before me—

a giant block of stone.

Its surface was rough.

Heavy.

I took a drag from my cigarette.

The smoke vanished into the dry air.

I stomped my foot.

Dust swirled.

My hands pressed against the stone.

Crack.

My fingers dug into the surface.

I lifted it.

The weight was real.

It rose slowly.

My shoulder took the load.

I walked.

With every step—

the ground trembled slightly.

I arrived.

And set it down.

THUD.

Dust exploded into the air.

I turned around.

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I saw it.

A soldier trying to mimic me.

He was lifting another block.

Without a proper stance.

Without technique.

"Wait—"

Too late.

The block was lifted.

His body wavered.

The ground beneath him crumbled.

He sank.

Only his shoulders remained above.

Someone dashed in from the side.

High speed.

Sand exploding behind him.

He caught the block.

Moved it aside.

And pulled the soldier out.

I didn’t move.

Just watched.

"Are you okay..."

The soldier nodded.

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On the other side—

another stone was being carved.

A large circle.

Complex symbols.

Like a seal.

A magic technician turned his head.

"Commander."

"What do you think?"

I approached.

Looked at it for a moment.

"Hm..."

"Try activating it."

He nodded.

Placed his hand against the stone.

An incantation was chanted.

A light flared.

THUMP...

A small vibration.

THUMP... THUMP...

Growing stronger.

The ground trembled.

The air vibrated.

I stood in front.

Observing.

Then—

BWOOOM.

A shockwave hit.

My chest vibrated.

My bones felt like they were rattling.

I was pushed back.

"It’s too strong!"

I raised my voice.

"Turn it down!"

The technician turned.

"What?!"

"Turn down the bass!"

"What?!"

I stepped quickly.

Shouting right next to him.

"TURN IT DOWN!"

He panicked.

Twisting the control rune.

The light dimmed.

The vibration dropped.

Still strong.

But stable.

I nodded.

"Good."

We lifted the stone together.

And moved it into position.

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In the distance—

a giant pillar.

Long cylinders.

Lined up.

"How many more?"

Someone asked.

I grabbed the end of it.

"All of them."

He chuckled.

We lifted it together.

Walked.

Heavy steps.

"Did you look at the blueprints yesterday?"

"Nah."

"...I went out with my girlfriend yesterday."

"Check the schedule before you take a day off."

"At least find a replacement."

"Yeah, yeah..."

He chuckled.

"Sorry."

We kept walking.

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My thoughts drifted a little.

To somewhere else.

By now—

Yuna should be home.

Had she eaten yet.

Or not.

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[ The Empty House ]

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Slow footsteps on the sidewalk.

Three shadows stretched across the asphalt.

Yuna in the middle.

On the left—Mika.

Her steps were light.

Often breaking into small skips as she walked.

On the right—Hana.

Calmer.

Holding her bag with both hands in front of her.

The occasional sound of passing vehicles.

It wasn’t crowded.

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"Yuna..."

Mika turned her head.

"Have you ever been to karaoke?"

Yuna thought for a moment.

"...no."

She tilted her head slightly.

"Why?"

Mika immediately faced forward again.

But her smile was visible.

"I went with my older sister yesterday."

Her hands moved slightly.

"The place was so pretty."

"The lights were all colorful..."

"There were lots of mics..."

"...and the music was really loud."

Hana turned to her.

"Did you sing?"

"Yeah!"

Mika giggled.

"Even though I was bad at it."

Hana smiled too.

"How about we go next week?"

Their steps slowed down slightly.

Hana answered first.

"I have to ask my mom..."

"...if I’m allowed to go."

Yuna looked straight ahead.

A few seconds passed.

"Me too..."

"...I have to ask my papa first."

Her tone was flat.

Mika nodded quickly.

"Oh, right."

"Ask them first, then."

"I hope they say yes."

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A breeze passed.

Carrying a bit of dust.

Hana spoke again.

"Besides karaoke, where else did you go yesterday?"

Mika perked up immediately.

"First, karaoke."

She held up one finger.

"Then a cat cafe."

Second finger.

"Walked around."

Third finger.

"Lunch at a family restaurant."

Fourth finger.

"Then went home."

She lowered her hand.

"Ooh..."

Hana nodded.

"I’ve been to a cat cafe too."

"...with my mom a while ago."

Yuna didn’t respond immediately.

Her pace remained steady.

Her eyes lowered slightly.

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"Yuna?"

Mika glanced over.

"Have you ever been to a cat cafe?"

Yuna shook her head slowly.

"...no."

Short.

A brief silence.

Mika didn’t speak right away.

Then—

"Just ask your dad to take you."

"Or..."

She looked at Hana for a moment.

"...we can all go together later."

"If he doesn’t want to."

Yuna gave a small nod.

"...I’ll try asking him."

Her voice was quiet.

The intersection appeared ahead.

Their steps slowed.

"This is my stop."

Hana stopped first.

"Me too."

Mika stopped.

Yuna stopped as well.

"Bye..."

"Bye."

"...see ya."

They parted ways.

Yuna’s footsteps were now alone.

Slower.

Her bag slipped slightly on her shoulder.

She adjusted it.

No more sounds of her friends.

Only her own footsteps.

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In front of the door.

Yuna stopped.

Took out her key.

Fumbled slightly to find the keyhole.

Click.

The door opened.

Silent.

She stepped inside.

Closed the door quietly.

Took off her shoes.

Lined them up neatly.

Small steps padded further inside.

The room was still.

"Papa..."

No answer.

Yuna stood there for a moment.

As if waiting.

Nothing.

She walked over to the window.

Opened it.

The wind blew in.

The curtains fluttered slightly.

The air shifted.

It felt more alive.

Yuna turned on the TV.

Sound instantly filled the room.

Commercials.

A bit noisy.

Yuna sat down for a moment.

Then she said softly—

"...this is better."

"...like always."

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Yuna stood up again.

Her eyes moved to the small kitchen.

A few steps.

She opened the cabinet.

Two packets of instant noodles.

She took one out.

Her hand paused there for a moment.

Looking at the other one.

Then she closed the door.

A small stool was dragged over.

The faint scrape of wood against the floor.

She stepped onto it.

Grabbed a small pot.

Stepped back down.

Filled it with water.

The water ran.

A quiet, steady sound.

She turned on the stove.

Click.

Whoosh.

The flame flared to life.

Yuna opened the noodle packet.

Without overthinking it—

she dropped the contents straight into the pot.

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A few seconds passed.

She blinked.

"...eh."

She leaned her head closer to the pot.

The seasoning packet had gone in too.

"Ah..."

She quickly plunged her hand in.

Snatched it out.

The water was still cold.

"...good thing it wasn’t hot yet."

She pulled her hand back.

Dripping slightly.

She tore the seasoning packet open.

Poured it onto a plate.

Her movements were clumsy.

Some of it spilled over the edge.

Yuna didn’t clean it up.

She just stared at it for a moment.

Then turned back to the pot.

"Five minutes..."

"...Papa said."

She left the stove running for a moment.

Walked into the front room.

Sat in front of the TV.

Picked up the remote.

Click.

The channel changed.

Click.

Changed again.

Click.

Stopped.

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The screen showed the ocean.

Deep blue water.

Small fishes swimming in a school.

Yuna leaned in slightly.

"Oh..."

"...colorful fish."

A small orange fish swam by.

"What is that..."

Text appeared on the screen.

"Clownfish."

"...clownfish..."

Yuna repeated softly.

She looked at the clock on the wall.

Her eyes widened slightly.

She stood up immediately.

Walked quickly to the kitchen.

Turned off the stove.

Lifted the noodles.

Drained the water haphazardly.

Put them onto the plate.

She carried the plate carefully.

Sat at the table.

Picked up her chopsticks.

Stirred the noodles.

The color of the seasoning began to even out.

She took a bite.

Put it in her mouth.

Chewed slowly.

"...tastes good."

She paused.

"...but..."

"...it feels like something is missing."

Chopsticks still in her hand.

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Her eyes moved.

To the left.

An empty chair.

To the right.

The window.

Slightly open.

No one was there.

She lowered her head slightly.

Took another bite.

And ate.

Not too fast.

Not too slow.

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Time passed.

The sunlight shifted.

Entering at a steeper angle through the window.

Yuna stood up.

Went into the bathroom.

The sound of running water.

A little while later—

She came out.

Her hair was wet.

A towel draped over her head.

She rubbed it gently.

Grrr...

She stopped.

Her stomach growled again.

Yuna walked to the kitchen.

Opened the cabinet.

One packet of noodles left.

Beside it—

eggs.

vegetables.

onions.

Her hand moved toward the noodles.

Almost touching it.

She stopped.

"...just one."

The voice surfaced.

Calm.

Like always.

Yuna didn’t turn around.

She wasn’t startled.

Her hand slowly changed direction.

Grabbed an egg.

Then an onion.

"...Papa usually uses these."

She turned on the stove again.

Poured in some oil.

Cracked the egg into a bowl.

A tiny piece of shell fell in.

Yuna looked at it.

"...hm."

She didn’t fish it out.

Peeled the onion.

Chopped it.

The pieces were big.

Uneven.

Into the bowl they went.

A pinch of salt.

She stirred it.

Poured it into the frying pan.

Sssssssss

The sound of sizzling oil.

Yuna stepped back slightly.

Watching.

Waiting.

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A little while later—

On the table.

A plate of rice and egg.

Yuna sat down.

Looked at it.

....

She picked up her spoon.

Stopped again.

"...something is missing."

She stood up.

Grabbed the soy sauce.

Poured a generous amount.

Sat back down.

Took a bite.

Put it in her mouth.

Her expression shifted slightly.

"...salty."

"...bitter."

She kept eating anyway.

The TV was still on.

Playing an anime now.

A character was running.

Tripped over a rock.

Fell.

Face-first into the mud.

Yuna stopped eating.

Her eyes widened.

"...pfft—"

She choked.

Quickly stood up.

Grabbed a glass.

Poured some water.

Drank.

And took a deep breath.

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