Reader of the Novel’s Extra

Back at Kienai Omoi and the private suite that Lee had reserved for the weekend.

After a long climb out of the Dungeon and a longer trek back to the hotel, it was already dark by the time they returned.

Thankfully, that worked in their favor as no one recognized Nayun or Rachel.

...Mostly because they all looked like crap, covered in grime, blood, and dust from all the monsters they killed along the way.

The moment they arrived, Rachel had immediately taken Evandel to go take a bath in the hot tub together.

Meanwhile, Nayun had grabbed a bottle of soju and was pouring out a pair of shots for herself and Lee. "Here. And don't say you don't drink. After the crazy you put me through today, you owe me a shot."

Lee took it and said, "I don't mind... but you drink?"

Nayun looked amused and said, "You think I haven't had alcohol before?"

"...Right. Chaebol heiress." Lee chuckled and toasted Nayun. After that, the two downed their shots together.

Nayun immediately started refilling their glasses and said, "This week has been ridiculous... Classes just started on Monday, you LITERALLY had a hit on you yesterday, and today... just what even IS today?"

Lee toasted Nayun again and said, "The birthday of the baby girl between me and Rachel?"

Nayun paused and stared at Lee. "...Are you LITERALLY insane? How are you not freaking out over this? If anyone finds out that Rachel has a kid, even if it's a magical baby, the world will flip."

Lee shrugged. "It already happened. Can't change the past. Even if I could, I wouldn't. And it's not like I'm planning to run away from the responsibility. The time that would be spent worrying is better spent on coming up with a solution, right?"

Nayun raised her glass to Lee and took another shot with him. Then she said, "You say that like there's an easy solution to all this..."

"I never said there was an 'easy' solution. Just that there was 'a' solution."

"Yeah? And what's that?"

Lee took the bottle from Nayun and poured the shots this time before saying, "I'll just claim her. Evandel, that is."

Nayun coughed mid-chug of her shot. Then she smacked her chest and said, "What?! That's crazy!"

"That's right." Lee downed his shot and said, "But the simplest answer is often the right answer. And what's simpler? The fact that Lady Rachel had a magic baby or illegitimate daughter when she was 13 since Evandel looks around three? Or that I have a daughter who happens to look like Rachel that I've kept hidden this entire time?"

Nayun paused. Then her eyes widened. "...Oh my god. You crazy magnificent bastard. It wouldn't work for anyone else, but you..."

Lee just smiled.

It made sense. In fact, it made MORE sense.

Only Lee knew the truth that Lee Shin was a crazy guy who just trained like mad to be strong.

Even if he told people that truth, they would always think there was another reason.

After all, if you sincerely told someone you wanted to be the strongest, they would just ask 'why?'

Everybody HAD to have a reason to want to be the best. Being the best itself couldn't be the reason. At least, that was what the normal person thought.

...Lee Shin had DEFINITELY not been normal.

But that played in Lee's favor.

Working so much. Training so hard. Keeping so quiet about his past and staying so disciplined. Even working hard to get into Cube.

If you put it in the framework of being a single father trying to set things up for his daughter in a way that he never had...

Lee chuckled. "The pieces fall perfectly into place, don't they?"

"...You even get around Evandel calling Rachel her Mommy since Evandel's a toddler. She's at the age where kids call everyone their parents by accident."

Lee nodded and poured another round of shots for them. "Yep. And it's perfect timing too. Like you said, it's only the first week of Cube. And it's the weekend too. I can just say that plans fell through and that I have to keep my daughter with me. Cube has an exemption for situations like this, you know?"

"It does?!"

"Yep. It's buried in the various clauses in the handbook. You should read it sometime."

Nayun sighed. "...Of course. You would be the one who read the fineprint for something like this." She paused. "...But what are you going to do about Evandel then? Are you going to just leave her in your dorm all day?"

"Of course not. I'm taking her to class with me."

"...What?"

Lee shrugged. "Cube was very thorough in its documentation and handbook regulations. It has lots of clauses. Granted, I don't think anyone's ever ACTUALLY tested a few of them... Mostly because single parents don't usually end up in Cube. But there's a clause for it. Probably in the event a politically important person had to attend but was stuck with baby duties."

Nayun slowly blinked. "You are telling me. That Cube. The internationally renowned academy for training future Heroes. It has a babysitting clause for single parents?"

"Honestly, it'd be more surprising if it didn't, right?"

"...Just shut up and pour me another drink. And you get to explain all this to Yeonha later. And Kim Hajin."

"Deal."

===

Back at Cube, Hajin plopped into his bed after a long day of training with Suho and testing out various weapons with Yeonha.

'Urgh... Forget Aether. At this rate, I need a better inventory system...'

Yeonha was convinced that Hajin was a heaven-sent gift just for her, and she was doing her best to invest as much in him as possible.

Suho was intrigued that Hajin was seemingly trying to invent a brand new martial arts to shore up the weaknesses of using firearms, so he was helping out too.

But all of that meant that Hajin's rest day was spent training instead of actually resting.

'Though, I guess I shouldn't complain since Yoo Yeonha is footing the bill.'

That rich and definitely somewhat crazy heiress had given Hajin high-grade recovery supplements to make sure he was perfectly rested. Not only that, but she had recorded everything and was apparently spending time at that very moment analyzing it all to give him feedback tomorrow morning.

'At least I should be grateful the orientation is happening...'

Since the traveling club's orientation was tomorrow on Sunday, it meant that Hajin wouldn't have to worry about training.

Instead, he'd have to worry about the story's first major incident-

> Modified setting: The story thread regarding Evandel's Castle and the infamous witch Evandel has been terminated.

> Modified setting: Tomer will no longer possess Aether.

> Modified setting: Cube's academic policies have been retroactively updated to provide for single parent situations.

Hajin stared at the messages floating in front of his eyes.

He stared some more.

Then, after a long while, he said, "...Okay. Lee Shin is DEFINITELY not an extra. But he is DEFINITELY 'extra' in the crazy stuff he does." He groaned. "...Does this mean that guy accidentally ran across both while on that trip with Rachel and Nayun?"

Hajin remembered Yeonha mentioning that the three had gone on a trip to get some money in Wonju.

He had debated seeing if he could tag along... but then Yeonha had dragged him to the academic club orientation and all of that mess unfolded...

Hajin sighed. "...Okay. Let's just assume that I can't hang back and relax anymore. I think it's better for my sanity if I think that..."

===

Sunday morning. Back at Cube.

To make sure things went smoothly, Rachel and Nayun had gone through the Portal and headed back to campus first.

That left Lee to head back alone with Evandel.

Thankfully, the fact that Lee was so muscular meant most people thought he was older than he actually was, so they didn't question it when he took Evandel through the Portal.

In fact, the only comments people made were along the lines of...

"Oh my god, she's so cute!"

"How old is she?"

"You're SUCH a good father!"

"Raising a baby girl by yourself... amazing."

...Yeah. And all by women too.

'The single dad halo effect is real, huh?'

Lee noticed a definite uptick in female attention as he headed back to Cube.

But he ignored it.

Instead, carrying Evandel in his arms, the moment he walked through the Portal, he headed straight for the administrative office.

And the moment he entered...

"Hm? Cadet Lee Shin? And... Is that a toddler?"

...Instructor Kim Soohyuk looked over with wide eyes.

Lee looked at his instructor, the same one in charge of all the cadets in Lee's graduating class.

Then, without skipping a beat and without a single shred of shame, he said, "Instructor Soohyuk. This is my daughter, Evandel. Due to various circumstances, she'll need to be with me here at Cube. I'd like to invoke the clause about extenuating circumstances regarding single parent Cube Cadets."

"...The what? Wait, no. Go back a bit. Your daughter? As in, your biological daughter?" Instructor Soohyuk's eyes widened. "And you want her to stay here with you? On campus?"

"Yes. It should be in Chapter 24 of the student handbook. I'm not sure which policy it is for Cube's academic regulations, but I know it exists. That's why I came here. Since you're my instructor, I thought you'd be able to help me." Lee bowed his head. "Please help."

Evandel noticed Lee bow his head and bowed hers too. "Please help Daddy!"

Instructor Soohyuk's eyes softened. Then he said, "...Dammit. You've had it rough, huh...? Fine, fine. Sit down. We'll figure something out..."

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