The moment between them was warm and gentle, the kind of reunion that made bystanders smile and look away, embarrassed to witness something so private. Erza was looking elsewhere, her face turned deliberately away from Yuuta and Elena, but she couldn't hide the warmth that spread through her chest—a strange, unfamiliar feeling that she still didn't understand. Yuuta laughed softly, his voice rough with exhaustion but filled with genuine happiness, because Elena was safe. That was all that mattered.
Elena clung to both of them, her tiny arms stretched as wide as they could go, trying to hold her parents together. "Papa! Mama! Elena doesn't want to get lost again!"
Security teams moved efficiently around them, arresting the men who had tried to take Elena and terrorize the Headmaster. The bald man, still clutching his shattered hand and whimpering with pain, was dragged away in cuffs, his scarred face pale with shock. Ban, the mountain of a man, was carried out on a stretcher, his jaw still hanging at that wrong angle, his eyes closed. The lean man followed, bleeding and barely conscious, supported by two officers. They shook hands briefly with the Headmaster's assistant, exchanged a few quiet words of professional respect, and then disappeared toward the exits, their job done.
The shopping center began to return to normal—or as normal as it could be after such chaos. People emerged from hiding, whispers spread, phones were lowered. Life, as it always did, continued.
Then a cough broke the silence.
Cough. Cough.
The gentle moment shattered like glass dropped on stone.
It was the old man—the Headmaster—who had closed his eyes during the family reunion, giving them privacy, and now opened them with a gentle, apologetic smile. He held himself with the dignity of someone who had seen much of the world and learned how to navigate its complexities, someone who understood when to interrupt and when to wait.
"Forgive me for breaking the moment," he said, shaking his head with genuine regret. "But I must sincerely apologize for what happened. This situation got out of hand because of me."
Yuuta scrambled to his feet, suddenly aware that he was sitting on the floor in front of a stranger who radiated importance. "No, no, Mr. Sir, it's nothing much," he said quickly, not understanding why this obviously wealthy and powerful man was bowing his head to him.
Behind the Headmaster stood three assistants, all of them built like guards, their expressions carefully neutral but their eyes watchful. They radiated competence and danger in equal measure, the kind of men who had seen violence and knew how to respond to it.
The old man continued, his voice heavy with sincerity. "Please, I am sorry. Because of us, your daughter was put in danger. Because of me and my past, those criminals came here today. Because of us, you had to fight those men and put yourself at risk." He shook his head again, the motion weighted with genuine shame. "It is shameful to think that I brought a loving family into such danger."
Erza's head snapped toward him.
"Loving family?" she repeated, the words sharp with disbelief.
She was shocked—genuinely shocked and Irritated —by the description. Her face flushed slightly, and she immediately looked away, crossing her arms in that defensive posture Yuuta had come to recognize as her "I am absolutely not affected by this" stance.
Yuuta leaned toward her, his voice low and hurried, desperate to smooth things over. "Erza, look, they just got confused, okay? It's a misunderstanding. Just go along with it. Please."
The Headmaster watched this exchange with keen, observant eyes, filing away every detail. Then he turned his attention to Elena, kneeling down to her level with a grace that belied his age. "Truly, your father and mother are exactly as you described," he said gently, reaching out to pat her head with a grandfather's tenderness. "You have wonderful parents, little one."
Elena beamed at him.
He looked up at Yuuta—at the man with crimson eyes that seemed to burn with their own inner light, eyes that didn't belong in this world. Then at Erza—at the woman whose beauty rivaled angels, whose presence felt like something from another dimension, whose very existence seemed too perfect for ordinary life.
That's why their daughter is so adorable and smart, he thought, the pieces clicking into place. With parents like these, how could she be anything else?
He straightened and gestured to his assistants. "Give them the invitation."
Yuuta froze.
Erza's brow furrowed with suspicion.
Elena smiled brightly, thinking the nice old man was going to give her more chocolate.
The assistants exchanged nervous glances. "Headmaster, are you sure about this?" one of them asked, his voice tinged with panic. This was unprecedented. This had never happened before.
Yuuta didn't understand what that meant. What invitation? Why were the assistants so nervous? He stayed quiet, watching, trying to gather information from their expressions.
The Headmaster turned to look at his assistant.
Just looked.
But that look said everything: You are nothing more than hired help. Do not question me. Do not cross the line. Do your job.
The assistant paled and immediately stepped forward, producing a card from his inner pocket with trembling hands.
It was gold.
Not golden-colored—actually, genuinely gold. The card gleamed in the shopping center lights, catching reflections and scattering them like treasure. It was heavier than it looked, worth more than most people earned in a lifetime, and it glowed with an importance that was immediately obvious to anyone with eyes.
He placed it in Yuuta's hand with the reverence of someone handling a holy relic.
Yuuta looked down.
The invitation was for the Morning Star Elite Academy—the most prestigious educational institution in the entire world. The place where the most powerful families sent their children. Where future leaders were forged. Where connections were made that lasted lifetimes. Just holding the card felt like holding a piece of another world, like touching something that ordinary people never got to experience.
His mind raced.
Why would he give this? Who was it for?
He looked up, confusion clear on his face. "Mister... I think you're mistaken. There's something wrong here."
The old man smiled warmly, his eyes crinkling with genuine pleasure. "Allow me to introduce myself properly."
He straightened, and for the first time, Yuuta saw the full weight of his presence—the authority, the importance, the quiet power of someone who had shaped generations, who had built something that would outlast him.
"I am the Headmaster of the Morning Star Elite Academy," he said, his voice carrying the weight of his position. "And I am personally inviting your daughter to take a direct interview for admission to our school."
Yuuta's jaw dropped.
His daughter.
Elena.
In the most powerful, most luxurious, most prestigious school in the world.
It was unbelievable. Impossible. The kind of thing that didn't happen to people like him, to families like theirs, to a four-year-old who had only been in this world for a few weeks.
Erza, however, was not impressed.
"Inviting who?" she said, her voice flat and cold. "And who decided we are accepting?"
The Headmaster blinked.
This was new.
In all his years of extending invitations, he had seen only one reaction—gratitude. Tears of joy. Families falling to their knees, overwhelmed by the opportunity. People offering anything, everything, for this chance. But this woman... she was questioning him. Challenging him. Acting as if his invitation meant nothing, as if he were offering something worthless.
Erza reached out and plucked the golden card from Yuuta's hand. She examined it for a moment—the weight, the craftsmanship, the obvious value—and then held it out to the Headmaster.
"Here. Take it back."
Yuuta's soul nearly left his body.
"WHATTTT?!" he screamed, the sound echoing through the shopping center.
But he wasn't the only one shocked.
The assistants' jaws dropped.
The Headmaster's eyes went wide.
They stared at Erza like she had just committed sacrilege, like she had thrown a holy relic into the gutter. This woman—this impossibly beautiful woman—had just rejected the most valuable educational opportunity in the world. She had handed back the golden invitation like it was trash.
Yuuta grabbed Erza's arm and pulled her aside, his voice a desperate whisper. "What are you doing?! Don't you know what that school is?! It's the most elite academy in the world! The best education anyone could hope for! Why are you acting like this?!"
Erza crossed her arms, unmoved by his panic. "Why are you making such a fuss about it?"
"A FUSS?!" Yuuta's voice cracked. "You don't understand! This is the best school ever created! It's more luxurious than any palace! The opportunities—the connections—the future—"
"And?" Erza's voice was ice.
Yuuta stopped.
He tried desperately to explain, to make her understand. "And... and she'll be happy there! She'll learn so much! She'll tell us stories every day about her classes and her friends and—"
"So?" Erza said again, her voice carrying that same flat indifference.
Yuuta's words died in his throat. "So... so..." He trailed off into silence.
Erza pinched the bridge of her nose, a gesture of pure exasperation. "I knew you were an idiot, but to this extent? To the point that even a goblin would seem smarter than you? I didn't believe it until now."
She sighed heavily.
"Why are you doing this? Why are you trying so hard to convince me when you're living on borrowed time? You'll be dead in a year, yet you're spending your remaining days like a madman, throwing away every resource you have."
She looked at him, her violet eyes searching his face.
"You Moron, YOU have one year to live. One year. So tell me—why are you wasting money on her education? Why are you trying to give her happiness that you won't be around to see? I just can't understand your human brain at all, Instead of living happy You...."
Yuuta looked up at her.
And for the first time, she saw something in his eyes that made her breath catch.
Not desperation.
Not fear.
Love.
Pure, uncomplicated, fatherly love.
"Because she's my daughter," he said quietly. "And even if I only have one year, I want that year to be the best year of her life. I want her to have everything. I want her to be happy. I want her to have a future that I can't give her any other way."
Erza was silent.
The words hung in the air between them.
Heavy.
Accusing.
True.
She didn't want to agree. She could see it clearly—the golden card, the way the Headmaster and his assistants spoke, the obvious cost of this opportunity. If they accepted, Yuuta would be broke within a day. His entire wealth would be gone within an hour. Everything he had worked for, everything he had saved, would vanish.
But he was standing there, shaking his head, making himself humble, throwing away his pride—
For Elena.
For their daughter.
Meanwhile, the Headmaster stood a short distance away, watching the heated discussion between Yuuta and Erza with growing fascination. He was biting his nail—a habit he thought he had broken decades ago, resurrected by the unprecedented situation before him.
He had never expected to meet a family that could reject the best academy in the world like it was nothing.
In all his years, through all his tenure, he had extended invitations to royalty, to billionaires, to the most powerful families across every continent. Every single time, the response had been the same—gratitude, tears, immediate acceptance. Sometimes people fainted. Sometimes they screamed with joy. Sometimes they dropped to their knees and thanked every god they could name.
But this?
This woman had handed the invitation back like it was a piece of junk mail.
And yet, instead of being offended, he found himself impressed.
Impressed by their pride. Impressed by their refusal to be awed. Impressed by the way they stood apart from everyone else who had ever received this honor.
A small tug at his pant leg pulled him from his thoughts.
He looked down.
Elena was there, her tiny hand wrapped in the fabric of his expensive trousers, her crimson eyes looking up at him with genuine concern. "Old man," she said softly, tugging again. "Old man, what happened? Are you worried?"
The Headmaster stared at her.
At this impossible child.
He had witnessed her brilliance firsthand—the way she absorbed chess like a sponge absorbed water, the way her mind worked at speeds that shouldn't be possible for a four-year-old, the way she adapted and learned and grew in real-time. If she was this impressive now, with no formal education, what could she become with the resources of his academy behind her?
She could think faster than AI.
She could learn faster than any student he had ever seen.
If she was guided properly, nurtured correctly, given the right opportunities—
She could rise above entire nations as a hidden genius.
But if he lost this opportunity here, if she went to a different school, one of two things would happen. Either she would make that other school shine bright, elevating them to heights they didn't deserve. Or worse—she would never achieve her worth at all, wasted by people who didn't understand what they had.
He was looking at a black stone that he knew was not coal but diamond.
The question was whether these parents would let him forge it.
He couldn't offer money. Couldn't offer position. It went against everything his academy stood for, against the noble values he had spent a lifetime building. Students were admitted based on merit, not wealth. That was the foundation of Morning Star's reputation.
But merit alone wouldn't convince parents who didn't understand what they were being offered.
His assistant leaned close, his voice a low whisper. "Headmaster, I don't think they understand the value of the academy. Especially that white-haired woman. She seems completely unmoved by everything."
The Headmaster listened, not interrupting.
"If word leaks out that the Headmaster was personally rejected by some random parents, it will make huge headlines. The media will have a field day. Our reputation could suffer." The assistant's voice grew more urgent. "Headmaster, please understand—we should walk away now, before this becomes embarrassing."
The Headmaster was silent for a long moment.
Then he shook his head slowly.
"No. Wait. Let them decide." His voice was calm, certain. "If we walk away now, it will make our image look worse than anything they could say about us. It will look like we gave up. Like we weren't willing to fight for a brilliant student."
The assistant nodded and stepped back, signaling for someone to bring water and refreshments for the Headmaster while they waited.
The Headmaster continued watching the couple.
They were arguing, yes. But it wasn't the kind of argument that tore people apart. It was the kind of discussion that happened between people who actually cared about each other, who valued each other's opinions, who needed to reach a decision together before moving forward.
He smiled.
How wonderful, he thought. They discuss things before accepting anything. They respect each other's views. They fight for what they believe is right.
They are deeply in love.
He didn't know how wrong he was about some details.
But about others—
Erza hit him hard on the head.
Yuuta stumbled sideways, rubbing the sore spot with a pained expression. "Ouch! Why did you do that?!" he protested, his voice carrying the genuine confusion of someone who had no idea what he'd done wrong.
Erza rubbed her own temple, the gesture one of pure exasperation. "You stupid idiot. Open your eyes for once."
He blinked at her, uncomprehending.
She grabbed his ear—actually grabbed it, twisting slightly—and pulled him closer, her voice dropping to that cold, controlled tone that usually preceded violence. "Can't you see that the dream you're chasing has consequences? Not every dream is meant to be achieved. Some are far higher than you think. Far more dangerous."
Yuuta's face twisted with confusion. "What are you talking about? This is Elena's future we're discussing—"
"Listen to me." She cut him off, her voice sharp. "If you let her enroll in this school, you will lose all your wealth."
Yuuta froze and paused for a second.
His mind, which had been racing with possibilities and hopes and dreams for his daughter's future, suddenly ground to a halt. The words hit him like a physical blow.
All his wealth.
Gone.
He hadn't thought about it. Not really. In his excitement, in his desperate hope to give Elena everything, he had completely ignored the practical reality of what this opportunity would cost.
The fees.
He remembered now—vaguely, distantly—seeing an article online about the Morning Star Elite Academy. The tuition was rumored to be ten million dollars per year. Ten. Million. Dollars. It was the reason so many students dropped out within their first year, unable to sustain the financial burden even with scholarships.
Ten million dollars.
He didn't have ten million dollars.
He didn't have ten thousand dollars.
He had a broken apartment, a car that barely ran, and a gaming fund that Erza had already emptied.
Silence stretched between them.
Yuuta stood there, frozen, his face cycling through emotions—hope, realization, horror, shame. He had been so happy, so blinded by the possibility, that he hadn't thought at all. Erza had seen what he couldn't. Erza had protected him from his own stupidity.
Again.
He looked at her.
At the queen who had just saved him from destroying himself.
"Did you really worry about me that much, my queen?" The words came out soft, almost wondering.
Erza looked at him like he had grown a second head.
"Don't look at me like I've fallen in love with you," she said coldly, her voice dripping with disgust at the very idea. "I'm doing this because if you sell that broken apartment, where am I supposed to stay until your one year is up? That's the only reason I'm letting you see the other side of your pathetic brain."
The words were ice.
Cruel.
Dismissive.
Yuuta's expression flickered—just for a moment—with something that might have been pain. For a second, he had allowed himself to hope that maybe, just maybe, she was starting to care. That the warmth he sometimes felt from her was real.
But no.
She had made it clear.
There was nothing between them but circumstance and obligation.
He smiled.
It was a broken smile, the kind that looked forced, the kind that hurt to wear.
"Well," he said quietly, his voice steady despite everything, "looks like I don't have another choice."
He turned away from her.
Walked toward the Headmaster.
---
The Headmaster stood with his assistants, watching Yuuta approach with keen interest. He had seen the couple arguing, seen the young man's expression shift through various emotions, and now he waited to hear their decision.
Yuuta stopped in front of him.
The Headmaster smiled warmly. "Ah, I believe you have made your decision, young man."
Yuuta took a breath.
Let it out.
"Sorry for making you wait, Mister." He shook his head slowly, regret clear on his face. "I am truly grateful that the Headmaster of such a prestigious academy would extend an invitation to my daughter. It's an honor we never expected and can never repay."
The Headmaster's smile began to fade.
"But we are not worthy to be there." Yuuta met his eyes, and there was pain there—genuine pain—but also acceptance. "So please... we humbly reject it."
To be continued...
[Credit Scene – After the Chapter]
Yuuta: leans into the frame with a grin Hey hey, amazing readers! If you've made it this far, I just wanna say—you're the real MVPs. But uh… maybe, just maybe… hit that collection button? Pretty please?
Erza: raises an eyebrow, arms crossed How greedy can you be? Begging for collections now?
Yuuta: pretends to be offended I'm not begging! I'm just… humbly requesting eternal support and unconditional love!
Elena: pops her head between them Papa worked hard! Vote for us, okay Human Uncle? And don't forget the collection too—Elena said so!
Yuuta: See?! Even Elena knows the drill! Who could say no to that face?
Erza: sighs dramatically If they don't collect after this, I might just freeze the next chapter myself.
Yuuta: laughs Threats from a Dragon Queen? Now that's what I call reader motivation.
Elena: Bye bye Human uncle~ See you next chapter! Don't forget, okay?