Bonding

They spent the entire day talking and laughing, catching up on old stories and building new memories. As night fell over Patch Island, the warm glow of the house lights cast a peaceful ambiance throughout the home. Summer and Raven gently tucked the girls into bed, one by one. Lumi, Yang, Amber, and Ruby all lay sound asleep, their breathing steady and calm, soft smiles resting on their faces. The sight brought a tender warmth to both mothers' hearts. With a final kiss to their foreheads, Summer and Raven quietly left the room and made their way to the master bedroom.

Taiyang sat on the edge of the bed, stretching his back, still processing the day's emotional whirlwind. He looked up and noticed Summer and Raven standing silently by the door, their gazes fixed on him.

"Uh… hey," Taiyang began, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "So, uh… maybe we should get some sleep. I mean, after everything that happened today, I'm kinda wiped out."

He offered a half-smile, but the look on both women's faces made his heart skip. Summer and Raven glanced at each other, then walked forward in perfect sync, faint smiles curling on their lips—though there was something mischievous in their eyes. Taiyang's smile faltered as they slowly approached from either side.

Raven leaned in close, resting her hand gently on his cheek. Her voice was low, almost teasing. "It's been a long time, Taiyang. You wouldn't mind staying up a little longer, would you?"

Summer mirrored her movement, brushing her fingers along the side of his neck as she leaned in. "After what I went through today… I wouldn't mind a little comfort," she whispered with a smirk.

Taiyang's face went pale, a bead of sweat trailing down his temple. He tried scooting back, but the two women had already cornered him from both sides. Their expressions were calm, yet playful—predatory in a way that sent a chill down his spine.

He slowly leaned back onto the bed as Summer and Raven moved in closer. With a defeated sigh, Taiyang shut his eyes and muttered under his breath.

"This… is going to be a long night."

Early in the morning, the kitchen was filled with the scent of eggs, bacon, and freshly brewed coffee. Summer and Raven were preparing breakfast side by side, moving in sync despite the subtle stiffness in their posture. Their faces wore calm expressions, but the occasional glance they exchanged revealed a shared guilt neither wanted to speak aloud. Taiyang was nowhere near the kitchen—still recovering from last night's... *activities*.

Lumi and Yang were the first to make their way down the stairs, still in their pajamas, hair tousled from sleep. Their eyes were heavy, but their determination to eat breakfast—especially after their mothers' return—pushed them forward.

"I didn't get enough sleep last night," Yang said with a yawn, rubbing her eyes. "There was some weird noise… banging or something. It kept waking me up."

"Me too," Lumi added, pouring herself a glass of juice. "I think it was the tree outside. You know how the wind makes that one broken branch hit the wall? It sounded like something was slamming against the house over and over."

Summer and Raven froze mid-motion, hands gripping the mugs of coffee a little too tightly. A bead of sweat rolled down Summer's temple as Raven avoided eye contact with either daughter. They said nothing—only offering vague hums of acknowledgment while sipping from their trembling cups.

Moments later, Ruby and Amber descended the stairs, joining the others at the table. They looked just as groggy.

"Ugh, I barely slept," Amber groaned as she took a seat. "That noise last night was so annoying."

"Yeah," Ruby nodded. "I thought it was a Grimm or something banging outside the house, but then I remembered the tree. Still… it was really loud."

The four girls continued discussing the mystery noise, theorizing about the tree, the wind, and even ghost stories they had heard. Meanwhile, Summer and Raven sat silently at the counter, holding their coffee cups with visibly shaking hands, their faces locked in stiff smiles.

Then Taiyang finally appeared.

He shuffled into the kitchen like a ghost, wearing a loose shirt, dark circles under his eyes, and a limp to his walk. His face looked slightly paler than usual—drained, as if he'd just fought a high-level Grimm barehanded and lost.

The girls all turned to him, startled.

"Dad? You okay?" Ruby asked.

"You look like you got run over," Yang added bluntly.

Summer and Raven stared down into their coffee mugs in shame. Their expressions were blank, but the atmosphere around them was heavy with guilt.

Taiyang simply muttered under his breath, "...Long night," before collapsing into a chair with a sigh.

The girls went back to eating, still mumbling about the mysterious noise. Meanwhile, Summer and Raven exchanged one more glance over their mugs—one filled with mutual understanding and a silent vow to *maybe*

install soundproofing next time.

After they finished their breakfast, everyone moved to the living room. The kids sat together on the large couch—Ruby, Yang, Amber, and Lumi still sleepy from the night before. Raven leaned against one of the single chairs while Summer sat close beside Taiyang, who looked especially drained. They all gathered to discuss the new mission the system had given just the day before.

= The Day of Their Return =

The morning had started like any other, with laughter and light conversation. Taiyang, Summer, and Raven listened as the four kids talked about their adventures and daily lives. Just as the warmth of family bonding filled the room, a sharp *ding* echoed in the heads of Amber and Lumi.

< System >

[ New mission: Train all of your family members who have the potential to be powerful. Share the system functions with them and make them your vassals. Ensure that at least three people reach level 100 within one year. ]

[ Rewards: System Master Control — grants full authority over the systems of all vassals. You can monitor stats, distribute stat points, and create unique skills for them. ]

[ Punishment for failure: Your body will be forcefully controlled and made to confess, in front of your dad, that you used his Hunter Credit Card to buy a game from the online store. ]

The moment they saw the message, both girls froze in horror. The system had weaponized one of their darkest shared secrets—turning it into blackmail. Neither had ever told anyone about the time they "borrowed" Taiyang's hunter card for an expensive online gacha game.

= Back to the Present =

Amber and Lumi, after exchanging a silent look, shared the mission with the others. They explained the need to train everyone and help them unlock their potential, stating that something "bad" would happen if they failed to complete it in time.

They conveniently left out the very specific punishment, masking the personal threat dangling over their heads. After all, no one needed to know that the real consequence involved full public humiliation and the wrath of a disappointed father.

And so, with a slightly suspicious but mostly curious energy in the air, the family's next chapter of chaos quietly began.