Kael woke up at five in the morning, just as he had planned the night before.
For a few seconds, he stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling while he tried to convince himself that getting up so early had been a good idea. The apartment was quiet, and the room felt much warmer than the shabby studio he used to call home. He could hear the air conditioner humming softly and the occasional car passing outside.
Then he remembered why he had set the alarm.
He still needed to finish his savings plan, figure out what to do about his job, and find a way to become strong enough to protect his family. It was a lot to handle before breakfast, especially for someone who still struggled to make decent fried rice.
Kael sat up and rubbed his eyes.
’One thing at a time.’
Before doing anything else, he quietly left the bedroom and checked on Noah. His son was sleeping peacefully in his crib, his little chest rising and falling beneath his sleep clothes. Kael stood beside the crib for a moment, making sure everything was fine, before heading to the kitchen.
He poured himself a glass of water and opened the notebook he had left on the dining table the previous night.
His financial plan was almost complete. He had compared several savings accounts, calculated his expected monthly expenses, and decided how much money he wanted to save each month. He had also made a list of expenses that might come up as Noah grew older.
The only major thing left was to open a savings account.
Kael added it to his list of things to do that day before checking his phone. There were no new messages from Old Man Harrick, his boss at the convenience store.
Kael wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing.
He still needed a reliable source of income. The money he had now gave him some breathing room, but he didn’t want to depend on it forever. Noah was growing up, and there would be plenty of expenses ahead. Sera was also still recovering from everything she had been through, and Kael wanted to give her enough time to settle into their new life.
He couldn’t simply sit around and hope the money would last.
Looking down at the notebook, he let out a sigh.
"Being an adult is a scam," Kael muttered.
"Who are you arguing with?"
Kael turned around and found Sera standing near the bedroom doorway. She was wearing comfortable clothes, and her hair was tied loosely behind her head. She looked half-asleep and was rubbing one eye with the back of her hand.
"My financial plan," Kael answered.
"Is it winning?"
"Unfortunately."
Sera walked over to the table and glanced at the notebook.
"You’ve been working on this since yesterday?"
"Most of it. I just need to open the savings account and make a few final adjustments."
"You don’t have to finish everything in one day, Kael."
"I know."
"Do you?"
Kael looked at her as she pulled out a chair and sat down.
"You keep acting as though the world will fall apart if you stop working for five minutes," Sera said.
Kael opened his mouth to argue, but after thinking about it, he couldn’t come up with a convincing response.
"I have a son now," he said instead.
"And that means you need to take care of yourself too."
Kael lowered his eyes to the notebook. He understood what she meant, even if putting that advice into practice was another matter.
He wanted to make sure his family had everything they needed. After spending so much of his life worrying about his own problems, he found it difficult to relax when there were two other people depending on him.
Still, Sera had a point.
"Fine," Kael said. "I’ll take a break after breakfast."
Sera smiled. "That’s better."
A faint cry came from the bedroom before Kael could say anything else. Both of them turned toward the sound.
"Looks like someone doesn’t approve of your break," Sera said.
Kael pushed his chair back and stood up. "I’ll get him."
He went into the bedroom and walked over to the crib. Noah was awake now, moving his arms and letting out another small cry. Kael carefully picked him up, supporting his head and neck before bringing him against his chest.
"Good morning, little man," Kael whispered. "You couldn’t wait another five minutes, could you?"
Noah answered with another cry.
"All right. I get the message."
Kael checked his diaper first and found that it needed changing. Once he had taken care of that, he went to prepare a bottle of formula. By the time he returned to the living room, Noah had settled down and was ready to eat.
Kael sat down and began feeding him while Sera watched from the other side of the room.
"You seem more confident now," she said.
"That’s because I’ve learned a few things."
"Such as?"
"Babies are small, but they have very strong opinions."
Sera laughed. "That’s not what I meant."
"I know."
Kael looked down at Noah, who was drinking quietly from the bottle. He adjusted his hold slightly to keep his son comfortable before answering her properly.
"I suppose I’m getting used to it," he admitted. "I still worry about doing something wrong, but I’m not as nervous as I was on the first day."
"You’re doing well," Sera told him.
The words were simple, but Kael found himself smiling.
He had spent most of his life taking care of himself. He was used to handling his own problems, paying his own bills, and getting through each day without expecting much help from anyone. Nobody had ever depended on him in quite this way, and nobody had ever looked at him as though his presence alone could make such a difference.
Now he had two people who needed him.
He didn’t want to let them down. More than anything, he wanted to become someone they could rely on without having to worry about whether he would be there when they needed him.
He wanted to be worthy of that trust.
After breakfast, Kael returned to his notebook and finally completed his financial plan.
He settled on a monthly savings target, set aside money for emergencies, and listed the expenses he would need to review regularly. There were still questions about his future income, but he had made a reasonable plan based on what he knew so far.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start.
Kael leaned back in his chair and looked over his notes one last time.
"Done."
A familiar chime sounded in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Task Complete: Prepare a Long-Term Financial Plan.]
[Objective: Establish sustainable financial habits and plan for your family’s future.]
[Reward: $5,000.]
[Bonus Reward: Family Care Efficiency increased.]
Kael blinked at the notification.
Five thousand dollars.
He glanced toward the sofa, where Sera was sitting with Noah in her arms. She was talking softly to him, apparently explaining something about the curtains. Neither of them seemed to have noticed anything unusual.
Kael lowered his eyes toward his phone and dismissed the notification.
The money would certainly help, but the bonus reward caught his attention. He brought up its description to see what it did.
[Family Care Efficiency: Your ability to complete ordinary family-care tasks improves slightly. Repeated tasks may become easier with experience.]
Kael read the description twice.
"So even taking care of the baby counts," he murmured.
"What counts?" Sera asked.
Kael looked up. He hadn’t realized she was paying attention.
"Finishing the plan," he replied smoothly. "I feel like I’ve finally got something organized."
"That’s good. Now you can stop staring at that notebook."
"I was thinking the same thing."
He closed the notebook and carried his empty glass to the kitchen.
For once, the system had rewarded him for doing something he already needed to do. He hadn’t needed to fight a monster, take a dangerous risk, or do anything out of the ordinary. He had simply taken the time to make a better plan for his family.
That was something he could get used to.
After rinsing the glass, Kael placed it beside the sink and turned to leave. Before he could take another step, a second notification appeared.
[Ding!]
[New Task: Begin Combat Training.]
[Objective: Complete your first structured training session.]
[Reason: A family’s safety depends on preparation as well as care.]
[Reward: Physical Stat Increase and Basic Combat Mastery progress.]
Kael stared at the notification for several seconds.
He had known that becoming stronger would eventually require more than changing diapers and preparing meals. Still, seeing the task appear made the whole thing feel more real.
He had never been a fighter.
Back in school, he had always avoided trouble whenever possible. He wasn’t particularly athletic, and he had never trained in martial arts. If someone stronger than him decided to start a fight, his first instinct would probably be to get away.
In an ordinary situation, running away wasn’t necessarily a bad choice. There was no reason to risk getting hurt just to prove a point.
But things were different now.
What would happen if someone came after his family? What if he couldn’t get away or find someone to help them? He didn’t want to imagine being in a situation where Sera or Noah needed him and he was powerless to do anything.
Kael looked toward the living room.
Sera was holding Noah against her shoulder, gently patting his back. She glanced down at him and smiled when he made a small sound.
The sight helped settle Kael’s thoughts.
He didn’t want to become strong because he enjoyed fighting. He wanted to be able to stand between his family and anything that threatened them. If getting stronger meant he could protect them when it mattered, then he was willing to put in the work.
"All right," he whispered. "Let’s see what you’ve got."
He focused on the notification, and another message appeared.
[Ding!]
[Combat Training Menu Available.]
[Select a training method:]
[1. Shadow Boxing — No equipment required.]
[2. Basic Swordsmanship — Training equipment required.]
[3. Endurance Training — Physical conditioning.]
[4. Family Training — Combine physical development with family care.]
Kael frowned when he reached the fourth option.
’Family Training?’
The first three options made sense. He could practice punching, learn to use a sword, or work on his endurance. But combining physical training with family care sounded a little strange.
Still, it was the option that interested him most.
He selected it.
[Family Training Selected.]
[This method combines physical development with responsible family care.]
[Training activities will be adjusted according to the host’s current abilities and family circumstances.]
[Important: Family members must remain safe during all training activities.]
Kael read the last message and nodded.
At least the system wasn’t suggesting that he use his newborn son as a dumbbell.
The next notification appeared almost immediately.
[Family Training: Session One.]
[Exercise One: Bodyweight Squats.]
[Repetitions: 20.]
[Exercise Two: Wall Push-Ups.]
[Repetitions: 15.]
[Exercise Three: Marching in Place.]
[Duration: 3 Minutes.]
[Additional Objective: Respond to your family’s needs throughout the session.]
Kael stared at the list.