novelden Chapter 161: Fatherly Thoughts
Chapter 161: Fatherly Thoughts
’Cael having a resurrection ability is quite useful... he’ll be far more valuable than I initially thought.’
That was Adam’s first thought after witnessing the resurrection.
His second thought came shortly after.
’Not to mention, his personality traits make him surprisingly trustworthy...’
Powerful companions were always valuable.
Reliable companions were even more valuable.
But companions who were powerful, reliable, and trustworthy?
In Adam’s opinion, those were far rarer than any legendary weapon or skill
His thoughts drifted toward Leila... the memory of her betrayal still left a bitter feeling in his chest.
Then he thought about another person who just so happened to have actually been secretly betraying humanity...
Evelyn Roth.
The government employee who had accompanied him during parts of his previous life...
’How long had she been keeping secrets from me...’
Having been betrayed twice now, Adam found himself becoming increasingly cautious whenever he met new people.
Trust was becoming difficult...
Perhaps it always had been.
Adam was never particularly skilled at understanding people.
Even in his previous life, he had struggled with social situations.
He understood battlefields, was familiar with tactics, and handled logistics quite well.
Give him a thousand soldiers, and he could organize them efficiently.
Give him a dangerous battlefield, and he could formulate plans within minutes.
Give him a superior officer’s order, and he could execute it flawlessly.
But conversations? Relationships? Understanding the intentions hidden behind smiles and words?
Those were far more difficult...
In fact, Adam had always preferred straightforward situations.
In the battlefield, things were much simpler after all.
An enemy either wanted to kill you or they didn’t.
An objective either succeeded or failed.
There were rules and there was structure that could be understood.
People, however, were unpredictable.
Their thoughts changed and their emotions often carried them away.
Sometimes they betrayed others for reasons Adam couldn’t understand.
Sometimes they sacrificed themselves for reasons he couldn’t understand either.
People were complicated.
Far more complicated than any war he had fought.
Still...
Just because he was bad at understanding others didn’t mean he shouldn’t try.
Perhaps it was finally time to improve his social skills.
The thought felt strangely exhausting.
A notification appeared before him.
[Time Remaining Before the Final Wave: 13 Hours]
Adam immediately pushed his thoughts aside.
There would be time for self-reflection later.
Right now, there was work to do.
The shadow’s form beneath him wavered.
A moment later, Xel’Shaar emerged.
The tall metallic figure knelt respectfully.
"My lord."
Adam nodded.
"How are the situations on the other islands?"
Xel’Shaar immediately responded.
"I have distributed the items you instructed me to purchase, my lord."
"The defensive preparations are progressing smoothly."
"Your brother and sister have also begun taking command of the northern and western islands."
Adam listened carefully.
"The other Stream Hunters did not resist their authority after learning they originated from the Tenth Floor."
Adam wasn’t surprised.
The Tenth Floor carried significant meaning among lower-floor hunters, hence simply revealing that fact was enough to earn respect.
"Good."
He paused.
"How is Guin’s leveling progressing?"
Xel’Shaar’s mechanical eyes gazed at him.
"It is going well, my lord. She has already reached Stone Rank due to the abundance of experience points available on this floor."
Adam nodded.
The Seventh Floor was unusually generous when it came to experience rewards due to the abundance in monster’s during the waves.
Even so, Guin’s progress was impressive.
"If she doesn’t want to fight, don’t force her."
His voice remained firm.
"Ensure her survival, we have no need for a child to fight our battles. Make sure she understands that."
Xel’Shaar tilted his metallic head slightly.
"My lord. Even if you tell her that, I believe the child wishes to fight alongside you."
Adam wasn’t surprised.
"I know. She has grown emotionally attached."
He paused briefly.
"She views me as her father..."
The words felt strange to say... he had never had thoughts of having children, so suddenly being treated like a father was not something he was comfortable with.
Of course, despite that, he had his own thoughts of what a father should truly be like...
"However, a real father would never willingly place his child in danger," Adam said.
Xel’Shaar remained silent for a moment before speaking.
"That child is a prisoner of her own feelings, my lord. Despite the short time she has known you, she has become deeply attached."
His metallic voice softened slightly.
"Perhaps it is because children rarely question their emotions."
Adam didn’t disagree.
He had already noticed the unhealthy nature of Guin’s attachment.
After losing her real father, she had unconsciously transferred those feelings onto him.
She sought comfort and security from someone dependable.
Adam understood that much.
The problem was that he had no idea whether encouraging that attachment would help her or harm her.
He wasn’t a psychologist nor was he an expert in therapy.
He wasn’t even particularly good with children...
’I’ll find a qualified therapist or psychologist to take care of her mental needs later...’
The thought quietly settled in his mind.
Regardless of whether it was helpful or harmful, Guin deserved proper guidance from someone who actually understood these things.
Adam silently added it to the growing list of responsibilities he intended to handle once all of this was over.
Assuming they survived the Final Wave first of course.
[UpTJay_OG has donated 3 Soul Cores]
[UpTJay_OG asks if you plan on taking care of her.]
[Experienced Old Knight says he’s quite fond of a fatherly streamer.]
[Bird Hunter says having an emotional burden will only make one vulnerable.]
"It’s an adult’s responsibility to ensure the safety and mental well-being of children."
Adam answered calmly.
He did not have any personal attachment to Guin.
At least, not yet.
While he acknowledged her future potential and knew she would grow into a capable Stream Hunter, that was not the reason he protected her.
Children were not weapons, nor were they future soldiers waiting to be trained.
At least, that was how Adam viewed things.
A child should be allowed to be a child.
If there was danger, it was the responsibility of adults to stand in front of it... Not the other way around.
[TrickyRabbit has donated 1 Soul Core.]
[TrickyRabbit likes the Streamer’s principles.]
Adam briefly considered his options.
’The Child Welfare Protection Bureau should be re-established by the Government representatives inside the Tower soon...’
In his previous life, several government departments had been rebuilt after humanity adapted to the Stream System.
One of them was a specialized organization responsible for protecting orphaned children and minors who had become Stream Hunters.
Many children had lost their families after the appearance of the Tower.
Naturally, organizations dedicated to their protection eventually became necessary.
’Should I entrust Guin to them instead?’