Family Man System: Taking Care Of My Family Makes Me OP

Chapter 28: Need to get stronger

After Elara had been tucked in and fallen asleep, Jean finished preparing the first course and arranged everything neatly on the table.

She began with soupy meat buns, accompanied by a refreshing orange drink made from freshly squeezed orange pulp.

They enjoyed the first dishes together while the rest of the meal continued to be prepared in the kitchen.

"Mm, this is nice," Kai said appreciatively after taking his first bite.

The bun was pleasantly chewy yet soft, with a tender texture that yielded easily beneath his teeth. The meat filling was rich and flavorful, its savory taste balanced by just the right amount of salt.

Paired with the slightly citrusy and sweet drink, it made for a surprisingly delightful appetizer. The lightness of the meal also made it easy to enjoy without feeling overly full.

"I learned how to make them during my time in the dormitory," Jean explained. "We used to make them quite often because preparing a large batch was easy."

They had rarely filled them with meat back then. Since Jean happened to have the necessary ingredients today, however, she had allowed herself to be a little more generous with the filling.

Kai nodded, clearly pleased with the idea.

"I would love to have these as my go-to breakfast every morning. They’re easy to eat without even needing to sit down."

Jean gave him a faint smile.

"Then I’ll make them for you again."

Kai paused briefly, but when he saw Jean return her attention to the food, he decided not to read too much into her words.

Just then, his gaze fell upon Elara.

"Should we take her to a pediatrician?" he asked. "I mean, for a routine checkup?"

Kai had read online that babies under eighteen months generally needed to see a pediatrician every few months, even when there were no obvious signs of illness.

At Elara’s age, her body was still developing rapidly, and she was only beginning to learn how to interact with the world around her. If something was wrong, she would not necessarily understand it herself. More importantly, she was still too young to tell them what was troubling her.

"I’m also a little concerned that she gets tired so easily," Jean said, voicing a worry of her own. "Even though she doesn’t crawl around the house as much as I’ve heard children her age usually do."

Kai nodded thoughtfully.

"Tomorrow, when we go out to look at houses, we’ll visit a doctor as well. I’ll make an appointment."

Jean agreed, but a moment later, she suddenly flinched as though remembering something important.

"The sauce. I need to check it."

She quickly rose from her seat and hurried toward the kitchen.

Kai leaned back, his attention settling on Elara.

Hopefully, everything was fine with their daughter.

Just then, a notification flashed before his eyes.

[Congratulations on naming your child.]

[As a congratulatory reward, the system has awarded you: $77,777.]

Kai barely had time to process the message before his phone buzzed in his hand.

It was a text from his bank, confirming that the money had already been credited to his account.

Seventy thousand...

And as if that wasn’t enough, another notification appeared.

[This is your first major step toward accepting your role as a guardian.]

[Reward: Family Bond]

[Rank: SS]

[Description: A special skill born from the Host’s connection with his family.]

[Effect: The Host can sense the general condition and emotional state of his immediate family members, regardless of distance.]

[As the Host’s bond with his family grows stronger, the skill will gradually develop additional effects.]

[Task: Feed your child for the first time.]

[Reward: Void Sword]

[Rank: S]

Kai had prepared himself not to react when the rewards arrived. He had expected something unusual from the system by now, yet none of that preparation mattered.

He could only stare, his mouth hanging open as he took in the rewards before him.

The monetary reward alone was already ridiculous.

But a sword?

An S-rank sword, no less, simply for feeding his daughter for the first time?

What kind of system gave rewards like this?

His curiosity soon settled on the skill, and he asked, ’What does Family Bond do? Like, I can sense their emotional condition or something?’

[Indeed, Host. Regardless of how far away you are or where you are, you will instantly know if your partner or child is in distress or danger. As your bond grows stronger, you will also be able to conjure a barrier for them from anywhere, along with additional buffs.]

Damn.

This was easily the best reward he could have received, especially considering how much he had been worrying about them lately.

Dungeons could spawn anywhere, and Kai intended to start raiding them in the near future. Once he entered a dungeon, there would be no reliable way for him to contact his family, nor would he have any idea what might be happening outside.

With this skill, however, he would immediately know if his family was in danger. Even if he was deep inside a dungeon, he could respond the moment something went wrong.

’But how am I supposed to react when I’m weak myself?’

Kai bit his lower lip, his gaze fixed on his sleeping daughter.

"What happened, Kai?" Jean suddenly asked when she noticed his furrowed brows and tense posture.

Kai slowly relaxed. Shaking his head, he replied, "Nothing."

Jean remained worried, but she did not press him further. She trusted that if something was truly concerning, Kai would tell her.

As she began serving the main course, Kai spoke up.

"After dinner, I’ll be going out for an hour or two."

Jean hummed softly and glanced at the time.

"Is there something urgent?"

Kai nodded.

Yes.

There was.