My Dad is Too Strong-Chapter 331

Chapter 331
The Raden Continent, one of the Encroached dimensions, had a distinctly Western aesthetic, almost medieval in nature. It was a land steeped in ancient history and had always maintained a centralized ruling structure.
As part of his investigation of the Core, Do-Jun occasionally traversed the vast continent, and now, somehow, he found himself face-to-face with the emperor. Even Do-Jun found the situation surprising.
The emperor said, “On behalf of all the people of the Raden Continent, I express my deepest gratitude. Without you, the people of the southern regions would have suffered greatly at the hands of the monster horde. If you are willing, I would like to bestow upon you a noble title...”
An army of monsters had suddenly invaded the southern regions of Raden. The attack had been so abrupt that the residents were on the verge of mass slaughter until Do-Jun happened to pass by and wiped out the entire horde.
Word of this reached none other than Emperor Willius of the Imperial Court.
Do-Jun had not initially intended to meet the emperor. However, once he learned that the emperor was connected to Kiriel, he decided it was necessary.
“That won’t be necessary,” Do-Jun replied. “As I mentioned, I did not act for recognition or reward. And as I’ve also stated, I am not from this continent. I come from another dimension known as Earth.”
At first, Willius found the claim unbelievable. Another dimension? The Imperial Master of Magic had dismissed such a notion as magically impossible. However, something about Do-Jun’s words convinced the emperor he was not lying.
His clothing alone was unlike anything found on the continent. Then there were the strange objects Do-Jun carried—things he called a “smartphone” and “SpacePad”—devices unlike anything he had ever seen before, even with the most advanced magic.
Could this be related to the Deep Realm?
Wilius wondered.
When someone died within the Core, they were returned to the Encroached dimension from which they came. And in doing so, all their memories of the Core were erased. However, in the Central Plains, there were two known exceptions—Guang Le and Yao Ping. They alone retained their memories after leaving the Core, and both had one thing in common: they had received the Blessing of the Deep Realm from a lake within the Deep Realm.
Do-Jun met the emperor’s gaze and said, “I heard you have a son.”
Upon hearing those words, a shadow crossed Willius’ face. Yes, the emperor had once had a son—a boy born to a sickly empress who had left the world too soon. Perhaps because of this, Willius had cherished him even more, raising him with the greatest care and affection.
A bitter smile crossed the emperor’s lips as he replied, “I... did. But he is missing. No one knows where he has gone.”
Willius had dispatched knights across the entire continent to find his son, but not a single trace had been found. One day, Kiriel had simply vanished without a trace. Whether he had been swallowed by the earth or taken to the skies, no one knew. The emperor grew silent, momentarily lost in memories of the time he had spent with his son.
“He was, above all else, a kind child,” he finally remarked.
Do-Jun sincerely wanted to help the father and son reunite, but he couldn’t. No one, apart from himself, could set foot in an Encroached dimension once they had been claimed by it. The pain of losing an only son must have been unbearable.
Do-Jun spoke again. “Was your son’s name Kiriel?”
The emperor’s eyes widened in shock.
Of course, as the emperor’s son, Kiriel’s name was well-known. But that was limited to the continent. Hearing it from a stranger’s mouth, especially a complete outsider, was something entirely different.
Noting the emperor’s reaction, Do-Jun pulled out his smartphone and opened his photo gallery. He tapped on a picture and turned the screen toward the emperor. It was a photo of Kiriel reading a storybook to Byeol.
The emperor’s eyes widened even more. There was no doubt in his heart—the young man in the picture was definitely his son.
His son had grown up.
***
“T-this is from my f-father?” Kiriel asked in disbelief.
Do-Jun nodded.
Still in disbelief, he carefully examined the parchment letter he had been given. It was made of vellum, its texture unmistakable. The wax seal on the back was still slightly damp, as if it had only recently been stamped. For a brief moment, Kiriel remembered the day he was transported to the Core. Back then, his father had fallen from Sky Island to his death. He had spent countless days drowning in sorrow, guilt, and grief.
But now—a letter from him?
A broad smile spread across Kiriel’s face as he broke the seal without hesitation. As he unfolded the parchment, a single photograph slipped out. It was a portrait of Emperor Willius sitting on his throne. Feeling his vision blur with sudden tears, Kiriel turned his attention to the letter.
The elegant script was written in Raden’s formal language.
To my beloved son,
The moment I learned you were alive, I was overwhelmed with joy.
I had long given up hope after your disappearance. So, I cannot express how much relief I felt when a man named Lee Do-Jun brought me your news.
To hear that you are doing well on a continent called Earth... nothing could make me happier.
.
.
.
Though we cannot meet, I am grateful that we can at least exchange letters.
I’ll leave it at that for now and wait for your reply.
Kiriel quietly wiped away his tears. These were not tears of sorrow but of happiness. His father was alive and well in the Raden Continent. What could bring more joy than that?
“My king, are you aware of what my father implies when he says we cannot meet?”
Do-Jun closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again.
“Because one cannot cross between Earth and the Raden Continent,” he said simply. “I’m sorry.”
“No... You have no reason to apologize, my king. If anything, I am grateful to you for delivering this news.” Kiriel bowed deeply to show his gratitude.
Had it been possible, Do-Jun would have reunited them already—Kiriel was certain of that. If he said it was impossible, then it truly was.
“Let me know when you finish writing your reply. I’ll deliver it to him.” Do-Jun offered.
***
“You’re writing a letter to your father back home?” Hakase asked, surprised.
“That’s right, Lizard! Check out my incredible handwriting!” Kiriel held up his parchment with pride.
Of course, Hakase had no knowledge of Raden’s written language. But just at first glance, the writing itself looked... atrocious. When thinking of the expression “chicken scratches,” this was probably what people imagined. Still, just for today, Hakase chose not to criticize him.
Kiriel looked happy, happier than Hakase had ever seen him before.
With a smirk, Hakase asked, “So, does Raden have good food?”
“Of course! You haven’t lived until you’ve tried the apple pie from the Jordans Market.”
“Oh? Sounds like you’re pretty confident. Is it better than Earth’s food?”
“Well, it’s still delicious.”
Hakase stifled another laugh. That probably meant Earth’s food was better.
Still, he was genuinely curious about Kiriel’s homeland. What kind of place was it? What would it feel like to visit a friend’s home? He imagined it would be fun and exciting, even. However, according to Kiriel, only Do-Jun could access it for now, which was why Kiriel could only write letters.
***
Kiriel strolled through the city streets, holding up his smartphone and snapping photos of various sights.
A street lined with trees, their leaves vividly colored in autumn shades. Tall skyscrapers reaching into the sky. Cars racing along the roads. None of these things could be found on the Raden Continent.
Then, in the distance, Kiriel spotted Byeol toddling toward him. And there was a Horned Squirrel too. With a chuckle, he snapped a picture of the two approaching figures. Even though it was just a quick shot, it turned out amazing.
The moment Byeol spotted Kiriel, she quickened her pace. Kiriel scooped her up and planted playful kisses on her cheeks.
“Kirieh! What are you doing?” Byeol asked happily.
“Taking pictures.”
“Take a picture of me too!”
“I already took a really good one.”
Kiriel gently set Byeol back down. He wanted to spend more time with her, but there were still many places he needed to visit. He had to stop by the central shopping district and then the Fissure, where his comic book café was.
This time, he intended to write down everything in a letter, every word he hadn’t been able to say before. He wanted to tell his father about the world he lived in, the people he had met, and how wonderful a place Earth was.
***
Emperor Willius had been waiting longingly for a letter from his son. Do-Jun handed him a shopping bag filled with letters and photographs. The letter paper was as large as a full sheet, and there were over two hundred photos, likely developed at a photo studio.
Clutching Do-Jun’s hands, the emperor murmured, “Thank you.”
His voice trembled with emotion, and his eyes turned red. There was no need for fancy words. Anyone could see how desperately the emperor had been waiting for this letter and how deeply grateful he was.
As he read the letter and looked through the photos, his expression changed constantly. Smiling, then on the verge of tears. Smiling again, only to become melancholic once more. A family member so close yet impossibly far away. There were no words to describe that longing.
For some reason, Do-Jun felt as if he could understand Emperor Willius’s emotions, at least a little.
It wasn’t until the emperor finished reading every letter and looking through every photo that he finally let out a deep breath. Sure, Kiriel’s personality seemed to have changed a little, but he was still the heir to the throne, and more than that, he was his son. The emperor felt nothing but relief that he was alive.
“Thank you,” he said once more.
Do-Jun gave him a silent nod, then his thoughts drifted.
The Raden Continent and the Central Plains were merely fragments of dimensions that had been Encroached upon. Many other planets had suffered the same fate of being swallowed by the Core. Tracking them all down and fixing their problems, while technically possible for him, was an almost insurmountable task.
“Someday, you will meet in person,” Do-Jun said. “Not quite soon, but one day.”
“For now, letters and photographs are more than enough to be grateful for,” Wilius said.
Even so, slowly but surely, things were changing. Do-Jun walked forward, step by step, with each step meaningful. A better today than yesterday. A better tomorrow than today. That change was happening within Do-Jun as well. His world was gradually filling with more and more precious people. And that was certainly something to be happy about.
“I should be going now,” he said to the emperor.
“Take care.”
“Oh, and this.” Do-Jun reached into Ivela’s Pouch and pulled something out. At first glance, it resembled a strawberry, though it was noticeably larger.
“This is a fruit called Darian. Please try it.” With that, Do-Jun vanished.
The emperor inspected the Darian, turning it over in his hands before taking a bite. A burst of tangy juice spread across his tongue. The flavor was stronger than a strawberry, more intense and vivid.
The next day, rumors spread like wildfire that the emperor’s hair had become astonishingly thick and full. Balding ministers flocked to him in droves, begging to know his secret.