Chapter 2: A Father’s Awakening and the Quest for Tiya

The character he inhabited within Trasil served as the very vessel for his soul, rendering him, in a profound sense, both a transmigrator and a reborn being.

His soul had merged seamlessly with this vessel, yet he harbored no additional memories of a past life; the game character was merely a shell, and all the memories he possessed were those he had personally experienced.

Through the information a deity had left inscribed upon the ring, Lynne discovered that he hadn’t merely transmigrated to the current version of the world, but had been sent back half a year before its official public launch.

In essence, Lynne had journeyed back in time.

Yet, for reasons unknown, his daughter Vivian, who should have been born only in the future, had inexplicably followed him into the past.

Lynne suddenly recalled the deity’s voice.

After all, if they could transport his soul to another world, bringing his daughter along to the past would be a simple matter.

Vivian’s ring, too, had been left by the deity, meant to be given to Lynne only after he awakened.

According to Vivian, she had been sleeping in her father’s arms when she awoke in this unfamiliar place, a strange voice echoing in her ears.

It was only when Lynne failed to recognize her that Vivian, in a moment of panic, remembered the instructions that voice had given her.

“So that’s it,” Lynne murmured, a sudden realization dawning on him. “No wonder they said they hoped I’d like this gift. Hmm… I truly do.”

He re-examined Vivian, his gaze finally catching her perfectly isosceles-triangle-shaped ears and the delicate tear mole at the corner of her eye—distinctive features that were undeniably Tiya’s aesthetic preferences.

Her beautiful, silky silver-white hair, and eyes like shimmering rubies, were, conversely, Lynne’s preferences.

Vivian’s exquisite features had been meticulously crafted by Lynne and Tiya in the game, each incorporating the other’s aesthetic tastes.

Lynne favored silver hair and crimson eyes, while Tiya had a penchant for elves.

Their combined preferences were perfectly embodied in Vivian; though still a child, she already possessed the subtle grace of a budding beauty.

Both Tiya and Lynne had painstakingly sculpted their own characters, earning them at least a ninety-eight percent approval rating in the game, and as their progeny, Vivian was naturally destined to be even more beautiful than her parents.

Moreover, Lynne could feel a strange, profound connection of bloodline between himself and Vivian.

Recalling his earlier actions towards Vivian, Lynne’s face clouded with guilt:

“Vivian, Daddy was wrong just now. Will you forgive Daddy?”

Having finally understood everything, Lynne, now in what felt like a ‘daughter-coaxing crematorium’ , offered his sincerest apologies.

(TL Note: A Chinese internet slang term referring to a situation where a father has upset his daughter and must go to extreme lengths to appease her, often involving profuse apologies and pampering, akin to being metaphorically ‘cremated’ by her anger)

Perhaps it was the sheer realism of Trasil, but his young daughter already bore a faint resemblance to his Childhood friend when she was upset, needing extensive coaxing before she would speak to him again.

“Ah, like mother, like daughter indeed,” Lynne sighed softly, a hint of helplessness in his voice.

It was a peculiar sensation; though he and his Childhood friend hadn’t yet married or even had children in reality, he felt as if he had been married for years.

This was all due to Trasil’s uncanny realism; now that the game had become reality, every word and action of his would influence his daughter.

Lynne furrowed his brow, beginning to ponder his image in Vivian’s eyes.

This was, after all, a real world now; in the original game, raising a daughter could be delegated to the system, with her future stats and personality determined simply by completing various events.

Now, however, that was impossible.

Even the slightest gesture would shape his daughter’s worldview.

Vivian had already mastered his Childhood friend’s tactics for manipulating him.

What would she be like when she grew up?

He had to correct this immediately!

But… how?

Lynne, having just roused himself, slumped back into dejection.

He had no children in reality, and now, suddenly faced with a daughter he had to raise personally, he was utterly bewildered about how to proceed.

Fortunately, they had skipped the most arduous toddler stage; Vivian could now speak, was adorable, and could understand adults, making this the ideal period.

‘Ah, raising a child is so difficult…’ he mused. ‘If a burly man like me raises her, she’ll probably just turn into a muscular female warrior, won’t she?’

If only Tiya were here; his gentle Childhood friend would surely do a better job than him.

With this thought, Lynne cradled Vivian’s arms in his hands, then lifted her high into the air.

“Up, up you go~”

Vivian’s soft, sweet laughter echoed in Lynne’s ears.

Lynne gazed up, his eyes softening as he watched Vivian’s innocent smile blossom.

‘My daughter, Tiya’s and mine… grow up healthy and happy, alright?’

‘Even so, to have made such a lovely daughter cry just now… I’m truly a terrible father.’

Guilt-ridden, Lynne resolved that from this moment on, he would ensure Vivian’s smiles, and any scoundrel who dared to make her cry would be vanquished by him!

In that moment, Lynne felt the dormant ‘old father’s soul’  within him gradually stirring to life.
(TL Note: A Chinese internet slang term, ‘lao fù qīn zhī hún,’ referring to the protective and doting paternal instincts that awaken in a person, often used humorously)

“Vivian… shall Daddy take you to find Mommy?” Lynne asked softly after setting Vivian down.

“Yes! I miss Mommy so much!” Vivian’s eyes lit up brightly.

She excitedly flung her arms open and rushed into Lynne’s embrace. “Daddy, let’s go find Mommy!”

Lynne picked up his daughter and rose, glancing around.

The most crucial task at hand was to ascertain their current location.

Through the information the deity had preserved via the ring, Lynne knew Tiya should have transmigrated to this same place as him.

However, because her character had been logged out inside a dungeon, her teleportation had gone awry.

Only Lynne had arrived in this place, the Forest of Xi’en.

“It seems logging out directly in a secret realm after completing a dungeon is a bad habit,” Lynne chuckled softly.

Now that he had confirmed his Childhood friend had also transmigrated to this world, his lingering unease vanished, for Lynne firmly believed he would find her.

“Whenever I used to go to work, Tiya would cling to me, whimpering and pouting for ages before she’d let me leave…”

A doting smile played on Lynne’s lips.

“We can’t let Tiya wait too long, or she’ll start shedding ‘little pearls’.”

(TL Note: A Chinese colloquialism referring to tears, especially those shed by a beloved person, implying a preciousness to their sadness)

Lynne’s eyes flickered with fond memories of his simple yet warm past with his Childhood friend, and his lips curved upwards involuntarily.

“Vivian, you’re a big girl now; it’s time to learn to walk by yourself. Daddy will hold your hand.”

Lynne gently placed his daughter on the ground.

Though this was his first time raising a child, he understood the importance of not spoiling her excessively, especially now that this was a real world devoid of the game system’s assistance; he needed to be even more cautious.

For Lynne, who had grown up in an orphanage, raising a child felt more challenging than any legendary quest.

Yet—

“But Daddy, you always used to carry me,” Vivian said, tears welling up in her eyes instantly, leaving Lynne dumbfounded.

“That was then, and this is now. Vivian is a big girl, and if you don’t exercise, you’ll get chubby~” Lynne said, stroking his daughter’s hair.

However, the head-patting that usually worked wonders on Vivian had no effect this time.

Vivian indignantly swatted Lynne’s hand away, her little mouth pursed. “Vivian isn’t chubby!”

“Mean Daddy!” Vivian huffed, turning her head away, refusing to acknowledge her scratching-his-head father.

‘Huh… she just said she loved Daddy most, and now she’s completely turned?’

‘Children truly are fickle.’

Yet, Lynne keenly observed that Vivian hadn’t said ‘most,’ implying she was merely angry, and deep down, she still loved Daddy the most.

With this thought, Lynne broke into a benevolent smile.

Though he told himself not to spoil his child excessively, his body instinctively picked Vivian up.

“Hehe, I love Daddy most!”

Seeing Vivian’s triumphant smile, Lynne let out a helpless sigh.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that this behavior was remarkably familiar, faintly echoing Tiya.

‘What strange things did Tiya teach our daughter after I logged off?!’

“Daddy! Why isn’t Mommy with us?” Vivian asked, her tone innocent and naive.

“Why, Vivian, do you remember the story of Sleeping Beauty I told you?”

Vivian’s big eyes sparkled brightly, and she nodded emphatically. “I remember!”

“Mommy is currently asleep due to some unexpected circumstances, so Daddy is going to go and kiss Mommy awake.”

“What about me?”

Lynne ruffled his daughter’s hair, smiling as he said, “Once Mommy wakes up, Vivian can give Mommy a big hug, alright?”

“Alright…!” Vivian beamed a sweet smile.

Lynne, having awoken in the Forest of Xi’en, the elven starting land, embarked on his journey to find his wife, his daughter by his side.