## Chapter 1537 – The Prodigal Son’s Tale – Demon God of Another World

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Without lying, the only person in all dimensions who could demand nine demigods from another world to bow to him was definitely this man.

Even the legendary Corinthian lord Sisyphus only teased the gods of Olympus. This man boldly demanded a bow.

“Hurry and give your respects to your father-in-law.”

What’s worse, this crazy father was still sitting regally on the cushion with his back to us. What the hell? Why is he acting so important?

The way he was acting, it felt like a Buddha statue had been turned around. And that Buddha statue wasn’t a normal one either… it was the kind that would appear in Gantz.

No. In Confucian culture, it’s acceptable for a daughter-in-law to bow to her father-in-law. But to demand it so brazenly was astonishing. And to receive it while turned away like that was absurd.

He never even mentioned this to me?

“Katt?”
“Hey, Darkie?”

Anyway, they started whispering to me, blocking out the surrounding noise. They all looked bewildered. Like they had seen something incredibly strange.

Actually, anyone would be bewildered.
Because I was bewildered too.

To receive a bow before even saying hello… above all, he knew they were all powerful beings from another world, but he didn’t back down.

What an absurd father.
A madman among madmen.

“Um, what do you mean by bowing? And why is Father-in-law turned away?”
“I-is this… Earth culture?”

Everyone, calm down.

“Well, you see. My father is a bit like that. I didn’t expect him to demand this either… Bowing is just a custom. In Korea, the father-in-law has a pretty high position in the family. And in Korea, there’s a custom of bowing to people in high positions within the family.”

As I explained it step by step, they made “ah” sounds.

“So, it’s a cultural thing? I understand.”

But they only understood the culture, they didn’t look convinced.

“Hey, even if it’s culture, we have our pride. How can we just bow? Can’t we just greet him normally? It’s a bit much to ask us to bow right away.”
“That’s right. The only person we can bow to in this world is you, Katt. We’re not subordinates, we can’t do that.”
“Yes! Even if he’s Katt’s father and our father-in-law, we can’t bow to anyone but Katt!”

They looked dumbfounded and refused to bow. From the start, were they the kind of women who would bow to others? Of course not.

“Okay.”

Big bow, pass.

They came to greet him properly, but what they can’t do, they can’t do.

ㅡTap.

I immediately unmuted myself and spoke.

“Hey, Father? Why are you asking them to bow from the first meeting? They haven’t even greeted you properly yet. Don’t talk about bowing, just accept their greetings.”
“Keuntae, you rascal. When a daughter-in-law comes to see her father-in-law for the first time, she should naturally bow.”

Father was still speaking with his back turned.

“What’s so natural about that? That was in the old days, not anymore. Hurry up and turn around. Who receives a bow with their back turned anyway?”
“…”
“Hurry.”

At those words, Father scratched his head.

“Tch…”

He made a sound as if he was disappointed and turned around. At the same time, he took out a red ginseng stick from his pocket and put it in his mouth.

“…So, I can’t even receive bows from my daughters-in-law anymore.”

Well, if they greeted each other and sincerely acknowledged him as their father-in-law, he could receive a bow, but one thought was firmly in their minds.

Just like I thought.

Whether it’s a father-in-law or a mother-in-law. They only acknowledge them if they can see them and acknowledge them themselves. If he wants to receive a bow, he’ll have to earn their recognition first. That was their common thought.

“The world has changed. A lot. I couldn’t have imagined this in the old days… Now daughters-in-law don’t even bow to their fathers-in-law. Keuntae.”
“Hehehe, stop grumbling. Instead of bowing, I’ll just buy you a truckload of red ginseng. We can do that next time. Next time.”

He couldn’t say anything, so he grumbled and sucked on the red ginseng stick. It was quite amusing.

Getting sulky at his age.

“If you want to receive a bow, you have to earn the recognition of your daughters-in-law first. Right, Father?”
“Isn’t it the father-in-law who gives recognition, not the daughter-in-law? Your grandfather received a bow from your mother. When she went to greet him for the first time.”
“How many years ago was that?”

The world has changed a lot.

“Well… anyway. I’m glad you came. Nine of you… it’s still hard to accept, but what can I do when my eldest son brought you here. I have to accept you all as daughters-in-law in our family.”

Sitting down, Father looked at my wives and said that.

Still, feeling that the real greetings were about to begin, they clasped their hands and stood in a demure posture, slightly nervous.

“You’re all so young.”

No.

In terms of age, Dad can’t even compare.

I’m not kidding, if he acts high and mighty about age in front of my women, he might get scolded for being a young whippersnapper who hasn’t even dried behind the ears.

“I am Kim Mal-soo, your father-in-law. The father of that rascal Keuntae. I heard you all came from foreign… no, another world. But you don’t have to worry about that. No matter where you came from, if my eldest son brought you here, you’re my daughters-in-law.”

He’s making more sense than I thought?

“Well then, why don’t you give your greetings to the elder of the family, this father-in-law.”

Just as I was about to say something, wondering what kind of reaction he would show if I told him their ages, Claudia and Risha suddenly grabbed my shoulders.

“Katt. It’s okay, just stay still for now.”
“Just be quiet for now.”
“No. That young man is acting high and mighty, telling them to give greetings…”

ㅡGrip.

“Katt? Let’s be quiet?”
“Hehehe, won’t you just stay still, it’s okay?”
“Ah.”

My shoulders are starting to hurt.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Claudia, Katt’s first wife.”

Rarely using honorifics, Claudia took a step forward and slightly bowed with a smiling face. Her voice was almost enough to melt the hearts of those who heard it.

“Hmm, she looks like she’s from the Middle East.”

The Middle East.
Let me give you some more explanation.

“It’s kind of similar. She came from a desert in that world. You might not understand if I say this, but see those long ears? She’s a half-Dark Elf.”
“Dark Elf? What’s that?”
“What? Why?”
“Isn’t the skin color of Dark Elves gray?”

This Lineage generation old man.

“No… well. Never mind.”
“Her name is foreign and difficult. Then I’ll call you First Daughter.”

What? First Daughter?

ㅡ…
ㅡ…
ㅡ…

At those words, they reacted for a moment. They reacted for a moment as if they didn’t know how to react at all, then they started managing their expressions again.

“What kind of work did First Daughter do?”
“…Warrior. I did warrior work.”
“You did fighting? Like hunters.”
“…Similar.”
“I see. I understand. Anyway, First Daughter? From today, First Daughter is a member of our Kim family. No matter what happens, you must take good care of Keuntae as his wife. You have to do everything well from the beginning to do well until the end. In life, you have to button the first button well, no matter what it is. In other words, greeting this father-in-law today can be said to be a new beginning. It can be said to be the beginning as a wife, and it can also be said to be the beginning as a daughter-in-law. As a daughter-in-law of our Kim family, you must serve the ancestors well. You have to perform ancestral rites every holiday… As the first daughter, you will have to suffer a lot…”

An absurdly long lecture continued. Sweat started to flow from Claudia’s forehead, who was smiling.

I can’t stand this anymore.

“Hey, Dad.”

The moment I called Dad, Liz quickly pulled my wrist.

“Liz?”
“It’s okay.”
“No, but he’s talking too much.”
“U-um… that’s true. But it’s the first greeting. Even if it’s a bit rude, they say it’s culture. And he’s Katt’s father. It’s polite to listen to everything first, right?”

Liz forced a smile and said that to me.

“Is that so?”

So, they’ve decided to properly greet him first.

Looking at the other women, they looked flustered, but they didn’t seem to be thinking of leaving.

Then let’s wait until they all greet Dad… I’m just following them since they said it’s okay.

No, but that man, once he starts lecturing, there’s no end to it.

* * *

About two hours later, it was Ari’s turn.

“As I keep saying, it’s important to button the first button well, Sixth Daughter. From now on, you, as Keuntae’s husband. And as a daughter-in-law of our family. You must not neglect anything…”

Like a drunk person rambling.

The words are repeated.

“Hey, hey… you’re saying the same thing about buttoning the first button to each and every one of them…”
“Darkie, please save me. My patience is running out.”
“I didn’t know it would be such an uncomfortable place…! He’s been saying the same thing for two hours already! First! First, quickly move on to the next one! I’m going to die of old age like this!”

Finally, Liz grabbed my wrist and shouted, unable to bear it any longer. Of course, it’s in mute mode, so Dad can’t hear it.

“Father? What are you doing, saying the same thing for two hours? Huh? We’ve already heard it all.”
“Each and every time is important…”
“That’s enough. Go quickly. Quickly.”
“Tch…”

That’s how the greeting of buttoning the first button finally ended after two hours.

“Then sit down.”

After the greetings were over, Father finally tried to make us sit down. Until now, he was the only one sitting on a cushion, and now he’s telling us to sit on the bare floor.

“Why is he the only one using a cushion! Hey! Keun-soo! Bring ten cushions! No! Bring as many as there are people!”

Surprisingly, Mom, Keun-soo, and Keun-mi were all waiting in different rooms.

“Uh, uh! Hyung! We don’t have that many cushions at home!”

ㅡCreak!

Keun-soo carefully said, opening the door.

“What kind of house doesn’t have cushions!”
“Oh my, is that Katt’s younger brother?”
“Yeah. That’s Keun-soo.”

ㅡWhoosh!

Immediately, their gazes turned to Keun-soo.

“Uh, uh… H-hello…”

ㅡThud.

He immediately closed the door.

“Wow. Now that I compare them, they really don’t look alike at all.”
“But it seems like some of the old Saint’s appearance is still there.”
“Well. He’s a bit similar to the old Darkie. But he looks too much like an old man.”
“Keun-soo is an old man.”

Anyway, since there were no cushions, I roughly made cushions myself.

ㅡWhoosh.

“Sit.”

That’s how we sat facing Father.

“As I said again, the first button…”
“First button cut, damn it. Dad. If you say that again, I’ll confiscate your red ginseng.”
“Keuntae, you rascal, you won’t let me say anything. Well. That’s fine. So, when are my daughters planning to have children?”

The topic of children suddenly burst out.

“Excuse me?”
“Pardon?”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
“A, a child?”

Their eyes widened and their faces turned slightly red. About half of them covered their mouths with their hands.

“Shouldn’t you show this father-in-law a grandchild soon? If you’re a daughter-in-law, you should…”
“Hey, Dad. Are you suddenly going to say something weird?”
“Ahem. Weird things. Isn’t seeing grandchildren important in any culture? Keuntae, you be quiet.”
“What do you mean be quiet. Don’t ask weird things, talk about something else. I’ll take care of that myself.”
“Keuntae, you little rascal! You keep interrupting everything this father says! Keuntae, that rascal, has never listened since the old days!”
“Why are you suddenly yelling again. It’s because Dad keeps saying weird things.”
“Is that something to say when this father wants to see a grandchild!”
“I’ll make a hundred or a thousand grandchildren, so don’t worry. Okay?”
“A hu-hundred?”
“Yeah.”
“…Then I’ll forgive you.”

Forgive me here?

“Hoo… anyway, the holidays are coming soon. Keuntae. You’re not going to say you’re not going down for the holidays, are you.”

I’m not going.

Why would I go?

“So, I think I should see your skills before you go down. Daughters. Look at this father-in-law’s face.”
“…Yes?”
“I’ve prepared the ingredients. Let’s see your skills in making jeon.”

ㅡCrack!

I heard the sound of blood vessels popping out of their foreheads.