Esper Harem in the Apocalypse

Chapter 734 Childern Issues

Rudy was in the bathtub— naked, while Eleanor was sitting on Rudyʼs lap in the bathtub— clothed.

”Is everything okay? You havenʼt said anything in a while now.”

”I am just processing everything and… what comes ahead.”

”If you knew that Eric and Erika are your kids, why would you still ask me if they were ours?”

”I just thought of the possibility that they were adopted. As crazy as it sounds… I am my best friendʼs father. If he wasnʼt my kid, I could still continue being his best friend, but no, I canʼt even look him in the eyes.

As you said, I had a faint guess that you were Eleanor, but I didnʼt want to admit it. And when you asked me to impregnate you, it made me wonder if this is how things were going to work out.

I realized that if I didnʼt impregnate you, Eric and Erika would never be born. They are an important part of my life, and I couldnʼt risk losing them. Had it been someone else whom I wasnʼt acquainted with, I couldnʼt have cared less, but then again, I wouldnʼt have been so hesitant to impregnate you if that was the case.”

”I guess…”

”We should tell Eric and Erika about me… about us… everything. When will Erika return?”

”Soon. But I donʼt want to tell them everything.”

”Are you seriously throwing all that on me? I canʼt do it alone… come on.”

”No… I donʼt want to tell them anything. Neither do I want you to tell them.”

”Wait, you plan to keep it a secret? Elena, you know I canʼt do that. Itʼs too much. Eric and Erika deserve to know everything. They are my children. They are the Lordʼs children.”

”They are Rudyʼs children,” Eleanor corrected RUdy.

”Itʼs the same thing.”

”Maybe for you. I want to keep my children away from all this. I donʼt want our children to be exposed to this madness.”

”What madness are you talking about?”

”Everything… the truth. The Lord and the powers… the worlds… the races… magic… everything. I donʼt want Eric and Erika to be involved in all this.”

”How else are we supposed to explain to them? How will I tell them about time travel and how we met in the past?”

”Did you not hear a word I just said? I donʼt want to tell them anything!”

”So you plan to keep them in the dark? Elena, I know this must be tough for you, but believe me… itʼs tougher for me. And my conscience will feel guilty if I donʼt tell them the truth.”

”Is that all?”

”What?”

”Why do I think that you will feel guilty because you see me as your best friendʼs mother and not as your childrenʼs mother?”

”Thatʼs partly the reason, yes. And thatʼs why we have to tell them.”

”We donʼt have to. Please… Rudy. Canʼt you do that for me? I have done so much for you. Please?”

”You canʼt use the ʼpleaseʼ card like this. I know you raised them all by yourself, and you naturally have more authority over them than I did, but… if we donʼt tell them…. then every time I look at them… I will feel… I will feel like shit, honestly.”

Rudy stuttered a little as he said that.

”Is that the only reason?”

”Yes.”

”Then the solution is simple.”

”Please donʼt tell me that I just donʼt have to look at them to feel that way, because thatʼs extremely impossible.”

”They wonʼt be present for you to look at them.”

”Whatʼs that supposed to mean?”

”Erika will return home soon, but she is most likely coming for a short vacation. She will pursue higher studies overseas, so you wonʼt meet her that often. As for Eric, he will also go to the university overseas next year. So the problem is solved, right?”

”Mind you, we are still in the first year of high school.”

”Thatʼs for others, not for smarties like you and your son.”

”Hmm?”

”Because of the apocalypse and the pandemic, five years were wasted. There are eighteen years old who are enrolling in middle school. The education system is more messed up than it ever was.

The world education organization has devised a plan to avoid destroying studentsʼ futures. They will conduct a special exam for the students who have met the required age and have an eligible IQ to take that exam.

If students pass that exam, they can skip their way to the university. Erika is already in the university without even giving that exam. While you, your son, and Alice can give that exam and enroll in a university of your choice without wasting your precious youth years.”

”First of all, I havenʼt heard anything about such an exam. And second, would you please stop referring to Eric as my son?”

”But he is your son.”

”But you donʼt have to taunt me. Why do you like teasing the ʼfragile and weak-heartedʼ me so much?”

”Ah!” Eleanor scoffed softly and rolled her eyes. ”Yes, weak-hearted.”

”Leave it. I am sure you will just tease me more the more I react.”

”So…” Eleanor looked into Rudyʼs eyes and asked, ”Now you have no problems, right?”

”I mean… yes, but I seriously think we should tell them, Elena. Donʼt you think they should know?” he asked calmly.

”If I wanted to tell them, I would have told them when they were kids. Whenever they asked me about their father, I told them that he had gone somewhere. If I wanted, I could have told them that their father died before they were born.”

”...”

”And they would have believed me. But I didnʼt want to lie to them. So I told them the truth. Yes, they hate their father, but itʼs not the hate you think it is. Also, they might start hating you, too, if they learn the truth.

Your friendly relationship with them will shatter. You will lose both of them from your life.” Eleanor held Rudyʼs face in her hands and continued, ”If you think itʼs best to tell them everything, then you are wrong. Telling them the truth would do more harm than good.”

Rudy pondered for a while and nodded, ”Okay.”