American comics: Damn it, I’m surrounded by those who worry about their fathers!.

Chapter 1131 Machima: I love you, Daddy
After saying goodbye to everyone, Peter stood in front of the manor gate, watching as portals lit up and closed in the courtyard.

Sunlight fell on his face, and Peter squinted, feeling the morning breeze.

Alfred appeared quietly beside him. "A successful party, sir."

"Thank you, Alfred. None of this would have been possible without your help."

“It is my honor,” the old butler bowed slightly. “Breakfast is ready, and Master Wayne and everyone are waiting for you.”

Peter nodded, took one last look at the empty courtyard, and turned to walk into the manor.

Ceressa and Bobo ran happily toward him.

Peter opened his arms and reached out to hug his two daughters.

The matter was finally over, and his tense nerves relaxed.

After having breakfast at Wayne Manor, Peter led the Fathers of Sorrow, along with Ciri, Artoria, and others, back to Padrick Farm.

night.

The farm stood quietly in the night.

Moonlight streamed through the high windows, casting dappled shadows on the corridor.

Peter gently closed Machima's door and prepared to leave.

The day's hustle and bustle finally came to an end, and he prepared to go back to his room to relax his tired mind.

Although the Barbatos Dragon was defeated, his worries about the future still troubled him.

The rupture of the Wall of Origin, the disappearance of the Book of Dreams, the undetectable deaths of the Endless Clan and the Sleep Demon... these terrible things kept swirling in his mind.

Just as Peter turned to leave, a soft voice came from inside the door.

"dad?"

Peter heard the sound, stopped, and pushed the door open again.

Machima sat on the bed, her orange-red hair shimmering in the moonlight, her eyes appearing exceptionally clear.

"What's wrong, sweetheart? Did you have a nightmare?"

Peter walked to the bedside, squatted down, and asked Machima softly.

Although Peter knew that the future Machima would be a "bad woman," she was just a child now, and Peter had no prejudice against her.

After all, this kid is still young, and maybe he can be raised well like Ah Zu in the future.

Machima shook her head and patted the bed beside her: "Can you talk to me? I want to know about my father's story."

Peter paused for a moment, then smiled and sat down.

"Of course, what would you like to know?"

Machima tilted her head, her expression as innocent as a curious child: "I want to know, why did Daddy adopt so many children? Is it because he especially likes children?"

When Peter heard Machima's question, he didn't answer immediately, but instead asked in return, "What do you think?"

“I don’t know,” Machima said softly, her fingers unconsciously twirling a strand of red hair. “Dad, do you love them?”

Peter paused for a moment, then nodded. "Of course, Dad loves all of you."

"Dad, is this kind of love also a form of control? Like a mother's love for her child, a mother loves her child, but hopes that the child will never leave her."

Machima's question startled Peter.

He gazed at Machima, and for a fleeting moment, a slight tremor ran through his heart.

This brat is still a toddler, and he can already ask such questions?

"of course not."

Peter organized his thoughts, then shook his head and said.

He reached out and tidied the stray hairs on Machima's forehead. "That kind of domination in the name of love is twisted and immoral. My love for Azu, Seresa, and Bao Bao has never been like that."

Machima's lips curled up slightly as she hugged the doll in her hands tightly.

“Dad, I don’t think morality is that important. Although everyone says they like kind and upright people, in reality, people don’t really care about a person’s moral standards.”

Peter frowned, sensing that the conversation was taking an unexpected turn.

Machima continued speaking, expressing her thoughts.

"They admire traits related to survival skills, such as being able to manipulate people's hearts, which means they are intelligent and charismatic; being able to speak rudely without restraint, which means they are capable; being fond of fighting, which means they are good at bullying others; and indiscriminately killing innocent people, which means they are good at killing people."

“Machima, this idea—”

"at the same time."

Machima wasn't interrupted by Peter. "People hate the 'weak' who aren't good at surviving, magnifying their flaws and portraying them as heinous sinners, while the real sinners can be innocent, adorably wicked little angels and devils."

So, Dad.

Machima's voice remained calm, "Human survival is inherently about devouring lives weaker than oneself. So-called morality is merely an agreement reached under the premise that individuals can contend with each other, and it is inevitably biased towards the stronger party."

After Machima finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence.

Peter stared at Machima, trying to find a trace of a joke in her angelic face.

But all he seemed to see was a bottomless darkness.

Does this child lack normal human emotions?
Peter frowned and fell into deep thought.

If that's the case, it means that Machima, the "father of worries," is much more troublesome than reforming Azu.

"Machima".

After composing himself, Peter took a deep breath, sat down on the edge of the bed, and looked her in the eye. "You're wrong, and very wrong."

Machima tilted her head slightly, her expression still innocent: "Why, Daddy?"

"Because what you call 'people worship traits related to survival ability' is just a superficial appearance."

Peter said to her in a gentle voice, “Human society may indeed be briefly misled by powerful forces at times, but history will always remember those who use power to protect others and create value.”

Machima nodded, but didn't say anything.

"You say morality is an agreement made by the strong."

Peter continued, “But true morality—compassion, justice, honesty, responsibility—these values ​​reside at the core of every human society, not because they serve the strong, but because they make us ‘human.’”

What are the benefits of being a 'human'?

Machima asked softly, a hint of genuine confusion flashing in her eyes, “Humans are so fragile, bound by so many rules and restrictions. Just like this Barbatos invasion, people’s fragile minds are easily controlled.”

Peter gazed at Machima and reached out to gently stroke her hair.

There was no other way. Although he knew that what this brat said about the survival of the fittest made a lot of sense, Peter still had to instill some truth, goodness, and beauty in her.

Otherwise, he feared that his youngest daughter would suffer the consequences of her evil deeds and be turned into a dish.

(At the end of the manga, Machima was made into ginger stir-fry by the male protagonist Denji, who also said the famous line, "So this is what Machima tastes like..." — It is said that after the manga ended, ginger stir-fry was sold out in Japanese convenience stores.)
"The benefit of being a 'human' is that you can experience connection."

Peter's voice softened, "When you stop seeing others as objects to be dominated or defeated, but as equal individuals, you will discover a power more powerful than control—love."

Machima frowned slightly: "Isn't love just a more advanced form of control? You say you love them, so you want them to grow up according to your expectations, right, Dad?"

Peter choked for a moment.

This brat is really difficult to deal with.

“No, Machima, true love isn’t about expecting the other person to become what you want them to be, but about supporting them to be who they are meant to be, even if it’s different from what you expect.” Peter controlled his facial expression and gently took Machima’s hand.

“When I see Azu, I see not just a child yearning for power, but a life capable of learning responsibility; when I see Ceresa, I see not just dangerous magic, but a heart capable of using that power to protect others.”

Peter paused for a moment, then looked directly into Machima's eyes.

“Power is indeed important,” Peter continued, “but it is not a tool to dominate the weak, but a responsibility to protect the weak. That is why I adopted you—not because I want to control you, but because I believe that each of you has the potential to become a better version of yourself than you have been.”

Machima lowered her head, her long eyelashes casting shadows on her cheeks.

"But what if... what if I don't want to be better? What if I feel in control, and that makes me... happy?"

Peter: "."

The question was so honest that Peter was momentarily speechless.

After a moment's thought, Peter slowly replied, "Then I will continue to love you, but I will stop you from hurting others. True love does not mean unconditionally accepting all actions, but unconditionally believing that the other person is capable of making better choices."

After hearing Peter's words, Machima fell silent.

Moonlight streamed across her still figure.

Peter could sense the inner struggle of his youngest daughter—the struggle between the domineering desires rooted in her very being and the humanity she was just beginning to understand.

"I'm tired, Dad."

Finally, Machima raised her head and said softly.

Peter nodded and gently pulled the blanket up for her: "Go to sleep, tomorrow is another day."

He got up and walked to the door. Just before he closed it, he heard Machima whisper to him, "Goodnight... Daddy, I love you."

Peter stood outside the door, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Peter was shocked by the overly mature ideas Machima put forward, but her final "I love you" made Peter feel that it was not fake.

Moonlight streamed through the corridor windows, casting long shadows on the floor.

Peter walked to the middle of the corridor, looked at the night sky outside the window, and fell into deep thought.

Educating a child like Machima brought back the feeling Peter had when he first found Azu.

He felt as if he had planted a seed in the dark, never knowing whether it would sprout or what kind of flower it would bloom.

Peter let out a breath and walked towards his room.

He decided to take Machima tomorrow to begin special training, to train her to control her strength and develop her abilities.

He was afraid that this brat might misuse his abilities and cause some trouble.

After all, Machima doesn't seem to have much human morality.

In the other room, Machima lay quietly on the bed, moonlight shining on half of her face while the other half remained hidden in shadow.

A slight smile appeared on her lips as she hugged the doll and closed her eyes.

The next day.

The living room was filled with people sitting around the dining table.

Peter sat in the main seat, flipping through the newspaper.

Bao Bao sipped her orange juice and curiously looked at Machima.

As always, Ah Zu remained silent, focusing intently on cutting the fried eggs on the plate.

All eyes were drawn to the newest member at the end of the table.

Machima sat upright, her hair meticulously combed.

Furthermore, Machima's manner with utensils was so elegant that she didn't seem like a child at all, and she chewed each bite of food slowly and carefully.

"what happened?"

Peter looked up from his newspaper and surveyed the diverse expressions on the faces of the crowd. "Didn't you like breakfast?"

Ah Zu gave a soft hum and lowered his head to continue eating.

Wei shook her head slightly and said softly, "I'm just not used to suddenly having another member, Dad."

Upon hearing this, Machima put down her milk cup and gave Wei a sweet smile: "I will try my best to fit in with everyone, Sister Wei."

Wei was slightly taken aback by the word "sister," but she responded with a smile.

Just as Peter was about to praise Horus for his work as commander, his phone suddenly rang.

He glanced at the caller ID—Masha.

After exchanging a few words, Peter's expression immediately turned serious.

Listening to the other person's hurried narration, his brows furrowed even more deeply. "A car accident? On the interstate? Is Jonathan alright?"

Everyone at the table stopped what they were doing.

"You're in the Metropolis now, understand? Don't worry, I'm on my way there."

Peter hung up the phone and quickly stood up. "Jonathan was in a car accident on the Kansas interstate. Martha can't get back right away, so I'll go check on him."

Jane asked her, "Do you need me to come with you?"

Peter shook his head and looked at the children at the table: "Ceresa, Machima, you two come with me."

Machima obediently put down her napkin and stood up: "Daddy, is there anything I need to prepare?"

"Need not."

Peter quickly put on his coat. "Let's get there as soon as possible."

On the way to Kansas, Peter focused on driving, occasionally glancing at the two girls in the back seat through the rearview mirror.

Ceresia gazed worriedly at the fields rushing past the window: "Will Uncle Jonathan be alright? He's a good man."

"The specifics are still unclear, but it should be fine."

Peter said calmly.

Machima sat quietly next to Ceresa, her gaze thoughtfully taking in the scenery along the way.

After admiring the scenery for a while, she asked softly, "Dad, what is your relationship with Uncle Jonathan?"

“Jonathan and Martha are Clark’s parents.”

Peter explained, "He's also an old friend of Dad's."

"That alien from yesterday's banquet?"

Machima tilted her head. "He looks very strong."

"His strength lies not only in his abilities, but also in his inner strength."

Peter said to her, “And that’s largely thanks to Jonathan and Martha’s upbringing.”

Machima was silent for a moment, then asked, "If humans are really so fragile, why would powerful beings protect them?"

Peter: "."

Can't this brat even speak properly?!

(End of this chapter)