Chapter 10
Not only her appearance, but even the wary look in her eyes and the habit of gripping the hem of her clothesāevery little detail reminded him of Lelsis.
‘She must be about six years old.’
That was exactly the age when Asuka and Lelsis first met.
Perhaps because they looked so alike, looking at her brought back faded memories. The time when his hard shell had first cracked.
Even amid the busyness of the timeline interference incident, he found himself thinking about Lelsis and her daughter from time to time.
More precisely, about what to do with that daughter.
Lelsis Valtine was a person who stuck out sharply like a needle in a pocket. Promising, capable, and fierce.
Perhaps that’s why she had many enemies. Of course, Asuka himself was included among those ‘enemies,’ but anyway.
Asuka looked down at Sis.
This little one was Lelsis’s weakness.
Having known her for so long, Asuka knew her well. Lelsis Valtine had a bad habit of hiding when pushed to the edge.
‘If someone else were to find this child.’
When cornered, would you just silently disappear somewhere again?
For instance, to the child’s biological father.
Asuka felt his mood sink a little.
There was still no significant news from the Owls. He had expected it to take time, but his patience was running thin.
Though he had learned a lot about ordinary people’s judgments and emotions through Lelsis, when things didn’t go his way, Asuka’s thinking would veer toward the extreme.
‘…What if I were to eliminate this existence?’
Hiding a person was no trouble at all. He could hide her on an island owned by the Duke Willovice family, or send her to the border or a distant foreign country where news from the capital wouldn’t reach.
There was also an easier way.
Asuka was someone who could erase Lelsis’s daughter from this world cleanly with just a few chanted lines of a spell.
It might be better than getting caught while half-heartedly hiding her.
“…Hmph, fine. I’ll let it slide this once!”
Just then, the child sniffled coquettishly. Asuka held his breath for a brief moment.
She really resembled her so much that no matter what he did, he couldn’t help but think of Lelsis…
Before he knew it, his heart kept softening.
“Have you had lunch?”
Faced with the dilemma, Asuka ultimately postponed his decision.
Because he didn’t know the will of the most important person in this matter.
Though she had been wary at first, Sis completely opened her heart to the food he brought.
“How is it?”
“Delicious! No, it’s, it’s not bad…”
Maybe she was just pretending to be tough.
He sat in the chair directly across from her and observed Sis.
Looking again, she was little Lelsis. He couldn’t find a single trace of anyone else in her compact, cute face.
For example, like characteristics of her ex-husband.
“Can I ask you something too?”
In the more relaxed atmosphere than before, Asuka impulsively spoke up.
“Yeah, what is it?”
“What kind of person is your father?”
The soft air instantly froze. Asuka didn’t miss the way her emerald-green eyes trembled uneasily.
“…I don’t have a dad.”
“You don’t?”
“I don’t know, I don’t remember.”
With that, Sis hung her head low and stared only at her plate. Anyone could see she didn’t want to talk about itāat a glance, she seemed almost frightened.
‘Just what.’
Asuka’s eyes grew colder.
‘What kind of bastard did she meet.’
—
My eyes snapped open at a chilling premonition.
As soon as I sat up, I checked the clock and saw that a long time had passed.
‘I slept too long!’
I hurriedly looked around. Where was Sis, where was Sis?
No matter where I looked, there was no sign of Sis. Turning pale, I kicked open the bedroom door and rushed out.
“Sis!”
I had no idea what kind of trouble this wild child might have caused while I was asleep.
‘She didn’t go outside, did she? No, she wouldn’t.’
Growing anxious, I quickly descended the stairs, and heard voices coming from the dining room.
“Mo… Mom?”
I abruptly changed course and entered the dining room. There was Sis, with sauce smeared all over her mouth.
Beside her was an unwelcome guest.
“Y-You, why are you here? How did you get in?”
Meeting my gaze, Asuka waved his hand leisurely.
“I told you I’d come back soon.”
“…”
“Can I stay for a cup of tea today?”
I’d rather pass out again.
—
While preparing tea in the kitchen, I brought Sis along and grilled her for details about what had happened.
Sis delivered a shocking piece of information.
“He asked me what kind of person my ‘dad’ is.”
“What?! So what did you say?”
“I said I don’t know! A-Ash didn’t ask any more either!”
This clever little rascal!
I had thought he might be curious about the father, but I never expected him to ask Sis directly instead of me.
‘He’ll definitely ask me about it too.’
What on earth was I supposed to say to explain a father who didn’t exist? My insides were burning with anxiety.
“But why did you open the door? I told you not to open it even if someone came.”
“That’s because Iā”
Sis started to say something, then closed her mouth. She looked deeply hurt and wronged.
“…I don’t know, hmph.”
Just as Sis’s voice quivered, the kettle began to whistle. Swallowing a sigh, I turned down the heat.
“Go back to the table and sit down for now. We’ll talk after he leaves.”
That’s what I said, but…
“Is the Dawn Tower about to go under?”
He had no intention of leaving.
“No, it’s still standing.”
“So, did you get fired?”
“I’m the current Dawn Tower Master.”
“Then why are you so free?”
The sight of him looking so relaxed made me furious enough to die.
Meanwhile, my research was ruined, and I had to send the kid back home.
“By the way, you still can’t brew tea well. It’s quite something.”
Asuka, having drunk the tea I made, commented lightly. Even giving it to him was a problem.
“Then don’t ask for it.”
“When else would I get to drink tea you made?”
I couldn’t retort any further and just glared at him quietly.
It was humiliating, but I had nothing to say. Because while I was unconscious, practically passed out in my room, that bastard had taken care of Sis and even fed her lunch.
Most importantly, Asuka was the only person who knew about Sis’s existence. No matter how much I hated him, for now, I had to grovel like a dog.
“Drink up and leave.”
“I’d like to, but it’s so astringent it’s hard to drink quickly.”
I wanted to justāthat mouth of his.
I couldn’t bring myself to say anything and just ground my teeth, when Sis, who was sitting next to me, turned toward me. She looked like she had something to say.
“What?”
As I tilted my head down, Sis cupped her hand over her mouth and whispered.
“Hey, you said Ash was your rival, right?”
“He is my rival.”
“I don’t think so? Ash was worried about yoāabout Mom.”
“What?”
That was the most ridiculous thing I’d heard in a while. That bastard? Doing what?
“Were you dreaming?”
“It’s true! He did like this, like this!”
Sis, as if wronged, placed her small hand on her own forehead. I couldn’t understand what she meant at all.
“Yeah, okay, just eat this.”
I humored her and stuffed a cookie into Sis’s mouth.
“It’s really, really true. I saw it clearly with my own two eyes. It’s not a lie.”
“You should chew and swallow what’s in your mouth before talking. You’re dropping crumbs.”
“Hmph. Mom put it in my mouth and then…”
Sis grumbled in a small voice. Whether she did or not, I wiped the corner of her mouth, when I suddenly felt a gaze.
Turning my head, I met eyes with Asuka from across the table.
He didn’t even seem to notice his freshly poured tea growing cold. He was watching me and Sis like someone entranced.
His expression was so strange that even my mood started to feel odd.
“Why are you staring like that?”
“…You.”
His eyes briefly flicked to Sis.
“Do you like that?”
“That? Surely you don’t mean Sis?”
Asuka affirmed with silence.
‘Come to think of it, he’s been calling Sis ‘this,’ ‘that,’ and ‘it’ ever since.’
Thinking that Asuka was even looking down on the young child made me a little angry.
“Then would I hate my own daughter?”
“Precious? To the point where she mustn’t disappear?”
“Of course.”
If my past self disappears, the present me also disappears.
‘According to the theory of time paradox, when Sis crossed over, the me of this timeline should have disappeared, but…’
I hadn’t disappeared. I knew very well what that meant.
‘The future me, beyond now, successfully sends Sis back.’
I still didn’t know what method I’d use to send her back, but anyway.
“To me, Sis is incredibly precious.”
“…”
“So don’t call her ‘this’ or ‘that.’ She has a proper nameāSis.”
That very moment.
*Beep. Beep. Beep.*
An unfamiliar sound echoed through the dining room.
