Kahlua smiled gently and headed towards Phil dusting sand off her maid uniform, gait unhurried.
“Yo, nice work.”
“You were amazing!”
“Yes, thank you very much.”
Praised by the two, Kahlua seated herself beside them in the shade.
“Whew…I’m beat. Think it’s about time I got a raise.”
“But you’re always saying you don’t need money. Freeloader aiming to work for free?” Phil jabbed.
“I just said I don’t need money. Doesn’t mean I don’t want some kind of reward…some new clothes might be nice.”
“Yeah yeah. We can go shopping once the gawkers clear out and ms privacy returns with Her Holiness settling in.”
“Sounds fun, can’t wait♡”
Hearing that, Kahlua softened her smile.
The girlish innocence in her gentle eyes and beaming face was like any carefree child’s.
Surely anyone who saw it would be captivated, heart skipping a beat unable to look away.
Yet the man before her now was accustomed to the sight, gaze unstolen…
“Whelp, time for me to head out too.” Phil stood.
“Huhhh? Where are you going?” Milis asked.
“Hmm, how to put this…a regular report?”
Unsure what he meant, Milis tilted her head cutely.
Meanwhile─
“You know you don’t have to go every single time…” Kahlua said.
“Don’t be stupid. She’s an important girl I’m responsible for. Gotta keep open communication, proper gentleman stuff y’know?”
“Haa…fine. Have a good trip.”
“Oh.”
“You too!” Milis hastily bid farewell alongside Kahlua.
Phil stamped the ground and his figure sank into the shadow that suddenly appeared, startling Milis though Kahlua thought nothing of it.
“Give father my regards.”
“Will do, exaggerating as always♡”
Seeing Phil off, both girls turned eyes forward once more.
Once every month, Phil split off alone from ever-present Kahlua.
Not for unavoidable business, visiting his favorite brothel as a regular, or just feeling like it on a whim─
clank
A soft metallic sound rang out as a fork was set upon the plate.
Before Phil sat a red-haired man sporting an undercut.
Gentle eyes bearing a sharp glint reminiscent of the girl Kahlua.
“So, how is my daughter doing?”
“Same as ever, really. Even passed on a message to ‘give father my regards’, so at least she remembers I’m supposed to be watching her. However, I’m about to lose both eyes and I want you to take responsibility. Can I complain about how she’s bulldozing over me more and more lately?”
” Well, yes! Are you as well as ever? “
Hearing Phil’s words, the man─Ares Scarlet,
Duke Scarlet Family head and Kahlua’s father─laughed jovially.
“Hahaha! So you’re as diligent as ever coming to report to me every month.”
“Of course. She’s a young girl you’ve entrusted me with. Can’t have the apple of Daddy’s eye running off to horse bone alley or wherever without getting worried. Once the Count’ toyboy catches the Duke’s eye things’ll get real heated in the bedroom.”
“Come now, I only let her stay with you because I trust you. After reliably coming all this way to report on her every month, there’s no one more qualified─right, Sir Hero of Shadows?”
“Please don’t call me that…”
Before rumors branded Phil the fabled [Hero of Shadows] only three knew his identity─
One of them was Kahlua, the partner.
And the other two…
“Ah, takes me back…when my daughter suddenly declared she wanted to ‘serve the Hero of Shadows’. You should’ve seen the looks on me and her mother’s faces!”
“Tell me about it, I was shocked too. Nearly decided then and there to drag her off for a mental evaluation─”
“Hahhahaa! I completely understand! When she brought you here holding your collar I doubted my own eyes!”
Nostalgically, Ares begins to tell his story.
The first thing that comes to mind is his encounter with Phil.
“And I wasn’t exactly level-headed back then either. My own daughter kidnapped, after all…I should have handled the situation better.”
“During the party, it’s unavoidable. As the head of the Duke’s family, there must be many guests to entertain. If I were in that position, it would feel like riding attractions with my head spinning.”
“Still, the fact remains that my daughter was abducted.”
───Kahlua Scarlet, the daughter of Duke Scarlet, was once abducted in the past.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
It happened at a party hosted by some noble, where she was taken while enjoying the night breeze, causing a commotion in the venue.
As it turned out, it was a crime committed by a noble who had feelings for the girl named Kahlua. The noble had hired individuals from an underground guild to carry out the abduction. Until the truth was revealed, the party venue was in an uproar.
Who did it? For what reason? And most importantly, where is the Duke’s daughter?
Despite dispatching the knight order and conducting searches around, there was no sign of her.
Of course, the party was interrupted, and all attendees were sent home due to the potential danger.
Ares and his companions were no exception. Upon returning home, they were overwhelmed with anxiety.
At that moment, Ares encountered the [Hero of Shadows].
“That’s why I’m still grateful… for helping save my daughter. If you hadn’t found her, who knows what would have happened.”
“Even if I hadn’t found her, the knight order would have found her soon enough. I just helped look for a lost girl for a bit.”
“But you captured the members of the underground guild, right? You not only helped me but also caught the noble who was behind it. It’s not a modest story.”
“I am being modest. I prefer not to stand out as much as possible.”
“Yet, you were brought here by Kahlua with your real face exposed.”
“Well, that’s because your daughter is a mischievous girl. It was my first time, you know, having my mask removed the moment I helped someone. What kind of education did you give her?”
“Hahaha! My daughter has grown up in her own way, for better or worse!”
It’s no laughing matter, Phil thought,
as he smiled wryly and started eating.
───This was the first time someone other than the person Phil revealed himself to had learned about his true identity.
He never expected that, instead of a simple “thank you” after saving her, his mask would be taken off. Furthermore, being told to “come along” with a collar hold was an experience he had never had before.
Now, looking back, he couldn’t help but think, “I can’t believe I ended up saving such a mischievous girl.”
However───
“…Well, yeah. She has grown up quite well. She somehow learned to use magic, and despite being a useless mess, she’s been by my side for two years. It’s kind of surprising and helpful.”
Now, as a good partner.
The fact that she’s by his side makes him genuinely happy from the bottom of his heart.
“I really want you to take her soon… Right now, my daughter is considered eccentric in social circles. At this rate, there won’t be any suitors left.”
“What matters most is the other person’s feelings. If Kahlua wishes, I’ll consider it. Besides, I have a bad reputation as a scoundrel. If she marry me, the eccentric will turn into a fool in no time.”
“But you’ve changed how people perceive you, haven’t you? As the [Hero of Shadows]───”
“I didn’t want that, though… Ugh!”
In the past, Kahlua reputation would have sunk into the ground like a stone,
especially being labeled as “serving the scoundrel son.”
However, now he has a completely different evaluation.
Recognizing Phil as the [Hero of Shadows] and getting close to him before anyone else did.
Ares, too, might now be appreciated as someone with good judgment, despite the initial comments about “where his daughter ended up.”
However, this is purely a consequence.
Neither Kahlua nor Ares originally wished for this.
Simply put───
“I just want my daughter to be happy.”
“…………”
“As a noble, I might be considered a failure. Still, I want my daughter to live the way she wants and have a happy life. My wife shares the same sentiment.”
With a gentle gaze and a further softened smile, Phil spoke.
In response to that───
“I won’t say ‘I’m getting married’… because I don’t know where Kahlua’s feelings are directed.”
However, he added,
“Kahlua will definitely make me happy. I won’t make her regret her coming to me”
It’s a kindness that can be considered twisted, and that’s why Phil wishes Kahlua for happiness.
Regardless of anyone else, the girl named Kahlua is someone standing by his side.
That feeling alone is larger than anyone else’s───hence, the words directed towards Ares were very powerful.
“I see… Yeah, I entrusted it to you because you’re that kind of person.”
“When the head of the Duke’s family trusts you, it feels heavy, huh? Like a boulder.”
“For you, it’s probably just a pebble, right?”
As they exchanged joking remarks, both of them cracked a smile.
And───
“I’ll continue to rely on you for my daughter.”
“I, too, will take care of your daughter.”
They gently clinked the glasses they held.
The sound of the small, high-pitched clink resonated in the dining room of the Duke’s house.
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aw how wholesome