Chapter 286: Cries and Tears of Misunderstanding
“Fiona, wake up! It’s morning! Let’s have breakfast together.”
In Leon’s room, Iris, dressed in an adorable pink lolita nightgown, climbed onto the bed and gently shook Fiona, who was still sound asleep.
“Umm~” Fiona, feeling the nudge, squirmed slightly but didn’t wake up, turning onto her right side and continuing her slumber.
Seeing this, Iris fell silent, gazing at Fiona with a helpless expression.
“This smelly little sleepyhead is incredibly difficult to wake up once she’s asleep,” Iris muttered in annoyance.
Among herself, Charlotte, and Fiona, Fiona was definitely the hardest to rouse, whether in the morning or during a deep sleep.
She couldn’t understand where Fiona’s habit of sleeping in came from, especially since their daddy and mommy were both disciplined early risers.
At that moment, the sound of two sets of footsteps approached the door, followed by the soft voice of a little girl.
“Iris, is Fiona awake yet?”
Iris turned toward the door and saw her sister, Charlotte, holding a small tray with four glasses of milk.
Beside her, Stella carried a selection of fruits and snacks, including dry biscuits and bread.
Seeing Charlotte and Stella, Iris shook her head with a helpless expression. “This lazy girl still hasn’t woken up, even after I tried several times.”
After saying that, Iris turned her gaze back to Fiona and poked her chubby cheeks with her index finger, as if venting her annoyance.
Charlotte simply smiled at Iris’s frustration, saying nothing. She and Stella walked over to the table near the sofa, set down the breakfast they had brought, and then made their way over to Iris.
“So, how are you trying to wake Fiona up?” Charlotte inquired, her voice tinged with curiosity.
Iris looked puzzled by the question but hid it well as she responded, “I woke her up like I always do. Is something wrong?”
Charlotte giggled and gave Iris a playful look.
“You’re not wrong, but if you wake her up the usual way, Fiona won’t budge. You need a special method,” she replied casually.
Upon hearing this, not only was Iris surprised, but Stella, standing beside Charlotte, was as well.
For the first time, she learned that there was a special way to wake someone from sleep, sparking her curiosity.
“Then, can you show us the special method?” Stella asked, her adorable face bright with curiosity.
“Of course! Watch carefully,” Charlotte replied with a chuckle.
With that, she climbed onto the bed and leaned toward the soundly sleeping Fiona.
Under the curious gazes of Stella and Iris, Charlotte brought her lips close to Fiona’s ear.
“Fiona, wake up. If you don’t wake up, I’ll take Daddy away from you and play with him all day in the capital,” Charlotte whispered softly.
Stella and Iris exchanged startled glances, confusion evident on their faces.
They thought Charlotte’s special method would be shocking, but they were surprised by how simple and unconvincing it turned out to be.
Just as the two of them began to doubt Charlotte’s special method, Fiona, who had been sleeping soundly, suddenly opened her eyes.
“No! You can’t take Daddy away from me!” She exclaimed, sitting up in bed.
A triumphant smile blossomed on Charlotte’s lips at the success of her method, and she looked at Stella and Iris with gleaming eyes.
“See? Isn’t my special method effective?” Charlotte asked with a giggle.
Stella: “…”
Iris: “…”
The two sat in stunned silence, exchanging astonished glances.
Initially skeptical of Charlotte’s method, they never anticipated it would prove so effective.
Iris, in particular, was the most surprised by the outcome. Having often woken Fiona in the mornings, she knew firsthand how difficult it could be.
Therefore, Charlotte’s method had undeniably given her new insight.
Meanwhile, Fiona, still a bit dazed, was startled to see a smiling Charlotte beside her.
“Ha? Sister, what are you doing next to me?” Fiona rubbed her heavy eyes, feeling confused.
Charlotte smiled as she gently rubbed her head and replied, “I’m here to wake you up, Fiona. It’s morning, and time to get up! I also brought some breakfast from the kitchen, so let’s eat together.”
At her words, Fiona slowly regained her full awareness and quietly replied, “Oh, alright.”
Her gaze instinctively shifted to Iris and Stella, who were sitting on the edge of the bed, and she felt a fresh wave of surprise.
“Sister Iris and Sister Stella? What are you two doing here?” She asked, blinking her innocent eyes in curiosity.
Iris rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, replying irritably, “Having breakfast together, of course. Am I not welcome to join?”
Taken aback by her response, Fiona instantly smiled and nodded eagerly. “Hehehe! Of course you are!”
“Um! That’s good then.” Iris beamed with satisfaction at her answer.
Stella, who had been quietly observing their conversation, couldn’t help but smile. In the past, she had lived in solitude, surrounded by a tense atmosphere filled with criminals.
Thus, experiencing a warm and pleasant atmosphere like this was something she had longed for, and she felt deeply grateful for it.
Afterward, the four of them got off the bed and went to the table near the sofa to have breakfast together.
Yet, just as they began to eat, footsteps suddenly echoed from the doorway, and Leon’s tall, handsome figure appeared.
Upon seeing Leon arrive, Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella were momentarily stunned. However, their surprise quickly faded, replaced by joyful smiles that blossomed on their lips.
“Daddy!” Charlotte, Iris, and Fiona exclaimed in unison.
“Uncle Leon!” Stella added.
They simultaneously called out to Leon excitedly, causing him to gasp in surprise.
Yet his astonishment gradually faded, replaced by a gentle smile.
“You little girls really caught me off guard. I didn’t expect you to gather in my room at this hour and have breakfast together without inviting me,” Leon said with a chuckle as he approached them.
Charlotte smiled sweetly but felt a wave of embarrassment as she replied, “We were too bored to eat in the dining room, so we decided to have breakfast in your room. Is that alright, Daddy?”
At that moment, she recognized that the behavior she and her sisters had shown was somewhat rude. They were having breakfast in their daddy’s room without asking for his permission, and it stirred a twinge of guilt within her.
Iris and Stella quickly recognized their mistake as well, bowing their heads in embarrassment and guilt.
Only Fiona, with her cheeks slightly puffed out from the food she was munching on, remained unaffected by any feelings of guilt.
For her, who often sneaked into Leon’s room at night, eating without permission didn’t cause any turmoil. After all, she knew her father adored her and would never scold her.
As Fiona expected, Leon showed no anger at all; instead, he smiled tenderly while rubbing Charlotte’s head.
“Of course, it’s fine. There’s no need to worry so much,” Leon replied lightly, looking at each of them with a gentle gaze.
Charlotte, Iris, and Stella breathed sighs of relief and exchanged smiles with one another.
Leon smiled softly as he walked over to the sofa, settling down between Fiona and Iris.
He picked up a dry biscuit and took a bite before saying, “By the way, I was actually looking for the four of you to discuss something. But since you’ve gathered in my room, I no longer need to search for you.”
At this, Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella raised their eyebrows in surprise and gazed at Leon with curiosity.
“Discuss something? What is it, Daddy?” Charlotte asked, taking a sip of her warm milk.
Leon swallowed the food in his mouth and regarded each of them with a gentle smile.
“For the next few days—no, perhaps weeks or months—I most likely won’t be in the palace,” Leon said softly.
As those words registered, Charlotte, Iris, Fiona, and Stella were instantly taken aback, their eyes widening in disbelief.
“You won’t be in the palace for the next few weeks or months? What do you mean, Daddy? Are you planning to leave us?” Charlotte asked frantically, tears welling in the corners of her eyes.
The glass of milk in her hand shook violently, nearly spilling over and revealing her shock and panic.
Not only was Charlotte panicking; Fiona, Iris, and Stella shared her anxiety. Furthermore, upon hearing Charlotte’s question, their fear deepened, causing their faces to turn pale.
“Wuu~ Daddy, don’t leave me! Wuuu~ I promise I won’t be a mischievous little girl!” Fiona suddenly burst into tears, hugging Leon tightly.
As the daughter who had always been closest to her daddy, she loved Leon more than anything.
His tenderness, the love he showered upon her, and everything he provided made it impossible for her to imagine life without him.
If her daddy left, she knew she would feel heartbroken, reliving the gloomy days when he wasn’t by her side.
Fiona’s sudden outburst was like a spark that ignited the tears of Iris and Stella.
“Wuu~ Daddy, you can’t leave us! We can’t live without you!” Iris cried hysterically, clinging to Leon’s left side.
Stella, also in tears, quickly got up, ran to Leon, and threw herself into his arms, adding, “What Iris said is true, Uncle! We can’t possibly live without you, so please don’t go!”
During a time when she felt abandoned and neglected by the Demons, Leon was the only one who came to her aid—a kindness she could never forget. For her, he was like the sun shining through her solitude and loneliness.
If Leon were to leave, she knew her life would undoubtedly crumble, plunging her back into the dark times she had endured before.
Seeing his three beloved little girls crying hysterically, Leon paused for a moment, then let out a helpless sigh.
“Alright, don’t cry,” Leon said gently. “I’m not going anywhere or leaving you as you fear. So, let’s dry those tears.”
Fiona, Iris, and Stella were taken aback by his words, and their tears began to subside.
“Do you really have no intention of leaving us, Daddy?” Fiona asked hesitantly.
“Of course not,” Leon replied firmly as he wiped away the tears from Fiona, Iris, and Stella’s faces.
His reassurance elicited a sigh of relief from the three girls, and they exchanged glances, smiles lighting up their faces.
“So what’s the reason you want to leave the palace for months, Daddy?” Charlotte asked with curiosity, her relief still visible.
Leon sighed softly as he looked at each of them and replied nonchalantly, “The reason I need to leave the palace for months is that I have to go to the battlefield soon.”
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A/N: I likely won’t be able to update with a new chapter tomorrow due to some work I need to handle. However, I will do my best to update and upload it.
We’ll see how it goes. In the meantime, please support me—thank you!
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