Chapter 35: How About Addressing Me As ‘Daddy’ From Now On, Charlotte?
“Little girl, may I join you for some reading?”
Upon hearing the voice, dazed Charlotte immediately snapped to attention, startled.
Quickly, she raised her small head and turned her gaze in the direction of the voice, causing her chubby face to stiffen, immobilized.
In her line of vision stood a tall, handsome man with captivating golden eyes—none other than Leon, the father figure who had long unsettled her young mind!
His sudden appearance in the library prompted her to rub her eyelids, fearing it might be a mere hallucination.
However, even after rubbing her eyelids, Leon remained there, smiling at her, which only deepened her confusion and fear.
‘How can he be here?!’ she exclaimed in panic, hastily lowering her head, as if attempting to avoid direct contact with him.
On the other hand, as Leon observed this scene, his previous suspicion that Charlotte and Iris, his other two daughters, were intentionally avoiding him was confirmed.
No wonder he had never seen them since yesterday, with only Fiona appearing and approaching him.
Contemplating this, Leon could only sigh inwardly, devoid of any anger.
‘It seems like these two girls harbor more complex emotions than Fiona,’ he muttered to himself.
He then glanced back at Charlotte, who was still engrossed in pretending to read a book, feigning ignorance of his presence.
With a smile on his lips, Leon approached her with relaxed and measured steps.
“Little girl, are you listening to me?” Leon smiled, taking a seat right next to Charlotte.
He waved his hand in front of her, as if beckoning her to look at him.
Unfortunately, Charlotte continued to ignore him, engrossed in her pretense of reading, prompting Leon to sigh helplessly.
‘This little girl is completely ignoring her handsome father, but I understand her feelings…’ Leon whispered to himself, unfazed by Charlotte’s actions and without taking offense.
After all, if he were in Charlotte’s or his other two daughters’ shoes, he would certainly struggle to forgive the ‘father’ figure who suddenly appeared after 3 years of absence, never having shown care or concern.
Moreover, Charlotte, Iris, and Fiona, as daughters, should naturally have been closer to a ‘father’ figure than their mother, Liliana.
However, he couldn’t blame himself; who would have anticipated that he would have triplet daughters with Liliana, the Demon Emperor, and his enemy?
Hence, he could only proceed gently and cautiously, refraining from pressuring or forcing her, aware of the potential consequences.
Inevitably, Leon’s gaze shifted to the book Charlotte was reading, and he was immediately surprised by its title.
‘The love of a hero and a great demon for a thousand years?’ Leon was dumbfounded, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth betraying his surprise.
He hadn’t anticipated that his eldest daughter would be interested in such a romance.
Furthermore, the title felt oddly familiar, triggering a memory deep within him.
‘Wait! A hero and a great demon?’ Leon’s eyes sparked with recognition, and a sudden idea flashed into his mind!
With a small smile, he glanced at Charlotte beside him, noticing how she occasionally stole glances at him, and was caught off guard, her cheeks flushing like ripe apples.
“Little girl, how about I tell you a very interesting and exciting story instead of you reading that book?” Leon suggested it with a smile, inwardly pleased with the idea.
Since he opted for a gentle approach, this seemed to be the best course of action.
Sure enough, upon hearing Leon’s words, Charlotte, who had been feigning indifference, was instantly startled.
Her eyes blinked, and her little ears twitched slightly, as if resisting the pull of Leon’s words.
Upon witnessing this reaction, Leon realized he had discovered Charlotte’s weak point—her love for listening to stories.
“How about it? Would you like to hear it? The story I’m about to tell is titled ‘The Sword Hero’s Love Journey With the Evil Demon Emperor,’ a tale renowned worldwide.” Leon’s tone was casual as he observed the curiosity flickering in Charlotte’s expression.
Moreover, upon hearing the captivating title, her curiosity surged even further, rendering her unable to contain it any longer.
Biting her lower lip in determination, Charlotte finally turned her gaze toward Leon beside her.
“Is the story… is it very exciting?” Her face flushed, her voice soft and shy, causing Leon to momentarily hold his breath.
‘This little girl is like a more advanced version of Fiona!’ Leon praised her inwardly, feeling an irresistible urge to pinch her chubby, bun-like cheeks.
Since Charlotte and Fiona were identical, their cute facial features were naturally very similar.
Especially that shy expression, one he had never seen on Fiona, made him want to pinch her cheeks.
“Ehem! Indeed! This story is incredibly thrilling and has already gained widespread fame in the outside world. Its renown has even reached every corner of humanity and the demon race,” Leon remarked with a faint smile, subtly exaggerating the popularity of the tale he wished to share.
Of course, he was fabricating the truth, as the story he referenced was one he had concocted from his own experiences, embellished with a dash of novel flavoring from his previous life to heighten its excitement.
Listening to Leon’s convincingly articulated words, the longing in Charlotte’s round eyes could not be concealed.
She cherished books and fairy tales so deeply that Leon’s words instantly ignited her eagerness to hear the story, causing her to momentarily forget her inclination to avoid him as her curiosity reached its peak.
“Um… then, could you tell me the story?” Charlotte asked hesitantly, a hint of fear evident in her tone.
Her deliberate avoidance of this ‘father’ figure had instilled a fear of rejection within her.
However, Leon naturally acquiesced to her request, nodding lightly.
“Of course! How could I refuse a request from a cute little girl like you?” Leon replied playfully, causing Charlotte to feel very embarrassed.
“Alright, I’ll start the story, and you listen carefully,” Leon said, adjusting his sitting position to ensure his comfort.
Charlotte, on the other hand, focused her eyes on Leon, her chubby face radiating excitement.
“Cough! In ancient times, five thousand years ago to be precise…” Leon finally began his story, with Charlotte listening quietly beside him.
The story he narrated was a blend of his imagination, drawing inspiration from a myriad of fairy tales and novels he had read, along with his personal experiences as a hero.
Coupled with Leon’s amazing intonation and, additionally, the vivid depiction of the story’s background and characters, Charlotte felt that she was directly involved in the story as the Demon Emperor, who served as the heroine in the tale.
Leon continued narrating the tale, and oblivious to the passage of time, two hours had elapsed, prompting him to bring the story to an abrupt halt.
“Alright, I fear I’ve extended the tale a bit too much. Let’s bring it to a close here,” Leon said, casting a glance at the clock and feigning a sigh.
Upon hearing this, Charlotte, who had been immersed in the story’s world, snapped back to reality, her adorable face now displaying immediate distress.
“Don’t stop… Please, continue the story,” Charlotte implored, holding onto Leon’s arm with a hint of sadness in her voice.
Her previous resentment toward Leon had faded away as she listened to his narrative, and forgiveness had settled in her heart.
Consequently, she was no longer hesitant to openly hold onto Leon’s arm.
Observing Charlotte’s complete turnaround in behavior, Leon recognized the success of his plan to draw closer to his first daughter, a crooked smile forming on his lips ✔.
However, he didn’t anticipate the result unfolding so swiftly.
“Alright, I’ll continue the story, but on one condition,” Leon said, a mysterious smile playing on his lips as he raised his index finger.
“Please, do tell!” Charlotte urged with excitement.
Leon chuckled and extended his palm to gently pinch her chubby cheeks.
“How about addressing me as ‘Daddy’ from now on, Charlotte?”
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