The Author's POV

"Thank you all for coming, and we hope you enjoyed the show!"

Doing her signature pose, Sophia waved at the crowd causing them to cheer even more loudly.

Unfortunately for them, it was already the end of the show, and therefore, giving them one last goodbye, Sophia quickly headed back to the changing rooms with her group.

Upon entering the changing rooms, Sophia slumped down on her chair and let out a long and tired breath.

"Haaaa, I'm tired."

"Tell me about."

Slumping down on the chair next to her was Penelope, her other group member.

Taking a wet towel, she covered her eyes with it and leaned her head back.

"Ugh, my legs are hurting like crazy..."

"Same."

Sophia replied in agreement.

"...but, I'm used to it by now "

Raising the towel on her face and uncovering her eyes, Penelope skeptically looked at her.

"Stop pretending, I know that you're not tired at all. You are one of the star students at the Lock, you don't need to be humble."

Sophia merely smiled in response to Penelope's comment. She then added.

"Just because I'm a student of the Lock doesn't mean that I'm immune to tiredness."

"Yeah, yeah."

Penelope completely dismissed her comment. Sophia shook her head when she saw this.

In a way, what Penelope was correct.

Thanks to her training at the Lock that she was now able to keep her stamina in check during her performances.

She also wasn't wrong when she said that she was one of the star students at the Lock as she was in fact ranked in the top fifty in her year.

An achievement that was quite considerable.

"Say, I've always been meaning to ask..."

Putting the towel down, Penelope suddenly sat up straight and looked at Sophia.

A frown appeared on her delicate face.

"Is money still a problem? I know that the Lock costs a lot of money, but if you spend your time with us, won't you fall behind the others in your year?"

"It's fine."

Bending down and taking a similar wet towel, Sophia covered her eyes.

Feeling the cold towel on her face, Sophia smiled in pleasure.

"Money is not really a problem..."

This was a bit of a difficult topic for her.

The main reason why she was an idol in the first place was because of her family's past situation.

Although they lived comfortably, they weren't particularly rich.

At least not to the point of being able to pay the Lock's yearly tuition fee which was incredibly expensive.

Despite making 7 million U per year herself, she was still unable to pay the whole tuition fee.

Had it not been for her father, she probably wouldn't have been able to attend the Lock.

Thinking about her father, Sophia felt a mixture of different emotions.

She couldn't quite explain what happened, but one day while she was still a trainee for her idol group, she came home to find that her tuition for the Lock had already been paid in advance by him.

Before she could confront him about the situation, she found out that he had gone on a long trip.

A trip that lasted a whole two years.

During that time, Sophia panicked a lot as she thought that in order to pay for her tuition fees her father had decided to undertake some extremely dangerous job, and only recently did she finally receive a call from him.

Though relieved, she was still very angry at him.

How could he just leave her like that? Without any explanations and making her worried sick for the past two years?

Unknowingly, Sophia's teeth clenched and she secretly swore to herself.

'He said that he's coming to visit me today, when he comes I'll let him have a piece of me.'

"Hey Sophia, what did you think about the girl you brought on stage today? Wasn't she just adorable?"

It was then that she suddenly heard Penelope's excited voice.

Raising the towel in her head, she found Penelope's face a couple of inches away from her.

Sophia quickly moved her back.

"Wow, move back a little."

Sophia,

Penelope showed Sophia an image of the girl that they had taken

at the photo,

you can't tell me that's

at the photo,

"...Sure."

couldn't deny it. The

and stared at the image

isn't that the girl from today's

of all the

my, how cute. Just

cheerful atmosphere prevaded over the

Sophia, why don't you look excited? ...You perhaps thinking of

one of the group

girl, Sophia

"As if..."

the

the side as she lowered her phone.

there really no one you are interested in, Sophia? With your looks and popularity, I

"No thank you."

quickly rejected.

don't have time for things like

didn't want a boyfriend, however, she just didn't

had to

any free time for herself, let

...and.

Well.

them are as good as

inside of her mind with a longing

was one guy that come to her mind when she thought about love, however, he

a brighter and more important stage than she had ever

sight on him, Sophia found all

that he's not someone I

he was not someone that she could casually talk

achievements were worlds apart

focus on herself and maybe hope that one day she could reach for

***

"We're almost there, Leopold."

the back, I

we were currently headed backstage to meet Leopold's daughter, Sophia Ray,

a pleasant surprise since I could use this as

'How convenient.' I thought.

there was one slight

you so nervous

give me

than Leopold who looked extremely nervous at the

This was understandable though.

almost two years, I'd also be nervous

Click—! Click—!

suddenly heard a familiar clicking

"Stop that!"

surprise, I found Leopold hunched up,

direction, I snatched the lighter and cigarette from his mouth and pointed at Nola who was currently

why

on boss, you know

looked at me with a pleading

pleas, I put the lighter and

means no, let's

"Haaiizzzz..."

to drag

coming here, the manager had given Leopold a special card

thought, I don't want

the door, Leopold suddenly started

if I'm going to let that stop

him by the back of his shirt,

To Tok—!

stiffened, and I finally let go of his

'This guy...'

I couldn't help but shake my

nervous. Even when he was fighting against a horde of demons, and duergars

sight if I

Clank—!

after a couple of

door, was one of the

her name if

Wasn't really sure.

may

"Hello, there."

forward and flashing a brilliant smile, I patted Leopold's

over here wants to meet his

those words left my mouth, Evylin's

"Ah! You're Sophia's father!"

open, the insides of the changing room became visible for all of us to

found multiple eyes staring in our

"Father?"

sounded from the other side

body stiffened even more as

it's been a

has indeed been a

she looked at Leopold with