The Author's POV

Even after he heard his daughter speak in a cool, detached way, Octavious' face didn't change. He had long since expected such a reaction.

Everything became clear once the power he wielded was no longer with him.

When Melissa looked at him, he was able to tell just by looking at her expression what kinds of feelings were going through her mind at that very moment.

They were expressions he'd seen many times in his life. He wasn't unfamiliar with them.

"May I come in?"

He asked, looking around and frowning at the sight of the frozen girl in the distance. Why was she like that?

"Why do you have to come in?"

It appeared as though Melissa did not want him to enter, as she blocked his path. Octavious lowered his head and fixed his gaze on her.

She looked the same as 'she' did when 'she' was younger. Perhaps she was even more beautiful.

'Her angry look is also the same…'

A long-forgotten pain began to reappear in his chest, and his expression nearly collapsed. He was able to retain it after a fierce struggle, and after looking around, he returned his gaze to Melissa.

"I need to talk to you."

***

His voice was calm and soft, but the manner in which he spoke made Melissa feel as though she could not refuse, and she moved to the side in reluctance.

"Make it quick."

She had no desire to interact with the man in front of her, but what could she do? Kick him out? The world's strongest human?

'Pft, as if that stubborn bastard would even bother listening to my demands.'

Melissa could only resign herself to the situation and lead him toward her private lab where there was no one. It was in a bit of a mess at the moment, but she didn't care in the least bit. Since he came so abruptly, she had no time to clean it, and even if he had made an appointment, she wouldn't have cared.

He was a stranger that shared the same blood as her in her eyes.

Clank―!

She closed the door behind her and turned to look toward her father. She wanted to get this done quickly.

"Out with it, what is it that you wan―!"

Feeling a rough hand against her cheek, Melissa froze halfway through her sentence. Her eyes soon opened wide as she looked at the man standing opposite her in shock.

"What are you doing!??"

She smacked the hand away and moved several steps back. With her sleeve, she rubbed her cheek and glared at the man.

you're my father, but who gave you permission

exactly like

wasn't so much the contents of his voice that

she hear him

at him, she was even more shocked to see her usually expressionless father staring at

to be in...

exactly like you when

he was referring to was, but Melissa had an idea of whom he was referring to, and as she

idea how to react at

stomach is starting

this was the first time that her father had

He looked… frail.

her glasses and pinched the

over here? Do you seriously expect something from me? You don't have to pretend to be like this, if you want something, just ask away. I'll see if

sat on a nearby stool and bit onto

was behaving

Emotions made her cringe.

wasn't capable of understanding emotions properly, and anything related to them

this reason that she buried herself in her research and avoided people. It wasn't so much that she hated them, but she

and gave her

the side of

I want this to

current behavior was akin to

***

words and similarly sat down on one of the nearby stools. He covered

his own head, however, as he looked at his daughter who was seated

everything, but the few tid bits that he managed to remember

the disappointment in her face, the times he saw her cry, and the times she

felt his

failed as

unconsciously blurted

his words and she looked at him with

was a forced one. Every time he looked at his daughter, he

had to pay for

was my everything. I was happy back then. In

his face as he thought back at those moments

truly

ask for

last part, and he felt something toward the corner of his eyes. He slowly lowered his head

His gaze softened.

just how happy I was when I heard of the news that she was pregnant… I was happy, really

to marry her, that was singlehandedly the best day of his

me. Every day I

up, and the smile that had spread

lost her was the moment that I