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.

but

look exactly

after hearing his voice. It wasn't so much the contents of his voice that made

hear him speak to

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

to be in...

like you when

may not have directly stated who the 'she' he was referring to was, but Melissa had an idea of whom he was referring to, and as she observed him, a

idea how to react at

is

first time that her father

He looked… frail.

took off her glasses and pinched the middle of her

me? You don't have to pretend to be like this, if you want something, just ask away. I'll

on a nearby stool and

he was behaving was giving her

Emotions made her cringe.

during her younger years made her emotionally immature. She wasn't capable of understanding emotions properly, and anything related to them

people. It wasn't so much that she hated them, but she was incapable

and gave

side

I want

current behavior was akin to torture for

***

on one of the nearby stools. He covered his mouth with his hand while

things that he wanted to say to her now that he had finally managed to regain clarity over his own head, however, as

bits that he managed to remember were no

treated his daughter for the past few years… the disappointment in her face, the times he saw her cry, and the times she tried to meet his expectations

his

as a

unconsciously blurted out

she looked at him with a baffled

his daughter, he felt himself

he had to pay for

a deep breath. "It affected me in more ways than you can imagine. She was my everything.

face as he thought back at

was truly happy

that I could ever ask for in a partner.

chuckle at the last part, and he felt something toward the corner of his

His gaze softened.

of the news that she was pregnant… I was

marry her, that was singlehandedly

family excited me. Every day I would wake up

slowly moved up, and the smile that had spread across his face

moment I lost her was the moment that I lost