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 who gave you permission to

look exactly

contents of his voice that made her freeze, but the softness

she hear him speak to

see her usually expressionless father staring at her with an

to

looked exactly like you when

who the 'she' he was referring to was, but Melissa had an

had no idea how to

stomach is starting to

plus years of life, this was the first time that her father

He looked… frail.

and pinched

from me? You don't have to pretend to be like this, if

sat on a nearby stool

way he was behaving was giving her

Emotions made her cringe.

she faced during her younger years made her emotionally immature. She wasn't capable of understanding emotions properly,

for this reason that she buried herself in her research and avoided people. It wasn't

and

scratched the side

want

current behavior was akin to torture for

***

the nearby stools. He covered his mouth

had finally managed to regain clarity over his own head, however, as he looked at his daughter

bits that he managed to remember were no pleasant

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

his heart

failed as

blurted out

at his words and she looked at him with a baffled

one. Every time he looked at his daughter, he felt himself drowning in even more pain, but

the price he had to pay for

death…" He took a deep breath. "It affected me in more ways than you can imagine. She was my everything. I was happy back then. In more ways than you could imagine. It felt

his face as he thought

truly happy back

ever ask for in a partner. Caring,

he felt something toward the corner of his eyes.

His gaze softened.

I heard of the news that she

that was singlehandedly the best day of

a family excited me. Every day I

the smile that had spread

moment I lost her was the moment that I