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 to

exactly like

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

did she hear him speak

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

to be in...

like you

directly stated who the 'she' he was referring to was, but Melissa had an idea of whom he was referring to, and

how to react at

stomach is starting

years of life, this was the first time that her father had talked about her mother, and she

He looked… frail.

off her glasses and pinched the middle of

have to pretend to be like this, if you want

on a nearby stool and bit onto her

way he was behaving was giving

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 made her

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

her and

side

I want this to

behavior was akin to torture

***

similarly sat down on one of the nearby stools. He covered his mouth with his hand while leaning his shoulder

managed to regain clarity over his own head, however, as he looked at his daughter who was

but the few tid bits that

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

felt his

as

unconsciously blurted

she looked at

his daughter, he felt himself drowning in even more pain, but he bore

was the price he had to pay

more ways than you can imagine. She was my everything. I was happy back then. In more ways than you could imagine. It felt

soft smile unconsciously spread across his face as he thought back

was truly happy back

could ever ask for in a partner. Caring, funny…

soft chuckle at the last part, and he felt something toward the corner of his eyes. He slowly lowered his head to gaze at Melissa

His gaze softened.

imagine just how happy I was when I heard of the news that she

that was singlehandedly the best day of

day I would wake up thinking about the future…

and the smile that had spread across his face

her was the moment that I