Chapter 218 - Lara, A Day

Lara's Perspective:

Today....... I didn't see Dad's future.

Which means everything around Dad is unknown!

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I opened my eyes this morning....... oh. It's already noon.

I stayed up a little late last night. I've been researching how to break Dad's Soundproof Barrier magic. That spell, Mama Xia helped develop it too, so it's become pretty much unbreakable.

Either way, breaking that barrier is my current milestone goal, and I'm working on it.

I made it to the dining table. Sister Windsor and Lucy had already eaten. Only the maids were still waiting for me.

"Miss Lara, I'll heat it up for you right away."

"Mm...... actually, don't bother heating it. Just get me a pudding~ I don't feel like eating."

"How can that be, Miss Lara? Madam Roxy will be upset."

"No she won't~ Anyway, where did Dad and the Mamas go?"

"The Madams and the two young ladies received an invitation from Princess Ariel for afternoon tea. The Master went to his laboratory at the Magic University."

Oh~ right, that was a thing.

Ariel invited the Mamas over to discuss....... Dad's birthday, apparently.

Dad's turning thirty~ You honestly can't tell. He doesn't look like someone who's almost thirty at all.

There was a line in a book Lucy read to me once:

[Happy people age slower than everyone else.]

Dad must be one of those happy people.

"Milia~ I don't wanna eat~"

"Miss Lara....... you're putting me in a very difficult position."

"I don't want to make things hard for you either~ Okay, how about this! I'll eat a little, then feed the rest to Daibai. Just don't tell Dad and the Mamas."

"No, Miss."

"Milia, you're so stubborn....... Ah! Okay, what about this? I'll head over to the Magic University later and talk to Dad properly. I'll get him to make me something."

After I said that, Milia nodded once, and then her expression went tight and a little sad.

"Miss Lara."

"Wh...... what's wrong?"

"Is the food Fili and I make not to your taste? If something isn't right, please tell us. We'll fix it."

Now that I think about it, Milia and Fili handle most of the afternoon cooking.

Their food is excellent. It's just that I never have an appetite the moment I wake up.......

How do I put it, Milia and Fili are both getting on in years. I've always thought of them as....... half-grandmothers, kind of?

They're so gentle. Whatever sweets I want, I just have to ask and they'll make it. Same with pudding. Even though the Mamas can make it too, theirs just isn't as good, so Milia and Fili have always been the ones to do it.

The last thing I want is to make them sad.

"No, it's nothing like that. I just don't have an appetite when I first wake up......."

"But you wake up at noon most days."

"I mean....... I still just woke up, so I don't have an appetite......."

"Alright. As long as it isn't a taste problem." Her expression eased. "Then I'll go get you a pudding right away."

"Ah! Get two — no! Three! Dad and Big Sister Nanahoshi....... get four! Ah, wait! Five!"

"That many?"

"Yes! Dad, me, Big Sister Nanahoshi, Uncle Cliff, Uncle Orsted — that's 5 people, isn't it?"

Though I have no idea whether Uncle Cliff and Uncle Orsted will actually be there.

Honestly, it'd be better if they weren't. Then I'd get two extra. Hehe.......

Milia nodded.

"Alright. I'll bring you 5, then have Ghislaine escort you to the Magic University."

"What about Aisha?"

"Miss Aisha went to the Asura Kingdom as the Madams' guard."

"Okay."

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Bag of pudding in hand, I rode Daibai to the Magic University.

Apparently they've opened an elementary school here now. Anyone from 7 to 23 can enroll. It's the most open, most prestigious school in the entire world right now.

Dad said if Sister Windsor is willing, she'll start at age seven.

I secretly asked Sister Windsor about it once. She said if Dad wants her to go, she'll go.

Sigh~ Sister Windsor really doesn't get it~

A school like this will be packed with annoying kids who've heard Dad's name and come swarming around. I'm absolutely not going to school when I'm seven.

But....... Mama really does seem to want me to go.......

If Mama absolutely insists, I suppose I can't really say no~ Mama teaches at this school, after all. If there's special treatment involved, then fine, I'll go!

I was still turning that over in my head when Daibai stopped in front of the laboratory.

I slid down from her back and turned to face Aunt Ghislaine and Daibai.

"Aunt Ghislaine, Daibai, you can both head back. With Dad here, I don't need a guard."

"Understood. I'll be off, then."

"Woof woof! Whimper......."

I walked up to Daibai and patted her head.

"I left food for you in the yard, the lunch I didn't eat. Hurry back before some other dog steals it."

"Woof!"

Daibai let out one loud BARK and bolted for home.

Honestly.......

I knocked on the laboratory door.

It swung open immediately. Big Sister Nanahoshi.

The moment she saw me, she broke into a smile.

"Oh my~ Lara's here?"

"Mm! I brought pudding for you and Dad!"

"Thanks, Lara~"

Big Sister Nanahoshi scooped me up and carried me inside.

Uncle Cliff and Uncle Orsted were both gone. But there were 2 strangers, and they were in the middle of a lesson with Dad.

Dad saw me and smiled.

"Lara? What brings you here?"

"No one was home~ I was bored~"

"I see. The Mamas took Windsor and Lucy to the Asura Kingdom for afternoon tea, right?"

"Yeah~ and they left just me behind. How pitiful."

"That's because Lara loves sleeping in."

"Dad's so mean! And I even brought pudding specially for him!"

Dad walked over and patted my head. Big Sister Nanahoshi set me down on the table.

My eyes moved to the 2 strangers.

"These two are my students......." Dad began.

Before he could finish, the taller one, a thin man in glasses, cut in.

"Master! Disciples would be more accurate, wouldn't it?"

"Master-sama....... Lord Zanoba is right....... disciples....... that would be correct......."

Dad gave a wry smile and corrected himself.

"These two are my disciples. Zanoba and Julie. They're currently studying magic doll-making."

He turned to them. "This is my second daughter, Lara."

Both of them bowed.

"Miss Lara. Hello."

"Miss Lara....... hello."

"Hello to you both~"

Dolls......

Oh! Right, I remember now.

"Dolls — are those the little figurine statues Dad brought back that one time?"

"That's right."

"Oh oh! Can I watch?"

"Of course."

"Ah! Before that, let's divide up the pudding. I haven't eaten yet."

"Hm? Why didn't you eat?"

"No appetite, Dad~"

"....... You need to eat dinner tonight, okay? Or is there something Lara wants to eat right now?"

"Right now I only want pudding!"

"Fine......."

Dad can never resist when I wheedle him~

After the pudding, I sat on the table and watched Zanoba and Julie work their magic on the dolls.

This Zanoba.......

Oh dear....... it was genuinely painful to watch.

Miss Julie was just as clumsy. Dad had his work cut out for him.......

"Dad!"

"Hm?"

"I think I've got it! Let me try!"

"Really? Go ahead, then."

I closed my eyes.

I pictured Dad's face in my mind.

Mmm.......

A few minutes later, a cry erupted from Zanoba's direction.

"Oh oh oh OOOOOH! As expected of Master's daughter! This talent — beyond all doubt!"

"Miss Lara....... so incredible......."

I opened my eyes.

Mm~ The sculpture in front of me looked exactly like Dad. I had based it on the statue of him in the Asura Kingdom, that one is grand enough to be worth copying. Every detail came out well~

"Hmph hahahaha! I'm Dad's disciple too, after all!"

Zanoba made a strange strangled noise.

"Oh oh oh oh OOOH! Then Miss Lara is our senior disciple-sister!"

Julie nodded along.

"Mm mm....... little senior disciple-sister!"

Senior disciple-sister....... oh!

I like that. It sounds impressive.

I nodded.

"That's right. From now on, I'm your senior disciple-sister! Hahahaha!"

Still laughing, I glanced over at Dad.

He and Big Sister Nanahoshi were both smiling wryly.

Noticing my look, Dad spoke up.

"Well then, little senior disciple-sister, why don't you learn alongside your junior disciple-brother and junior disciple-sister?"

"Of course!"

The whole afternoon went to doll-making.

It was actually pretty fun.

That first sculpture of Dad, the details don't even compare to what I was making by the end.

As the sun began to sink, Dad made a doll of me.

That version of me was holding Dad's [Prideful Water Dragon King] and wearing Mama's adventurer robe.

It was....... the future me I imagine for myself.

"Dad......."

"Hm?"

"If I ever really end up dressed like that, it'll probably mean the day I've left home."

"Eh?!"

Dad let out a startled sound and immediately cast a spell to destroy the sculpture. So fast I didn't even register it.

"Dad, what are you doing?"

"It's because Lara suddenly said something like that........"

"I can come back whenever I want~ There's teleportation magic, isn't there?"

"Ah...... right. Then there's nothing to worry about."

"Dad, honestly......."

"Mm! One more thing, if you go adventuring and happen to want to fall in love or something, you need to hold yourself to Dad's standard. Understood?"

"....... I'm 5 years old, Dad."

"Almost 6!"

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We said goodbye to Zanoba and Julie. Then I rode on Dad's back, with Big Sister Nanahoshi walking beside us, and the 3 of us headed home.

The Mamas invite Big Sister Nanahoshi for dinner pretty often, and since I happened to be there today, I wheedled her into coming back with me. Big Sister Nanahoshi is just as hopeless against my begging as everyone else.

I'm too cute, I know~

We were just reaching the front door when the Mamas arrived back from the Asura Kingdom.

Green Mama spotted us and smiled.

"Welcome back~ We'll start dinner now."

And with that, the Mamas swept off to get everything going. Not that there was much for them to do, the maids had all the ingredients ready to go. The Mamas just had to cook.

Dad patted my head.

"Alright. Eat properly tonight. You skipped lunch."

"Dad's going to feed me~"

"I know, I know."

Big Sister Nanahoshi pinched my cheek.

"Lara, how come you only ever act spoiled with your dad? I give you plenty of magic tools too, you know."

"Then Big Sister Nanahoshi can feed me~"

"Now that's more like it!"

Today was a perfectly ordinary day.

But being by Dad's side made it wonderful.

➤ Next: Windsor, One Day