"Dale? What's he up to?"
Dahlia asked in confusion. She had taken a carriage into the city today and hadn't had the chance to catch up on much. Even her own father, she was only seeing now.
"He's at school. He's learned more here than he ever did back in the capital." Joe said gently.
"Him? That well-behaved? Are you sure he's not just fooling everyone?" Dahlia raised an eyebrow. She found it hard to believe that the mischievous Dale would actually study. Back in the capital, she had to discipline him more times than she could count.
"Sigh... Dale is still your younger brother. You should have more faith in him," Joe said with a helpless smile. "He really has changed a lot."
He sighed again. The two were half-siblings, and Dahlia still resented him. After her biological mother passed away, Joe remarried not long after, bringing Dale's mother into the family.
Back then, father and daughter had a huge falling-out. And as for Dale? He had been on the receiving end of Dahlia's strict discipline more times than he could remember. To this day, he would avoid her whenever she was around.
"Heh~" Dahlia let out a cold chuckle, her long legs striding forward. That little brat? Well-behaved? That would be the joke of the century.
Joe sighed in resignation and led Dahlia out of the castle, heading toward the elementary school. Steve, the teacher, had recently advised him to personally pick Dale up from school to help strengthen their father-son bond.
"This city is quite special." Dahlia remarked as she walked through the streets, taking in the clean and orderly environment—the neatly aligned houses, the wide roads…
Compared to the royal capital, the only things this city lacked were size and population. What astonished her even more was the sight of humans and beastkins chatting and laughing together.
This was a first in her life—seeing beastkins walking the streets freely, smiling. It reminded her of a novel written years ago by Princess Lucy.
Or rather, a story Lucy had dictated when she was twelve—ten years ago. Back then, she had someone write down her words, producing her very first book: The Land of Dreams.
That book was what first made Princess Lucy famous. It even gained popularity among beastkins, earning her many devoted fans.
The Land of Dreams was inspired by one of Lucy's dreams. Though the writing was naive—childish, even—it resonated with many, especially children around ten years old.
The story depicted Lucy's innocent and beautiful vision of an ideal world—a mysterious land where beastkins, elves, dwarves, and humans lived together in harmony. A place without war, without suffering, where everyone had enough to eat…
"The longer you live in this city, the more incredible it feels… and the less you'll want to leave." Joe said with a genuine smile.
"..." Dahlia turned to glance at him, her brows furrowing. Could this city really be that captivating?
"You have a few days, don't you? Take your time and explore." Joe said kindly.
"Mm!" Dahlia nodded.
Before long, they arrived at the elementary school gates, where they spotted Dale playing around with another boy.
"Dale, look who's here." Joe called out to his son.
"Hmm?" Dale turned his head at the sound of his father's voice, then suddenly froze. His body stiffened, and instinctively, he took a step back—hiding behind Ricky.
"Dale? What's wrong? Joe's here, aren't you going over?" Ricky scratched his cheek, looking confused.
"D-Do you see that red-haired woman next to my father? That beautiful demon?" Dale whispered nervously.
"Demon? No… Who is she? She's really pretty." Ricky said, puzzled.
"No, that is the demon," Dale said, his face twisting into misery. "The one sent by the heavens to punish me…"
"Dale, come here. We're going to eat at Drunken Night Restaurant." Joe called, frowning.
Seeing how terrified Dale was of Dahlia, he couldn't help but glance at his daughter—who remained calm and indifferent.
Just what had she done to this boy in the past?
"Wow! Dale, you get to eat at Drunken Night Restaurant again? I'm so jealous!" Ricky smacked his lips in envy.
"I'm heading off then. See you tomorrow!" Dale waved.
"See you tomorrow." Ricky waved back.
Dale obediently walked up to Joe but hesitated as he looked at Dahlia. He lowered his head slightly and called out timidly, "E-Elder Sister…"
"..." Dahlia raised an eyebrow in surprise.
This little brat seemed different from before… but she couldn't quite put her finger on what had changed.
"Let's go. If we're late, there won't be any private rooms left at the Drunken Night Restaurant." Joe said, patting Dale's head.
"Father, I want to eat lion's head meatballs! Ricky's grandpa took him there last time, and he said they were amazing!" Dale suddenly perked up, his excitement overflowing.
"..." Dahlia rolled her eyes.
Yep. Still the same brat. That earlier feeling? Pure illusion.
"Alright!" Joe agreed without hesitation.
The three of them headed toward Drunken Night Restaurant, but the entire way, Dale was like a mouse in front of a cat—his usual noisy self completely gone.
"Mmm, that smells amazing." Dahlia twitched her nose as she caught a delicious scent wafting through the air. She turned her head toward a shop on the side of the street and glanced at the sign. Softly, she read the words, "Pizza shop? What kind of strange name is that?"
"Pizza is a special kind of flatbread. You can bring Catherine here to try it tomorrow." Joe said, glancing at the shop.
"That sounds—huh?" Dahlia's voice trailed off as her gaze landed on a gray-haired woman walking out of the pizza shop.
That woman… she looked too much like one of the Five Mysterious Beauties of the capital—the most enigmatic one, at that.
"No, the hair color's wrong… but the face looks just like her. Didn't they say she'd already fled to the south? There's no way she'd be here…" Dahlia muttered, furrowing her brows.
"Dahlia, what's wrong?" Joe asked curiously.
"Huh?" Snapping back to reality, Dahlia shook her head. "It's nothing. I just suddenly remembered something."
"…Is that so?"
Joe raised an eyebrow. That reaction didn't look like 'nothing' to him.
A young woman suddenly spacing out? There was only one logical explanation—she was thinking about someone she liked!
No way. As a father, he had to ask.
With that thought in mind, Joe casually said, "Dahlia, do you have someone you like?"
"Pfft—cough cough—" Dahlia choked, staring at Joe in shock. Her face turned red with anger as she snapped, "What nonsense are you spouting?!"
"…Wait, so there is someone you like?" Joe's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Well, that won't be easy. Whoever it is, they'll have to get past me first if they want to marry my daughter."
"You—you keep talking nonsense, and I'm going straight to Catherine!" Dahlia clenched her fists, her face flushing even redder with frustration.
"Uh…" Joe immediately shut his mouth. Yeah, maybe he shouldn't push his luck.
"Hmph!" Dahlia huffed, flicking her long crimson hair and striding ahead with a proud, tsundere-like air.
"If you don't have someone you like… then how about Lord Lucas? You could consider him," Joe murmured just loudly enough for Dahlia to hear. "He's a good man… quite talented too."
"Ugh—"
Dahlia stumbled, nearly tripping over her own feet. Her face flushed crimson as she spun around, her voice exploding with embarrassment. "Shut up!"
Who—who said she was going to marry him?! That big idiot could never win her over!
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