<h4>Chapter 100: Viin Simtor, Ch 99</h4>
Lucas felt a slight jolt in his heart. He had specifically instructed Klee not to mention the "Hero Klee vs. the Demon King" incident. Despite having framed those criminal acts as a mission to defeat the Demon King, discussing it further could expose the truth. No, he had to put an end to this conversation immediately.
Just as Lucas was about to step forward, a figure suddenly blocked his path. When he saw who it was, his pupils widened.
Pointed, elongated ears, skin as white as snow, long pale-golden hair, and those striking crimson eyes— it was someone Lucas could never forget, even if she turned to ashes. Alice.
Though Lucas had only met her a few times over a decade ago, her stunning beauty was unforgettable, even with just one nce. Perhaps due to her elven bloodline, she appeared almost unchanged from ten years ago, as if time had quietly slipped away only for him.
"Let the children handle their own matters," Alice said with a faint smile. "Don''t worry. As the principal and teacher of this school, I won''t let them get hurt."
Principal? Teacher?
Lucas frowned slightly but suppressed his inner excitement, asking calmly, "If I''m not mistaken, you must be Miss Alice, correct?"
Due to his disfigurement and reattached arm, Alice did not recognize the man before her as the "bystander" she had met over a decade ago.
"That''s right, I am Alice. You must have seen the obituary I published, right?" she replied. "I used to be an adventurer, dreaming of exploring every corner of the world, but that childish dream cost me my most precious treasure."
"I am deeply sorry about that," Lucas thought, sneering inwardly but feigning sympathy. "As a father, I can''t imagine the pain of losing a child. It must have been incredibly hard for you."
His tone wasced with sarcasm, as if he were deliberately provoking her. <i>Come on, Alice! Let me see your face full of pain and sadness!</i>
Though Lucas''s main revenge wasn''t focused on the present, he didn''t mind savoring some of Alice''s suffering as a bonus.
"At first, it was really hard, but I''ve nowe out of the shadows," Alice said with a serene smile. "Instead of dwelling on past pain, people should learn to look forward."
Lucas felt her words pierce his heart like a chisel. <i>How can you speak so righteously about moving forward? Does that make my efforts over the past decade meaningless?</i>
It felt as if someone who had lost their entire family and spent years training for revenge was suddenly confronted by their enemy smiling and saying, "Haven''t you let it go? I did, a long time ago."
Amotion broke out nearby, drawing Lucas and Alice''s attention. Klee''s argument with the other kids had already ended, and she had knocked them all down. Despite not using her Vision or bombs, her skills, honed through countless missions, far surpassed those of ordinary people. She resembled Hit-Girl from <i>Kick-Ass</i>.
"Wh-what''s going on?" Alice, who had been calm moments ago, now looked surprised. She moved to intervene, but Lucas mirrored her stance, blocking her path with a smile.
"Didn''t you say children should resolve their own problems?"
Klee''s "violent behavior" didn''t spark further conflict. Instead, the kids who had doubted her moments earlier now looked at her with admiration, surrounding her in awe. Klee, with her natural charisma, reveled in the attention, crossing her arms and tilting her chin up with a smug expression.
"Once Klee defeats the Demon King, you can all be drawn into Hero Klee vs. the Demon King... huh?"
The little one''s words were cut off as Alice lifted her up, smiling. "Your name is Klee, right? You shouldn''t bully your ssmates..."
Alice suddenly froze. Perhaps it was the bond of blood, or maybe Klee''s adorableness reminded her of her own daughter. In an instant, tears formed in Alice''s eyes.
"Auntie, don''t cry..." Klee quickly wiped away Alice''s tears. "Daddy says the only ces you can cry are in the bathroom or in Daddy''s arms."
Lucas felt a surge of panic. If Alice recognized Klee as her daughter now, his revenge n would crumble, and his identity could be exposed. Yet, he knew the more critical the moment, the more vital it was to remain calm. Any slip could draw Alice''s suspicion.
"Miss Alice?" Lucas asked, masking his nerves with a calm expression. "Are you okay?"
"Sorry, I lost myposure," Alice said, wiping her eyes. "Your daughter... she''s very cute."
"She is indeed, but she tends to cause trouble," Lucas replied with a helpless smile. "No school has wanted to ept her, so I thought I''d try my luck here."
"Please let her study here!" Alice insisted. "I''ll take good care of her!"
<i>Got her,</i> Lucas thought with satisfaction. His guess was right—Klee''s presence had reawakened Alice''s maternal instincts. <i>Do you want to forget your daughter? Then I''ll bring her back to you.</i>
When Alice was in pain, Lucas felt joy; when she was happy, he felt pain. It was precisely why Lucas was willing to take such a risk by bringing Klee to her.
"Klee," Lucas bent down, gently stroking his daughter''s head and smiling. "Do you like it here?"
"I do!" Klee nodded enthusiastically. "There are interesting friends, lots of toys, and... a prettydy."
Alice couldn''t help but smile slightly at Klee''s innocent excitement. Lucas noticed the doting look in Alice''s eyes. If the rumors are true, Klee would definitely be her first choice for an adopted daughter or goddaughter, he thought. But even if it wasn''t Alice, who could resist the adorable Klee? Lucas felt confident about that.
[Text Mode Activated]
[Klee''s enrollment went smoothly. You kept reminding her not to reveal her secret, just in case.]
[You also prepared backup potions in case she couldn''t suppress her elf bloodline.]
[Age 36: In what felt like no time, Klee had been at school for half a year.]
[Despite a few unexpected incidents, they were all resolved with minimal trouble.]
[Meanwhile, juggling your role as the chief alchemist of the Knights of Favonius, you left the shop temporarily in Sucrose''s care.]
[This position gave you ess to privileged information, under the guise of borrowing books for ''research purposes.'']
[By day, you y the role of a normal father, but at night, you and Klee transform into a criminal duo that the Knights of Favonius struggle to apprehend.]
[Sucrose''s assistance has made your operations much smoother, her little inventions proving invaluable.]
[She continues to improve the bio-alchemyponents in your body.]
[Sucrose even developed a potion designed to enhance physical abilities by injecting micro-alchemy cells into the body. Unfortunately, it was a failed experiment. Sucrose tested the potion on a Hilichurl, which initially gained the strength of a Hilichurl King, but after three minutes, it went berserk and exploded.]
[Captain Jean has adapted to her synthetic arm, but her swordsmanship hasn''t fully recovered. Determined, she developed a two-handed sword technique topensate for the impairment in her right hand. Every time she sees you, she expresses great respect. After all, beyond aiding her recovery, your alchemical skills have greatly contributed to the Knights of Favonius.]
[Meanwhile, Klee''s rtionship with Alice has grown stronger. Klee often shares stories about her time with Alice, and you feel a pang of conflicting emotions. Although this is the oue you hoped for, you know it''s cruel to Klee, for eventually, she and Alice will have to face each other in battle.]
[You wake up from nightmares where Klee, bloodied and despairing, looks at you and asks, "Daddy, why didn''t youe to save Klee?" For the first time, your resolve begins to waver. You can no longer pretend that your love for Klee is fake. You can''t sacrifice her for revenge.]
[Seeking advice, you confide in Sucrose. She seems to have anticipated your dilemma. "If your goal is to make Alice suffer," she said, "there are ways to do so without harming Klee. Breaking someone''s heart is a far more effective revenge than taking a life."]
[You ponder Sucrose''s words.]
[The next day, Klee brings you a letter from Alice. Initially, you suspect Klee might have caused trouble at school, but the content of the letter leaves you at a loss. Alice has invited you to her home for dinner over the weekend and specifically requested that youe alone. The invitation raises suspicions. Could Alice have discovered the truth about Klee being her daughter and wants to confront me?]
[You share the letter with Sucrose, who remains calm. "You should go," she assures you. "Nothing will go wrong."]
[When you question her certainty, she gives you a knowing smile. "I''m a woman too, and only a woman knows what another woman is thinking."]
[Sucrose believes this dinner could be a chance to refine your revenge n. She brings out a suit she prepared for you earlier and even ties your tie herself. Apart from the mask covering half your face, you look quite refined. In fact, with Sucrose''s bio-alchemy skills, removing the scars on your face wouldn''t be difficult, but you choose to keep them. They serve two purposes: one, to conceal your identity, and two, to remind you of your resolve for revenge.]
[In her letter, Alice mentioned that today was your day off. She must have done her homework, you thought. If you declined her invitation, it would look suspicious. You decide to put your concerns aside. No matter how powerful Alice might be, she wouldn''t dare harm me in her own neighborhood, would she?]
[Standing at Alice''s doorstep, you hesitate before finally pressing the doorbell.]
[Entering Immersive Mode]
The doorbell chimes softly, and Lucas hears hurried footsteps approaching. The door opens to reveal Alice in casual home attire—an oversized off-shoulder sweater that subtly highlights her graceful elven charm. Contrary to themon image of slender and tall elves, Alice had no shortage of curves where it mattered.
"Sorry to bother you," Lucas says, handing her a bouquet of flowers with a smile. "I epted the invitation in a hurry and didn''t have time to prepare a proper gift. I hope you don''t mind."
"Thank you, I really like them," Alice replies, taking the flowers and inhaling their scent. Her expression is one of genuine pleasure. "Please,e in and make yourself at home."
Make the enemy''s home your own? Lucas thinks, almost scoffing at the irony. How could she say that so casually?
Despite his resentment towards Alice, he forces a smile and follows her into the room. The setting in the simtion was very simr to reality. Mondstadt may have overthrown the old nobility, but its city is still divided into wealthy andmoner districts. Alice''s home, located in a prime spot even within the wealthy district, speaks to her financialfort.
The decor is tasteful and expensive—clearly, money is no issue for her. Someone who can whimsically start a school surely isn''t short on cash.
With his instinct for details honed by scouting locations for Klee''s missions, Lucas scans the room. Under the sofa, he notices empty beer cans hastily stashed away, and a faint scent of snacks lingers in the air. Clothes are neatly packed, ready for the dry cleaners, and a few strands of cat hair are scattered on the floor.
As expected, women living alone really liked to keep cats.
Although Alice appeared morous, in the end, she was just a single woman without a husband, who had also suffered the pain of losing a daughter.
What kind of life is she leading? Despite her outward elegance, he imagines her lonely evenings, sipping beer and petting her cat, hiding from her own pain.
"Please wash your hands first," Alice says, heading into the kitchen. "I just have one more dish to finish, so please wait a bit longer. And... no sneaking any bites."
The table is set with an borate dinner, but Lucas recognizes it immediately as takeout from the Good Hunter restaurant. <i>I''m a regr there. I''d know the scent anywhere</i>, he thinks with an amused smile.
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thor''s Note: I''m currently resting in the hospital, so I apologize in advance if scheduled Chapters are not uploaded as nned. Over the next few days, I may not have enough time to check the app.