Chapter 36

Despite his imposing figure, the girl in the man's arms was scrawny and short.

'This is unfair!'

No matter how much my dad is the protagonist...

"Alright, we have a total of eleven teams! Please put on the participation necklaces from A to K."

The man, who could rival Mr. Mach, was J, and my dad, who joined last, was K.

Perhaps because they were standing side by side, my competitive spirit burned even more.

Especially when I saw the man's daughter smirking at my dad.

"Dad! I need the Cinderella shoes for Lala!"

"Of course! Just trust Dad, only Dad!"

Dad was very confident.

"Since there are many participants, we need to eliminate quickly! Alright, five teams! When exactly five teams remain, our dads and moms, please sit down and stand up vigorously! Start!"

Indeed, it was a test of stamina!

The host started counting as the participants sat down and stood up.

"...Twenty-one! Twenty-two!"

"Hehe. Must be young. You have great stamina."

"Does Mr. Billy also have great stamina?"

Mr. Mach, no, Mr. Billy, who had already introduced himself to Dad, predictably had steel-like stamina.

While everyone was panting, he even had the leisure to chat with Dad.

"Don't give up, Dad!"

"Got it, Princess!"

I clung tightly to Mr. James' brown hair and cheered him on.

"...Thirty-seven! Stop! Finally, the sixth elimination! Please step down from the stage. Now, the remaining five teams, please gather in the center."

Dad finally put me and Cheshire down, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and caught his breath.

"The next stage will also be a sit-down and stand-up challenge! However! Let's increase the difficulty a bit? Our dads, after spinning your noses ten times in place, please pick up your children! Start!"

With the determination to give his daughter the Lala shoes, Mr. James Brown started spinning his nose.

No one could imagine it.

That the Duke Rubinstein was spinning his nose here...

Cheshire watched Dad spin in place with a sad look and asked me.

"Do you really need them? The Lala something shoes."

"Hmm. Not really, but we've crossed a river we can't return from. Now it's a matter of pride. We can't lose."

"Ha."

After spinning ten times, Dad, looking dizzy, shook his head vigorously and focused his eyes.

"Come here, Princess!"

Despite swaying, Dad put me on his lap and Cheshire on his arm.

I glanced at Mr. Billy, who didn't seem affected at all, and whispered to Dad.

"Dad, are you dizzy? What about using a little magic? No one will know."

"Tsk! What are you talking about, Princess? We must play fair."

"Ugh."

I knew my words wouldn't affect Enock Rubinstein, who is nothing but a corpse without his sense of justice.

"Hehe. You look very tired... You might catch a cold, young man!"

"Haha. Don't worry. I'm not tired at all."

Mr. Billy, the coward! Pretending to be relaxed while holding a daughter who probably weighs less than half a bag of rice!

I gritted my teeth and glared at Mr. Billy. Mr. Billy's daughter also glared back at me.

"Alright, let's see how many can sit down and stand up until only two teams remain! Start!"

The host's loud voice echoed.

* * *

Axion's eyes glinted fiercely as he patrolled the commoner residential area during the festival.

With child abductions on the rise, and it being Children's Day, it was the perfect opportunity for the perpetrator.

"Surely, he's licking his lips somewhere."

In just a month, over twenty commoner children have gone missing.

The common thread: fair skin and cute faces. They could fetch a good price if sold to noble families.

Rustle.

Axion frowned as he looked at the suspect's composite sketch.

"A guy who looks like this..."

A nasty scar running across his left eye.

His distinctive appearance made him easy to catch.

"...You haven't seen him yet?"

The sharp question made the guards exchange glances.

One guard timidly spoke up.

"W-well, not exactly."

"Then."

The guards couldn't answer and just looked at each other.

Axion sneered at their behavior.

Predictable. They must have been paid off to look the other way.

In the commoner residential area, where the law offered no protection, it was not unusual.

Axion glared fiercely at the guards, who avoided his gaze, and folded the composite sketch.

"I will punish him with my authority. No matter what happens today, bring him in. If you fail, you will be held responsible."

"Yes, yes! Your Grace!"

"Yes!"

The guards disappeared in unison.

Axion also moved, but then paused, looking at the candy in his hand.

"A refreshing candy. Eat it and stay strong."

During her time at the institution, Liris had grown well and looked much healthier than when he first met her.

She resembled her well-put-together father so much...

Like a talking and walking doll.

'That's why everyone has children.'

Axion, who had absentmindedly thought this, peeled the candy wrapper and put it in his mouth.

Then, he suddenly stared at the bustling and noisy festival street.

'What if...'

If the target was cute and precious children, Liris would be a perfect target.

But...

'Must be getting old. Really, what a pointless worry.'

It was truly unnecessary.

If anyone dared to try, they would be caught by the overprotective dad and wouldn't even have bones left.

Axion recalled the time he had taken Liris as a hostage and almost died, and shook off his unnecessary worries.

* * *

"Finally, the last two remain! Mr. Billy and Mr. James! Please give them a round of applause!"

The final round.

Cheesher, who had come down to the audience to wait, sighed, seeing Enock still smiling despite the rain of sweat.

Fortunately, the final round was not about stamina.

"The rules for the final game are simple! Here, we have five wooden boxes, and five children are inside. I will ask a question that only a dad and daughter can answer!"

The host added with a smile.

"Listen to your daughter's answer, and guess which box your daughter is in! Note that all the children have inhaled helium gas, so you can't guess by voice."

Enock covered his mouth and laughed like a villain.

"Hehe... It seems I will win. My princess knows everything about me."

Billy mocked the confident Enock.

"Hehe. Is it really that easy? Emily also knows everything about me."

Sparks flew between the two dads.

"The other boxes contain the children who were previously eliminated. Now, let's start with the first question! One, two, three, answer!"

The host flipped through the paper in his hand and shouted.

"What is your dad's favorite food?!"

Enock burst out laughing.

'My princess and I like the same thing. Scrambled eggs with tomato sauce!'

"One, two, three!"

"Black beer!"

"Potato soup!"

"Carrot puree!"

"Chicken breast soup!"

"Sausage!"

Ding.

Enock stumbled.

Billy, laughing next to him, raised his hand.

"Can I choose without going to the second question?"

"Sure, go ahead!"

"Hold on."

Enock grabbed Billy's arm as he walked forward.

"Brother."

"What is it?"

"Let's hear one more question. We've sweated together, so it would be a shame to end it like this."

"Hahaha! What a funny guy! Sure, I'll let you. Host! Another question!"

"Thank you for your generosity."

Enock sighed and spoke to Liris, who was in one of the boxes.

"Princess, are you disappointed in Dad? No, how could you get it wrong... Let's do better next time?"

"Then, let's go to the next question! What is your dad's shoe size?!"

The host shouted.

'Wow! This is a tough question, but my daughter can't get it wrong!'

Enock felt relieved.

"One, two, three!"

"14 peli!"

"...I don't know."

"I don't know!"

"I don't know?"

"4 peli!"

Ding again.

Enock's eyes widened.

"No, Princess?"

The one with a 14 peli shoe size must be Billy, and the one who said 4 peli must be a child who came with their mother.

Not knowing Dad's shoe size!

After going to so many shoe stores together!

"Ugh. Ugh. Hahaha!"

"Phew."

A perfect defeat. Billy confidently approached and opened the first box, and his daughter Emily jumped out.

"Wow, Dad!"

"You did great, my daughter!"

Enock, watching the heartwarming father-daughter moment, hesitated in front of the three middle boxes.

'Should I use a little power?'

Enock, who was about to use mana to sense Liris, shook his head.

'No, we must play fair...'

He finally opened the second box.

Naturally, a boy he had never seen before jumped out.

"Ah..."

He turned with a bitter smile and saw Billy, whose nose was high in the air.

"Congratulations! Today's winners are Mr. Billy Black and Miss Emily Black! Here are the Cinderella shoes!"

"Hehe."

Billy approached Enock and offered his hand.

"That was fun, young man. I run a pub in the next alley. Come by sometime for a refreshing beer."

"Yes, brother. I had fun too. I'll come by later."

As Billy and the spectators left, the noisy stage became quiet.

"Princess, are you angry?"

Enock trudged over and opened the third box.

A strange child ran out, smiling, to find their parents.

"Phew. Honestly, I can't say this is Dad's fault... How could you get those easy questions wrong? I'm really disappointed..."

Opening the fourth box, a girl with freckles came out.

'Huh?'

Enock paused.

The last child couldn't be Liris, right?

At that moment.

Cheesher, who had been standing behind, frowned and rushed over to open the last box.

A short boy came out.

Enock was stunned.

Liris was nowhere to be found.