Chapter 229: Why are you doing this to me? (4)

Alice's Mansion.

Tap- tap- tap-

The problem the Iris Guild faced.

Alice, who had been gathering information on the centaur that appeared in France, stood up from her seat while stretching.

"Haa... What am I supposed to do?"

Since it wasn't a definitively established monster, the reliability of the information was low.

Frowning from fatigue, Alice poured the wine on her desk into her glass.

"Hmm."

Closing her eyes and enjoying the aroma of the wine, Alice realized that the weekend would be over tomorrow.

She had done nothing but work all weekend, and it was already over.

She had to go to the academy, and start gathering information and studying again.

'Hmm....'

Come to think of it, where did Scarlet go again?

There was a mountain of information to gather.

Information about Lee Ho-yeon, information about the women around Lee Ho-yeon, or information about Lee Ho-yeon's dormitory....

Knock, knock.

"Come in."

Sebastian was the only one who knocked on her door like this.

Because Scarlet strangely liked to come and go through the window.

Alice placed her wine glass down on the desk and welcomed Sebastian.

"A-Ah, young lady."

"...What is it?"

Sebastian entered the room, looking urgent.

He had been getting urgent like that often these days.

He was originally someone with the composure of a middle-aged man.

And whenever he lacked that composure, it was always regarding her father.

"We received contact from the Korea Branch Manager. The Guild Master has visited Korea."

"Why on earth? No, where is he now?"

"That is... we have deployed the Korea Branch Personnel and are currently looking for him."

"How did you know he entered the country?"

"He dropped by the Korea Branch Manager to ask for directions as soon as he arrived. The Guild Master asked her to keep it a strict secret, but she told us secretly, so she said to absolutely not tell the Guild Master...."

"...She is a really strange person."

The Korea Branch Manager, Doctor Kang Hyo-rin.

She was at the same academy, but she was a person that couldn't be understood.

To ignore the Guild Master's words like that.

Could it be that she was showing consideration for her student as a professor?

Beep, beep, beep-

Right then, Sebastian's smartwatch rang loudly.

"Yes, hello. Where? What?!"

Sebastian narrowed his forehead while looking at his smartwatch.

Seeing how he stole glances at Alice during the call, it seemed her father had caused an accident.

After finishing the call a moment later, Sebastian carefully looked at Alice.

"...Young lady. They say he is at the Academy Shopping District."

"Haa, what is my dad doing? Did he lose his way or something?"

He probably got lost while trying to find his way here.

Alice having no sense of direction was hereditary.

Because her father, Isaac, also often got confused about directions.

"I do not think that is the case... Um, they say he is with Cadet Lee Ho-yeon."

"What? Why is Ho-yeon coming up?"

Alice couldn't help but be flustered.

The two shouldn't have any point of connection, right?

"I am not sure either. They said it was the result of tracking magic power... but because the barrier is strong, they do not know the exact details...."

Haa.

This mister becomes like this whenever my dad is mentioned.

Just what did he go through during his active duty days?

"Enough. Sebastian. Guide me there quickly."

"Understood...."

I told him to absolutely never come.

Furthermore, he goes to meet Lee Ho-yeon without even telling me?

He obviously went to see him because of the massage.

"...What's the point of him always saying he likes me."

What a crazy dad.

Alice left the mansion feeling completely offended.

*

"...Approval."

"...?"

'What bullshit.'

I looked at Isaac, and then stole a glance at Scarlet behind him.

Scarlet met my eyes, then slightly shook her head.

Understanding the signal, I looked away just like that.

"Phew...."

Just what exactly was getting approval?

Did he test my strength?

'No, why would someone I met for the first time today do that?'

'Does he mean I pass as his prospective son-in-law?'

Various thoughts came to mind, but I didn't bother speaking them aloud.

Because I didn't want to step up unnecessarily.

If I wait, he will tell me himself.

"...."

"...."

However, the opponent was naturally not normal.

My previously panting breath had already returned to normal, and I started to feel awkward in this space where two men were locking eyes.

Two men were facing each other for over 10 minutes. There was no way this wouldn't be awkward.

"...Who are you?"

If it were a demon, I would have used informal language, but I couldn't possibly use informal language towards Alice's father.

"Did you know me from the start?"

Isaac opened his mouth while looking at me with an interesting gaze.

'This man is quite handsome too.'

Perhaps because he was the beautiful Alice's father, his appearance stats were brimming.

A popular blonde tanned delinquent would probably look exactly like this when they grew older.

'I shouldn't pretend to know him.'

To begin with, it wasn't often that Isaac showed his face like this.

Because the Guild Master of an information guild had to be shrouded in secrecy.

Knowing Isaac in person meant one was a person with some level of authority.

But it was absurd for a mere cadet who had just started becoming famous to know the Emperor of the Night.

"I don't know."

That was why I lied.

The special privilege called [Clear Mentality].

Thanks to that, I was confident in acting composed.

"Hmm... Is that so? I suppose so."

Nodding his head, Isaac slowly looked me up and down.

"...So who are you? And what do you mean by approval?"

"Approval... It means you have surpassed my standards. Rejoice. For you have become one of the top men in the entire world."

"...."

What's with this mister's tone of voice.

Is his eighth-grader syndrome still not cured?

"And as for who I am, that is a secret. While the Night of Darkness watches over you...."

"Dad!"

From behind Isaac, who was lowering his voice and striking a strange form while looking at me, an angrily sharp voice could be heard.

After confirming the owner of the voice, I couldn't help but open my eyes wide.

"Who's ruining the mood right now... Huh?"

Naturally, Isaac and Scarlet also turned around and confirmed the approaching blonde beauty.

"I told you not to come!"

"A-Alice. How are you here...."

Alice, who was approaching this way looking angry, briefly met my eyes and let out a deep sigh.

Then, she immediately walked up to Isaac and stomped on his shin with the heel of her shoe.

"A-Ack!"

Perhaps he didn't even think to block his daughter's foot with magic power, as Isaac grabbed his shin and rolled on the ground.

Ouch.

It looks painful even to me. Just how much must it hurt?

"Does it hurt? Huh? I told you not to come. I told Sebastian that I'd never see you again if you came, so why are you doing this, Dad?"

"I-I'm sorry... I didn't read the documents to the end...."

"That's your problem, Dad. You always interfere with what I...."

How many minutes had we waited?

Scarlet and I watched that terrifying Isaac get scolded by Alice.

"Do you really trust me that little? Do you think I'd just go crazy over a man?"

"It's not that, I just...."

It was absurd, and a bit funny too.

For reference, Scarlet was standing behind Isaac, seriously watching the scene unfold.

I wanted to at least give Scarlet a nod, but she wouldn't look at me at all.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry...."

"Forget it. I'm sulking. I'm not going to talk to you anymore, Dad."

"A-Alice. I'm sorry. What should I do to...."

"Don't apologize to me, bow your head and sincerely apologize to Ho-yeon. He's the person treating my illness. You shouldn't have acted like that, Dad."

"Alice. Your father is the Iris Guild Master. It's not a position where I can just bow my head as I please."

Isaac straightened his hunched back and spoke confidently.

Was it a kind of pride he couldn't bend?

"Then stop pretending to know me from now on. If you don't apologize, I won't talk to you, Dad."

"Alice...."

As if forgetting when he ever cared about his pride, Isaac submissively bowed his back again.

Good job! Well done!

A boyfriend is better than a dad. Hmm, hmm.

Isaac, who had been acting prideful, blankly stared at Alice, who was crossing her arms and turning her head away, before sluggishly turning his body.

It was truly a face that had lost the world.

Were the words, 'If you don't apologize, I won't talk to you, Dad,' that hurtful?

With an expression as if his pride had been completely torn apart, Isaac bowed his head to me.

"I-I'm sorry... I am Alice's father and I serve as the Guild Master of Iris. I was just curious about the man getting close to my daughter. But I didn't know how to approach you... I am truly sorry...."

"...No. It is fine."

It's a bit... hmm. It feels a bit weird.

The current situation of receiving an apology from Isaac feels like that too.

As a father, no, wait.

Since I'm not a father yet, as a man.

Should I say I can empathize with that pride-wounding situation?

Isaac looked at me before stealing a glance back at Alice.

Glare-

However, at the glare from Alice beside him, he bowed his head again.

"...Tell me if there is anything you want. As long as it is within what I can do... no, that doesn't mean everything is possible...."

"It's fi...."

I stopped my mouth from saying it was fine.

Now that such an opportunity had arisen, I couldn't just let it pass, could I?

"...Then I have a request for you."

Isaac swallowed his saliva as he waited for my next words.

"I would like to investigate the centaur that appeared in France together with you."

"...Something of that level. I can do it for you."

Isaac forced a smile while his lips trembled violently.

It was slightly scary, but I couldn't miss this opportunity.

I maintained my composure and put on the most good-natured smile possible.

*

Saying this wasn't enough and that she needed to apologize personally, Alice took Lee Ho-yeon away.

"A-Alice...."

Isaac was on the verge of tears as he watched Alice disappearing beyond the alleyway.

"...."

She was tired.

Scarlet thought to herself.

That she wanted to part ways with this crazy human quickly.

A moment later, after Alice's figure had completely vanished.

Isaac reverted his expression and beamed a cheerful smile as if nothing had happened.

"...Smack. What a shame. I couldn't show a single cool side of me in the end. It's been a while since I gave an approval."

"It is a shame."

Does he really think that was cool?

Scarlet sometimes couldn't understand men.

"It was a lie."

Isaac abruptly opened his mouth.

The corners of his mouth were still raised in interest.

"...."

Scarlet couldn't understand what Isaac was suddenly saying, so she waited for his next words.

"Scarlet."

"Yes, sir."

"Is there any possibility that personal information about me has leaked to Lee Ho-yeon?"

"There is none."

She could assert that with certainty.

She didn't know exactly how far Lee Ho-yeon had deduced.

He might have thought that the Emperor of the Night would attack him just from the talk about Alice's massage.

So that might be why he distanced himself from her.

However, she could definitely say that there was no way for him to know any personal information.

"Hmm... Then did he judge it purely based on the situation? That's not bad either. His abilities are excellent anyway, so it doesn't matter."

Isaac muttered meaningful words with Scarlet in front of him before looking at her again.

"Scarlet."

"Yes, sir."

Scarlet bowed her head as she waited for Isaac's words.

Seeing that his expression was good, it didn't seem like he was angry.

"You monitor that guy directly."

"...Pardon?"

"I'm talking about Lee Ho-yeon. Lee Ho-yeon."

As if it were nothing.

Isaac pulled out a cigarette, bit it in his mouth, and sparked a fire at the tip of his finger.

"He kept stealing glances at you even while Alice and I were talking, so it seems he's interested in you. Or does he just like blondes?"

Scarlet opened her eyes wide at Isaac's sudden words.

And reading that reaction, Isaac slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

"Why, do you hate it?"

"No. I will carry it out."

'Thank goodness.'

Scarlet inwardly heaved a sigh of relief.

She hadn't reacted to the nod Lee Ho-yeon gave her just in case.

Because she knew better than anyone else that the man in front of her was a monster.

She couldn't afford even a slight moment of carelessness when she was in the same space as Isaac.

'I must make sure to tell Lord Ho-yeon next time too.'

She would have unnecessarily been suspected if she had even accepted Lee Ho-yeon's nod.

"Right. That guy is a monster. No matter how outstanding your stealth techniques are, you could get caught at any time, so be careful."

"...Yes, sir. I will be careful."

You are too late, Guild Master.

Because no matter how careful I am, I will get caught.

Furthermore, I have already been caught, and both my body and mind have been remodeled.

Recalling her absurd situation, Scarlet bowed her head.

Also so she wouldn't get caught having unintentionally raised the corners of her mouth slightly.