Chapter 85……………………………………
As expected, Kyle’s dad really hates Per.
I nodded inwardly at how exactly as I had anticipated he was.
“Come to think of it, this is actually a normal reaction.”
See, I wasn’t the weird one here.
Who wouldn’t be flustered if a little boy suddenly showed up as both a bodyguard and a researcher?
Still, Derek’s dad had surprisingly taken it calmly, so I thought maybe Kyle’s dad would understand too.
“Of course, that doesn’t excuse speaking so bluntly in front of the person involved—that’s just rude.”
But worrying about Per’s manners wasn’t the priority right now.
I exhaled with a “huh” and opened my mouth firmly.
“You can’t say that, Dad.”
“…Whoa, damn. For a second, I thought it was Yuria speaking.”
At the same time, Kyle’s dad paused briefly and muttered under his breath.
I shrugged my shoulders, feeling a little proud.
Of course, he would think of Mom.
I had paid close attention to how Mom scolded Kyle’s dad just for moments like this!
Anyway, that’s not the point.
“Per got first place on the Apprentice Magician exam! He’s not just a kid!”
I quickly started defending Per.
“And Yeppi listens to him really well. Plus, it seems like Per knows Yeppi even better than I do.”
Earlier, it had been truly shocking and terrifying.
I shivered as I recalled Yeppi’s behavior from just a little while ago.
Regardless, Kyle’s dad continued to voice his complaints.
“Yeah, but it’s just first place on the Apprentice Magician exam. If you’re going to assign a bodyguard, shouldn’t it be someone more suitable—”
Hmm, I guess I have no choice but to say this.
“Per even surpassed Harzen’s dad’s scores.”
I calmly told Kyle’s dad the truth.
At the same time, the rapid stream of words from Kyle’s dad abruptly stopped.
“…What?”
After a brief pause, Kyle’s dad raised his eyebrows in disbelief and asked again.
“This kid? Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
I nodded firmly again.
“Grandpa told me himself. Maybe even Harzen’s dad knows.”
“This little brat…”
Kyle’s dad stared at Per suspiciously, as if examining him.
I see, now that we’re comparing him to Harzen’s dad, Kyle’s dad admits it.
Of course, Kyle’s dad had witnessed Harzen’s dad’s magical ability up close.
He’d naturally understand very well what it meant to surpass Harzen’s dad.
“Still, I don’t like it.”
Kyle’s dad turned his head sharply and muttered.
I smiled faintly, as if I had expected this.
Unable to argue with skill, he was just stubbornly refusing to accept it.
Normally, I would try to calm Kyle’s dad down, but…
“That’s not the important thing, Dad.”
Right now, there was something far more urgent.
I grabbed Kyle’s dad’s sleeve to get his attention.
He looked at me as if offended and asked:
“What’s more important than this?”
Good, finally he’s paying attention to me.
“Dad, I actually…”
I quickly spoke before I lost the chance.
“I made some sneeze powder here.”
“…Huh?”
Kyle’s dad’s expression went blank, as if he had forgotten his anger because my statement was so shocking.
“You made it?”
Soon, his eyes widened in disbelief as he started firing questions at me.
“How did you make it? When? Do you even know what it is? How did you even figure out how to make it? Do you know what it’s for?”
I ignored his questions and rolled my eyes.
Hmm, this reaction is stronger than I expected.
Anyway, this is the excuse I prepared!
“I found it in your lab, Dad.”
I answered nonchalantly, keeping a calm voice.
“That, um, what was it… re, re…”
“Recipe?”
“Yeah, that! I found it in your lab last time!”
It was, in a way, a flimsy excuse.
But I knew something.
“…He won’t even remember if he wrote down the sneeze powder recipe, will he?”
Kyle’s dad would naturally be unsure about what was in the lab.
There was so much in that lab anyway.
Honestly, he probably didn’t even know exactly what was in there.
So it made sense that there could be a recipe for sneeze powder.
“Anyway, sneeze powder was really inconvenient in a lot of ways.”
I took this chance to quickly get to the main point.
“So, Dad—”
But this time, Kyle’s dad interrupted me.
“Many inconveniences?”
The moment he heard me, he raised an eyebrow.
“You mean you actually used it yourself? You made sneeze powder from the recipe?”
“Uh… yeah.”
“Did it work?”
“Umm…”
I shivered slightly, hesitating.
Was it not supposed to work? Maybe it needed other ingredients than what appeared in the main story…?
“….”
Kyle’s dad seemed to be deep in thought for a moment.
“Whoa!”
Then he suddenly scooped me up and held me in his arms, speaking seriously.
“I think you’re meant to walk this path.”
“Huh?”
I was shocked, my eyes wide.
Suddenly?
“This isn’t an ordinary skill.”
Regardless, Kyle’s dad seemed completely excited, his silver eyes shining as he spoke.
“Even if I had written down the ingredients and formula perfectly—well, did I even write it down? Probably didn’t bother. But if you made it, then it exists.”
In truth, Dad had never written down any formula or recipe.
“Just the fact that you made it properly shows how talented you are, Cici.”
“I-I just measured it roughly on a scale…”
“My goodness! ♬♩! My kid already knows how to use a scale! I never even taught you!”
Kyle’s dad reacted almost as if he were fainting.
I scratched my cheek, feeling strangely familiar.
Grandpa had reacted almost the same way when he saw me use a scale.
Though he was much more refined back then…
“I can’t let this go. I have to pass on all of Kyle Blake’s skills. Well, I was planning to anyway, but now I think it’s definitely possible.”
“No, Dad. I’m not that good!”
I had just imitated what had happened in the main story, there was no way I could keep up with Uncle Bob’s lab!
Someone please change the subject!
I desperately sent a pleading look around for help.
But neither Derek’s dad nor Per reacted.
They just quietly watched me and Kyle’s dad.
As if they absolutely didn’t want to get involved.
Even Per shook his head in disbelief, with a look that said, “Is your dad always like this?”
Kyle’s dad isn’t usually like this.
He must have been extremely moved that I resembled him in some way.
I frowned at Per, then let out a long sigh.
Anyway, no one’s going to help me.
Then there’s no choice.
I had to use my secret weapon.
I took a deep breath and—
Smack!
I pressed both hands firmly against Kyle’s dad’s cheeks.
At the same time, his rapid-fire speech finally stopped.
“Dad.”
Still holding his cheeks, I puckered his lips like a fish and opened my mouth.
“Can I talk now?”
Kyle’s dad blinked rapidly and replied.
“Oh, Marava.”
Good, he seems to have calmed down a bit.
“As I said before, sneeze powder is really inconvenient.”
Finally, I got straight to the point.
