Chapter 19
Before the incident, Solphy had brought a notice from kindergarten about a camp. There was even a video clip found on site.
It was almost as if someone had predicted this would happen.
Some officials thought the thorough preparation was suspicious and suggested interrogating the children.
“Could the children be planning something? This is suspicious.”
“They’re just kids who like candy, that’s all.”
“But they even brought a video clip. It’s like they knew something would happen!”
“Didn’t you see the clip? The children were having a candy party. They even built towers with candy because they liked it.”
“The kids even set traps!”
“Didn’t you see the puppet show ‘Alone in the Mansion’? It’s about a child left alone at the mansion who sets traps to catch a thief. The children were just playing the game they saw in the puppet show. You can watch it with your daughter later. She’ll like it.”
Marcelo persuaded the officials not to involve the children in the incident.
Harsh words were exchanged during the process, but in the end, the officials trusted the kids.
“Our Solphy… you were really surprised, huh? Dad will make sure the security is thorough.”
Solphy, who was asleep, wouldn’t hear this, but Marcelo spoke in a gentle voice.
“Before, we only had to deal with monsters, but now, strange people are increasing every day. I want the world our Solphy lives in to be peaceful.”
Marcelo brushed Solphy’s bangs aside and kissed her round forehead.
He would do anything for her. Protecting Solphy was his role.
“I slept well!”
Solphy stretched and got up. She had slept so deeply she didn’t notice falling asleep, and her whole body felt refreshed.
“Finally, today! The special day when Teacher Serena meets Dad outside the kindergarten!”
They had met at the knight order, but that was just for work. They had to keep appearances.
“So I wanted to interfere!”
Solphy wanted to see the warm atmosphere between Marcelo and Serena with her own eyes.
From her future glimpse, she knew it would be a nice scene, but if she had been there, she could have added her own little spice.
“Today, I’ll do my best. I can do it, Solphy!”
She steeled herself.
For a man and woman to become ‘really close,’ they had to meet by chance, outside, and freely!
So everything had to be carefully prepared…
“Huh?”
Solphy jumped off the bed and saw Marcelo.
“Dad, why are you sleeping here?”
It was a small bed for Solphy’s size, so Marcelo was curled up like a shrimp.
“You should at least have a blanket.”
Solphy covered him with the blanket she had been using. Seeing a big man under a pink blanket with rabbits and carrots was funny.
“Up you go!”
Opening the window wide, the fresh morning air greeted Solphy.
“Miss Solphy!”
From far away, the gardener tending flowers saw her and waved.
“Wow. Look at the flower arrangements. I’ll have to check them later.”
Solphy waved back while thinking that.
“Now, let’s pick the clothes to wear today.”
Yesterday, Solphy had fallen asleep while choosing her outfit. She had narrowed it down to five options…
“Huh?”
But four outfits were neatly put away, and one was left beautifully hung.
“Dad picked it!”
A bright smile spread across Solphy’s face. It was a cute dress with a unicorn embroidered on the skirt.
“Hehe.”
With her outfit decided, Solphy’s next job was clear.
She grabbed the hand bell on the bed shelf with both hands and shook it.
“Dad! Wake up! Daaaaad!”
“Five more minutes…”
“No. Good adults wake up quickly.”
Solphy danced while ringing the hand bell, just like Marcelo had done to wake her up in the mornings.
Her cute revenge was a success.
Three hours later.
The neatly dressed father and daughter arrived at the Early Education Exhibition.
The event was held in a park Solphy sometimes visited, with rows of parasol-shaped booths in a wide open space.
“It’s like a market.”
A sweet smell drifted, and Solphy looked around, but it was hard to check everything.
Marcelo gave her a piggyback ride, so her view was higher than anyone else, but the problem was—
“Dad. The line is too long. I don’t want to wait.”
Solphy hadn’t entered the exhibition yet. The line stretched all the way to the carriage waiting area. There were more people than expected, and the guides were struggling to organize them.
At this rate, they’d wait for over an hour.
“Did Teacher Serena go in first? What if we miss each other?”
Thinking of the worst case, Solphy whined, wanting to go inside quickly.
“My feet hurt. Waaah…”
“You’re on my back. Why do your feet hurt?”
Marcelo chuckled at her complaint.
“If only Teacher Serena were in line with us, we could chat while waiting!”
But the Serena Solphy wanted to see was nowhere in sight. She might have gone inside first or was waiting at the back.
“Do you want a snack?”
“Do you have caramel?”
“Yes. Wait a moment.”
As Marcelo rustled through his bag, someone approached.
“Mr. Marcelo!”
Who was it? Solphy tilted her head to look. The woman wore elegant clothes, clearly a noble.
“That necklace… it’s the same as the guides’!”
So she was someone from the exhibition.
Marcelo recognized her and greeted.
“Oh? Long time no see. So this is the event you organized.”
“Yes. Sorry to make you wait. If you had contacted me earlier, I would have come running.”
“No need to contact busy people.”
“Come inside, please.”
The woman fussed while leading Marcelo inside. Envious eyes followed them persistently.
“Dad, do you know her?”
“Yes. When I just joined the knight order, I solved an unsolved case. That’s when I met her.”
“Really? Good job, Dad. You’re nice.”
Solphy patted Marcelo’s head. Even from afar, her sharp eyes could recognize the father-daughter pair with his shiny silver hair.
“This way.”
They entered a door marked “No Entry for Unauthorized Personnel.” It was still crowded, but inside it was more comfortable.
“This exhibition is the largest ever. I’ll guide you to the must-see booths—”
“Ah, that’s okay. We can’t keep busy people too long.”
“No! I owe so much to Mr. Marcelo.”
“Really okay. I planned to enjoy it with my daughter anyway.”
Solphy agreed. If strangers came along, it would be harder to meet Serena.
“Anyway, thanks for helping us get in. She was whining so much.”
Marcelo lifted his arm and poked Solphy’s cheek with his finger.
“Nonsense. Your daughter is very well-behaved.”
“Right? Miss, do you want caramel?”
“Yes? Haha. Thank you, little lady.”
Solphy poked Marcelo’s cheek while shouting, “Caramel!” He handed the caramel to the woman.
“Have a good time.”
She politely left. Solphy thought Marcelo was amazing.
“Even without a reservation, a high-ranking person opens the door. Wow.”
Things like this often happened when she went out with him.
“Finally, we’re inside!”
Excited, Solphy looked around. Everything was for children.
Puppet shows and balloon art were popular, and interactive play was in demand. There was even a corner to feed carrots to ponies.
“Wow!”
Solphy’s purple eyes sparkled.
Early childhood education had recently gained attention. People used to think children just played.
But imperial educators focused on adolescence, and academies became mandatory.
The problem was, children starting social life at the academy couldn’t adjust to unfamiliar environments.
“Teacher! He hit me!”
“Why do I have to sit on the chair? I’ll lie down. Don’t order me!”
“I want my mom… wahhh…”
Classes couldn’t proceed properly in this chaos.
So kindergartens were created to teach minimal social skills and basic habits before academy.
As kindergartens grew, interest in early childhood education increased.
Books and learning tools for children became widely available.
The Early Education Exhibition was part of that effort.
“So many people. It feels like everyone in the capital is here.”
Solphy searched for Serena. Her pink hair with red streaks was rare, so she thought it would be easy…
“Gone! Where are you?”
The place was huge and crowded, making Solphy dizzy.
“Oh! A kids’ snack corner. They have candy too?”
“Wow!”
Solphy raised both hands in excitement but immediately remembered.
“No! I need to find my teacher!”
Serena wouldn’t be at the candy corner.
“I’ll go look at books. Straight ahead!”
Five minutes later.
“Oh! A dress shop for kids!”
“Wow!”
Solphy cheered but then realized.
“No! To meet my teacher naturally, I shouldn’t go there!”
Marcelo, not knowing Solphy’s goal, kept tempting her.
“Dad. I’m grown up now. A proper seven-year-old.”
“Yes, right?”
“I won’t be distracted by candy or dresses. Today, I’m looking at books and learning tools. So—”
Solphy continued firmly.
“Don’t tempt me.”
“Huh? Sorry. My bad.”
Marcelo apologized calmly. Now Solphy could go to the learning tool corner where Serena would be…
“Oh! Cotton candy. It looks so cute.”
Marcelo tempted her again. Reflexively, Solphy looked, and saw a plump chick-shaped cotton candy.
“Looks tasty, right?”
“….”
Drool fell from Solphy’s mouth.
Soon, holding the fluffy chick cotton candy in her hands, Solphy’s face lit up with a bright smile.
“Hehe. It’s delicious.”
The seven-year-old had lost to the temptation of cotton candy.
