"Is she awake now?"

Leonardo Ajustus barged through the pair of men guarding the door, the two who is twice the size of him gave way with utter respect.

"Yes, master. Currently she's sitting on the bed, staring out the window. There seem to be no abnormalities so rest assure, is what the doctor said."

The maid answered swiftly with no hesitation, Like her words are practiced beforehand.

"Very good! you two, go back now."

Leonardo gestured at the two hulking men and they left without a word.

"Master, i do not understand why you would hire mercenaries to guard the room of the little miss."

The maid said before Leonardo reached the handle.

"Is it not obvious enough?"

"Forgive me for my ignorance."

Leonardo fell into thought, rubbing his chin.

That's right, if people already knew then there's no point in it being a scheme would it?

Leonardo became delighted for some reason and replied to the maid in a jolly tone.

"Of course! It's to spread word of my newborn daughter! Hahaha!"

He laughed heartily and went inside, which attracted the attention of the small girl resting inside.

The maid breathed a sigh and stared at the closing gap in the doors.

"May god and the devil prosper."

She whispered under her breath before walking away.

–––

"Good morning."

Agnes stared. Stared at the unknown man in front of him. She kept staring at him to the point her mouth was gaping open now.

"Oh dear, what's wrong? Have you gotten used to your new eyes?"

The man in front of Agnes reached his hand, aiming to touch her with skin so bright it seems it would blind her again.

"Are you misteh Leo?"

Agnes don't know the face or the figure of the man called Leonardo, but there is no doubt, his scent, his voice and the warm feeling when she sees him.

"C-can i t-touch you?"

Agnes almost immediately regretted her request, embarrassment filled her but she didn't back down, she felt like she needed to do it.

"Of course. I'm your father, aren't I? And you're not obliged to call me with a formal name. Call me father or daddy, which suits you fine."

Agnes felt joy for the first time in forever as she held Leonardo's hand, it felt so warm and so firm. She felt at ease at the touch.

"Oops, i almost forgot it's your first time seeing. There's a lot of things you have yet to experience."

Leonardo casually sat beside Agnes on the bed and placed his hand on her head.

"Y-yes... I dinnt know... There's bright lights everywhere."

Agnes tongued tied at simplest words. Perhaps she will need education right away, Leonardo thought.

"Lights?"

Leonardo looked around, it has been one day since he took Agnes and the early morning shines shy amounts of light through the window.

He tilted his head, he couldn't comprehend then Agnes pinched his red t-shirt and stared at it for a while.

"Oh, so that's what you meant. Of course a child who has lived in a world of no light see colors as such."

"Colars?"

"Colors my dear. My shirt is the shade of red, as bright as the anger of a minotaur!"

Agnes' eyes sparked with curiosity at the words minotaur, she wanted to know why they are angry.

"A minotaur is a creature mixed with half of a man and half of a bu– cow."

Leonardo explained, although he thought this child wouldn't know the animal bull, he sought to use the name of a more commonplace livestock.

"Cow? Isn't that food? Mama fed me meat of cow one time on a occasion... "

Sadness seeped into Agnes' eyes. Leonardo didn't miss this, he frowned at the face her new daughter is making.

"Fret not, you'll get to eat all the dairy meat as much as you want. I'll see to it that you taste all kinds of dishes this world has to offer."

Agnes' felt overwhelmed at Leonardo's declaration once again, she could only reply a meek 'Y-yes..'.

"You, come here."

Leonardo pointed at the maid on one corner of the room, she hurried to his side and bowed gently.

"Prepare appropriate outfits to wear, we're going dining."

The petite maid with one long braided hair on her head set out at once at his command.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

"At once, master."

–––

Agnes was escorted to the car. She wasn't used to walking with sight so she tripped and stumbled on her own feet. Leonardo pondered about carrying her but ultimately decided it's good practice for her.

They sat at the passenger compartment. Agnes who noticed she has been gripping Leonardo's hand all the way here for support, blushed and placed her hands on her lap.

Leonardo scanned Agnes' figure. She's wearing a pure white dress with a pink ribbon tied to the waist, the maid insisted on a summer hat to protect her from the blinding sunlight.

As she have difficultly walking on normal footwear the maids decided on a pair of pink boots, bought just an hour ago.

"Are you feeling well, my child?"

Agnes who was feeling flustered got startled when Leonardo spoke.

"A-ah! Y... Yes, this place is warm and comfy."

Agnes' scarred cheeks tinged with a rosy color. Leonardo thought about appropriate food for children, should he start with easy to chew dishes? Porridge...

While contemplating Leonardo suddenly felt a pair of shaking hands on his suit.

"What's the matter?"

"I-It's shaking... the ground shaking..."

Leonardo immediately realized that this would be her first time riding a vehicle. He turned to the chofer and tapped on the glass.

"Would you kindly move slower, my child is uncomfortable here."

Leonardo's tone was kind and sincere but the driver felt his real intentions of irritation.

"Y-Yes! Certainly, I'm sorry for the blunder."

The car's movement noticably slowed down along the shaking with it.

"Do not worry, it is normal for cars to shake. It's safe, i assure you."

Leonardo reassured Agnes as the latter slowly pulled away her fingers and calmed down.

Leonardo fought the urge to pat her head and settled on adjusting the brim of Agnes' hat.

–––

After a long while their car arrived at their destination. A large structure where people with stylish outfits come and go.

Most of the people around stopped in their tracks and stared at the trio of Leonardo, Agnes and their driver. Especially at Agnes who were crouched down at the ground and touching the porcelain floor.

"Oh dear, my child. You shouldn't do that."

Leonardo picked up Agnes by the hand, wiping off the dirt on her tiny fingers.

"Ah, s-soryy... It's just so smooth.."

"It's alright, if you must, the tiles at our home is smoother than here so you can feel it all you want."

"Y-yes."

Agnes felt more embarrassment on this day than she did her entire life.

Leonardo thought it's quite normal for a child to be curious not seeing the flushed expression under the hat.

The duo of father and daughter walked through the lobby. The people making way for them like numerous herbivores seeing a lion.

"Come, my child."

Leonardo brought Agnes to an elevator. Everyone inside and those who was supposed to go in immediately scattered and backed away.

Now the two of them are alone in the elevator as it goes up to their destination.

Leonardo could feel Agnes' hand shake within his grasp. So he confirmed her condition.

"Are you feeling ill?"

"Nn, i feel like i'm floating."

"Oh, yes. We are floating in a sense. We need to float up to reach the higher floors."

Agnes nods her head like she understood. She held strong and forced the unpleasant feeling back in her throat.

"We're here."

With a ding! the doors opened and what Agnes saw is the most brightest and most people she saw since having light in her eyes.

"So many..."

Agnes cowered behind Leonardo, tucking in her hat to cover her face.

"Do not worry, this place is too noisy for my taste. We will go to a more private one."

Leonardo already made a private reservation for this restaurant. He wanted to rent out the whole place but his servants decided against it since it would be bad for Agnes.

Certainly a desolated place isn't the most appropriate atmosphere for a child who had lived in dark thus far.

"This way sir Leonardo."

The two were guided to a room with a big glass window to the previous dining area.

A couple of tables were set with cloth and tables but they would only use one.

Leonardo pulled the chair for Agnes and she teetered up the chair, trying her best to look respectful.

"What do you think of this place, is it to your liking?"

Agnes turned upright when she heard Leonardo speak, his eyes fixated on her.

"Unn... it's amazing. There's many people, many amazing bright lights, it's warm too... Ah! but not as warm at our home! uhn, i-i mean your home.. "

Leonardo bellowed in laughter, sliding his fingers across the food menu.

"Didn't i tell you, my child. Everything i own, everything i possess is yours also. So you shouldn't hesistate to call it as yours."

Leonardo flapped open the menu and peeked at Agnes through the gap. Agnes was fidgeting while looking back up at him, out of words to speak.

"Let's have a meal and we shall see through more places."

Leonardo noticed Agnes poking at the utensils other than the small fork and spoon for tea. He looked at the attendant on standby and the man nodded, fetching a pair of plastic spoon and fork while taking away the silver utensils.

"Ah.. ta-thanks.. "

Agnes thanked the waiter as he's leaving, she also turned to Leonardo but the latter pretended to be busy reading the menu.

After a couple of minutes of silence and Agnes swinging her feet in boredom. The food finally came.

"Thank you for waiting master Leonardo, miss Agnes. The food is ready."

Agnes saw a cart with plates covered in half covered metal pieces. She's intrigued why the food is hidden but excited all the same too.

Leonardo on the other hand fixed his eyes on Agnes. Like he was expecting something from her.

"Isn't there something we're missing, my child?"

He spoke directly to Agnes, which put her on the spot. She turned to the waiter then back to Leonardo then to her hands.

She raised her hands and wiggled it.

"Very good, we should always wash our hands before and after eating."

Agnes bobbed in joy from being praised by Leonardo. The two went to the bathrooms and split up at the intersections between pink and blue.

Agnes navigated her way to the stalls, her boots squeaking against the floor tiles. She knows how to use a toilet but she have never experienced going in a room specifically made for toilets.

While Agnes was in the bathroom, two handsome men were lurking outside the door.

"You sure she's in there? Did you properly lock that door?"

"I confirmed she went inside, and don't worry that lock would hold up to bolt cutters, only a monster's jaw could break that."

The one with blonde hair pointed at a 15cm lock shaped like a box with no keyholes, it"s only purpose is to lock not to be opened. There's no use worrying about the door, it's their fault for making the door blast proof and sturdy to avoid breaking in.

"Easiest job of my life. Sorry for the kid but her fault for being born to a greedy father."

The men pulled out guns pre-loaded with bullets and silencers.

They only came here for one task, and one task only. They needed to do it cleanly and efficient. No mistakes and traces were to be left, the tedious process of waiting for an hour for their target has finally come to fruition.

Their job was to kill the daughter of the man they call the Demon king, Leonardo Ajustus.

Their target was Agnes. It's morally troubling to kill a child but they can't show mercy to the child of the demon king.

The pair of men inhaled a long breath. Their bodies were tense but they don't know the reason, when they turned the knob on the door and took one step on the bathroom.

They found, the source of all their anxiety. In the form of a strong grip on their neck, which crushed them lifeless in the next instant.

"Haaa... Now i gotta wash my hands again."

Said Leonardo as he whisked the fresh blood from his fingers.

"Clean this up."

Three women in black came out and silently dragged the lifeless corpses of the two hitmen. Leonardo stared at the shattered steel door painted in blue and spoke to the remaining woman in black.

"Give the ones who gave this a present with my regards. Also tell the chef i'll be paying for his door."

The man smiled warmly but with blood on his cheeks it came out as eerie and terrifying.

The woman set out immediately and the place was cleaned up. Enough time were given for Leonardo to change into a new suit and his face washed.

It seems Agnes had a hard time using the bathroom because there's buttons and what-not in the stall, she's troubled how to wash herself but she found there's a button for it that made her giggled when the water sprayed on her.

"Oh, are you finished?"

Agnes nodded and showed her hands.

"Good girl, let's go eat."

Agnes glanced at the broken down door of the male bathroom, it looked like a rhino plowed through it with brute force.