Chapter 332: … What?

Finally, having enough of the staring, Harold gave Lily a lot bop on the head, snapping her back into the world. "Ready to chat now?"

"Um… er… um… this is not how we planned this to go" managed Lily

Harold shrugged "Well, I bet your mother didn't plan to slowly drive you away by ostracising your only friend for years as she tried to push you to find others and instead drove you to further confide in Kat and study to avoid speaking with us as well as finding other friends"

Everyone went back to staring at Harold opened mouthed.

"Can you lot just stop that? Yes, I'm not an idiot, thanks for noticing? Sorry, I happen to love my wife and daughter and are willing to let them get away with murder. Yes, I should have stopped her earlier Lily, but honestly I was happier to see you growing up and finally standing up for yourself so I didn't say anything" said Harold with his hands on his hips.

The staring continued, and Harold narrowed his eyes before taking his wallet out of his pocket and chucking it at Kat's face. She was shocked enough at the throw she didn't even try to dodge, letting it collide with her horns. Kat tilted her head in confusion at Harold, as if asking 'why?'

"Well that's because you're all just starin' at me like I've just told you magic is real or something stup…" Harold slowed as the stares intensified. "Well… shit then I guess. Now I'm the one with questions"

"I… I just… um… how?" said Lily

Harold scoffed at his daughter "I told you I'm not an idiot. I wasn't really sure what to think but that wild guess… well… you guys weren't exactly hiding your reactions. I mean, it wasn't even a guess, I was making a point. Sure it was rendered moot but…" Harold shook his head and continued speaking. "Look, maybe we should start at the beginning, or the beginning of today, what was the plan"

Lily looked over to Kat for guidance, but she just shrugged. *I mean he's your father. I've only seen him briefly with your mom. How the hell should I know what to do here Lily?* Lily pouted, getting most of Kat's response and looked at her dad. "Well… um… it's sort of hard to start there but… well… I have this desk, and we were tempted to just sneak it in but…

"Well, the carvings, of um… everyone I guess? They look like them… except, well, Kat has horns, and wings and… she looks like she actually does. I thought that when you guys finally looked at that there would be… um… bigger questions I supposed?

"So, we sort of planned to sneak both past today and confuse you both enough by just… treating it like it was normal to get by? And… um… maybe you'd just let it go? Or… be too embarrassed to ask later"

Harold nodded along with his daughters reasoning. "Honestly not a bad plan. How did you think you were going to get it past me though?"

Lily blushed and looked away from her father before muttering. "Well… you haven't really been doing much… so I kinda just worried about what mom would say"

Harold sighed. "I suppose I have been a bit distant. I mean… I think you need your space Lily, and Evaline was doing more than enough smothering since we moved, so I just sort of… took a back seat I suppose. Guess I'll have to step up again…" Harold let out a long sigh "Shoulda seen this comin'"

"Um… it's not really your fault dad" mumbled Lily.

"No, it is. You should feel safe bringing anything to either of us, even something… well ok no maybe never tell your mother about this. That's probably safer" said Harold

Lily paled significantly at that one. Harold, noticing this, rolled his eyes. "Maybe I need to teach you to hide your emotions better?"

"Why?" asked Lily

"Lily my sweet daughter. I am screaming internally right now. I want nothing more than to yell at the world in fear, wonder, joy, sadness, guilt. Why I have so many mixed emotions if you bottled them all I'm sure it'd be enough for the whole year. Doesn't show on my face though does it?" said Harold

Kat pushed energy into her eyes and looked at Harold's face. She was taking his challenge, and noticed that… he was mostly right. His skin was loose, and it looked like he was smiling slightly with barely any tension in his face. That was wrong though, Kat could see the muscles in his arms tensing and untensing, and the same with his legs. His small smile, was actually rather pinched, and his eye was actually twitching a miniscule amount.

"No…" said Lily

Harold nodded. "Right, now. Please, what geniusly stupid idea have you come up with that we need to avoid telling your mother"

Lily paled further. Kat hadn't thought it possible. "Oh no, we need to tell her? Shit, welp… um… hmm. Not it!" shouted Harold.

Lily pouted at her dad. "Nope, no way. You've got something big planned. You can tell her."

Lily groaned. "I can just… show her after…"

Harold rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Now what is this secret huh? I can see you are rather set on it, because you didn't even try and argue with not being the one to tell her."

"Imightbetryingto fbecomeamagiclcreature" mumbled Lily

"Lily…?" Harold said as he glared, trying to inject as much mocking disappointment as he could.

"I…. might be trying to… become a magical creature…" said Lily giving up on hiding it from her dad.

"Oh, like your friend Kat?" asked Harold

"No she's different" Lily said without thinking. Harold though, noticed the instinctual reaction, and had his eyes raise a fraction as he filed away that information.

"So… why are you doing this exactly?" asked Harold

Lily's eyes flashed towards Kat, realising she probably shouldn't mention the system too much, or at all if she could. It was another movement Harold caught, but, he still didn't comment. Kat managed to catch the moment he noticed them though, and filed her own note away.

"Well… I want to learn magic. Apparently… this dimension doesn't have any mana, so… I may or may not have talent for it. If I became something else, especially something with a good amount of magic in them, I'll certainly get some of my own" said Lily, careful not to mention anything Harold shouldn't know.

Harold nodded, and turned his attention to Vivian who was still writing… on the same page she was before. "I suppose you're watching over them… Vivian I believe it was?"

Vivian looked up and beamed at Harold. "I don't know if I'd say that. They are both perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. Though, I do worry for them of course"

Harold saw this and narrowed his eyes for a split second before turning his full attention to Vivian. He sent back a similar smile, beaming at her in turn, though it felt significantly less bright. "Of course, I'd trust my daughter to make her own decisions, but don't you think it warrants a decently high level of adult supervision."

Vivian's smile got wider and looked around the room. "Adult supervision? I don't see anyone suitable for that role in here?" somehow, even as Vivian said the accusatory words, her aura only got brighter.

Harold tried to return the favour but couldn't manage the natural smiling grace Vivian had. "Well, are you saying you aren't capable?"

"I'm saying I hardly count as an adult" said Vivian with full shine. "I'm basically still a kid, and I certainly wouldn't say I'm any more mature than Kat, or Lily"

"Oh, perhaps I do need to hear what's happening after all" said Harold smiling, thinking he'd won.

Vivian's smile however, got wider, straining just the slightest bit, but her demeanour never cracking. "Oh? Someone who hasn't had a real conversation in years? Or someone who let his wife insult the only friend she has wants to watch over them now they've finally found something of their own?"

Harold reacted as if he'd been physically punched. "Well, that might be a little harsh…"

Vivian didn't let him go on though. "Perhaps it might be, but as I already said, I have utmost faith in these girls." Vivian walked forward to place her arm on Lily's shoulder "but, if Lily really wanted to tell you about the full story, she would have done so before. I don't mind if she does in the future, hell she can tell you the moment she leaves… but you let this go on. I won't let you try and sneak into their world without doing any work for it. You left her alone when she most needed help. Allowed your wife to isolate you all, and now, you come in and say she inherited her intelligence from you?"

Vivian's eyes were practically glowing at this point, and Kat was sure, had it been her eyes they really would have been but Vivian wasn't finished. "You say you are smart yes? And I'm sure you are… but perhaps the truth is… you're just as worried about Kat as your wife… you're just taking the longer route to get there. I will not let your hurt them"

Harold's smile cracked, unable to stand up to Vivian's sunny disposition or her poisonous word. He glanced around the room once before nodding slightly to himself and heading for the door. "I suppose I'll see you later tonight Lily" said Harold as he left.