Lucretia and Lumiere Arc.
(POV: Lumiere)
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Simone ushered us into the fancy company building.
Naturally, Silica was amazed with everything she saw. I only needed to look at her widely open eyes and her mouth that was agape with excitement to tell that she was bedazzled by everything around her.
Ha! If she thought this was anything big, just wait until she came to the Great Forest's Silva Citadel, and then she'd know her Daddy's a hundred times cooler than Lucretia's expensive building.
I didn't really like bragging, but if it was to impress my daughter, then count me in. The discussion hadn't come up yet, and it was still way too far into the future to start thinking about it now, but I really should plan ahead on the distribution of my properties to my children.
So far, I only had one, but with the way things were going in my love life, I was certain I'd have more than ten kids. Because of that, I needed to decide whether or not I was going to make the inheritance focus more on the male side or use the same setting as the Sword and Spear Kingdom.
I'd prefer if I used their system so my daughter's don't end up having the same rotten personality as Vanessa (1st daughter, 1st child).
Sigh... That'd be a hassle
Just then, Simone turned back to me with a quizzical expression, "May I ask who's the little angel accompanying you?"
"Little angel?"
I blinked in surprise before remembering that Silica was beside me. Parental compliment was something I was gonna have to get used to.
"Oh, that's my daughter, Silica," I replied, offering a warm smile.
There wasn't any need to hide it from Simone because there was every possibility that Silica would take it the wrong way, while the core reason was because Simone was chill... She didn't look or act like the type that would get worked up over anything and start to ask questions unnecessarily.
If Lucilia was in Simone's position, I'd likely not tell her because she would start asking sensitive questions in public. She was always eager to know more and more than anything else, she was a well-known overachiever.
It was the main reason I took a break from developing the Delia Viscounty. If I didn't, she'd have worked me to the bone, jeez...
Still, Simone didn't give the reaction I was expecting or rather she didn't act like her usual self.
She paused and her eyes widening a fraction before she turned to me, her voice hushed, "Wait a moment."
Complying with her request, I stopped, and Silica cast a puzzled look up at me, "Daddy, what's going on?"
I ruffled her hair and whispered quietly, "It's okay, kiddo. Don't worry."
"S..." Simone hooked, it was as though there was a pill in her throat that she just couldn't swallow. "Say it again...?" she requested.
Turning to Simone, I explained, "Well, um, Silica is my daughter."
"Since when?" Simone asked as a surge of astonishment crept into her voice. "And where?! How?!"
I chuckled, recognizing the slight disbelief in her tone, "It's a long story."
Simone stuttered, "W... Why?"
With a steely gaze, I replied, "I just need to clear a few things up if you don't mind."
Simone gulped, finally agreeing and pointed to a small lounge on the ground floor of the imposing company building. "W... We could talk over there if you'd like?"
"Of course I would..."
To be honest, I couldn't tell how the look on my face was, but if I were to describe or "glaze" it in one way, then I'd call it menacing.
Navigating through the maze, we reached the lounge and settled down. I made myself comfortable, crossing my legs and propping my chin on my palm, fixing my gaze on Simone, unrelenting.
Sweating nervously, Simone cleared her throat. "Would you, well, like to have a drink?"
Sharply, I declined, "No," and countered, "Would you like something?"
"Uh, no, I make it a point not to take food or drinks of any kind during work hours so I don't have to leave Miss Lucretia's side at an important time."
"So that's a no?" I asked her.
Rather than responding in her usual composed manner, she nodded slowly as a drop of sweat flew from her forehead.
Her body was stiff and her eyes felt like they wanted to leave mine and not leave mine at the same time. Simone may have been composed but she wasn't an adamantine egg. She was simply your average, delicate egg.
I then quipped, "So, I'm allowed to indulge but not you, right?"
Simone mustered a weak smile while wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead, and replied, "Yes, it's part of my standard procedure."
I leaned in and questioned, "Does your standard procedure also involve feeding me lies?"
Simone gasped heavily as her eyes widened in the funniest way possible.
For a moment, I almost broke character.
I comported myself and then dramatically asked, "I know Lucretia has a thing for me..."
A loud laughter escaped Simone's mouth. She laughed in the most over-exaggerated manner possible, almost like she was trying a little too hard to sound casual. She continued to laugh and laugh as she slapped her hand against her fleshy thighs.
"HAHAHAHAHA!! HA! HA! HA!"
She kept the laughter up for almost a minute and as everyone in the company looked at her with straight eyes, I just kept staring at her with a dead serious gaze.
When she finally stopped and then wiped off some of the tears from her eyes, she exhaled a sight of relief.
"So, answer my question, Simone..."
"Eh?" Simone was shocked. "You... Didn't fall... For that?"
"Not in the slightest. What am I, three?" I sarcastically asked her.