The Raiden residence was very large, and Ryoma Raiden was very wealthy.
He drove on the way back. No chauffeur, no bodyguards today. The moment he'd seen Siegfried, Ryoma Raiden had dismissed those people.
A man of the Kaslana family, fallen to this state, he didn't need an audience. Besides, if Siegfried couldn't protect someone, those bodyguards wouldn't have been of any use anyway.
"I thought you'd head to North America. So I didn't prepare anything."
Ryoma glanced at the passenger seat. "Stay at my place for a couple of days first. I'll handle the housing situation."
This amount of money was nothing to him. He'd chalk it up as an incentive plan for bringing in outstanding talent.
In the back seat, Kiana blinked again. She understood now. So Dad was basically a beggar who could actually get money.
The drive was somewhat long. When Kiana glanced at Shiraha beside her, she noticed he was leaning against something, something she couldn't see.
She poked Shiraha.
"Sigh. And here I thought this girl was so adorable." Elysia sighed. "How did she get so bold after getting familiar?"
Where was that shy little girl from the frozen cold, wrapped in a thin padded jacket, standing at the entrance of the rice shop, counting her money so carefully?
Where was that girl who'd frozen in place, completely at a loss, when Shiraha had wrapped his down coat around her calves?
Maybe it wasn't boldness. Maybe it was false boldness. Shiraha shook his head. "What is it? I'm here."
"Does your family have any special rules?"
Kiana asked quietly, trying hard to keep the adults in front from hearing.
But Siegfried still heard.
Shiraha blinked and spoke seriously. "No wasting food. But if you're full, you don't have to keep eating."
"No playing on your phone during meals. But reading the newspaper is fine."
"No being too noisy at home. But playing games and having fun is okay."
"No running around after a bath. Unless you're in your own room, or there's really something urgent."
"And.... listen to the grown-ups. Unless you think what the grown-up is saying isn't quite right."
Ryoma Raiden, driving, smiled.
But Kiana felt like her brain had crashed.
She struggled to comprehend these words. She'd been left to fend for herself all this time, living day after day with a father who was always lukewarm toward her. She genuinely couldn't understand any of this.
She patted her little cheeks. Couldn't let Dad down. Couldn't let Dad go back to that broken, haggard state from before.
"If there's something you don't understand, you can ask me."
Kiana looked at Shiraha with gratitude.
Maybe he wasn't such a bad person after all.
Elysia leaned against the car window on her side. Ever since Shiraha had openly, brazenly declared he had a ghost sister, she no longer needed to spend all day carefully finding a spot. Now she could simply monopolize the window.
"Shiraha is very curious about Herrschers, isn't he?"
"After all, I have Nee-chan as the shining precedent."
"So..." Elysia paused briefly, her voice lilting. "Are you going to flirt with her the way you flirted with me?"
Shiraha smiled but didn't answer that question. After all, they weren't alone right now. Using words like "flirt" might seem a little unfitting for a child.
Elysia didn't press either. She just let out a soft little hum.
Back home, Kiana, who'd been gradually growing livelier, opened her small mouth slightly.
"The rooms on the second floor, I've already had someone tidy them up just now."
"Shiraha, first take little Kiana and get her familiar with the rooms. We'll handle school enrollment in the afternoon."
He paused, his gaze settling on Shiraha. His voice softened just a touch. "She just arrived. She doesn't know anything yet. Keep an eye on her."
After giving his instructions, Ryoma Raiden looked at Siegfried and sighed.
Man, you've really fallen hard.
Once the two children had gone upstairs, he spoke quietly. "I've scheduled an image consultant. Since you've come to the Far East, try to start life with a fresh appearance."
Siegfried paused, then clapped Ryoma Raiden heavily on the shoulder.
"Brother!"
Though his fundamentals were solid, that haggard state from before had slowly started affecting him at the core. Sigh. He also had to be wary of Schicksal's retaliation going forward.
Staying this sloppy really wouldn't do anymore.
Upstairs, Shiraha arrived at the previously empty room, the one that also served as his and Mei-nee's secret base.
"I wonder if whoever tidied up the room packed away our toys."
Shiraha held Kiana's hand and pushed the door open. The room was spacious balcony, large bed, bathroom. Kiana, just like Shiraha had been back then, stood in the doorway and stopped in her tracks.
Shiraha, very tactfully, didn't continue the tour. "Take a look around yourself. I need to head back to my room for a bit."
The sudden farewell made Kiana pause, but Shiraha smiled and closed the door. Kiana looked at the room. In the end, her feet seemed glued in place. She had no urge to move at all.
So rich. No wonder Dad was so confident. Turns out Dad's friend, just whatever slips through his fingers, is enough for Dad to live on for ages.
A few steps further, past the bathroom partition, the room opened up even more. The bedside was lined with little toys, neatly arranged.
A Gundam assembled from building blocks. Some Barbie dolls and decorations.
"Decided! When I grow up, I'm gonna go begging with Dad too."
Best if I can also find some incredible person, someone whose fingers just leak a little, and I'll never have to worry about food or clothes again.
On the other side, Shiraha had also returned to his room. He let out an unconscious breath of relief. "Finally back."
Elysia naturally flung herself onto the large bed and buried her face in it with deep satisfaction. Her own bed was still the most comfortable to sprawl on.
Shiraha was just about to lie down beside her when Elysia rolled over. Her long hair scattered loosely. Her dimpled smile showed. She drew out her voice. "Shiraha~"
"I just suddenly remembered, this time, you were supposed to be looking for Siegfried, weren't you? But you, who've always been so goal-oriented... why were you more concerned about Kiana?"
She flipped over, lying on her stomach, propping her chin on both hands. Her two calves swung gently behind her. Her starry eyes stared straight at Shiraha.
"Of course, I trust you 100%. But Shiraha~ could you make that trust grow just 1% more?"
Shiraha was a bad kid. He knew she was the Herrscher of Origin, yet he'd always pretended not to know. A Manticore, even the best of companions, always kept a few extra layers of vigilance.
Elysia could understand. Truly. Most Manticores were like that.
Shiraha lay on the bed, his whole body stretched out in a big star shape. He looked at the ceiling, brilliant as a galaxy of stars. His voice was calm. "Because Siegfried is a father."
Elysia's swinging calves paused for a moment.
"That guy was far too broken. Before I left, I already knew Siegfried was wandering with his daughter and a test subject."
"Out of respect for Welt and Tesla-senpai's judgment in friends, I didn't think Siegfried would be the type to abuse his daughter or a test subject."
"A man who lost his family in war, and now has lost his daughter, I didn't think I could persuade him. At the very least, it would be truly difficult."
Elysia let out a soft "Oh." So it was from an optimal-route judgment? And here she'd thought Shiraha would say: Because he's a father. As long as I win over his daughter, I can openly pull him into my faction.
Shiraha paused, then thought of an even better reason. "Actually, it wasn't that complicated. A person with no attachments, no emotions, you can't really persuade someone like that."
"So my words earlier might have been a little... not so well-behaved. But the outcome was good. And now—now I can totally go win Kiana over. Then I'll thoroughly squeeze every drop out of that broken-down adult."