"Papa, let’s go there nano!" Lala pulled Alex’s hand as they strolled through the city.

A day had passed after they had conquered the 20th Floor of the Dungeon.

Today was also their last day in the Duchy of Emberholt. After resting for the night, they would start their journey back to the academy.

It was also about time for Lala’s departure, so she asked Alex to go out on a date with her. Since she was in the body of a child, Chuck and Renard gave him judgmental stares.

But Lala played an important part in conquering the Dungeon of Beasts, so Alex decided to agree to her request for a date.

’Is this what it feels like to have a daughter?’ Alex thought as they wandered across the street stalls, buying meat skewers and other kinds of street food.

"Papa, let’s get some of those as well nano!" Lala pointed at a stall sharing candy apples.

"Dim Dim!" Dim Dim, who decided to join them, also raised its hand.

"Fine." Alex shook his head helplessly. Sure enough, the two "kids" were having fun eating everything they found.

But since he also enjoyed accompanying them on their last day in the city, he decided to let them eat whatever they wanted.

Chuck and Renard had gone to the Adventurer’s Guild to sell the cores they had gathered inside the dungeon, which Alex believed would fetch a high price.

Although Renard tried to hide what he felt, he was visibly rushing. It was obvious he was itching to get his share of the loot, which Alex believed would amount to at least a million gold coins.

"This is sweet nano!" Lala smiled happily after taking a bite of the candy apple. "Here, Papa. Say ahh..."

"Ahhh." Alex opened his mouth and ate the candy apple that Lala presented to him.

"Does it taste good?"

"Yes. It tastes good."

"Mmm!"

Lala looked very proud of herself as if she were the one who made the candy apple she had just fed to Alex. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

The men would return to the academy the next day, which meant that today was the last day she could spend with him. Frankly, Lala didn’t know when she would see Alex again... or if she would be able to see him again.

Remembering what awaited her back in Reverse Arcana made her subconsciously bite her lips for a brief moment. But the warmth that was spreading through her body through her Papa’s hand pushed away these dark thoughts.

"Papa, let’s go there nano!" Lala smiled despite her fears and pointed at the plaza, where a puppet show was being shown.

"Okay." Alex nodded, and walked towards the puppet show while holding Lala’s hand.

The story was about a prince who was exiled from his kingdom. He had tried to live his life in peace after being sent to exile, but the royal family secretly hired assassins to get rid of him.

Fortunately, he was saved by a young lady in the mountains, and the two fell in love with each other.

They spent a few years of happiness and peace. But soon enough, that peace was broken, for the assassins finally found where he was hiding.

In order to protect him, the lady sacrificed her life, allowing the prince to escape.

"No... don’t leave me..." the prince’s voice echoed through the small stage, carried by the puppeteer’s skillful narration.

The lady only smiled. "Live... for the both of us..."

Her hand fell.

The small crowd around the stage fell silent.

Even the children who had been laughing earlier had become quiet, their eyes fixed on the unmoving puppet lying on the wooden floor.

Then, the scene shifted.

The prince, now clad in black armor, stood atop a battlefield. His once gentle eyes had turned cold, hardened by grief. With sword in hand, he marched toward the very kingdom that not only exiled him but also tried to kill him.

Flames rose all over the city, and the sound of war drums reverberated in the surroundings.

And as the curtain fell on that little stage, the narrator’s voice rang out one last time...

"In the end, was it love that saved him... or hatred that gave him the strength to live?"

A few smattering applause came from the audience, but the mood remained heavy.

"That was sad nano..." Lala muttered softly, her grip on Alex’s hand tightening just a little.

Dim Dim lowered its head as well, unusually quiet.

Alex glanced down at Lala, noticing the faint tremble in her fingers.

"It’s just a story," Alex said calmly. "Not all endings are like that."

"But some are, right?" Lala asked. Her voice was small.

She spoke softly, fearing to hear the true answer to her question.

Alex didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he held her hand and crouched to match her eye level.

"Then change it," Alex said in a solemn tone.

Lala blinked. "Change... it?"

Alex nodded. "If you don’t like how the story ends, then become strong enough to write your own ending."

"My own ending..." Lala repeated softly. The image of the black-haired young man waiting for him appeared inside her mind. She could feel her body tremble from fear, but a second later, she found herself wrapped in a warm embrace.

"Yes," Alex whispered softly in her ear. "Whether the ending is a happy one or not, it is up to you to decide."

"But what if it’s not up to me to decide?" Lala asked as she buried her head on Alex’s chest, holding him tightly.

"Then call out my name," Alex declared. "I will write that happy ending for you."

The trembling in Lala’s body slowly subsided. Alex’s warmth chased away the fears inside her heart, and head. She understood that the moment she left his side and returned to that cold... and dark world, the warmth he shared with her would disappear.

"Can I... really call for you, Papa?" Lala asked, her voice soft, and weak.

"Yes," Alex replied. "Call for me, and I’ll be there."

Alex wasn’t stupid. he could tell that Lala was scared, and there was only one person who could make her feel this scared.

It was none other than his other half in Reverse Arcana.