Ch-3 < Otto dilemma >

Otto stared at the screen, his usually calm demeanor slipping as yet another spy camera was obliterated. The display crackled before going dark, a now-familiar occurrence. Amber, his ever-efficient secretary, stood nearby, monitoring the situation.

"Another one destroyed," Otto muttered, his golden eyes narrowing in frustration.

"Yes, Overseer. That was the seventeenth one," Amber replied, her tone neutral.

Otto's mind raced as he tried to piece together the implications of this interference. "And who is this person capable of such feats?" he asked, his voice sharp, betraying his unease.

"We don't have any detailed information on him yet, but he goes by the name Kebin Kaslana," Amber responded, her eyes scanning the limited data they had managed to gather.

"Kebin..." Otto's expression hardened as he recalled a name stored deep within the Void Archives. There had been a mention of someone called Kevin—a figure associated with the ancient Guardian of Shenzhou. "If this Kebin is anything like the Kevin I'm thinking of, then my plans are in serious jeopardy," Otto thought, a knot of dread forming in his chest.

"We should avoid making an enemy of him," Otto finally decided, his voice firm as he issued the order. "Do not send any more spy cameras near the Kaslana household. We need to proceed with caution."

Amber nodded, acknowledging the directive. "Understood, Overseer."

Back at the Kaslana Household

Kevin sat on the floor, a small smile playing on his lips as he inspected a tooth Kiana had just lost. "Now, a tooth fairy will come tonight and leave you a special present," he said, indulging in the kind of whimsical story that delighted the young girl.

Kiana bright eyes sparkling with excitement. "Really, Kebin? Do you think she'll bring me something super special?" she asked, her voice filled with wonder.

Kevin nodded, reaching out to gently ruffle her white hair. "Of course. The tooth fairy always brings something special to good girls like you."

Kiana's cheeks puffed up in a playful pout as she squirmed in his arms. "I hate it when you pet my head! I'm not a child anymore, Kebin!" she protested, her tone half-serious.

Kevin chuckled, hugging her a little closer. "Is that so? Well, if Kiana is already an adult, I guess you won't need any more snacks or bedtime stories, right? I just thought of a really fun one about a traveler who fell from the sky and saved the Land of Winds with her flying companion."

Kiana's pout deepened, and she quickly shook her head. "No, no! I still want snacks and stories! Maybe... I'm not that grown-up yet," she admitted, her resolve crumbling in the face of Kevin's teasing.

Kevin smiled, amused by her change of heart. "That's what I thought. My little Kiana is still a kid at heart," he said, playfully tugging one of her braids.

Kiana's playful nature shone through as she grabbed a stick from the yard, swinging it around like a Valkyrie's weapon. She twirled and jumped, imitating the heroes she admired so much. "Look, Kebin! I'm gonna be a Valkyrie just like my mom!"

Kevin's smile softened as he watched her. He knew Siegfried didn't want Kiana to become a Valkyrie. But he had spent time convincing her that they could be heroes of the night, fighting against the Honkai in their own way.

"Well, let's practice, little hero," Kevin said, standing up and grabbing a stick of his own. "And tonight, I'll tell you that story."

Kiana's face lit up with excitement. "Really? Yay! Thanks, Kebin!" She suddenly leaned over and planted a quick kiss on Kevin's cheek before dashing off to continue her play.

Kevin touched his cheek, feeling a warmth that hadn't been there in a long time. He sighed softly, watching her run off, her laughter echoing through the yard.

Despite her protests, Kiana loved being doted on by Kevin. She adored the time they spent together, especially when he told her stories or taught her new techniques.

At night

Kevin sat on the couch, listening as Siegfried and Kiana watched a TV show together. On the screen, the two protagonists shared a romantic kiss, sealing their love in the story.

"Dad, what are they doing?" Kiana asked, her innocent curiosity piqued by the scene.

Siegfried said, ruffling her hair affectionately. "They're kissing. It's what lovers do when they get married."

"Lovers?" Kiana tilted her head, her big blue eyes reflecting the flickering light of the TV.

"Yes, when two people love each other, they're called lovers," Siegfried explained, his smile softening as he spoke.

But Kiana's face turned thoughtful, and before anyone could stop her, she turned to Kevin with a determined look. "Kebin, can I kiss you too?"

Kevin blinked in surprise, caught off guard by her sudden request. Siegfried throw his beer and shot him a glare that could kill, clearly not amused by the situation.

Kevin quickly raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, that's on you, Siegfried. I was just telling her stories," he said, trying to defuse the tension with a light-hearted tone.

But Kiana was undeterred, so Kevin compiled to her request.

he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Then, with the same innocence, she said, "But they kissed on the lips. I want to kiss you on the lips, Kebin!"

Siegfried immediately swooped in, pulling Kiana into a bear hug. "Kiana is Papa's girl! There's no need for Kebin to kiss you on the lips. Only married couples do that."

Kiana looked thoughtful for a moment, then declared, "Then I'll marry Kebin! I'm already grown up, after all!"

Kevin chuckled, shaking his head as he watched Siegfried struggle to keep a straight face while trying to reason with his daughter. "No, Kiana, you're only nine," Siegfried said, doing his best to sound firm. "You can think about marriage when you're all grown up."

"Okay, but I'll marry Kebin when I'm grown up!" Kiana said with a determined nod, clearly satisfied with her decision.

Siegfried shot Kevin another warning glance, but Kevin just shrugged, still smiling. It was hard to argue with Kiana when she was so earnest.

Siegfried shot Kevin another glare, one that clearly said, "You'd better not encourage her."

**The Next Morning**

Kevin watched as Kiana bounced into the room, her energy as infectious as always. She ran straight to him, wrapping her small arms around his waist. "Good morning, Kebin!"

"Good morning, Kiana," Kevin replied, ruffling her hair as she looked up at him with her bright blue eyes.

She grinned up at him, the same mischievous glint in her eyes. "Did the tooth fairy leave me anything?"

Kevin pretended to think, then nodded. "Check under your pillow. I think you'll find something special there."

Kiana gasped and ran to her room, returning moments later with a shiny coins in her hand. "Look! The tooth fairy came!"

Kevin smiled, watching as she twirled around the room, the coin clutched tightly in her hand. He couldn't help but feel a warmth in his chest as he watched her.

Siegfried entered the room, his usual gruffness softened by the sight of his daughter's joy.

the days passed, Kiana's affection for Kevin only grew, and she began to express it in small ways—like kissing him on the cheek or cuddling up to him whenever she had the chance. Every time she did, Siegfried would give Kevin that same deadly look, but Kevin could only smile.

I didn't encourage her to do anything. She did all this on her own. Kevin thought.