Chapter 9: The Outing of Father and Daughter
In the church garden, still seated as she watched her parents smile and talk, Elara did not interrupt them. Instead, she continued eating the desserts in front of her, unable to stop herself from dreaming about what they might do later.
"So, my dear, how was your week? Did you make any friends?" Kafka asked as she turned her gaze toward her, resting her chin on her crossed hands.
"Yes! I made lots of friends, like Selena and Hugo!" Elara exclaimed as she remembered her new friends from the church. "We spent a lot of time together, both at school and outside," she continued with the lively energy of a child. After finishing, she took out her tablet and showed them the photos she had taken.
As she scrolled through them, there were even photos with Adam, the priests, and the sisters of the church. Quite a few showed the two of them during their outings in the streets of Solaria City. But while flipping through the pictures, she could not help but think of that woman.
…
On a crowded street stood Elara and Adam, both dressed in their usual clothes. Elara wore a blue dress with a slightly lifted hem, along with shoes that matched it, and she could not stop looking around her. Beside her was Adam, as always dressed in his black priestly robe with the silver cross on his chest. He was holding Elara's small hand while guiding her and quietly observing her actions.
The environment was filled with high-tech buildings that reached the sky, drones flying above the streets, and all kinds of pedestrians moving through the city. The roads were crowded, but what displeased Elara slightly were the looks some people gave her father. She then remembered her mother's words about the women who wanted to steal him away.
As she watched her father smile at them and greet them, she could not help but complain inwardly."Hmph! Just as Mother said, these women have no shame and want to steal my father."
At that moment, a very beautiful, tall, and well-dressed woman approached them. She wore blue jeans that reached her calves, a white top, and white sneakers that highlighted her sea-blue hair and matching eyes. But her most striking feature was her animal ears, which gave her a mature yet cheerful charm. Her pale skin seemed even more radiant under the sunlight filtering through the shop windows and reflecting onto her. She was undeniably a beautiful woman.
"Your Holiness!" The woman called out as she approached Adam, who had stopped walking. "It has been a long time since we last met. How have you been these days?" she asked calmly as she stopped in front of the father and daughter.
"I am well, thank you for your concern," Adam replied calmly to her question. "I am always at the church if you wish to speak with me," he informed her, looking at the fox-eared young woman.
As the fox-eared woman smiled with a rather strange expression from Elara's point of view, she noticed the little tuft of violet hair beside Adam and could not help but ask,
"This lovely little girl must be the famous daughter of His Holiness, isn't she?"
Her tone carried curiosity, but also a hint of disappointment. Her gaze toward the little girl shifted for a second, but the next moment her face softened and she reached out, wanting to pat the child who barely reached her waist.
But seeing that action and the woman's smile, Elara stepped back half a pace and looked at the woman coveting her father before sticking out her tongue.
At that moment, the woman's face froze for a fraction of a second. Realizing the little girl was mocking her, she wanted to curse and insult the child.
But remembering the Saint's presence, she could only complain inwardly and retreat with an awkward laugh.
"It seems the little girl does not like strangers," the young woman said, trying to change the subject. Rather than focus on the child, she was far more interested in speaking with His Holiness.
Observing the entire exchange, Adam said nothing. Whether it was the woman's expressions or his daughter's actions, he already knew what both of them were thinking. Yet he did not intervene and merely watched.
"Oh, that's right, I forgot to introduce myself!" the young woman declared as she brushed a strand of hair behind her right ear. "I am Clara, the CEO of the LuminaForge Group. It is a company involved in the production and trade of artificial light crystals," Clara introduced herself while looking at the girl with a warm smile, like an older sister guiding a younger one.
"Before your arrival, Clara would occasionally come to the church to pray, make donations, and listen to sermons," Adam said calmly while holding Elara's hand, completing Clara's introduction.
After hearing that, Elara let go of her father's hand and introduced herself in front of Clara.
"My name is Elara. It is the name my mother chose for me," Elara said, emphasizing "my mother" as if she wanted to show that her father was already taken, marking her territory.
And of course, Clara understood the double meaning behind Elara's words. She simply smiled without saying anything, though inwardly she thought,
"Why is this little girl standing in my way?"
"So, what are you doing here? Are you out for a walk?" Adam asked, seeing that if he did not step in, the conversation would head in the wrong direction.
Hearing the question directed at her, Clara turned back toward him, and her smile toward Adam grew brighter.
"I heard that you had a child, and I was curious to meet her, so I was on my way to the church when I happened to meet you here. What a coincidence!"
"I see the news spreads quickly!" Elara declared, cutting into the conversation. "Now that you've seen me, we can leave, can't we? After all, we are busy, madam," she added, hands on her hips and tone serious.
Everyone present understood the meaning behind her words, that Clara was a nuisance.
Seeing her behavior, Adam simply shook his head, apologized to Clara, and the father-daughter duo continued their outing, accompanied by the same looks from the citizens.
…
Watching the smile of her daughter, who had changed so much in only one week by her father's side, Kafka simply smiled and joined in whenever Elara asked her questions.
During that time, Adam merely observed in silence. But his observation did not last long before he noticed traces of mud on the soles of Kafka's boots, something Kafka naturally noticed as well.
She simply smiled and asked in a gentle voice, "What is it, my dear? Is there something troubling you?" Her voice carried a trace of concern, like a true wife worried about her husband.
"Do not worry, I am fine. You do not need to concern yourself," Adam denied her worries. But he did not stop there and added, "Your work demands a great deal of physical effort, so be careful not to get hurt."
"Don't worry, I am not alone, and I am very strong, you know," Kafka assured him. Then she continued, "You know, I was wondering… if you are the messenger of the Sun God, then that makes you an Emanator, doesn't it?"
Her goal was simple: to gather information about Adam and his lord, this unknown Aeon.
And of course, Adam knew it. He simply replied,
"No. In truth, I am only a little stronger than ordinary humans, with certain abilities," Adam lied as he poured tea into Kafka's cup and his own, all while smiling.
Kafka gently took the cup and drank slowly. Adam also sipped his tea, but both of them were already calculating.
Adam knew Kafka wanted to extract information from him, and Kafka knew Adam's words were nothing but lies. Yet neither of them had ever been honest, always speaking through indirect phrases and deception.
But one thing was certain: no matter Adam's answers, Kafka fully intended to gain something from him.