As the two were talking, a childish voice suddenly came from the side. Hearing this voice, the principal's face changed, his expression a mixture of conflict and surprise.
"Ami, why... why are you here?"
"I had something I wanted to ask you, Dad, but now there's no need."
Hearing Ami's words, the principal's imposing manner weakened significantly. He opened and closed his mouth, ultimately only managing to get a few words out. "Ami, you... you have to be a good girl. You're still young, you wouldn't understand. Things aren't what they seem..."
"Then what are they?... Please tell me, Dad. Tell me the reason why you would do this, knowing it could harm me and my friends."
No father wants his image in his daughter's eyes to be that of a bad person. The principal wanted to continue defending himself, but Ami was not as easily deceived as an ordinary child, especially after seeing the truth with her own eyes.
Just as the principal was about to explain further, the roar of an Ethereal suddenly echoed nearby, followed by the appearance of a massive Ethereal before them. Its appearance instantly interrupted their conversation. The thugs, seeing this, immediately scattered and ran without a trace.
Corin was about to coordinate with the others to deal with the creature, but to her surprise, Wise acted first. He swiftly closed the distance and plunged a knife into its core. Before anyone could react, the Ethereal crashed to the ground. Wise casually pulled out his lightning-element dagger and turned back to look at Corin and the others, who were still holding their weapons, ready to charge, now completely dumbfounded.
"So... so cool!" Ami's voice broke the silence.
For a father, if there's anything more painful than having his image shattered in his daughter's eyes, it can only be his own daughter praising another man in front of him. The principal had undoubtedly been dealt another blow. But he had no intention of surrendering. He showed no sign of remorse and wanted to take Ami and leave this dangerous Hollow first. However, she glared at him angrily, her expression full of resistance.
The principal tried to explain the complexities of the adult world to her, but Corin, feeling a sense of empathy, spoke her own thoughts.
"I've always found the term 'adult world' strange. Aren't adults and children in the same world? Even if it's for the sake of the children, shouldn't adults be building a better world? When I was little, I also thought this world was a dark ocean that dyed little fish black. I was angry every day back then, resisting with all my might... but I was also terrified. I was afraid that this disgusting world would turn me into something disgusting."
Ami listened quietly from the side. Hearing this, she couldn't help but ask, "And now?"
"Now, I think that becoming bad and growing up are two different things. A person is a jerk simply because he wants to be a jerk. Isn't that right, you jerk principal?"
The principal, however, sneered at this, still clinging to his own philosophy. "I have no obligation to get tangled up with a greenhorn like you who's never experienced anything! You inherited the company your parents left you at such a young age. What do you know about us common folk? If I don't work hard, I won't be able to leave anything for my daughter!"
The principal remained obstinate. But how could he know what Ami had been feeling all this time while enjoying a life of wealth? Did he know why Ami liked to use hand sanitizer so much? It was because she felt that the Dennies she used were dirty money from illicit sources.
Ami didn't look at her father. Instead, she looked at Corin and asked her, what should she do? The latter simply said she wasn't good at handling father-daughter relationships.
But Wise saw right through to Corin's inner thoughts. She wanted to take Ami with her. However, Wise stating it so bluntly made Corin cross her arms in a tsundere-like manner.
"I didn't say that, Wise did. But... what do you think? While I can't let you stay permanently, it should be fine for you to stay temporarily until a guardian you trust comes to pick you up."
Although Corin said this, it was clear she was very concerned about Ami.
In the end, the principal chose to report the situation to the Investigation Association and await their decision. The matter was considered temporarily closed.
A few days later, Wise and Corin learned what happened next. Ami was now living with her mother and had transferred schools because she couldn't pretend nothing had happened. Also, if the truth were discovered, she would surely be treated differently by her classmates, and she was worried about implicating her two friends. As for her father, although he was dismissed from his post, it wasn't long before someone else hired him as a principal, this time not at a public school, but at a place like a corporate school run by TOPS.
...
Under the glow of the setting sun, Corin and Ami leaned against a railing by the river, eating pineapple buns together while waiting for the siblings who had gone to buy drinks. The two chatted, and Corin nearly choked when Ami said it was a pity they "couldn't send her father to prison." Corin really didn't mean that! And did she really want to send her own father to prison? This kind of righteous act of turning on one's own family is generally called "filial piety" online.
Feeling a bit speechless, Corin took a few more bites of her pineapple bun. Ami then spoke of her own ideal: when she grows up, she doesn't want to become a terrible adult like her father. Instead, she wants to become an adult like Corin. Though, genetically speaking, I'll probably grow to be about 1.7 meters tall, right?
Ami said this with a slight smile, looking at Corin. The latter couldn't take it anymore and said that even good genes are useless in that regard. She then took a few more bites of her pineapple bun in frustration. Unconsciously, she had eaten not only her own but also Wise's and Belle's pineapple buns all by herself. By the time she realized it, all that was left was the half-eaten bun in her hand.
...
"Phew, finally done. Just a quarter of a pineapple bun isn't enough at all."
"S-sorry."
"Ah, it's okay, Corin. I'm not blaming you. My brother has already bought groceries. We'll eat some more when we get back. It'll be a good chance for you to try his cooking."
On the street, Wise, Belle, and Corin walked side-by-side. If the tallest one, Wise, wasn't in the middle and it was Corin instead, it would probably look like parents taking their daughter out.
-------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get access to early chapters by joining my Patreon!
Find me at My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
I, Herta's Fiancé, the Universe's Number One Male Fist (114 Chapter (Simulpub-Full) )
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Succubus in Sixth Street (290 Chapter)
Reborn in Type-Moon, My Sister is Aoko Aozaki (240 Chapter)
MyGO!! A Story Voiced by Me (110 Chapter)
BLEACH: Blade of Purification (120 Chapter)
Konoha: Starting the Game as Yoriichi (310 Chapter)
My Real Job is Spying on Konoha, but I'm Also its Hokage (120 Chapter)
The Pinnacle of the Navy! Starting from Being Captured by Garp (140 Chapter)
Watching Yu-Gi-Oh! short videos is making the veteran players lose...(70 Chapter)
Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live (193 Chapter)
Zenless Zone Zero The Random Kamen Rider (140 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: It All Began With Me Being Stepped On by Arlecchino (100 Chapter)
Naruto: I Can Synthesize Summoning Beasts (70 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: The Great Swordsman's System, Disciple of Yoriichi (100 Chapter)
My Wife is a General, but I'm an Emanator of Abundance! (120 Chapter)
Type-Moon: My Nine-Fold Path (120 Chapter)
Uma Musume: They're Peeking at My Diary, and All of Tracen is Panickin (85 Chapter)
The Wild History of Type-Moon world (60 Chapter)
Reborn in Conan, But I Refuse to Be the Bad Guy (70 Chapter)
Ruan Mei is begging me to go back? But there's no going back anymore (120 Chapter)
Just a Slacker at Tracen Academy (120 Chapter)
Survival in Blue Archive (60 Chapter)
Kimetsu no Yaiba: Doma Wasn't Hated Today, Either (90 Chapter)
The Vibe of This Chat Group is a Little Off (90 Chapter)
Heartbreak Simulator: I Broke Them and Made Them Cry (70 Chapter)
The Talentless Trainer Doesn't Want to Restart (70 Chapter)
A Journey Starting as a Quincy (70 Chapter)
Uma Musume: The Master of Romance Obstruction (70 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it.