Chapter 52
Chapter 52: Time to Talk Business
The round toe of her patent leather shoes lightly tapped the floor, producing pleasant notes like touching piano keys.
Funis slowly lifted her heavy, elaborate skirt, revealing a section of beautiful calves covered in extremely thin white silk stockings—pure white like fresh snow with a hint of tender pink flesh tone showing through, while her small feet wore black patent leather round-toe shoes with red butterfly bow decorations on the heels and straps.
They weren’t high heels but flat heels, which reduced the stimulation she experienced while walking somewhat.
Her light pink hair had been braided into a wheat-ear pattern and pinned up behind her head with Charlotte’s help, with the remaining silky strands falling to her knees, while platinum ribbons were tied into flower shapes among the hair by her ears.
“So cute… just like a little princess…”
Before the styling was truly complete, Charlotte hadn’t expected the final effect to be so outstanding. She still held a comb and extra ribbons in her hands, sitting dazedly on the bed edge admiring Funis standing before the full-length mirror.
Funis released her skirt hem and let it fall, carefully examining herself in the mirror.
The initial amazement had disappeared after a year, but Funis still loved looking in mirrors.
Not only stunning but also particularly pleasing to look at—Queen Philedrika and Princess Deloris would all have to step aside for her.
Just as Cesya had warned, Funis’s obsession with her own appearance had reached a fanatical and pathological degree. She would constantly fantasize about becoming a couple with the girl in the mirror, and then…
Thinking about it carefully, it really was terrifying—all her spellcasting materials up to now had been herself!
Pink-haired, pink-eyed “Celi” had defeated silver-haired, purple-eyed Funis in the contest of liveliness and cuteness, but the crystal-like silver-white hair color created by magical pigmentation was more in line with her personal preferences.
The temperamental differences between the two forms gave completely different impressions, even appearing to be two entirely different people when seen briefly, which was exactly the effect Funis needed.
She was secretly planning in her mind to temporarily return to the Golden Rose, but she needed to avoid Charlotte and restore her original silver hair state first.
After getting dressed, Charlotte began to fulfill the promises she had made earlier to stop Funis from crying.
Funis had never imagined Charlotte would cook personally someday.
When her adoptive daughter confidently tied on an apron and walked into the kitchen to light the automatic kerosene stove, Funis sitting at the dining table was already dumbfounded.
You had to know that a year ago, Charlotte knew nothing about cooking and would even burn slices of bread, but now she could skillfully handle even frying without any flaws. After watching the entire process, Funis couldn’t find a single fault.
The positions between them should have been reversed.
The one standing at the stove should have been the tall, strong Sera—a muscular tough guy tenderly wearing a small apron completely unsuited to him, holding a spatula in his hands like a fragile toy, yet still carefully preparing dinner for the hungry Charlotte, his rough palms delicately presenting a plate of fried bacon and steak to the table. That would have been the gentlest thing he could do for Charlotte.
But now the situation had reversed.
The one waiting at the dining table had become Funis transformed into a girl, while Charlotte, who used to search the house for canned food when no one cooked, had entered the kitchen.
However, this cooking technique was obviously from the same school as Sera’s.
Funis strongly suspected that after she disappeared and there was no one in the kitchen, Charlotte had been forced to learn pot and spatula techniques from Sister Orsya of the Humility Institute. After all, Sera had also humbly apprenticed himself to Sister Orsya after he started taking care of Charlotte, making them senior and junior sisters in cooking skills now.
Nearly noon but still considered breakfast.
Charlotte had fried bacon and eggs for Funis, accompanied by toast and canned corned beef—quite standard fare for a middle-income household. Funis ate slightly better aboard the Golden Rose daily, but the difference wasn’t significant.
She never would have thought that someday she could wait for her precious daughter to cook for her. When Funis tasted the meaty aroma, she was so moved she nearly cried.
This life was already complete.
Charlotte could live perfectly well on her own.
The year-long worry and concern finally lifted at this moment. Funis felt she could now seek mutual destruction with Cesya without any reservations.
Let Sera die forever in that thorn bush from a year ago. This world didn’t need to remember a Seraphim-class enforcer who had become a witch—she would be forgotten forever, and no one would know Funis had ever existed.
But the prerequisite was still that she had to be able to defeat Cesya.
Even Sera had only reached the fourth sequence of the Temperance pathway. Funis knew how difficult it was to surpass the third sequence—it would be a long process.
“How does it taste, little Celi? Is it too salty?” Charlotte hadn’t removed her apron yet. She rested her chin on her hand, gazing gently at Funis like a housewife.
Damn it!
Could Charlotte possibly look like a housewife?
Funis felt like she was dreaming, but this was reality. Charlotte at this moment appeared particularly virtuous, far more charming than her usual carefree, straightforward self.
She was somewhat dazed.
Her eyes grew moist, and she felt like crying again.
Any small sign of a child’s growth, when unexpectedly noticed by parents, becomes countless tearful moments. All that unrequited dedication and hidden expectations in the heart, when they finally receive returns and become reality, bring indescribable emotion.
“Why are you crying? I shouldn’t have added too much pepper, right?” Charlotte took out a handkerchief to gently wipe the tears from Funis’s eyes, then looked down at the bacon on the plate. “Mmm, it smells normal too… what’s wrong?”
“No… it’s very delicious…” Funis sniffled, her words broken. “It’s just that I haven’t… properly tasted a decent meal in so long…”
“Poor little Celi~ crying so sadly, big sister wants to cry along with you…” Charlotte pulled Funis into her embrace again, gently patting her back to comfort her. “Until we find your parents, feel free to enjoy all the bacon, beef, and steak at big sister’s house—no need to be polite.”
“How could that witch bear to let such a cute child go hungry? She’s truly vicious!” she then muttered through gritted teeth.
Funis’s current mood was calm.
Another little lie.
Miss Witch, here’s another pot for you to carry!
After the meal, Charlotte also delivered a chocolate cake as promised. Funis, taking advantage of Charlotte’s indulgence, brazenly requested a glass of sweetened milk. After spending time with her adoptive daughter as “Celi,” she quickly entered her comfort zone and gradually got used to this new relationship.
“Thank you very much for your hospitality, Sister Charlotte.” After taking a sip of sweet milk, Funis finally decided to get to the main topic. “I think I can answer the question you asked earlier.”
Charlotte obviously wasn’t prepared—she had thought the girl would need another day or two before she could provide clues. In her flustered state, she found a notebook and straightened the chair beneath her.
“Little Celi, big sister will be honest with you. Big sister actually does work similar to police and detectives, so the information you provide will be very important and crucial to us.” Charlotte’s tone was serious, trying to make the girl understand the gravity of the situation.
Of course Funis knew what Charlotte’s job entailed.
She was not only Charlotte’s adoptive father but also her senior enforcer. Funis was intimately familiar with the Temperance Institute’s case procedures, knowing every step inside and out.
“I understand, Sister Charlotte.” The girl looked into Charlotte’s eyes. “What I want to tell you is related to Sera Fred.”