CHAPTER 76: CH:76 MY DAUGHTERS NEED THEIR LUNCH

As they walked deeper into the open hallway, Dila slowed her steps, blinking in surprise.

The ceiling had vanished—replaced by clear blue skies—and the walls gave way to rows of long tables arranged like an open-air café. The scent of grilled meat and fresh bread drifted around as elves—knights and archers alike—sat chatting, laughing, or polishing their weapons while eating.

Dila’s lips parted slightly. "Wow... this place... it’s like a giant knight cafeteria."

Fran, by her side, spun slowly in place, her cat tail flicking with curiosity. Her eyes were darting everywhere, overwhelmed by the sheer number of elves all gathered casually in one place. "Sister... where are we?"

Zeon, walking ahead with his hands folded behind him, glanced over his shoulder with a satisfied grin. "I know, right? Hidden gem of the castle."

Dila kept staring at the lively scene. "At least... you didn’t drag me to that royal dining hall. Sitting beside that old fart while eating would’ve killed my appetite."

Zeon grinned wider, his red eyes flashing behind the mask. "Would’ve been fun to watch, though."

Dila shot him a glare, but Fran—still turning her head side to side—barely processed their banter, mesmerized. "I... I’ve never seen so many elves at once..."

Zeon chuckled softly. "Welcome to the heart of the kingdom, little princess and cat."

As Dila walked but now a bit stiffly through the tables, more and more elves began glancing her way. Their quiet conversations shifted into curious whispers.

"Is that... the princess?"

"Nah, can’t be. Look at her—she’s dressed like a common adventurer."

"But her face... looks just like the king, though."

Dila’s right eye twitched. Her mouth flattened. She kept walking.

Fran, noticing the growing stares, shuffled closer, whispering nervously, "Sister... um... all the elves... they’re whispering about you."

"I know," Dila hissed back through clenched teeth.

Fran’s ears lowered. "They’re saying you look like your father."

Dila’s step faltered, and she deadpanned, "Great. Just what I wanted to hear."

Another elf at a nearby table, louder than the rest, muttered: "Whoa, she’s like a tiny version of His Majesty."

Dila’s eyebrow twitched again. "Ignore them, Fran."

Fran kept walking beside her, tail flicking anxiously. "But they’re comparing your face to His Majesty’s."

"I said ignore them."

Zeon, leading ahead, casually turned his masked face back toward them and added helpfully, "To be fair... you do have his eyes."

Dila stopped walking.

She inhaled sharply, her fist trembling at her side.

"Fran."

"Yes, sister?"

"Remind me later... to punch Zeon."

Fran nodded. "Okay."

Zeon, chuckling ahead, raised a hand without looking back. "Duly noted, Princess."

As they reached the serving area, the long line of knights chatting and waiting for food suddenly got interrupted.

Zeon, striding confidently with his hands casually behind his back, said loudly, "Make way. My daughters need their nutritious food now." His eyes were closed, his tone as casual as if he were commenting on the weather.

The entire line of armored knights blinked.

One of them muttered, "Daughters?"

Another elbowed his friend. "I didn’t know Hero Zeon had kids..."

Behind him, Dila’s jaw nearly dropped. "Hey! I’m not—"

Fran, meanwhile, was half-hiding behind Dila’s back, peeking around her shoulder, looking utterly confused.

The knights, misunderstanding everything perfectly, pointed toward Fran. "Is the cat girl your adopted daughter?"

Without missing a beat, Zeon smiled calmly, eyes still closed, and nodded. "Yeah. She is."

Fran’s ears shot up. "Ehh?!"

Dila turned slowly, glaring at Zeon like she wanted to bury him. "Explain. Now."

Zeon, stepping forward at the food counter as if he hadn’t heard her, added cheerfully to the elven server wearing the apron, "Three servings, please. My two daughters and me."

The elven server blinked, then nodded like it made perfect sense. "Of course, sir."

Fran whispered in panic, "Sister, are we... adopted now?"

Dila hissed back, "Apparently not."

Zeon turned slightly, still smiling. "Congratulations."

Dila pointed at him. "I will really punch you after this."

Zeon chuckled softly. "I’m used to your words."

Zeon, completely unbothered by Dila’s rising frustration, then after he take the three food plates and than he floated it neatly stacking the plates each other beside him like a waiter using invisible hands. "Now, now, my daughters," he said calmly, smiling, eyes still shut. "Please, take that vacant table over there. Perfect spot. Father and daughters bonding time."

The knights exploded in excitement.

"Wooo! Hero Zeon’s such a doting dad!"

"Zeon! Zeon! Zeon!" a few of them started chanting.

Fran, who was too shocked to speak, whispered, "Sister... I don’t... I don’t think we can escape this."

Dila, eyes half-dead, glared at the cheering elves, then back at Zeon, who was giving a casual little wave to his ’adoring fans’ like it was normal.

In her mind, Dila muttered darkly, "This guy talks like that Kakashi from Naruto... I swear... I watched this exact attitude back on Earth. Calm, smug, and somehow annoying..."

Meanwhile, Zeon turned slightly, smiling more. "What’s wrong, daughter? You’re looking at me like I forgot to pay child support."

Dila snapped, "Because you did! I’m not even yours!"

Zeon simply gestured gracefully to the floating plates. "And yet, here I am. Providing lunch."

Fran, exhausted, whispered, "At least... free food, sister."

Dila sighed in pure defeat, dragging herself toward the table like a prisoner. "Why... why is this my life?"

Zeon trailed behind, absolutely pleased, while knights cheered like he was handing out autographs.

As they reached the table, Zeon—with the elegance of a smug waiter—levitated the plates onto the table with gentle, precise movements, stacking them neatly side by side. Each plate let out a soft clink as it settled into place, steam rising like a perfect finishing touch.

Fran, already seated beside Dila, looked at the food as if it was the treasure of a lifetime. Her blue eyes sparkled like stars, her cat tail wagging left and right like a happy puppy, completely forgetting her surroundings. Her hands clutched the edge of the table in excitement, almost vibrating.

Meanwhile, Dila sat stiff beside her, arms crossed, glaring down at the untouched plate as if it had insulted her personally. Her expression was pure "I hate my life."

Across from them, Zeon lowered himself gracefully into the chair like a royal visiting his summer estate. His face glowed with satisfaction, his trademark grin in place, and his eyes—of course—were smugly closed as if life itself couldn’t surprise him anymore.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then Zeon, still smiling, leaned forward slightly, folding his gloved hands. "Well... eat up, my daughters."

Fran, thrilled, wagged her tail even faster. "Really?! Sister, can I eat first? Please? Please?"

Dila snapped out of her sulking, blinking at Fran. "What are you, a stray cat I picked up?"

Fran grinned. "Technically, yes."

Dila’s arms dropped in surrender. "Fine... eat."

Fran’s victory cheer was silent but visible in her sparkling expression as she immediately grabbed a fork, digging into the meal like it was the greatest thing that had ever happened to her.

Dila, meanwhile, peeked at Zeon, muttering, "Stop calling me your daughter. It’s embarrassing."

Zeon just smiled wider, eyes still serenely closed. "Ah... I’ll stop when you start believing you’re not."

Dila’s eye twitched. "Hate. I choose hate."

Zeon casually sliced his own meal without opening his eyes. "As expected of my stubborn child."

Fran, mouth full, muffled, "I love this family."

Dila groaned in pain, resting her forehead on the table. "I hate this family."

Zeon, slicing a piece of meat calmly, smiled like a smug father of the year.

And then, and then after a couple of slice and after that in the middle of casually slicing his meal, Zeon quietly peeled off his mask, as if it was no big deal.

Fran’s jaw dropped open so wide she almost swallowed her fork.

Dila blinked once... then twice... her eyes slowly widening.

Both girls thought the same thing: "What the hell?!"

Fran, eyes sparkling like she’d just discovered the rarest gem, muttered softly, "Wow... mister didn’t have face damage once... not even a scratch..." Her cheeks blushed hard, her cat ears twitching wildly in confusion.

Meanwhile, Dila squinted like she was analyzing a rare alchemy specimen. "What cream does this idiot put on his face? That skin looks expensive," she thought bitterly, her pride dying quietly inside.

Zeon, still eating calmly with his eyes serenely closed, smiled as if enjoying a vacation. He sensed the heavy silence. "What? Never seen my face before?" he said, chewing casually.

Fran, in pure betrayal of all her previous loyalty, nodded frantically like a child discovering candy.

Zeon chuckled smugly. "Handsome devil, right?"

Dila rolled her eyes so hard they nearly left her skull. "Yeah, right."

Zeon smiled even more, savoring both the food and his victory, as Fran continued sneaking shy glances at his face, and Dila mentally cursed every skincare product that had ever failed her.

Zeon chuckled softly between bites, then casually said, "Princess, don’t forget... your skin’s premium too. Far more premium than mine."

Dila, mid-bite, froze. Her hand holding the fork trembled slightly. Her expression cracked.

Fran nearly choked on her food as she see Dila’s reaction a bit funny.

Luckily, the surrounding knights didn’t notice. They were too busy laughing at their own conversations and morning banter, clanking their utensils as they enjoyed their meals.

Zeon, completely ignoring Dila’s horror, smiled lazily and said, "Lively, right?" His tone was annoyingly cheerful, like he was commenting on the weather.

He chuckled again, calmly eating as if he hadn’t just casually like he outed her entire life in one sentence.

Dila, expression dead inside, whispered in her mind: "Nari... how many people heard that?"

Nari, panicked: ☆ M-most of them missed it, master! But... that one elf by the bread tray might be suspicious... but still who cares am i right?☆ Nari’s a bit nervous because of Dila’s reaction.

Zeon, meanwhile, just smiled and kept eating like a proud father on family day.