Campione: Strongest Godslayer!-Chapter 267: Haru on the Hunt

"Are you up, Ciel!" a fond, affectionate voice called from downstairs.

"Yes, Mama!" Hearing the affectionate voice call her name, Elesia responded brightly, skipping down the stairs.

"Sleeping in again today! You usually get up at 5 to help, but you haven't helped Daddy with the baking prep for a whole week now. Aie!! Elesia doesn't love her Papa anymore!"

Bob, standing before the counter while kneading dough, grumbled, his voice cracking with mock tears by the end.

Elesia shifted awkwardly, looking embarrassed as she faced her father. For some reason, she just couldn't wake up early lately, much to her own frustration.

"Good job! Our Ciel will definitely sweep some young man off his feet today!" the mature woman with waist-length black hair and a face strikingly similar to Elesia's declared, giving her daughter a thumbs-up.

Bob's expression immediately darkened, and he attacked the dough with renewed vigor, as if the lump before him were his sworn enemy.

Hearing her mother's teasing, Elesia's face flushed slightly, and she quickly ran towards the main door.

"Good luck on your date!!!"

Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.

"It's not a date!! Just shopping, just shopping!!!"

Aie waved goodbye to the departing Elesia with a smile, then turned to look at Bob attacking the dough like a raging bull, letting out a helpless sigh.

"Looks like this dough is ruined."

———

At a street-side cafe in town, seated outdoors, Haru quietly savored a full-bodied coffee. The owner grew and brewed it himself; while not comparable to high-end commercial blends, it possessed a unique charm.

"Sorry, Haru, I'm late." A sweet female voice, panting slightly, suddenly sounded behind Haru.

Her deep blue hair, neatly combed, cascaded behind her head. Her delicate face was flushed from exertion. She wore a pure white dress, its cuffs and hem adorned with intricate black patterns.

But upon seeing Haru turn around, a vibrant smile instantly lit up her pretty face, her clear azure eyes filled with unmistakable warmth and affection.

"No problem, I just arrived myself." Haru immediately stood up from the wooden chair, chuckling lightly at Elesia.

"Liar," Elesia pouted, pointing a slender finger at his nearly empty coffee cup. "You're almost done!" Despite her implied dissatisfaction, her azure eyes danced with gentle amusement.

Obviously, she quite enjoyed Haru's deception. If this were a dating sim, a 'Favorability +1' notification would probably pop up.

Growl—! Growl—!

"Pfft— Hahahaha!" Haru covered his forehead and burst out laughing.

Elesia looked down, bewildered, then realized the sound was coming from her own stomach. She quickly clutched her midsection, looking up at Haru, utterly mortified.

"Don't laugh!!!"

"Alright, alright, I won't laugh." Haru waved dismissively, then turned towards the counter. "Number three combo! Add bacon and extra sauce!"

"Alright, one number three combo, bacon and extra sauce!" The young waiter at the counter immediately shouted towards the kitchen.

"Sit down, get something in your stomach first. There's plenty of time for shopping later." Haru pulled out the wooden chair beside him, chuckling softly.

Elesia kept her head down as she silently took the seat, not daring to meet Haru's eyes. Clearly, the French girl was still extremely embarrassed about what had just happened.

"Speaking of which, Elesia, why didn't you grab a small cake from home to tide you over? An empty stomach can lead to low blood sugar," After Elesia sat down, Haru returned to his seat, speaking with a tone of gentle reproach.

"...Because I'm tired of it," Elesia hesitated for a moment, leaned forward slightly over the round table, rested her chin in her hands, and spoke helplessly. "Even though it's delicious, I've been eating Dad's bread for sixteen years. No matter how good it is, I can't eat another bite."

"Haha, Uncle Bob will cry if he hears you say that—He'll definitely cry," Haru supported his chin with his right hand, speaking with a mischievous smile.

At this, Haru internally agreed with Blood's earlier assessment. Seeing Elesia so readily admit her little embarrassment, it seemed that after just seven days, the innocent French girl was already close to falling completely into the trap Haru had set.

"Speaking of which, Dad cries a lot lately. It's so strange. The number of times almost matches the total times I've seen him cry growing up. Haru, do you know what's going on?" Elesia asked, looking puzzled.

"His most precious little bread is about to run off with me. Of course he's crying," Haru said teasingly.

The daughter he raised for many years is about to run off with someone else; that daughter-doting baker would naturally weep bitterly. Moreover, Bob had privately challenged him to a duel more than once or twice. As for the result—seeing Elesia sitting here made it clear.

"Teasing me with that again." Elesia puffed out her cheeks, looking dissatisfiedly at Haru. Then her dissatisfaction turned to confusion. "But, is Dad really crying because we're dating?"

"Elesia just said 'dating,' right?" Haru looked teasingly at the girl before him.

Elesia's delicate face immediately flushed crimson, her gaze becoming somewhat evasive. "You must have misheard. I didn't say that just now."

Haru remained silent, his gaze merely becoming even more teasing as he watched Elesia.

Feeling Haru's increasingly teasing gaze, Elesia's face grew redder. She fidgeted with her fingers, her azure eyes darting around continuously, trying to think of a way to escape the awkward atmosphere.

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Your combo is here." Haru pointed towards the waiter slowly approaching with the dish, chuckling softly at Elesia.

"Phew~" Elesia immediately breathed a sigh of relief, her gaze following Haru's finger towards the waiter.

In their line of sight—the dish was swallowed whole by a blonde girl.

<><><><>

Support & Read 10 Advanced Chapters!

https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx

(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)

There is 9 Exciting Fanfics already available on my Patreon!