Ashe had occasionally wondered what kind of children he might have in the future. No, he wasn't the type to daydream about baby names whenever he saw a girl he liked. In fact, he considered his imagination rather limited. When he fancied someone, his daydreams rarely went beyond classrooms, bedrooms, living rooms, beaches, or couple hotels... and after starting work, such fantasies had become even rarer. The phrase "Let's have a meeting later" was a perfect cure for lust. As the saying went, "Overtime won't help you find a lover, but it can make sure nobody has one."

His first vision of a child came when he was eight. Back then, he had secretly been playing computer games and got thrashed by his father with a rattan cane. From that moment, he secretly vowed to raise a child who could play games with him.

As he grew older, his expectations multiplied. The child had to enjoy outdoor sports, navigate romance, solve the final math problem on the college entrance exam, be handsome or beautiful, cook well, master a second language, write novels or draw comics...

But after entering the workforce, facing society's harsh lessons, feeling the weight of life, and understanding his parents' strict past, Ashe also felt a pang of guilt toward his future children. I'm sorry, kids... I can't even find your mother, boo-hoo.

No matter what, he vowed that the child he hoped for would never be like that.

Lys sat cross-legged on the bed. Her small face firm with indignation, she said, "Daddy, do you really think it's fair if you earn the highest score but end up having to give the wish to Miss Annan? It's so unfair for you!"

"Don't worry. Your daddy's a total useless man; the highest score will surely go to Aunt Perskin or Uncle Harvey."

"But it's still unfair!" Lys shook herself, her freshly tied twin tails bouncing with the motion. "Daddy, think about it. You, Aunt Perskin, and Uncle Harvey are comrades through life and death. You share hardships and joys. A Divine Lord's wish... You should all share it, not give it to that wicked witch Annan, who tries to enslave you during the fire!"

"You just called her Miss Annan a moment ago."

Lys's eyes widened. "That's not important! Daddy, what matters is what you think! Don't you want to make a wish to a Divine Lord? The Omniscient Weaver can grant anything, like bringing back the dead, traveling through time, living forever, and even becoming a god."

"Can I wish that all women must wear ultra-short skirts with black or white stockings?"

"Ugh."

"Huh?" Ashe glanced at Lys as she stuck out her tiny tongue in disgust."What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing... I'm probably just carsick from sitting so long."

"But you've been resting for over an hour..."

Lys steered the conversation back on track. "In any case, Daddy, you do want the wish, right? You wouldn't just hand it over to a malicious witch trying to harm you, would you?"

"If I'm honest, of course I want it," Ashe said, chin in hand. "But I don't think I have the right... or the capacity to deserve it."

"What do you need a right for when wishing?"

"Think about it. Once I finally earn the right to make a wish to a god... would it really be right to indulge myself with selfish desires? The best approach is a perfect wish, one that benefits everyone while also benefiting me. For example, ask the Divine Lord for technology that vastly boosts productivity, or extend the lifespan of every citizen—"

"Why is being selfish bad!?"

Ashe stared at Lys in shock as she roared. Her usual sweet, innocent expression had vanished, replaced by a fierce, world-weary intensity. And then, just as quickly, her face softened back to its adorable self, as if nothing had happened.

She lowered her head shyly. "I mean... Daddy, you're not even from this kingdom. You don't really belong here. When it comes to making a wish, you don't have to overthink it. Wouldn't it be better to simply follow your heart?"

Ashe said calmly, "Then let's be upfront with each other, Lys. I wouldn't mind you calling me Daddy. It's just a form of address. If we can maintain this surface-level father-daughter relationship, Annan will be reassured. Think of it as a codename between colleagues.

"What I can't wrap my head around is that Annan shouldn't be wrong about your memory loss, but your scheming, ambitious behavior isn't something an ordinary amnesiac could display. Or... are you from some legendary race, one whose lost memories can't stop desire from flowing through every pore, leaving you filled with dirty blood?"

"Is there really such a race?"

With his arms folded, Ashe said, "Yes, we call it the Capitalist. So you didn't actually lose your memory. How did you manage to trick Annan?"

Lys tilted her head. "No, Daddy, you're wrong. I really did lose my memory. The farthest back I can remember is being captured by those black-robed villains. I can't recall anything beyond that."

"So you—"

"But I know what I'm supposed to do."

Lys lifted her chin, meeting Ashe's gaze. "Just like that old witch Annan, I want to use my identity as an outlander to become an Echoer. The difference is Annan can only manipulate people like you, Daddy, while I want to become an Echoer myself."

She spoke with unwavering seriousness. "I have a wish that must come true. I will not give it to anyone!"

Ashe blinked. "Okay, fine. Let's say we could resist Annan. How exactly are you planning to take the wish from us?"

"That's enough," Lys said, raising her small hand with all five fingers extended. "Daddy, there are five competitors in total, including you, me, Aunt Perskin, Uncle Harvey, and the witch Annan."

"If you can team up with the others to keep Annan in check, the number of competitors drops to four.

She folded all her fingers except the middle one, pointing it straight at Ashe. "If you end up as the Echoer with the highest hidden score, the showdown will be just between you and me. Once you're out of the way, the wish is mine!"

"Are you really that confident you can beat me?" Ashe asked.

"It's not about confidence. Facing five people is way harder than facing just you, Daddy," Lys said matter-of-factly. "And don't forget, you still owe me two contracts!"

"So what? Contracts go both ways."

"No, Daddy. Your contract with me only lasts 101 days, but mine with you is indefinite. If neither of us gets the wish in the end, you'll be my servant for life!"

"Hey! How did I go from Daddy to servant?" Ashe exclaimed, realizing this little girl's audacity was growing by the minute. "Besides, this is only a Two-Winged sorcerer contract. There has to be a way to nullify it. You can't scare me."

Lys nodded. "There is a way to nullify it, but I also have a way to stop you. If you go out, I'll make you feed me donuts. If you enter the Virtual World, I'll make you tell me fairy tales. If you study, I'll make you ride a horse for me. You see? Not only will you be my servant, but I'll also make sure you never get a wife in your life!"

"Lys, you're so cruel!"

"Hmph! If you don't want to end up old, breaking your back in the bathroom, and starving miserably, you'd better fight for the wish with everything you've got... Hey! Stop that! I'm yelling! The contract says you can't hurt me! Stop!"

Ashe trapped Lys under his arm and rubbed her white-haired head vigorously. "You can't tell me to stop! Remember, our contract is mutual! I can't hurt you, but I can dirty you... Ha! Done!"

Lys struggled against him. Glancing at the mirror, she saw her once-perfect twin tails in chaos, ruining her cute look. She wailed, covering her ears as she backed up and shouted, "Don't ever tell anyone what we just talked about! Don't disobey this order, don't disobey my order about disobeying my order... Ugh, it's so annoying! Just don't tell anyone, or you'll get in trouble yourself! Ashe, just wait! These 101 days, we pretend to be father and daughter on the surface, but after that, I'll show you what cruelty really is!"

Bang!

She charged too fast and slammed into the alloy blast-proof door, wobbling and spinning before collapsing unconscious.

Ashe froze, stunned by her reckless combo. She reminded him of how equally foolish he was at her age. He patted her small face gently. "Hey, wake up. The floor is cold! You could catch a cold. And brush your teeth before bed, or you'll get cavities."

Just then, a voice called out, "She just fainted. It's nothing serious."

Ashe turned to see a girl lying on his bed. She wore a black-and-white checkered skirt, paired with mismatched black-and-white socks. Her glossy black hair framed her face, and she smiled at him warmly. But...

Ashe groaned in disappointment. "Wasn't it supposed to be a miniskirt and black-and-white dyed hair? Why do you look different from your character illustration?"