The Dreamer's POV

Chapter 68: The Intruder

[00 Months: 03 Days: 11 Hours]

The young lady in my room had long dark brown hair. Her ember eyes had a somewhat conflicting glow within them, and while she was pretty in every right, anxiety clouded her face.

I watched as the stranger meticulously searched every corner of my room, her movements growing increasingly desperate.

'She's quite sloppy...'

My curiosity intensified as she approached my bed, and my eyes widened in surprise as I witnessed her touch it and mutter something under her breath.

A radiant glow emanated from her hand, enveloping the bed for a brief moment before fading away.

This turn of events heightened my concerns.

'What the hell did she just do?'

Her actions so far appeared unrefined, lacking the finesse of an experienced assassin. Nevertheless, I couldn't dismiss the possibility that she posed a threat to me.

It was time to take action.

Activating <Turbo>, I swiftly closed the distance between us, the invisible barrier separating us disappearing as I materialized in front of her.

~WHOOSH!~

With a quick motion, I locked the door behind me, ensuring our conversation remained private.

Grabbing her by the neck, I pressed her firmly against the wall, maintaining my vigilance while still keeping myself concealed.

"G-guark!" Her pained voice echoed out, but I ignored it

My voice carried a dangerous undertone as I demanded answers. "Who are you, and what were you searching for in my room?"

The sudden assault caused her to gasp, struggling to breathe as she grunted and coughed.

The fear in her eyes was evident, and I knew that she realized her life was hanging in the balance.

Demanding answers, I wanted to know who she was and what she was searching for in my room.

Her attempts to speak through strained breaths only fueled my impatience. I tightened my grip slightly, emphasizing the severity of the situation.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, she nodded frantically, indicating her willingness to comply if I released my grip.

'A-ah, did I squeeze too hard?'

I loosened my hold, though I remained poised and alert.

Rubbing her neck, she whimpered and tears welled up in her eyes. Her voice trembled as she confessed,

"My name is Mia, and I... I am looking for my father."

Surprised by her response, my grip loosened further, but I remained cautious. The situation had taken an unexpected turn, and I needed to tread carefully.

"Your father?" I questioned, my tone laced with suspicion. "Why would he be in my room? What does he have to do with all of this?"

Mia's eyes pleaded for understanding as she spoke, her voice filled with a mixture of desperation and sorrow.

"N-no, it's not like that. It's... my father... I can sense him on you."

'What?!' I still didn't quite understand what was going on.

A gnawing suspicion began to permeate me, however.

"I... I have a Skill that allows me to detect the presence of my father, or those who have been in contact with him, as long as they're close by."

The moment she said that, my heart skipped a beat. She couldn't see me thanks to my current invisible state, but I still stifled my worried expression.

"When I saw you yesterday, I knew you had been in contact with my father. B-but, I had to know your connection to him. Y-you see, the connection between me and him... it suddenly broke almost two days ago."

The more she spoke, the more I was able to realize it.

'Her father is Jeff?!'

I thought Jeff's daughter would be much younger, considering the way he spoke about her, but to think she was already a young adult.

'Damnit! To think she had a Skill like that. How annoying...'

"So what do you think that means? You think he's dead?"

"N-no way! My dad can't be dead. I just think maybe he's in trouble. And... I wanted to know more about his situation. T-that's why I came here to search for clues."

Her words gave me pause, and I considered the possibility that her intrusion was borne out of genuine concern.

'But doesn't that make her an idiot?'

Why wouldn't she just ask me about the situation? And what about the whole thing she did with my bed?

'I can't let my guard down around her,. especially considering who her father was.'

"I... I also bugged your bed, so I would able to listen to whatever you say in the room. I'm... I'm so sorry. I just had to know." More tears formed from her eyes as she spoke.

"Why didn't you just ask me directly? Why resort to sneaking around?"

Mia's tears flowed freely now as she explained.

"I didn't know if I could trust you. A-also... I'm a little shy..."

My suspicions began to wane, replaced by a tinge of sympathy.

It seemed that Mia's actions were fueled by love and desperation, rather than malice.

I released a sigh and spoke with a softer tone, "I understand your concerns, but breaking into my room was not the best course of action."

She instantly nodded, her eyes innocently reflecting the purity she possessed.

"If you are looking for answers, perhaps we can help each other. Your father and I indeed met, and I can tell you all about it." I slowly undid my invisibility, revealing my face, or rather, the face of my alias.

I didn't completely trust Mia, but it didn't seem like she could or would harm me.

'If I just cooperate with her and twist the narrative, I can be absolved of suspicion, and no one will have to get hurt.'

"His name is Jeff, right?"

"Y-yes, that's him!" Mia's expression shifted from fear to gratitude, relief washing over her features.

It was almost instantaneous, and I was taken aback a little.

'I can see why Jeff treated her as his little girl. She does seem too kind and innocent for this kind of world.'

Relaxing my stance, I offered Mia a cautious smile. "I, Jeff, and a couple others formed a Party and explored a Dungeon—the Dungeon of Stone."

"H-he did tell me he was going to go adventuring, and he hoped to get a Party to go with."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. I wanted to go with him so badly, but he wouldn't allow it. He's... always been a bit overprotective ever since mom died."

'Seems like she really thinks highly of her father.' I thought as I stared at her.

"He wouldn't even let boys come close to me, even after I turned eighteen. He disapproved of the boys I liked, and made me attend an all-girls private school."

'Okay, maybe that's too much.' I was already seeing ehat kind of father Jeff really was.

"You're actually... the first man, other than my dad, to touch me in years... and so roughly too..." She muttered, her face turning red, and her eyes falling.

I could now understand what she meant when she said she was shy. This girl, Mia, has been sheltered by her father to an unhealthy amount.

'If she's left like this, I doubt she'll be able to survive for long in this world.'

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[A/N]

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