How to Be a Dark Hero’s Daughter

“Ah!”

“Who is it?”

I opened my eyes wide. A familiar scent of perfume. It was a familiar voice.

“Marianne!”

Forgetting that I was in the middle of applying makeup, I turned around. Marianne was standing there, hands raised and smiling broadly.

“My God. How did you come here without any notice?”

“I came to see the Love Moon in the capital. It’s the peak season for social gatherings.”

“Are you staying long?”

“Just for a short while. Well, let me see. Oh my. Who looks so pretty? Getting all glammed up to meet someone today, our princess?”

I hadn’t told anyone about my date with Cedric tonight. Why does everyone seem to know? Ah, time to change the subject.

“Do you have any plans this afternoon, Marianne? Let’s go out into the streets!”

“Oh, unfortunately, I have many plans today.”

“Really? Can’t even have lunch together?”

“Well, it’s my first date… I have to get ready by the third.”

Not even the second, but the third? Huh? I was genuinely curious but didn’t dare ask further. I see. The Love Moon Day is indeed a highlight for popular ladies…

“I’m really busy today, but I dropped by to see you.”

“I wish we could spend time together.”

“My pretty baby. Let’s have fun from tomorrow, okay?”

“Yes!”

I nodded.

The day went by so quickly that I didn’t even realize it. I barely got permission from Collen to go out.

‘Did he realize I’m meeting Cedric?’

But my Dad didn’t say anything and just let me go. Throughout the day, I planned what I was going to say to Cedric.

I won’t say things like ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘Thank you’. Cedric knows well why we can’t be together…

Only good things.

“Um, are you alone? Shall we go to a cafe? Would you like to get a full cafe on contract? I’ll pay.”

But when I arrived at the city square, I saw Cedric in disguise in commoner’s clothes. And a lady was talking to him. She had a dazed look in her eyes as she gazed at Cedric.

“Oh my God…”

A passing lady suddenly dropped her bag.

‘Not just a cup but an entire cafe?’

The daily life of a handsome guy is amazing. I inadvertently turned away.

“Leticia?”

“Yes?”

Cedric followed me, and I flinched.

“When did you get here?”

“Just now.”

I forced a smile. We saw each other almost every day during the crime peak season, but now it felt awkward.

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

“No, you’re only 5 minutes late.”

I glanced at the clock tower. I was too nervous to hear what Cedric was saying.

“Did you hear what I just said?”

“Uh, I was lost in thought and didn’t catch it.”

I swallowed hard. Just say it. Then, we both spoke at the same time.

“Um, Cedric, I think we can’t have our date today…”

“Would this case be okay?”

“…Huh?”

Cedric handed me a document.

“It’s about solving unresolved cases.”

“Huh?”

I quickly skimmed through the document he gave me. It listed about five cases with brief information.

“With everyone in the streets, the residential areas are quiet. It’s an excellent opportunity to investigate these unresolved cases.”

Was I overthinking? I felt my face turn red.

“Did you call me to discuss this?”

“Yes.”

Cedric looked at me as if he was surprised.

I need a mouse hole right now. I need to crawl into it. What’s with this sudden kick-turn of events?

“What did you think we were meeting for?”

“Well… I thought… it was a date.”

I had even been worried about a proposal.

I couldn’t say that out loud and just rolled my eyes. There was a few seconds of silence between us.

“Leticia?”

“Yes?”

I felt myself shrinking.

“I was joking.”

“Huh?”

Cedric quickly grabbed my hand.

“Let’s go. Read this on the way.”

Without realizing it, I followed Cedric.

“What’s really happening today?”

The streets were full of women with roses in their hair, happily walking with their boyfriends or husbands.

“First, moon-gazing.”

Cedric pointed to the sky. Only then did I look up.

‘Really… the moon is pink.’

The moon was up in the sky, looking like a cleanly cut piece of cake.

“And then?”

“Solving cases.”

“Solving cases like this?”

I looked at the document filled with trivial cases.

The first one was about a ‘wolf monster appearing in the capital.’ The next was about a ghost with three heads living in the sewers, followed by a case of a priest without eyes, nose, or mouth in an abandoned shrine.

“Do you really believe in cases like this?”

I said as if I couldn’t believe it. Is this some kind of joke?

“How about we look into it for fun? The werewolf monster case sounds good.”

“You really wanted to investigate this today when you suggested we meet?”

Then why did you mention a date?

“Because Leticia loves this kind of thing. I thought it would be a fun date idea.”

I was speechless. I felt like laughing. I started to relax.

My feet were already headed toward the date course. Moreover, I can’t refuse a case. Let’s just take a quick look at the case, just the case.

“Okay, let’s go. Well… I don’t know if this is really a date, but it’s kind of romantic. Especially this underground filled with the smell of sewers and the abandoned building course.”

“We won’t really meet a ghost, right? Cedric, you’re really out of the ordinary. I missed the chance to refuse.”

“There are testimonies from children who saw a dark monster here.”

“That was a few years ago, right?”

A staple of ghost stories. Old tales.