A Close Call

While Siegfried was drinking beer like any other dejected man drowning his sorrows, on the other side of the small restaurant, a gray-haired woman with an ordinary face but an alluring figure that couldn't be hidden even in thick winter clothes was leisurely eating snacks. She was none other than Raven in Raven.

Raven, whose attention was focused on the other side and waiting for Gwen and Raiden Mei to leave, was completely unaware that there was another hidden talent in this restaurant he had randomly chosen, just like an ordinary diner.

"Big sister, your food is here."

A girl with short, light purple hair covering her left eye and revealing her red right eye ran up to deliver the food Raven had ordered, slightly out of breath.

"Thank you, little sister. You're so young and already helping out at home. You're so thoughtful..."

After accepting the food from the girl, Raven casually took out a piece of candy and stuffed it into the hand of the girl who inexplicably caught his eye.

"Thank you, big sister..."

The girl, who often helps out at home and wasn't receiving this kind of gift for the first time, smiled and thanked them, then put the candy in her pocket and ran back to the kitchen.

"Xiao Kong, slow down, don't fall..."

Noticing her daughter's actions, the landlady at the front desk gave her a word of advice.

"Well..."

As the girl's figure disappeared into the kitchen, Raven let out a silent sigh—

What a peaceful, tranquil, and beautiful life, but it is about to vanish because of the ambition of a schemer.

And she...

Ha... not exactly a glorious role, just coldly watching everything happen, even acting as an accomplice...

As his thoughts wandered, the Raven's pleasant mood, which had been quite pleasant upon seeing the sensible little girl, turned sour.

However, just as she had told the Gray Serpent before, she had already treated her own people like rats in the gutter. To be able to live in this turbulent world was already incredibly difficult; anything more...

I'm sorry, I can't do that. All she wants is to live a good life.

Therefore, the Raven's mood simply returned to normal.

More than an hour later, the couple, who looked like a perfect match, walked out of the restaurant at a leisurely pace. The young woman was accompanied by a white-haired girl. Their laughter was full of youthful energy, as if even the winter day had become more pleasant.

Seeing his silly daughter finally emerge with her friends, Siegfried quickly paid the bill and then left as if nothing had happened.

Alongside the reeking of alcohol, Siegfried was Raven dressed in plain clothes.

However, after leaving, Siegfried did not follow Gwen and the others, but instead went in the opposite direction—

Kiana is currently in a relatively safe period. Siegfried will keep an eye on her, but he won't be constantly monitoring her.

After all, Siegfried's current physical condition is not very optimistic, and he needs time to recuperate.

In contrast, Raven stands out for her dedication, hanging far behind Gwen and the others, maintaining surveillance on Raiden Mei.

However, the addition of one more surveillance lens did not affect the actions of Gwen and his companions.

After taking a short nap at noon, the three of them didn't continue their basic Japanese class. Instead, led by Raiden Mei, they played around in Changkong City.

For Kiana, who was usually either looking for her stinky dad or on her way to look for him, this was her first time going out with friends, so she was very excited.

After dinner, even though she continued to talk, the tuft of hair sticking up from the tip of her hair became listless.

After dropping Kiana off, Gwen didn't start his motorcycle immediately outside Kiana rented apartment building. Instead, he spoke slowly and solemnly:

"Mei..."

"Um?"

Mei gently wrapped her arms around Gwen's waist, leaning against him Gwen, and Mei, the blush on her pretty face fading slightly.

For the young lady of the Raiden Family, such an action was something she would never even consider, let alone try, so she was inevitably a little shy.

However, although she sensed that Gwen's tone was somewhat unusual, Mei, who was a little shy, did not realize what Gwen was about to say. She simply lay quietly on Gwen's back and responded softly.

"There are some things I didn't want to say before, but now... perhaps it's necessary to tell you."

Feeling the weight leaning against his back, Gwen lowered his voice and spoke slowly in a serious tone.

"What's up?"

Upon hearing this, Mei paused for a moment, suppressed her slight shyness, sat up straight, and asked in a low voice.

"Many things, truths about the world, and... your father..."

"Gwen said slowly."

"!"

Raiden Mei, who had been thinking about her elderly father less and less lately, was taken aback by what she heard, and then her heart began to race uncontrollably.

"My father, he..."

"Shh..."

Sensing Raiden Mei's agitated state, Gwen stopped her from asking questions, speaking sternly.

"This isn't the place to talk. Let's go back and discuss it."

"Good."

Raiden Mei, her heart pounding with excitement, nodded vigorously and then hugged Gwen's waist tightly, her heart brimming with anticipation.

As for some of the oddities and doubts, they were all brilliantly ignored by the girl in love.

Chapter 189 A Thrilling Moment

Amidst the bright lights and bustling crowds of the streets, a motorcycle weaves its way toward Gwen's residence.

"These two..."

Behind him, looking at the location displayed on the tablet, Raven's expression turned strange—

"No way... this is going to happen..."

It wasn't convenient to follow them closely at this time, so Raven used the locator he'd left on Gwen's car that afternoon to remotely monitor the two who were preparing to return to Gwen. He couldn't help but connect it to certain trends in the Far East that he had recently learned about.

A young couple was about to do something naughty under the influence of hormones, which didn't bother the Raven at all.

But the problem is, one of them is the person she's monitoring—

It seems the person being monitored is about to give away their virginity. Should we report this to the employer?

The Raven sent this guess to Cocolia.

Cocolia didn't keep her waiting long; she quickly replied.

"Let nature take its course."

Having received a response from its employer, the Raven decided not to meddle further.

Raiden Mei is clearly part of Cocolia's plan, and her fate is unlikely to be good.

It seems fortunate that the other person can enjoy a little more of life's pleasures in the little time they have left.

Raven, who himself had never eaten pork but had only seen pigs run, Raven through the crowd and slowly approached Gwen.

Meanwhile, Gwen, completely unaware of the Raven dangling behind him, had already returned home with Mei.

In the living room, Gwen, who had brewed a pot of tea, placed two teacups side by side, poured in the tea, and then slowly sat down next to Mei, whose pretty face showed a mixture of urgency and anticipation.

"Chisey, my father was framed, wasn't he?"

Although she was trying very hard to restrain her impulse, Mei couldn't suppress it when Gwen sat down and she felt the warmth so close to her, and she asked the question.

"Mei, don't panic..."

Sensing the anxiety in the girl beside him, Gwen gently patted her fair hand to comfort her.

"Your father's situation is far more complex than you think—"

For example, besides being the president of ME Company, he has other identities that you might not be aware of, but which are far more important than this one.

"..."

Upon hearing Gwen's words, Mei, who was filled with urgency, was momentarily stunned—

"My father's... identity?"

"Um..."

Gwen slowly, cradling Mei's right hand between his own, warming her slightly chilly little hand.

"Mei, have you ever imagined that beneath this seemingly peaceful world, there lies a real world unknown to ordinary people...?"

"?"

Mei, who had a history of being a chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) Mei, had of course thought about it, and even when she was learning her family's kendo, her mind was full of such thoughts.

Hearing Gwen speak of this matter with such seriousness, Raiden Mei didn't think Gwen was having a fit of chuunibyou. Instead, she followed that familiar line of thought and her eyes widened in surprise—

"Gwen, are you saying... my father was also a person in the so-called real world, and that the so-called financial fraud was just an excuse used by my father's enemies to attack him?"

Yes and no.

Faced with Mei's gaze, which was filled with surprise and hope, Gwen slowly shook his head, and then, under Mei's questioning gaze, slowly said...

"Your father is one of the enforcers of Anti-Entropy, wielding great power..."

After slowly explaining his father's true identity to the girl beside him, and introducing the two behemoths, Anti-Entropy and Schicksal, Gwen then slowly began to speak.

"As for your father's imprisonment—"

The main reason was the power struggle within Anti-Entropy. He was targeted by Cocolia, a fellow Anti-Entropy executor but belonging to the radical faction, who seized upon his financial difficulties to convict him.

"So..."

Although Mei's mind was somewhat sluggish after listening to Gwen's explanation of Schicksal and Anti-Entropy, the sheer volume of information received in such a short time didn't prevent her from discerning certain things from Gwen's tone—

"My father, he..."

"Given the size of ME Company and the resources your father controls, he should be able to come up with the necessary funds when the time comes, or, like those so-called financial tycoons, use methods to avoid this risk."

Even though this does not negate the fact that his actions do indeed qualify as financial fraud, his power and status do not warrant imprisonment.

Most fatally, he was caught off guard at this crucial moment, his weaknesses exposed, and he was even taken into custody, rendering him incapable of responding. Ultimately, his crimes were confirmed, and his vast empire was handed over to others.

Even though Gwen was narrating in a tone that was relatively biased towards Raiden Ryoma, it didn't prevent the girl beside him from understanding what he meant.

"So... my father... actually committed financial fraud?"

Mei, who had drawn this conclusion from Gwen's words, felt as if she had been struck by a heavy blow. Her mind was in chaos, and even the warmth emanating from those around her felt scorching and painful. Her once fiery heart turned—

"So... so I really am the daughter of a fraudster..."

Raiden Mei clenched her fist with the hand that Gwen wasn't holding, her neatly trimmed nails digging deep into her palm, faintly staining it with crimson.

At that moment, Raiden Mei felt as if she no longer existed in this world; everything in the world was irrelevant to her, she was simply...

"Mei! Mei!"

A familiar voice called out from beside her, a voice imbued with spiritual power that awakened Raiden Mei's consciousness. The girl turned her somewhat dazed face and stared blankly at Gwen.

"..."

Seeing Mei's appearance, Gwen felt a terrible sense of crisis rising in his heart. He never expected that Raiden Mei seemed to have regained her confidence and composure, would be so vulnerable after learning the truth.

Without hesitation, Gwen seized the moment while Raiden Mei regained her senses, tightly embracing the girl's body and whispering in her ear, his voice infused with spiritual power:

"Mei, your father is most likely doing this for your sake."

"!"

Instantly, Raiden Mei's dazed pupils contracted slightly, and a glimmer of light appeared in her eyes—

"For... me?"

"Yes, that's right."

Gwen and began to forge the railway while it was still in good condition.

"We were also puzzled as to why your father would do this."

But what happened today gave me the answer—

Your father did this most likely to protect you...