Deceitful Game

Chapter 176 You've done very well

Chapter 176 You've done very well

Mingpo composed herself slightly.

He raised his head and looked at Chizuko, whose eyes were empty and who was now completely under his control.

"Chizuko".

He touched Chizuko and guided her to whisper, "I'm here to save you."

"In my presence, you can let go of all your worries, all your sorrows, all your despair. You will no longer be afraid, you will no longer be alone."

Now, Chizuko's defenses have been completely broken down by Myoha.

When the self is completely unguarded, words themselves are almost hypnotic.

Mingpo's low, husky voice possessed a strange, soothing magnetism: "Now—who do you want me to be?"

"----dad."

Chizuko murmured.

That was the person who gave her the most sense of security in her heart, and the person she most longed to save.

"Okay, then I'll be your dad."

Mingpo readily accepts good advice.

He gently patted Chizuko's head: "Now that Daddy's here—don't you think it's too dark here?"

"----dark?"

"Yes, it should be a warm and beautiful afternoon now."

It was a sunny winter afternoon. The fireplace provided warmth, but not enough to make one drowsy. The open window let in the fresh air, and the sunlight bathed us in its warmth—

Despite her abilities being constantly activated, Mingpo felt that the mental pressure from the title was actually lessening.

This means that Chizuko is getting deeper and deeper into trouble.

At this very moment, in Chizuko's chaotic consciousness, the existence of "teacher" had vanished without her noticing.

The man sitting next to her, though his face was obscured—

However, without a doubt.

His figure, his voice, and the aura emanating from him were all those of the father Chizuko remembered!

She threw herself into her father's arms, her voice choked with sobs: "Dad, I missed you so much—"

She didn't scream hysterically, and she didn't even shed a real tear.

He simply buried his head in his chest, greedily inhaling the scent.

The surroundings no longer seemed to belong to that old, deserted, and decaying villa.

Instead, the sun shone brightly again.

The open window let in the fresh breeze, making one feel refreshed.

The afternoon sun shone through the window onto them.

She felt like she had returned to her childhood—when she was only five or six years old.

Her hands are small, and even when opened to their maximum extent, it is difficult for her to play a full octave.

She looked at her father with adoration.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

She cried out, "I want to hear Daddy play the piano!"

"OK."

The gentle male voice rang out: "Chizuko, what song would you like to hear?"

"Hmm—Castle in the Sky!"

Chizuko shouted excitedly.

"Oh?"

The father smiled, his fingers dancing across the piano, and asked, "Chizuko, would you like to see a movie?"

"hey-hey----"

Chizuko smiled sheepishly.

Her thoughts were always so easily exposed in front of her father.

That was the first movie her father took her to see.

She didn't quite understand the plot yet, and could only exclaim in amazement.

She worries about the pirates' safety, but her eyes light up when the robot appears.

"Daddy~"

She pouted and nestled her head into the man's arms.

"Um?"

"I still want to see 'My Neighbor Totoro'!"

"Then let's see."

"But I need to practice the piano—is that okay?!"

"Of course, no problem."

The man smiled gently: "Because Chizuko is a good child. Any request from a good child will be granted."

"Yay!"

The girl exclaimed, her face beaming with happiness, "Daddy is so good!"

She listened quietly to the piano.

The music dancing on fingertips gives people a sense of freedom, but it also makes them feel somewhat sad.

"dad----"

Chizuko's voice suddenly lowered: "I want to watch Spirited Away."

"Then let's see."

The man answered with a smile.

Beautiful yet somewhat melancholic music flowed from his fingertips.

"But----"

Chizuko raised her head and looked at the man with blurred features: "When the movie came out, Dad was gone—"

The man did not reply, but continued to play warm, home-loving music silently and gently.

"dad."

"Um?

'

Is Chizuko a bad child?

"You're a good boy."

Why do good children not get good results?

Chizuko asked, "That's not how it's portrayed in the movie."

The man was silent for a moment, then pulled Chizuko onto his lap.

"Would you like to learn to play the piano?"

He whispered in the girl's ear.

"I don't want to learn!"

Chizuko said angrily, "If I learn it, Dad won't come back!"

"If you learn it," the man tempted, "you can play it with Daddy, right?"

"---Okay then."

Chizuko mumbled something, letting the man place her hands on the piano keys.

His large hand covered his small hand, and he slowly and precisely struck each key.

As she gradually increased the speed of her playing, she became more and more skilled.

And the large hands gradually left hers, playing on her left and right sides.

As Chizuru played the zither, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

Tears fell onto the piano keys, but no sobs could be heard. She just gritted her teeth, her body trembling, without uttering a sound.

"dad----"

She suddenly spoke.

A muffled voice, choked with sobs, cried out: "Why did you give me the title?!"

"Dad is tired."

The man said softly, "I want to rest for a bit."

"So, Chizuko can get tired too?!"

'

"Of course."

Surprisingly, the man agreed.

He patted Chizuko's head and encouraged her again, "You've done very well."

She finally couldn't hold back anymore and burst into tears.

Mingpo sighed softly, held her in his arms, and swayed her gently.

The afternoon sun outside the window was covered by dark clouds, as if it were about to rain.

That means Chizuko's feelings have changed again.

But no matter how the outside world changes, the old piano remains unchanged.

Whether it's sunny or rainy, it's always the same old thing.

"Chizuko".

""

The girl's indistinct voice came through.

Mingpo hugged her, gently patted her back, and whispered, "This wasn't arranged by you, was it?"

This is the source of the initial sense of incongruity.

If this is just a paradoxical game created by Chizuko, then it should be the thing that left the deepest impression on her.

She used things from her hometown to block the way to the second floor, which shows that she has a deeper impression of her hometown.

But the scene is in the new home.

"—This was arranged by Dad."

Chizuko raised her head and whispered in Mingpa's ear, "Chizuko—she didn't move anything."

"Because Chizuko thought, maybe—Dad will come back—"

When she uttered the last half of her sentence, her childish voice was already choked with sobs.

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