I grabbed Emilia's hand and stepped across space, appearing in a cliff several thousands of kilometers away.
It was a very tall cliff, thousands of kilometers tall. In fact, if a normal person stands here, he will think the cliff is bottomless.
I sat on the edge of the cliff, feeling the wind caressing my shoulders and gazing at the blue sky.
One second later, Emilia sat on my lap, snuggling happily on my chest like a little kitten.
"… Dad, I missed you…" She said with a small smile.
"I know." I nodded with a complicated expression. unable to return the same words.
In the end, even if Emilia thinks of me as her dad. I don't think of her as my daughter.
I know how much Emilia loves me, and how much she desires to be beside me. But unfortunately, I can't share her feelings.
Because I don't share the memories she has of me.
No, I have them. But these memories are just a bunch of information, of data.
Emilia has these memories. Furthermore, her obsession with me is one of the reasons she managed to achieve Immortality. But to me, she is just a very powerful and dangerous Immortal that can mess up with my goals.
It's as though a stranger suddenly tells you that he loves you while he carries a nuclear weapon on his hands.
Moreover, that stranger is a crazy man that can go bonkers at any time and detonate the bomb.
No matter how sincere his words are, you will be unable to trust him.
Emilia is like that for me.
Even now, when she is snuggling peacefully in my arms, each cell of my body is wary, ready to attack her at any moment.
But as though she could not feel my wariness, Emilia continued snuggling on my arms, putting her back against my chest and twitching her ears with a satisfied smile.
"… It has been a long time since the last time you treated me this nicely."
"It has. Last time we met, we end fighting as crazy until I sealed you."
Emilia nodded with a pout.
"Dad is always like that. Even though Emilia loves you so much, you are always hiding from me. You even forgot about our memories together."
"… Sorry about that."
"You don't need to apologize, dad. I know it's the fault of that bitch. One day, I'll kill her!"
I smiled wryly and shook my head.
These words, however, seemed to remind Emilia of something.
"By the way, dad. That shameless bitch is in this world. She should have gone to meet you already, right?"
I nodded. "Yes. Ysnay already met me."
"Did you kill her?"
"… Of course not. It's pointless. She will revive a few days later even if I kill her."
"Hmph! Even so, you should kill her a few times to make her understand she is not welcome. The reason she sticks so much to you is that you are too gentle with her!"
"… I have the feeling that if I do that, she will continue appearing in front of me just to get more of my attention."
"… Perhaps. That bitch is very shameless after all."
I chuckled softly. I'm sure Ysnay will be mad if she hears that.
It's already pretty obvious, but Ysnay and Emilia's relationship is as bad as it can be. In fact, Emilia hates Ysnay with passion.
To Emilia, Ysnay is the reason I don't accept her.
And in truth, she is partially right.
If Ysnay doesn't betray me, perhaps I would have continued keeping the entirety of my memories with each reincarnation and I would have not forgotten about Emilia.
If that would have happened, I would have recognized Emilia when she appeared before me back then and today we would be happy together.
Who would have thought that Ysnay's choice made three Immortals live in distress for thousands of years?
I caressed Emilia's hair softly and exhaled. There is no point in wondering about what could have happened.
Instead, it's better to focus on the present.
"Emilia, I have a lover in this life. Several of them, in fact." I suddenly said.
Emilia stiffened. For an instant, her blood-red eyes shone with a bit of killing intent, and the energy inside her body became wild.
However, she calmed down quickly.
"I don't mind it, dad. Once they die, we can be together for eternity. Only us. As long as you accept me again, I don't mind."
I stared at Emilia with a your-words-are-not-trustable expression.
"I remember you tried to kill several of my lovers in many of my past lifetimes..."
"T-That was… T-The first time it was because I was angry that you forgot about me and instead gave you love to two idiots!"
"And the times after that?"
"… I will not do it again. I promise."
I chuckled softly and ruffled her hair.
"There is another thing I need to tell you, Emilia... I'm about to complete it."
"Huh?" Emilia tilted her head as a clueless cat.
But then, she seemed to realize something.
Immediately, her entire body stiffened.
"Dad… Do you mean you found a way to share your Immortality…?"
"Yes." I nodded. "And I'm planning to include my lovers of this life."
Emilia's eyes opened wide.
She grabbed her dress with so much strength that her hands turned white and the space around it cracked. At the same time, her face turned ashen.
Then, she lowered her head.
"… That is unfair…"
I stayed silent.
"Why, dad? Why can't we be like back then? Just the two of us, without caring for anyone else?"
A sigh escaped from my lips. As expected, it reached to this.
"Emilia..."
"… I love you, dad. I love you so much… And they? They are nothing more than whores that want to take you away from me!"
Emilia's energy surged out of her body. She left my embrace and stood up, walking several steps with a disillusioned look.
But then, she smiled.
"As expected, if you want something, you need to take it yourself. And this time, I'm prepared."
Endless energy surged out of her body, gathering on her hand until forming a cube-like thing.
Then, that cube expanded, transforming into a huge cage that trapped us inside.
I wrinkled my brows. This is...
"I created it while I was sealed, dad." Emilia giggled innocently like a cute daughter. "It was designed specifically to seal you. Inside this cube, soul power can't be used. It can also trap powerful souls and stop them from escaping."
... Dammit...
"Do you understand, dad? Now that you are inside this cube, you will never be able to escape. Finally, we will be together... Forever!"
Girl, you are crazy.