With Kabe having just shown such terrifying power right in front of her, if not for the difference in their ages and her fear of her father finding out, Lucy would have already thrown herself at him and confessed on the spot.
Jude, who had rushed over in a panic, saw his daughter staring at Kabe with eyes practically turning into heart shaped strings of melted cheese. His steps slowed at once, and the huge stone in his heart finally dropped.
"Cough, Lord Kabe, your spar with Miss Sorano was truly an eye opener for me."
"Father!"
At the sound of his voice, Lucy shuddered and snapped out of it, her gaze clearing.
Kabe also turned as if only just noticing him, wearing a look of pleasant surprise.
"Mr. Jude, I have long heard of your good name. You are far too polite. I am Lucy's friend. You can just call me by my name."
"In that case, there is no need for you to call me 'Mr.' either. Just call me Uncle."
"Uncle Jude, I am really sorry. I accidentally blew up the hill behind your estate."
"A useless little mound of dirt, nothing more. It hardly matters.
Please, come inside the manor. I have long wished to thank you in person for saving Lucy's life."
"Not at all. After you, Uncle."
Watching the two of them quickly fall into step, tossing around "Kabe" and "Uncle" with such easy familiarity, Lucy was completely stunned.
Was this really her rigid, stubborn, stone faced father, who barely ever showed warmth even to his own daughter?
For a moment she thought she was seeing things, until she rubbed her eyes and confirmed that the man chatting and laughing with Kabe really was her father, Jude.
Just as Jude was about to lead Kabe back inside, he seemed to finally remember Lucy. He turned with a kindly expression.
"Lucy, take Miss Sorano to rest first. Your father has a few private matters to discuss with Kabe…"
"…O, okay, F Father."
Lucy could not even remember how long it had been since she last called him "Father" in such a gentle tone.
Watching the two men turn and walk away side by side, her feelings tangled into a knot. At the same time, she was extremely curious about what they were going to talk about behind her back.
"Hey, are you planning to keep holding my hand forever?"
Sorano's displeased voice sounded by her ear, and only then did Lucy come back to herself.
At some point, she had unconsciously clasped Sorano's hand in her own.
"Ah, sorry, Sorano."
As she apologized and quickly let go, Sorano finally pulled her hand free and gave it a little shake in annoyance.
"You were gripping so tight. They say rich people all have strange hobbies. You are not into girls, are you?
Let me say this first, I am not."
'I am not! I am absolutely not that kind of person!'
Lucy screamed internally, but on the surface she only squeezed out an awkward smile.
"Let us head back too, Sorano."
"No rush. Wait a bit."
Sorano denied her softly, then took out the Gemini key again and summoned them.
This time, unlike the instant summon from before, Sorano clearly felt a lot more resistance from the gate.
But with the power of their contract, she still managed to force it open and call the Gemini twins out.
The moment the two little ones appeared, they immediately darted their eyes around the area, nervous and jumpy.
Seeing that reaction, Sorano rolled her eyes.
"Stop looking. He is already gone. Since when did the two of you become so cowardly?"
She herself had been scared so badly she collapsed on the ground a few minutes ago, yet she felt no shame saying this now.
Once they confirmed that the terrifying man was nowhere to be seen, both twins finally relaxed.
The one in yellow shorts with the smiling face, Jemi, spoke first.
"Angel, that man is really strange. We did not feel a single drop of magic power in his body."
The one in black shorts with the crying face, Mini, quickly added,
"On top of having no magic, his body is as strong as a monster.
Even the Zodiac Taurus, Taurus the Bull, cannot compare to him in raw strength."
"I noticed that too. I have never seen anyone make the ground shake just by trading punches."
Thinking back to the brief exchange between the two Kabes, both Sorano and Lucy wore the expression of someone who had just glimpsed an entirely new world.
"But that is not why I called you out.
When you turned into him just now, did you really not read any of his thoughts?"
Under Sorano's expectant gaze, the twins looked at each other, then both shook their heads helplessly.
Jemi said,
"No, nothing much. The only time we saw any of his thoughts was in the instant we first transformed."
Mini followed up immediately,
"He was thinking about what to eat for lunch… and wondering what it would feel like to touch your stocking clad thighs, Angel."
"What?! How can there be such a perverted guy!"
Sorano was genuinely rattled, her toes tightening inside her crystal heels. Her face twisted into pure disgust.
Beside them, Lucy instinctively glanced down at her own legs hidden under her dress, and a sudden realization and regret bloomed in her heart.
'So that is the style Kabe likes. Looks like I need to start paying more attention from now on…'