Filed to story: A Little Princess's Journey from Darkness to Light Novel
Lilly asked, “Dad, what’s wrong?”
Blake inquired, “Where is your Master?”
Lilly replied, “He’s back underground. He said there was someone coming for an inspection…”
Blake didn’t say anything else. He gently pushed Bettany along, heading home.
Bettany asked anxiously, “Are you okay?”
Blake didn’t show much emotion, only muttering, “I’m fine.”
Bettany persisted, “Then why were you struggling in the water for so long?”
She had been on the walkway by the riverbank when everyone crowded around, and she could see that Blake had been struggling in the water for quite some time.
Blake wrung out his T-shirt. “The water weeds were a nuisance.”
Bettany couldn’t help but nag, “Well, don’t be so impulsive next time! It’s so late at night, how dangerous! You can’t see anything, what if you had bumped into something in the water?”
Blake was speechless.
Bettany was referring to branches or rocks in the water.
Blake thought of the thing that had grabbed his ankles just now.
Once he was home, Blake took off his soaked clothes, revealing his firm, broad chest. He checked himself in the mirror for any wounds but found nothing unusual.
There was just a purple-green handprint on his ankle…
“Tss..” Blake touched the mark. It felt cold.
It seemed like he would have to go look for his dear Lilly after he finished showering.
Just as he was lost in thought, a knock sounded on the door. Blake wrapped himself in a towel and cracked the door open slightly.
Lilly stood outside the door, looking left and right before whispering, “Dad…”
Blake opened the door for her to come in.
“What’s the matter, my darling?” he asked.
Lilly was holding a wooden sword about the length of her palm. She was dressed in yellow robes and held a paper amulet in her other hand.
God knows when she had bought all that…
Lilly said, “Dad, I’m here to exorcise you!”
Blake: “Uh… hold on.”
He hadn’t showered yet.
Lilly nodded. “Don’t take a bath!”
Blake gestured an ‘ok’ sign at her. He had never liked taking baths anyway.
The sound of running water came from the bathroom. Lilly was still worried and called out, “Daddy?”
Blake’s voice came through. “Mmm?”
Lilly stopped worrying. “Nothing, just checking if you’re alive.”
Blake was speechless.
Within thirty seconds, Lilly called out again, “Daddy?”
Blake silently thought to himself, I’m still alive.
Another thirty seconds passed, and Lilly called out once more, “Daddy?”
Blake was left speechless.
The door opened with a creak, and Blake stood in the doorway with a puzzled expression on his face.
He was wearing a bathrobe and casually tossed the towel he had just used into the laundry basket. He said, “My dear child, this is the quickest shower Daddy has ever taken.”
Lilly thought to herself, “Hmm…”
She then asked, “Are you all clean now?”
Blake remained speechless.
What were you expecting?! he thought.
Blake sat on the sofa while Lilly squatted in front of him, inspecting his foot.
All that could be seen was the deepening purple-green handprint on his ankle, as if it was decaying.
Lilly took out the paper amulet and set it on fire. She then filled half a bucket of water, scattering the ashes into the water and stirring everything together with the wooden sword.
She picked up Blake’s foot and submerged it into the bucket, washing it with the amulet water. “Oh, stinky foot, Daddy’s stinky foot, it’s so stinky and smells everywhere..”
Blake chuckled lightly.
His feet did not stink!
As the water splashed onto the purple-green handprint, Blake felt a slight stinging pain on his foot as the handprint began to fade.
Within no time, the bucket of water turned
black.
“Whoa, this is a big one!” Lilly exclaimed. “You didn’t get pulled down, Dad! You’re awesome!”
Blake was speechless.
He did not know if his darling girl was praising him or the demon that had tried to harm him.
Lilly headed for the bathroom with the bucket, pouring the water down the toilet. After flushing it down, she filled another half-bucket of water.
After repeating this twice, Blake’s foot finally returned to normal. Lilly took off the robe she was wearing and tied it to his feet.
Blake observed his busy little bee. The kid meant serious business, diligently washing his feet and wiping them dry with the robe.
A strange emotion rose in his chest – he was touched. He had never thought that he would have such a caring and kind daughter one day.
“All done!” Lilly clapped her hands. “You can’t take the robe off all night, Dad.”
Blake nodded, reaching out and hoisting Lilly into his lap. “Thank you, Lilly. That looked difficult.”
Lilly hugged Blake’s neck, planting a slobbery kiss on his cheek. “Don’t worry about it!”
Her tone was soft, her eyes big and black as they blinked.
She then hopped out of his grasp to the side, bouncing up and down on the bed before landing on her back and patting the space next to her.
“Come on, Daddy! Let’s lie down!” she said.
Blake chuckled to himself, getting up and lying down next to Lilly.
Lilly stretched her legs out for a while, raising them into the air and catching her feet with her hands.
After doing this for a while, Blake turned around and saw that she had fallen asleep.
