My Dad Is a Popular Villain in a Comic Book - Chapter 10

That delicate hand continued to stumble, scratching a few more words into his palm. It was the child’s name, along with their plan to send him to a nearby Temple of Love for sanctuary.

They actually wanted to help him.

Why?

He didn’t have a single penny to his name, he was just a filthy vagrant. Why would they come to help him? Out of kindness? Don’t make me laugh! Who would ever bestow kindness upon a penniless wretch? When a person has wealth, everyone around them is gentle and kind. But if they lose their fortune, those “kind” people will only show their cold, true colors and scatter like birds and beasts.

He had seen far too much of that. The so-called kindness is merely something that can be bought with a small amount of wealth. Even the charitable relief of some nobles is nothing more than a move to improve their reputation, maintain the peace and stability of their territory, and preserve their own status. As long as they give up a small amount of money, they can exchange it for vast intangible benefits. Those cunning nobles calculate such trades very clearly.

If the investment of this behavior were not proportional to the return, surely no one would do it. He would never pin his hope on the ethereal kindness of others; only hard, solid gold was a truly existing thing.

This child must also want to obtain some benefit from me. Is it suspicious that I still have gold hidden, so they are using this method to deceive me? Or have they recognized me and want to pretend to help me, only to defraud me of my assets?

They say they’re taking me to the Temple of Love, but who knows if they’re taking me before a notary to make me sign a thumbprint without my knowledge and transfer my assets. Regardless of the reason, he firmly believed that this child and those behind them were plotting against him.

He stretched out his dark, filthy hand to grab the child’s arm.

A biting, bone-chilling cold suddenly locked onto him. It was as if he were being stared at by a dangerous beast; in an instant, his entire body turned cold and stiff. He immediately recalled a scene from long ago. At that time, he was merely a low-level demonic creature, accidentally passing by a high-level demonic creature that was feeding; the high-level creature was tearing at blood-soaked prey when it suddenly cast a glance at him.

I was targeted. I’m going to die! Even though he had now become a high-level demonic creature, he couldn’t forget that fear originating from his soul, just like it was now. Even though he was blind and his magic energy was sealed, he could clearly feel that someone ahead of him was warning him.

—Do not touch this child.

To think that such a terrifying character existed behind this weak, small child!

Aside from the instinct to flee immediately, he also became suspicious of his previous guess. With such strength, they had no need to go through such great lengths to fool him. So, what exactly was their purpose? What interest did he still have that he was unaware of, such that these people came looking for him?

He pondered deeply. Danger always coexists with opportunity. Even though that person was terrifying, he didn’t feel any ruthless killing intent, which indicated they didn’t intend to kill him. Thinking of this, he slowly nodded to the child.

“Yay!” Seeing the vagrant agree to accept help, Albin jumped up and down, cheering while holding the other’s hand. He turned his head toward Zeman. “I must learn to write later!”

As an illiterate, the reason he was able to write those words was only because Zeman had written them on paper beforehand, allowing him to copy them gourd-fashion. To think I can’t even write my own name, how can this do! Starting from today, he must study hard!

However, before studying, he had to give this vagrant a bath. Albin pulled him and walked back to the inn where they were staying with Zeman. But the innkeeper wouldn’t allow such a dirty vagrant to enter, so they could only clean him with well water outside the courtyard first. Zeman drew the water up for him, and Albin reached out to touch it; the well water was biting cold. If it were poured on him, he would definitely catch a cold, and that would turn into an execution.

Albin had a flash of inspiration and asked, “Father, if I control the fire element, can I make the water hot?”

“If you have an affinity for the fire element, it is feasible.”

Albin immediately attempted it. He recalled the scorching flames he had felt a few days ago, recalling the sensation of being burned by them. In Zeman’s eyes, a faint red light gradually gathered around his body. Albin had learned to control the water element extremely quickly, and now with experience, he controlled the fire element just as fast. The fire elemental particles successively entered the well water, and before long, the well water became warm.

Writing the word “bath” on the vagrant’s palm, Albin placed the bucket in front of him, and while the vagrant was scrubbing himself, he controlled the water flow to assist him. Magic is so useful!

However, the vagrant couldn’t reach his back, so Albin excitedly circled behind him to scrub his back. Zeman frowned. Watching the vagrant enjoying the treatment that he, as a father, had never received, chilling cold air started to emanate from him. The vagrant shivered, not knowing where he had offended this big boss again. He sped up his movements, and as the black water constantly flowed to the ground, the vagrant’s original hair color, covered by filth, gradually appeared.

It was a brilliant golden color. Edward’s hair color was like the light golden color of sunshine in the woods, while the vagrant’s hair color was like pure gold. After the bath, the vagrant shook his head violently, shaking the water droplets off his hair like a wet dog. Until he was thoroughly clean, Zeman threw the old clothes he had bought from the villagers at him. The vagrant was slightly shorter than him, but there wasn’t much difference in wearing them.

Albin observed the brand-new vagrant; his thick beard blocked his appearance, and he could only vaguely feel that he looked quite good. He learned a new word and wrote on the other’s palm: “Name?”

The vagrant paused and tightened his grip on this warm, small hand. He wasn’t stupid; just being pulled around by this child, he already understood that he was clearly refused somewhere. He was muddy, stinking, and fed on slops, with others staying far away from him, but this child didn’t show any sign of disgust, holding him tightly and leading the way for him. Even when cleaning him, the child used warm water, as if afraid that he would catch a cold because of it. He even doubted whether it was necessary.

If it were the past him no, even the future him, meeting such a dirty vagrant, even if there was a plot, he definitely wouldn’t treat him like this. He would only wrinkle his nose and walk away, hiring someone to clean him up perfunctorily. But this child was different. He couldn’t see or hear, but because of touching the body temperature of this child, who was slightly taller than an adult, he imagined a child who was emitting a faint light in the darkness, illuminating the darkness and conveying warmth.

If kindness truly exists…

He suddenly揮散 (swung away) the naive and ridiculous thoughts in his mind. No, it’s my illusion; it’s just body temperature. I will never easily fall into a trap! He had been galloping through the business world for many years; his heart had long been as cold as gold, crafty and cunning how could he possibly fall into the hands of a little child! Absolutely impossible!

Despite this, feeling the other’s fingers hopefully tapping his palm, like blinking and waiting for a reply, he still snorted coldly and thought disdainfully: Children, so troublesome!

Then he used his coarse fingers to write a word on the other’s palm.

Albin: … He really doesn’t recognize it!

Noting down the writing, he turned and asked his father; Zeman replied to him: “He said his name is Gold; this name has the meaning of gold.”

Albin looked toward Gold’s hair it really was very suitable. He earnestly repeated the other’s name on his palm and gently touched the golden hair, as if to say, “I have remembered your name! Your name is very suitable for you.”

Feeling the breeze brought about when the other stood on tiptoe and stretched out his hand, Gold felt as if he had “seen” a smile.

They rested for a night in the inn that provided lodging. The next day, when Albin woke up, he found a set of new clothes at the head of his bed. Unlike the previous rough cloth clothes, this set felt soft, thick, and comfortable; the red clothes looked lively and bright and set off his eyes, with warm fur inside. Although he had said he could do without new clothes, Zeman apparently bought them for him anyway, and even Gold had a cloak to resist the biting wind.

Albin hugged the new clothes, not even having time to put on his shoes, and excitedly threw himself into the arms of Zeman, who was sitting at the desk preparing literacy materials for him. Zeman was also wearing new clothes; he was used to wearing white, used to wearing the uniform of the Sun God Temple, and even when choosing private clothes, it was a dignified and cold style; beneath the white outer coat, the black turtleneck of the inner garment bound his neck like a constraint, and even his private clothes were worn with a sense of asceticism and holiness.

Zeman caught the little cannonball crashing into his arms; his movements were stiff, as if he didn’t dare to use force when facing a soft and lively child, only surrounding the person with his hands, but he was hugged in a full embrace by the little child instead.

“Good morning, I like Father the best! Father’s new clothes are so good-looking! Also, thank you Father for the new clothes bought for me.”

Zeman wasn’t accustomed to this enthusiasm; the cold and stern expression as always made his tone appear a bit cold and hard at this moment.

“Go put them on.”

“Okay!” The child didn’t fear his words at all and ran off in a flurry.

Putting on the brand-new clothes, the red winter-resistant clothing with fur edges wrapped Albin tightly, with a small cloak on his shoulders and furry gloves on his hands, so it didn’t look breezy at all now. His hair was snow-white, and it was just right with the bright red, making him look warm all over, like a fire burning in a snow house, transporting warmth in the cold.

Zeman, however, slowly frowned. These were the best clothes in the town, but in his opinion, there were still many shortcomings. Albin’s appearance was exquisite and cute, and such dazzling clothes still seemed a bit monotonous on him; it would be even better if there were some accessories. As he was pondering about continuing to purchase them in the next city, when Albin asked “how about it,” he only replied faintly “it’s okay.”

They went out with Gold to converge with the merchant caravan. Albin was still holding the blind, deaf, and mute Gold, and their relationship seemed to be even better. Somehow, Gold, who was being pulled along, suddenly felt his hands chilly. The weather today was indeed colder than yesterday; the merchant caravan said that it might rain on the road, so car sheds were set up on the cargo trucks. The three of them sat in a cart with less cargo, and not long after they started on the road toward the capital, it indeed began to rain.

The rain shed didn’t cover the end of the cart; Zeman sat at the tail end, and rain streaks drifted in from time to time, hitting his long hair. Seeing this, Albin took off his gloves and touched Zeman’s hand. Father’s hands are so cold.

Quite a bit of rainwater had drifted onto his father’s body, water droplets were dripping down his hair, disappearing between his collars, a few strands of wet hair stuck to his cheeks and neck, and there was another strand hanging in front of him, making his handsome face show a bit of coldness and gloom. Albin extended his fingertips and lightly touched his father’s cheek.

“So cold…”

He rubbed toward Zeman’s direction, pressed his own very warm hands against Zeman’s cheeks, a bright smile appeared on his face, and he said firmly: “It will be warm if I cover it!”

As the heat transferred over, Albin’s hands gradually cooled down; he pulled his hands back, rubbed them together to create heat through friction, and pressed them against Zeman’s face again. Repeating this several times, feeling that his father’s face was not as cold as before, Albin nodded contentedly, and then gripped Zeman’s cold hands, exhaling warm breath, and rubbed them together, committed to warming his frozen hands as well.

He scolded: “Father only focused on buying me clothes and didn’t buy gloves for himself!” What a fool!

The lowering-eyed Zeman listened to his scolding and didn’t tell him that when he had magic power in his body, he was immune to cold and heat and had long forgotten the feeling of being cold. After warming Zeman’s hands, Albin turned to look, and Gold, who was also sitting on the outer side, didn’t fare any better. He was just about to exhale warm breath onto his hands again to use the same trick, when Zeman, who was behind him, suddenly spoke.

“If you can control the fire element, you can channel fire-attribute mana into his body to keep warm.”

There is such a way? Albin’s eyes lit up. He hurriedly tried it, first circulating the magic power in his body and finding it effective, then channeled the magic power into the other’s body, and as expected, felt the other’s body temperature become warm. Magic power can also act as a warm water bag! Albin suddenly saw the light.

Of course, he didn’t forget to channel some warm magic power to Zeman. Watching his own treatment change from covering his face and hands to the simple and quick channeling of magic power, Zeman’s gaze was deep, silent.

Lye-Grass Kingdom, Capital.

In the Temple of Wine, permeated with the fragrance of grapes, the wine-red semi-long-haired man leaning sideways on the couch loosely wore the vestments of the High Priest, opening his eyes from a hangover, his drunken eyes hazy, looking up at a statue of the Wine God in the room, as if he had received some oracle.

“Need to find a white-haired red-eyed boy…”