"Father, your expression isn't looking good today. Is it because of the crowd?"
"Oh, yes. I'd say so."
I couldn't deny the words of the boss who was right next to me, even if it was a lie.
In fact, this Hero Land we came to was practically the enemy base.
As the name suggests, it's filled with all sorts of hero merchandise and is the largest theme park in Pangea, with equipment bearing the names and likenesses of the heroes…
A few heroes work here and they regularly invite heroes from outside to perform.
This is one of the safest areas in Pangea. There's a good reason why James Hart entrusted his daughter to a complete stranger.
Yes, if this is where they operate, they'll be able to deal with anything suspicious immediately.
"Hey, over there!!"
Okay then.
The thing is, we have another guest of honor for today's "entertainment."
"Thank you for taking care of me today."
Following the voice, I saw a girl with braided hair and impressive freckles.
Nella Hart. She was the daughter of the hero who had asked me to babysit the day before.
I felt the same yesterday, she's only 7 years old, but she's very polite.
"Yes, Nella. Since there are a lot of people, stay close to this old man so you don't get lost."
"Oh, yes..."
Nella replied and sat down next to me.
I could feel her hesitation as she gestured to hold onto my clothes, so I held her hand and smiled as gently as I could.
Don't worry. I really don't mean any harm.
Right now, I just want to focus purely on work. Since I had already started,
I was going to take care of this child today and take the opportunity to gain the hero's trust.
"T-the entrance is over there."
As I smiled, hiding my dirty feelings, Nella let her guard down and started holding my hand.
Then, the place her finger was pointing to was the entrance of a crowded theme park. As expected, there was a scary crowd of people gathered at the largest amusement park in Pangea.
If I just waited for this, it would take hours.
I can't leave the boss standing in this hot sun... ...
"No, not that way, this way."
While I was thinking about what to do, Nella grabbed my hand and started walking to another place.
We slowly followed.
With the sound of her cute footsteps, she headed towards the empty entrance next to the line we saw before.
Nella, who was standing at what seemed to be the exclusive entrance for employees, quickly handed me a piece of paper she had taken out of her backpack with a character drawn on it.
"My father told me to give this to the employee here."
"...Is that it?"
The golden border inside was a symbol of the Hero Association.
The letters PASS written underneath proved that it was a pass given to heroes who joined the Hero Association.
Come to think of it, heroes could use some public facilities for free.
Just in case, I handed the pass I received from Nella to the clerk, and he let out a sigh and looked at me in admiration.
"Ah! You're an A-class hero, huh?"
A-class.
It was the second rank below S in the Hero Association rankings and was considered the "semi-powerful" among heroes.
And Ronin Blade was a veteran among the first-class heroes.
Considering his popularity, it would be possible to enjoy the entrance to the amusement park and the facilities inside for free.
"I'll guide you this way."
The clerk opened the employee entrance without paying attention to the long line.
The fact that I didn't have to go through any other procedures was something I really wanted to welcome, since I wanted to keep my identity a secret.
Wow, the pass is definitely effective.
If you have connections with heroes, you might enjoy this kind of thing.
"…laughs."
As soon as I entered the place in awe, I felt a tremor in my hand.
When I looked down, thinking about the intense tremor that followed, I saw Nella lowering her head and shaking.
"Nella, why are you like this?"
"Ah, it's okay. I…"
A smile spread across her face as she looked up.
It looked like she could burst into tears at any moment.
Even though she seemed to be holding herself back, it was a reaction she couldn't hide, since she was a child.
It didn't take long to figure out the reason.
"…Did you want to come with your father?"
Her body shook with a start.
She seemed to feel that she had been hit hard, but soon Nella smiled bitterly and shook her head.
"It's okay, Dad... I understand."
Yes, no matter how mature she is, isn't she still a 7-year-old child?
For a child who had just entered elementary school, going to an amusement park with a complete stranger who wasn't her father would be tough.
"It's okay, Nella."
Of course, I was the one responsible for considering such concerns.
For me, who was trying to fulfill the mission that had been entrusted to me, that young girl's concerns were nothing more than part of my job.
"Even if your father can't be with you today, this is
"Even if your father can't be with you today, I'm here to fill that void."
Nella looked at me
and her eyes were bright as I patted her head.
I smiled at her and said:
"Then, treat me like a father for today. I will do my best for you."
"...."
"…Ahaha, was that a bit of an over-the-top suggestion?"
Asking a child you have only known for a day to treat you like a father.
Realizing my mistake, I tried to correct myself for a moment.
"No, thank you for your consideration."
Nella, who showed no dissatisfaction with what I said, soon relaxed her face and bowed her head towards me.
"So, Uncle Brad. Please take care of me today!"
I greeted her with a more cheerful voice than before.
As I watched that adorable greeting, I felt a slight smile forming on my face.
Yes, children should be lively.
At least The first step seems to have been taken, I thought, and felt relieved for a moment.
"Huuh~ Think of me as your father..."
I had forgotten for a moment.
I felt a presence growing behind me and instinctively turned my head back.
"Eh... Why are you like this, my daughter?"
The boss snorted as she looked at the distant mountains.
The moment I saw her frowning expression, I felt a chill run down my spine, but she just turned her face away.
"No, it's nothing. I just realized that you were a man capable of telling lies repeatedly."
"Huh? Why is th-..."
"Nella."
The boss, who had firmly interrupted me, walked past me and grabbed Nella's hand, which was holding mine, and began to move forward.
Nella was also surprised by the sudden action.
Even so, the boss ignored it and continued to move forward.
"All the time we spend here Today is strictly 'ours'. Let's put aside all responsibilities and worries today and focus on having fun in this land. If anything happens, the one who calls himself 'our' father will take care of it."
"Oh, yes, yes… … . Okay, I'll ask you to take care of it, Mr. Moa."
Nella followed the boss, feeling overwhelmed by his authoritarian attitude.
On the other hand, I couldn't get close to the two of them.
What is it? Why is the boss suddenly putting me against the wall?
***
"I've planned a course for today!"
When I sat down on the bench to review the plan before the large-scale activities, Nella
took out the notebook from her backpack and showed me the contents inside.
A rudimentary map of the Land of Heroes drawn with colored pencils. The handwriting was a little crooked, but I could read it, and the contents were also written in detail.
"Did you draw this, Nella?"
"Yes, I prepared it for today!"
Nella began explaining, showing notes in a more active voice than before.
"I recommend that you ride the light rides in the first leisure zone first. Right after they open, people rush to the most popular rides, so if you're not quick, you'll have to wait in line for a long time, which is a waste of time."
"Oh, I see. So you're saying I should ride the carousel first?"
"The main rides are empty right after lunch, but the extreme rides are very nauseating, so it's best not to ride them right after a meal. If I were to tell you about the plan I made with this in mind, I would ride the light rides in the morning, visit the zoo at lunchtime to digest, and then ride the Highland Roller Coaster..."
I grumble.
I felt something other than excitement and, subconsciously, I felt intimidated.
I thought this girl was just polite, not that she was hiding this kind of planning.
She really is only seven years old, right?
He's not like the boss, that your body has gotten smaller, but your brain is still the same?
"That's an elaborate plan."
But unlike me, who was nervous, the boss couldn't stop smiling as he read Nella's plan.
It was as if she was really proud of the plan she had prepared for today.
"We certainly don't know anything about this place... I think it would be best to actively accept your opinion today."
"Oh, yes! I'll do my best not to disappoint you today!"
Nella shivered as if she was happy to be acknowledged.
But her appearance also seemed a little bitter.
She must have stayed up all night for several days researching this, but the person she ended up spending time with wasn't her father.
"Wow... Father and daughter are so alike."
They give off the same feeling.
I laughed and followed the two.
Following Nella's advice, the first thing we used was the must-see amusement park ride, the carousel.
The boss exclaimed with awe as I watched the horse spinning around outside the fence.
"I see. You ride a stuffed horse?"
"No, it's just the outside that looks similar."
Riding a stuffed horse at an amusement park.
While I was thinking, "This is exactly what the head of an evil organization thinks,"
the boss, who was about to get on the carousel, turned to me and asked:
"Aren't you going to walk?"
"Ah, I have something to do."
As I said that, I jumped over the fence and took out what I had prepared from my backpack.
An old-style Polaroid camera.
It was an item given to him by James, who had entrusted him with a request.
'Can I ask you to take pictures with this?'
'Do you want me to take pictures?'
'If it's pictures, you can take them with a smartphone, but the latest cameras are very sophisticated.'
In fact, just like in construction, photography technology is also improving.
Since so many incidents occur, it is necessary to pay attention to records, and such privileges also applied to personal smartphones.
'Very detailed photos are not suitable for recalling memories. Even memories from 10 years ago are preserved vividly as if they were yesterday... ….'
Then, he said that it is better to use a Polaroid like this for photos that are more about memories than records.
Well, from my point of view, I just do what I'm told. As a bonus, I thought it wouldn't be bad to take a picture of the boss in disguise.
-Click, click.
Nella waves with a radiant smile as she watches me taking pictures.
The boss also recognized me and waved his hand like Nella, sending me a signal. I looked at the photos printed on the Polaroid, wondering if he was trying to blend in with the surroundings.
Since it's a classic, the quality isn't that good, but that's why I can feel the nostalgia that comes from the memories.
James hadn't given me the camera for nothing. I stared at the photo of the boss for a moment.
The unique charisma that wasn't typical of a child seemed to have faded a bit.
What should I say? Looking at this faded photo, the boss looks like an ordinary girl.
Since the disguise is good, should I consider it a good thing?