I'm Being Raised by Villains - Chapter 8
<Chapter 8>
In this world, the concept of a bank account is slightly different from that of modern times. Because one will be given a safe deposit box instead of a savings book upon opening an account.
In addition, a large amount of money is required as an ‘account opening fee’ to open an account.
It was said that the initial costs of renting a personal safe, making a key, and registering a magic system were quite high.
That’s why the bank’s main customers were noble families or wealthy merchants.
The place that ran the bank was the Magic Tower, and it is the safest place in the world. There, everything is made by magic and supernatural powers.
The personal safes are completely protected by three layers of magic barriers in the bank, and only the owner has the authority to access their account.
He tapped the table with his index finger, as if he was pondering over my words, and then smiled.
“It’s not something difficult. Since you said so, do you want to go out with me after breakfast?”
Is he going to make it soon?
As soon as I widened my eyes, Erno Etam sat me gently on his lap and opened his mouth, “I can do whatever my daughter wants. If you want an island under your name, I’ll buy it. If you want a house, I’ll buy it. Land and mines aren’t too bad either, so if there’s anything you want, just tell me.”
He’s being blunt about what he is capable to do.
But I don’t want to accept gifts on such a crazy scale.
There were no other problems. Though it looked great, it held big traps.
One day, I will part with him nicely. If there are no other problems, the gifts he gives me will remain under my name.
But the moment I part with him, I will have to manage them.
Then?
Naturally, I’ll need billions for the management fees.
In other words, even if I made a big profit out of Erno Etam, that money would slip out of my hands like sand.
Still, I have to be grateful for what I have to be grateful for, so I have to thank him.
“Thank you, Fwather…”
No, I have to play my role as the cute daughter.
“Daddwy!”
I smiled widely, hugged Erno Etam and called out. Then, I hurriedly let go before he felt uncomfortable.
“…”
Normally he would have rubbed my cheek, but for some reason, he froze and kept his mouth tightly closed.
“…That was quite refreshing.” He muttered softly.
He muttered so quietly that I couldn’t hear him.
“Can you say that again?”
“What…?”
“A nickname for me.”
A nickname for Erno Etam…
“Daddwy…?”
His eyes widened slightly.
“Again.”
“D-Daddwy…?”
He nodded his head once.
‘Does he not like it because I’m acting presumptuous by calling him daddy despite being a fake?’
Growing up in an environment that has always paid attention to other people’s perspective has allowed me to understand the meaning behind that.
“Fathwer…”
I knew where I went wrong, and as soon as I corrected myself with his nickname, his eyebrows raised up.
Erno Etam looked at me silently without saying anything before opening his mouth. “Yes, why are you calling for me, my daughter?”
“…?”
You were the one who asked me to call you, you crazy man!
Maybe he didn’t like the nickname.
“Uh-huh, no, it’s nothwing.”
“Is that so?”
He stroked my head and cut the meat into small pieces before placing it on my plate.
Sometimes, I was surprised by how I thought he was such a good father, despite knowing it was just an act.
I shook off that thought and finished my meal little by little.
Even though it was like sitting on the cushion of a thorny chair, the food was very tasty.
“Wow, it’s so dewicious… Thank you fwor the food!”
I emptied a bowl of pudding before patting my full stomach.
* * *
“My daughter, come here.”
Once we finished eating, he carried me and we got into the carriage.
It was the first time I had ridden a carriage ever since I came here. Erno Etam sat me on the soft sofa and then sat across from me.
I glanced at him.
The more I looked at him, the more celestial he looked. He gave me sweet gazes several times from his seat.
‘He really is the god of acting…’
If this was in modern times, he would have been the winner of the Best Actor Award.
“I’m worried as my daughter is smart, but not greedy.” He spoke while crossing his legs.
“Sowwy…?”
“Do you like toys?”
“Towys?”
I shook my head unknowingly, and Erno Etam gave me a surprised look.
“I didn’t know you didn’t like toys.”
“I’ve nwever owned or played with towys, so it’s fine.”
I shook my head like an early-grown, determined kid.
‘Like this, I am now recognized as special for being mature.’
And it was true, I didn’t want any toys.
Even at my actual age, I have never owned or played with toys.
Actually it was taste, or a scary law.
Even if I saw food that’s unfamiliar and found it appetizing, I wouldn’t want to eat it, even if I have to die.
It was the same as toys. If I don’t know how to have fun with it, then I’ll never think about having one.
After all, toys are luxury items.
It’s not because it’s so expensive that only nobles can afford it, but because it is something that is neglected when you don’t have parents, or if your parents don’t care about their child.
Here, I grew up under the care of the maids, whereas in my previous life, I could only suck on my fingers and watch the toys that laid before my eyes.
“…”
Erno Etam looked at me silently before flicking his fingers.
Instantly, the carriage changed its direction.
Soon after, the carriage stopped.
Before I knew it, I was already standing in front of a huge toy shop that made my mouth gape.
“Fathwer…?”
“I will not let my daughter lack any toys. Choose whatever you like.”
“I’m fine…”
“Or I can just buy this shop and give it to you.”
As soon as he lifted and swung his arms, I flinched and grabbed his legs.
Ack.
Because I grabbed him too quickly, my face was buried between his legs.
I rubbed my red nose and had my mouth grow into a grin.
“Fathwer is the best. I’ll choose.”
I changed my mind quickly.
‘I don’t need a toy shop! I don’t even have the ability to manage it!’
As I looked up earnestly, Erno Etam’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
He nodded slowly as usual.
‘It’s okay, it’s just a toy. It’s also what children own and play…”
While thinking about how tiring it would be to adjust to the rhythm, I took a deep breath and slowly circled the spacious shop.
“Woah…”
However, the products displayed were not just mere children’s toys.
The toys moved on their own. Some pieces of wood even walked around.
There was also a snow globe which had a magician figure inside it.
When the magician figure swung its wand, the snow fell inside a barren snow globe with nothing around it.
There was also a figure shaped like a golem, and above it, it wrote ‘Made from genuine golem shards’ to promote it.
‘It truly is a fantasy world… Even the scale of its toys are different too.’
I looked around for a long time and lost track of time before finally stopping at the doll section that was on display in one of the corners.
The section was filled with many different kinds of dolls, but a stuffed black tiger doll caught my eye.
The tiger doll with black and white paws was wearing very cool clothes that looked similar to Erno Etam’s.
“I like thwat one.”
After much consideration, I hugged the stuffed black tiger doll and held it out to Erno Etam.
“Anything else?” Erno Etam asked with a gentle face.
“…Only dis one?” I said while lifting up the doll once.
“Just this one? You can choose again. If you only have one, you’ll get bored quickly.”
I shook my head.
The other toys were clearly eye-catching too, but if asked, I didn’t really want them.
I had always wanted to own a single doll, and I liked this one.
“This one… looks like you, Fathwer! I like this one.”
I smiled brightly, and said something a father who really loved his daughter would like. He smiled, looked at me, and tilted his head.
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
“I can’t help it then. My daughter doesn’t like anything other than the items that look like her father.”
Erno Etam laughed in a slightly higher tone, then spoke quietly and hugged me. After that, he headed to the cashier.
“Welcome, Sir! I’ll help you with the bill.”
“Are you the owner of this shop?”
“Sorry? Oh, yes… that’s right. Are you just buying this one stuffed tiger?”
“Yes, and I hope you won’t sell dolls like this one.”
He offered the shop owner ‘advice’ in a low voice mixed in with laughter.
The shop owner shrugged then shook his head because he didn’t know the reason for Erno Etam’s words.
“Sorry? What do you mean, Sir…? This product was just displayed…”
Before the shop owner could finish his words, Erno Etam took out a heavy looking money bag.
Erno Etam shook his head arrogantly, while the shop owner glanced at the money bag hesitantly before opening his mouth. “I’ll take the dolls off the display immediately.”
Erno Etam smiled.
“Oh, there’s no need.”
As soon as he snapped his fingers, flames flared up on the display shelf where the stuffed tigers sat.
“Because I don’t like those things there.”
“Kyaaa!”
“F-Fire!”
As people screamed in confusion and tried to run away, the flames then disappeared, as if dying out.
All that remained were the burnt black dolls, and that was where the stuffed tigers were.
Erno Etam carried me, who was hugging the doll, in one arm, then left the shop with light steps.
“Now only my daughter has a doll that looks like me.” He said that, as if satisfied.
This lunatic…
“Th-Thank you… Fathwer.”
Can I survive this psychopath…?
And in the afternoon, I received an account which was filled with one million Loste.
Right, humans do have to have a strong heart when living.
<To be continued>