"No reply, still no reply to my message."
Asagi quietly checked her phone. Since she sent the message, her father hadn't responded at all. The message was marked as read, not unread.
If it was unread, she could console herself. But read and ignored? She didn't know what to do.
The rebellious girl finally felt regret. She realized she might have gone too far.
Maybe she wasn't as important to her father as she thought? Suddenly, the five steaks freshly served by the waiter, though right in front of her, held no appeal.
"Calm down, maybe it's not as bad as you think?"
Seeing Asagi lose her appetite, Aslan naturally took over to finish the steaks. After all, they tasted pretty good. One steak was just a taste for him; he needed more to eat happily.
Unlike Asagi's panic, Aslan was fully aware of Sensai's actions. After all, Sensai was still under his control. He seemed to be seeking help from the Lion King Agency's matchmaking bureau, but his request failed, so he decided to come directly.
"Maybe your dad's trying to figure out how to save you right now?"
"No way."
Asagi snorted, but her mood improved significantly. At least this possibility was far better than being truly abandoned. It showed Sensai still cared about her.
Seeing Asagi's reaction, Aslan just smiled, preparing to enjoy his meal quietly.
But that smile, in the eyes of the rebellious girl, undoubtedly lit the fuse of a bomb called embarrassment in her heart. Asagi exploded. She felt she'd just made a huge fool of herself.
"Why are you smiling? If I'm not mistaken, you're eating my steak, aren't you?"
With flushed cheeks, Asagi remembered these were the steaks she'd ordered. Without hesitation, she snatched the plate and the steak Aslan had just cut, biting into it fiercely, as if chewing Aslan's flesh and blood.
But seeing Aslan's smile that wasn't quite a smile, Asagi's face turned even redder, and she froze! Her blush outshone any words. Instantly, she ate the steak faster.
Aslan tilted his head, looking out the cafeteria window. A black business car passed by, heading to the parking lot near the cafeteria. He could sense the virus-carrying individual approaching.
It was time. Asagi's father, Sensai, had arrived. Aslan wasn't surprised. After all, Itogami Island was just an artificial island, with a total area of only 180 square kilometers.
How big was that? Smaller than the city he lived in during his past life. Driving around the entire city wouldn't even take an hour.
It was perfectly normal for Sensai to arrive within the time of a meal.
Soon, a tall man in a neat suit entered the restaurant, scanned the room, and paused briefly upon seeing Aslan. Still, he mustered his courage and walked to where Aslan and Asagi sat.
Seeing Asagi, Aslan couldn't help feeling a bit mischievous. Because of a certain someone, Asagi was so embarrassed that her eating manners were utterly ungraceful. Others cut their steak into small pieces and ate slowly.
Not Asagi right now—she stabbed the steak with her fork and bit into it directly. Of course, a few minutes ago, her eating was normal. But now, this style inevitably got sauce on her face, making her delicate face look like a kitten's.
After Asagi finished her last bite, Aslan took out a tissue and gently helped wipe her face.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Asagi looked at his actions, confused. She was a bit unsure of Aslan's intentions.
"Nothing. Your face was covered in sauce, so I helped wipe it off. What else could it mean?"
But Asagi didn't seem to appreciate Aslan's kindness, giving him a look that said, "You'd better only be doing that."
Sensai, standing nearby, was stunned. He was completely baffled. So, what was the relationship between Asagi and the Fourth Primogenitor now? Were they this close?
In a way, this was far better than the worst-case scenario he'd imagined. But as a father, he also felt an odd displeasure about the situation.
The helpless feeling of his precious cabbage being eaten by a pig, and he could only watch from the sidelines.
Could it be, he'd guessed correctly? Was he released because of his daughter?
With mixed feelings, Sensai quietly approached the table where Asagi sat. Seeing her eat steak so boldly, he also felt her upbringing might have a slight problem.
Aslan slightly raised his head, looked at Sensai, and slowly smiled.
"This is our first meeting, right? Father-in-law?"
Sensai's face went blank, silent for two or three seconds, his expression empty. Was he hallucinating?
The sudden greeting created an awkward silence for a few seconds.
Then Asagi, sensing something was off, turned around and saw the person standing behind her. Her face flushed.
"Dad? Cough, cough, cough…"
Asagi choked. Her father had appeared behind her at some point, combined with Aslan's double blow.
"Here, water!" Aslan smiled and handed her a glass of water.
After Asagi drank it all, she slammed the table and shouted.
"Who's your father-in-law!" Her embarrassment made her voice as loud as it could go.
At that moment, Aslan propped his face with one hand, looked at Asagi, and said.
"How's that? Surprised, huh?"
"Surprised? More like shocked!" Who could've known that hearing "father-in-law" and seeing her dad standing behind her with a blank expression would happen?
How panicked was she? Her heart nearly jumped out.
"Is that so?" Aslan sighed, sounding regretful. "I thought I could give you a surprise."
"Surprise? Who meets a girl for the first time and calls her dad 'father-in-law'?" Asagi couldn't hold back her laughter and tears.
Who joked like that in front of someone's father? But thinking about it, wasn't this normal for him?
This guy could make contracts like that with a straight face. No, not make—he was someone who always carried slave contracts like that.
Thinking of this, Asagi showed an expression like she was the unluckiest person in the world, turning to Sensai.
"Even though you're unreliable, it was just Aslan's joke. Don't think anything weird!"
(You said that, how could I not think something weird?)
Sensai gave an awkward smile, then looked at the man sitting across from Asagi, propping his cheek and smiling.
Whether Aslan's words were a joke, he couldn't be sure. But he could see his daughter and this man had a good relationship.
"Alright, the joke ends here."
Aslan waved, asking the waiter for another chair. After all, they were at a four-person table, and he, Asagi, Natsuki, and Aurora had already filled it.
"I'm sure you already know I've taken control of Itogami Island?"
"Yes." Sensai lowered his head and answered, his tone much more relaxed. After all, the situation wasn't the worst anymore.
Before entering, he'd been terrified of the Fourth Primogenitor who controlled all of Itogami Island's executives with one move.
But now, he saw an extraordinary young man who liked to joke, bicker with his daughter, and had a bit… no, a lot of mischievous humor.
But Asagi was confused. She couldn't help complaining to Aslan.
"Why did you suddenly take over Itogami Island? Even jokes have limits!"
No one answered. Asagi seemed to recall something and stared at him silently.
"For real? You actually took full control of Itogami Island?"
Aslan nodded slightly, as if asking, "You're only realizing now?"
"Why did you take over Itogami Island?" Asagi asked curiously. Before, she wasn't close enough to dare ask. But after their little spat, their relationship had grown closer.
At least now, Asagi dared to ask.
"Maybe because I want to build a Night Empire?" Aslan rubbed his chin, thought for a moment, and said.
"Actually, I didn't want to use this method. But those executives were plotting how to control me right in front of me. So, I had no choice but to control them."
The corner of Asagi's mouth twitched. She could only say this fit her stereotype of Japanese executives—always trying to control power they shouldn't have.
As for her father? He was probably just caught in the crossfire. Even she was one of those accidentally affected.
But a Night Empire? Asagi thought she might have figured out Aslan's identity. If she wasn't mistaken, Aslan was the so-called Fourth Primogenitor.
If Aslan was a Primogenitor who'd lived for thousands of years, did he have a way to cure her mother?
Asagi couldn't help feeling a spark of hope.