While he could understand that he and his other self had different values from each other, he couldn’t fathom what made Lala so scared of him.

Even Lulu, who could bend reality to her will, seemed to be terrified of Reverse Alex.

"You’re right, Papa. I’ll write my own happy ending," Lala said, finding a little courage. "That way, when I grow up, I can also marry Papa nano!"

"Well... that’s a bit." Alex could feel the glares from those around him.

Some were even asking the guards if there were any wanted poster with Alex’s face on them because they wanted to turn him in!

"A-Anyway, let’s go," Alex picked up Lala and carried her like a princess, making the young lady giggle as she looked up to him.

A few minutes later, the young man stopped running and put Lala down so she could stand on her own.

"Papa, let’s go there nano!" Lala pointed at a jewelry store.

"Okay." Alex smiled faintly and entered the store with Lala.

Several pieces of jewelry were displayed in the glass cases, and Lala looked at them all. After browsing all the jewelry in the store, Lala said they must go now.

But before she could turn around, Alex crouched down and showed Lala a necklace.

The necklace’s design was simple. It was made of silver, and the pendant was a small heart-shaped jewel. The jewel was a purple amethyst.

"You stared at this necklace earlier, so I thought you’d like it," Alex said with a smile.

"Is she your daughter, sir? This will be a good gift for her!" the Shopkeeper commented. "A purple amethyst is a gem of protection. It also helps clear the heart and mind. And last but not the least, it also carries the meaning of love.

"A perfect gift for our young lady here! With this, she will always feel loved and protected by you, Sir!"

The Shopkeeper was doing a hard sell, but even without that, Alex had already planned to buy the necklace for Lala.

This would be his gift to her as thanks for helping them inside the dungeon.

"Shall I help you wear it?" Alex asked.

"Un." Lala nodded.

Alex then gently placed the necklace over her head and lowered his hands until the pendant was snugly lying on her chest.

Suddenly, tears started to fall on Lala’s face, wholeheartedly touched by the gift she received.

Alex took out his handkerchief and gently wiped her eyes until her tears finally subsided.

After paying for the necklace, the two continued their date until it was almost sunset.

"You know Papa, I’m glad I was born," Lala said as she looked at the setting sun from the roof of the biggest house in the city. "Even if I wasn’t born in this world, I’m glad that I met you."

"You’re talking as if we won’t be meeting again," Alex replied before patting her head.

Lala smiled faintly before closing her eyes. She wished that this moment would last forever. Unfortunately, the time for her to leave was drawing close.

"Papa... please live a happy life," Lala said softly as she hugged Alex one last time. "That way, wherever I may be, I can be happy for you."

"It will not only be me who will be happy, Lala," Alex stated. "It will be all of us. We will be happy together."

A few minutes later, Lala reluctantly took a step back, and looked at Alex with a smile.

"Everyone wants happiness," Lala smiled. "Nobody wants pain. But you can’t have a rainbow without a little rain."

The young lady then slowly floated and drifted away from Alex.

"Goodbye, Papa," Lala said as a red portal appeared behind her.

"Bye bye, Lala," Alex waved. "See you soon."

"Un..." the young lady nodded. She opened her mouth to say something, but in the end, she held it back.

She simply waved back at Alex, wanting the two of them to part with smiles on their faces.

When that warm world disappeared, and Lala finally crossed over to Reverse Arcana, the warmth that had once wrapped around her body slowly dispersed.

"So you’re finally back."

A familiar voice spoke behind her, making her shudder.

Her right hand instinctively held the necklace Alex had gifted her before turning around to look at the young man, who was the complete opposite of the warm Papa she just bid farewell to.

"I’m back... nano," Lala said softly.

"Yes," Reverse Alex replied. "Welcome back."

A moment later, he stabbed Lala’s chest with the sword in his hand.

As the light in Lala’s eyes faded, he pulled out the sword. The girl collapsed on the ground, blood spilling from her chest, forming a small pool beneath her lying figure.

Lala’s lip trembled as tears fell down her eyes. She held the necklace in her chest tightly as if trying to draw strength from it.

A moment later, the hand that held the necklace loosened and slid on the ground.

Lala’s body turned into a wisp of smoke that flew toward Latifa, forming another tail behind her back.

"Let’s go," Reverse Alex said coldly. "We’ve wasted enough time waiting for her to come back."

"Yes," Latifa replied, following behind the black-haired Alex.

However, after taking three steps, she stopped and looked behind her.

Lying on the ground was the necklace that Alex had given Lala as a parting gift.

Latifa stared at it for a few seconds before she made a gesture of reaching out to it.

The necklace flew to her hand. She could smell Alex’s scent from the necklace, which made her narrow her eyes.

In the end, she placed the necklace on her tail that represented Lala.

’This is the only thing I can do for you, Lala,’ Latifa said. ’I’m sorry.’

Latifa looked at her tail that was now adorned with a necklace one last time before walking away to follow behind Alex. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

The eight tails behind her back glowed faintly, leaving behind a single teardrop that came from the little girl, who held back in asking her Papa to save her.