Chapter 133 - Counterfeit Angelica
"Come to think of it, Father, what was that thing you wanted to give me?"
"Ah."
On the way home. Just as they finished crossing the intersection, Angelica spoke as if she had just remembered.
A question asked while tilting her head slightly and looking up at me.
Her already lustrous blonde hair glittered brilliantly, illuminated by the setting sun.
Oops, this is no time to be staring. I hurriedly thrust my hand into my pocket and pulled out a passport.
The flow of things had become awkward halfway through, so I had missed my chance to hand it over, but that was right.
I had called Angelica out specifically for this purpose.
"I completely forgot, but I wanted to give you this."
I slid the bright red booklet into her small, white hands with a soft thud.
"...What are these characters? They look like partially mirrored English alphabets... Oh, but thanks to Language Comprehension, I can read them. Is it Russian?"
"That's called a passport. You might already know that, though."
"Even if I've heard the name, I don't understand what it means at all...!"
"...Ange, your modern knowledge has holes in it here and there, doesn't it?"
How does she remember things like that? Even though she grasps certain matters, she's ignorant of the essential ones.
The learning patterns of an otherworldly girl are a mystery.
"How should I put it... if you have this, you'll be able to stay in this country legally. As for work... it's not possible because it's not a work visa, was it? But I wonder if I can at least do part-time jobs? Well, anyway, for the time being, you'll be able to walk around outside with dignity."
"Does that mean I won't have to use Concealment Magic anymore?"
"Yeah."
Angelica flips through the pages with a puzzled expression.
"There's a photo of a woman I don't know attached here..."
"That's Sophia-san. A nineteen-year-old Russian. From now on, that will be Ange's official identity."
"Eh? Am I going to impersonate this person?"
"That's how it works."
She glared at me with a dry, upward look. Fine, I know what you want to say.
"That's right, this is a blatant case of identity fraud."
I simply couldn't find any other way to let Angelica, an otherworldly person, live in Japan.
If it were now, I might be able to ask Sugitani-san to do something through official channels, but at that time, this was the best I could do.
"Your conscience might ache, but I decided that I would take care of you no matter what method I had to use. If you want to despise me, go ahead. Even so, I intend to play the role of your father."
"If my official identity is nineteen, doesn't that mean I can do lewd things as much as I want? Why didn't you do it earlier?"
...Is that her grievance?
She really never wavers, I thought, looking at Angelica with a certain kind of respect.
"...Regardless of age, it's bad for a foster daughter and father to do that kind of thing..."
"I think we were already 'out' the moment we took a bath together—"
"Ah, it wasn't 'out.' That was... caregiving. It was just a slightly premature bathing care session. It's common in this country for a daughter to assist her father with bathing. It's a perfectly safe matter."
"That was quite a forced interpretation, wasn't it?"
She spoke in an exasperated voice, as if saying, You were playing a baby just a moment ago, and now you're acting like an old man?
"You were washing your own body, so isn't it a stretch to call it bathing assistance?"
"But you had me wash your back and wipe your body, didn't you?"
I repeatedly resorted to a desperate, defiant logic, claiming it was nothing more than the composition of a daughter devotedly caring for her frail father.
It was clearly an inescapable argument, and besides, it wasn't something one should discuss on public roads; I should quickly change the subject before we were exposed by a weekly magazine.
"So, what are your impressions of receiving the passport?"
"My impressions?"
"If you aren't clear about whether you're happy or not, there's no point. Say something."
"Well... I'm happy."
Angelica held the passport preciously with both hands, holding it up in front of her mouth.
"I don't really understand the social systems here, but I get the feeling that you obtained this through some sort of borderline method... Even if it's something wrong, knowing that I'm being cherished makes me feel happy."
"Hm, I see."
"...I'm happy."
"Alright, that's enough. If you turn that red, I'll get embarrassed too."
"Ehehe."
She hugged me, saying she would cherish it for the rest of her life.
It felt strange, as if I had given her a ring or something.
"Hey, hey, Father, did you give these to Ayako and Rio-san too?"
"No... just to Ange."
"Then I'm being treated specially..."
"Hm, mm? Is that how it is?"
Even I could tell that this wasn't the kind of atmosphere where I could say, I'll have to prepare ones for Ayako-chan and Philia eventually.
This girl looks incredibly happy, after all.
Women are weak to special treatment... I thought like some kind of bad man as we continued walking.
We crossed the pedestrian crossing, passed in front of the police box with a bit of trepidation, and were thinking, Maybe this is a fairly fulfilling holiday?
By the time those thoughts crossed my mind, we had arrived right near the apartment.
"It looks like we'll make it in time for dinner."
Once we finish eating, I'll pack the dishes and cooking utensils into cardboard boxes and start the serious preparations for moving.
While I was thinking about that, I felt a tugging on my sleeve.
It was Angelica.
"What is it?"
"Father, this..."