The Legendary Papa System: My Daughter's Pride is My Power

Chapter 4: A Quiet Night in the Small Apartment

The door to the third-floor apartment opened with the familiar squeak of its hinges.

Rovan put in the key, pushed the door open gently, and let Millie step inside first. The dim hallway light turned on automatically. The scent of laundry soap and old wood welcomed them just like every night. The apartment was small: a living room that doubled as a dining area, a tiny kitchen tucked in the corner, and two bedrooms separated by a thin wall.

Millie took off her shoes without being asked, arranged them neatly on the low rack, and spun around in the middle of the room with a smile that had not faded since they were on the bus.

"Dad, I stood on the chair earlier!" she said, holding both hands up. "Everyone went quiet. You saw it, right?"

Rovan closed the door, locked it twice, and hung his jacket on the hook near the entryway. "I saw."

"They were so mean. That blonde woman said you were ruining the event. I didn't like it." Millie followed her father into the kitchen. "But I told them the truth. You aren't just an ordinary cleaner."

Rovan opened the upper cabinet, pulled out two packages of instant noodles, and set them on the narrow table. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving!" Millie climbed onto a wooden chair with slightly wobbly legs. "Can you make it spicy, Dad? With an egg?"

"Sure."

He turned on the stove. Water in the small pot began to heat up. Millie rested her chin on both hands, swinging her legs in the air.

"Dad, why did the Headmaster bow earlier?" she asked suddenly.

Rovan cracked an egg into a bowl. "He was just being polite."

"But he never bows to anyone. Not even to the parents wearing expensive clothes." Millie frowned. "I saw him. He was so pale."

"Maybe he was tired."

"Or was it because I stood on the chair?" Millie giggled. "I was a little scared, but I was angry. They said you were dirty. You aren't dirty."

Rovan stirred the egg. "Thank you for standing up for me."

"Of course! I'm your daughter." Millie sat up straight. "If they say it again tomorrow, I'll stand on the chair again."

"No need for that." Rovan poured the noodles into the boiling water. "Next time, let me do the talking."

"But you just stayed quiet earlier."

"Because I didn't want to make a scene at your school."

Millie went quiet for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. But I still don't like them."

The water boiled. The aroma of instant noodle seasoning filled the small kitchen. Rovan added the egg, stirred slowly, and poured the food into two bowls. He set one in front of Millie, one in front of himself, and sat down in the chair across from her.

Millie immediately took a bite. "Delicious. You always make the best food, Dad."

"It's just noodles."

"It's still delicious." The child blew on the steaming noodles. "Dad, back in the hall, I said you were a surgeon, a pilot, and the owner of the school. I only said it because I was mad. But... if it were true, wouldn't that be amazing?"

Rovan raised his spoon. "Eat your food first."

"I'm serious." Millie looked at him. "If you were the owner of the school, the Headmaster would always bow to you. And those ladies wouldn't dare say mean things anymore."

"Eat."

Millie sighed, but obeyed. They ate in silence for a while. Only the sound of spoons and distant cars outside the slightly open window could be heard.

Halfway through her bowl, Millie spoke up again. "Dad, are we poor?"

Rovan stopped chewing. "Why ask that all of a sudden?"

"Because my friends have big houses. They have nannies. I only have you, Dad." Millie swung her legs again. "But I prefer having you. A nanny can't make spicy noodles."

Rovan set down his spoon. "We have enough. That's what matters."

"I know." Millie smiled. "You always say that. And I believe you."

They finished their meal. Rovan washed the bowls in the small sink. Millie dried them with a towel. The exact same routine as hundreds of nights before.

After that, Millie grabbed a storybook from the low shelf. "Dad, read the one about the dragon tonight."

"Off to your room. Change your clothes first."

Millie ran to her bedroom. The sound of drawers opening and closing echoed. A few minutes later, she returned in pajamas patterned with stars. She climbed onto the worn sofa in the living room and patted the spot beside her.

Rovan sat down. Millie rested her head against his arm. He opened the book and began reading in a low voice. Every now and then, Millie chimed in, asking for details or imitating the sound of a dragon with a laugh.

Midway through the story, the child yawned. "Dad... I was brave earlier, right?"

"Very brave."

"I was scared they would get even angrier with you. But I couldn't just stay quiet."

"I understand."

Millie yawned again. Her eyes were getting heavy. "If they're still mean tomorrow... I'll say it again."

"Just get some sleep for now. We'll think about tomorrow then."

Rovan closed the book. He lifted Millie and carried her into her room. The bed had been made since morning. He tucked her into the mattress, pulling the blanket up to her chest, then sat on the edge of the bed.

"Aren't you sleeping, Dad?" Millie asked softly.

"Later. I just need to tidy up a bit."

"Don't take too long."

"I won't."

Millie held onto her father's finger for a moment. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too."

The child smiled and closed her eyes. Slowly, her breathing became steady. Rovan waited until he was sure Millie was sound asleep. He gently freed his finger, turned off the bedroom light, and stepped out, closing the door almost silently.

The living room was quiet now. Only the faint kitchen light remained on. Rovan sat on the same sofa. He pulled his phone from his pocket.

The screen lit up. The bank balance remained unchanged. Two point seven billion British pounds. The foundation certificate file was still in the downloads folder. He opened the file once more, read through every line, and then closed it.

The blue interface appeared before his eyes unprompted. Transparent, floating in the air, visible only to him.

[Legendary Dad System]

[Status: Active]

[Main Rules]

[Rewards are only granted when Millie Miller expresses sincere praise in the presence of a third party.]

[Forced, engineered, or insincere praise will not trigger a response.]

[Note: The purity of the child's intentions is key.]

Rovan read it over and over. Every word was printed clearly. There were no loopholes. There were no written exceptions.

He leaned his back against the sofa. His fingers clenched over his knees.

In the next room, Millie went to sleep. The faint creak of the old mattress could be heard.

Rovan looked toward the bedroom door. He remembered the child's smile as she ate her noodles. The way she had said, "I prefer having you." The way she had stood on that chair without hesitation, fueled by anger on behalf of someone she loved.

He opened the interface once more, then dismissed it with a wave of his hand.

"I won't tell her," he whispered to the empty room. "Not now. Not as long as she remains like this."

He stood up, turned off the kitchen light, and walked to his own room. The mattress there was firmer, the blanket thinner. He lay flat on his back, staring at the ceiling, which had a small crack in the corner.

Tomorrow, the school will be different. The Headmaster would be waiting for instructions. The people who had insulted him would demand explanations. The numbers in his bank account would still be there, waiting to be used.

But tonight, in this small apartment smelling of laundry soap and old wood, Rovan Miller was still the same father. And he chose to stay that way, at least in the eyes of the only person who truly mattered.

Outside the window, the city of London kept moving. Inside, only the soft sound of breathing from the next room filled the silence.

Rovan closed his eyes. That promise was bound tight and clear in his chest. Millie would stay pure. No matter what tomorrow brought.