Chapter 1439: Chapter 1411: Preparing for a Major Task

Edward Wheeler only showed his face briefly when Kiara first arrived and didn’t come back that evening. Knowing he was busy with official duties, Kiara didn’t contact him. That night, she went to bed early with Wendy to save energy for the first competition tomorrow.

The hotel room’s air conditioning was on, keeping the temperature constant. In the middle of the night Kiara felt inexplicably cold. Half-asleep, she grabbed the blanket to cover her daughter, her consciousness drifting. The room was pitch-black save for a few small lights at the entrance, casting a dim glow that made the interior hazy.

Kiara felt as though there was a dark figure standing not far from the bed. Waking up in the middle of sleep, her mind was still foggy, and without her glasses, she couldn’t see clearly, assuming it was Edward Wheeler returning from a night shift.

“Turn the air conditioning up a bit, then come over after you’ve showered,” Kiara mumbled half-asleep, then fell deep into slumber again.

However, the dark figure didn’t disappear; it stood there silently watching her for a long time, picked up the remote control from the table to adjust the temperature, and then turned and left.

The next day, the first thing Kiara did before even opening her eyes was to check on her daughter to see if she had kicked off her blankets. Wendy had a thin blanket over her stomach and her little chubby legs, too hot, had kicked it off. Feeling that her daughter wasn’t cold, Kiara woke up.

After becoming a mother, many of her body’s reactions had become instinctive. Seeing her child sleeping peacefully, she got out of bed quietly. Just after she finished washing up, she saw Edward Wheeler coming in with breakfast, and Kiara, with her toothbrush in her mouth, asked.

“When did you get back?”

“I’ve been back for a while, saw you sleeping like a little dead pig, so I went to get breakfast.”

“If I’m a little dead pig, what is your girl?”

“A little angel, hehe~” He had also pinched her little hand while Willa was still sleeping.

Kiara rolled her eyes, “Double standards!”

“With the way you and your daughter sleep, not waking up for thunder or moving for rain, someone could come into the room and you wouldn’t know. One day you might get kidnapped in your sleep and still think it was an earthquake.”

“Nonsense, where am I as slow to react as you’re saying? I remember you coming back last night and I asked you to adjust the air conditioner, how could I get kidnapped and think it’s an earthquake?”

Edward Wheeler was originally joking with her, but his brow furrowed at her words, “Air conditioner?”

“Yeah, I woke up in a confused state last night because it was so cold. The air conditioning was set too low. Thankfully you came back in time, otherwise, I really wouldn’t have wanted to get out of bed in the middle of the night.”

The soft comfort of the bed felt as though it had its own stickiness, making you not want to leave once you laid down.

Edward Wheeler walked over to the table, glanced at the remote control there, and then looked up at the air conditioner.

“I didn’t adjust the air conditioner.”

As Kiara was brushing her teeth in front of the mirror, his words sent a chill down her spine. It was like a sentence from a horror story, chilling upon deeper consideration.

“Edward Wheeler, do you have nothing better to do? Stop making these unfunny jokes!”

“Are you sure someone adjusted the air conditioner for you? Or were you just confused in your sleep?” Edward Wheeler asked seriously.

“I–” Kiara thought about it, “I’m really not sure.”

When you’re in that half-asleep, half-awake state, it’s the hardest to distinguish between dreams and reality. Sometimes you wake up from a dream not knowing if it was real or not, and with him putting it that way, Kiara really wasn’t sure anymore.

Mario Yuno set down the air conditioner remote and scanned the room with his eyes. He also rifled through Kiara’s bag–her cash and cards were all there, and her documents were in order.

Then he inspected the room’s doors and windows, finding nothing unusual.

Seeing him so serious, Kiara grew tense as well.

“Could someone really have come in?” The mere thought was terrifying.

“I haven’t found anything suspicious so far. There are no signs of your money, documents, or personal information having been tampered with. It’s illogical for someone to go to great lengths to break in without going after wealth or lust. You might have been confused upon waking up.”

If this were back in the Domestic Region, it would have been easy, just lift a fingerprint off the remote. But now that we’re outside, conditions aren’t ideal for an investigation. Besides, there hasn’t been any real loss; jumping at every shadow seems unwarranted.

“Creating an atmosphere of terror first thing in the morning…” Kiara felt a bit scared and tugged the collar of her clothes, “Are you still going?”

“I’ve finished what I came here for; I’ll be accompanying you for the next few days.”

It was only upon hearing this that Kiara felt a sense of relief. With him around, she felt secure.

But she still had a nagging feeling, as if something was about to happen.

“It’s nothing. I, your brother, radiate positive energy. Those messy things get scared off the moment I appear. If you’re scared, just cling to me. Hug tight, and you’ll fear nothing–and I’m not using this as an excuse to take advantage!”

This person spoke with righteousness, but he seemed somewhat suspect.

The first day of the competition wasn’t too challenging for Kiara. She handled the written parts with ease, not showing the slightest nervousness, and advanced as First in her group with such ease that even she found it a bit incredible.

Reaping the benefits of coaching under Yuzo Joel wasn’t something appreciable on a regular basis, as her peers were all elite talents like Farmstead Farmer Fox Cat. Kiara considered herself only slightly better than a novice, but her true capabilities became apparent once outside, clearly demonstrating that Seven-Acre Farm’s reputation was no fluke.

The homework Yuzo Joel assigned her was daunting but extremely targeted, avoiding wasted effort. All her energy was put to good use. The Farmstead’s database was globally leading, and with genius Senior Brothers always ready to guide her and Yuzo Joel occasionally checking her homework, Kiara had flourished under such conditions. Even less than a year under Yuzo Joel’s tutelage was enough to outshine many outside.

With the first competition as a foundation, Kiara felt confident.

Her dad had thrown her into these competitions probably to build her confidence. Her starting point was now so high, and the learning curve steep. Dad must have been afraid she’d lose confidence over time, wanting her to see the strength of others and bolster her own, with International Competitions being the best platform for that.

At that moment, Mr. Joel was in a bar, wrapping his arm around a beautiful woman while sipping on wine, enjoying his freedom with the absence of the Housekeeper Lady’s daughter. Suddenly, he sneezed.

He rubbed his nose and wondered–who was speaking about him behind his back?

But it was of no importance. Taking advantage of his daughter’s absence, Mr. Joel started pondering life’s pleasures–how wonderfully indulgent the days were without anyone minding him, and how he should indeed register Kiara for the next competition or the like.

Mrs. Kiara, unaware of her dad’s little schemes, imagined him as the greatest mentor in the universe. She thought all his actions were to lay the groundwork for her growth. She was so moved she nearly sang an ode to her benevolent father.

Mario Yuno saw through it all but unspokenly shared her happiness, content not to expose the truth. With the first day of the competition completed and Kiara in high spirits, Camden handed Wendy over to the Farmstead Farmer.

He had some important business to attend to with his daughter-in-law, something too grand to handle back in the Domestic Region.