Skimming through the whole user manual made me sleepy. I stretch my arms and push my back against the chair to take a break.

"Hm?"

It's only then that I notice the little creature standing beside me.

"What's wrong?"

"Ah! N-nothing, I just felt like standing here. Hmph."

Lily averts her eyes and drills the floor.

"Are you done with the Lego?"

"..."

She silently twists her lips in discomfort.

"You need help?"

"H-hmph."

She lightly kicks the floor, then throws me a glare.

"Hmph, if you want to play with me so much then I might as well allow that."

She crosses her arms and tries to strike a mighty pose.

I'm not sure whether she’s lonely or ran into a problem. Either way, since I'm done with the user manaul, I decide to take a break and follow Lily into Legoland.

"This is..."

... she did make some progress, I'll hand her that much.

The second floor of the cheap Lego building is neatly completed, crafted with the exact same colors as my own creation. There was an apparent attempt to build the third floor, but the construction was abandoned midway.

"So? What's the problem?"

"W-who said there's a problem? Hmph."

She sits down beside me, but puffs her cheeks and refuses to look at me.

"You clearly stopped midway here."

"Because... it's impossible to continue..."

"Impossible?"

"H-hmph, I just want to see how papa continues from here. It's very hard!"

... is it really?

I stretch my hand toward the pile of Lego and grab a random 2x1 brick, then place it on the Lego building.

"Ah!"

"What’s wrong?"

"B-but, it's not the right color!"

She points at my brick with her tiny index finger.

"So? You don't have to use the same colors I did."

"Eh... ah... but..."

Her pointing finger shakes and her lips twist in discomfort.

"H-hmph, you pass! Of course I knew this and just wanted to test papa about it!"

"Is that so."

I gently pat the little liar on the head.

It's all clear now, she was trying to mimic my creation to a T. Not only the shape, but also the colors.

According to my Lego prototype, the next brick on that floor is supposed to be yellow. However, I force her to continue with a gray brick instead.

"Here, try to put this one next."

"No problem, hmph!"

She quickly snatches the brick and thrusts her hand toward the right spot-

"........."

- but she freezes.

The freeze takes a little longer than before, probably because placing a brick of mismatching color is “new” for her.

She snaps out of it after roughly five seconds and successfully places the brick.

"You see? No problem, hmph!"

She puffs her flat chest in pride.

"Good girl."

I pat her some more and she smiles in embarrassment.

"Can you continue from here?"

"Hmph, easily!"

She paints a huge smile on her cute face and radiants unwavering confidence. She picks up another brick and continues building the third floor with it.

"It's done!"

Lily smiles in excitement after successfully recreating my cheap Lego construct.

"Good girl."

I pat her as a form of congratulation, it has become a habit at some point.

Though it's a little disappointing, I don't particularly mind her slow learning, probably because she celebrates her success in such an adorable manner.

Her joy is even more exaggerated than when she defeated me in rock-paper-scissors or word chain; I'll probably never tire of seeing this happy face.

"Now then, can you build another one all by yourself?"

"Easily!"

She grins with unbeatable confidence. I slide her another empty plate, on which she immediately begins her Legocraft... with some occasional freezes.

Since it’s already lunch time, I take out my sandwich (prepared by mother) and sit on the comfy sofa, observing Lily’s progress from afar.

Slowly, but surely, my daughter is leveling up to become a Lego Master.