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Author: EunEun Editor: eris421
Father and I rode on a carriage and went back to the Castle.
All throughout the way back, Father only looked at me.
‘It’s a bit burdensome if he keeps looking at me like this though.’
I got embarrassed so I rubbed my face with my hands. However, Father grabbed my hands urgently.
Surprised, my eyes became round, and Father said,
“It’ll get infected.”
I was in the state where I had put medicine on my wounds.
Since I tried to touch it with my dirty young child hands, it seems that he tried to stop me from doing so.
“Yesh!” [Yes!]
I quickly put my hands down and nodded vigorously.
“Is your wound itchy?”
“Nwo.” [No.]
“Are you hurt anywhere else?”
“Nwone.” [None.]
“…Good.”
Father nodded.
And then he sighed lightly.
“Don’t do things like that from now on.”
“But foww Fwathher….” [But for Father…]
“Even if I need it, don’t do it.”
“….”
When I became sullen and fidgeted with my fingers, Father’s eyes narrowed.
“Why the hell is a young child like you doing such things?”
“Uhmm…”
I carefully chose my words.
I stole a glance outside and whispered because I didn’t want a single sound to leak out.
“Becaushh, I am not Fwathher’s babwy.” [Because, I’m not Father’s baby.]
“…What?”
“Erylotte ish not a human. I wash pwoduced. That’s why foww me to be with Fwathher, I habb to work hard.” [Erylotte is not a human. I was produced. That’s why for me to be with Father, I have to work hard.]
Since I’ll definitely work really hard, can you not throw me away?
I appealed with sparkling eyes, and Father’s expression hardened.
“Who said that to you?”
“Peepow….” [People….]
Grind. Father gritted his teeth.
Since he looked angry, I instinctively made myself smaller, my shoulders flinching.
Father sighed and said,
“I’m not mad at you.”
“….”
“I’m mad at myself.”
‘Why?’
At my puzzled look, Father slowly opened his mouth.
“You’re a human.”
“Yesh…?” [Yes…?]
“And my daughter.”
‘What?’
My eyes widened roundly in surprise.
‘Ohhh–!? Huhh—?!’
I was almost a hundred percent certain that this body was that of a homunculus.
Since Father who was my own flesh and blood wasn’t particularly interested in me, and—
I’m a noble, but I don’t even have a Blessing, and—
Also, if this was a hand-produced body that was not human, in this world, it would be easy for a soul to come in.
‘But if I’m a human, if I’m Father’s daughter…’
Great!
My body moved up and down.
If that’s the case, I don’t have to worry about being thrown away now… right?
Father grabbed my arm, which was twitching in excitement, lightly and didn’t know what to do.
“If you get excited like that, you’ll get hurt again.”
“Oh, uhm, ohh…!”
But I couldn’t calm down easily.
Father took something out of his arms.
It was a small lighting-type magic tool but when he turned it on, the inside of the carriage was instantly filled with a pleasant scent.
‘Whoa.’
It did smell like a baby’s smell, but it also smelled like a herb grown in the fields.
Although I couldn’t say clearly what kind of scent it was, it was a very good smell with a warm feeling.
As I sniffed it, my eyelids slowly became heavy.
“Sleep for now.”
I leaned against the chair, srrk, and closed my eyes.
My last memory was Father laying me down carefully.
Since it was my first time feeling such a touch, my mood became better and it seemed that I rubbed my cheek on Father’s big hand.
***
The carriage passed through the main gate of the Astra Duchy’s Castle.
After the wheels stopped, Enzo opened the door. The other knights also, peek, put out their heads, but Erylotte was asleep.
“Oh my.”
“She must have been tired.”
“The young Young Miss is also brave.”
Haha, the sound of laughter resonated.
Daymond looked at them with a deep gaze. At the look telling them to be mindful as to not wake the child, the soldiers, hup, shut their mouths.
“I’ll attend to her.”
It was Enzo’s words.
“Forget it.”
It was Daymond who hugged the child and got off.
After ordering the soldiers to return to the barracks, Enzo followed Daymond walking beside him.
“The Young Miss worked really hard. If it was any other child, none could have done anything near the things the Young Miss had done today.”
“I know.”
“Just what in the world is the reason that made her do that?”
“She said that she’s not a human. She said that since she’s produced, she has to work hard so that she can be by my side.”
“YES?!”
As Enzo’s voice grew louder, Erylotte tossed and turned and let out a sound, “Uunngghh…”
He, hup, and quickly covered his mouth. After confirming that the child was still asleep, he spoke carefully.
“Just who in the world would say that to the Young Miss?”
“Surely it must be those damn brothers. Since they’re madly keen on spreading false rumors.”
Enzo sighed loudly.
He knew why they spread such rumors.
Daymond went to war two years before Erylotte was born.
He couldn’t have made a child on such a rough battlefield, so they must have said that she was ‘produced’ somewhere else.
And because Daymond didn’t send a single letter to his daughter, the rumor must have been even more accepted and encouraged.
‘Sons of bitches.’
Enzo frowned and looked at Daymond.
“Has the General told the Young Miss the reason why you didn’t send a single letter to her?”
“….”
“Wasn’t it that you didn’t contact her to protect her?”
Daymond was far away on the battlefield.
In a place where he couldn’t protect the child even if someone glared at her.
That’s why he couldn’t send a letter.
If Daymond had expressed his care for Erylotte, his brothers would have thought that his weakness was the child.
If it became like that, in order to pressure Daymond, it was not known what his brothers would have done to the child.
Therefore, by pretending that he had no interest in her, it was shown that there was no profit in trying to extend a wicked helping hand to her.
“Isn’t it that you returned straight to Astra Castle, not your territory, in order to see the Young Miss?”
“…Noisy.”
Daymond took the child to her room.
Lying her onto the bed, he stared at the child.
“Now I’m noth annoywing, wight…?”
At her appearance of clenching her skirt so hard with trembling hands, this little one laughed.
So that she wouldn’t incur his hatred.
Daymond reached out his hand to the child’s head.
However, the hand, which was full of wounds, could not touch the child’s white and beautiful face, and withdrew.
“Uunggh.”
Instead, he covered the tossing and turning child with a blanket.
***
When I woke up, I blinked slowly.
My muddled mind gradually became clearer.
‘Huh?’
As my mind cleared up, I could finally see that this was my room.
The last thing I remembered was falling asleep in the carriage yesterday. It seemed that Father was the one who took me here.
At that moment, the conversation that we had yesterday popped up in my mind.
“You’re a human.”
“Yesh…?”
“And my daughter.”
‘…!’
Right, it was like that!
I jumped out of bed.
Even if I thought about it again, my heart still felt incredibly full.
‘I was worried that I was a fake daughter, no, a fake human, but now I can say bye-bye to the days where I lived being anxious every moment!’’
Father was not a person who lied.
If so, it would be true that I was really of Astra’s blood.
The days when I was anxious about the possibility that I, by any chance, would be abandoned or bullied because this was known had become distant.
I got out of bed quickly.
Sensing movement, the maids came in.
“Good morning, Young Miss. …Oh my?”
Running to the door first I clung to their skirts. The maids looked at me, their eyes opening roundly.
“I’m gowing outh!” [I’m going out!]
“Yes, I’ll tie your hair nicely.”
The maids washed me up, changed my clothes, and finally rolled up my hair round.
‘I must hurry up, read the ancient language and go to the barracks.’
Although I heard it clearly, it seemed that my young child’s mind was urging ‘I want to hear it one more time, one more time!’.
I quickly headed to Grandfather’s study.
As always, Grandfather had been working since morning. Conrad was there as well.
When I greeted, “Hewwo,” and went in, Conrad smiled.
“Hello, Young Miss. I was worried when I heard that you got hurt in the Mountain yesterday, but are you alright now?”
“I got hurth a wittle bit. Fwathher saved me.” [I got hurt a little bit. Father saved me.]
“That’s a relief. You have to apply medicine regularly, alright?”
After I said, “Yes,” and nodded, I sat opposite of Grandfather.
“I will read da owld bwook.” [I will read the old book.]
Conrad looked at Grandfather.
When Grandfather nodded, Conrad brought me the ancient history book that had been kept in a barrier box.
“Start from here.”
Conrad found the page for me, so that I could read it right away without having to search around.
There was no particular special content today.
‘Since I’m almost done reading it all.’
It was the result of reading every day without missing a day.
It was when I read about three pages that I heard the sound of footsteps from outside the door.
At the same time, the guard’s voice was heard.
“It is Mister Daymond.”
Grandfather gave permission for him to enter the room.
Father strode in.
Bowing lightly to Grandfather, he held out the documents he was holding.
“The West Army’s paperwork is completed, and the purification stone was handed over to the management office last night.”
“I heard it.”
“I’m now going to leave for my territory.”
Already?
I thought he’d be in the Castle until this week, but why is he going so early?
I had a sullen look.
It hadn’t been long since it was revealed that I was really Father’s child though.
We couldn’t even get close.
Grandfather briefly looked through the documents Father gave him and nodded.
“Alright.”
And then Father,
‘Huh?!’
—He swiftly picked me up and held me to his side.
“Then, I’ll get going.”
Why- Why am I?
My eyes widened. Conrad also looked at Father and me with wide-open eyes.
It was when Father approached the door that–
“Why are you taking that kid away!?”
Grandfather shouted.
Father looked at Grandfather with an expression, asking what was strange about it.
“Surely we have to leave together for my territory.”
“What did you say?”
Surprised, I looked at Father.
‘He’s taking me?’
Of course, it was the resting phase now, and during the resting phase, usually the third generation (Duke’s grandchildren) would live under their parent’s territory, but…
I didn’t know that Father would take me.
It seems to be the very same for Grandfather and Conrad, too.
Conrad was flustered, and Grandfather’s eyebrows furrowed, forming wrinkles on his forehead.
Grandfather, glared at Father for a long time before finally saying,
“Leave Erylotte behind.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Didn’t I tell you to leave her behind!?”
“Is it an order?”
I stole a glance at Grandfather.
I understood the reason why Grandfather wanted him to leave me here.
Just as he said, I have to read the ancient language, and he also has to find out more about the Physical Regression Pills.
Moreover, if I was Father’s real daughter, then I would be a great hostage.
That’s why it was better to let me stay in the Castle rather than to send me back.
But Grandfather wouldn’t be able to give such an order.
‘He can’t declare that he will use me as a hostage after all.’
Due to Astra’s special situation, stealing a child from their parents was the same as taking a hostage.
If it was known that the Duke took away his grandchild in order to tame his son, the household would immediately become noisy.
Since they’ll be afraid that their child would be the next to be taken away.
And excessive fear will definitely bring cracks.
Grandfather also knew that, so he didn’t say that it was an order.
Grandfather, who had been silent for a while, shouted,
“Erylotte hasn’t read all the ancient history books—”
“She can read it even after the break.”
“Since she was continuously at the 12th Tower, I have to teach her the rules of the Main Castle—”
“I’ll teach her in the territory until the break is over.”
“I have something to ask her. This kid got a medicine that I’ve never heard nor saw of before, so I—”
“I’ll find out and send it through a letter.”
Grandfather’s face turned red.
When he saw that Grandfather, who had nothing more to say had a harsh expression, Father turned, walking back.
Just in time, Viscount Debussy came into the study.
“Mister Daymond. Where are you going taking the Young Miss—”
Before he could finish speaking, Grandfather said,
“Erylotte said that she likes Grandfather more than Father.”
Viscount Debussy slowly turned to Grandfather with an expression as if asking if he had misheard something.
It was the very same with Conrad’s expression.
Of course, my expression as well.
‘…?’
Why are those words coming out here?
Will Dad care about those words?
I was thinking like that, but I felt a hot gaze from the top of my head.
“Is that true?”
“…Yesch?” […Yes?]
“I asked if the Duke’s words are true.”
I’ve never thought about it, though.
It was because, before, since I was in front of Grandfather, I said that it was Grandfather.
Grandfather laughed arrogantly.
“You have to let your child grow up in the environment she wants.”
With a dumbfounded expression, Viscount Debussy muttered, “Since when he says like that…”
Grandfather’s and Father’s gaze collided sharply in the air.
People focused on my mouth.
Grandfather and Father each said,
“Erylotte, tell us who do you like the best.”
“You don’t have to be scared just because you’re in front of the Duke. Since Father has your back.”
I felt cold sweat flowing down my spine.
Due to my experience in having a social life, at that moment I had a strong feeling that I was doomed.
This was like,
[Who do you like more, Manager or Deputy Manager?]
—Doesn’t this seem like you’re answering the question between the manager and the deputy manager!?
I gulped down my dry saliva.
And then, I answered,
“…Puppwy.” […Puppy.]
“What?”
“What did you say?”
Jumping down from Father, I raised both arms and said.
“Erywotte, likesh puppwy theeeee best!” [Erylotte, likes puppy theeeee best!]
At times like this, it’s better to not choose one person.
Coming up with a child-like answer, I sighed inside.
Viscount Debussy made a gasping-like sound, “Gasp,” and turned his head. My shoulders were trembling very lightly.
Conrad was very flustered.
Owner of the vast Astra.
A powerful knight who was considered one of the most powerful in the Empire in force.
It seemed absurd that the thing that was chosen instead of them was merely a puppy.
And then, Grandfather didn’t say anything. He only grinded his teeth as he muttered, “Puppy…”
Father was silent for a moment.
He stared at me before slowly opening his mouth.
“Come to think of it, my nickname was Puppy.”
(t/n: 개새끼 [gaesaekki] which means a pup, a puppy (literal meaning), or a son of a bitch (for cursing purposes). It stands from 개 [gae] = dog and 새끼 [saekki] = kid, child. You can refer to ch10 where Daymond said ‘it is only right that a pup can not be higher than a dog’. The ‘pup’ there is referring to his nickname. It’s actually a nickname that doesn’t mean good, but for here, he uses the literal meaning (pup/puppy) and not the bad meaning (a son of bitch) so that he can turn Erylotte’s words around, saying that she likes him the most.)
‘…?’
Amidst the people, whoosh, the wind blew.