The Villain's Lost Daughter - Chapter 95
After finishing my conversation with Callian, or more accurately, my scribbling, I tugged on the rope beside my bed to get ready to go outside.
“Miss, you wanted to see me?”
A moment later, the door opened and Mary and Marilyn walked in.
I greeted them both warmly, “You two are here together?”
“Yes, Marilyn was just handing out some of her new hair ties.”
Mary replied, lifting her arm to show me the hair tie she was wearing on her wrist. I always knew Marilyn had good hands, but…
“…Marilyn, where does your talent end?”
“Hmm, that wasn’t too difficult, I’ll bring it to you next time… What else did you call me for?”
At my surprised expression, Marilyn turned away, looking strangely embarrassed.
Marilyn didn’t change her expression much on the outside, but she had a habit of changing the subject whenever I complimented her.
“Oh, I’m about to head out, and I wanted you to help me get dressed.”
After I finished talking to Yurgen and Thane, I planned to have lunch with them.
In truth, I hadn’t spoken to Yurgen since the last time Ayla disappeared.
I’d just sent him a letter outlining the situation. It was a little awkward to keep in touch like it was nothing.
But it couldn’t stay like this forever.
So I was ready to barge in with a smile on my face, even if it was a little cheeky.
“Are you heading out now?”
“Yeah, I’m probably going to grab some lunch.”
“Do you want to get dressed up like you usually do? Or like when you sneak out?”
Mary asked, and I thought for a moment.
My dark hair doesn’t draw much attention in the capital anyway.
Besides, I’ve told my father and Aaron that I’m related to the Lagrace Top, so there’s no need to sneak out.
“Just do the usual today. But take it easy on me.”
“Yeah, sure. Then I’ll pick out a dress that doesn’t fly off!”
“Yes, please.”
Mary and Marilyn quickly picked out a dress that wasn’t too flashy, but not too modest either.
After getting dressed and responding to Mary’s nagging questions, Marilyn had her hair done.
Marilyn, who was very dexterous with her hands, was also an excellent hairstylist. And she was fast.
“Thank you again today.”
“You’re welcome.”
I caught a glimpse of myself preparing in the mirror and stood up with a satisfied smile.
“Is my father in his office? I think I’ll see him for a moment before I head out.”
“Well, the butler went that way earlier, so he must be in his office.”
“Okay, bye then!”
“Be careful!”
Normally, I would have asked the two of them to tell my father and Aaron and then left the house.
“For some reason, I just don’t feel like leaving today.”
For some strange reason, I felt like I needed to tell them myself that I was going to see Yurgen today.
Was it because it had only been four days since I’d told my family what I’d been hiding from them?
I didn’t want to just leave a note saying I’d be back, because it felt like I was creating another secret.
“Oh, Tervan!”
As I ran up the stairs to my father’s office, my eyes caught sight of Tervan, who had just opened the door to his office.
“Miss.
I walked up to him, and he greeted me with a deep smile.
“You’ve come to see the master, I assume?
“I’m about to head out, but first I wanted to see my father for a moment.”
Tervan smiled wryly as I answered. He especially liked it when I spent time with both my father and Aaron.
‘You said the atmosphere in the manor has become noticeably less harmful since my return.
I’m embarrassed to say it, but I have to admit, there’s a bit of truth to it.’
I know how my father and Aaron are by nature.
Tervan had always felt sorry for them.
“Well, go on in then, and be careful out there.”
“Hehe, I will.”
Smiling a handsome smile at my answer, Tervan left first.
Tap—
“Come in.”
I knocked on the door and heard my father’s soft voice.
Click—
Pushing the door open, I stepped inside, carefully closing the door behind me.
Despite the cloudless day, there were still a lot of papers on my father’s desk.
I walked slowly up to his desk.
“How did you know it was me?”
“I heard you talking to Tervan earlier.”
My father, who had put the quill pen he was holding into the inkwell, replied in a sweet voice.
“Haha, I see you heard everything. Lord Fern told me once that your office is very soundproof…”
He was lying about that too?
My expression turned sour, and my father chuckled softly, making me feel better.
“It is soundproof, yes. It’s because your father has unusually good ears.”
“Ah… So you made it soundproof on purpose?”
“Yes. It gets on my nerves.”
At my father’s answer, I felt a pang of sadness.
“I guess being a Sword Master isn’t all good.”
“…Right.”
My father paused for a moment at my muttering, then nodded with an odd expression.
I could name the emotion that flashed through him for a moment, longing, but it was gone too quickly for me to recognize it.
‘Did I say something wrong?’
Perhaps he didn’t think I was disparaging the Sword Master.
So I took my father’s expression as displeasure.
“You do realize that you’re the coolest man in the world to me, right?”
“…Yeah, well, thank you.”
My dad chuckled, making a cheesy sound, at my impatient question. His eyes were sweet as he looked at me despite my monologue.
“Ahhh…”
I smirked at the suddenly awkward atmosphere.
“I’ve been getting ready to go somewhere since this morning.”
My father stood up from his chair.
“Oh, I’m going to go to the top of Lagrace for a while.”
“…To the top of Lagrace?”
He repeated as he moved toward me.
I smiled brightly and nodded, though it was still a little awkward to discuss this topic with my father.
“Yes, I was originally planning to visit sooner, Yurgen… well, the Top Master was away, but he came back yesterday, so I thought I’d go and talk to him.”
Although I’d told him the situation in a letter, I knew I needed to talk to him face to face.
The decision to help Callian in earnest was a big deal for the top.
“…I’d like to introduce you to him sometime.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. It seems that the top master, Yurgen, is quite fond of you, so you should meet him at least once.”
“Hmm…”
“It would be perfect if I could invite him to the manor to dine with us, and your brother as well.”
The smile on my father’s face as he said this was somehow slightly eerie, and I hoped I was mistaken.
Of course, I don’t think I’m mistaken.
…I wondered if my father just hated everyone I knew whose biological gender was male.
For some reason, I had a nagging feeling that was the answer, but I swallowed it hard.
So I smiled awkwardly and replied.
“Aha, I’ll ask him today.
Sorry, Yurgen.
✿
My father, who seemed preoccupied with work, eventually walked me to the entrance of the mansion.
“I’ll be back!”
“Don’t stay until dinner.”
“Okay, I will. See you later!”
With my father’s farewell, I left the mansion, walking at a leisurely pace in the gentle breeze.
I could feel the arrival of spring in the air.
The sun was not too hot, and the breeze was fresh.
Along the roadside, chartreuse-colored grasses were making their presence felt.
“The flowers are already starting to bloom.”
The impatient flowers were already unfurling their colorful petals.
“I’m glad we didn’t take the carriage.”
Walking on foot, the weather was better than I’d expected, and I praised myself for my earlier decision to walk.
Humming a little tune, I continued on my way.
The Grand Duke’s residence was surprisingly not far from the main road. I walked lightly for about twenty minutes, and soon the place I wanted to go came into view.
‘…Ah, I’m nervous.’
My heart began to pound unnecessarily as the top of Lagrace became clearly visible.
Although I had prepared myself to see Yurgen with a brazen face, I was worried about people.
More than a week had passed, but his words were still fresh in my mind.
Perhaps because it was something I had always kept in the back of my mind.
“It’s really hard…”
It was technically my fault for making him feel that way.
If the proud Yurgen was asking me why he couldn’t do it, then I was showing off.
“Eh, I don’t know. Let’s meet and talk face to face.”
And if I couldn’t decide, I’d hide behind Thane today. It was a great comfort to know that Thane would be with me.
With my mind made up, I slipped into a deserted alley off the street.
Just like that.
Once I was sure it was safe, I cast a traveling spell.
Not wanting to leave the option of someone seeing me enter the top of Lagrace.