Chapter 80
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Chapter 80
The Emperor's reason for initiating war with the Demon Realm stemmed from a single obsession: the Demon King's heart.
If he could claim the Demon King's heart, he would grow far more powerful.
But if he ever discovered that Vivian was the Demon King's daughter—that she had inherited the Demon King's power—
there would be no need to laboriously incite the nobility into war.
He could simply kill Vivian and take her heart.
'This secret must never be revealed.'
The emotion I felt earlier today, when I learned that Vivian had ventured alone into the Forest, surged back to the surface.
Merely dwelling on that memory sent ice through my veins.
I gazed at the sleeping Vivian for a long moment, then gently but firmly clasped her hand.
I would never let go of this warmth again.
* * *
"Mmm... Ah!"
I jolted awake the moment the carriage came to a stop. We had already arrived at the Duke's Residence.
'When did I fall asleep?'
I reflexively wiped my mouth, relieved to find I hadn't made a fool of myself.
When I turned to look at Lahedis, he was already awake and staring directly at me.
Suddenly embarrassed at having been caught in such an undignified state, I felt my cheeks flush.
"You didn't sleep?"
"You were snoring."
"Really?!"
"And grinding your teeth."
"That's not true!"
As my mouth fell open, I caught the corner of Lahedis's lips twitch.
I had a feeling about this.
"...You're lying, aren't you? You're teasing me again?"
"Perhaps."
Lahedis annoyingly shrugged and exited the carriage first.
I pouted and followed him out.
When we reached the floor where my room was, Lahedis gently patted my head and offered what sounded like a parting remark.
"Wash up and get to bed early. You need to grow taller."
"I was already planning to—"
I was about to retort with a glare when I suddenly remembered something I'd forgotten.
"Oh! I have something to do tonight, so I won't be able to sleep early."
Lahedis looked at me with confusion, then a moment later, as if he'd figured out what 'that something' was, he let out a small exclamation.
"Then sleep well!"
I bid him goodnight and hurried toward my room—or rather, to the room right next to mine.
Just as I reached the door, a Maid coming from the opposite direction spotted me and approached.
"My, Vivian. I heard you had quite the busy day at the Hunting Festival?"
"Phew, it was intense. I feel like I've had an experience I'll never have again in my life."
"Still, I'm glad neither you nor the Duke were hurt. I've drawn water in the bathroom, so go wash up and get some rest."
"Thank you, sister."
I smiled in response and was about to knock when my sister suddenly seemed to remember something and broached the subject carefully.
"Oh, right. The person in that room looks remarkably like you. Could he be your older brother?"
I flinched at that.
That's right. My father was in this room.
After meeting my father at the Hunting Ground, I hastily bound him (?) and dragged him along, then handed him over to the Duke before going to give my statement to the Knight Order.
[Please transport him to the Duke's Residence! To the room next to mine!]
Of course, the Duke alone wasn't reassuring enough, so I also ordered the light spirit to keep watch over my father.
The people at the Duke's Residence must have seen my father being dragged in like that.
'Those who didn't know I had come to the Capital to find my father probably saw his face, which resembles mine, and assumed we were family.'
Though the relationship was different, of course.
I gazed at the Maid, whose cheeks had flushed slightly, with sympathetic eyes, and answered with the feeling of pronouncing a death sentence on her emotions.
"He's my father."
The Maid's eyes widened in surprise, then immediately grew distant.
Everyone who had been excited seeing my youthful-looking father showed the same reaction the moment they heard the word "father."
"I, I see... Well then, go wash up and get plenty of rest."
Watching my sister walk away with deflated spirits, I shook my head.
'Dias Hessen, you sinful man. Breaking yet another woman's heart.'
After sending off another unfortunate woman, I knocked on the door.
But no matter how long I waited, there was no response.
'Surely he didn't run away again?!'
Pushed by an ominous premonition, I flung the door open and stepped inside...
Fortunately, I could see the familiar Inyoung sleeping on the bed.
The light spirit was keeping watch beside her.
The light spirit, which had been shining brightly throughout the room and standing guard, fluttered over to me when it saw me.
"You did well. Thank you."
I dismissed the summon and, with determined eyes, approached my father's side.
* * *
I feel a sharp, piercing gaze fixed upon me.
Dias turned away from that most terrifying stare in the world and pulled the blanket over himself.
"Phew, it's cold today..."
A sigh of exasperation escaped Vivian's lips as she watched this display.
"Father, I know you're not sleeping."
Only then did Dias crack open one eye and gauge Vivian's mood, before covering himself with the blanket again and feigning exhaustion.
"Vivian, I'm tired today, so let's just sleep for now and talk tomorrow..."
Finally, Vivian's patience exploded.
"Ha! Tired? Your daughter has been losing sleep for days worrying about you, and now you're tired? Are you even sleepy right now?"
As Vivian unleashed her tirade and snatched away the blanket Dias had been covering himself with, he finally sat up slightly.
"N-no, that's not it. I just thought our princess must be exhausted from today, so I suggested we sleep first."
"You worry so much about your daughter, yet you just leave a single letter and disappear from home?"
"Just a single letter? I left money with it too―"
"Did you really think I could live well on just a few coins? Without you?"
Dias Hessen, who had been protesting half in jest and half in earnest, fell silent the moment he met his daughter's eyes, which were brimming with unshed tears.
A moment later, after composing herself, Vivian unleashed a barrage of questions.
"Why did you suddenly come to the Capital? Why did you come to the Hunting Ground?"
There were so many things she wanted to know—whether her mother was a special kind of demon, why her father had hidden his swordsmanship skills, and more.
Though her curiosity was boundless, she decided to ask the most pressing questions first.
As Dias Hessen gazed quietly at Vivian, he suddenly realized something.
To shield her from anger, worry, and all such burdens...
...his daughter had simply grown too old.
Accepting that he could no longer hide everything from Vivian, Dias Hessen slowly opened his mouth.
"Vivi, do you remember when you were little, how I used to visit a friend in the neighboring town once or twice a season?"
Vivian wondered how this connected to her question just moments ago, but she nodded nonetheless.
The playfulness that had been in her father's eyes before had vanished.
"I was monitoring the barrier of the Demon Realm from back then."
"Why?"
"If the barrier weakens and the two worlds connect, war will break out again."
"...."
"And if war breaks out...."
Dias Hessen continued, gently caressing his daughter's cheek.
"You would be in danger."
His eyes, as he spoke, were twisted with anguish at the mere thought of his daughter being hurt.
"Treatment of half-breeds has improved greatly now, but during the war, they were treated terribly."
The moment it was revealed that one was a half-breed with demon blood, they were rejected for that reason alone.
Back then, there were countless people who had lost parents, children, siblings, and lovers in the war with the demons.
Unable to strike at the war itself that had stolen their families, people blamed and resented the targets before their eyes.
They demanded that half-breeds fight alongside humans against demons, pushing them to the front lines.
All the while, they failed to recognize that the very person who had ignited the flames of that war was their own lord.
I was one of them as well.
Though I did not reject half-breeds simply for having demon blood mixed within them, I marched out to subjugate demons, believing only what those around me said.
Dias Hessen continued, his tone tinged with self-mockery at his own foolish past.
"That's why I wanted to prevent the war."
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