Chapter 98
---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------
Chapter 98
Vivian's eyes merely fluttered at the unexpected words.
To be precise, she had anticipated what he might say.
What she hadn't anticipated was the tone in which he would say it.
At first, she'd assumed it was teasing tinged with disappointment—the kind her impulsive father always resorted to—but....
The light in Dain's eyes as he regarded me felt strangely cold.
My heart sank at that gaze.
Only then did Vivian realize he was serious, and she asked carefully.
"...Why?"
"Because there's nothing good for you in being entangled with the son of a traitor."
"That's not Lahedis's fault."
"But people shun him. If you stay by his side, your image will suffer too."
Vivian looked at Dain as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
So, right now.
Dain was telling her to distance herself from Lahedis—despite his complete innocence—simply because he was the son of a traitor.
[I hope you won't hate even the kind demons, Bibi, and only look at history written from our human perspective.]
It was her father—no one else—who had said such things.
"Then what about me being ostracized for being part demon? It's not my fault, but everyone shuns me, so that makes it natural?"
"Vivian."
"That's not like you, Father."
"...."
"It was you who taught me not to judge people carelessly while trapped in prejudice."
That teaching had become my steadfast support.
It gave me the strength not to break beneath the prejudice directed at me, and it became the lens through which I could see people by my own standards rather than by the measure of others.
And yet....
"That's why I've never been ashamed of my mother, and I've never regretted becoming a Dark Spirit Summoner...."
"...."
"If you now tell me to distance myself from Lahedis for a crime he didn't commit, what becomes of the teachings from the father I so admired?"
She had expected that their relationship would not be celebrated by everyone.
But.
She had believed that at least her father—who had taught her not to be swayed by prejudice—would affirm that she was right.
Dain's response seemed to go beyond merely rejecting her relationship with Lahedis; it felt like a denial of the very person she had trusted and followed all these years.
"...I'll pretend I didn't hear what you just said. I'm sorry."
In the end, Vivian rose from her seat and left the Dining Room.
Dain watched her depart with a visibly wounded expression, unable to stop her, and swallowed a sigh as the door closed.
Igraine, who had been observing the scene, spoke up.
"Raising children isn't easy."
Seeing that Dain's glass was empty, Igraine gestured to the Butler to refill it before continuing.
"Dain, I understand your concern for Vivian well enough, but."
"...."
"That wasn't like you just now. You know that, right?"
Igraine gently clinked her glass against Dain's, encouraging her brother who had fallen silent like a wounded beast after quarreling with her daughter.
Only then did Dain let out a small laugh.
Yet he didn't drink the wine before him, merely gazing at the glass and fidgeting with it.
Suddenly, I ached for my wife with a piercing longing.
* * *
"I'm such an unfilial daughter...."
Back in my Room, I was clawing at the mattress with my face buried in the bed.
It was because of the quarrel I'd just had with Curtis Rohan in the Dining Room.
'Even though Curtis Rohan was only worried about me.... I couldn't even try to persuade him gently.'
For a moment, he seemed like a selfish person who only treasured his own child, and in my disappointment, I just....
"I'm such a fool...."
When I hurt someone I love, it hurts me too.
So Curtis Rohan must be hurting as well.
Thinking of it that way only made my heart ache more.
I spent a long time alone in reflection.
'Lahedis will be worried, so I should at least contact him.'
Suddenly remembering my promise with Lahedis, I picked up my magical device and sat at the table.
But the moment I opened the magical device, a message came through, as if he had been watching over me all along.
Vivian. Did you arrive safely? Did the conversation go well?
I hesitated and couldn't answer readily.
'I don't want to talk about quarreling with Curtis Rohan.'
Of course, I wanted to pour my heart out because I was upset, but if Lahedis heard this, he would be upset too.
'And it would feel like I'm tattling on Curtis Rohan.'
Even though I was upset, I didn't want Lahedis and Curtis Rohan to hate each other.
They were both people I loved.
In the end, I lied.
Yeah. The conversation went well. Don't worry.
A lie. Something happened.
...How did you know?!
I glanced around, wondering if Lahedis might be watching me, but this was my Room and naturally no one was here.
How did you know...?
I won't tell you. If I did, you'd try even harder to hide things next time.
Tch.
Tell me. What happened?
Even when I exchanged messages with Rachel, there were days I quarreled with Curtis Rohan.
And Rachel would always notice like a ghost and ask about it every single time.
'Now that I think about it this way, it really hits home that Lahedis and Rachel are the same person....'
After hesitating for a moment, I recalled Lahedis's persistence and eventually explained the whole situation from beginning to end.
...So, I'm going to talk to Curtis Rohan again right now.
You thought it through well.
But Lahedis, weren't you upset? I didn't want to tell you because I was worried you'd be hurt....
Not particularly? You're someone I love, and someone who loves me. I understand Father's feelings perfectly well. And....
Let's wait a little longer, the familiar handwriting continued.
I'm confident. Confident that I'll be recognized as a worthy son-in-law.
S-son-in-law?!
Startled, I dropped the quill pen I'd been holding.
Who said anything about marriage?!
Oh, so you're dating me but planning to marry someone else?
I don't know! I'll talk to Father and come back. Sleep well.
After hastily scribbling only what I needed to say, I slammed the notebook shut.
But my flushed face refused to cool down anytime soon.
'Marriage! I've never even thought about such a thing....'
Dating itself felt embarrassing and ticklish, but thinking about marriage and building a household....
'If we marry, we'd sleep together....'
That embarrassment doubled.
"Ah, anyway, this isn't what's important right now!"
I stuffed away my spiraling fantasies and slapped my cheeks repeatedly to cool my burning face as much as possible.
And the moment I opened the door.
"...Father?"
"Oh."
I ran into Father, who was just about to knock.
"Were you heading to wash up?"
"Ah, no. I was actually coming to find you, Father...."
"Then would it be alright to talk for a moment?"
I ushered Father into my room.
Unlike the usual lighthearted banter we exchanged, an awkward atmosphere hung between us in the aftermath of our quarrel.
I fidgeted with my fingers uselessly before finally finding my voice.
"About earlier...."
"About earlier...."
As if we'd made a promise, we both opened our mouths at the same time, then stopped in surprise.
"Ah, Father, you can speak first."
Father, who had been staring at me intently, spoke with an expression full of remorse.
"I'm sorry about earlier. Our princess's first love, and instead of celebrating, I threw cold water on it."
Ah.
Even in this moment, the way Father referred to me was still 'princess'.
The moment I realized that, tears welled up in my eyes.
"V-Vivian?"
Seeing Father flustered by my tears, the tears I'd been holding back burst forth.
The relief that he had returned to the warm and upright father I knew, rather than someone who judged others by prejudice alone, and.
Because I felt sorry for hurting Curtis Rohan like that.
"I was wrong too. I'm sorry for speaking so harshly, Father...."
Curtis Rohan, momentarily taken aback, soon smiled and wiped away my tears.
'Ever since I cried in front of Lahedis, it seems like I've been shedding tears more easily....'
Perhaps it was because I'd come to understand that these people would love me unconditionally, regardless of whether I wept.
With that thought in mind, I stifled my sobs and asked in a nasal voice.
"By the way, did the Emperor perhaps pressure you?"
"Ahem. You should use prettier words, Princess. What's with 'pressure'?"
"The proper conjugation is 'pressured.'"
"You don't need to worry about that. The Emperor can't get the better of your father."
"Really?"
"Your father is incredibly strong, after all. Even the all-powerful Emperor wouldn't dare act recklessly."
"...That sounds a bit like bluster to me."
Curtis Rohan stroked my head as I gazed up at him skeptically, letting out a soft chuckle.
"In any case, the point is you have nothing to worry about. Adults will handle adult matters on their own."
"I'm an adult too."
"Until you're married―"
Curtis Rohan paused mid-sentence and corrected himself.
"...No, that's not right. Even if you become a mother and a grandmother, you'll always be my child."
For just a fleeting moment, I thought I glimpsed a hint of sorrow in his eyes, but it was gone in an instant.
"Anyway, since you have your first love, shouldn't I properly introduce myself to them sometime?"
"Huh...?"
"Bring them home soon."
The smile on Curtis Rohan's face looked sinister, but surely that was just my imagination...?
---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------