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Brought to you by ‌‌Valir Scans! To support ‌‌‌our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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Episode 15
"Hooo. Apudi maa, apudi maa."
Perched atop Patriarch Grandfather's shoulders, I patted his chest rhythmically and blew warm breath against his face.
I watched as the tight line of his jaw gradually loosened.
"Ah, you saw the blood on my collar."
"You shouldn't hurt. If Patriarch hurts... Driblyane hurts."
"What a clever child. This isn't my blood, so ‌‌‌‌there's nothing to worry about."
Of course it wouldn't be the Patriarch's blood. But words are funny things—their meaning shifts depending on how you use them.
And at that very moment, someone who didn't know when to ‌‌‌stay silent barged ‌in with his entire face twisted in malice.
"What is this nonsense? Patriarch! That's a barbarian! Look what it did to me!"
Like frozen tundra melting beneath spring sun, Patriarch Grandfather's expression, ‌‌‌which had been softening, froze over once more in an instant.
This time, unmistakable anger flashed in his dark eyes as they fixed on Gerd. He flinched and took a step backward.
"I won't say much. You will remain confined to the successor's quarters until you repent for your ‌‌wrongdoing." ‌‌‌
"What? But I'm injured! Can't you see? If the King, my father, learns I'm hurt, he won't just sit idle...!"
"If you defy this order, know that I will strip you of your successor status ‌‌by my authority and send you back to that country you love so dearly."
Wow, he's completely finished!
How can someone be so spectacularly foolish?
'How dare he invoke the King before Patriarch ‌‌‌‌Grandfather!'
Gerd should just go back to his own place!
"Then I'll take the frightened child and go."
"Yes. Raphiren's lessons, which I was planning to begin today, should be postponed until tomorrow."
"Yes, Father. Then I'll take my leave."
Kirakserus patted my back and began casting a teleportation spell.
I quickly waved my paws toward Patriarch Grandfather.
"Patriarch, goodbye."
The next moment, my ‌‌‌vision blurred and the scenery changed. It was my bedroom.
* * *
After settling me on the bed, Kirakserus ordered that no one enter. Then he knelt on one knee before me and carefully examined my tail.
"Does it hurt much?"
"A little sore. But it's okay. Gerd got punished anyway."
"Yes, he was punished. Though he should have received a far greater one."
Kirakserus muttered quietly, grinding his teeth.
'Why is he being so... unexpectedly gentle with me?'
Is ‌‌‌‌‌it because I'm more useful than I thought?
'But ‌‌then again, he came to see me for the first time in forever.'
Kirakserus's behavior is a bit embarrassing and nice, but what feels strangest of all is the awkwardness itself.
Now that he's become the young Patriarch and will eventually become the nineteenth Patriarch, he's technically my father-in-law... but that doesn't make him my father either.
'Why is he so worried like this?'
I pressed my soft little paw against that villain's forehead with ‌‌a gentle tap.
"It's really okay. As long as you don't worry, it's fine!"
"...John won't receive proper protection, so he'll ‌‌‌face disciplinary measures."
"No, no! That's not right! John didn't do anything wrong!"
"Failing to ‌‌properly guard the lady of the house is a crime in itself. What else would it be?"
"That... no."
Ugh, how frustrating!
I tapped Pompom twice, hard, as it continued circling ‌‌‌beside me.
"Power! Can't beat it!"
-How could a mere escort knight possibly ‌‌‌‌stand against the heir of Driblyane with ‌‌‌‌genuine resistance?
"He already drew his sword!"
-Just drawing his blade is honestly grounds for severe punishment!
"I wasn't protected because of him—he simply ‌‌‌lacked the authority to do more."
-John didn't have the authority to respond beyond that. But you can't blame John for it! If anything, why didn't you give him the authority in the first place?!
Kirakserus stared at me as I huffed indignantly. Then he turned his head away slightly, muttering, "Even your angry barking is adorable."
Wait, is how cute I ‌‌am really the important thing right now?!
"You always say ‌‌‌‌I'm cute! Right now! John! That's the topic!"
-I'm always cute, aren't I? But the important conversation ‌right now isn't about that—it's about John! Aren't you paying attention?!
Ah, that felt ‌‌good.
With Pompom properly translating, my frustration finally seemed to settle.
"...You've always gotten angry like that whenever I ‌‌‌tried to do something ‌unreasonable."
...What kind of nonsense is he spouting now?
Since he kept saying strange things, I gave him a sidelong glare, and Kirakserus stood up with a strangely relieved expression.
"Fine. I won't punish John."
"Mm."
"The reason Raphiren discovered you first earlier was because he was scheduled to take on some basic lessons starting today."
"Lessons for a daughter-in-law?" ‌
"Yes. Raphiren will teach you about Driblyane. ‌‌And once he's assessed your abilities adequately, he'll find a suitable teacher matched to your level."
Oh, so I get to study!
Most children would find studying absolutely dreadful, but I wasn't most children.
'I need ‌‌‌to study hard and maintain my position as ‌‌‌‌‌‌a daughter-in-law!'
Truth be told, everything a person can do while alive brings me joy. If I die this time, I don't know what I'll become next, but if I become a beast-kin again in the next life, everything I learn in this life will be tremendously helpful.
"Oh, and about your status issue."
I flinched.
At the sudden mention of "status," ‌‌my round ears perked up with ‌‌‌caution.
Kirakserus glanced at me, then plopped down beside me. It was hardly a noble posture, yet somehow his unruly appearance suited him well.
"We're working on it. There is someone who could become your adoptive mother, but the current situation is a bit complicated."
"An...adoptive mother?"
Family? Who would accept someone like me?
Not self-deprecation—this was simply an objective fact.
An albino who knows not where she came from, unable to even humanize ‌‌properly?
Of course, I now had the false reputation of being a saint, but....
"There's someone I can trust, but they're currently in seclusion in the Yanterosa Mountain Range, so I'll have to go find them."
"Yanterosa...?"
Could it be that Yanterosa?!
In the original story, there ‌‌was definitely an episode where Rahyun encountered an avalanche. I remember an event where she got trapped in a mountain lodge with one of the ‌‌male leads.
According to legend, the entire treacherous peaks of the Yanterosa Mountain Range were formed from the petrified body of a dragon....
That's why ‌‌‌outsiders couldn't peer into the mountain range through magic, and a natural mana barrier had been generated, making ‌‌‌magical attacks difficult as well. It was the perfect place for someone ‌to hide.
"Don't worry too much and just wait."
Thinking I was anxious, Kirakserus pressed down on my head and stroked it gently. For a moment, his expression seemed so tender that I simply couldn't comprehend it.
"Why are you being so ‌kind to me?"
Perhaps that's why the question I'd been deliberately suppressing finally burst out.
"You call me a saint even though it's a lie... you take my side, and you even gave ‌‌me Pompom."
As I counted up all the kind things Kirakserus had done for me, there were more than I expected. The problem was, there was no reason for him to treat me this way.
Until now, I'd let it slide, but look at what just happened. Anyone could see that Kirakserus took my side.
And now he's saying he'll give me a proper identity, even though I was a spy?
Why?
"I've always cherished my collections."
"...But I'm not your collection."
"I never wanted to marry, but I've always wanted to have a daughter."
"...But I'm not a daughter. I'm a daughter-in-law...(I'm ‌‌not a daughter)."
Kindness without price ‌‌‌‌‌is frightening. Afraid it might consume me.
If I received something after paying a price, my heart would be at ease, but I had nothing to give him.
At best, preventing the downfall of Driblyane, which no one else knows about? ‌‌‌
'But even if Driblyane disappears, Kirakserus still has the Magic Tower.'
So every time I receive something, I just feel like I'm accumulating more debt. ‌‌‌‌‌
"So you're wondering why I haven't exposed your identity and thrown you out of here right now."
Would it be strange if Kirakserus's expression seemed pained?
But soon he widened his eyes ‌‌‌and concealed ‌‌‌his expression, gently ‌‌‌stroking my head.
"You are the last proof that I still possess humanity." ‌‌
"Huh...?"
I thought he was finally going to give me a proper answer... but his response was so absurd that I became utterly bewildered instead.
Since the original story was from ‌‌‌‌‌the Holy Empire's perspective, the 'villain' mentioned in the original might not actually be ‌‌‌‌a true villain... I knew that much, but....
Still, the way Kirakserus appeared to me now was, how should I put it. Truly warm.
Like he was treating me as a daughter born from his own heart?
'But there was no reason between ‌‌‌us for that at all.'
We'd only met a week ago.
"Throughout the generations, the masters of the Magic Tower have lost their humanity before overwhelming power."
"...." ‌‌
"Every time I see you, I realize that I still have a human heart within me."
Ah... so that means....
"A guardian of villainous conscience...? A talisman of human morality...?" ‌‌‌‌
Hup, a thought I should have kept to myself tumbled right out of my mouth.
I clamped my lips shut and glanced around nervously, and he let out a soft chuckle.
"Let's call it even then."

---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, ‌‌please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------