IBWMD 134

~Chapter 134~

“Haa, haa.”

Not long after, we stood before the mansion gates.

A door I knew all too well.

Small if you called it small, big if you called it big—too simple and modest for a high noble’s estate, yet far too large to be a commoner’s house. That was where our mansion stood.

“This is…”

“Yeah.”

Our home in the capital.

The Pascal Marquisate.

‘This feels awkward.’

I hadn’t wanted to involve my family, but we had no choice.

We needed warmth and a physician.

‘Even just getting here was rough.’

Since the marquis’ mansion was deeper inside the capital, the security and patrols were much stricter than on the outskirts.

If I hadn’t carved out a shortcut while serving in the Holy Knights—rushing home whenever I left work early—we might not have made it.

‘Captain Ista… how in the world did you get caught that the crackdown became this intense?’

Thinking he must be in the hands of some patrol by now, I slipped over the wall of the mansion.

If we entered through the main gate, the servants would all come running. Better to sneak in quietly…

“Oh.”

“Oh my.”

But as I slipped inside, I locked eyes with a maid.

Someone I didn’t recognize—she must be new.

“Uh… well, hello?”

“Marquis!”

Before I could even say anything, the maid dashed off like lightning.

I broke out in a cold sweat and ran after her. Karl followed behind me at an easy pace.

“Why chase her?”

“Huh?”

“You haven’t done anything wrong. You’re just returning home.”

“…I just didn’t want to announce it so suddenly!”

“You seem nervous, Elaine.”

“Uh, well…”

“You asked me if I was ready to meet your father. But aren’t you the one trembling?”

He wanted to tease me about it. My lips pouted on their own.

“I can’t help it. It’s a habit.”

My father wasn’t exactly the easiest man.

He was still an active army officer—a stern, middle-aged soldier type.

‘Although… he often let me win.’

But when it came to honor, he was strict, stubborn, and unyielding.

Even if there were reasons, I doubted he’d welcome a daughter who married out, then returned home like a defeated soldier.

‘Is he going to make me start with military drills?’

And to make matters worse, I’d hoped to sneak in quietly. But like this, I was announcing my return to the entire household.

“Wait!”

I shouted desperately, but she ignored me.

Damn.

The new maid was faster than I thought. I shouldn’t have underestimated a servant hired into a soldier’s household.

Not only sprinting at full speed in uniform, but even vaulting over fences—watching it made me laugh bitterly.

“Is this right?”

“The maid has already reached the entrance, Elaine.”

“This is bad.”

And sure enough—

“Marquis!”

My father was already there!

Wearing shabby work clothes, as if he’d been tending the garden.

I sighed. That was his habit whenever his mind was troubled.

And now, here I was—his daughter who married into the north—returning home in rags.

What a sight…

“Wait—!”

“Marquis! An intruder! An intruder is here!”

The maid shouted before I could stop her.

In that instant, my father turned his head sharply. Our eyes met.

“…Elaine?”

Uh oh.

‘Maybe I should retreat…’

But before the thought could settle, my father came charging at me like a bull.

‘He’s going to crash into me!’

I squeezed my eyes shut, remembering all the times he “trained” me with body tackles as a kid. Karl instinctively moved to shield me.

“Elaine, you rascal!”

Crack!

My sixty-year-old father dodged Karl with shocking speed and grabbed me tight, squeezing me as if he’d wring me dry.

I hadn’t expected this.

“Father, wait—”

“…You reckless brat!”

Was it just my imagination, or was his voice trembling?

“You stubborn, pigheaded, disobedient child!”

“You do know I got that from you, right?”

I tapped his arm, gasping for breath. At last, he released me.

I stared at his face, noticing new wrinkles. My heart sank.

“…Father.”

His face showed just how much he’d suffered because of his youngest child.

Sniffling, his reddened eyes fixed on me as he grabbed my shoulders.

“I regretted letting you go.”

“….”

Unlike the strict father who used to scold me endlessly—

“I never raised you as a man just to send you away like that.”

His words carried so many emotions.

“The truth is, I knew… you didn’t really want it.”

“….”

“I just wanted you to be safe…”

“I know.”

Yes, I knew.

Even if he coldly rejected my wish to quit the army, to stop crossdressing…

‘He did it for me.’

It was my father who forced me to live as a boy so demons wouldn’t take me away.

Not because he wanted to—but because he wanted to protect me.

A choice only a loving father would make.

And he raised me strong. Whenever others insulted me, he was the first to step forward and fight in my place.

I felt embarrassed for expecting scolding instead of welcome.

‘Why did I think he’d be angry?’

Of course a father would be glad to see his child return.

And seeing his shabby appearance, I realized my sudden departure had left him hurting too.

‘He raised me to avoid demons, but I went straight to a place of death anyway.’

The grip on my shoulders told me everything—love, worry, fear.

I patted him gently.

“Don’t worry. I know.”

“…Then why are you here?”

“Well…”

“Did you stab the Duke and run away?”

My eyebrow shot up.

Why did that sound like he was hoping it was true?

“…No?”

“Why not?”

“Why would I stab my husband?”

“Because that happens sometimes.”

“No, it doesn’t. Normal people talk it out.”

“I heard all wives dream of killing their husbands at least once.”

“They don’t!”

“And if the husband causes trouble, the honorable way is to duel him. Kill or be killed—that’s our family tradition.”

“That’s not true. You just made that up!”

He had just invented the weirdest family rule ever.

But ignoring me, he went on:

“There are many ways. Push him off the wall during an inspection, or lure him into dangerous prey while hunting…”

“I said I’m not doing that!”

I didn’t come here to kill him. I came to save him.

As I blocked each outrageous idea—

“….”

“….”

My father’s gaze finally shifted.

Toward Karl, who had silently been standing behind me.

The man whose murder my father had just been plotting aloud.

My father’s eyes narrowed sharply.

“Father, this is—”

I tried to introduce Karl.

But my father spoke first, with obvious disdain.

“Who’s that foppish gigolo?”

The highest praise a man could get in the army was being called handsome. And my father had said it like an insult.

“…That’s how it happened.”

A few minutes later, in the private reception room of the Marquisate.

I had explained our situation while sipping tea, my eyes watching Father.

Of course, I left out the detailed parts—only giving a vague summary that someone in the capital had schemed against us, leaving Karl sick.

Beth and Reina, who had rushed over as soon as they heard the news, sat beside us and nodded quietly.

Now, only Father’s reaction remained.

‘Am I finally going to get scolded this time?’

After all, I had come all the way to the capital, barging in to settle things without much of a plan.

Knowing Father’s personality, he’d probably criticize me for acting without preparation.

‘Though even if I went back, I’d make the same choice.’

Anyway, since everything was out in the open, I figured I might as well borrow Father’s wisdom.

He had been listening with a serious face the whole time. Then, his sharp eyes shifted—

Not to me, but to Karl, who had been sitting silently pressed close to my side.

“So then…”

“Yes. Our plan is—”

“That’s my son-in-law?”

That?

The way he said it, dripping with disdain, made my eyebrow twitch.

“That weakling who coughs like a sick chicken, so frail, with nothing but a flashy face.”

“Make up your mind—is that an insult or a compliment?”

“You’re really saying that’s my son-in-law?”

Father’s glare was fiercer than mine had ever been.