CHAPTER 49………………………….
I couldn’t hold it in any longer and screamed reflexively.
At the same time, Derek Dad looked down at me with a rare expression of surprise.
“Cici?”
Mom and Harzen Dad, who were standing in the hallway, must have heard my voice, because they called my name, too.
They soon spotted us and began running toward me.
“…Cici.”
Noticing that something was wrong, Derek Dad gently stroked my head with one hand.
But my gaze wasn’t on Derek Dad.
Nor was it on Mom and Harzen Dad, who had just rushed up to me.
My eyes were fixed on only one person.
Standing a few steps away, as if isolated from this scene—
With a blank expression, so unlike his usual self, staring quietly in this direction, as though everything before had been a fabricated illusion.
At the man who would kill my mother.
“Are you really okay, Cici?”
A little while later, Mom asked as she laid me down on the bed.
I slowly nodded.
After I had shouted, “No!”—
Mom and the dads had panicked and started checking on me.
‘And this is the result.’
Even though I said I was fine, that I’d just been thinking about something else for a moment, they wouldn’t let it go.
“You look really pale…”
Mom’s worried voice came as she brushed her hand across my forehead.
Seeing that she still laid me down despite my reassurances, my complexion must have looked pretty bad.
“You’ll feel better after a little nap.”
Then she gently placed her palm over my eyes and began to hum a lullaby.
Normally, I would’ve fallen asleep right away to her song, but—
‘How could I possibly sleep right now?’
I sighed inwardly and clenched the blanket in my fists.
Realizing that I wasn’t going to sleep, Mom lifted her hand.
“Can’t sleep?”
“Yeah.”
“You usually love your naps.”
That was back when I had nothing to worry about.
“It’s time for me to go take care of Grandma’s treatment now.”
Finally, Mom sighed as if she had no choice and stood up.
I instinctively grabbed her hand and looked up at her with pleading eyes.
“Why aren’t you taking me with you today? Let me come too!”
“I’m sorry, Cici.”
But she just smiled softly and gently slipped her hand from mine.
“Today, it’ll just be me and Harzen Dad. You haven’t seen Derek Dad in a while, right?”
“Derek Dad can come too!”
“If he comes, I don’t think I’ll be able to focus. And since what happened last time still isn’t resolved, I think it’s better for you not to come today.”
She must mean the Truth Cookie Incident.
I frowned a little.
“Harzen Dad is going with you, right?”
“Yes, why? Should I tell him to stay here instead?”
“No! You two have to go together!”
Don’t ever split up—no matter what happens, stay together.
I shook my head fiercely.
Bertolt probably couldn’t make a move right now, but I still couldn’t shake the anxiety.
“…I’m sorry I can’t stay with you, Cici. I’ll be back soon, so have fun with Derek, okay?”
Then Mom kissed my forehead and waved her hand.
Harzen Dad kissed the top of my head too before slowly walking out.
I waved until they completely disappeared from view, then let out a deep sigh.
And immediately, I felt a heavy gaze pressing on me.
Of course, it was Derek Dad.
“…Cici.”
He looked at me quietly, softly calling my name—
as if to ask what was wrong.
‘If only I could tell him the truth.’
If only I could at least say that Mom was in danger.
“Mom—”
I opened my mouth hesitantly, but—
[Warning]
A statement that could cause major disruption to the world system has been detected.
If such statements continue, penalties such as breathing difficulty or death may follow.
As if it already knew what I was about to say, a red warning window appeared before me, blocking my voice.
I immediately closed my mouth and pouted my lower lip.
Well, I didn’t expect much anyway.
‘Should I just tell him that something bad might happen to Harzen Dad instead?’
…No.
After worrying about Mom so much, if I suddenly said Harzen Dad was in danger, even Derek Dad wouldn’t believe me.
And even if he did, it’d be a problem if their attention shifted from Mom to Harzen Dad.
‘It’s best if I just watch Bertolt and stop him before anything happens.’
I turned my eyes toward the newly appeared system message.
[Original Work: Incomplete Mode Activated]
The story cannot currently proceed smoothly due to unmet conditions required for the main storyline.
It will be automatically reset to the optimal route based on the characters’ personalities.
At least it hadn’t reset to the “optimal route” yet.
That meant Bertolt hadn’t fully established his plan to kill Mom.
Come to think of it, I hadn’t started coughing even when Bertolt was nearby earlier.
‘Still, I can’t just relax.’
It was only a matter of time.
Last time, I trusted the message that said progress was paused until the dads returned—and look how that turned out.
I’m not making the same mistake twice.
‘How exactly does Bertolt plan to kill Mom?’
If I could just figure that out, stopping him would be so much easier.
I groaned softly.
Assassination?
‘No, that can’t be it.’
Mom’s strong enough to take down monsters on her own.
She’s a veteran—completely used to surprise attacks.
‘Then poison?’
But since the Empress incident, food inspections in the palace have been stricter than ever.
‘No, I need to consider every possibility.’
I can’t rule anything out based on assumptions.
‘The most important thing is to find out Bertolt’s plan ahead of time.’
Eavesdrop, spy—whatever it takes, I need to know.
But how…?
‘Wait a second—!’
A thought suddenly flashed through my mind.
“Um, excuse me.”
I immediately turned to the maids standing around my bed.
“I want to talk to my dad alone for a bit…”
“Yes, we’ll step outside.”
As expected, the maids were quick to understand.
“Dad.”
Once the door closed completely, I rummaged in my pocket and pulled something out.
It was the listening device I’d received from Kyle Dad earlier.
“You know what I realized?”
I looked between the bug and Derek Dad as I spoke.
“There’s no need to attach this thing to a place, right?”
We could just attach it directly to Bertolt!
Now that I thought about it, why bother sticking it under a desk or bed or wall corner?
“If we just stick it, like this, on your clothes—see? You can’t even tell, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, now wave your arm like this.”
At my words, Derek Dad immediately swung his long arm vigorously.
I stared at the floor and the bed for a moment, then gave a big thumbs-up.
Yep, as expected of Kyle Dad’s invention.
Genius Dad—he’s the best!
