Chapter 05
“There will be no more business trips from now on.”
“What? What do you mean, Your Grace?”
Flio asked again, as if he had misheard. Lucero answered calmly.
“I mean exactly what I said. I won’t be going on business trips anymore.”
“Your Grace, that makes no sense! You are the head of the Foreign Ministry!”
That was true. Lucero was in charge of the empire’s diplomacy. Which meant frequent travel.
“Your Grace, do you think the head goes on trips for no reason? You go to understand foreign situations faster and prepare for them!”
Lucero’s eyes turned sharp.
“Flio, are you trying to teach me?”
“G-Goodness, that’s not what I mean!”
Flio was afraid of Lucero, but he still had to speak.
“Your Grace, look at the previous heads of the ministry. Who ever refused a trip because of their child?”
“I’m right here.”
“Your Grace, this is not the time for jokes! What about the document sealed by the Imperial Palace?”
“Oh, this?”
Lucero waved the document in his hand and smiled.
“I can just burn it.”
Whoosh!
“W-What?!”
Before Flio could react, Lucero used a magic stone to set the document on fire. Flio rushed forward in shock.
“Your Grace! Burning it won’t solve anything!”
He tried to blow out the flames, but it was useless. The paper had already turned to ash.
“Then you go instead.”
After burning the document, Lucero walked out of the office calmly, as if it had nothing to do with him.
Left alone, Flio grabbed his hair and screamed.
“Ahhh! Does he only think about himself?!”
He thought,
‘What is that wild horse planning now? I’m always the one who has to fix everything!’
If not for his loans, he would have run away long ago.
The next morning.
“Ah!”
What is this?!
The moment I saw the man in front of me, I couldn’t help but scream.
“My daughter, did you sleep well?”
Lucero was leaning over my cradle, looking down at me. He was smiling in a strange, satisfied way—like a villain.
‘What is it this time?!’
Seeing him so early in the morning made me nervous.
When I narrowed my eyes at him, he smiled brightly and picked me up from the cradle. Then he suddenly pulled me against his chest.
“From today on, Daddy will feed you himself!”
‘What? Feed me? Aren’t you a Duke? Aren’t you supposed to be busy?!’
My mouth fell open.
“Huu! (No, let me go!)”
“Oh? My daughter likes that? I should’ve done this sooner!”
“Huuu! (No! I said no!)”
‘Are you trying to make me choke? Bring Dana, Flynn, and Molly!’
I waved my arms and legs to protest. But it was useless.
“You like it, right? I knew being with Daddy is the best.”
Whatever I said, Lucero interpreted it his own way.
‘Fine. Do whatever you want.’
There was no point arguing. My mouth just hurt.
He was the type to make you give up.
People might say,
“Why are you being so difficult? He’s a good father.”
That’s true. Unlike the rumors, Lucero always smiled at me and treated me kindly. I knew that.
‘But still…’
I don’t want to be abandoned again.
‘What if I get abandoned because I’m not good enough?’
The maids take care of me because it’s their job.
But being abandoned by family…
‘It would feel like the past repeating.’
That’s why I couldn’t open my heart easily.
‘If I’m going to be abandoned after giving my heart, it’s better not to give it at all.’
As long as this is Pietra, my position can change at any time.
Even the marquis house I once lived in obsessed over birthstones and abilities, running all kinds of experiments to get a strong child. Would a ducal house be any different? Probably worse.
So I must prepare myself.
Even if I get abandoned later, I must be ready.
Looking at Lucero, I repeated words I couldn’t say out loud.
‘Please don’t be too kind… I might disappoint you.’
It had already been four days since Lucero started visiting constantly.
Today again, he came to my room.
“My daughter, are you thirsty? Shall I give you water?”
He shook the bottle and asked. I nodded and reached out. He handed it to me.
Holding the bottle quietly, I thought,
‘Why does he keep coming? Doesn’t he have work?’
He visited me anytime he had the chance.
‘I thought Dukes were busy.’
Just as I was thinking that—
“Your Grace!”
A man with glasses ran toward us.
“You’re here, Flio.”
Lucero answered calmly.
“Your Grace, this is not the time to relax! The business trip is right around the corner!”
‘Business trip?’
Is he going abroad?
Lucero responded lazily.
“Flio, didn’t I say I’m not going?”
“Your Grace, this is an imperial order!”
Flio jumped in panic.
‘An order from the Emperor?’
Lucero simply patted my head.
“Who says only the head must go? I can send someone under me.”
He waved his hand dismissively.
“Your Grace! This is not something subordinates can handle!”
“That’s enough. Leave, Flio. My daughter needs to drink water.”
“Your Grace!”
“Leave.”
“Ah!”
Startled by his voice, I dropped the bottle.
Water spilled everywhere—on the floor and on Lucero’s clothes.
“Y-Young miss spilled the water…”
Flio looked between us in horror.
‘Oh no!’
I closed my eyes tightly.
‘I’ll get scolded!’
But—
“Did Ale want to play with the water? Is that why you brought it outside?”
His voice was gentle.
‘…Huh?’
I slowly opened my eyes.
“But the water says it wants to stay inside the bottle.”
Lucero smiled softly and called the maids to clean up.
“If you want to play with water, shall we take a bath later? Warm water, and play with the duck and cat dolls?”
He gave me a new bottle and looked at me kindly.
It was strange.
‘He doesn’t hit me… even when I make a mistake?’
He clearly knew it was my fault, yet he treated it like nothing.
Maybe because of that, I wanted to trust him.
‘Maybe… just a little.’
From that moment, I slowly began to open my heart to Lucero.
Humans adapt quickly.
It had been five months since I became Allegria. Many things felt normal now.
And two changes had happened.
First, I can sit by myself.
“Mm… ngh.”
“Oh my, are you trying to sit?”
“You can do it!”
After several tries, I finally sat up on my own.
“Congratulations!”
“You did well!”
Second, I’m no longer afraid of Lucero.
“Allegria!”
He ran into my room again today.
“Your Grace, please think about your work—”
Flio followed.
“Are you telling me not to watch my daughter sit up for the 32nd time?”
“That’s not what I meant…”
“If not for you, I would’ve seen it from the beginning.”
“Your Grace, raising a child is good, but your duties—”
“Are you arguing with me?”
“I-I’m not…”
“That’s enough. Go back.”
Flio’s eyes filled with tears.
“Please save me from this mountain of work, Your Grace!”
Lucero smiled.
“If you don’t leave now, I’ll come back after six hours instead of two—”
“W-What?! I’ll leave now! Please don’t say that!”
Flio ran away again.
‘He’s just trying to make a living…’
I felt a little sorry for him.
‘Next time, I’ll give him a toy.’
While I was thinking that, Lucero picked me up.
“My daughter sat by herself again today?”
“Uuu! (Yes!)”
When I smiled, Dana said,
“It seems the young miss has completely adjusted to His Grace.”
“Of course she has. Whose daughter is she?”
Lucero lifted his chin proudly.
“My daughter was only shy for a while.”
‘Mm.’
I have a lot to say… but I’ll stay quiet.
Since I cried so much at first, it makes sense he thinks that.
Maybe because he holds me so often, I now feel strange if he doesn’t.
Then Lucero made a new suggestion.
“My daughter, shall we go see your older brothers?”
‘Older brothers?’
