CHAPTER 60…………………………………………..
And does Irina know why the temple is searching for her father?
Strangely, no matter which way you look at it, I had a foreboding sense that it wouldn’t be good for Irina.
Lian climbed to the office and opened the door with a light knock.
“Father, I’m here.”
The only certainty was the intuition that Irina’s presence was going to stir up a massive storm.
As Lian entered the office, Alexis rose from his seat immediately.
Just as when Irina returned to the ducal residence after three years, one might have expected her to arrive with Alisha, but there was no one beside Lian.
Alexis’s expression twisted slightly as he looked directly at Lian.
Even if angry, he had expected her to come because of Irina.
“She refused to come?”
It wasn’t hard to understand Alisha’s reasoning. Angelica didn’t want to lose Irina, killed her father, and hadn’t fully cared for her until the end.
Still, regardless of any resentment toward the Rise family, this person—who had said Irina was like family—would naturally come to the ducal residence. After all, Irina was here.
“I went to meet her, but she apparently fled the village.”
“What?”
At Alexis’s expression, signaling that he wanted a detailed explanation, Lian swallowed a sigh that threatened to escape.
Even he had not yet figured out why the temple was searching for Irina.
“They came from the temple looking for Irina. Because Alisha had stayed with her, they’re apparently searching for Alisha as well.”
“Why on earth the temple?”
“That part… I don’t know yet.”
Trailing off, Lian’s words made Alexis slump into his chair, rubbing his dry hands across his face.
No one had expected the temple to suddenly get involved while searching for Alisha.
“What happened?” they both wanted to ask—but the words never came.
Their real concern was one thing: did Irina know about this?
Not just that Alisha had run away, but that it involved the temple.
“I don’t know the reason, but if Alisha fled, it’s best Irina doesn’t get entangled with the temple.”
No one at the ducal residence would have imagined that the noble daughter there was the same Irina being sought by the temple’s knights.
Until the reason for the search became clear, it was better to act cautiously and observe the situation.
“April… should stay at the villa for a while.”
Lian added this carefully, agreeing with Alexis’s opinion.
Had Barak heard this, he would have jumped in outrage, but unfortunately, Alexis agreed with Lian.
If April returned fully recovered, Irina would naturally have to leave the ducal residence.
Yet Alexis had no intention of letting Irina go without first discovering why the temple sought her.
He knew the temple was not all benevolent.
While it helped the commoners of the capital, if it truly wanted to reach all empire citizens—or even the entire continent—would it try to monopolize healing?
And he couldn’t shake the unease of the priest who always lingered beside Rozian.
“Does Irina even know the temple is searching for her? Even if she knows, would she tell anyone?”
No, would she even believe them if they said they were worried about her?
Alexis did not answer Lian’s question. He knew Irina would likely think negatively.
With a voice full of concern, Alexis remained silent, neither affirming nor denying.
If they said nothing and hid the truth until Irina found out, the aftermath would be even greater.
There was only one thing Alexis wanted to tell her honestly:
“This time, I’ll protect her.”
If the temple learned of Irina’s existence and tried to take her, he would protect her by any means.
Even if she didn’t believe him, he had brought her to treat her as his daughter.
And even if she was just a stand-in, he would protect her fully as long as she was in that role.
He had failed to keep a promise with her real father three years ago, but this time he would make sure.
“As long as she is in this house, she is my daughter.”
At Alexis’s words, Lian let out a relieved sigh and smiled faintly.
Suddenly, without a knock, the door swung open.
Without needing to look back, only one person in the ducal residence could enter the office at will.
“Barak.”
Calling his younger sibling with a stern voice, Barak strode in, not even sneering.
Perhaps because he hadn’t spoken a word while bringing Irina, Barak treated himself like a ghost.
“What is it?”
“I have something to say.”
Judging by Barak’s stiff voice, he must have had another argument with Irina.
“I want to stay at the villa for a while.”
No one here could misunderstand why: the reason was entirely April.
Staying at the villa was better for everyone—Irina, Barak, and even April alone at the villa—than being together at the ducal residence.
Barak’s request to stay at the villa was also tinged with resentment: resentment for not properly caring for his daughter and sister.
“Is your harshness toward Irina because of your guilt toward April?”
Alexis’s expression was conflicted.
When they had found April, everyone at the ducal residence remembered how Barak, usually stoic, had cried in front of others.
It was a mixture of guilt, relief, and remorse. If he hadn’t lost April, she wouldn’t have suffered for so long.
Having found April, one might expect that, given how long she had stayed with Irina, he would be less harsh. Yet contrary to expectations, Barak became even stricter with Irina after April returned.
Though silent in response to Alexis’s question, Barak’s silence implied affirmation.
“…Do you really think Irina pushed April?”
“Still, she lived as your sister, here in this house, for a time.”
Irina’s voice flashed through Lian’s mind.
His answer remained: no, he didn’t believe she had pushed her.
Who wouldn’t know? It was the parents who had brought the girl who looked exactly like April and treated her like a doll.
Probably everyone at the ducal residence who knew Irina thought the same.
Yet why did people side with April?
To more comfortably expel Irina from the residence and justify that they had no choice but to do so.
Now, bringing Irina back, in Barak’s eyes:
“If everyone in the Rise ducal household is kind to Irina, it’s hypocrisy.”
“….”
“Father, brother, if you truly worried about Irina and couldn’t ignore the bond you formed…”
Barak’s lips twisted slightly.
“You should have done everything to prevent her from leaving this house.”
“….”
“And now, asking if she pushed April—what am I supposed to say?”
Bringing her back out of guilt and the need for apology.
“Bringing her back is your hypocrisy, Father.”
Barak, always sharp-tongued, cut deeper this time because every word he said was true.
If he hadn’t been terminally ill, if he had more time, he wouldn’t have brought Irina back.
It was selfishness, to relieve his guilt, and hypocrisy.
“Yes, it’s my hypocrisy.”
Alexis had no intention of denying it.
“Here, take it.”
I handed the bouquet to Sir Adonis, who blinked in surprise.
She alternated glances between the bouquet and my face as I smiled gently.
“The bouquet is so heavy, I think my arms will drop it.”
Urging her to take it, she quickly accepted the bouquet.
The dessert shop where we were was famous even within the capital.
I didn’t want to offer congratulations in a noisy, crowded place, and a guest here would likely have some standing or wealth.
It wasn’t bad if word spread among acquaintances that Adonis and I were here.
“What is this?”
“You’ve been doing well in the tournament, right? I heard the semifinals are coming up soon.”
“….”
“This is kind of a congratulatory meeting.”
“But I already received congratulations then.”
“That’s one thing; this is another.”
Winning a match and preparing for the semifinals were two entirely different situations.
