Chapter 26
Mikael looked dumbfounded.
Even so, he seemed to decide that getting me safely back on the ground came first, and he raised both hands—like a trainer trying to calm down a dangerous beast.
“First, if you’re going to hold your daughter, Your Grace, please do it properly.”
“Huh?”
At those words, I was suddenly swept into my father’s arms. Then, as if falling, I wrapped both arms around his neck.
Father looked over at Mikael, as if asking, “Is this fine now?”
I, caught off guard, was completely blank.
It felt strange. Completely different from just moments ago, when I’d been dangling helplessly in midair.
He was warm and solid—the warmth of someone protecting me.
A blind, overwhelming sense of security. So big and powerful I wasn’t sure I even deserved to have it.
Rustle, rustle.
Father stroked my head.
This time it wasn’t rough or impatient. He wasn’t ruffling or tugging—it was gentle.
He’s… being kind.
I widened my eyes.
Then Father pressed softly at the back of my neck.
Like a mother dog carrying her pup by the scruff, it was an instinctive motion—a movement born of something primal, not conscious thought.
The distance between us seemed to vanish. For a fleeting instant, our worlds overlapped.
“Did you see that?”
Father looked at my brother as he spoke.
“Well, even so, Father, you still haven’t seen Adele’s cute side.”
“Hmph.”
My brother sneered. Father looked genuinely taken aback.
Apparently, the reason my brother felt superior… was me.
Remembering what I’d done just before—acting cute—I turned bright red.
“You acted cute? To him?”
That was odd. I’d thought Father was more composed than this, but he seemed to care quite a bit.
Why?
Wait… this feels a little like jealousy, doesn’t it?
Anyway, the storybooks said that people shouldn’t play favorites.
Brother’s family. Father’s family. I have to treat them both the same.
Before, I’d acted cute to survive. This time, my life wasn’t in danger anymore…
In front of me, the spirit nodded and flapped its wings.
Looking up at Father, I tried awkwardly to soothe him.
“It’s just… Adele was scared earlier… Daddy…”
“…”
“I’m happy Daddy saved me.”
Even calling him Daddy still felt awkward.
I tried my best, but Father’s expression didn’t change.
My own face, on the other hand, was burning up.
Brother had asked earlier if he could do something for me, but Father…
If he’d even made a small, awkward face—if there’d been any change—I might’ve found the courage to go on.
But he didn’t.
So I buried my face deep into his collar.
Ugh. What did I just do?
“…”
Father stayed still like a statue for a long time.
Only breathing quietly.
My brother dropped the weapon he was holding, and it clattered to the floor.
Everyone watching—servants included—fell silent.
Then Father tightened his arms around me and said through gritted teeth:
“Now I understand why people get violent when they see something cute.”
Agh—too tight, can’t breathe!
“I agree, Your Grace,” said Mikael.
“So cute…” murmured my brother.
It was like they said it one after another.
Then Blake, as if to himself, muttered something—and there was a crack as the glass he was holding shattered in his hand.
I always wondered where my brother kept finding things to break or burn. It was kind of impressive.
Anyway, the pretty, cozy classroom was now completely wrecked.
Father carried me out of the room in his arms.
And he didn’t put me down the entire way down the corridor.
“P-please put me down.”
“Why?”
“I… I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, Father.”
My head was spinning.
Even after sitting down on the sofa in another room, Father still hadn’t let me go.
I was sitting on his lap, facing him.
When Mikael, Log, and Blake followed us in, my face turned red again.
Just walking through the corridor in his arms had already been mortifying—so many servants had stared at us.
What must they all be thinking?
Probably that I was too childish.
They said the Duke was an incredibly high-ranking noble—even among nobles, one of the highest.
Shouldn’t a daughter like that be more elegant and refined?
Cinder-dust suited me better.
To be a real lady, you have to act mature.
I wasn’t fit to be called a duke’s daughter.
I’d acted cute to Father like I had to Brother—but only now did I realize how many people had seen it.
It was so embarrassing that I couldn’t even look toward the servants.
They all probably think I’m a silly, immature girl.
“You think too much,” Father said.
“Ow—hiiing.”
He flicked my forehead lightly.
Even if he’d controlled his strength, he was still the Duke—a man called a monster.
It hurt enough to make my head ring.
Maybe he just wanted me to stay on his lap.
Holding me from behind, Father said to Mikael:
“You came because of an emergency summons. But I’m fairly certain I said to use it only in situations equivalent to wartime.”
His tone was lazy, but his words were as sharp as a blade.
Mikael bowed his head. Log stood beside him.
Blake sat across from Father with his legs crossed, as if he belonged there.
He didn’t care that Mikael was speaking—he just rested his chin on his hand and stared right at me.
“I apologize, Your Grace. But I prioritized your order to protect the ‘child of prophecy’ even at the cost of my life.”
“You’re not wrong. Blake.”
“Yes?”
“Did you endanger Adele?”
“No. I only meant to teach her self-defense.”
Brother smiled at me as he said that.
Even though he was far away, my cheeks tingled.
It felt like he was right next to me.
But during our lesson, I’d been terrified of him.
Self-defense? Maybe that’s what he’d call it—but I’d thought he might actually kill me.
He said he didn’t hate me.
But his red eyes—no matter how I looked at them, I could never tell what he was thinking.
They said eyes were windows to the soul, but his didn’t move at all.
Then again, neither did Father’s.
I could never read what either of them was thinking.
Father’s voice came from above my head.
“He says so, Mikael.”
“But why would the young lady need to learn self-defense? There are plenty of knights here to guard her. She only needs protection. If she gets hurt handling weapons—”
“How would she get hurt handling a weapon?”
At that, Mikael froze, speechless.
Later, he’d admit he’d barely managed not to sigh and had thought to himself, ‘These people… their talent is just monstrous.’
“I’ve said it many times—my lady is fragile.”
“Kyaaah!”
Father suddenly lifted me high into the air again.
I let out a startled squeak.
When he settled me back into his arms, my heart was pounding like crazy.
Across from us, my brother reached out and pinched my cheek.
“She’s like rice cake.”
Then he stretched it.
“Ahhyoooww!”
“That’s exactly what I meant—if you handle her carelessly, she’ll get hurt!” Mikael said.
“Yes, yes! You must treat her like fine glass! Don’t throw her! If you drop her, she’ll break!”
“Kyaaah!”
“Break?”
“She’ll break!”
Father looked at me as if wondering how such a fragile creature could even exist.
Having been thrown twice now, I was trembling in shock, my heart racing wildly.
Brother looked down at the fingers that had pinched my cheek.
“She probably won’t actually break,” he muttered.
“Of course not. But still—handle her gently, carefully, slowly. Got it?”
“…Sure.”
Father didn’t seem to take it very seriously.
I rubbed my cheek where Brother had stretched it—it was hot and a little sore.
I was grateful that Mikael was defending me, but I stayed silent.
It didn’t feel like a moment I could interrupt.
“Anyway,” Father said, resting his chin lightly on my head, “let’s talk about Adele’s lessons. We still have to teach her something, don’t we?”
Brother offered an idea.
“If we can’t do self-defense, how about a field trip? Take her to the battlefield.”
“A fine idea. Let her see with her own eyes how peaceful villages become ruins when she’s not there.”
“That’s not a fine idea, you two,” Mikael said, pressing his fingers to his forehead.
As if ignoring him, Brother rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“Then we’ll take her to a candy shop.”
“Good idea. Tell her that without her, even those sweet candies would all turn to ash—it’ll be educational.”
“No, it won’t.”
“Then a dessert shop?”
“Excellent. We can say that without Adele, these desserts—”
“That’s not the point!”
They were clearly talking about me, but I couldn’t focus on their words anymore.
All I could feel was Father’s hand gently stroking my head.
