Chapter 70
I ran with all my strength. At last, the Duke’s back appeared at the end of the path.
Had he stopped because he heard my voice? Then why wouldn’t he look this way? As if he’d heard something imaginary.
Swallowing my ragged breath, I barely managed to speak again. It was a word too embarrassing to say with a clear head.
“D–Dad…!”
The Duke flinched like a sparrow startled by a gunshot. Ah, that comparison really doesn’t suit him.
“Father… wait….”
“…Sol.”
He finally turned toward me. With the dazzling afternoon sun behind him, his face was hard to see.
But I knew. I knew exactly whose arms pulled me close the moment he stepped forward.
“Father… why didn’t you look back when I called you!”
“…”
He sharply turned his head, as if to hide his face. His voice, however, was curt.
“‘Dad’ is a word children use. You should say Father.”
“Hah, hahh… whatever, hic! I called you, didn’t I?”
“Why are you so exhausted? Does your academy lack physical training?”
“I just came back from volunteering in the mountains! That’s why!”
I was already drained, okay!
People say teenagers are the most energetic age, but that’s only when you’re playing around. A mountain trip really kills you.
I just collapsed limply into his arms. Ugh, I’m tired. The Duke picked me up with practiced ease.
“Shall we head to the visiting room?”
“Do you have something to say?”
“Nothing in particular. But I have two weeks’ worth of time I want to share.”
“….”
Wow, who is this? Where did the cold-blooded Duke go, and when did this poet descend?
But now wasn’t the time to be sentimental. I needed to think of an excuse for why I hadn’t seen him in a while.
“Um, Father, the thing is—”
“You’re not obligated to explain.”
“….”
“If that time was necessary for you to become who you are, then who am I to question it?”
“…Who are you? Excuse me, Duke Schlaeger, sir, did you get exorcised while I was gone?”
“….”
The Duke let out a deep sigh.
“I’m trying to be a slightly better father, but my daughter isn’t helping me.”
“Being a better father is fine, but right now you sound like someone who swallowed a parenting manual—or maybe an AI programmed to teach child-rearing.”
For a split second, the Duke stumbled in his stride. Hit a nerve, did I? Don’t tell me he actually studied how to raise kids. Doesn’t suit him at all…
The sight amused me, so I laughed as I adjusted the locket against my chest, making sure it hid the glow of my mana pearl.
We soon arrived at the visiting room.
“Father, please put me down.”
“Planning to run away and hole up in the dorm again?”
“I–I wasn’t running away! I was busy, really!”
“Don’t underestimate my lie detection skills.”
“…It’s true.”
“…Then let’s say I’ll hold you for as long as the distance you ran today to catch me.”
The visiting room attendant tried hard not to show his surprise.
We sat across from each other. But what now? My mouth froze up.
Luckily, the Duke spoke first.
“Do you have a lover?”
“Don’t spout nonsense!”
“Such a strong denial—”
“It’s just a denial.”
“…I see.”
His gaze lingered on the cheap cookies on the table before he finally spoke again.
“…When you didn’t return for so long, I thought you finally realized it.”
“Realized what?”
“That the Ducal estate is a dreadful place.”
“….”
“For anyone—especially children—it could never have been a good place.”
Almost as if in prayer, his long fingers laced together.
“When you lay on the floor begging to be sent to Albion, I thought that was just your way of preparing to leave me.”
“And yet you still sent me to school, thinking that?”
“Don’t get the wrong idea. I sent you to a school where your freedom of action would be more restricted.”
“….”
Well, that’s true. But the fact that he admitted it honestly made me think harder.
Could it be that he really… wanted to be family to me?
“You lied about being busy, didn’t you.”
His voice grew stern again—but somehow, even that felt like “dad behavior,” and I couldn’t take him seriously.
“Half-true. I really did volunteer at the temple. You can ask the administrators.”
“With that Seraphina girl you mentioned before? According to my men’s investigation, she seems truly devout.”
You really investigated her?! I told you she’s a good kid!
Now I should answer, “Of course, I went with Seraphina.” But hesitation froze me.
What if he asked her directly? She’d 1000% say, “No, I didn’t.” That girl would never lie to anyone.
But I couldn’t throw Ignatz under the bus either… what do I do?
“…I understand your feelings.”
Huh? I looked up.
The Duke’s eyes carried a strangely bitter look, as if he knew everything.
“It’s puberty, isn’t it?”
Nope. And also—that’s one of the top five things teens hate to hear.
Then he realized his mistake and looked flustered.
“Ah, they told me not to say things like that…”
Who’s “they”? Please don’t tell me you asked for parenting advice.
“Sol, I’m sure just seeing me annoys you.”
“….”
“Always nagging. Treating you like some puppet to control.”
“…Excuse me.”
“I understand. You must long to leave me behind and build a family with some wonderful man—”
“Stoooop! If you want to spout nonsense, go adopt a stray dog and feed it instead!”
Ugh, I carved out time to meet him, and this is what I get? All the sentiment from the dreamcatcher gift just evaporated.
The Duke seemed confused by my outburst.
“…So I studied wrong, then?”
“Whatever you studied, it’s totally off.”
Sure, my body’s a teenager and my mind can’t escape that entirely, but one thing’s certain: he was spewing crap.
“Father, it’s true I lied and didn’t come home.”
“….”
“But I don’t want to tell you why. It’s very personal, not something I want to share with family. Still!”
“Still?”
“I don’t… exactly want to be apart from you either!”
Even if I am scared of you!
“And about the dreamcatcher earlier—I was really grateful—kgh!”
I couldn’t finish.
The Duke suddenly kicked the table aside and pulled me tightly into his arms.
“You thought well.”
“Ah…”
“Staying by my side will be safest for you. I knew you’d make the wise choice.”
“….”
His words were dry, but his arms around me were warm.
It felt like… maybe he really had come to feel something similar to what I felt for him.
Even if it was just a delusion, I didn’t mind.
Because for a moment, in his arms, I felt like I was wrapped in the warmest, safest embrace I’d dreamed of since childhood.
It was a place I wanted to stay forever. But he didn’t have that kind of time.
After patting my back a few times, he stepped away and set the table upright as if nothing had happened.
“Father, are you leaving now?”
“I must. I still have unfinished business. Don’t tell Bennen, but I’ve even been managing part of Flogel territory’s affairs.”
“Ahaha! If Bennen hears, his pride will be hurt. Then, see you—I’ll come home this weekend.”
“…By the way.”
Huh?
His face returned to its usual expression, but then his eyes dropped toward my chest.
Wait… no way…
“Sol. Did you… perhaps gain some kind of divine power?”
“…Huh?”
Oh no. He found the mana pearl!
I instinctively stepped back.
“W–what do you mean?”
“Remember, I told you—I can see the flow of mana. There’s a light like a mana pearl inside you.”
“That’s impossible! I only—”
“Don’t make excuses. Take out your locket and hold it up.”
“….”
Damn it. I wasn’t supposed to let my guard down in front of him!
My hands trembled as I raised the locket. His eyes focused exactly where I’d seen in the mirror. I felt like a cow led to slaughter.
If he asked what ability it was, how long could I keep up a lie…?
“You already knew, didn’t you? That this appeared.”
“…Yes.”
“It must have come from your temple service. Sometimes the god blesses devout children.”
A curse, more like it. That guy hates me.
Then came the question I dreaded.
“Do you know what power it holds?”
“I don’t. I thought maybe I could freeze things like you, but no ice, no flames.”
“A mana pearl is potential energy. If you have a direction, it can grow that way. Learn broadly.”
Wait, he’s just… accepting it? Or is he planning to use me once it becomes useful?
My heart swung between relief and dread.
“Don’t be alarmed.”
Words like that always precede alarming things—
“Eek…!”
“I said don’t be alarmed.”
“H–how can I not?!”
The Duke suddenly conjured an ice dagger and cut his own palm. What the heck!
The dagger vanished. With his uninjured right hand, he froze the blood flowing from his left palm.
The clump of blood softened, then turned pure white, and finally…
“Wow…!”
Seconds later, a silver lizard sat in his palm. Including its tail, it was about the length of a handspan. Its round eyes blinked at me.
“Father, what is this?”
“Does it disgust you?”
“No! It’s adorable!”
It looked like a more realistic version of that snow creature from Frozen 2.
I reached out, and the lizard carefully tapped my palm with its forelegs before stepping lightly onto it. With every step, it left behind tiny snowflakes.
As I trembled from the sheer cuteness, the Duke explained.
“For surveillance… I mean, for protection. It’s a miniature silver dragon.”
“…Pretty sure your real intention slipped out there.”
