CHAPTER 19
House of Cabre (3)
No matter how much Lufian tried to intimidate him, Pionero showed no sign of withdrawing his earlier statement about Lufian being a thief. His heart rate didn’t even change noticeably. He was either incredibly bold, or simply used to this kind of thing—or maybe both. Despite being a mere human who could be killed by Lufian in the blink of an eye if he angered him, he kept talking back, unfazed. That alone took some serious nerve.
“I’ve never seen a half-demon before,” Pionero said, unwavering.
“They’re rare. Even more so than pure-blooded demons. As far as I know, Ellie might be the only one alive right now.”
Pionero looked me over with curiosity. I, too, was intrigued that someone of his age and standing could have such a different personality from others I’d met. I’d assumed all older noblemen were cold and overbearing. But Pionero didn’t carry the air of a strict family head—instead, he gave off a warm, familiar vibe that eased some of my tension. His tone and sharp eyes might have seemed biting at first glance, but he didn’t come across as a cold-hearted person.
“Half demon, half human, huh. Then which side do your tastes lean toward?”
“She drinks blood. Physically, she’s much closer to a full-blooded demon.”
“Yet her reactions are awfully innocent for a demon. Aren’t demons supposed to follow their instincts, unafraid to bare their overflowing madness? Don’t they see humans as less than the dirt beneath their claws?”
“Maybe she takes after me.”
“You’re insane.”
Pionero didn’t bother to hide the sour look on his face.
Everything they said about demon instincts was new to me. Lufian had never mentioned any of this, and the library back at the estate only had fictional novels about demons—ridiculous stories about demons with wings and horns who enjoyed eating human flesh. People saw demons as creatures of fantasy, so naturally, no reliable records existed.
Madness. Instinct. I turned toward Lufian, eyes wide. He, however, looked at Pionero with a face full of exasperation.
“Weren’t you the textbook example of a pure-blood demon, Lufian? If you’re planning to act all shy in front of the kid, please stop. It’s creepy.”
At the word kid, Lufian’s brow twitched subtly.
“What era are you even talking about? Let’s just forget anything from before you were born.”
“Just because it’s in the past doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Every single one of your exploits is neatly recorded in the family archive.”
“…I don’t remember raising a bunch of stalkers.”
Lufian rubbed his forehead like he had a headache. He muttered as though he were wondering where things had gone so wrong, and Pionero offered a clear answer: from the beginning. Lufian stared at him with tired eyes, then gave a resigned shake of his head.
“You’ve been doing this demon research for centuries now. Didn’t I say it was the most pointless pursuit in the world? I told your father, and his father too.”
“Curiosity about the unknown only grows the more you dig. That curiosity is practically the Cabre family trait, passed down through generations. Even my son seems very interested.”
Lufian paused, seemingly thinking.
“You already told your son about me?”
“Of course not. That reckless brat has the attention span of a squirrel, but somehow he’s absurdly smart.”
Pionero sighed, looking a lot like Lufian when he was annoyed.
His son… I remembered hearing that the Cabre family had a single heir. A child born as the sole successor, with a diamond spoon in his mouth from birth. That child would now become my adoptive sibling. My mouth went dry at the thought. Surely he was raised with abundant love. Maybe he was as dazzling and overwhelming as Maximilian or Lydia. Or worse, a spoiled brat who expected everything to go his way.
If it was the former, I could manage. I’d grown up with Lydia, after all. I was used to that kind of person. But the latter? I had no defenses against that.
But unlike the five noble foster homes I’d been in before, this one was different. The Cabre heir wouldn’t be just another foster sibling. He’d be family. I had to treat him sincerely—especially since Lufian had been the one to bring me here. That’s why I was worried.
While I was lost in thought, Pionero continued.
“Besides, demons are so few in number. For me, Lufian and Lady Bel were the only demons I’d ever met. Ah—until Ellie now.”
He glanced at me occasionally as he spoke, and something about the way he looked at me made me flinch. It felt like he was struggling to hide a burning curiosity. Lufian, sensing this, pushed him away and pulled me into his arms. Surprised, I found myself against his chest, peeking up at him with wide eyes.
“With lifespans as long as ours, there’s no need to reproduce often. Besides, most demons die before reaching adulthood. And you’d best not include Ellie in your research unless you want to find the limits of human tolerance to torture.”
“…”
“What does that silence mean? Answer properly.”
“I won’t.”
Pionero looked genuinely disappointed. I had no idea what kind of research he’d been planning, but from Lufian’s reaction, it clearly wasn’t anything good. If all my movements were to be recorded in some family archive, maybe he’d been planning to monitor me. Either way, it didn’t sit right. Could that be why he so easily accepted me as his daughter?
“A half-demon. Truly a lonely race. Neither human nor demon. A being caught in-between. You must’ve suffered a lot at a young age.”
He said this while patting my head. I was still nestled in Lufian’s arms. As I lowered my head, his rough, clumsy hand combed through my hair. The unfamiliar touch made me freeze for a moment before I slowly lifted my gaze. Pionero, with sharp eyes, looked quietly down at me—but then the corner of his lips twitched and his expression broke. We made eye contact for a moment, then quickly looked away at the same time.
It was very awkward. The fact that he was the one who said it and then got embarrassed made it worse. I rubbed my flushed cheeks, trying to cool down.
“You don’t usually act like this.”
“Who was it that told me to treat her like a daughter?!”
Clearly mortified, Pionero clenched his fist and shouted at Lufian.
“How did you raise your kid?”
“That brat never listens to anything I say.”
“Tsk.”
Lufian clicked his tongue, done with the conversation. He always claimed he wasn’t good with children, but Pionero seemed even more hopeless. Lufian had no problem saying embarrassing things, while Pionero looked ready to die after uttering just one.
Is this what fathers are like? He might be clumsy at comforting and coaxing, but his words carried undeniable sincerity. He was a kind person. I felt bad for avoiding his eyes, so I cleared my throat and spoke up. If he was making the effort, so should I.
“I never thought of it that way… but thank you for the comfort. Still, I like where I am now—belonging nowhere. Because I met Lufian… and you too.”
I wasn’t used to smiling, but I did my best to give a big one after I said that. My eyes curved, and the corners of my lips lifted gently. Maybe it was because my heart felt like it had been tickled—smiling came easily.
Pionero froze. Even though Lufian was behind me, holding me, he somehow saw the smile and pinched my cheek.
“Don’t smile like that.”
Confused, I let out a yelp as he tugged my cheek. It didn’t hurt, but he didn’t seem ready to let go. Annoyed, I flailed and reached up to grab his cheek in return. He easily dodged and laughed, calling me cute.
As we playfully bickered, Pionero suddenly cut in.
“How about a daughter-in-law instead of a daughter?”
“No.”
“They say a four-year age gap is perfect.”
“Ha. Nero.”
Lufian replied instantly, and his voice dropped an octave. The sudden shift in tone made it clear how unusually gentle he had been earlier. His voice now was threatening. Was this how a father feels about not wanting to give away his daughter? I knew Lufian loved me, but the possessiveness he showed now was intense.
“You said Ellie belongs to neither the demons nor the humans?”
He paused, then whispered sweetly.
Only Lufian could sound threatening and sweet at the same time. I couldn’t tell whether the flutter in my chest was fear or affection. He wasn’t even speaking to me—but somehow, it felt like he was.
Or maybe… he was speaking to me?
Before I could be sure, he continued.
“Ellie belongs to me. Isn’t that enough?”
