Chapter 113………………………………………….
“Oh, isn’t this the first time you’ve received a letter from your daughter?”
“Y-yeah… that’s right.”
She had only recently learned how to write, after all.
Shion carefully broke the sealing wax with trembling hands.
“She’s already old enough to write? She’s really grown up.”
The man looked at the crooked handwriting on the envelope and subtly lifted the corner of his lips.
Ignoring him, Shion began to read the letter with an expression that somehow seemed almost solemn.
After a brief moment…
“…I guess I have to go back after all.”
As if chased by something, Shion muttered to herself and leapt down from the watchtower.
The blonde man watched her wide-eyed for a moment, then bent down to pick up the letter she had dropped on the ground.
What could possibly be written in that letter to make Shion act so urgently?
To even throw aside her own daughter’s letter in such haste.
“…Ah.”
Not long after, he too realized everything and subtly curled one side of his lips.
“This is definitely an emergency.”
The short sentences written in the same crooked handwriting as seen on the envelope—
Each sentence was incredibly terrifying to her father.
Shion’s letter:
Dad,
You said you’d come back for my birthday, but you didn’t.
I’ve already forgotten what you look like!
If you don’t come immediately, I’ll never talk to you again.
Hmph!
“No matter what, provoking your father like this…”
The man shook his head while keeping his eyes on Shion’s rapidly receding figure.
Even someone who had stayed here stubbornly, despite the Emperor himself calling them back, could be moved with just a few sentences.
“That child isn’t ordinary either,” he murmured, shaking his head as the wind ruffled his blonde hair.
…
“Do you think he’ll really come?”
After sending the letter to Shion’s father, her mother tilted her head, still doubtful.
At the same time, the fathers shook their shoulders and quickly responded.
“He has to come.”
“Of course he will.”
“If he doesn’t return even after seeing that letter, then either he’s dead, or… he’s gone mad.”
Kyle’s father shivered all over as if he didn’t even want to imagine it.
“If I were that Owen, I’d have rushed out immediately.”
“Agreed.”
“Perhaps he’s already on his way.”
“Knowing his personality, he might even be running here on his own, without anyone telling him to?”
“W-what… that much?”
I… I just wrote the letter hoping Dad would decide to come back.
Sure, I added a slightly threatening note at the end…
But realistically, there’s no way he could run all the way from the border to here!
What if Dad gets hurt on the way!
“Well, the sooner he comes, the better.”
Contrary to my anxious thoughts, Kyle’s father calmly adjusted his posture and spoke.
“I want to catch those ♪♩ and settle things as soon as possible anyway.”
“Kyle.”
“Why, it’s not like I’m the only one thinking that. That guy is already sharpening his arrowheads too.”
Kyle pointed at Derek’s father, who, as if from nowhere, was carefully inspecting arrows.
“Haah…”
Mom let out a deep sigh and pressed her hand to her forehead.
“I still don’t think we should involve Shion. We should be able to handle this ourselves, right?”
“Kyle already explained it, Yuria. In a situation where we don’t even know how many enemies there are, it’s better to prepare as much as possible.”
This time, Harzen’s father spoke coldly, trying to reason with Mom.
“Waiting for them to attack suits neither our temperament nor logic. Unpredictable variables could occur.”
“….”
“The more time passes, the more they will prepare to counter our abilities.”
Then Harzen’s father shifted his gaze to me and added:
“If, in that process, Cici gets caught up in it…”
“That can’t happen!”
Mom immediately pulled me into a hug and raised her voice.
Harzen’s father exhaled lightly, as if expecting this, and continued:
“You hesitate because you believe all the danger is aimed at you.”
“….”
“Your confidence that you could survive any assassination attempt probably made you underestimate the gravity of the situation.”
He carefully stroked my head as he continued:
“But this matter is no longer yours alone.”
His gaze now passed over Mom and landed squarely on me.
“They must have realized your existence by now.”
“….”
“To eliminate you, they might decide they need to remove the daughter first.”
Gulp. That was a little scary.
Hearing Dad’s words, I couldn’t help but shiver.
Of course, considering how much I’ve interfered, I was somewhat prepared…
But hearing it directly from Harzen’s father still startled me.
“That can’t happen.”
Mom, sensing my shiver, hugged me tighter and muttered:
“I will never forgive anyone who harms my daughter.”
“That’s exactly it!”
At the same time, Kyle’s father jumped to his feet and shouted:
“That’s exactly how we feel too, ♪♩! Ah, now I feel so relieved!”
Watching Kyle’s father pat his chest repeatedly, I pursed my lips softly.
He really looks satisfied…
Well, Mom had been saying the same thing over and over anyway.
“So, Yuria.”
Harzen’s father then looked at Mom and extended his hand.
“For Cici, it’s our turn to act now.”
I knew that.
He was solidifying his stance.
Using me to fully involve Mom, who had been hesitant all this time…!
Of course, part of what he said was sincere.
‘I’ll watch and learn.’
I widened my eyes and looked back and forth between Mom and Harzen’s father.
This is how negotiations are done.
Got it!
“…For Cici.”
In the end, Mom gently took Harzen’s hand and nodded resolutely.
Heroes who once defeated the Demon King were now gathering again.
I don’t know how many world guardians are left…
‘They’re probably all doomed.’
How could anyone overcome the protagonist’s buff?
The next morning, after the heroes had assembled:
“Phew.”
Once again, I lay on the grass, staring blankly at the drifting clouds.
You might say, since we talked about it yesterday, shouldn’t I be doing something?
‘Nonsense.’
I don’t even know if Shion’s father will return to the palace.
And we haven’t made any preparations yet, so rushing in blindly is out of the question.
‘Even if Mom and Dad seem calm, they’re careful by nature.’
Kyle’s father gathers intel, and until Shion’s father returns, we’ll probably continue as before.
But!
‘That doesn’t mean I can just lie here doing nothing!’
As soon as I decided that, I sat up straight immediately, aligning my back.
At the same time, a small shadow appeared above my head.
“What are you thinking about to suddenly sit up like that?”
It was Pher.
