CHAPTER 140………………………………………………..
The first person to speak was none other than Shion’s dad.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve heard that tone from him.
“Heh, heh.”
For now, let’s just laugh it off.
With an awkward chuckle, I forced the corners of my eyes to curve upward.
I really didn’t expect you to find me this early.
That’s seriously impressive… and terrifying.
“Y-you little… brat….”
Maybe my reaction left him dumbfounded, because despite the ominous aura around him, Shion’s dad didn’t explode in anger right away.
He only let out a series of incredulous scoffs.
Phew, that’s a relief.
See? They say you can’t spit on a smiling face—
“♩♬, Cici, do you seriously want to see us drop dead because of you? ♪♩ What the hell did I do so wrong?! The second I take my eyes off you, you disappear, ♪♬!”
—Apparently not.
Before I could even finish my thought, the sharp beep sound came crashing in, and I quickly pressed my lips together.
Right. I was wondering why Kyle’s dad had been so quiet.
But even scarier than that was—
“U-um, Dads.”
Ignoring the fierce glares aimed at me, I carefully voiced the question that truly concerned me.
“Where’s Mom…?”
Normally, the one calling me “Cecilia Miller” would be Mom, not Shion’s dad.
At first I thought she might just be hidden behind their broad shoulders, but… she really wasn’t here.
“Looks like you’re most afraid of getting scolded by your mother.”
This time, Harzen’s dad spoke, his blue eyes flashing sharply.
The moment our gazes met, I instinctively shrank my shoulders.
It’s not that Mom is the scariest or anything…
“She didn’t come.”
Soon after, Derek’s dad answered in a low, subdued voice.
“She doesn’t know yet.”
“She doesn’t know?”
All four of them rushed here together, and Mom doesn’t know?
How is that even possible?
“I was the one who found that letter—if you can even call it that—first.”
As if sensing my confusion, Shion’s dad let out a deep sigh and began to explain slowly.
Harzen’s dad nodded and picked up where he left off.
“He suddenly called me out alone with a pale face, so I thought something had happened at the Imperial Palace…”
Listening to them, I could practically see the scene unfold.
Shion’s dad must’ve returned to the bedroom first and noticed I was gone.
Since I’d left a magical message behind, he probably rushed to find Harzen’s dad in a panic.
Harzen’s dad must’ve gone straight to Kyle’s dad, who could track magical energy, the moment he saw the message.
…No idea how Derek’s dad joined in, though!
Anyway.
“But why doesn’t Mom know?”
From what I heard, it sounded like they moved secretly so she wouldn’t find out.
Still confused, I tilted my head, and Kyle’s dad ran a rough hand through his hair.
“The moment your mom finds out, you’re dead and we’re dead too, you brat!”
“Terrifying.”
“You’d better start realizing just how overprotective Yuria is of you, Princess.”
So, in other words—
They hid it on purpose because the second Mom found out I was missing, everyone would be as good as dead.
Very wise decision.
“At least we knew that guy was with you, so we could relax a little. Otherwise, ♩♬… you’d be dead and we’d be dead too—even if it wasn’t your mom doing it. Got it?”
“Yesss…”
Unable to withstand Kyle’s dad’s fierce glare, I bowed my head deeply.
“We hurried back as fast as we could, just in case. And yet you couldn’t even wait that long and ran away like this.”
Shion’s dad let out another long sigh.
Then he fixed those blue-flame-like eyes on me and suddenly knelt down.
“Do you have any idea how shocked I was? How scared?”
“Dad…”
“If anything had happened to you, I really would have…”
His eyes, brimming with moisture and worry rather than anger, captured me completely.
That look pierced my heart far more than any scolding ever could.
I’d already braced myself for a harsh lecture, so that would’ve been fine.
But seeing him look at me like that made it finally sink in—just how big a mistake I’d made.
Not that I regret what I did.
“Please don’t ever do that again.”
Shion’s dad pulled me tightly into his arms and spoke solemnly.
“We can’t live without you. We mean it.”
“Y-yeah.”
Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I offered a heartfelt apology.
“I’m sorry, Dad.”
Though I can’t promise I won’t ever do something like this again.
“Ah, how anticlimactic.”
Right then, a playful voice that completely clashed with the mood rolled down from above.
Of course, it was Grandpa Aaron.
“Here I thought there’d be a proper uproar. But you’re all soft as porridge.”
Wait a second, Grandpa.
“If it were me, I’d have given her a good, sharp scolding. Spoiling her like that—how are you going to raise her properly?”
Do you really have to ruin the atmosphere just when things were calming down?
“…Crazy old man.”
At Grandpa Aaron’s taunt, Kyle’s dad finally turned toward him and spoke.
Though seriously—crazy old man?
Even if that’s how he feels, calling the man who raised you that is a bit much, isn’t it?
Then again, it’s hard to imagine Kyle’s dad politely calling him “Father.”
“Long time no see, squirt.”
Grandpa Aaron immediately curved his dark brown eyes and smiled warmly at me.
His relaxed demeanor stood in stark contrast to Kyle’s slightly tense expression.
Wait.
“Kyle’s dad… tense?”
The guy who doesn’t even know the meaning of the word “nervous”?
“You’ve been well?”
“Ha…”
Kyle’s dad raked his fingers through his hair again and fired off his words rapidly.
“Granddaughter or not, why the hell are you coming and going from the Imperial Palace, ♪♬? Got two lives? Or is your neck stuck on too tight, ♪♩ and you’re looking to loosen it a bit?”
The moment his words registered, my mouth fell open.
Maybe Kyle’s dad wasn’t tense.
Maybe he was just furious.
Yeah… that sounds more accurate.
“And what do you mean granddaughter? You’re dragging the kid into this too? ♬♪ Senility should have limits!”
“Such a mouth on you, talking to your father after so long.”
“Why do you think I’ve avoided showing my face to you all this time, ♩♬?! You know why!”
Kyle’s dad suddenly shouted, his face twisted in frustration.
“If you’re discovered, you’re dead! You, and everyone here! You of all people know who’s standing behind Cici, ♩♪ so how can you just show yourself like this?!”
“Gasp.”
So Kyle’s dad didn’t hate Grandpa Aaron after all.
He’d been avoiding him because if he sought him out, the Imperial Palace might track his movements and discover Grandpa’s location.
He’d been pretending not to know for that reason.
“Ha! What nonsense.”
But Grandpa Aaron merely snorted, completely unconcerned.
“You think you’re protecting me? Don’t make me laugh. Come back in a hundred years, you pup.”
“Wha—what, ♬♪.”
“And besides,” Grandpa Aaron continued, flashing his white teeth in a hearty grin, “you’re the one who started looking for me again.”
Then he smiled broadly.
“So of course I should meet your expectations.”
