Chapter 21
I let go of the maid’s hand and ran to my dad at the speed of light.
“Daddy!”
And I leapt into his arms.
Dad lifted me up so effortlessly, as if he’d done it a thousand times.
His slightly unkempt brown hair.
Thick glasses.
He looked far too shabby to belong in such a grand and luxurious ducal mansion, but to me right now, he was the most welcome and wonderful person in the world.
Once I was in his arms, I buried my face in his shoulder and started thumping him.
“Where were you? Where did you go? Why didn’t you even tell me and just left me behind?”
“Ow, honey, that hurts! Wait just a sec…”
“You disappeared right after we got to the mansion! And I already ate all the cookies!”
As I pounded on him, Dad made a face like he was really in pain, then pulled me into a tight hug.
“You did? I’m sorry, sweetheart. You were waiting for me, huh? I had to talk to Grandpa, that’s why.”
“Grandpa?”
“Yeah, this is Grandpa’s office. It’s your first time here, right?”
Of course it is.
This whole mansion is new to me.
Still nestled in Dad’s arms, I looked around the office.
Unlike the other rooms, the large door was engraved with a dragon and a sword—the symbols of House Ferdinand.
“You came to see Grandpa, didn’t you? And look at you—you even changed into a pretty dress.”
“Huh? Oh, yeah… But I like the dress you bought me more.”
I grumbled a little, and the maid who’d been standing behind us gave a sheepish smile.
Dad also smiled, looking a little awkward.
He gently stroked my head with his big, warm hand and said,
“Why? I like this dress. You look like a real princess in it. And also…”
“And also?”
“This dress… it looks exactly like one your mom used to wear when she was little.”
“Huh?”
“I’m sure of it. It’s the same.”
My eyes lit up for a moment.
Wait a minute.
‘When they said the dress belonged to me… could it be because…?’
Because it was Mom’s?
“It couldn’t be the same dress, right? It’s been over twenty years since then…”
“No, Daddy! It might be!”
I grabbed his arm, thinking back to what Charlotte had said.
“Huh?”
“The maid who gave me this dress said it was mine. If it was my mom’s, then it makes sense, right?”
“Hmm… But the dress would’ve been really old by now…”
“It could’ve been well preserved! I need to ask that maid again when I see her later!”
Just the thought that this might really have been Mom’s dress made my heart beat faster.
[It’s beating a lot, kid.]
‘Yeah, maybe a lot but—’
Don’t butt in!
[Hmph.]
X made a sulky noise.
Seriously, how can a sword even sulk?
It was absurd, but I didn’t have the energy to care about X right now.
I thought I was doing just fine living with only Dad… but maybe deep down, I missed Mom more than I realized.
Just the possibility that I was wearing the same dress Mom once wore made my heart race.
“Yeah, make sure to ask her next time. I’m curious too. Now go on inside, sweetheart. Grandpa must be waiting.”
“You’ll wait for me out here, right?”
“Of course~.”
“Okay! You have to wait right here!”
Only after making Dad promise did I hop down from his arms.
“I’ll wait here. Go on in. Should I take care of X for you?”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll take him with me.”
I waved at Dad and the kind maid who brought me here, then knocked gently on the office door.
Crash!
Something shattered loudly inside.
“…Huh?”
What was that sound?
[Could it be the Guardian breaking something in there?]
I blinked, startled.
Dad looked just as confused.
Should I knock again?
CRASH!
Uhh… no. Better not.
The crashing sounds continued for a while until—
Bang!
The office door flew open with force.
Whoosh!
The door opened so hard that a gust of wind blew through, messing up my hair, Dad’s, and even the maid’s.
If X had hair, it probably would’ve blown in the wind too…
[Don’t you dare imagine that, kid!]
Alright, alright.
Anyway, a huge gust of wind blew. Blinking in surprise, I looked up at the person who’d just stormed out.
And of course, it was Duke Ferdinand.
He was fuming, practically growling in anger.
“Neil, you bastard! I told you to get out of my sight— Huh? Eve?”
…His rage immediately deflated mid-sentence.
I glanced between Dad and Grandpa, feeling a bit awkward, then gave a small smile.
Hehe.
Hehehe…
“Uh, hello?”
“Eve! Oh no—Did the door hurt you when it opened?”
“No, it opens inward, so I’m fine.”
“I didn’t realize it was you… You should’ve told me you were coming.”
But Grandpa, you stormed out in a rage before I could say anything…
I couldn’t bring myself to say that out loud.
Even though I’d just found out he was my grandpa…
‘It hasn’t even been half a day since I found out…’
He was still just a stranger—another nobleman to me.
So I just smiled a little awkwardly instead of saying anything.
“Um, don’t be too mad at Dad, okay?”
And like a proper daughter, I made sure to defend Dad too.
“Yes, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to show you something so disgraceful. The office isn’t exactly presentable right now…”
I peeked over Grandpa’s shoulder into the office.
It looked like he really had smashed some things in there. The room was a total mess.
Dad, what did you do?
To make the Duke this mad…
I looked at Dad with pity, and he averted his eyes, looking embarrassed.
“Wait, that dress…”
Grandpa narrowed his eyes.
He stared at me for a moment, then slowly reached out his hand.
I hesitated, but eventually let him lift me up.
He raised me high in the air.
“This… Astrid used to wear this dress… Why are you wearing it?”
“The maids let me pick whichever dress I liked, and I chose this one…”
“Hahaha. It suits you perfectly, Eve…”
Grandpa said my name with a strangely soft, emotional voice.
It was odd.
A voice has no form, yet his voice sounded damp—like it was soaked with tears.
‘Hmm… It really is strange…’
And just like that, I felt like my voice would start to tremble too.
Probably because he mentioned Mom.
I stayed quiet, letting Grandpa hold me, waiting for him to set me down.
[H-Hey! Put my kid down, you rude old man! What do you think she is, a puppy?!]
X shouted furiously from behind me, but of course, no one else could hear him.
[You impolite geezer! Let go of Eve right now!]
‘I’m fine, dummy. I like being up here—it’s high and fun. And why am I your “kid”?’
[You belong to me!]
‘Wrong. You belong to me.’
Grandpa stared at me for a long time with moist eyes, then very gently lowered me to the ground.
“Sorry I suddenly picked you up. I must’ve startled you.”
