Chapter 491: The Emperor’s Daughter 491

What was it? I didn’t want to accept his words just like that, but since a.s.sisi was the one who comforted me, I felt at peace. A sense of relief. I always thought that no one could understand me.

Surely, no one other than my knight a.s.sisi could make me feel better!

“Since a.s.sisi is saying like that, I will have more fun in the future.”

As I said that, a.s.sisi nodded.

Having Valer escort me wasn’t weird, but the feeling a.s.sisi gave me was very different. Since I was a child, a.s.sisi and I had a history of being together without a single break; there was no way he could be replaced.

“I heard the news that the princess wanted a large theatre.”

“Huh? Ah, that… that’s supposed to be my birthday present for the year. Dad took it up. I was planning on getting it built five years later.”

I also wanted it to be built on a different side of the capital, but Caitel ordered it to be constructed inside the capital.

It was supposed to be a present, so I didn’t protest.

I just watched Caitel take over my project.

What could I do? I would only call for a fight by saying anything.

The building would consume a lot of money, so I tried to save money by placing it outside…

My dad.

“So the question about it is, what can be done after the completion? I do have a couple of things in mind, things no one has tried yet.”

“Wouldn’t that be too reckless?”

“Building that theatre sounds reckless in the first place, right?”

I was thinking about something like a music concert or an orchestra or something like a musical play. I asked the builder to make sure that the sound on the stage could reach the last audience.

It would be difficult to do it right away, but one trial after another, something would come out, right?

I knew that I should stop being so excited about it.

“I haven’t thought of it yet, but we could also try something like a circus as well.”

Magic would be good. It was different from the actual magic, but magic tricks are entertaining to watch.

“How do you get such thoughts, princess? I am curious as to what the princess has in her mind.”

“Nope. They are all my secrets.”

a.s.sisi laughed as I placed my finger on my lips.

“But I will let you in on a few.”

Because of my excitement, I couldn’t see the flowers I almost stepped on. If a.s.sisi didn’t pull me, I would have stepped on them.

Thank G.o.d. But what was it? The road was made out of marble, and the flowers were blooming from the gaps in the tiles.

Once I saw the flower, I glanced at the maids, telling them not to pick out the flower.

I couldn’t just pluck things out because they intervened in my path.

I mean, things just happen.

“It’s not a big deal yet, and it’s a bit out of place, but it’ll help later. My goal is to inform the people of the present and the coming generations that my dad may be a bad man, but he worked very hard to feed the country. My ultimate goal.”

a.s.sisi, who heard my plan, seemed a little puzzled. I actually wanted him to say encouraging words, but I would get it done regardless of his opinion.

“How is that? Cool, right?”

“I will cheer you on.”

“Thank you.”

Right, I wasn’t sure if anything other than a cheer for me and my idea could lighten me up, but still, those words meant a lot.

“We can even support you financially if you ask.”

“Well, I am glad that you offered, but I have to refuse. I can’t do that for my dad’s sake.”

Those were the lines only a daughter could say.

a.s.sisi nodded without saying anything more since he knew that I would never agree to that.

‘Hey, you know? Isn’t he a lord?’

‘Can’t I just take some for my own?!’

Man, right, that sounds so good but a little too steamy for me.

“Apart from that, I’m sure Ferdel is bored these days. He’s interested in the business I’m trying to do. Ferdel is quite rich, so I’m thinking of making him spend some money.”

When I said that, a.s.sisi turned his head as if he was trying to recollect something.

“Ah, Sil said something about building a fortified botanical garden in the Viterbo estate.”

“Ah, that! You heard?”

“You knew?”

Of course. I nodded.

“I recommended it!”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! Since Sil loved plants, the greenhouse was surely a great idea, but I gave them an opinion of doing something more seriously, and she liked it. I didn’t know that they would start it so quickly.”

It had been a week since the news came out. What just happened in a week? Were they already starting a botanical garden in their estate? One that was also not of a usual scale. If it weren’t Caitel’s close confidant, rumors would have already spread that a vast botanical garden was getting built in a mansion.

“Because they are quick to act on ideas.”

I managed to turn and arrived at the Winter Tree.

Maybe the tree heard the news of the arrival of spring; small white leaves were sprouting from the tree.

“Let’s build something like a knight’s school, a.s.sisi. What do you think?”

“Knight’s school… you mean?”

“An inst.i.tute where people are picked and trained as knights, just like now, but I was wondering about how the knights would get quality teaching and experience.”

I just thought about it once, a fleeting thought, but it wasn’t a bad one.

“Good idea.”

“Really?”

The Zavaikal house had a lot of money, so I wouldn’t have to be too concerned about spending.

I was sure that a.s.sisi did nothing else; how did they have that much money?

That was one of the three mysteries of Agrigent. One wouldn’t be able to hold such an amount of money as a knight.

a.s.sisi turned away his gaze as I kept staring at him without walking.

Huh?

Why was he avoiding my gaze? Did I do something!

“It seems like you often meet with the successor.”

“Uh? Ah…”

Ahin.

“Well, I did.”

I didn’t remember when, but exactly a month back, Ahin pa.s.sed from Agrigent to Shertogenbosch.

As a result, I met Ahin. No matter how busy I was, I couldn’t just send him away without seeing him, right?

It was a purely innocent reason, but a.s.sisi was looking at me with a suspicious expression.

‘Uh, a.s.sisi! Don’t doubt me!’

“It seems like the Emperor of Pretzia sends letters for you too.”

“Ah, that.”

Just the thought of it made my expression crumble.

That b.l.o.o.d.y b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

“I don’t know. He’s been like that from the beginning! He is a bad one.”

I shook my head as if not wanting to talk about him for some reason. That made a.s.sisi feel relaxed. I didn’t know why, but a.s.sisi felt at ease.

“Uh? Dad.”

Pa.s.sing through the Winter Tree, heading to Solay, I saw a familiar face. Seeing my dad just a few meters away made me run for him.

“Dad!”

“Were you coming over?”

“Yep. It’s been less than ten minutes since I took a walk.”

It hadn’t been a long time since our recovery, but my dad, who was standing there, made it challenging for me to believe that he was the same man who had been bedridden for months.

a.s.sisi, who came belatedly, looked at Caitel and bowed his head. I smiled, seeing a.s.sisi take a few steps back. Such a touching act.

“Dad.”

“What?”

“Dad!”

“What, my daughter.”

I was quite familiar with his blunt way of answering, so it wasn’t new.

I narrowed my eyes and looked at dad.

“You are allowed to walk? Doesn’t it hurt?”

“You think a simple pain would keep me from leaving that room?”

“Still…”

I couldn’t help but worry.

My father’s personality was so troublesome.

“But is my daughter doing fine?”

My daughter, my daughter! He was about to pa.s.s by me just a moment back! Man, he still kept referring to me as ‘my daughter.’

“Dad, you refer to someone else’s kid as ‘daughter,’ not your own!”

“Okay, my daughter.”

“Ugh, really!”

It didn’t seem like Caitel intended to change his speech habit, probably since he referred to me as such since my childhood.

Ugh, that was so wrong! From the beginning, I should have made a habit of him calling me other than that! He should just let go of that word ‘daughter;’ I am his daughter, but he didn’t have to say that to rea.s.sure himself or me constantly!

It wasn’t like I was someone else’s daughter!

Ah, I didn’t care anymore. I decided to turn away.

“Ah, the weather is nice today.”

“Do you want to go for a trip anywhere?”

“Uh? Will you send me?”

“No.”

… then why bother asking me. Huh?

Despite my resentful gaze, Caitel walked on without even sparing me a second glance.

As I looked at that, I smiled. Well, ever since I was at a height where I couldn’t even reach Caitel’s knees, we took such walks.

Well, it was history.

“Dad, how about we bring in a foster daughter for a.s.sisi? I think that she will grow up well.”

I tried to be as careful as possible to make sure that a.s.sisi didn’t hear me, but Caitel’s reaction was very weird.

The scrunched nose he showed me offended me.

“Why? Why are you reacting like that?”

“Don’t think about such things, and just do your job well.”

“Wah, you are so mean. Rude! I was being so kind!”

“It does sound kind.”

My dad, really!

He was supposed to say things like how he loves me, but look at his reaction! Was he really the dad who loved me? He said he loved me?! If he really did love me, I should be his priority!!

Ah, I don’t care anymore…

“Yeah, well, a.s.sisi will be good at it, but it was a good thought, right? Don’t you think so?”

“I guess you do grow up.”

Caitel nodded at my words.

Okay, my, he was back. I was worried for nothing.

When I smiled, I looked at my dad, who was smiling too, but I knew that my dad would never say his reasons for smiling.

Hmm, I was always curious why he smiled for the simplest things.

“Wah, b.u.t.terfly!”

Spring was coming closer.

Still, the ice hadn’t melted yet, and the landscape was the same as ever, but seeing b.u.t.terflies move around made me feel great.

Ah, right. Come to think of it –

“Dad, Sil is pregnant again!”

“…”

Caitel frowned.

I was delighted when Valer said it.

Even though Haka was just four years old, it wasn’t surprising for someone younger than Haka to be born. Sil and Ferdel, their unbreakable bond was shocking for everyone.

“I wish it’s a daughter this time, right?”

“The child won’t be your daughter all your life.”

“Huh? Why?”

I am already reaching nineteen, too, father.

“Because I won’t allow it.”

“Ugh, what?!”

If someone heard that, they would totally misinterpret it, the powerful tyrant; Ferdel would probably break down after hearing that.

I would cry for him. I was trying so hard not to say anything else when Caitel stared at me.

What was it?

“Some people said you meet a strange man these days.”

“Strange man? Ah…”

Ahin.

I knew it.

How did he end up turning into a strange man? The same as in the past. There might be an inside joke in the coming few days where everyone would start calling Ahin the ‘strange man.’

A brief silence between us.

“Just a simple tea between us. No discussions either! Don’t you know me, dad!?”

My dad didn’t believe me. His cold gaze was still on me.

“We talked about what we were doing lately. That’s all.”

Still, it wasn’t enough to remove the disbelief in his eyes. Since when did my dad lose his trust in me?

“Wow, really not believing me?”

“… your dad believes in his daughter.”

“Right, believe me!”

‘Believe me a little!’

Ahin and I were not that kind of people. Okay?

Even then, Caitel seemed nervous after the announcement of Evelyn and Cito’s marriage. Since Cito was already married, Serrira told me her worries since I was at marrying age.

After all, Evelyn was younger than me and was getting married before me. Maybe I was fortunate because the standards my dad set were hard to reach.

“You can’t have a boyfriend. You’re still young.”

“I know!”

What else could I say?

I wasn’t sure who would blow up soon.

Although he was making excuses that I was young, he knew very well that such things wouldn’t work. When did my dad end up turning like that? He really had a tough life.

Caitel shut his mouth and grunted. It was cute to see him like that.

What could I do? Like father, like daughter.

Naturally, a smile spread through my mouth. I held his hand tightly.

I pulled on his hand.

“Dad, do you ever regret having me?”

“If I did, I would have killed you.”

Very much like dad.

It was the answer my dad would always give. Right, if he regretted having me, I would have never been alive for this long. Right, that was true.

“Dad.”

“What?”

“Thank you for having me.”

Gulp.

Caitel halted.

It was such a great pleasure to look at Caitel face to face; it was an expression that I had never seen from Caitel’s countenance before.

At that time, I couldn’t even think.

Who would have known that the man I’ll be holding onto would have made me so happy?

“Thank you for giving birth to me, dad.”

Caitel looked down at me like he heard something wrong.

Shocked, it was the expression my dad had. I could read the emotions of the blunt-looking man.

I felt proud.

A warm sensation spread through my skin.

Man, I was getting addicted to him.

I could never escape him.

“I love you, dad.”

“Me too.”

The answer came out.

Then, he spoke the next words exceptionally clumsily.

“I love you too.”

I gradually smiled.

It was a calming sensation, yet it was enough for me to suffocate.

It seemed like I was sucked into his eyes.

Was it really okay for me to be this happy? An anxious yet comfortable feeling filled my body.

Both of us stopped walking.

I grew up.

I outgrew the road I always walked with my dad.

There was nothing around me that had no value. Although I was holding his hand, Caitel looked at me. It wasn’t a gentle or a caring look. Instead, it was a soft gaze, making me feel warm.

I made eye contact with those warm eyes and smiled.

As always.