CH 39

Chapter 39: There are inevitable things in life

I can’t keep up with the understanding…

What does it mean to take in? Does Lars-sama mean that he will adopt me? Does that mean my real father abandoned me? If that’s the case.

“S-Shall I call you father?”

“…”

Lars-sama smiled slightly after a moment of silence.

“I should explain the circumstances in detail. But there may be things you don’t want to know, okay?”

“Things I don’t want to know?”

Lars-sama had a slightly pitiful expression.

Oh, I’m sure this is it.

“Is it about my father’s behavior? In that case, there is no problem. He has never been kind to me and I was afraid that I would be killed if I went against his wishes by accident.”

I’m surprised that he is giving me away to Lars-sama instead of getting rid of the troublesome daughter.

“I see… Your father said that he didn’t know what to do with a cursed daughter and if it could be cured, he would leave it to me.”

When I urged him to do so, Lars-sama used euphemisms.

You shouldn’t have bothered… I know he is probably saying that he doesn’t need the cursed daughter or at least that you don’t want her.

“He said it wouldn’t be a problem to leave you with me. If you were to learn manners at the Duke house, there shouldn’t be a problem. However, it may be perceived as if you are marrying into the Duke family externally. I will take responsibility for that aspect.”

“It’s not fair to inconvenience Lars-sama like that!”

I stand up involuntarily.

“If that’s the case, I would prefer to be considered as dead and just hired as a commoner…”

“Calm down, Miss Linea. The story is not over yet.”

“…Yes.”

I take a deep breath and sit back down after being told with a gentle expression.

“I’m sorry for losing my temper.”

“It’s not surprising that you would be shocked. As for me, I was worried that you might start crying, so I think you are much calmer than I expected.”

I thanked Lars-sama again for his kind words.

“So, even if I think about your future, I think someone else needs to be your guardian. If that person is the guardian, people around you will probably think it’s okay to take care of you, and they shouldn’t think that your father, the Count, is pushing you on me.”

“…Is there such a person?”

As I asked, the door to the room was knocked. At the voice that answered, a servant from the Duke’s house came in.

“Excuse me, Your Grace Duke. Asher-sama has returned with a guest.”

At the servant’s words, Lars-sama said, “Let them come in.”

A guest?

(I wonder if it’s okay for me to be here)

If a daughter of the Elvasti family is present, anyone will be uncomfortable. And It would be a shame to see Lars-sama’s reputation suffer.

“Shall I leave the seat?”

“No, no. Asher has brought the guardian I just mentioned, so I really want you to be here.”

As we were having such a conversation, Asher-sama entered the room first.

The next person to appear was a man with a wavy light brown hair that he had trimmed on his shoulders and a white and purple trapezoidal hat. His purple and white vestments are so long at the sleeves and hem that only his fingertips and toes are visible. They are held in place by a black sash belt and a gold chain.

He is a temple priest. And an upper one. And young. I wonder if he is only about ten years older than me.

Why did you bring a priest to be my guardian?

I can only stare at the priest as if I were stunned.

“I came to hear your story, Your Excellency Duke. So this woman is the person in question.”

The priest turns his sharp eyes to me. I am afraid of the color of his eyes, which are like dark clouds.

“Thank you for coming today, Calva-dono. This is Miss Linea Elvasti.”

Being introduced, I frantically bow.

“Linea Elvasti. Sir Priest.”

The temple has a separate power from the secular king, and is an opponent that even nobles must respect.

The priest named Calva looks at me expressionlessly and nods.

“Unlike your father, you seem to know manners. There should be no problems for now.”

(…He’s an incredibly haughty person. I wonder if he’s from a noble family. Maybe even a family close to the royal family.)

If that’s the case, I can understand his attitude. If he has been living accepting the difference in status as a matter of course since he was a child, it is possible.

There are also ranks within the temple, and it is said that we have to respect them, and if your background is high, you should start at a decent level in the temple’s hierarchy, so it is unlikely that you will be corrected.

“First, please sit down, Calva-dono. I was in the middle of telling her why she needed a guardian. I’d appreciate it if you could listen together.”

“Alright.”

Calva-sama sits in the place where the servant pulled out the chair.

“Asher, please join us too.”

Encouraged by Lars-sama, Asher-sama also sat down.

I thought I wouldn’t see Asher-sama today, but it seems he went to meet Calva, a High Priest while he was absent.

The servant comes and serves tea to everyone again.

After that, Lars-sama started talking, probably because there were many confidential matters, the servants were asked to leave the room.