CH 62

Before this, no one had ever been curious about Beatty’s little affairs like this, though.

That’s why even Beatty herself thought that such a thing wasn’t something important.

“Beatty.”

Instead of calling her Tail Fur like always, Carl, who called Younger Sister’s name seriously, concluded. 

“That’s torment.”

Receiving confirmation again through Younger Sister’s mouth about the affairs from the Capital’s mansion which he discovered, Carl had nothing to hesitate about now.

“Uh….”

“From now on, all bastards who did even a single thing among those which had happened in the Capital, tell me right away.”

Since I’ll make them kneel down in front of you and beg.

Growling while muttering like that, Carl said it as if declaring, a cold glint flashing across his eyes. 

“No one can treat you like that.”

“….”

What should she say.

Beatty had no idea.

She somehow get choked up and then opened and closed her open mouth.

Again and again, hot tears welled up in her eyes, no matter how she saw it, it seemed to be a side effect of returning to a younger body.

And that her behavior which wasn’t like herself, who was always cool and calm, was like that.

While Beatty was forcibly putting on the reason.

“Yeah.”

Click.

Before she knew it, the Duke came through between the open door and spoke up.

“That’s right.”

‘Father…?’

Seeing the Duke whose voice was subdued, Beatty had a wondering look.

His face, which was just like the iron-blooded Duke who seemed to not have a drop of blood coming out even if he was stabbed, was hardened with being fully pale.

His eyes which had always been serious also shook like a waning moon, which wasn’t like himself.

‘By any chance, is he sick somewhere?’

At the extremely not-good complexion, worry raised its head stealthily from inside Beatty.

Tilt. Tilting her head and looking up with worried eyes, after Father’s figure in her black eyes gradually becomes coming closer.

“!”

Suddenly.

The thick arms were firmly wrapped around her.

“F-Father?!”

“….”

Would it be strange if she felt that Father’s arm which was tightening fully to the extent that it was suffocating, was more like a sturdy eggshell than being suffocated?

‘What I’m saying is that he’s not even an oviparous shapeshifter who was born from an egg.’

Even though she tried so hard to think of another thing like that, Beatty couldn’t escape from the warm, awkward energy that enveloped her whole body.

An unfamiliar feeling of being protected after being encircled by another person’s body temperature.

“….”

It was also different from when Older Brother had hugged her before.

A method of embrace that completely wrapped around her body like this and blocked from the dangers of the world, was absolutely her first time.

It felt like she became a baby bird inside a nest.

‘…It’s warm.’

The young squirrel, nestled in the large lion’s sturdy body, pursued the steady warmth and carefully buried her head.

Tok.

On the small forehead that touched his chest lightly, the Duke felt a choking up deep inside.

He raised one arm and carefully covered up the small head which could fit into a single palm of his, and opened his mouth.

“Baby.”

As if suppressing something hard, it was a heavily sunken voice.

“I was wrong.”

Beatty, who was soaked in the peaceful feeling like she was sinking in warm water, flinched and raised her head.

‘Just why is he apologizing?’

In her wondering eyes, Father’s expression came into view. 

‘…?’

The fully distorted expression gave the sense like he’s holding something back hard.

At the expression that seemed like swallowing pain, Beatty unconsciously asked.

“Are you sick?”

She put her little hand on Father’s face as if comforting him.

The Duke’s eyes were wide open at the small temperature that touched his cheek, and his expression became more painfully distorted.

She was such a nice child.

How come…

“I-“

Again, deep regret pierces his chest sharply.

“I shouldn’t have left you alone.”

So what about the Barrier of the North.

What’s the use of that?

Even if he protects the entire kingdom, but if his little Baby who is inside that, is unhappy, then there’s no point.

“I was wrong.”

In the confession that flowed like a sigh, Beatty felt like the hot wind had brushed her ears.

“My Baby.”

The touch as if touching the most precious thing in the world.

His hand carefully wrapped around Beatty’s cheek, as if he was dealing with a soft and delicate work of art, that seemed like would break if he held it with giving force even only a little bit.

“Ah….”

At the large body temperature that covered her face, a soft sound that didn’t become a word leaked out from the slightly opened mouth.

‘Wow, it’s amazing.’

Trying to distract her attention with effort, Beatty thought to herself.

‘Who in the world would receive such an apology like this from the Lord of the Aslan Family?’

It was probably a feat that anyone in history has ever achieved.

To think that she receives the Aslan Lord’s rare apology twice in a day, it’s a really amazing thing.

While repeating it to herself, Beatty tried several times to distract her attention.

To suppress her body’s reaction which is being swept away by the strange emotion, that seemed to burst at any minute.

‘Don’t, don’t. No, don’t.’

Beatty tried to hold back as she bit hard her two front teeth until her lips.

“Heup….”

But the young body’s hormones didn’t leave her alone.

Tuk.

Soon, a river which was made of tears burst out as if a blocked bank collapsed.

Tuk, tuuk, tuk.

On top of the back of the Duke’s hand was pouring rain, which was filled with warmth, here and there.

Tears streamed pouring down as if it will melt all the soft black eyes.

“Baby….”

At the hot water that welled endlessly from under the hand which was wrapping the child’s cheek, the Duke called the child with a heartbreaking voice as if comforting her.

Rather than seeing helplessly Baby’s crying appearance, it was very much easier to cut off the heads of a thousand enemy soldiers.

Tuk, tuktuk, tuuuuk.

In front of his child’s tears, the Duke couldn’t even budge.

Keep on wiping away the child’s tears which just flowed endlessly with his fingers was the only thing.

“Don’t cry.”

The sweetly whispering voice was the catalyst.

“Heuk, heeup— heuk!“

Beatty almost hiccuped while weeping.

That having a person who comforts her, telling her not to cry is such a relieving matter like this.

Beatty knew this time for the first time.

“Heup! Heukkk…!”

The Duke didn’t know what to do at Baby’s appearance streamed pouring tears only, then he wiped Baby’s tears with one hand, and patted her back with the other hand.

Watching from the side the father and daughter who had fallen into the sea of tears for quite a while, the boy opened his mouth with the same voice as usual.

“Crybaby.”

Flinch.

Her back, which had heaved with tears for quite a while, hardened in response to that word.

Quiver. Beatty spoke with a low trembling body which was due to holding back her rising cry.

“I-I’ve said that I- heuk, I’m not.”

“What? I can’t hear anything besides a sobbing sound, though?”

Choking up, Beatty turned her head at the loafing Older Brother’s annoying voice.

Carl looked softly at Tiny Kid’s swollen eyes which were finally looking straight at him as he said.

“Crybaby Tiny Kid.”

“…I said I’m not!”

Unable to say anything bad in front of Father who’s looking, Beatty expressed her intention with a strong look.

‘Stupid!’

Carl grinned, as he poked the angry Young Sister in her swollen cheek.

“It’s like bread.”

“Ee-eeck!”

Avoiding Older Brother’s rough fingers, which were playfully poking her cheek, Beatty shook her head.

Heut… heeupp!

Beatty felt the cry which had stopped for a moment gradually rising again.

‘No don’t…!’

This is all because of the young body.

She is never this emotional, but her young body, which was not yet used to stimulation, reacted strangely even to a small change.

Hicc, hicc.

Beatty’s shoulder moved up and down again.

The Duke, who was watching the two of them, sighed quietly.

He thought that Son would draw Baby’s attention to make her stop crying, so then he passed it, and now he made her cry again.

“Carl.”

The Duke called Son’s name and stopped him. He could see Son looking back dissatisfied.

Even while doing that, he glanced at Baby’s eyes, and seeing that she shut her mouth, it looked like she surely would cry again.

The Duke shook his head at Son’s poor consolation, which was worse than even himself.

“…Sniff.”

Pat, pat.

At the touch which was calmly patting her back, Beatty felt the tearful feeling which had risen subside a little.

Holding tightly the back which was leaning on him a bit more, the Duke held Baby who entered fully into his arms as he rose to his feet.

“?!”

Beatty’s tears went all back at her eye level which suddenly rose in height.

“….”

Seeming to not hold her properly even when he was holding her with two arms, the Duke looked still at the child, whose weight was like a fine soft hair.

Drop.

The tears that had welled up for the last time fell, and the black eyes sparkled clear like the sky after the rain stopped.

“Ah.”

The Duke’s large hand put back Beatty’s disheveled hair that slipped down forward.

At the sweet touch which she was still adapting to, the nervous Beatty didn’t know where should she put her eyes and lost her way.

“Does your head not hurt?”

“Yes?”

The Duke’s hand touched Beatty’s forehead carefully.

“…Turns out the fever has subsided.”

Realizing belatedly that Father was worried about her health, Beatty wiggled her hand.

Such a ticklish nursing like this was the first time she had received it in her life.

Even the existence of nursing itself is, well, something like that, but what’s even more, was that she received that from her family which she hadn’t even expected for such thing.

‘Warm….’

Unlike its appearance which looks cold, Father’s hand, which withdrew after it touched her head, was warm.

The Duke, who has confirmed that the child’s body condition had returned to normal, spoke in a subdued voice.

“I have heard it all, from Viscount Seaulus.”