CH 33

“Is it my daughter’s birthday soon?” 

“Ung. It’s still far….” 

“Ey, there’s less than a month left.”

Enoch asked more excitedly as he took Lilith back to her room after class.

“What is our princess want?” 

“I’m not sure….” 

“Tell me everything. Last year, I couldn’t buy you anything expensive, but this time, Dad wo;; buys everything the princess wants!”

“I don’t really have….” 

The way Lilith acted as she walked with her bag in one hand and a teddy bear on her back was strange.

“Isn’t there anything you want? You said last year, what are those, princess said you wanted shoes….” 

…He couldn’t buy it for her because it was a bit expensive.

In the spring, which was Lilith’s birthday, there weren’t many people looking for firewood, so James, who sold wood, found that this was an off-season.

“No, I have a lot of shoes. I don’t need it. Aunt bought me a lot.”

“Then?”

“I don’t have anything in particular that I want….”

Lilith, who was agonizing, glanced up at Enoch.

“They say there will be a festival in Capital soon. Can we go see it together?”

“Ah.”

Come to think of it, the two weeks from the beginning of next month were the ‘Children’s Day’ festival period.

During the festival, it was common for aristocratic children to enjoy noble events such as poetry recitals, performances, and horseback riding.

But Lilith is probably talking about a festival of commoner children.

A row of toy stands lined up in the glittering city, watching clowns and puppet shows—.

It was literally a children’s paradise!

“No, it’s nothing… Just pretend you didn’t hear it. It can’t be. Grandfather won’t like it….”

“Why can’t we?”

Enoch lifted Lilith, who was sullen.

“Let’s go, let’s go!”

“Phew, isn’t Daddy a fool? Don’t you think that when Daddy goes out brightly like this, everyone will recognize you and come back and bow?”

“Aha, don’t worry about that. I can disguise myself as James Brown for a moment that day. Let’s go out without Grandfather knowing and eat delicious food and buy princess shoes.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

Lilith’s expression soon brightened.

“Ung! Daddy is the best!”

“Dad is the best, right? Then a kiss.”

“Ung!”

Lilith kissed Enoch on the cheek.

It was when the father and daughter, who had been giggling at each other, were surprised. 

“Aaaargh! Ugh, aaaargh!”

Suddenly, Enoch’s steps across the hallway stopped due to the scream from the mansion.

The origin of the anguished groan was beyond the tightly closed door.

‘Oh my. It must be Theo.’

Enoch’s expression hardened.

His nephew, Theo Anthrace, suffers from a rare disease.

Theo had frequent seizures even before Enoch left the capital.

Unfortunately, there was nothing others could do now. They couldn’t help but watch him suffer.

“You know, Princess. Dad will go for a moment—” 

“Put me down!”

“Huh?” 

Enoch, who was about to leave the shocked Lilith in his arms, hesitated.

“Put me down, hurry!” 

“No, wait.” 

Lilith hit Enoch in the chest with her small hand when Enoch inadvertently put her down. 

As soon as her feet hit the ground, Lilith turned the bear bag she was carrying behind her back and took something out.

Small pendant—.

No, it was definitely a small dark purple orb inside. 

‘Core? Isn’t it the core of the Demonic Beast?’

Why does a kid have something like that?

Without even time to confirm the question, Lilith hurriedly opened the door.

* * *

“Young Master, hold on a little!”

“U, uggh, arrrgh!!” 

As soon as I opened the door, I hardened as it was.

“Ah…” 

Theo was struggling in pain with his red, bloodshot eyes wide open.

His sweaty hair stuck to him, and his neck was bent to the limit.

One by one, the servants who grabbed his arms and legs couldn’t bear to open their eyes and closed them tightly.

「The period between seizures got shorter and shorter as Theo Anthrace grew up. When unbearable pain came, he would try to tear his neck and chest with his hands and hurt it.

Each time, the servants should hold his arms and legs forcibly and waited for the seizure to end.」

I always feel—.

The gap between reading all situations as text and actually seeing them was huge. 

“Ah, Theo…Please, please bear with me a little. you’ll be fine soon. M, mom is sorry…” 

Unable to do anything about it, Aunt sat down and sobbed.

Leon is also standing next to him, biting his lip and only clenching his fist. 

‘This is not the time.’ 

It wasn’t the time to be in shock.

“Brother!!”

I screamed and ran to Theo.

“Lilith!”

“L, Lady! If you come closer!”

I left behind the dissuading voice and recklessly jumped onto the bed and hugged Theo tightly by the neck.

The pendant around my neck was gently pressed against his chest.

“Ugh! Ah…”

“Brother, don’t be sick. Don’t be sick, please…” 

“Aargh!” 

Shaking my head, I quickly wiped my blurry eyes and prayed inwardly. 

‘Please, please. Please be all right.’

I knew that the beast’s core was a way to alleviate Theo’s pain, but I was worried because it was never actually used in the original work.

‘Don’t tell me, it’s not useless, right? You can’t do that. Please…’

At that time. 

“Haa, ha…” 

Surprisingly, Theo’s breathing, which had been rough, began to slowly subside. His violent struggles also subsided.

‘Oh my gosh. It really is!’

I quickly removed the pendant from my neck and held Theo’s hand as if in prayer.

“What’s wrong, brother? Are you hurt? Ung?” 

“Ha, haa… L, Lilith…?” 

“Y, Young Master? Are you okay?” 

“Are you awake?”

The servants made puzzled faces as they saw Theo, whose seizures had subsided in an instant.

“Theo! Baby!” 

The surprised Aunt came running. I placed the pendant in Theo’s hand and got off the bed.

“A, are you okay?” 

“…Ah, yes, Mom…” 

“It can’t be, oh my…God, thank you. Thank you very much.”

“What, are you not sick? Already?”

When Leon asked, with his eyes wide open, Theo, whose lips were dry, gave a vague nod.

“It’s a relief, Lady Ordia. Today, the seizure has subsided quickly.”

“That’s right. This is the first time ever. God, thank you so much….” 

Looking at the relieved aunts and servants, I realized something.

‘Oh, this isn’t it.’

Things were going differently than in the picture I drew.

If they wonder why the seizures suddenly disappeared and try to find the cause, they will naturally focus on the pendant—.

‘Everyone is relieved that the seizures have subsided! I can’t do this!’

Theo’s disease is not one that can be cured. Instead, it needs a constant balance of power conflicts to prevent it from worsening.

In other words, he must carry the demon’s core throughout his life.

Since I did it this way, he won’t know that the best cure is right in front of him. 

But if I suddenly interrupt and say, ‘Doesn’t this pendant seem to have healed Brother?’, it would look suspicious.

‘Is there someone who quick-witted!’

It was a time when I was screaming inwardly.

“Are you okay, Theo?”

Dad, who was behind me, came and stood by the bed and asked.

“Ah, yes. Uncle. It’s okay…It doesn’t hurt anymore.” 

“Yeah, that’s a relief. Sister, the seizure didn’t take too long, right?”

“Yes. About 10 minutes.”

“Something is strange. I always remember he was struggling for three or four hours.”

…As expected from the main character. 

I was relieved to see my Dad doubting the situation with his sharp, shining eyes.

“It’s a relief, brother. Didn’t you get better quickly because I told you not to get sick? Hehe.” 

I said, holding Theo’s hand tightly holding the pendant.

“I guess so… Thank you, Lilith. Were you surprised?”

“Ung, but brother, I’m okay as long as you’re not sick anymore.”

When I hugged him with a big smile, Theo gently stroked my hair. 

I peeked at my dad, and as expected, he was keeping a sharp eye on the pendant in Theo’s hand.

“Lilith.”

“Ung, Dad.”

“Where did you get that?”

“Ung? This?” 

Everyone’s eyes landed on the pendant.