CH 14

The duchy was in an emergency.

“Princess?”

“Princess Billishia!”

Following the guidance of the aide and Lisa, I arrived at the main gate of the castle.

There was a confrontation between Cassis, who ordered the carriage, and the servants who trembled and bowed their heads.

The servants who recognized me in a complicated situation gave me a way with hope.

I felt a bit of pressure.

I took Lisa’s hand and hurriedly walked away.

“Who brought that child in this situation?”

Cassis, who had been quietly swearing, crumpled his brows viciously.

But he looked dangerous to anyone.

The area around his eyes, filled with anger, was red as if he was crying.

The black hair that covered his forehead over the pale skin was slightly wet from the cold sweat.

He stood upright even with one you squinted.

In my previous life, I was scared and hated that look.

That look was so precipitated by obsession to the extent I couldn’t understand it.

Gulp.

My hands trembled as I faced those eyes that resembled mine.

Somehow, Cassis and I were alone with each other like enemies we met under a tree.

“Agasa. I told you not to bring this child.”

As the final warning was given, Agasa, who had rushed over, bowed his head.

“Everyone is worried.”

“Since when did you become responsible for my physical condition?”

“…Your Grace.”

“As an aide, you shouldn’t have to interfere in the Duke’s private life, yet you have intervened nicely in my family history.”

Cassis’ jaw hardened as he clenched his teeth, perhaps because he couldn’t control his anger just by seeing me.

“Bring the child back.”

“Dad.”

The situation became increasingly serious.

Unable to see that, I opened my mouth.

Cassis and Agatha paused for a moment as my voice jumped between the suffocating two.

“This is crazy. If Vivian finds out about this situation…”

Cassis glanced at me in disbelief and clenched his fists until they turned white.

He seemed to know that it was emotionally bad for me as a child to hear this conversation.

“Where are you going, Dad?”

I had to act like I didn’t know anything.

In this situation, I think being a child will be a great weapon.

Seeing my innocent expression, he averted his gaze.

It was clear that he was forced to swallow his anger.

“Yeah. I’m going out.”

“To where?”

Obviously you can’t. You’re sick.

Swift, swiftㅡ 

As soon as I ran, the road opened like Moses’ miracle.

Rushing past the servants, I grabbed Cassis by the sleeve.

As he tried to frown, which seemed a little waryㅡ 

“Dad. Have a safe trip.”

Grin.

“?”

The moment I waved my hand and smiled brightly, I heard breaths that seemed to be frightened by surprise behind my back.

It was the same with Cassis, who listened carefully to my greeting.

His expression, which looked like he was about to shake me off at any moment, made me look defenseless for a moment.

The expectation that I would stop him was completely wrong, and his panicked self-anxiety was shaking uncontrollably.

An expression that makes you think a lot while being dumbfounded.

“…Alright.”

At that timeㅡ 

“M-Miss Baby.”

Agasa, who had been stuttering, looked at me and Dad in disbelief.

The same was true for the faces of the people all at once.

“Why? It’s possible.”

When I turned my head and said, people’s expressions looked puzzled.

A look of not understanding.

As if they were looking at an alien.

‘Did Cassis endure that gaze the whole time he was in the castle? Even though he is the owner of this castle.’

Why, what’s wrong with my dad being the villain?

“Why are you looking at him like that? Maybe it’s because he misses Mom. They just got separated, so maybe he wants to find her.”

Flinch.

When I protested, grabbing his sleeve, the surprised Cassis stopped breathing for a moment.

I was exactly in their shaky gazes.

“Don’t drive my dad to be a weirdo!”

Bam!

The villain’s daughter’s nature doesn’t go anywhere.

If you have something you want to say, screaming won’t fix it.

But it was still clear.

Cassis, standing alone helplessly in front of the castle, confronting the people.

I would be the only one who understands his determination and the longing for Vivian.

Vivian gave me seemingly impossible affection in a short amount of time.

To the point where it’s so cruel that I can’t repay the love I received when Mom died.

‘I’m sure the same goes for Cassis.’

I can’t change Dad’s life, but I can sympathize with him.

There is only a difference to an extent, but me too.

“Dad, it’s not weird. That’s a good enough thing to do.”

To my sincerity, the servants became solemn.

“Dad.”

I still gripped his sleeve tightly.

Cassis, who had been standing there, stared at me for the first time.

A glance at me.

And a small, fragile hand that tightly gripped his sleeve.

His gaze, which had been shaking, couldn’t find its way.

In the deep expression, I could feel the confusion of the person whose feelings were recognized for the first time.

It hurts, doesn’t it?

Just like when I hurt.

“Still, you have to eat your meal.”

What kind of world have you been living in so far, so that you tremble at one word of comfort?

I felt sorry for his rough skin, so I reached out my hand without realizing it.

Whooshㅡ 

A huge shadow enveloped me.

I met my eyes with Cassis, who knelt down as if he was possessed by something unknown.

Looking at that rare scene, there were times when one’s emotions were ahead of one’s reason.

Unknowingly, I caressed Dad’s rough cheek.

Cassis, who was greatly shaken for a moment by my first act, soon calmed down.

At the moment when the history of Vallois changed, the people who were whispering kept quiet.

***

Cassis’s eyelids closed for a moment as indescribable emotions raged on him, yet he was physically at his limit.

It was a strange thing.

When his daughter’s small hand touched his cheek, the nostalgia of falling asleep with terrifying relief swept his memory.

[Cassis. It was a great opportunity, but life doesn’t feel like what I want. Still, we have a valuable gift. I think this child could change you. Now is the time to wait.]

Five years ago, the dusk of dawn.

The blanket rustled on the quiet bed.

Cassis, who had been wrapping Vivian’s waist, tightened his arm as if digging into it, wanting to continue sleeping.

However, Vivian gently subdued his strength and raised her upper body.

Thanks to that, the flowing pink hair shone like a river in the moonlight.

[Cassis.]

Yes, Vivian.

Soon, he felt his black hair, which was lying sideways, flutter like petals at her touch.

He wanted to open his eyes, but for now he felt good about her caressing him, so he decided to continue pretending to sleep.

But she was a little strange.

Originally, Vivian was a kind person to him, yet today, the way she caressed him was so affectionate that she looked sad.

[No matter what happens, I love you.]

Me too.

‘I love you too.’

Unexpectedly, redness rose around the eyes that had been closed in confession.

Yet after saying that, Vivian disappeared.

Cassis was alone when he woke up.

Silence hung over the wide bed.

Vivian left just like that.

Without a reason, without a greeting.

‘You said you loved me.’

Time passed, but he still didn’t know what Vivian meant.

Yet now, there is only one word that he can vaguely understand.

‘That the child you said could possibly become precious to me.’

[And I’m going to scold you, starting with the little toe. Becauseee as soon as your neck is cut off, you’ll go to heaven, slowly, one finger at a time, starting with your toes. That, and… Ah, I don’t have enough fingers, though.]

A clever idea that resembles me.

The purple eyes that resemble mine.

The horrible black hair that resembles mine.

[Mom said that I shouldn’t skip my meals.]

[She stretched my cheeks bigger. She told me that every time I leave food behind, I lose precious cheeks here.]

The same nagging I heard from Vivian five years ago.

[I can eat alone. It’s okay because I’m used to it.]

[It will be more comfortable now.]

Even the back of the head that resembles me knows the meaning of those heavy words.

‘Billishia.’

A child who is all the same as me, from my ugly appearance to the scars I didn’t realize.

When I looked into that transparent gaze, my reflection like a mirror was so stark that I wanted to run away.

It was purely my fault for missing Vivian.

But, as always, all he wanted was Vivian.

[Maybe it’s because he misses Mom. They just got separated, so maybe he wants to find her.]

But was it from then, he wondered.

Something was breaking in Cassis’ mind.

[Don’t drive my dad to be a weirdo!]

What the hell do you know?

I couldn’t understand how she supported me, whom she hadn’t seen a few times, and could be worse off than her family.

It was at that moment that the empty sleeve was pulled down.

[Dad.]

Her purple eyes, calling him her dad, filled his field of vision.

Resemble me. The ugly eyes that resemble me.

[Still, you should have to eat your meal.]

The thin rope he was gripping in fear snapped.

Only then did Cassis stupidly realize.

That it was us who lost Vivian, not me.

***

“Then,”

He paused for a moment as his throat choked.

All the people around him flinched at the unintelligible word.

When Billishia tried to withdraw her hand, perhaps subconsciously thinking it was a bad situationㅡ

“Then I’ll have to leave a little later.”

Cassis grabbed the hand of the young and short-lived salvation again.

“Because we need to have a meal. We’ll have strawberry cake for dessert.”

It was a very awkward way to say it himself.

He could hear breaths of astonishment around him, yet all he needed was his daughter’s answer.

Her hastily wrapped, soft, white hand wriggled in his as if she was embarrassed.

She was so young.

She defended me alone with such a small and weak body.

“…Shall we eat now, Billishia?”

As expected of Vallois.

Admiring his younger daughter’s courage, he raised his eyebrows.

“…Strawberry?”

“Strawberry.”

Billishia asked in a blank voice if she was dreaming.

“…A meal?”

“Hm. A meal.”

As expected, his unique calm tone continued, yet the surrounding workers realized that the day when that voice is used, has come.

It was natural.

He realized it belatedly, so there was no reason to hesitate even if it was awkward.

“I won’t spill the strawberry cake this time.”

As if she couldn’t believe his bold aspirations, her small pupils slowly began to widen.

“Yesh!”

Quickly realizing Cassis’ clumsy sincerity, Billishia smiled broadly, showing her small teeth.

She was a savior who came down in the sunshine.