CH 28

“It’s been so long… I can’t smell anything… and the hair ornament… I felt it was so precious but a pity… It couldn’t be held in her hand again.”

“Rosette.”

“I… I must have been a really ugly father….”

The woman said that it smelled like his daughter, and he immediately put his nose to sniff it, but what came only disappointment.

“It must be because I have physical abilities that are more sensitive than humans.”

“That’s right…”

“It’s late at night, so please sleep here. I’ll take you outside tomorrow morning.”

“Looks like there is only one bed, but if I sleep here, there will be no room for Bell to sleep. I can sleep on the floor.”

“There’s a place to stay nearby. I can sleep there.”

“It’s dangerous at night, and…”

“I think you forgot. I’m not an ordinary human. Of course, my mother is a human, so it’s vague to say that I’m not, but… Anyway, if I lift my hand, I can go there in no time.”

“Ah…”

Professor Hail nodded his head, belatedly convinced that she was not an ordinary human being.

“Meow. Meow.”

Amid the silence, not knowing what to say, he heard a cat sound from somewhere.

“Zero? Why are you so late? Where is Pepe now?”

“Meow?”

“If I’m not asking you, then who am I asking?”

“Meow.”

“Is Pepe going to keep doing that?”

“Haak!

“Ze, ze. You’re getting worse and worse day by day. Oh my gosh.”

The woman spoke to the cat, all too familiar as if it were always the case. The cat, gnashing its mandible and holding its tail firmly, found Professor Hail.

“…Bell.”

“Even if it looks mean, don’t worry. It won’t bite you.”

When their eyes met, Professor Hail called the woman as soon as the cat went to bed. The cat sat on Professor Hail’s body for a long time, sniffing at his scent.

“Ze…ro? Is it good?”

“Meow~”

“I’ve seen it like a glance… in a book. It was said that it had cloud-white fur… and that its eyes were different colors.”

“Born with the same eye color as the owner… When the owner has a partner they love, the other eye is the color of the partner of their owner.”

Looking into the cat’s eyes, Professor Hail talked based on what he saw in the book. Come to think of it, Bell had pink eyes, just like the cat.

“That brat Pepe. It got upset again about what I said. Where else did it go at this time? Should I go find it?”

The woman answered as she opened the window and continued to look outside.

“In my family, I was the only one who was born with pink eyes. Because of that, I didn’t even have a friend to play with me… In fact, if Zero was born with light purple eyes, it could turn into a human being… but it met the wrong owner.”

The woman said with a bitter expression on her face.

“It’s a beautiful color. Actually, my daughter had pink eyes too. Maybe that’s why I thought so from the first time I saw you.”

“It’s a color I inherited from my mother, who is a human. You said that your daughter also has the same color as me. Now that I see it, it feels like we met today not by coincidence but by connection.”

“…I’m late to say this, but thank you for saving me.”

“You don’t have to say gratitude to me because it’s Pepe who ripped the cloth. By the way, where the hell is Pepe hiding? Anyway, it’s so narrow-minded.”

“Kieek!”

As soon as the woman said it was narrow-minded, the eagle who hid at the tree came in.

“Pepe!”

“…”

“Are you upset? I’m sorry. You know I don’t mean it, right?”

The relieved woman ran and tried to hug it, but the eagle took two steps to avoid her.

“Anyway… a narrow-minded brat.”

“Kieek! Kieek!”

“I can’t hear you~ I can’t hear you~”

The eagle looked very angry when the woman raised her hands and covered her ears.

“There will be no room for boredom. I’m glad.”

It flapped its wings again and flew outside.

“Pepe’s hobby is to be pissed off, but it’s tiring to comfort its every time. Indeed, I’m not bored because of that.”

A smile spread across the woman’s face as she sighed and answered.

“I think it’s good to see because you seem to be having fun.”

Professor Hail also seemed to have laughed for the first time in a long time.

“It’s late at night, so get some sleep.”

“You too, Bell. May you have a peaceful night.”

It was awkward to say good night to someone before going to bed because it was the first time since his daughter died.

Although the morning sun was bright, the dark forest was full of dark clouds, just like its name.

“If you continue on this road, you will come to the village of Rubenter. You must never come here again. You know what I mean, right?”

“…”

“Rosette.”

“I will… never come again. I… promise.”

“Yes, thank you.”

After he was seen off by the woman, he followed the path she told him and came to a small village. He couldn’t even remember what he thought when he came home.

“Count…”

“…nanny?”

When he opened the door and went inside, what he saw was his daughter’s nanny. She was on her knees. When he quickly approached and stood her up, tears fell on the floor as she got up.

“…did you cry? First of all… get up.”

“Ma-Madam… I didn’t expect her to do such a thing. Really… I really didn’t know. I only knew… s-she was back… and said she would put La-Lady Lena to sleep… then…”

“…”

“T-Then… Ma-Madam and Lady…”

“…”

“I have an old mother who is sick… I-If I die, my mother will…”

“Nanny.”

“I-I’m sorry I ran away… Count… I’m sorry I couldn’t protect them… I’m sorry.”

Professor Hail moved past the nanny. He stopped at the table. There was a frame with a picture of his daughter in it. He picked up the frame and gently stroked it.

“For you… as precious as Lena to me, your sick mother must be precious in your eyes.”

“Count…”

“I won’t ask anymore… about your guilt. So… when I’m not looking at you… please leave.”

At Professor Hail’s words, the nanny bowed her head deeply. Then he heard the door open. Professor Hail was alone again.

“Today too… I’m sorry for coming back late.”

“Dad! Lena is fine. I’m not bored at all, so you can come back later. I know you’re busy with your work.”

“Lena.”

“Tomorrow… I will be waiting for Dad. Holding a violet that Dad likes.”

When Professor Hail said he was sorry for being late, Lena replied that she would be holding violet and waiting for him. It was a flower that bloomed the first day his daughter was born in the world.

Later, in professor Hail’s office, other than lilac, which was the birth flower of Crown Princess Elizabeth.

“Lena, do you know what the flower language of violet means?”

“Umm… I don’t know!”

“It’s an eternal friendship. Dad and our Lena…”

“Forever friend!”

“Yes, that’s right. A friend who will never separate and will always be with you.”

A bunch of violets was nicely curled up and laid on the desk.

* * *

“Actually… after meeting Bell, I tried to prepare a thesis related to them.”

“…”

“I wanted the world to remember the pink eyes that resemble my daughter… but I stopped halfway through.”

“Why… did you do that?”

“I wanted to protect her. The moment I published my thesis on them, I saw her life in danger.”

Professor Hail pulled a small hair ornament and a handkerchief out of his pocket.

“In the world, violet and pink are my favorite colors.”

“If it’s violet and pink….”

It was the color of Crown Princess Elizabeth and Lena.

“One day, when I’m leaving this place… I will meet my daughters, who will meet me with lilacs and violets.”

“…”

“So, even if you come back to the past… I would like to say this.”

“…”

“Live today and wait for tomorrow to come. Whether it was the past or whatever. You just have to live your day, Your Highness. Just do that.”

Professor Hail is smiling with a relaxed face.

“The reason I can continue living through such a terrible thing….”

“It’s because my daughters, whom I can’t see with my eyes anymore, are constantly waiting.”

“Professor… would you be willing to give everything for your children?”

“My world was painted for the first time because of Lena, who always smiled at me, and I was able to walk again thanks to the words of Crown Princess Elizabeth that I should stay by her side for a long time.”

“…”

“I could even give up my life if only those children could survive. If I could meet them, even just for a moment… I would tell them this.”

“…”

“I will never forget the moment when you called me Dad with your little mouth and held out your hand to me when I fell.”

When Charelize heard Professor Hail’s words, she fell into an uncontrollable shock and couldn’t say anything. She felt unfamiliar with love which she had never experienced in her life.

“I wish I could have such an existence. A life that can be lived without dying by someone is a beautiful thing.”

There was a time when she was so immature that she missed the arms of her father, who hated her. Sadly, she only had days of absurd fantasies. She wasn’t happy at all, even though she had the position of princess that many people yearned for. Rather, she dreamed of a life where she was born as a commoner and had a father who loved her every day and a mother who wasn’t ill.

“Did you become crazy?”

“You’re the one who must be crazy.”

“What… did you just say?”

“How long has she been living in the dormitory without being able to go back to Duchy?  Today is her birthday. It’s only once a year, so I asked for it a few days ago. Can’t you just show your face for a while?

“I’m really curious where the dignity, words, and deeds of the princess you value so much have gone.”

“No matter how much I search the world, no father is as heartless as you. Even the silent animals terribly care about their children.”

“Do you still think you’re a noble princess? Do you know that it was thanks to me that you were able to survive?

“Radin!”

“…my name, don’t call it.”

“You don’t even like to be called by your name unless it’s Lady Luxen? No matter how much I search, I don’t even know if she’s alive or dead. Even if she survives, if she lives with another man’s child…”

“I won’t come to her next birthday.”

“You, really!”

“Yekaterina Lizel Isla von Elioter.”

“…”

“Don’t cross the line. If you speak of Siael one more time, I won’t even treat you as a princess.”

He drew a line. It was a clear rejection. Although it was invisible to his eyes, that line was clearly felt.

As time passed and Charelize became an adult, she realized what Duke Marsetta’s grudge was. She understood. No, she wanted to understand. Even then, there must be a reason why he couldn’t be a father to her. Charelize was busy comforting herself. That was the nature of her personality. She just believed and lived like that. From some point on, she wanted to receive recognition rather than love.

“Lilli, you look so pretty today.”

“Dad is the prettiest!”

“I love you, Lillian. Thank you for coming to this father.”

He was never clumsy in giving love. What Charelize never had, despite her entire life’s efforts, could be given to Lillian just in a few days