Chapter 28: 28

I thought hard until the next day, but there was only one possibility.

‘I must have dropped it somewhere.’

If the necklace was going to cause problems, it would have happened sooner.

I was upset because it was the only thing my mother had left me, but I couldn’t turn over the castle to find a necklace.

I left my regrets behind and gave up looking for the necklace.

Today’s visit to Michael was in the evening. I also brought my own boiled porridge.

Special pig blood porridge.

It was disgusting just to smell it, but what about it, I am not the one who was going to eat it. 

It was insanely tasteless, so it was good for health, maybe.

When I put the blood porridge in front of his nose, Michael’s reaction exceeded my expectations, so I was very proud.

I ate a pomegranate tart sprinkled with sugar next to him because I was afraid he would be lonely if he ate alone.

Perhaps he was touched by my kindness, Michael ate the porridge and pressed his eyelids down.

No, was it because he was annoyed? 

Well, it doesn’t really matter, but I left the room and Michael, who was staring at me sharply like a knife.

It quickly got dark outside. 

As I walked down the desolate hallway, I thought.

‘Mmm. Michael is getting better so quickly.’

Perhaps because of his resistance to poison, Michael’s recovery was extremely fast.

I almost grinded my teeth to get better.

‘Even if he can move, he won’t reveal that I’m a fake…’

Michael’s purpose is to make me the real Lily.

Considering his terrifying disposition towards the Bauner family, he won’t blow away my identity at any moment.

Even if I tried to coax him, he was not an opponent who would fall over, so I was enjoying this moment of revenge in a small way.

The problem was after he woke up from the hospital bed.

‘He might retaliate in other ways. Shall I close my eyes and pour one more spoonful into his mouth?’

Since he had dedicated himself to the Bauner family, it meant he could rest for a few more months, so it was kind of a vacation.

After thinking seriously for a while, I heard a muffled sound from the end of the hallway.

The front door was noisy. The servants gathered together and I heard the murmurs of there being carriages.

‘Do carts come and go at this hour? Oh, it might be useful to know when the carriage road opens when escaping.’

I hurried my steps. 

As soon as I turned around the alley, Nike’s yell pierced my ears.

“Go to the healing room. Hurry!”

The maids were busily moving with towels and basins that were dyed red.

The atmosphere was unusual. I reflexively hid behind the pillar.

At the center of the uproar was a person I knew all too well.

Alan von Bauner. The man I call daddy. 

His turquoise eyes were clear even in the dark.

I couldn’t run as usual, and just froze.

I didn’t know that a person who went out early in the morning would come back with this kind of appearance.

‘That is… blood, right?’

The area around Alan’s mouth was red with blood. It wasn’t the black blood of a monster, it was bright, red, raw blood.

A fishy liquid dripped from the tip of the fangs that had not yet been inserted.

Alan looked fine with no injuries. So, if he doesn’t have a hobby of chewing raw meat, then that’s someone else’s…

“It’s not my blood.”

Alan turned his head towards me.

I was startled and turned my head back.

As I grabbed my pounding chest, I had an ominous feeling.

‘Did I make a mistake?’

After the incident with Michael, I thought about what to do next.

No matter how much I shook my head, there was only one answer. 

Behaving the same as before. 

If Alan guessed I’m a fake and I admitted it, I’d have to play the angelic daughter invariably.

If I don’t show him a satisfactory fantasy, I might be disposed of right away.

I was less afraid of getting caught dead, but another tightrope began.

‘If I’m a good daughter, shouldn’t I be worried if my father is drenched in other people’s blood?’

Let’s go and fuss about what is going on right now. 

Let’s just cry…!

Just as I was making up my mind, I heard a low-pitched voice right next to me.

“Lily, are you okay?”

I slowly turned my head.

Nice uniform, the most attractive face under the moonlight.

The area around Alan’s mouth was clean like he had just wiped off the blood.

“Yes, yes…”

“I’m sorry. You must have been surprised by me.”

Alan held me in one arm and raised his eyebrows anxiously.

Facing the cool light of his eyes, I felt numb again.

I hugged him tightly, trying to avoid his gaze as naturally as possible.

“No… You’re back, Dad.”

A faint smell of blood touched my nose. 

Alan put his arm around my back and replied kindly.

“Yes, my daughter.”

Passers-by glanced at us.

In their eyes, Alan and I will only be seen as a pair of warm and loving father and daughter.

It’s ironic that he and I are strangers and only we know that.

“Are you okay? Earlier, the blood…”

As I hesitated, Alan nodded and stroked my cheek.

“I’m not hurt, so don’t worry. I just took the knights and punished the bad guys.”

A bright light shone in the dark garden. 

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I looked around the garden. Now that I observe, Alan wasn’t the only one with blood.

The knights were lying down on various spots in the garden, receiving healing magic.

Judging from their faces and appearances, it was not a knight guild directly under the duke.

Maybe that’s why? Everyone was badly injured.  Some were carried on stretchers.

Then Alan covered my view with a large hand.

“They’ll get better like a wash after healing.”

Thump thump.

Alan walked through the main hall, covering my eyes throughout.

As if he didn’t want to show me even a drop of blood.

“The closer the carnival gets, the more bad people appear. Dare to bring forbidden things into my land, and make a commotion…”

When I reached the courtyard, his hands fell from the lids of my eyes.

“Lily, if you go out of the castle, you might run into trash.”

The strength he used when hugging me was so strong that it hurt.

We were only a day apart yet he acted like he would never let me go.

The red camellia flowers swayed gently. Alan stared at the flowers that would soon wither, then spoke slowly.

“How was today?” 

Even though it was a common question, I had to take a short pause to choose a word that would not bother him.

“In the morning, I rode Brother Pedro, at lunch, Brother Hugo accompanied me for a nap, and in the evening I went to visit Brother Michael.”

“Did you have fun?”

“…Yes.”

It wasn’t a lie. 

Michael’s expression was particularly pleasant when I cleared the third pomegranate tart.

“I see.”

I intentionally chatted merrily, but Alan didn’t seem very happy.

What’s wrong? You don’t like my answer? Oh, my God, don’t tell me.

Alan’s reason for this was expected. 

I buried my face in his shoulder and spoke as sweetly as I could.

“But it’s best to play with dad.”

As soon as the words fell, Alan’s eyes bent gently.

I guess this was the answer. He wanted to be loved by his daughter the most.

“Will you play with me for a while now? I want to do something with my daughter before the day goes by.”

“Uh… but aren’t you tired?”

“Not at all.”

He’s strong, indeed.

As I pondered what to play with, I squeezed Alan’s little finger.

“Let’s go to a high place and watch the moon. The full moon is beautiful.”

I didn’t really want to see the moon.

I wanted to figure out the structure of the castle in preparation for the day I would run away.

I wandered around the castle whenever I had time, but instead of memorizing the structure, I was often lost.

Each time, Pedro followed my scent to find me.

“Is that enough?”

At my words of wanting to watch the moon, Alan raised one eyebrow.

I was hoping for more, but my imagination was limited to seeing the moon.

Is there anything more luxurious?

“Yeah. It’s just me and Dad.”

I rested my head on his broad shoulders.

That attitude took effect quickly. Alan shouted loudly.

“Nike!” 

“Yes!”

Nike ran over. Allan looked up at the sky and declared.

“I’m going to the North Tower right now.”

“Yes? But there…”

“It is the tallest tower. I will go moon-watching with Lily. Get ready.”

Nike, who was a little perplexed, stood like a competent servant.

“Yes! I’ll set up top-quality furniture and windshields on the top! Oh, you want me to light up every street in the duchy? The night view will be great.”

“Not bad. We don’t need too much tea and drinks, so prepare only for a small picnic.”

“I will tell them to prepare a five-tier whipped cream cake right now!”

Why does this family increase the scale each time they play with me? 

“Oh, Dad. You don’t have to go that far.”

Alan rolled his eyes, as if he didn’t understand what I was saying.

He couldn’t even imagine that this was too much.

“I mean… we have to wait too long to prepare everything. We can just bring a mat and some food in the basket.”

“Like the illustrations in the children’s book your brother read to you last time?”

For Alan, we’re gonna have a little picnic like in a fairy tale.

Or is it a story?

Well, whatever it is, I’m glad that I figured it out.

“Okay. Nike, if you hear it, get ready.”

“Yes!” 

After a while, Nike brought a huge basket and handed it to Alan.

It was closer to the size of a toy cart than a basket.

I imagined a little picnic basket, where the hell did you get that? I’ll believe it even if it’s a moving item.

Alan didn’t mind, holding the basket in one hand and the light from a glowing magic stone in the other.

A carriage was not called. Are we going to walk?

“Hold on tight.”

I think I heard these words somewhere before. 

Yes, when I rode on a wolf and ran…

Whoosh!

Without a moment to think, the scenery of the courtyard faded away.

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