Chapter 47: 47

Bugh! Bugh! 

The kicking continued non-stop.

He had no mercy as if he was catching an evil spirit instead of a boy.

Even the guards, who were burning with hostility, kept their mouths shut with an expression of ‘What if a monster suddenly attacks because of that?’

Benny didn’t resist. The arrested boy just clenched his teeth and looked at me.

“Da, Dad. Stop!”

When I screamed in panic, Alan stood tall and came back to my side.

He looked down coldly at the boy who had fallen on the dirt floor, and then turned his gaze to the emperor.

“I will take care of this monster in House Bauner.” 

Igdrasil smiled as if she had been waiting for those words.

“Duke, what do you mean by taking care of him…?”

“It means I will make him a guardian.”

It was a shocking declaration. 

Official guardianship was a different kind of thing from being used as a private soldier.

From now on, if Benny caused trouble, Alan must also be held responsible.

“That’s cool.”

“Stop pretending to not know. Wasn’t that the reason I was called here? To hand over that monster to House Bauner?”

Alan swept his bangs in anger.

His eyes, visible under the black leather gloves, radiated a sharp glare.

The imperial servants all shouted at his rude gaze and tone of speaking directly towards the emperor.

Igdrasil waved her hand lightly as if she wouldn’t deny it. 

“Duke, as you can see, there is no one better than you to train monsters.”

She glanced at me when she said ‘no one better’. 

Only then did I understand the whole situation.

‘Her Majesty was trying to hand over Benny to Duke Bauner from the beginning.’

Benny was a double-edged sword. If he sided with the empire, he could annihilate the evil spirits, but if he betrayed, the empire could be destroyed.

There were two main ways to use dangerous beings.

‘The first is to press down with force.’

I glanced up at Alan. Overwhelming appearance, eyes shining like beasts.

The magical powers of the spirits didn’t work against evil spirits, but the story is different if it was the power of a beast.

No matter how strong Benny was, he couldn’t stand against Alan right now.

‘And the second is… to use emotions.’

Benny likes me.

It was not an ordinary love affair as others think, but it was undeniable that he paid all his attention to me, his kind.

So, in all respects, House Bauner had the best environment to use Benny.

If I hadn’t been entangled, with Alan’s personality, he wouldn’t have been in charge of Benny.

But now… 

“I don’t want it, but I can’t help it.” 

Although Alan murmured harshly, the servants of the Imperial Palace did not protest.

No, they couldn’t

‘Alan is… angry.’

Even just standing next to Alan, I had chills all over my body.

His anger, flowing like a rushing stream, could be felt on the skin.

“If I put this monster out of my sight, it might escape again.”

Alan jutted his jaw towards Benny, who was lying on the floor.

Just looking at his eyes, it seemed like he was going to kill Benny at any moment.

“…Then he’s going to kidnap my daughter.” 

As soon as he finished speaking, Benny smiled. As if everything went as planned.

*** 

‘I’m tired.’

The sun finally set on this eventful day.

The emperor gave me and Alan a room in a separate palace, saying it was too late to return to our castle.

We went by carriage, and I dozed off in Alan’s arms all the way to the separate palace.

Several thoughts ran through my dazed mind.

‘I couldn’t even talk to Benny properly…’

Benny was taken to prison again. 

Of course, it was closer to the side I walked into.

“If it’s more convenient for you to lock me up… all right.”

When Benny said that and went back to the dungeon, members of the imperial family, except for the emperor, started swearing at the back of his head. (PR/N: in this case, ‘members’ are more like staff/knights.)

Indeed, their pride must have been hurt. Because none of them could beat Benny.

I was curious about everything other than that. Since even a strong member could not use magic when they were near Benny. 

‘Why did Benny do that?’

No matter how much I thought about it, it was a rash act to catch and offer evil spirits under the current circumstances.

It was a relief because the emperor had good judgment, but if she was like any other imperial family member, she would have been running around saying that it was disgraceful.

‘He said he wanted to prove his loyalty, but I think there must be some other reason.’

Alan also seemed very angry.

If I hadn’t stopped him, he might have really taken Benny’s breath away.

‘What is the reason to take all these risks?’

“Lily, are you tired?”

As I was deeply immersed in my thoughts in Alan’s arms, I suddenly came to my senses and looked around.

Soon we arrived at the guest room. 

Alan put me on the bed and said soothingly.

“Get some sleep. There is still time left for dinner to be ready.”

“I’m fi… hauum.”

Even when I tried to pretend I was fine, I yawned.

Alan took off my ribboned shoes with a careful hand, as if he knew everything I wanted.

His hand, which was large enough to hold my ankle, suddenly felt even bigger.

I was laid on the bed in the blink of an eye.

Alan covered me with the blanket and whispered.

“Don’t overdo it.”

The pressure I felt when he kicked Benny was gone, replaced with this soft expression.

“Yes.”

Even after nodding my head, I desperately gave strength to my eyelids.

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I was very sleepy, but I couldn’t sleep until Alan left.

I didn’t know what kind of sleep talk was going to come out of my mouth.

“Dad, I can sleep alone. Dad, you can go and get some rest…”

Usually, Alan would leave the room gently if I said this. But he didn’t even budge today.

“Dad…?”

“I’ll sing you a lullaby.”

Alan patted my back with a large hand.

The heavy weight transmitted through the blanket was comfortable.

Comfort was the problem.

“You don’t have to do that…”

“I’ll sing it quietly so that it won’t disturb your sleep.”

“…If you finished singing , you have to go and rest.”

“Okay.”

There was no other way. I had no more excuses for him anymore.

‘I just have to endure until Alan picks a song, right?’

I pretended to be sleeping and closed my eyes.

Then the drowsiness, which I had endured, came rushing in like a storm.

Even if I opened my eyes, it was no use. The scene in front of me was blurry like a mist.

My body, which was only 9 years old, seemed to have reached its limit.

“Relax and go to sleep, Lily. I will protect you.”

Alan gently swept my bangs with his black leather gloved hand.

Come to think of it, he always wears black clothes.

Just like a person going to a funeral…

As my mind wandered, I thought of useless things.

His soft singing voice gradually slowed down.

It was like singing along to a song that someone sang long ago.

By the time the gentle chorus was repeated,  I eventually let go the string of consciousness.

***

As Lily fell asleep in the blink of an eye, Alan took off his gloves and swept his sleeping daughter’s hair.

The child, who was dried up like a tree branch when she was first brought to the castle, had changed so much that he was not even aware of it.

The dull red hair became shiny and smooth, and the cheeks that had been sunken became plump, as if two loaves of dough had been pasted together.

Alan held his chin and savored the change that made him happy.

Suddenly, Lily mumbled her lips.

“…Hmm..”

It looked like she was talking in her sleep. 

Lily’s voice was as small as that of a mosquito, but it was loud in a quiet room.

“…ry.” 

What was she trying to say? 

Alan clenched his fists in strange anxiety. He was wondering if he should leave right now.

The words he wanted to hear from his returned daughter were decided. 

Please buy me this, I want to go there, please fulfill all my demands…

Any of those words were welcome.

He didn’t even hope for anything like ‘I love you.’

As long as it didn’t break the happiness he had right now. If that was possible…

“…I’m sorry.”

Fortunately, Lily became quiet after her last words of apology. 

Alan looked at his sleeping daughter’s angelic face and gently pulled up the feather blanket. And he murmured.

“You look alike.”

As if his touch was itchy, Lily smiled lightly with a frowning expression.

Alan looked at the smile as if possessed.

The lullaby he had just sung to Lily hovered in his ears.

It wasn’t his own voice, it was the voice of a pure woman.

It was a beautiful song.

So much so that he couldn’t even imitate it.

The person who made the song was no longer here, Only the masterless melody remained in this world.

“You look so similar.”

Alan adjusted his black outfit and left the bedroom.

His last words were not heard by anyone.

“…To her…”

Tak, the door was closed. 

Alan touched his face for a long time before leaving the door.

The corridors of the Imperial Palace were as silent as the coffins of the dead.

***

“…What time is it now?”

How long had I been asleep? 

As soon as I opened my eyes, an unfamiliar ceiling caught my eyes.

I looked around and realized belatedly that it wasn’t the duke’s castle.

I pushed the duvet that covered my body neatly off and went down the bed.

Washing water with floating petals and lukewarm lavender tea were prepared next to the bed.

‘Did the servants of the Imperial Palace leave it?’

It was the scenery I saw every morning at the castle.

Except it was dark outside the window.

‘I have completely lost my consciousness when I closed my eyes for a moment…’ 

I even fell asleep defenselessly before Alan went.

I regretted my mistake belatedly.

‘I probably didn’t talk in your sleep, right?’ 

Although nothing seemed to have happened…

As I was wiping my face with water with the scent of flowers, a postcard placed next to the teacup caught my eyes.

When I unintentionally picked it up, a white light rose from the stiff surface.

I was surprised to see that there was even a fire, but luckily, the true identity of the light was a message written on a postcard.

Each letter was shining beautifully as if it had been written with luminous ink.

「I’m having dinner with your brothers first. I’ll be waiting for you at the dinner table, so when you wake up, fold this postcard in half. Dad.」

It was from Alan.

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