Chapter 54: 54

As Benny said so, his eyes flashed like the loyal dog.

“Let me protect you.”

I couldn’t close my open mouth. 

The reason Benny escaped from the Imperial Palace was simpler than expected.

He just wanted to be by my side.

Alan grabbed my shoulder and showed open displeasure.

“No matter what happens, I can’t make you Lily’s escort knight.”

Benny did not back down, even in the face of this resolute remark.

“Isn’t the Princess supposed to decide her escort knights?”

“My daughter is still young.”

“She’s the same age as me… is that young?”

Benny tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.

Alan passed it on to stop the frivolous chatter, but I was at a loss for words at that moment.

Benny had never been treated like a child.

Before, it was because he was a slave, and now, it was because of the danger he carried.

However, if it was about the power of an evil spirit, I also had it.

Benny and I were no different.

If I hadn’t pretended to be Lily, I might have been treated like an animal like Benny.

‘At this rate, it won’t be strange if Benny hates me.’

We were both of the same kind, but one was inside the prison and the other was outside the prison.

If I had been in the same situation as Benny, I would have been quite upset.

Fortunately, he seemed to have a broader mind than me.

“I heard you didn’t give any information to the interrogator.”

Alan said what Benny had to say.

“You’re in front of Lily, can you talk now?”

“I can’t.”

Benny refused as if it was normal and looked at me.

“I want to tell it only to my kind.”

Alan raised his eyebrows. It was a small change in expression, but I knew it. He was quite angry.

“You mean leaving Lily and you alone?”

Alan took my hand and turned away, as if he didn’t need to say any more.

I hurriedly stood up and grabbed his hand.

“Dad. Wait.”

I couldn’t miss this golden opportunity to talk with Benny alone.

But how should I convince him?

“Just pester him. If you whine, he will listen to you.”

Suddenly, the words I heard in the Imperial Palace flashed through my mind.

‘Will that work?’

In order to win Alan’s favor, I had only been an obedient daughter, because I never had to ask for anything first.

‘…But I still have to do it. If I miss this opportunity, I don’t know when I’ll be able to meet Benny again.’

I sighed and shook my head. And smiled as brightly as possible.

“Please let Benny and I talk alone. Please?”

Alan patted my head with a puzzled expression.

“Lily, I have a duty to protect you. I am your father.”

As expected, he didn’t fall for it at once.

‘In fact, I need to talk with Benny because I have to protect myself too.’

When requesting didn’t work, I hung my head down with a weeping expression on my face.

“But… I want to help my dad.”

“…Lily.”

Alan’s expressionless face shook. He knelt down on one knee and made eye contact with me,  feeling anxious as if something huge would happen if my tears flowed out and touched my eyelashes.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“But… I’m curious too. Where did my strength come from? Maybe Benny will tell me.”

I looked straight up at Alan and hit the last blow. 

“I’m not a monster.”

As if those words had become a wedge, Alan was troubled.

He got up slowly and dragged a chair that was my height.

Then he placed a chair about ten steps away from Benny’s cell.

Wouldn’t it be nice to sit over there and talk?

“Promise me you won’t get any closer than this chair, Lily.”

As there was no other way, I was forced to nod my head.

It would be okay because he could hear even a small sound well.

Alan warned Benny as he walked out the iron gate with a dissatisfied look.

“If you laid even one finger on my daughter, I will not let you go.”

The iron door on the stairs closed and the entire basement became silent.

As soon as Alan disappeared, Benny came close to the bar and knelt down. 

It was a very natural gesture.

I hurriedly shook my hand.

“Benny, you’re going to hurt your knee. Just sit down.”

“It’s fine. This way I can see the Princess better.”

Through the dense grate, I met Benny’s purple eyes and gaze.

His silver hair and white skin made his eyes even more distinct.

I glanced back at the door Alan had left and opened my mouth carefully.

I had a lot of questions, but among them, there were facts I needed to know right now.

“…Benny. Were your parents just like us?”

It reminded me of my real father’s face, so I unknowingly grabbed the hem of my skirt.

Except for bluffing, it was hard to imagine that that body had hidden power.

But maybe, if there was something I didn’t know…

‘How should I treat my biological father?’

Should I understand my father because he had a hard time that I didn’t know about?

Should I thank my father who raised me to be different from others? 

Because we were a family that resembled each other, should we try to live together? 

No matter how much my father bothered me?

It was confusing. 

At that moment, Benny’s answer blew away all of my worries.

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“My parents were ordinary people.”

“…What?”

For a moment, I couldn’t understand Benny’s words. 

Ordinary… humans?

“R-Really?”

“Yes, there’s no possibility that I’m an adoptive son. Because I look just like my father.”

When I looked in the Nobility Yearbook, there was no such thing as a silver-haired, purple-eyed count, but now was not the time to care about that.

Benny’s words overturned the common sense I had ever known.

“Is that possible?”

“As you see.”

Benny tilted his head, which had been nodding quietly.

“Excuse me, but why are you so surprised? The Princess’ father is also a beast.” 

‘Ah, Benny doesn’t know I’m a fake yet.’

I hurriedly sat down and continued speaking gibberish.

“I was just a little surprised… I see… Have you known your strength since you were young?”

“Yes. This is how I was born and raised. Even my mother who raised me couldn’t explain why I was like this.”

I was dazed as if I had been hit in the head with a hammer. 

Benny stuck his face out until his nose touched the bar and continued.

“I’m sorry that I don’t know much.”

“…It’s okay.”

“Is the talk over?”

Not long after leaving, Alan opened the door and came in.

I was too confused to ask for more time.

Alan held me in his arms as I sat blankly.

“Let’s go, Lily.”

As Alan was heading towards the iron gate, he suddenly stopped and looked back at Benny.

“I ask one more question, are you the one who broke the barrier of the stadium?”

Benny, who got up on his knees, looked at me instead of Alan this time.

He chose a word for a while, then spit it out quietly.

“If I had known that the Princess was there, I wouldn’t have done it.”

The boy did not say that it was not his fault until the end.

*** 

‘An evil spirit can come out of an ordinary human?’

If that’s the case, then there was no evidence that I’m not Alan’s daughter.

I tried to run away believing that I couldn’t be Lily, but…

‘Wake up!’

I rubbed my face hard enough to make a clunking sound.

‘Let’s not let our guard down.’

I had been hit in the back of my head several times in the ant cave.

‘To be a princess is just my wish.’

‘The plan doesn’t change. I have to run away.’

Never ever think that I might be a real princess.

“…ly.”

‘I am not Lily. Absolutely not…’

“Lily.”

Suddenly, someone tapped my shoulder. 

I raised my head in annoyance.

Alan, who called me, seemed even more surprised by the intense reaction.

After leaving the tower, Alan and I arrived at the office.

He sat me on his lap and pulled a plate full of cookies in front of me.

“Would you like something to eat?”

I ate a lot at breakfast and was full, but I couldn’t turn down his offer.

“…Yes, Dad.”

I quietly picked up a cookie.

Alan’s expression, which would normally have smiled happily, seemed to have hardened somehow.

‘Does he like it when I act more friendly?’

I endured the dizziness that came up earlier and took a bite of the cookie.

The sweet taste in my mouth was very uncomfortable right now, but I did my best and smiled.

“…It is tasty. Thank you.”

Alan did not release his stiff expression. He even sighed softly, which made me impatient.

‘What did I do wrong? What do I do now? How do I get Alan to like me?’

“Lily.”

Alan took a bite of the cookie from my hand and wiped the crumbs with a handkerchief.

“Are you uncomfortable with me?”

Startled by the unexpected words, I quickly denied it.

“No, Dad… cough!”

I choked on the cookie I just ate. 

Alan quickly handed me a glass of water, and then stroked my fine braid to calm me down.

“It’s all my fault.”

Alan touched my hand and raised his eyes.

And whispered in a loud voice.

“But remember. I will stay with you until you trust me.”

Believe in him? Me to Alan? Absolutely impossible right now. 

In order to believe in Alan, there must be a precondition – I must be Alan’s real daughter.

Not knowing my complicated mind, he acted kindly again.

“Today, let’s spend some time with just the two of us. Is there anything you want to do?”

May I ask if I’m really your real daughter?

The question went up and then went back all the way down my throat.

The answer I came up with while swallowing dry saliva was the same as usual. 

“Whatever Dad wants to do.”

I still can be useful as Lily’s substitute. So please don’t kill me. I will be a good daughter.

I appealed with my eyes like that, but Alan looked somewhat uncomfortable this time as well.

He pondered for a moment, then said softly.

“Then let’s paint.”

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