Chapter 59: 59 – Child – All-Time Low

That wasn't a good sign. For the front door to slam open...

I frowned and then got up, walking over to the entrance.

Mom and Mama Lily walked in, shaking snow off from their coats.

"Oh?" Rose's voice echoed from the kitchen and she said, "Zenith? Lilia? I finished making lunch, so-"

Mom looked at me before letting out a deep sigh and shutting the door. After that, she looked towards Rose and said, "Is Norn sleeping?"

Rose wiped her hands on her apron and said, "She is. I tucked her in bed with her sister in your room." She looked at Mama Lily and said, "I hope you didn't mind, Lilia..."

Mama Lily shook her head and let out a thin smile. "It's fine, Rose. Thank you for watching them." After saying that, she turned to look at me. "Are you well, Rudy?"

"I'm fine... Why are you asking?"

Did I worry them that much? Ah, wait. If they were talking with Dad, they probably found out who I was fighting.

And I had just recovered from being blind... and I was still recovering from mana strain...

In hindsight, it was obvious why Mama Lily was asking.

Okay. Maybe I did get a bit rattled from recent events after all if I didn't get that.

Mom sighed and shook her head. After that, she looked at me and said, "Don't let your father off so easily this time, Rudy. He did something really stupid. Scold him properly, understand?"

"Um... Okay?"

"I'm going to cuddle with Norn." Mom looked at Mama Lily and said, "Will you keep me company, Lily?"

"Of course, Zenny." Mama Lily nodded and said, "It should be time to feed Aisha soon as well, so it works out perfectly."

Mom nodded and then headed down the hallway to the master bedroom where Norn and Aisha were sleeping.

And the bedroom where my dad wouldn't be sleeping for a while, judging from how frosty Mom and Mama Lily were.

Mom and Mama Lily left to go stay with Norn and Aisha.

Sylphy walked over to my side and then peered down the hallway. "Did Miss Zenith and Miss Lily go to sleep?"

I nodded. "I think they're pretty exhausted, so-"

The front door opened again and someone walked in. Dad.

Except, it didn't look like Dad. Mostly because his face was completely swelled up and red.

Rose gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. After that, she walked over and said, "Paul! What happened to you? Did another enemy attack?!"

Sylphy gasped as well and then ran over to my dad. "Mister Paul! Here, let me heal you!"

My dad waved and muttered something incomprehensible.

Sylphy frowned and then held out her hands. With that, blue-green mana flew out in bubbles before gathering around my dad. When they did, the bubbles flickered and turned gold. After that, they burst, splashing my dad in gold sparks. And with that, his swollen face turned back to normal.

He sighed and said, "That wasn't really necessary, Sylphy. But thank you."

"Not necessary?" Sylphy frowned. "What do you mean?"

Rose blinked. And then she seemed to realize the cause of Dad's injuries and sighed. "You really did it this time, didn't you, Paul?"

My dad laughed and said, "Yeah." He paused and then looked at Rose. "Um. You aren't going to hit me too, are you? Laws already pummeled me, s-so that's fine, right?"

Rose shook her head. "I'm not such a violent person, Paul. And besides, you were only thinking of Rudy's future, weren't you?"

"Y-Yeah."

"Then it's fine."

Hearing that, my dad winced.

Sylphy noticed. And then she looked at my dad with a stern gaze. "Mister Paul. What did you do?"

It wasn't really my place to chime in, so I just leaned against the wall to watch.

As I did, I noticed Master Roxy walk over as well and stare at my dad.

Dad noticed and cleared his throat. Looking at Sylphy, he said, "I didn't do anything, Sylphy. Promise."

"That's a lie." Sylphy kept staring into my dad's eyes and said, "You're hiding something. Just like what Rudy does when he thinks it'll hurt us."

"Hey!" I spoke up and said, "I don't do that. Often."

My dad laughed and looked towards me. "Looks like I'm not the only one in the hotseat, huh, Rudy?"

"Mister Paul." Sylphy continued her stern gaze.

Dad flinched and then looked away.

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"Aren't you an adult, Mister Paul? Why can't you answer me?"

I crossed my arms and said, "Yeah, Dad. You're a responsible adult who makes decisions. What exactly did you do to make Mom and Mama Lily beat you up?"

Paul rubbed his neck and said, "Well, Lilia's the one who beat me up, actually. But, um..." He glanced at Sylphy and then mumbled. "...can't marry Rudy anymore."

Sylphy blinked.

Rose froze.

Master Roxy let out a deep sigh and rubbed her face.

My dad cleared his throat and then looked Sylphy in the eye. He looked guilty, but he faced her and said, "You can't marry Rudy anymore, Sylphy. He's... promised to someone else now."

Rose gasped and then ran up to slap my dad. "How could you?! You know how she feels about Rudy!"

My dad took the slap and sighed. "There's the slap. Laws mentioned you'd act this way after he pummeled me." He rubbed his jaw and said, "Your husband should consider a career in barefist fighting along with archery by the way."

"How can you joke about something like this?!"

Sylphy tilted her head, looking confused. "Um..." She turned towards my dad and said, "What do you mean, Mister Paul?"

My dad let out a deep sigh. "It's... complicated."

I spoke up and lowered my arms. "Not really. You just acted without thinking again. Just like with everything else in your life. Right, Dad?"

He flinched and lowered his head. "...I thought it was a good idea. And this way you won't have to fight, Rudy. B-Besides!" He looked up and said, "You can just break it off later! It's a betrothal contract, but-"

"A betrothal contract!?" Rose pointed at my dad and said, "Didn't you say that it was too early to talk about that? Why in the world did-?!"

Master Roxy walked over and said, "Miss Rose. Norn and Aisha are sleeping right now and both Zenith and Lilia are exhausted. How about we head outside for now?" She looked at Sylphy and said, "You haven't showed your mother much magic, have you?"

Sylphy blinked and said, "U-Um. No?"

"Then now's a perfect opportunity. There's also something I wish to discuss with you and your mother."

With that, Master Roxy expertly cleared the room, leaving just me and Dad.

He stared at me and then looked away, clearly feeling guilty. Not only that, but he looked regretful too.

But of course he did. After all, he just got scolded by both of his wives, beaten up by one, and then slapped by another woman who had respected him up until that point.

His confidence was probably at an all-time low.

And to be honest, I was feeling pretty pissed off at him too.

Signing a betrothal contract for me without talking to me, Mom, or Mama Lily. Running off to start a coup with the excuse that he was going to 'talk' with his family. Not even coming back once in this past week to check up on us or send any letters. And to top it all off, that was after knocking me unconscious by hitting me in the head and then sending me into a week-long coma.

...Though I was pretty sure that coma was more Being W's doing than my dad. At least, in terms of being so long.

Didn't change the fact that my dad was the one who put me in it though by smacking me in the head.

Altogether, it was more than enough cause for my mom to divorce him. All of that showed that my dad was irresponsible at best and no different than the corrupt nobles who used their children as pieces at worst.

...Two perspectives that Mom and Mama Lily probably had right now regarding my dad.

As for me... I thought Dad had grown up and become a bit more responsible. With how he had been taking his job more seriously and working long nights sending letters, I thought he was finally being like a real dad should be.

Of course, it was hard to break old habits. Especially if you were working on a flawed model.

My dad tried hard. He really tried hard. But he was just plain dumb.

...No, that was being a bit unfair. My dad might be a bit thoughtless at times, but he wasn't stupid. He just didn't know any better.

After all, he was a guy who ran away from home at twelve years old, did an unspeakable thing to Mama Lily in his teens, and then was forced into being a family man after I was born.

More than that... He had only been nineteen when I was born. Which meant he was only twenty six right now.

Around the same age that I had been when I was off running around doing stupid things to try and make it big.

So I couldn't be angry at him. At least, not too angry.

Because I could understand him. And because I'd done similar stupid things in the past.

...Huh.

Alright. Maybe it wasn't *entirely* inheriting bad traits from my dad.

"Rudy?" My dad hesitantly called out to me and said, "Are you mad?"

I sighed and said, "Let's have a seat first. This isn't a chat we should have standing around." After saying that, I walked over to the dining table and sat down.

Dad followed after me and then sat down at the chair across from me.

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