“I’ll buy you ten of them. Hm? Stop crying. Hup. Our Seeun’s pretty eyes are going to swell up.”
In her father’s arms, Younger Sister stuck her tongue out.
When Grandmother heard about it, she immediately followed.
“You’ve already become an older sister. Why are you fighting with your younger sister about dolls!? If you’re like this, and then your father says that he can’t live with your mom because of you, will you take the responsibility? Will you?”
“….”
“Reflect on yourself! Reflect!”
Mom pretended not to know.
She only tapped Younger Sister’s back while sleeping in her arms, and after entering the main room, she did not come out.
A child was more sensitive than one thought.
It was easy to grasp the situation.
I vaguely noticed that in this family, I was a sidekick of Younger Sister.
Younger Sister also realized that she was someone who could treat her Older Sister carelessly.
Until Seeunie graduated, all her homework was up to me.
When she became a college student, I never had the time to take a break, even a day from my part-time job, in order to earn the lesson fee for Younger Sister who started playing the piano.
Since she took expensive lessons, it couldn’t be handled with Father’s salary alone.
Even so Younger Sister,
“Seeun, who cleans up what we ate outside?”
“Our house’s maid.”
She said it was a joke and said these kinds of words easily.
Younger Sister was the princess of the house in return for the marriage of Mom and Stepfather.
And I came into the house with no price, so as a maid…
‘Stop. Stop.’
I shook my head quickly.
Let’s stop thinking about it because it only makes me feel bad.
Still, thanks to Younger Sister, there was one good thing.
I got to know [IPTVG].
That novel was something Younger Sister enjoyed reading.
‘What would have happened if I became Erylotte without knowing anything.’
As I organized my thoughts, I glanced at Father.
‘Anyway, I need a price to be loved by Father.’
Well, is there not any good way?
I was groaning and contemplating, but then a knocking sound was heard.
“It is Conrad Martial.”
It’s Conrad!
I jumped up, and Enzo, who had received Father’s permission, opened the door.
Conrad came into the room and greeted Father.
When our eyes met, my nose wrinkled.
Father asked.
“Your business?”
“A searcher found a clue about the purification stone on Hadix Mountain.”
“So.”
“There is an order for the soldiers to search for the purification stones on Hadix Mountain.”
“You’re talking about my soldiers who returned less than three days ago, right?”
“The Duke said that he would reconsider the budget of the territory if you search for the purification stone.”
Conrad, who said so, delivered the documents. It seemed to be a document related to the purification stone.
I looked at Father with a nervous look.
‘You’re going to do it? Right?’
Disobeying orders was punishable by military law.
Moreover, he even said that he was going to reconsider the budget!
If it was this much, it was also what Grandfather yields.
Enzo and Father’s aides also looked at him with desperate expressions.
Tsk. Father clicked his tongue and looked at Enzo.
“Prepare the military. Tomorrow morning, we’re leaving for Hadix Mountain.”
“Yes…!”
Enzo and the aides headed to the outside quickly, as if afraid that Father’s mind would change.
‘If it’s the purification stone, it’s the one that purifies curses, that… Huh?’
Flinch.
I looked at Father.
The contents of the novel passed through my mind.
[“The purification stone was found on Hadix Mountain, right?”
“Yes, it’s a success after three attempts to search.”
“That’s too bad. If it had been found when Mister Daymond was alive, we wouldn’t have lost that precious talent.”
“Wasn’t it that General Daymond was killed during the war?”
“Didn’t you know? There is a rumor that a curse was discovered during the war and he couldn’t avoid an enemy’s sword.”
“It’s definitely strange that a person who was so amazing died just because of a soldier’s sword.”]
‘Yeah, it’s not that I have prevented it all just by preventing him from dying on the battlefield.’
If someone wanted to instigate his death, they might take another chance and cast a curse again.
‘Father needs the purification stone.’
However, searching for the purification stone was a very difficult matter.
It was not found after three search attempts for no reason.
‘But I know the location because I read the novel.’
But I couldn’t tell them that.
It was very strange for me, who had never even once been to Hadix Mountain, to know the location of the purification stone.
‘He won’t take me even if I ask him to, right?’
Then there was only one way.
What if someone higher gives him the orders?
‘Great. Let’s try it.’
That’s how I decided to visit Grandfather.
***
Returning to the Main Castle before sunset, I went straight to Grandfather.
Viscount Debussy, who was with Grandfather, said to me,
“Somehow, it seems like it has been a while since I saw you.”
It’s only been three days though?
But since I did chase after Grandfather day and night every day, it may feel like a long time ago.
“Hwai.” [Hi.]
“Yes, Young Miss. Did you have fun playing today, too?
“Yesh.” [Yes.]
“What did you do to play?”
“Uhmm…. I drew in Fwathher’s room. I wote in Fwathher’s room. I wooked at the picturesh in Fwathher’s room. And….” [Uhmm…. I drew in Father’s room. I wrote in Father’s room. I looked at the pictures in Father’s room. And….]
When I folded my short fingers one by one and spoke, the Viscount nodded his head as he said, “Hoo.”
“Turns out you’re on very good terms with Mister Daymond.”
“I wike Fwathher.” [I like Father.]
The Viscount laughed, “Haha,” perhaps because I, who was talking with my arms raised, was adorable.
“But, why didn’t you continue to stay in the barracks and instead came here? Mister Daymond will return to his territory this week, so it’ll be great if you both can stay a little more comfortable.”
It seemed like even the Viscount thought that Father would never take me to his territory.
‘If I was a homunculus, it would surely be awkward to bring me to the territory.’
I peeked at them with my face on the table and said.
“To see Gwandfwather.” [To see Grandfather.]
“Just live by that bastard’s side, why.”
Eh?
I blinked my eyes.
‘What’s this? He’s saying it as if he’s upset.’
By any chance, was he disappointed?
Viscount Debussy grinned and looked at Grandfather.
“Are you sad that you couldn’t see your granddaughter which you had been seeing every day?”
“I liked it because there was no longer anything annoying!”
Grandfather shut the notion down at once.
‘Yeah, it must be like that.’
Besides me, he was a person who had a lot of grandchildren.
There was no way he’d be upset that I didn’t come for a few days.
‘I definitely did follow him around too much.’
It would have been annoying if a child chased him around like that.
Grandfather looked at me.
“So, what brings you here?”
“Fwathher. He goesh to the mwountain. Ewylotte alsho wantsh to go together.” [Father. He goes to the mountain. Erylotte also wants to go together.]
When I spoke with sparkling eyes, Grandfather’s eyebrows wriggled.
“Trying to go there, what kind of disturbance are you trying to be? Forget it. Just wait calmly in the Castle.”
I couldn’t hide my disappointment at Grandfather’s words.
There were no monsters on Hadix Mountain, and because they were really only going to search, I expected him to give me permission.
My shoulders drooped.
Viscount Debussy grinned, looked at my sad appearance, and said,
“Young Miss.”
“Yesh.” [Yes.]
“Do you like Grandfather even though he refuses your request so straightforwardly?”
“Yweahh.” [Yeahh.]
“If so, then who do you like more, Grandfather or Father?”
I looked into the air with a sideways glance, saying, “Hmm.”
The people in Grandfather’s study looked at me. Even the butler who poured tea into the empty tea cup.