Episode 152. Father, I'm Happy
When I spoke in vain, Prince Kydel chuckled silently.
I spoke half-sobbing.
"If I were a noble, you wouldn't associate with me for the rest of my life. Even if my husband is a Prince and I'm a daughter-in-law of the First Lion!"
"Don't worry too much. Many nobles are drawn to the unusual. And it seems the Count Robail family has more enemies than I thought. They'll be enjoying this incident. They'll want to hear your story."
"Easy for you to say..."
"You just have to show them what kind of person you are. I'm sure Miss Misha is trying to create that opportunity."
I looked at him sullenly.
"You think very highly of Misha, don't you?"
When I spoke in vain, Prince Kydel chuckled silently.
I spoke half-sobbing.
"If I were a noble, you wouldn't associate with me for the rest of my life. Even if my husband is a Prince and I'm a daughter-in-law of the First Lion!"
"Don't worry too much. Many nobles are drawn to the unusual. And it seems the Count Robail family has more enemies than I thought. They'll be enjoying this incident. They'll want to hear your story."
"Easy for you to say..."
"You just have to show them what kind of person you are. I'm sure Miss Misha is trying to create that opportunity."
I looked at him sullenly.
"You think very highly of Misha, don't you?"
"I wish you could see how hard she studies at the Academy, Lorisha."
I said, a little tearful.
"Really? Misha studies?"
“I think I’m still learning the ropes of studying, but I’ve moved past the point where my grades were in jeopardy like before. She’s the daughter of the Third Lion, after all.”
“Thank goodness!”
“I’m offering you even more because Miss Misha took the time to do so.”
I hugged his neck and said happily.
“If that’s the case with you, I can’t refuse. Thank you for telling me, Your Excellency.”
“If you’re grateful, then repay the favor.”
His mouth and hands were already busy moving over my body.
“Ah, bed, bed!”
I struggled and was thrown into his arms onto the bed. He was quick and obedient at times like that.
Count Loire, who had visited me after a long time. I looked more ordinary than before. I guess it was because I had become accustomed to the fortress-like residence of Duke Kydel.
Feeling a little awkward, I headed to the drawing room. Then Misha came out of the drawing room to greet me.
“Lorisha! Welcome! I’ve been waiting.”
I was a little frightened by the friendly attitude, as if I were welcoming my own sister.
“Why, why are you like this? Is there anyone who would look good on you?”
“Huh? Oh, dear! How dare you say such things so quickly after seeing me after so long... There is. There is!”
Misha whispered urgently, looking around. I followed Misha’s gaze and glanced into the living room. Inside the open door, three young women were sitting, drinking tea.
“One is my academy classmate, one is my senior, and the young woman in the yellow floral dress is a guest brought by the senior. Miss Mildred.”
“And?”
“And her older brother is handsome! Of course, not as handsome as your husband. Your husband should be struck from the genealogy of men in the world! I thought you did that a while ago, didn’t you?”
“What...”
“Then her older brother is the most handsome in the world. Is that okay? Are you satisfied?”
Misha seemed to be infatuated with the older brother of the young woman in the yellow floral dress and was trying to find a way to deal with it with my help.
Misha was talking so fast that I couldn’t keep up, but one of his words caught my ear.
I glared at Misha threateningly and whispered,
“He’s the best man in the world. He deserves to be at the top of the world’s genealogy. Why bother?”
“Ha!”
Misha’s eyes widened, and a look of disgust appeared on her face.
I said, a little tearful.
"Really? Misha studies?"
“I think I’m still learning the ropes of studying, but I’ve moved past the point where my grades were in jeopardy like before. She’s the daughter of the Third Lion, after all.”
“Thank goodness!”
“I’m offering you even more because Miss Misha took the time to do so.”
I hugged his neck and said happily.
“If that’s the case with you, I can’t refuse. Thank you for telling me, Your Excellency.”
“If you’re grateful, then repay the favor.”
His mouth and hands were already busy moving over my body.
“Ah, bed, bed!”
I struggled and was thrown into his arms onto the bed. He was quick and obedient at times like that.
***
Count Loire, who had visited me after a long time. I looked more ordinary than before. I guess it was because I had become accustomed to the fortress-like residence of Duke Kydel.
Feeling a little awkward, I headed to the drawing room. Then Misha came out of the drawing room to greet me.
“Lorisha! Welcome! I’ve been waiting.”
I was a little frightened by the friendly attitude, as if I were welcoming my own sister.
“Why, why are you like this? Is there anyone who would look good on you?”
“Huh? Oh, dear! How dare you say such things so quickly after seeing me after so long... There is. There is!”
Misha whispered urgently, looking around. I followed Misha’s gaze and glanced into the living room. Inside the open door, three young women were sitting, drinking tea.
“One is my academy classmate, one is my senior, and the young woman in the yellow floral dress is a guest brought by the senior. Miss Mildred.”
“And?”
“And her older brother is handsome! Of course, not as handsome as your husband. Your husband should be struck from the genealogy of men in the world! I thought you did that a while ago, didn’t you?”
“What...”
“Then her older brother is the most handsome in the world. Is that okay? Are you satisfied?”
Misha seemed to be infatuated with the older brother of the young woman in the yellow floral dress and was trying to find a way to deal with it with my help.
Misha was talking so fast that I couldn’t keep up, but one of his words caught my ear.
I glared at Misha threateningly and whispered,
“He’s the best man in the world. He deserves to be at the top of the world’s genealogy. Why bother?”
“Ha!”
Misha’s eyes widened, and a look of disgust appeared on her face.
“Even his complexion has changed lately, and he’s really... Got it, got it. I’ll draw a square at the top of that genealogy and make a separate space for Prince Kydel. Got it?”
I don’t know why I ended up like this. Suddenly, I felt a surge of relief when Misha said she’d make a separate space for my husband on the top line of a nonexistent, imaginary genealogy.
“But how am I going to help?”
“Miss Mildred was treated badly by Evelyn. She lost her fiancé and was humiliated.”
“Oh my god.”
This wasn’t the first time Evelyn Robail had done something like that to me.
“That’s why she’s so happy about this. So go and make her even happier.”
“Misha. You really...”
But Misha cut me off and pushed me back into the drawing room.
“Come on! Miss Mildred is waiting!”
The tea party with Misha wasn’t as terrible as I’d expected. The two academy girls were quite calm and intelligent, and Mildred had a sweet and cheerful personality.
I told them about the incident, omitting the part about Prince Kydel and me knowing about it from the beginning and taking the initiative, and embellishing it as Prince Kydel finding me with heroic powers.
They laughed and cried as I imitated how the kidnapper had threatened me and the words and actions of Countess Robail.
As the tea party drew to a close, Mildred said,
“I think I should confess something, Madame Kydel.”
“Go ahead. I’m not easily swayed by criticism.”
Misha nodded, interjecting as if to state some objective fact.
“It’s true. Lorisha has the thickest face in Tagar.”
“Misha!”
Mildred said with a smile.
“The woman in the rumors and the lady I met today were completely different people. Madame Kydel, please forgive me for misunderstanding you.”
“You only met me once. It might be premature to say the misunderstanding has been completely resolved.”
“Is that so?”
“So I hope we can meet again until the misunderstanding is completely resolved.”
I spoke calmly, but my heart pounded as I said it. Approaching people has always been a terrifying experience, and I hadn’t done it often.
Mildred laughed heartily at my words.
“If it’s time with the benefactor who took my revenge, I have no reason to refuse.”
We parted ways on a very amicable note.
Misha even followed me back to my old room after seeing them off.
“We’ll meet at Miss Mildred’s next time. You’ll get to see him face too!”
Before I could ask his name, Misha had returned to her room, smiling with anticipation.
I was dumbfounded by Misha’s unchanging appearance, but at the same time, I found myself delighted. It seemed Misha was finally approaching true happiness.
The Count came to my room as soon as he got home that night. His breathing was a little ragged. Could it be that he was running to see me?
He studied me carefully and smiled.
“You’ve become prettier, Lorisha.”
“I-Is that so?”
My face flushed involuntarily, and the Count sat down with a cheerful expression.
“You came to Misha’s house, right? Not because you miss your father.”
My eyes widened. I'd never heard the Count so emotionally exposed.
"Count... are you upset?"
His shoulders flinched slightly, as if startled, and I had to look away.
"I won't deny it."
"I'm sorry. As you know, I've been busy..."
"I know. You've been through a lot."
The Count's reply was monotonous, but I was certain he knew everything I'd been through. I felt like bursting into tears, and a strange feeling of resentment welled up in me.
If he had just left me alone, I'd be the boss of Tolman's apothecary by now. I wouldn't have suffered a single beating or death.
And I wouldn't have met Prince Kydel, reconciled with Misha, or become close to the Marchioness Miliora...
But going back to the very beginning of all this, the Count's decision was still an incomprehensibly dangerous adventure.
My throat choked up as I asked,
"Why did you do that?"
"..."
The Count was expressionless, but somehow I thought he smiled slightly. Seeing that, I felt a surge of anger, and I held my breath.
Suddenly, I remembered the Count's voice, holding my hand at the wedding and leading me to the altar. His hand, like a baby bird being pushed out of the nest to learn its first flight.
"It's time to go there now, Lorisha."
I slowly shook my head.
No way.
"No way... Did you see it coming from the beginning, Count? That everything would turn out like this..."
No. Even for a Count, it was impossible to predict the future in such a way.
But the smile in the Count's calm eyes didn't seem to deny my assumption.
"Are you happy, Lorisha?"
I felt tears rolling down my cheeks. Before I knew it, I felt small wings sprouting on my back.
"Yes, Father. I am happy."
The Count smiled brightly and left.
I grabbed my pounding heart and stood up. I wanted to go home quickly and see him.
My husband.
I don’t know why I ended up like this. Suddenly, I felt a surge of relief when Misha said she’d make a separate space for my husband on the top line of a nonexistent, imaginary genealogy.
“But how am I going to help?”
“Miss Mildred was treated badly by Evelyn. She lost her fiancé and was humiliated.”
“Oh my god.”
This wasn’t the first time Evelyn Robail had done something like that to me.
“That’s why she’s so happy about this. So go and make her even happier.”
“Misha. You really...”
But Misha cut me off and pushed me back into the drawing room.
“Come on! Miss Mildred is waiting!”
***
The tea party with Misha wasn’t as terrible as I’d expected. The two academy girls were quite calm and intelligent, and Mildred had a sweet and cheerful personality.
I told them about the incident, omitting the part about Prince Kydel and me knowing about it from the beginning and taking the initiative, and embellishing it as Prince Kydel finding me with heroic powers.
They laughed and cried as I imitated how the kidnapper had threatened me and the words and actions of Countess Robail.
As the tea party drew to a close, Mildred said,
“I think I should confess something, Madame Kydel.”
“Go ahead. I’m not easily swayed by criticism.”
Misha nodded, interjecting as if to state some objective fact.
“It’s true. Lorisha has the thickest face in Tagar.”
“Misha!”
Mildred said with a smile.
“The woman in the rumors and the lady I met today were completely different people. Madame Kydel, please forgive me for misunderstanding you.”
“You only met me once. It might be premature to say the misunderstanding has been completely resolved.”
“Is that so?”
“So I hope we can meet again until the misunderstanding is completely resolved.”
I spoke calmly, but my heart pounded as I said it. Approaching people has always been a terrifying experience, and I hadn’t done it often.
Mildred laughed heartily at my words.
“If it’s time with the benefactor who took my revenge, I have no reason to refuse.”
We parted ways on a very amicable note.
Misha even followed me back to my old room after seeing them off.
“We’ll meet at Miss Mildred’s next time. You’ll get to see him face too!”
Before I could ask his name, Misha had returned to her room, smiling with anticipation.
I was dumbfounded by Misha’s unchanging appearance, but at the same time, I found myself delighted. It seemed Misha was finally approaching true happiness.
***
The Count came to my room as soon as he got home that night. His breathing was a little ragged. Could it be that he was running to see me?
He studied me carefully and smiled.
“You’ve become prettier, Lorisha.”
“I-Is that so?”
My face flushed involuntarily, and the Count sat down with a cheerful expression.
“You came to Misha’s house, right? Not because you miss your father.”
My eyes widened. I'd never heard the Count so emotionally exposed.
"Count... are you upset?"
His shoulders flinched slightly, as if startled, and I had to look away.
"I won't deny it."
"I'm sorry. As you know, I've been busy..."
"I know. You've been through a lot."
The Count's reply was monotonous, but I was certain he knew everything I'd been through. I felt like bursting into tears, and a strange feeling of resentment welled up in me.
If he had just left me alone, I'd be the boss of Tolman's apothecary by now. I wouldn't have suffered a single beating or death.
And I wouldn't have met Prince Kydel, reconciled with Misha, or become close to the Marchioness Miliora...
But going back to the very beginning of all this, the Count's decision was still an incomprehensibly dangerous adventure.
My throat choked up as I asked,
"Why did you do that?"
"..."
The Count was expressionless, but somehow I thought he smiled slightly. Seeing that, I felt a surge of anger, and I held my breath.
Suddenly, I remembered the Count's voice, holding my hand at the wedding and leading me to the altar. His hand, like a baby bird being pushed out of the nest to learn its first flight.
"It's time to go there now, Lorisha."
I slowly shook my head.
No way.
"No way... Did you see it coming from the beginning, Count? That everything would turn out like this..."
No. Even for a Count, it was impossible to predict the future in such a way.
But the smile in the Count's calm eyes didn't seem to deny my assumption.
"Are you happy, Lorisha?"
I felt tears rolling down my cheeks. Before I knew it, I felt small wings sprouting on my back.
"Yes, Father. I am happy."
The Count smiled brightly and left.
I grabbed my pounding heart and stood up. I wanted to go home quickly and see him.
My husband.
- END -
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