And the next day, Lisa invited Aila over for tea. She prepared a selection of pretty, sweet desserts that a young girl would love.
These were precious foods that Lisa had not been able to eat often due to the Baron's difficult circumstances.
“Eat lots, Aila.”
“Thank you, Miss.”
Lisa watched Aila devour the tart with her small mouth, munching on it with gusto. She was so proud of herself for watching her eat so beautifully, without spilling a drop.
Then, suddenly, it occurred to her that she might not have much time left to call her by her name.
When the Duke of Weishaffen himself comes and confirms that Aila is his daughter... then she will have to call her Princess.
Then, Aila felt lonely, thinking that she would no longer associate with her. After all, she was just the daughter of a poor Baron.
It was a wonder how this child, who had been a commoner until recently, had acquired such table manners. The way she wiped her mouth with a napkin was so elegant.
Of course, it was because she was raised by Byron, who hated it when food wasn't eaten cleanly, but Lisa, who had no way of knowing such circumstances, thought, 'They really are born different.'
“Excuse me, is there anything you would like to say to me?”
“Oh, that’s right...”
Lisa felt slightly embarrassed that she had been staring at Aila too intently.
“What would it be like if you found your biological parents?”
“...My biological parents?”
Aila deflected the question, as if it were a completely unexpected topic. In truth, she had been waiting for Lisa to bring it up.
“Yeah. What would you think if I told you that your biological parents were desperately looking for you?”
“Well... wouldn’t that be really nice?”
Aila smiled shyly, her cheeks slightly flushed. If nothing else, this feeling was genuine. Hadn't she endured a year of hardship to see her parents?
"Yes, you'd be really happy. But, what if you met your parents and... you ended up living a life completely different from the one you'd been living?"
“A completely different life?”
“Yeah, for example, if your parents are nobles and you become a noble daughter.”
Lisa brought up the subject very cautiously, worried that Aila might find it strange.
“Hey, what am I...”
“So, if that’s the case.”
As Aila once again pretended not to know and waved her hand, Lisa let out a nervous, breathless laugh and asked,
"Hmm, if only I could become a noble lady. I could be friends with you, wouldn't I? That would be so wonderful."
Aila answered with a smile. It wasn't pretense, it was her true feelings. How wonderful it was to be able to talk to Lisa again like we used to.
And Lisa's eyes seemed to turn red for no reason at that answer.
“Do you really think so?”
"Sure!"
If Aila was truly the daughter of the Duke of Weishaffen, she knew that they could never be friends on equal footing.
Lisa was genuinely happy, just knowing Aila thought so.
Baron Herzig and his wife were looking at Aila, who was wearing the best clothes Lisa had.
Even though the owner of the dress had only worn it a few times outside of important banquets, Lisa was still willing to give up her favorite dress.
She was meeting the Duke, who might be her biological father, and she wanted to make sure she looked pretty. Even if it was a modest dress by the standards of a wealthy Duke's family.
She thought she was quite pretty even when she was wearing shabby clothes, but when she was dressed up like that, she looked like a precious daughter of a noble family.
“...How was it after talking to you? Do you think she’ll be able to handle it?”
"Hmm, yes. She's young, but she seems much more mature than I am. Whatever the outcome of our meeting today... I believe he'll handle it."
To her father's question, Lisa nodded.
The woman looked at the other with a stern face, and then, without saying who would start, they both burst into laughter.
It was funny how Aila was going to meet someone who might be her biological father, but the Baron and Lisa looked even more nervous.
And then.
The caretaker of the mansion came to inform them that the Duke of Weishaffen would be arriving soon.
“...Then, I’ll go pick him up.”
“Yes, Father.”
The Baron gently patted his daughter's shoulder and headed toward the castle gate to greet the Duke of Weishaffen.
Perhaps in a hurry, Roderick was on horseback, not in a carriage. Accompanied by only a few knights, he had arrived after a day and night of riding.
"Your Excellency, how difficult it has been for you to come to this humble place. I am Barnett of the Herzig family."
"I'm Roderick Weishaffen. My daughter is here, and what a journey this has been. Would I be afraid of the fires of hell?"
Roderick, who had jumped down lightly from his horse, greeted him and said.
Although he may have seemed blunt at first glance, his attitude was not one of contempt and arrogance.
“I’m sure you’d like to meet her soon. This way, Your Excellency.”
"Thank you."
Roderick didn't even have time to shake off the wind from his coat before heading straight to the room where Aila was waiting.
He wondered if she was really his daughter. He wanted to meet her soon.
And then, when Aila came into his sight.
Roderick knew.
This child was definitely the daughter he and Ophelia had been searching for.
It was exactly like the Winfred painting he had seen so many times...
A face shape and neckline that are exactly like Ophelia's, and eyes that are exactly like his own cool gaze.
It couldn't be Aila, the one he longed for even in his dreams.
The Baron and Lisa were uneasy as they watched Roderick, frozen in place with a blank expression on his face. They wondered if, contrary to their expectations, Aila wasn't his biological daughter.
But Aila could see the indescribable regret and longing swirling behind Roderick's cold eyes.
And she suppressed similar emotions that were surging inside her.
Because that's what it has to be.
It was impossible to express the complex feelings of being reunited with the father she had killed with her own hands in a place with so many people watching.
Roderick, frozen for a moment, took a strenuous step toward his daughter. His first steps were heavy and hectic, but soon his pace picked up.
At the end, Roderick arrived in front of her, almost running.
He hugged his daughter tightly.
Into his wide and warm chest.
“Aila, Aila... our daughter.”
Although he didn't say much, Roderick's words sounded exactly like that to Aila's ears.
As if to comfort her by saying, ‘You must have had a hard time getting here.’
It was the voice calling her name, but more than anything, what made her happy and sad...
It was none other than the loud beating of a heart that could be heard in Aila's ears.
'I'm alive.'
The fact that her father is alive and well.
That fact eventually made Aila cry.
The emotions she had barely managed to suppress burst out in tears. The joy of returning safely to her father's embrace, the heavy regret and guilt for the sins she committed in her past life.
A sense of relief that she no longer has to fight alone.
How much must Aila have cried in her father's arms?
“...Cough, cough.”
A cough coming from somewhere brought both Roderick and Aila back to reality.
The Baron, who was secretly wiping away tears while watching the touching moment of the father-daughter reunion, accidentally coughed.
“I’m sorry, Your Excellency. That’s...”
“I think it’s our daughter. If you don’t mind...”
“Oh, yes. Of course.”
When the Baron nodded to his daughter at the Duke's request, Lisa nodded and left the room with her father. Her eyes, too, were red, as if she had quietly shed tears.
With only two men in the room, Roderick pulled a rolled-up piece of paper out of his pocket.
The appearance of it, tied with a ribbon, was quite similar to the magic scroll he had used when he met Winfred earlier.
As he quietly murmured the incantation and untied the ribbon, a sparkling light spread out in all directions, enveloping the space where the woman was.
"It's soundproofing magic. You can speak comfortably now."
Roderick also seemed concerned that Byron's spies might be watching him.
"...I have many questions, but I'm sure your mother is curious, so let's discuss the details when we get home. Ophelia wanted to come and meet you, but it hasn't been long since the baby was born. Oh, I thought you heard about the baby."
He spoke several times faster than usual, as he had to finish his story quickly while the magic was still in effect.
Aila nodded, his eyes wide and his nose red. The Roderick she remembered was always reserved, so this appearance felt unfamiliar.
“Yes, Winfred told me.”
It felt a little strange to call the Crown Prince of a country by his name as if he were the neighbor's child, but Roderick didn't show it and just stroked his daughter's head.
“Yes... I hope you’re not upset that Mother didn’t come with me. Ophelia really wanted to come.”
“...No. I’m not upset at all.”
She knew it. If Ophelia could have come, she would have come with Roderick. In her last life, they had come together.
“I want to go quickly and see my mother and my younger sibling.”
My little brother. The tip of her tongue tingled at the word she was saying for the first time in her life.
“Yes, let’s go back quickly... to home.”
Every single word her father uttered sent a gentle ripple through her heart.
Home.
Yes, she was going back home.
It was such a long journey.
These were precious foods that Lisa had not been able to eat often due to the Baron's difficult circumstances.
“Eat lots, Aila.”
“Thank you, Miss.”
Lisa watched Aila devour the tart with her small mouth, munching on it with gusto. She was so proud of herself for watching her eat so beautifully, without spilling a drop.
Then, suddenly, it occurred to her that she might not have much time left to call her by her name.
When the Duke of Weishaffen himself comes and confirms that Aila is his daughter... then she will have to call her Princess.
Then, Aila felt lonely, thinking that she would no longer associate with her. After all, she was just the daughter of a poor Baron.
It was a wonder how this child, who had been a commoner until recently, had acquired such table manners. The way she wiped her mouth with a napkin was so elegant.
Of course, it was because she was raised by Byron, who hated it when food wasn't eaten cleanly, but Lisa, who had no way of knowing such circumstances, thought, 'They really are born different.'
“Excuse me, is there anything you would like to say to me?”
“Oh, that’s right...”
Lisa felt slightly embarrassed that she had been staring at Aila too intently.
“What would it be like if you found your biological parents?”
“...My biological parents?”
Aila deflected the question, as if it were a completely unexpected topic. In truth, she had been waiting for Lisa to bring it up.
“Yeah. What would you think if I told you that your biological parents were desperately looking for you?”
“Well... wouldn’t that be really nice?”
Aila smiled shyly, her cheeks slightly flushed. If nothing else, this feeling was genuine. Hadn't she endured a year of hardship to see her parents?
"Yes, you'd be really happy. But, what if you met your parents and... you ended up living a life completely different from the one you'd been living?"
“A completely different life?”
“Yeah, for example, if your parents are nobles and you become a noble daughter.”
Lisa brought up the subject very cautiously, worried that Aila might find it strange.
“Hey, what am I...”
“So, if that’s the case.”
As Aila once again pretended not to know and waved her hand, Lisa let out a nervous, breathless laugh and asked,
"Hmm, if only I could become a noble lady. I could be friends with you, wouldn't I? That would be so wonderful."
Aila answered with a smile. It wasn't pretense, it was her true feelings. How wonderful it was to be able to talk to Lisa again like we used to.
And Lisa's eyes seemed to turn red for no reason at that answer.
“Do you really think so?”
"Sure!"
If Aila was truly the daughter of the Duke of Weishaffen, she knew that they could never be friends on equal footing.
Lisa was genuinely happy, just knowing Aila thought so.
***
Baron Herzig and his wife were looking at Aila, who was wearing the best clothes Lisa had.
Even though the owner of the dress had only worn it a few times outside of important banquets, Lisa was still willing to give up her favorite dress.
She was meeting the Duke, who might be her biological father, and she wanted to make sure she looked pretty. Even if it was a modest dress by the standards of a wealthy Duke's family.
She thought she was quite pretty even when she was wearing shabby clothes, but when she was dressed up like that, she looked like a precious daughter of a noble family.
“...How was it after talking to you? Do you think she’ll be able to handle it?”
"Hmm, yes. She's young, but she seems much more mature than I am. Whatever the outcome of our meeting today... I believe he'll handle it."
To her father's question, Lisa nodded.
The woman looked at the other with a stern face, and then, without saying who would start, they both burst into laughter.
It was funny how Aila was going to meet someone who might be her biological father, but the Baron and Lisa looked even more nervous.
And then.
The caretaker of the mansion came to inform them that the Duke of Weishaffen would be arriving soon.
“...Then, I’ll go pick him up.”
“Yes, Father.”
The Baron gently patted his daughter's shoulder and headed toward the castle gate to greet the Duke of Weishaffen.
Perhaps in a hurry, Roderick was on horseback, not in a carriage. Accompanied by only a few knights, he had arrived after a day and night of riding.
"Your Excellency, how difficult it has been for you to come to this humble place. I am Barnett of the Herzig family."
"I'm Roderick Weishaffen. My daughter is here, and what a journey this has been. Would I be afraid of the fires of hell?"
Roderick, who had jumped down lightly from his horse, greeted him and said.
Although he may have seemed blunt at first glance, his attitude was not one of contempt and arrogance.
“I’m sure you’d like to meet her soon. This way, Your Excellency.”
"Thank you."
Roderick didn't even have time to shake off the wind from his coat before heading straight to the room where Aila was waiting.
He wondered if she was really his daughter. He wanted to meet her soon.
And then, when Aila came into his sight.
Roderick knew.
This child was definitely the daughter he and Ophelia had been searching for.
It was exactly like the Winfred painting he had seen so many times...
A face shape and neckline that are exactly like Ophelia's, and eyes that are exactly like his own cool gaze.
It couldn't be Aila, the one he longed for even in his dreams.
The Baron and Lisa were uneasy as they watched Roderick, frozen in place with a blank expression on his face. They wondered if, contrary to their expectations, Aila wasn't his biological daughter.
But Aila could see the indescribable regret and longing swirling behind Roderick's cold eyes.
And she suppressed similar emotions that were surging inside her.
Because that's what it has to be.
It was impossible to express the complex feelings of being reunited with the father she had killed with her own hands in a place with so many people watching.
Roderick, frozen for a moment, took a strenuous step toward his daughter. His first steps were heavy and hectic, but soon his pace picked up.
At the end, Roderick arrived in front of her, almost running.
He hugged his daughter tightly.
Into his wide and warm chest.
“Aila, Aila... our daughter.”
Although he didn't say much, Roderick's words sounded exactly like that to Aila's ears.
As if to comfort her by saying, ‘You must have had a hard time getting here.’
It was the voice calling her name, but more than anything, what made her happy and sad...
It was none other than the loud beating of a heart that could be heard in Aila's ears.
'I'm alive.'
The fact that her father is alive and well.
That fact eventually made Aila cry.
The emotions she had barely managed to suppress burst out in tears. The joy of returning safely to her father's embrace, the heavy regret and guilt for the sins she committed in her past life.
A sense of relief that she no longer has to fight alone.
How much must Aila have cried in her father's arms?
“...Cough, cough.”
A cough coming from somewhere brought both Roderick and Aila back to reality.
The Baron, who was secretly wiping away tears while watching the touching moment of the father-daughter reunion, accidentally coughed.
“I’m sorry, Your Excellency. That’s...”
“I think it’s our daughter. If you don’t mind...”
“Oh, yes. Of course.”
When the Baron nodded to his daughter at the Duke's request, Lisa nodded and left the room with her father. Her eyes, too, were red, as if she had quietly shed tears.
With only two men in the room, Roderick pulled a rolled-up piece of paper out of his pocket.
The appearance of it, tied with a ribbon, was quite similar to the magic scroll he had used when he met Winfred earlier.
As he quietly murmured the incantation and untied the ribbon, a sparkling light spread out in all directions, enveloping the space where the woman was.
"It's soundproofing magic. You can speak comfortably now."
Roderick also seemed concerned that Byron's spies might be watching him.
"...I have many questions, but I'm sure your mother is curious, so let's discuss the details when we get home. Ophelia wanted to come and meet you, but it hasn't been long since the baby was born. Oh, I thought you heard about the baby."
He spoke several times faster than usual, as he had to finish his story quickly while the magic was still in effect.
Aila nodded, his eyes wide and his nose red. The Roderick she remembered was always reserved, so this appearance felt unfamiliar.
“Yes, Winfred told me.”
It felt a little strange to call the Crown Prince of a country by his name as if he were the neighbor's child, but Roderick didn't show it and just stroked his daughter's head.
“Yes... I hope you’re not upset that Mother didn’t come with me. Ophelia really wanted to come.”
“...No. I’m not upset at all.”
She knew it. If Ophelia could have come, she would have come with Roderick. In her last life, they had come together.
“I want to go quickly and see my mother and my younger sibling.”
My little brother. The tip of her tongue tingled at the word she was saying for the first time in her life.
“Yes, let’s go back quickly... to home.”
Every single word her father uttered sent a gentle ripple through her heart.
Home.
Yes, she was going back home.
It was such a long journey.
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