LMHS 21

Chapter 21

I lifted my head like a broken wind-up doll creaking to life.

The uncle who’d said he would take care of something urgent and come back was standing right in front of the door, arms crossed, looking down at me.

There was an overwhelming pressure that I couldn’t even describe in words. Which could only mean… he was really angry.

Cold sweat burst out along my back.

It’s true I didn’t always stay quietly at home every day, but who would’ve thought he’d come back precisely on the day I came home this late?

I’d planned to greet him with the brightest smile when he returned.

Instead of greeting him cheerfully, I fumbled through a miserable excuse.

“I—I just went to visit the Ageratum Trading Company for a bit.”

“After confirming you weren’t home, the very first place I went to check was Ageratum.”

Ah… so he’d already been there?

I desperately averted my gaze elsewhere and swallowed dryly.

I didn’t have the courage to meet his eyes.

When I clamped up and couldn’t come up with any more excuses, he continued speaking.

“If the lady next door hadn’t testified that you’d been home at least until this morning, I would’ve been so frantic that waiting for you to come back wouldn’t have even crossed my mind.”

I decided to try smoothing things over with some desperate, useless cuteness. I clung to his leg like sticky rice cake and babbled on.

“Uncleee, I’m sorry. Normally, I don’t wander around till this late, but today—just today—I was only a little late!”

“…A little?”

“Hehe… okay… maybe a… lot?”

Haaa… A deep sigh that sounded like it was dragged all the way from his lungs poured down over my head.

“U-uncle, are you really mad?”

“Yes.”

The firm answer made me tremble in fear.

W-what do I do? He must really be furious…

I should’ve at least left a note before going out.

Strangely, whenever I stood in front of him, I felt like I truly became a child again and couldn’t control my emotions.

It wasn’t that he scared me.

I just wanted to leave only a good impression. I was afraid he’d think of me as some troublesome kid.

When I shut my mouth tight, he spoke again.

“…So many thoughts ran through my head in such a short time. I bitterly regretted leaving a child as young as you alone in this place.”

Every word he spoke hit me like a fatal blow. I could imagine just how worried he must have been.

He went down on one knee so our eyes were level.

“I was angry at myself. I couldn’t forgive myself. I’m sorry, Tania. For leaving you alone…”

When I heard that the one he was angry at wasn’t me but himself, I jerked my head up and answered quickly.

“You didn’t do anything wrong! Why are you apologizing to me?”

His expression was filled with unbearable pain. His twisted face and tightly sealed lips radiated deep regret.

…Why. Why?

At this point in time, he had only known me for barely two months. And even then, we’d only actually lived together for about one month.

I wasn’t some adorably sweet child for my age, nor was I particularly obedient.

So why did he care this much?

Because I was pitiful, abandoned by my family? Or was it really because I resembled his first love?

If I knew the reason, I could act more carefully.

He didn’t answer why he was apologizing.

He just quietly looked at me… then slowly pulled me into an embrace. His warm body heat calmed my heart that had been pounding with panic.

The arms that firmly wrapped around me felt like a father consoling his child.

It made tears want to spill out for no reason.

But if he knew I was thinking things like this, he’d probably hate it.

So I held back the tears that threatened to fall.

Just then, his arms tightened slightly around me and a determined voice whispered by my ear.

“Tania, from now on, I will never leave you alone again.”

“…Huh?”

“I quit the mercenary corps. I’m now a free mercenary. Which means I’m in the best position to raise you.”

“You… left the Golden Edelweiss Mercenary Corps?”

“Yes.”

Oh my god! He actually left that place?

The Golden Edelweiss Mercenary Corps was one of the most powerful armed groups in the Empire—second only to the Imperial Knights and the private armies of high-ranking noble families.

Of course, for my plans to work, he did need to leave them eventually.

I planned to be adopted into the Papiope Ducal House and hire him as my escort knight.

In a tightly guarded ducal household, no faction would dare touch him easily.

And even if something went terribly wrong and he ended up dying again, the Ducal House’s superior information network would surely uncover the cause.

But quitting the mercenary corps just because he didn’t want to leave me alone—that was not part of the plan.

In the previous timeline, he only came home after enough time had passed for me to nearly forget his face.

So why was he trying to stay with me now?

Panicking, I pushed him away and stared into his amber eyes.

“So you didn’t leave because of some urgent commission… you left the mercenary corps on purpose? Because of me?”

“I thought a child your age needed an adult to stay with her.”

I got angry.

He didn’t need to sacrifice this much for me.

I was sick of his sacrifices. I wanted to help him this time.

I was old enough now to help. And capable enough.

“What am I worth, really? Why would you quit the job you’ve done your entire life for a kid you’ve only known for two months?!”

“Because you’re precious.”

Just three simple words.

Yet I could only stare blankly at him.

My mind went completely blank, and I had no idea how I was supposed to accept this situation.

Seeing me mouthing soundlessly like a fish, he smiled faintly and spoke earnestly.

“So, Tania… would you be my daughter?”

✦ ✦ ✦

The continuous shock left me completely dazed.

When I finally managed to open my mouth, my voice trembled pitifully.

“Uncle…”

Become his daughter? What was he even saying?

In the previous timeline, he hated it so much whenever people misunderstood us as father and daughter.

Why had his thoughts changed so drastically?

If I accepted his adoption proposal now—

I would be happy.

But I couldn’t guarantee his safety.

Yes, my save-load ability was ridiculously powerful. But it wasn’t omnipotent.

Even if I rewound time to overcome every crisis, unless I removed the root cause, he would continue to live under the threat of death.

Would I have to keep watching him die and get hurt again and again?

Horrifying.

Sure, rewinding time would erase the events—but not from my memory.

Besides, even now, every time he went outside, he hid his face tightly.

I wanted him to be able to walk proudly with his face uncovered.

And for that, there was no better position or place than being a knight of House Papiope.

I didn’t know what he had done in the past to be hunted.

But I never once believed he’d done anything immoral.

He wasn’t a criminal. So why should he have to hide his face? I couldn’t stand it.

So yes… rejecting his adoption offer would be—

Just as my heart leaned toward refusal—

He broke the silence first, sounding anxious over my long hesitation.

“Tania, I know I’m not good enough to be your father. I know I don’t have the right.”

“…”

“But I still want to be with you. I want to see you grow up into an adult.”

I had only just decided to refuse…

But hearing him directly ask me to become his daughter shook my heart badly.

It’s not like I’d ever really lived together with him closely before.

Maybe… maybe I could save him?

If I just told him everything and faced the problem together… wouldn’t something change?

Becoming his daughter had always been my lifelong wish.

And now… just a single word from me could make that wish come true…