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chapter 71
“What?”
I admit, I had expected—just a little. Since this was a ball held by the Imperial family, I had done my best. Together with Daniel, I bathed in water sprinkled with salt, rosemary, and roses. I couldn’t possibly wear the same dress as last time, so I bought a new, pretty one.
I applied rose oil so my hair would look smooth and healthy, and I paid extra attention to my makeup. I also wanted to believe, just a little, in my mother’s words: that when I dressed up, I was pretty.
‘I hope he says I’m pretty.’
That was the wish echoing in my pounding chest. It was the silent plea that radiated from me as my eyes clung to the lips of Lord Winchester.
‘Please… say I’m pretty.’
I knew I was ordinary. No matter how much I dressed up, I knew my appearance would blur into the crowd, unremarkable.
In a novel, I’d be one of the anonymous “people.” In a webtoon, I’d be a faceless background character.
But at least right now, I didn’t want to be an ordinary extra. I wanted to shine—just for once—as the protagonist.
“If you’re ready, shall we depart?”
Contrary to my wish, the words that came from Lord Winchester’s lips were utterly rational and matter-of-fact. His gaze upon me was no different than usual.
“Yes.”
I tried to smile so as not to reveal my disappointment.
“Shall we go, Daniel?”
This time, I beamed at Daniel.
“Yes!”
It was his very first party, and from the way he answered so brightly, full of excitement, my spirits lifted a little.
So thrilled was he that Daniel hopped down the hall ahead of us, leading the way.
“Later, please tell Daniel that he looks really cute and handsome today.”
Watching the bunny-like figure ahead of us, I quietly instructed Lord Winchester.
“Why?”
The question came back instantly.
“Well, isn’t Daniel really cute and handsome today?”
“……”
But unlike the question, the answer didn’t come right away. He simply stared for a long time at Daniel’s bouncing figure, hair fluttering in the air as he skipped along happily.
Unbelievable! How could he not answer that? The most adorable, sweet, charming, lovable child in the whole wide world was right there in front of him, smiling with joy—yet he couldn’t say a word?!
I had to bite back the urge to smack the back of his head so an answer would pop out.
“…I suppose so.”
Finally! At long last, a near-affirmative reply escaped his lips—but only when we had nearly crossed the entire hall and begun descending the stairs.
“Then please say that to him.”
“Why?”
“What?”
“I understand that Daniel is cute. But why, specifically, must I tell him that?”
Was he picking a fight? I glanced at him, but he seemed genuinely curious.
He truly didn’t know—why one must praise a child. That was why he used the word “specifically.”
“Well, if you don’t say it, he won’t know.”
“And must he know it?”
Again with the word must. To him, expressions of affection seemed like unnecessary obligations. Or perhaps, if I twisted it further, something bothersome and tiring.
“Lord Winchester—”
As I began to explain, his eyes sharpened at the sound of that title.
“When your knights train well or improve their skills, don’t you praise them?”
Quickly, I replaced “Lord Winchester” with “dear” in the sentence. It sounded awkward, but at least the sharp look in his eyes vanished. That was good enough.
“Training is a knight’s duty, and improving their skills benefits themselves. There’s no need for me to praise them.”
His tone was rigid. I could almost see the hardship etched into the faces of the knights under his command.
“Fine. That’s your knight order. Handle it however you want. But this is our home, and Daniel is my daughter—so here, do as I say.”
I gave up on analogies and instead stepped directly in front of him, blocking his way. We were nearly at the front door. Daniel had already run ahead and was waiting eagerly at the entrance.
Once we reached her, it would be too late. I couldn’t very well poke him in the ribs and whisper reminders in front of her.
“My child will grow up with love and praise. Of course, if she does something wrong, I’ll scold her firmly. But when she’s happy, when she’s beautiful and excited like today, I want to match her joy. So, as her father, you have the duty to honestly and sincerely praise her for what you feel.”
“……”
Startled by being blocked, and by my sharp, fast command, Lord Winchester looked slightly taken aback. But I pressed on with firm lips and a resolute gaze.
“…Very well.”
At last, I won his concession. Only then did I smile and step aside.
“If you don’t say it, they’ll never know.”
He paused at my final words.
“People don’t necessarily need to know everything about one another.”
He looked back at me, with the face of a student still struggling to grasp the teacher’s lesson.
“But there are things you can only know if they’re said.”
At that, he regarded me quietly.
“For instance…”
And then, slowly, he spoke.
“You look beautiful today.”
His blue eyes gazed at me steadily as he said it.
His lips shaped the words softly, his deep voice a quiet murmur that washed over me.
The moment I heard it, I went blank. For a second, I thought I was hallucinating—that my desperate wish had tricked my ears. But one look at his serious face told me it was real.
Realization struck—and my heart began to pound wildly.
Was it because it was exactly the words I had longed to hear? Or was it because in his eyes there was both warmth and sincerity I’d never noticed before?
“……”
My lips parted, ready to answer—yet just then, Daniel came into view. I snapped back to my senses.
I remembered: I had asked him to say those words to Daniel. And besides, he had never addressed me so informally.
Even after I became his “wife” rather than “Miss Neary,” he had always spoken with a polite distance—reminding me that an unbridgeable gap remained between us.
This flutter in my chest wasn’t mine to have. It wasn’t something he had given to me.
“Well done. Now say that to Daniel.”
I forced a smile and praised him. Perhaps because he had never praised anyone himself—nor been praised by anyone—his expression shifted slightly at my words.
“…I will.”
He nodded, then walked toward Daniel to put his words into action. Daniel, who had been waiting eagerly, beamed when Lord Winchester spoke to her.
I couldn’t hear clearly, but I saw him bend down and say something. Daniel’s face turned bashful—and then she broke into a radiant smile.
Hesitant for just a moment, she then took his large hand in hers. Turning back, she called out to me:
“Hurry up, Mom!”
Her smile was dazzling.
Yes. This is enough. This was what I wanted all along.
Watching my precious Daniel glow with happiness, I too smiled brightly.
Even if a corner of my chest ached faintly, an adult could still smile.
