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Chapter 101
The Halbern Mansion had become livelier than before.
“Do I really have to eat this?”
“There was an order from His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, to see that you finish it all.”
Surprisingly, the time I disliked the most was no longer exercise—it was taking the mysterious elixir that Pession had sent me, whether it was a tonic or a magical potion.
“What’s in this again…?”
“The dew from Mount Medion, a special herb that only grows on the Itatel Plains, herbs that help restore vitality and energy…”
At first, the tonic had been an ordinary brown color, but it gradually changed to green, then black. Today, it was purple.
Isn’t this poison?
“What if I die from this?”
“It has passed thorough verification from the Temple and the Magic Tower, so that won’t happen.”
“No, it looks like I’m going to die just by looking at it.”
At this point, it was more of a monstrous dish than a tonic.
I didn’t want to eat it.
Eating this didn’t necessarily make one healthy either. I cautiously glanced at Mehen and Dad; Mehen quietly looked away while Dad smiled broadly.
“The herbs from the Itatel Plains must be hard to obtain. Impressive.”
“I’ve heard that, to secure the ingredients for this tonic, His Royal Highness will soon set out on an expedition under the guise of a safe journey.”
“Such dedication.”
Dad smiled lightly.
“Does your daughter feel lucky?”
Lucky?
“Dad, do you want some?”
“I’ll pass.”
“…….”
I felt a strong doubt about whether this tonic would even work, but it seemed everyone else was already experiencing its effects—except me.
The childcare staff, in particular, were almost fanatical.
“You couldn’t even run before, but now you can run little by little!”
“All thanks to the tonic!”
Well, isn’t that just because I kept exercising and built up my muscles?
“Since this is a rare tonic that is hard to acquire even with money, you must finish it all!”
I accepted my fate under the pressuring gazes.
Holding my breath, I gulped down the tonic, which tasted like nothing in this world.
“So much care… Should I get some for you too?”
“Pfft—”
I shook my head vigorously.
Dad watched me take the tonic with his chin in his hand, grinning.
When I glared at him sharply, he finally stopped laughing and pouted. That won’t work on me.
“Why don’t you work, Dad?”
“Because Mehen is capable.”
“Just loafing around?”
“You know that expression?”
“I feel sorry for Mehen.”
“And me?”
“You’re not pitiful.”
“Oh, I see.”
Dad reached out with a pitying expression.
“Shall we go play now?”
Dad was a strange man.
And he had a terrible personality.
Maybe I should just give up on getting close to him.
“Why are you avoiding me, daughter?”
He lightly poked my cheek, grinning. My soft cheek squished.
“You said you wanted to play.”
I did ask to play, but not like this.
Anger rose from my core.
“Am I a dog?!”
He stayed still, while I had to fetch things he threw? Does that count as playing?
“Are you teasing me now?!”
“You need to keep moving to stay healthy.”
“And you?”
“I’m already healthy.”
“…….”
I’ll remember this. I will repay this neglect!
“Do you want me to play differently if you don’t like it?”
“No, I won’t play with you anymore!”
“Haha.”
Dad thought my pouting was cute and hugged me without permission.
“Ah, let go!”
“No. Being together more makes us closer.”
“I don’t want to get closer to you anymore.”
“But I want to get closer to you.”
The more time I spent with this man, the more my anger grew, not the closeness between father and daughter.
Thanks to him, I began to understand why calm Mehen became hot-tempered with Dad.
He had a talent for making people angry.
“How did Mehen play with someone like him?”
“Exactly. That was the worst decision of my life.”
“Yet he met me.”
“Looking back, that was the best decision, I think.”
“Mom, I like him.”
“I do too.”
“And Dad?”
Lucky, huh.
If he had any conscience, he would know his place. I glared at Dad, and he looked sad.
“I feel hurt.”
Whether he felt hurt or not was none of my concern.
But seeing Dad’s face up close made my heart waver a bit.
This face…
It should be considered a national treasure, a legacy to pass down through generations.
“Dad, you only have your face to show off, so value it the most. Got it?”
It’s only because of that face that I tolerate him!
Dad tilted his head at my sudden sincere advice and quietly smiled.
“You sound like Ed.”
“Who’s that?”
“The Emperor of this country.”
“…….”
So His Majesty the Emperor shared the same opinion as me.
While feeling a one-sided closeness to the ruler of this country, Dad reached out his hand again.
“Let’s play a different game.”
“Hmph!”
He thinks I’ll fall for it!
“I’m serious.”
“Humph.”
“Daughter.”
Seeing Dad lower his eyes with a sorrowful, melancholic gaze, I couldn’t resist.
“…….”
When I came back to my senses, I was already holding Dad’s hand.
“Ah! I shouldn’t be doing this!”
Mehen, save me!
I looked desperately at Mehen, who was holding his head.
“Master.”
“Mm, I won’t let go. You’re mine.”
“…….”
Mehen shot me a sharp look that clearly said, What are you going to do with this man? But Dad, hugging me, just smiled widely.
“I have a gift for you.”
“A gift?”
Maybe he brought a doll?
Let’s see if I’ll fall for it!
“……Wow.”
I fell for it.
But still!
“An instrument?”
Seeing a room full of every kind of musical instrument, starting with a piano, I couldn’t resist!
“All yours. Take them.”
Dad casually handed me ownership.
“What is all this?”
A grand piano, an organ, timpani, drums, horn, double bass, cello, viola, violin.
“Huh? Why is there a pipa?”
And a trombone and trumpet, plus a harp.
We could practically form an orchestra.
It felt like he had collected every existing instrument. I suddenly wondered why.
“Why are you giving me this?”
“Because I thought you’d need it.”
“For me?”
“You played before.”
Dad smiled wryly and hummed a love melody.
“Ah.”
“That sounded nice.”
Did that even reach him? I thought it had ended as just my nightmare.
“Where did you learn?”
“…….”
I couldn’t exactly say Emmanuel Music Academy, so I just blinked.
“Did Mehen teach you?”
I stared at empty space.
Proving it would have been awkward.
Luckily, I parted ways with Mehen before coming to the gift room, so I avoided any trouble.
“Try playing.”
But I could only handle the violin and piano.
Though my piano was decent, I was better with the violin.
“Mm.”
I pressed the piano keys to check the tuning. Maybe I’ll play the piano for a change?
“Eh.”
Old habits die hard, and my hand ultimately reached for the violin.
Compared to modern violins, it was a bit rough, but still excellent. Looks like violin development hadn’t lagged behind.
The issue was the other equipment—no chin rest, no shoulder rest, but at least there was rosin…
“Rosin’s here.”
A violin where missing one day of practice is noticeable, and three days is obvious to the audience—but I felt no pressure.
This was what I’d been doing all my life.
Even with a new violin and a new bow…
I could do it.
“Listen.”
My private concert, with Dad as the only audience.
Zing.
The performance began with a single melody.
The soft melody captivated the ears, sparkling like a tiny star in the night sky.
