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Chapter 146
The first person I saw when I woke up was Yunie.
“Miss!”
“Oh, our young lady!”
It was the dead of night, when everyone else was asleep.
The Halbern estate, suddenly awakened from its silence, was thrown into an uproar.
The so-called childcare “experts,” who usually competed for my favor, started wailing uncontrollably the moment they saw me.
…Anyone would think I had died.
“Stop crying…”
“But, Miss—!”
“I’m alive.”
“Huuuh, but you’re hurt!”
This wasn’t a one-time thing.
The childcare staff, who normally harbored rivalries even against their employer, Duke Halbern, clinging to me, were now just holding onto my dress and circling me.
“Sniff… I’m so glad you woke up.”
Really, anyone would think I had come back from the dead.
Was it really worth crying this much?
Though it was strange, I didn’t mind. I patted the shoulders of the childcare staff.
“Did the young lady hit me four times?”
“Hehe, six times for me.”
Seeing how this subtly reignited their competitive spirit, I stopped there.
Anyway… these people…
[Next question reuse wait time: 30 days 2 hours]
One advantage of this status screen was that even without asking, I could see just how badly I had collapsed.
Hmm. It’s been over a week.
Bzzz—
The ether, transformed into a button, whimpered, as if frightened of losing its long-lost owner.
This ungrateful inanimate thing—after all my recovery, that’s the best it could say?
“I’m really glad, Miss.”
Even the medical staff who were on break hurried over amidst the chaos.
Seeing my attending physician’s face, which had changed noticeably, made me flinch.
“We survived this time as well.”
“God, protect us.”
The familiar healer and priest, who I often saw, openly sighed in relief.
…Did Dad do something again? Or maybe Mehen?
“Any specific pain?”
“No.”
“Any discomfort when moving?”
“None.”
Even while the physician checked my physical condition, my mind was elsewhere.
It was strange. Why had I returned home? I had collapsed at Locke Castle, after all.
Could this be a dream?
“Ouch.”
I pinched my cheek—it hurt. So it wasn’t a dream.
“…?”
The sudden self-pinch startled the physician, but it wasn’t serious.
Then, it happened.
“Ah—…”
“Mom!”
As soon as I saw Mehen entering through the open door, I sprang up and ran straight into his arms.
‘It’s really Mehen.’
I closed my eyes, feeling the familiar, heavy, comforting scent of wood that always surrounded him.
For the first time, it truly felt like I was home.
*
Mehen froze momentarily, as if broken, but soon the heartfelt reunion happened.
He didn’t say anything particularly moving, but holding me tightly and refusing to let go was enough to convey his feelings.
Our Mehen doesn’t show emotions openly.
‘This cautious attitude is actually better.’
I could feel just how precious I was to him.
“I missed you.”
“…I missed you too.”
Soon, Mehen gave me a rough explanation of the situation.
‘I see. So Dad brought me here.’
I couldn’t believe that the Regent had let it happen so easily.
That man? Eh…
Still skeptical, I tilted my head, and a radiant, unchanging face suddenly appeared right in front of me.
“Seems like you can’t even see Dad, young lady.”
“I can.”
Dad frowned, looking displeased that I was only hugging Mehen.
“That’s disappointing.”
Valler drooped his eyebrows, feigning sadness.
“Are you discriminating against Dad?”
I blinked.
Maybe because I had read my birth mother’s memories, Dad’s behavior, which had once annoyed me, now seemed different.
I used to think he was reckless, immature, and unpredictable, but now it looked like he was hiding himself behind a lighthearted attitude, suppressing his anxieties, and controlling his precarious emotions.
Like a child struggling to accomplish something.
I must be overanalyzing.
Sighing, I let go of Mehen and hugged Dad instead.
“Come here.”
“Huh?”
I felt his larger, solid body stiffen.
“Why are you acting like this all of a sudden, my daughter?”
His embarrassed voice made me giggle.
“Did you suddenly miss Dad, huh?”
His teasing voice sounded unusually bold today.
“Yes.”
My answer had been decided from the start.
At my immediate reply, Dad’s body froze slightly in my arms.
“I missed you.”
“….”
His rapid inhalations, the stiffness in his body, his hands wandering nervously, and the trembling, speechless sound escaping him—all told me just how shocked he was.
“….”
“….”
“….”
Watching Dad broken like this was amusing.
“Uh…”
Dad’s redness and uncertainty about what to say made him look unbearably cute.
“Did I… do something wrong?”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
Seeing me giggle, Dad was flustered.
“You always came second, after Mehen.”
“I like Mehen more.”
What a ridiculous thing to say.
“…Yeah, I didn’t expect anything else.”
Dad’s reluctant acceptance was amusing.
Annoyance, grudging acknowledgment—somewhere in his expression.
I hugged him tightly.
Just like I wanted to after seeing Mom’s memories.
“You’re my Dad.”
Just that one line.
That single sentence made Dad’s face, already emotional, tear up slightly. Still delicate and beautiful, a face anyone would recognize as Sione’s sibling—so strikingly alike.
All of Sione.
And my birth mother’s intention behind making such a person my Dad.
‘Hmm.’
I realized how much I was truly loved.
“I dreamed of Mom.”
“Yeah, what did Mehen say?”
“Sione said she loves Dad.”
“….”
“Dad, I hope you’re happy.”
Looking into Dad’s frozen eyes, I carefully asked,
“Dad, are you happy?”
“Well…”
His furrowed brows, eyes about to tear, and awkwardly forced smile.
Dad seemed unsure what expression to make. Finally, he answered,
“…I think I am happy.”
He looked at me, as if trying to define his own feelings.
“As long as you’re here with me, my daughter.”
“So I can’t leave your side, huh?”
“Never.”
“And you won’t leave me either, right?”
Dad, as if wanting to be held, allowed himself to be grabbed without resistance.
“…With my daughter here, where would I go?”
His low, husky voice sounded almost like he was about to cry.
“Yeah, Dad.”
Ah, really…
“Let’s be happy together.”
I never thought I’d say something like this.
“Because we’re family.”
“Yes, because we’re family.”
I couldn’t say “I love you” yet—it was too embarrassing—so this was the only way I could express my feelings. Dad seemed satisfied enough, smiling.
His eyes, folded like a child’s, looked genuinely happy, and seeing him made me happy too.
Suddenly, Dad’s expression hardened.
“Who dares to appear here shamelessly?”
Dad, protective as always, glared at someone.
Peeking out from his embrace, I saw someone I couldn’t believe was there.
‘Why is the Regent here?’
The Regent, who normally only focused on me and never openly opposed Dad, finally spoke.
“I want to speak alone with Arellin.”
