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Chapter 4
His voice rumbled like it was echoing through a cave, making Calypso jump.
Oh… that voice doesn’t match his face at all.
His slightly drooping eyes and faint dark circles gave him a sharp, irritable appearance.
But his voice was nothing like that.
Well…
That wasn’t really any of Calypso’s concern.
If I walked up and announced I was his daughter from the start, he’d just find me annoying and ignore me.
She hadn’t met Pierre often, but she already understood what kind of person he was.
More accurately…
She knew from stories told by her retainers in her previous life.
“The late Lord Pierre?”
“Oh, he absolutely hated troublesome things. Especially children. That’s why he never paid any attention to you, even though you were his own daughter!”
“You tactless idiot! Is that really something you should happily tell the Family Head? Honestly, you flounders have noodles for brains. Ah! Lady Family Head, I just remembered—I heard Lord Pierre loved cleanliness, even while he was seriously ill.”
Oddly enough…
Her retainers had always been interested in Pierre.
Even after he’d died, everyone still remembered him clearly.
It wasn’t surprising.
In a family that worshipped strength and physical power…
He possessed perhaps the greatest power in history…
Yet had the weakest body.
He was a contradiction.
In any case…
Since he disliked children, Calypso decided she had even more reason to speak clearly than she had with Grandmother.
“It’s the opposite.”
“Hm?”
“Then which direction is it?”
“A very long way from here.”
“Really? That’s a problem.”
Calypso placed one tiny hand on her chin and pretended to think hard.
It was an incredibly adorable sight.
Pierre merely watched her as though she were an inanimate object.
“I really have to go there.”
“So…”
“How about you take me?”
Her voice was bright and demanding.
Pierre stared at her before tilting his head ever so slightly.
“I don’t want to.”
For just a moment…
Extreme annoyance crossed his handsome face.
Just like they said.
He really hates being bothered.
His expression clearly asked,
Why should I?
“Really?”
“Well, can’t be helped.”
Without the slightest disappointment, Calypso shrugged.
She climbed onto the edge of the fountain with considerable effort…
Grunting the whole way…
Then sat down.
“Guess training’s out.”
“I’ll just eat instead.”
Pierre silently watched as she settled herself.
Ignoring his gaze, Calypso opened the small pouch she’d brought with her.
From a worn dolphin-shaped bag…
She carefully pulled out dried fruit.
She had secretly been saving it ever since she’d learned how to walk.
I didn’t know what might happen, so I stored food whenever I could.
The building where Calypso lived housed babies expected to survive on their own during their first two years.
Naturally…
The meals were terrible.
The moment she’d turned two…
She had begun secretly stockpiling anything that would keep for a long time.
Halfway through eating, she looked toward Pierre.
“What are you staring at, Mister?”
Despite her blunt question…
Pierre remained silent.
Seriously?
Is that your only expression?
“If you’ve got nothing to say, stop staring.”
“You’ll scare away my good luck.”
“…”
You think you’re the only prickly one?
I’m prickly too, Dad.
Grumbling inwardly, Calypso continued chewing on the dried fruit.
At one point, her cheek became itchy.
She rubbed it absentmindedly.
What she didn’t realize…
Was that while climbing onto the fountain, she’d gotten black soot on her hand.
Now she’d smeared it right across her cheek.
Completely unaware she’d given herself a black streak like face paint…
She happily continued eating.
The meals they call baby food here are absolute garbage.
This sweetness is heaven.
Before she knew it…
She’d completely forgotten why she’d come to see her father.
She was too busy enjoying the fruit.
“Mister.”
“Why do you keep looking at me?”
“Are you hungry?”
“…”
“Want one?”
Generously, Calypso held out the pouch.
Then she suddenly remembered her original purpose.
Ah… right.
Still…
No answer came.
She slowly withdrew the pouch.
Wow… he’s unbelievably quiet.
Calypso desperately tried to remember every ounce of social skill she’d ever possessed.
How do I leave an impression on someone…
…without becoming annoying?
For the moment…
She couldn’t think of an answer.
Without lingering, she climbed back down.
“Thanks for telling me the way.”
“This place is really quiet.”
“Do you always play here alone?”
“…”
“Mister…”
“Are you lonely too?”
“Like me?”
“Does nobody talk to you either?”
Pierre lived in one of the rundown houses at the western edge of the estate.
Although he was sickly…
He hadn’t been completely cast aside.
There was no reason for him to live somewhere so isolated.
Even Calypso found that strange.
Had he simply given up on life?
His detached demeanor made that seem like the most likely explanation.
If so…
Calypso couldn’t understand him at all.
She valued life far too much.
Tilting her head, she said,
“If that’s true…”
“Then you must be lonely too.”
She wasn’t actually lonely.
She was simply trying to sound like a child.
Still…
It wasn’t entirely false.
The only ones living in her building were whale children too young to speak…
Or babies who died before they ever had the chance.
Along with nannies and servants who had no interest in them.
Even passing ants would probably get more attention than we do.
The more she looked at Pierre’s utterly emotionless face…
The more irritated she became.
He seriously has zero interest in me.
This isn’t going anywhere.
She gave up.
Well…
At least the retainers were right.
He really does come here often.
“Hmm.”
“I should head home.”
“Bye, Mister.”
Calypso knew when to advance…
And when to retreat.
Now…
Was the time to retreat.
“See you later.”
She didn’t even bother looking back.
She had always been someone who looked only forward.
Because she cherished life too much to dwell on what lay behind.
“…”
Because of that…
She never noticed the intense gaze fixed upon her back.
After Calypso disappeared…
Pierre sat motionless like a statue for quite some time.
Then…
He slowly reached out.
He rubbed the place where she’d been sitting.
His fingertips came away stained black with soot.
A small stream of water bubbled up.
In an instant…
It washed his hand perfectly clean.
Come to think of it…
For the first time in a long while…
He actually thought about something.
That child…
She looks like she’s my daughter.
Pierre stared at his now spotless hand.
Then lazily ran his tongue across it.
At the same time…
He brushed his hair back.
“Hm.”
His languid voice drifted into the empty air.
His conclusion was simple.
Looks like the little brat doesn’t know I’m her father.
…That’s probably what he’s thinking.
I hurried back while suppressing a laugh.
As if.
Looking at Father, Pierre…
I came to one conclusion.
There was no way he hadn’t recognized me.
The Orca family was divided into the main bloodline and the branch families.
The Power of Water almost always appeared only among the main bloodline.
Very occasionally…
Someone from a branch family awakened it as well.
Those rare individuals earned the right to compete for the position of Family Head.
As someone from the main bloodline…
I already qualify simply because of my birth.
But why would I bother?
This lifetime…
Once I’d grown stronger…
I’d make a spectacular escape.
Anyway…
Back to the point.
The main and branch families looked different.
Members of the main family had black-and-white hair like a real orca.
The branch families all had gray hair.
Besides…
Among the direct-line children, everyone looks similar anyway.
There’s no way he couldn’t tell.
Seeing a little girl with a personality so much like his own…
What else could he possibly think?
If he didn’t recognize me…
He’d be an idiot.
And Pierre definitely wasn’t an idiot.
He simply knew…
And chose to pretend otherwise.
Because he hates troublesome things.
Including children.
I’ll have to think harder about how to approach him.
Still…
Before moving into my new residence and entering the training institute…
I needed him to become at least somewhat familiar with my face.
The training institute accepted whale beastkin beginning at age three.
It was located inside the enormous Orca estate.
You could think of it as a kindergarten…
Except…
In reality…
It was a brutal place where whale children were thrown together and expected to survive.
Especially for the naturally aggressive orcas.
Whether from the main family or a branch family…
Any child who failed to stand out in intelligence, physical ability, or the Power of Water…
Was mercilessly abandoned.
Other whale families can’t stop doting on their children…
But this damned family…
Once I entered that academy…
Life was going to become much harder.
Because unless I performed well enough to satisfy that old hag…
I’d be exiled to the cold annex.
And if that happened…
Just like in my previous lives…
I’d inevitably be sold off to another family.
If that happens…
I won’t be able to become the Dragon’s Bride as planned.
Which left me with only one option.
I’d have to demonstrate my genius…
One way or another.
Fortunately…
I was confident I could.
