C 51
Brrrrrrr-
Upon the sound coming from my stomach, I crawled under the pillow.
"Stop making noise!"
How many times has it rumbled today?
Yesterday, when I woke up after fainting like this, what came to me was terrible hunger, very terrible hunger.
Erno Etham's fingers, waving at me, looked like sausages, so I had to restrain myself from biting them.
The problem is that I've already eaten twice today.
It hadn't been more than two hours since I had my second meal, and yet my stomach's sounds didn't stop.
"Daughter, I told you to prepare more meals."
I sank a little deeper under the pillow.
I don't want them to hate me.
I mean, I don't want to cause trouble.
I didn't want to be a troublesome child who eats a lot and needs a lot of attention.
I didn't want to lose my newly formed family just because I was too bothersome and different from the others.
"Daughter."
Even at the soft call, I didn't move.
I hoped the hunger would somehow disappear.
"Eirin."
My vision brightened at the small call. The feeling of the heavy pillow on my back had also vanished.
"Why is my daughter like this? Didn't the food suit your taste?"
"..."
"I'll fire all the cooks."
No, don't do that. This psychopath of a father...
As I shook my head, I heard a faint chuckle from above.
"Then why?"
"If I eat too much, I might turn into a pig... also... bothering like this every time would be annoying..."
I shook my head somberly as I thought of various reasons.
"If I'm not cute, they might hate me."
Even to me, Eirin was very cute. But if I eat too much and gain weight, she might not like it.
"Thinking about it again, I've grown too much."
Honestly, it's a bit strange for a lizard to be the size of an adult's palm.
What if I get even bigger?
"Some lizards can grow up to 3 meters, but..."
Then it's certain that I'll be abandoned.
"I don't want to measure about 3 meters, either."
Honestly, it's disgusting.
"Eirin, are you thinking of stealing away from me, your newly obtained daughter?"
Hearing that weak voice, I raised my head and shook it.
"It's not that..."
I was just scared of changing.
Even if I gained a little weight, the past where they cursed me still held me back.
"If my daughter collapses again because she's hungry but won't eat, I'll fire all the cooks and hire a new one."
I opened my eyes wide and shook my head.
It's all my fault, so I don't know why they would have to fire decent cooks...
"If another cook comes, and you still won't eat, I'll stab him again and hire a new cook."
I looked at him not understanding.
"Why?"
I wanted to ask that.
Even if I pout, my voice won't come out.
It was so frustrating.
However, Erno Etham opened his mouth as if he noticed my question right away.
"I don't know, but someone said parents are like this."
"..."
"Even if my child does something wrong, I want to stand by their side unconditionally."
My eyes grew exponentially.
If it weren't for me being a lizard, I would have grabbed his clothes' hem.
"Even if something terrible happened in the world, and it was your fault, I wouldn't say it was your fault."
I slowly raised my buried face in the bed.
When I turned slowly, his palms were within reach. Tears flowed.
[Mom, my sister ordered it~ That's why I did it. She said she wanted to have it.]
[I heard it too, mom.]
[Yes, I know. My good kids couldn't have done it. It's the owner's fault for putting things in a place like this in the first place.]
[Hey, ma'am. Excuse me?]
[The children clearly coveted those toys... Here's the money.]
Feeling even sadder at the memories that came to mind, tears began to run down my face.
Although I clearly knew who stole the toys, their mother always defended her younger brother.
She must have known. Who really stole them.
It was like a dream to hear the words I had always wanted to hear, as if I had been waiting for them.
Seeing the moist palms of his hands, Erno Etham gently stroked my scales.
"I'll stand by your side even though I know I can't. So eat a lot and grow."
"I...!"
I clenched my lips, but no words came out.
"I want to talk. I want to have a proper conversation with my father."
The moment I put my wish in my head, the desire filled my heart.
That was the moment. My eyes turned white. At the same time, my body heated up, and my vision increased.
Erno Etham's eyes widened like saucers.
"I..."
A voice came out.
Before I knew it, I was sitting in Erno Etham's lap, clutching the hem of his clothes.
Erno Etham wrapped me in a blanket before I realized it.
"What if I get fat...?"
"Then you'll be a chubby daughter."
"What if I become a very, very big lizard...?"
"Then you'll be a very big daughter."
"What if I become ugly?!"
"Ugly... Is such a thing possible?"
Erno Etham's expression turned strange as he responded.
I felt embarrassed to ask why his expression was so serious.
"I can't even imagine the impossible."
As soon as he finished speaking, I clung to Erno Etham's neck without realizing it.
"Even your tear-stained face looks cute, so I must have fallen in love with my daughter."
Erno Etham stroked my hair.
"Anyway, you turned back into a human."
"Yes..."
"Don't you remember how you turned back?"
"Father... No. I just thought I wanted to talk to dad."
"You just thought?"
"Yes..."
I nodded as I held onto him against his chest.
Erno Etham's expression darkened slightly and became subtle.
"You weren't sick yesterday, what were you thinking at that time?"
At Erno Etham's question, I slowly searched my memory.
"Ah..."
Feeling a little embarrassed, I buried my face and barely opened my mouth.
"... I wished."
"What?"
"That dad and my family aren't sick... I want to live a long, long time with you..."
Erno Etham's eyes widened at the girl's confession. He let out a low laugh.
"It's such a childish wish, but..."
Still, it was the biggest wish she had ever had.
"Eirin."
"Yes?"
"Hasn't that already come true? If you want that for the future, you should eat when you're hungry, right?"
"..."
When I turned my head, the table was laden with food enough to break the table legs.
Brrrrrrrr.
The rumbling sound came again.
As soon as the food, which smelled delicious, was placed in front of my eyes, I reflexively reached out like a person with a broken switch and began eating it hastily.
"Yum!"
Before I could even taste the flavor filling my mouth, my hand was already reaching for the next piece of food.
...
...
...
Erno Etham and the servants who helped with the meal also seemed to have lost words for a moment.
The abundant table, seemingly enough for 10 people, was empty in an instant.
After finishing my meal, I woke up.
My hands were a mess because I used them to eat indiscriminately.
"Ah..."
I was left speechless as I looked at the generously piled dishes.
"Oh..."
Did I hear a voice coming from my stomach? Otherwise, what's the reason for eating so far?
"Are you a little fuller now?
I was awakened by the sound of a voice beside me.
I nodded slowly.
Previously, I would still feel hungry after eating a normal portion, but now my stomach was definitely full.
"Yes, I'm full."
"Alright, I'll have them prepare a meal like this from now on."
"... A meal like this... is okay?"
"You can eat more. I have a lot of money."
I nodded slightly.
I recognized that fact from the moment he handed me a billion won...
"Ah, and the professor the patriarch mentioned earlier, I heard he's coming tomorrow."
"The professor?"
"Yes, he's the eldest son of Baron Rosemont in the West. Since the patriarch chose him, it should be safe."
"Yes!"
Even if I don't look like it, I didn't want to stay at home doing nothing; I wanted to learn something, so it's a relief.
"Do what you want to do."
He said as he stroked my hair. My lips softened at the gentle touch.
***
After sleeping deeply in dad's warmth, my whole body felt renewed.
After breakfast, while thinking about what to do, a sudden thought came to my mind.
"I'm going to see Sharnae."
What's the female lead doing?
I left Erno Etham, who said he had work, and ran down the hallway.
"Ah, that child..."
"She really has a tail..."
As I walked down the hallway, I involuntarily stopped at the sound of voices.
"Oh, I forgot to hide it."
Even though I managed to humanize myself, I couldn't hide my tail.
Interestingly, the tail had grown a little longer and seemed shiny.
"... Isn't it?"
"Yes, certainly..."
I quickly tried to hide it under my skirt, but I couldn't even hide it because the dress had been made so the tail could be out by special request from my father.
It was at the moment I tilted my head.
"I really want to touch it..."
A voice like a hot, desire-filled breath lodged in my ears.
