C 78
"What are you looking at?"
"Who are you?"
"... If you're senile, resign from the position of emperor. The empress must have suffered a lot."
"It's a daily routine."
When Dad clicked his tongue and looked at the empress, she agreed.
"Erno, you've changed a lot. Dahlia would surely be delighted."
"..."
Dad's eyebrows furrowed at the name that came out of the empress's mouth.
"Let's go."
"Be a good father. Isn't it said that children are a mirror of their parents?"
"It doesn't matter."
I was about to leave the room with my dad snorting and hugging me.
Suddenly, I remembered the Hatar incident and opened my mouth.
"You know, Emperor Uncle."
"Uncle..."
The emperor raised his head and looked at me with an absurd expression. The empress beside him burst into laughter.
"What?"
"Is something strange happening in the empire these days? I was on my way here, and I saw someone drinking something and laughing terribly."
"... Well."
In response to my words, the emperor narrowed his eyes, but soon smiled as if it was nothing.
"It seems they've been drinking since daylight."
Perhaps because he was the emperor, I couldn't understand what he was thinking.
I couldn't bring up the topic of "Hatar" or addiction here, so I just nodded in response.
"Then let's go."
"Thank you for the gift, Emperor Uncle!"
"... I take back what I said earlier, it was nice to meet you."
The emperor waved his hand at me while letting out a wry laugh. Nevertheless, he seems to be taking care of me.
After leaving, my dad and I traveled in the carriage with Sharnae, who had returned before we knew it.
"But Dad."
"Yes."
"What is an imprint?"
"Did the emperor say something like that?"
"Yes."
"Anyway, it's useless..."
I'm sure my father is the only one who talks about the emperor like that.
"They say dragons need parents. You have to imprint on your parents when you're born, but it seems like you couldn't do that."
Dad sat me on his lap and continued the story.
"Yes."
"Then I heard that they imprint again in the second growth period when they become juveniles."
"... Ah."
"I was supposed to be by your side when you opened your eyes, so I was by your side whenever possible."
Has it been like this for 5 years?
I heard it's hard for a person to do one thing consistently for a month, but that means he's been doing it for 5 years.
And hardly ever could he have left the house.
"Why...?"
"I am your father."
He replied casually, like someone who says they don't need another reason.
"Daughter, how could I give that place to someone else?"
Dad patted me on the head and replied. My face lit up at the unexpected words.
The love that seemed to have no bottom or end always made my heart beat just by facing it.
"Yes, I love my dad too."
"Of course, it should be that way."
Even those arrogant words were pleasant to hear. I buried my face in his chest and gently rested my cheek.
"Having a father is like a dream."
It really was a story from a novel that there was a family that would stay by my side no matter what, even if I called them that.
"If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up for the rest of my life..."
So I hope my family continues to love me.
"I love my daughter."
Before I could finish my thoughts, I heard a voice that startled me, so I opened my eyes wide and looked at him.
When I smiled broadly, Dad looked at me and smiled back.
"Oh, I love it."
I stretched my arms and hugged my dad tightly.
It was really good. The fact that someone loves me like this.
I have a family too.
Now I finally have a place to settle. Finally, I have a home to return to.
"Oh, I love you too! Eirin!"
"Yes!"
I also looked at Sharnae, who ran to me and hugged me.
I felt like my whole body would melt with happiness.
* * *
"Let's start the class."
"..."
"Miss?"
"Why are you here...?"
"They contacted me saying that the miss is finally feeling better and I can continue her education."
Hill Rosemont said with a wide smile. He had grown into a tall adult before I knew it and still smiled with a naive expression.
"I'm very happy that you're safe."
"Yes..."
Thanks for the words, but why do I feel so anxious?
"By the way, I need this man's help to solve the 'Hatar' case..."
It wasn't easy to make a good impression on this man.
"Should I say hello with a smile for now?"
I smiled broadly with an enlightened expression.
"I missed you, Professor!"
"... Really?"
"Somehow, I thought about the professor."
He nodded with a meaningful smile on his face, wondering what I was thinking.
"I wanted to see you too."
Hill Rosemont chimed in.
Oh, the reason he still calls me "Miss" is that the fact that I am the "matriarch of the Etham family" has not been officially announced.
Dad said he would seize the opportunity later and announce it with great pomp.
Until then, only the inside of Etham, the emperor, and the royal family will know.
"Does this person know or not?"
I think he knows because he's the head of the Information Guild, but I'm not sure what this person is thinking.
"Still, he's very clever."
My dad must have tripled the security, but they hired him again because he was clean and without a speck of dust.
"The world has been noisy lately. Whether there are really dragons or not, when they will appear, what powers they have... everyone seems very curious."
"Uh-huh..."
"Of course, it was the same for me."
Hill Rosemont said with a laugh like an ignorant rural aristocrat who knows nothing.
"Now that I think about it, the hero of the Great War is also appearing these days..."
Albion?
Why did he appear?
My eyes widened at the unexpected name. Hill Rosemont checked me slowly.
"Did it safely finish imprinting?"
"Maybe?"
"Maybe?"
He narrowed his eyes. It seemed like he was looking at something, then he let out a brief sigh.
"It would have been good if the lady's imprint was me."
Isn't that when I turn into a bad dragon?
"I don't know, how can I appease him?"
Actually, there is a way, but honestly, I want to leave it as a last resort.
But other than that, I couldn't find a better way. I don't think it's bad to speak openly...
Ah, I don't know.
"Professor, I saw something strange the other day."
"Something strange?"
"Yes, I was in a carriage, and a woman drank something like water and suddenly sat down and laughed terribly."
Hill Rosemont's movement, who was tilting his teacup, suddenly stopped.
"It must have been alcohol."
"But, was it very scary?"
When I tilted my head, he smiled.
"She might have eaten something strange."
"But seeing it made me feel sick."
"You didn't feel well?"
If I say this, he would think it's something I can feel because I'm a dragon.
When I nodded again, his expression softened. He lightly scratched his chin as if he was pondering for a moment.
"Are you curious about what that is?"
"Yes, I think the professor will know. You're the smartest professor."
Hill Rosemont chuckled lightly as I raised my thumb.
"Well, I don't know either."
"..."
Aish, it's not easy.
Looking at the reaction, I think I know.
Hill Rosemont... He wanted a person.
Someone who will never betray him, who will only look at him and never stab him in the back.
Having always been deceived by someone, he wanted someone to trust.
So, he tried to lure the heroine who caught his attention with the drug antidote as bait.
"But I'm not the female lead, so he has no reason to be interested in me."
I don't know if he's intrigued by the fact that I'm a dragon.
"What will you give me if I give you that information?"
I knew it would be like this too.
After thinking for a moment, I opened my mouth.
"Hmm, ah... Then I'll be your friend."
He opened his eyes wide as if he had heard something unexpected.
"Suddenly my friend? Haha, that doesn't really benefit me."
He smiled gently, as if he had heard a really cute idea. He ran his hand through his hair and looked at me.
"A friend is someone who consults with you when you need it, shares your worries, and helps you."
"If that's a friend, then I have many friends too."
"I won't discard you."
At my words, Hill Rosemont's docile eyes as he slid the teacup with his index finger suddenly sharpened.
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