C 99
The guest who burst in was none other than Duke Collin.
It was nice to see him for the first time in a long while, but the situation wasn't pleasant enough to express my happiness.
Dad drew his sword and growled, and Richard, who was hanging upside down and collapsed, was in the arms of Duke Collin.
"Are you injured anywhere, Richard?"
"No."
Richard, who responded straightforwardly as if embarrassed, looked at me with a flushed face and quickly left Duke Collin's arms.
Richard, who vigorously rubbed his cheek with the back of his hand, looked at my father and opened his mouth.
"Your Excellency, there was a barrier placed, but how did you get in here?"
"With magic."
Dad snorted and said confidently. Duke Collin chuckled and blocked Richard's way.
"What have you done to my son?"
"Your son kidnapped and tried to kill my daughter, so I just wanted to make him pay a fair price."
"He tried to kill... my good and innocent son couldn't have done that."
Duke Collin's response was filled with disgust, probably because he had touched Richard.
"Richard, is he innocent..."
I don't think he's bad, but I'm not sure if he's innocent.
"I also felt that Richard had become handsome, but..."
While lost in my thoughts, Duke Collin slightly turned his head to look at me in my father's arms.
Seeing that his stiff expression loosened a bit, I tilted my head, and Duke Collin also nodded with a very bitter expression and acknowledged my greeting.
"How dare you unsheathe a sword against a child? What would have happened if my fragile son had been injured?"
Duke Collin was furious.
"...fragile?"
Richard's cheeks blushed as he turned his head slightly embarrassed.
I don't think he hates his father defending him.
"Parents who recklessly unsheathe their swords in front of their children... As expected, Duke Etham doesn't seem prepared to be a father."
"Wouldn't a father do anything to protect his children?"
"Then is that why you entered someone else's house and stole the adoption papers? Even threatening His Majesty?"
Dad, did you even steal the adoption papers?
When I looked at him in astonishment, Dad frowned as if it were unfair.
"Steal. Do you have any idea who stole them?"
Is it my imagination that he seems to know better than anyone?
"I wonder if it would be better to blame myself for not handling it properly and losing them."
Observing the distorted expression on my father's face, I realized that what Duke Collin was saying was true.
Even when Dad lies or when he's in a bad mood, his expression becomes brighter.
"I should have prevented you from adopting the girl no matter what."
"Do you really mean that?"
Dad laughed.
"He's my dad, but he's very petty."
Should I say that it seems like he wants to hit someone just because he dislikes them?
"And I don't know why we're talking about that now. I was talking about the assassin."
When did he become an assassin?
"Wow, attempted murder... My son couldn't have done that! What did he do?"
"Cry."
"Now that..."
"Your son made my daughter cry."
Duke Collin was speechless for a moment, as if he had been choked.
"...How does that make it an attempted murder?"
"Anyway, my daughter is small, fragile, and cute, and if even a drop of tear disappears from her body, her life is in danger."
No, Dad, it's not that.
"My son is cuter, more adorable, and fragile."
In response to Duke Collin's words, Dad, who was slightly lowering his sword, pushed me aside with a smile.
At the same time, Dad's power burst out.
Shwaaaa!
Bang!
Boom, boom!
The wind blew strongly in the room, accompanied by a roar several times over.
Cute dolls, which had been carefully arranged, flew, and books and food spilled as the walls crumbled.
There was no harm to me, who was wearing a protective shield, but when the wall was pierced in an instant, the view of the cute room became disastrous.
"My BamBam doll!"
Richard exclaimed in amazement.
"My doll?"
When I turned my head, I saw several dolls.
"That... It's really me."
When the dust settled to some extent through the pierced walls, the view opened up.
A curtain of water firmly blocked Richard and Duke Collin. Faced with the well-blocked attack, Dad laughed as he tilted his head to the side.
"It's a pity."
He murmured quietly, quickly regaining his power and returning to my side.
"What the hell is this?! Duke Etham!"
"Is it punishment for attempted murder?"
"Are you saying that crying was attempted murder?"
"Yes."
"If that's attempted murder, my son must have died dozens of times already!"
Duke Collin said.
"What are you talking about?"
"Do you know how much my fragile and sweet son cried for your daughter?"
"Oh, you should have raised him to be stronger."
Duke Collin was at a loss for words in the face of my father's selfish and unreasonable words.
"...Does this mean I can also punish Eirin for attempted murder?"
So the premise of attempted murder is incorrect!
"Of course..."
In the face of Duke Collin's words, the corners of Dad's mouth curved.
"No."
And Dad, as always, had terribly selfish logic.
Duke Collin's forehead wrinkled.
"D-Dad!"
I quickly clung to my father's leg.
It was because I thought I had to stop the fight somehow, looking at the half-destroyed room.
"What's wrong, daughter?"
"H-How did you find this place?"
"There was an informant."
"Informant?"
When I tilted my head, Dad smiled and opened his mouth.
"My daughter has a rather capable pet. Who gave it to you?" Dad said proudly.
"Who gave it to me?"
My dad did.
I smiled awkwardly, but Dad was looking at me with an expectant expression.
Oh, please...
"Dad... he gave it to me..."
"Yes."
Dad seemed very pleased.
"But Dad, can we stop fighting now?"
"Why?"
"I hate fights..."
With the intention of dissuading both of them, I tried to speak grumpily.
"It's usually like this in novels..."
Dad listened to me and nodded.
"I see. Then, daughter, please return to the banquet hall. Tell your brothers that if they stray from you again, they will be sent on a mission outside."
Dad smiled cheerfully and snapped his fingers, and a magic circle began to slowly draw itself on the floor.
"I'll be back soon too."
No, don't fight.
I didn't mean for you to take me away from here.
Duke Collin was looking at my father as if he had never seen someone so crazy in his life.
By the way... Lucilion was the one who informed him!
What the hell did Lucilion do? Is it okay to use his divine power on something so pointless?
"Anyway, I didn't expect Lucilion to attend the banquet too."
This was because priests usually didn't attend imperial banquets.
"Ah, maybe they invited him because he's friends with Enosh."
Because Lucilion had stayed by Enosh's side and by mine while I was asleep.
"It's good that..."
Bang!
Boom!
Pang!
I watched the dusty room in the distance.
Dad and Duke Collin were fighting so fast that my eyes couldn't keep up.
A column of water rose, there was a roar, and before long the building started to collapse in half.
Both dukes should be at the banquet, what the hell are they doing here? My dad was different from the average father.
In the novels I read, if the daughter says to stop, the parents stop fighting like crazy...
This crazy psychopath of a father won't stop even if I tell him not to.
Praaank!
As soon as the magic circle was finished, it began to emit light.
"Where is his left arm? The left arm..."
The last scene I saw was Richard sitting in a corner picking up the remains of a doll missing arms and legs, a half-ruined mansion that now looked empty, and...
"How dare you propose to my daughter, who is only ten years old?"
It was just a disaster.
* * *
"His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress, and His Highness the Second Prince are entering!"
The banquet hall, which had been crowded, fell silent as if a rat had died. Everyone put down their glasses and bowed.
After entering, the emperor, who was seated on his throne, looked at the audience and frowned.
"Everyone, raise your heads."
As soon as the emperor finished speaking, the nobles slowly raised their heads.
"It has been a long time since I hosted a banquet, and I am grateful that so many people attended."
The emperor, who had been speaking slowly, turned his head to look at the assembled Etham family members.
"I heard there is good news today from the Etham family... but the main characters and other important figures are missing."
The emperor's words sharpened the ears of the nobles who had been looking for Eirin.
"Have the two dukes not arrived yet?"
"That's..."
Charniel Etham pursed his lips and frowned. It was because he didn't know where the maknae had gone.
Then.
Whoaaah!
The center of the banquet hall began to glow intensely. All eyes were focused on the light that seemed to blind their vision.
At that moment, Charniel Etham's spine felt cold.
"I hope not..."
He hoped his younger brother hadn't had another accident.
The momentary bright light faded, and there appeared...
"Ah..., I greet the sun, the radiance of the empire..."
The hem was wrinkled here and there, and it seemed a bit more wrinkled than the first time...
"This is Eirin Etham..."
Likewise, as if she hadn't anticipated this situation, the young matriarch of the family had a pale face.
"This maknae had another accident!"
The same thought popped into the heads of all the Ethams, both direct and collateral, at the same time.
It was a splendid appearance.
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