C 112
"It has been very enjoyable today, ma'am,"
Easter, who dropped me off at my door after avoiding Chronos Etham, said with a smile.
"Yes, for me too."
"I was wondering what kind of person you were because a young matriarch was established in this historic family..."
Easter slowly knelt in front of me, and our gazes met.
"I learned that you are kind but not rude."
"...Really?"
"Yes, I look forward to the Etham family you will lead in the future."
Easter laughed and stood up.
"By the way, the competition for the vacant position of Sir Iona was quite fierce."
"There was competition?"
"Yes, because there was a group fight among the applicants, only the last person who survived could come."
I didn't know there was such a hidden story. What the hell happened?
I am grateful, curious, and a little bewildered by it, so I don't know what to do.
"Once again, I apologize for my rude behavior today. May the dragon's protection be with the Lady of the family."
Easter lowered his head and took a step back.
"Come to think of it, he must also be one of the Knights of Noir."
I didn't even think about it because his behavior was very light... I definitely thought his skills were above average.
"Now... Only Dad is left."
I looked at the black tiger in my arms with a somber expression.
Taking the Black Tiger Ark in one arm and the Black Tiger plush toy my father gave me in the other, I headed towards my father's office with a sense of determination.
"Ark, you have to make Dad like you unconditionally. Do you understand? So we can be together."
The black tiger seemed to have understood my sincere words and said, "Kkaung!" and cried bitterly.
Upon reaching the office, I took a deep breath and called out.
"Dad, are you busy?"
When I peeked my head through the open door, Dad put down what he was doing and looked up to see me.
"I'm free."
My dad, who spotted me, responded, approached, and opened the door immediately.
Looking at the wide-open door, I brought the faces of the two black tigers in my arms close to my cheeks as I had prepared.
"I'm a little embarrassed, but... "
Still, I wanted to bring it up even after enduring this embarrassment.
When I said that, Ark opened his eyes, clasped his paws carefully, tilted his head, and said, "Kkaung?"
It used to be a powerful cry, but now it's a small and cute cry.
"Oh, isn't that perfect?"
I felt like it really understood what I was saying.
"I heard it's a rare creature, so maybe it's intelligent?"
Thinking about it, I saw my dad standing in front of me as if he was firm and opened my mouth carefully.
"Dad..., if I could raise this child..."
"Raise it."
No, I haven't finished speaking yet.
"Daughter, if you don't mind, stay like that for a moment."
"Yes? Sure."
He snapped his fingers, and a bright sphere formed.
What he took out was a quite familiar marble. The stone photograph I saw from Laurent.
It's also a shiny photo stone that looks expensive even from a distance.
And on the other side, there was something like a hardcover book.
It was a colorful book that didn't quite match my father, with a glossy surface and some jewels embedded in it.
Looking through the gap, the interior seemed transparent at first glance.
It's like an album where you can put photos and write little notes.
"These days..."
He opened his mouth.
"They say this is trendy."
My dad, who has been aware of the strange trend following "pets," said somewhat proudly.
"They say it's a growth album."
A growth album?
Even in Korea, making an album for a child was common.
"Because my mom also kept all the albums of my younger siblings."
"Only Mom?
I saw them occasionally, but even my grandmother, who was especially strict with me, had albums of my younger siblings.
"I didn't have mine..."
Still, thinking that my dad was doing it for no reason made me feel better, and my body stiffened.
"What if I come out weird?"
I was very nervous, but my dad, who took some pictures, even spoke up.
"They say that if you keep this, good luck will come to the main character of this album."
Really?
Dad, that's a trick, a trick.
"Well, how much did you pay for it...?"
"At the basic 20 million loste, I added some more because I heard you can customize them with jewels, etc. I did most of the shopping, so... I think it cost around 100 million loste."
100 million loste!
No, where did my dad go and turn into a hog? I had to hold back from saying it.
"Who did this to my father?"
I couldn't bear to tell my dad that he had been scammed, and my father smiled faintly as I pursed my lips.
"It seems like my daughter wants to tell me I've been fooled."
When I looked up with a shy expression, my dad lifted me with one arm holding my wrist and Ark in his arms.
"Daughter."
"Yes...?"
"I know this price is scandalous. It could be a damn trick. But still..."
Dad lightly stroked my cheek with his other hand.
"I wish you all the luck in the world."
My eyes widened at my father's words.
"By looking at the first page of the album written like this, even if it's a lie, I had no choice but to get it."
The corners of his lips trembled at his father's affectionate whisper.
"You can call it my selfishness; I wish all the luck in the world to fall on you."
Feeling like I was about to cry, I buried my face in my father's chest with a distorted expression.
"Yes, Dad, too... I want my Dad to be happier."
I wanted my Dad, who brought me this good luck, to be much happier than me.
Instead of me, I wanted all the luck to return to my father, who gave me a dreamlike time.
"Eirin."
"Yes."
"Your happiness is my happiness. Don't forget that. If you're happy, I'll be happy to see you."
My eyes became blurred. However, it was the moment I tried to twist the corners of my eyes because I didn't want to show my crying face.
The smell of cigarette from the man dressed in a robe, which had been lingering in my nose since earlier, suddenly came to my mind forcefully.
"Ah..."
The stuffed tiger I was holding fell to the floor, and Ark jumped from my arms and landed safely.
"Daughter?"
"...Dad..."
My eyes suddenly rolled, and my body staggered wildly.
That was the moment.
Switch-!
Suddenly, my vision dimmed, and I soon felt my dad even larger.
Dad's eyes opened as he looked at me.
Oh? What?
"Kyu?"
A quite familiar cry came from very close. I slowly raised my head with a puzzled expression.
"Eirin."
"Kyuwoo!"
Yes.
I replied, but it didn't reach a point where anyone could understand me.
"Why can't I speak even though I'm a dragon?"
Am I still a child?
Will even a dragon be able to speak when it's an adult? In many novels, it's said that even the young ones are...
Why am I like this?
But why did this happen so suddenly?! I quickly imagined it again and tried to return to my original form, but I didn't change.
What is it?
At that moment, the unpleasant smell of cigarette suddenly came to mind.
"Ah...."
I remembered.
The smell of this cigarette.
It was very similar to the smell I had the other day when that idiot who claimed to be my biological father approached me.
"...Could it be that he was the culprit?"
I let the culprit go right in front of my eyes.
"But... "
I snorted loudly in the air and tilted my head.
"Do I somehow think I can find him?"
After thinking about it, my hopes grew a little more than my despair.
I smiled.
"Kyung! Kyukyu! Kyuwoouk, Kyuwook!"
Dad, I think I can find him!
I clung to my dad and said forcefully. Of course, nothing was heard except for a squeak.
"...I should have learned the dragon language."
Dad said with a very serious expression. I shook my head and flapped my wings to fly.
"Eirin."
There was a pencil and paper on Dad's desk. I held a blank sheet of paper in one paw and a pen in the other hand.
Should I say it was inserted between the claws of the front paws?
The text became even more crooked.
"I can't write well."
The writing was large and crooked, so it looked more like a picture than letters.
GUILTY
The text I wrote was more or less like that.
I was a little speechless at the two words filling the sheet of paper.
"Guilty?"
I nodded, then flew up again and descended with another piece of paper.
FOUND
"Did you find the culprit?"
Dad crouched down beside me and asked. I wanted to hug my dad, who recognized this writing that looked more like a picture.
I nodded.
Then, while I got on all fours and pretended to sniff, pretending to smell it, Dad squinted his eyes.
"Do you mean you can find the culprit by smell?"
"Kyumkyum!"
I nodded coolly.
"Can't you turn back into a human?"
I tried to do it right away, but it didn't work because the smell of cigarette was still lingering in my nose.
When I shook my head, my dad's smile brightened even more.
"Knowing the smell means you've been in contact with the culprit."
"Kyung!"
What?
"Anyway, I'll handle the situation no matter what."
I got goosebumps hearing my dad's languid voice.
"Maybe I should take someone with me..."
But Dad was already leaving the room with me in his arms.
Ko-fi o 'Buy Me A Coffe' for Adv4nc3 Chapt3r
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