[Episode 78]
“What do you see?”
“Are you someone?”
“…If senility comes, just beat the emperor. The empress must have suffered a lot.”
“It’s a daily routine.”
When Dad clicked his tongue and looked at the empress and said, the empress agreed.
“Erno, you have changed a lot. Dahlia will surely be delighted.”
“…”
Father’s eyebrows wrinkled at the name that came out of the empress’ mouth.
“Let’s go.”
“Be a good parent. Isn’t it said that children are the mirror of their parents?”
“Never mind.”
I was just about to leave the parlor with my dad snorting and hugging me.
I suddenly remembered the Hatar incident and opened my mouth.
“You know, Mister Emperor.”
“Ah…”
The emperor raised his head and looked at me with an absurd expression. The empress who was by her side burst into laughter.
“What.”
“Is something strange going on in the country these days? I was on my way earlier and saw someone drinking something and laughing terribly.”
“…well.”
At my words, the emperor narrowed his eyes, but soon smiled as if it was nothing to me.
“Looks like you’ve been drinking since broad daylight.”
Maybe it was because he was the emperor, so I couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.
Since I couldn’t bring up the topic of ‘Hatar’ or addiction here, I just nodded my head in response.
“Then let’s go.”
“Thank you for the gift, Mr. Emperor!”
“…Cancel what I said earlier. It’s nice to meet you.”
The emperor waved his hand at me while letting out a blank laugh. Still, he seems to be taking good care of me.
After coming out, my dad and I rode in the carriage with Charne, who had returned before we knew it.
“But Dad.”
“okay.”
“What is the imprint?”
“Did the emperor say something like that?”
“yes.”
“Anyway, there’s no use in life…”
I’m sure Dad is the only person who says the Emperor like that.
“They say dragons need parents. You have to imprint on your parents when you are born, but you seem to have failed to do so.”
Dad sat me down on his lap and continued the story.
“yes.”
“So I heard that they imprint one more time in the second growth period when they become hatchlings.”
“…ah.”
“When I opened my eyes, I was right next to you, so I was by your side whenever possible.”
Was it like that for 5 years?
I heard that it’s hard for one person to do one thing consistently for a month, but that means they’ve been doing it for 5 years.
Besides, I could hardly have left the house.
“Why so much…”
“I’m your father.”
He replied casually, like someone who said he didn’t need any other reason.
“Daughter, how am I going to give that place to someone else?”
Dad patted my head and replied. His face lit up at the unexpected words.
The love that seemed to have no bottom and no end always made my heart beat just by facing it.
“Yes, I like my father too.”
“Of course it should.”
Even those arrogant words were nice to hear. I buried my face in his chest and leaned my cheek gently.
‘Being a father is like a dream.’
It was really a story in a novel that there was a family who would stay by my side no matter what I did, even if I called them out like this.
‘If this is a dream, I hope I never wake up…’
So I hope my family will continue to love me.
“I love you, daughter.”
Before I could finish my thoughts, I heard a voice that scared me, so I opened my eyes wide and looked up at him.
When I smiled broadly, Dad looked at me and smiled at me.
‘Oh, I love it.’
I stretched out my arms and hugged my dad tightly.
It was really good. The fact that someone likes me like this.
‘I have a family too.’
Now we finally have a place to settle down. I finally have a home to go back to.
“Oh, I love you too! Eirin!”
“huh!”
She also faced Charne, who rushed to her, and hugged her.
It felt like my whole body would melt with happiness.
* * *
“Let’s start class.”
“…”
“Lady?”
“Why are you here…?”
“I was contacted to say that the lady is finally feeling better and to continue her education.”
Hill Rosemont said with a broad smile. He had become a tall adult before he knew it, and he was still smiling with a naive face.
“I am very happy that you are safe.”
“Eh…”
I’m grateful for the words, but why are you so anxious?
‘By the way, I need this man’s help to solve the ‘Hatar’ case…’ It
wasn’t easy to win this man’s favor.
‘Should I say hello with a smile for now?’
I smiled broadly with a brightened face.
“I missed you, sir!”
“…yes?”
“Somehow, I thought of the teacher.”
He nodded his head with a meaningful smile on his face, wondering what he was thinking.
“I wanted to see you too.”
Hill Rosemont chimed in.
Ah, the reason why I am still called ‘Mistress’ is because the fact that I am ‘Etam’s family’ has not been officially announced.
Dad said that he was going to see the opportunity later and announce it grandly.
Until then, only the inside of Etam, the emperor, and the royal family will know about it.
‘Does this person know or not?’
I think I know because he is the head of the information guild, but I’m not sure what this person is thinking.
‘Still, he’s very resourceful.’
My dad must have double-tripled his back, but he was hired again because it was clean without a speck of dust.
“The world has been noisy lately. Whether there really are dragons or not, when they appear, what kind of power they have… I was very curious.”
“Aha…”
“Of course, I do the same.”
Hill Rosemont said with a laugh like a naive country aristocrat who doesn’t know anything.
“Come to think of it, the heroes of the Great War of the Holy Spirit are also appearing these days…”
Albion?
why don’t you show up
My eyes widened at the unexpected name. Hill Rosemont searched me slowly.
“Did you finish engraving safely?”
“Perhaps?”
“maybe?”
He narrowed his eyes. He seemed to be looking at something, then let out a short sigh.
“It would have been nice if the lady’s imprint was me.”
Isn’t that when I become a bad dragon?
‘I don’t know. How do I appease him?’
Actually, there is a way, but I honestly want to leave it as a last resort.
But other than that, I couldn’t find a better way. I don’t think it would be bad to just openly talk about it….
Eh, I don’t know.
“Sir, I saw something strange a while ago.”
“A strange scene?”
“I was riding in your carriage, and a woman drank something like water and suddenly sat down and laughed terribly.”
The movement of Hill Rosement, who was tilting the teacup, suddenly stopped.
“It must have been alcohol.”
“But were you really scared?”
When I tilted my head, he smiled.
“I may have eaten something strange.”
“But watching it made me feel bad.”
“Aren’t you feeling well?”
If you say this, you’d think it’s something you can feel because you’re a dragon.
When I nodded again, his expression softened. He lightly scratched my chin as if pondering for a moment.
“Are you curious about what that is?”
“I think your teacher would know. You are the smartest teacher.”
Hill Rosemont gave a light laugh as I gave a thumbs up.
“Well, I don’t know either.”
“…”
Sheesh, it doesn’t come easily.
Looking at the reaction, I think I know it.
‘Hill Rosemont… wanted a person.’
Someone who will never betray you, who will only look at you, who will never betray you, who will never stab you in the back.
Having always been deceived by someone, he wanted someone to rely on.
Then, he tried to attract the heroine who caught his eye with the drug’s antidote as bait.
‘But I’m not a heroine, and I have no reason to be interested.’
I don’t know if the fact that he’s a dragon intrigues him.
“What will you give me if I give you that information?”
I knew it would be like this too.
After thinking for a while, I opened my mouth.
“Ummmmm… Then I’ll be your friend.”
He opened his eyes wide as if he had heard something unexpected.
“Suddenly friend? Haha, that doesn’t really benefit me.”
He smiled softly, as if he had heard a really cute idea. He brushed through his flowing hair and looked at me.
“A friend is someone who consults with you whenever you need it, shares your worries, and helps you.”
“If that’s a friend, then I have a lot of friends too.”
“I will not give up.”
At my words, Hill Rosemont’s docile eyes as she swiped the teacup with her index finger suddenly sharpened.
