Chapter 86

After getting drunk, he told Ririka with a chuckle how he had killed them one by one, but the daughter only turned pale with fear and tightly shut her mouth.

Seeing her daughter like that, resentment surged up again, and he raised his hand to Ririka, but the servants nearby rushed to block 'Madam.'

"Luckily you're a countess."

He remembered sneering like that. Even now, it was the worst.

So, this time, Ririka should not know. She should think her husband is dead and forget about it.

But things turned out this way.

He held back a sigh. If he sighed here, how would Ririka take it?

She had become quite a mother, Ludiya thought, as she hugged Ririka tightly.

"Why did you go looking for him? Did you want to see your father, whose face you can't even remember? If you like him so much, why don't you live with him? How did you live with me all this time?"

She had no intention of saying such harsh words, but they lingered in a corner of her heart. However, she did not say them.

Ah, this time.

"You don't need to apologize. Well, it's true that you went to see him without telling me, but..."

Ririka also needed a conclusion.

Because she was a child, she didn't know better, or she would forget. Such thoughts were clearly self-serving, wishing they were true.

Ludiya thought this as she slowly stroked Ririka's round head.

"I annulled my first marriage. I got the annulment approved the day before I married His Majesty."

Ririka was startled and looked up. Her mother smiled gently, but her face soon darkened.

"But I was worried about you, so I had you adopted immediately."

"Ah."

Ririka nodded. Her mother had hinted around, but if the marriage was annulled, she would be a bastard.

"So, in your household register, your father is only His Majesty."

That kind of person, not even a father—her mother meant that, but Ririka felt her cheeks flush.

Ludiya wiped Ririka's face with a handkerchief and continued.

"But we can't let someone who committed such a crime go unpunished. It's annoying, right? So, I'll make him clean up his own mess."

"?"

Seeing her daughter's puzzled expression through the handkerchief, Ludiya smiled.

"I'll make him take back the debt he transferred to us."

"Ah."

"He'll have to pay back all the interest he's avoided so far. It'll be tough."

"I see."

"If you want a different solution, let me know."

Ririka nodded. Ludiya was satisfied with this moderate resolution.

Even without a fief, the tenant farmer had mortgaged his house and land and incurred debts from usurers.

With the interest piling up, it would be impossible to pay back in a lifetime.

Debts pass down to descendants. Even if three generations pooled all their money, they couldn't pay it off. First, they would lose their tidy grocery store and house.

The child from that family was about Ririka's age. She knew he had been married for a long time.

If it had been a story of being deceived, she might have felt a bit better.

Ludiya said softly,

"When the debt is paid, they'll have to sell their house and store. There will still be a mountain of debt left. Will they move to the slums like us?"

Smirking, she observed her daughter's expression, which was quite complex.

"Why...? Do you think it's too harsh?"

Worried, she asked, and Ririka shook her head.

"No, well, um..."

She said softly,

"I feel better."

I feel like I've become a bad kid, but I'm enjoying it. Ludiya laughed at Ririka's whisper and hugged her tightly.

"You're the cutest in the world."

* * *

It took a day by carriage to return, and the sun had set before they arrived. They considered staying at an inn in the village, but it would surely cause a commotion, so they decided to spend the night in the carriage.

They could travel at night, but the road was hard to see. The probability of accidents, common in carriage travel, would increase.

Since they were not far from the capital, the security should be good, and her mother had brought a bodyguard.

Of course, Brin and Raub also prepared for a one-night stay, so a simple campsite was quickly set up.

When the lower part of the carriage seat was pulled hard, it extended into a bed. Ludiya and Ririka slept in Ludiya's carriage, and Fjord slept in the carriage he had ridden in.

By the light of the campfire, Ludiya scrutinized Fjord. Her gaze was so obvious and almost licking, even Fjord, who was used to such looks, had to lower his eyes.

Well, if it weren't for Ririka's mother, he would have been more brazen, but he couldn't with her.

Usually, Ririka would mediate, but now she was calming her puffy face with a wet towel after crying so much.

And this wasn't the time to ask for mediation.

Ludiya looked curiously at the hesitant Fjord. His skin was pale, and his hair was a shiny silver, reflecting the campfire light.

'This kid is going to die in a year.'

He should be spreading scandals with women and alcohol, but he's well-behaved.

Moreover, the Barat family said he died in a 'sudden accident,' but stories of hanging or shooting himself were often mentioned.

'I thought it didn't matter if he died, but now it's too late.'

Should I warn him?

Or, not an accident...

But he's involved with Ririka and followed her here. Ludiya decided to give him a piece of advice.

"Barat Young Duke."

"Yes, Madam."

To the polite Fjord, Ludiya smiled.

"Take care of yourself, especially next year."

Fjord looked at Ludiya carefully, smiled in a Barat-like manner, and bowed.

"Thank you for the advice."

'Ah, as expected, he doesn't like it.'

Thinking this, Raub, who had been leaning against the carriage, turned his body. Fjord did the same.

They looked into the darkness almost simultaneously.

Drawn by them, Ludiya also turned her gaze. Seeing a person walking out of the darkness, everyone jumped up.

"Why didn't you come in?"

Frowning, it was Altair who said this.

Everyone except Ludiya and Ririka knelt.

"Your Majesty."

Ludiya, puzzled, adjusted the shawl on her shoulders and asked,

"What's the matter? You said you'd come in tomorrow. Goodness, why are you dressed like that?"

"While washing, I remembered I had something to talk to Ririka about."

"Oh, really, for goodness' sake. Goodness."

Ludiya looked at Altair, bewildered. In the forest, he was wearing black pajama pants and a robe without a shirt.

The long, luxurious robe had no visible waist belt. His hair was still damp, indicating he had just come out of a bath.

Ludiya pressed her temples. Ririka, holding a wet towel, said hesitantly,

"Do you have something to say to me...?"

She felt guilty for not telling His Majesty. He had told her to call him 'Aba-mama' and she had even tried it once...

If he knew she had gone to find her biological father, wouldn't he be very angry?

But his blue eyes showed no particular anger.

"Come here."

Altair extended his hand. Ludiya was about to say something but held back. Hadn't he said,

"She's my daughter during the contract period."

Ririka hesitantly took his hand, and Altair said, "Let's walk a bit," and started walking.

Ririka initially ran to keep up. It was dark, and without a light, she almost tripped over stones several times.

"Ah."

Altair said briefly and picked her up.

The trees whispered in the night. The moon's shadow quickly receded, and they soon reached a place where the campfire light was no longer visible.

When Altair extended his hand, something like a firefly appeared. The surroundings brightened enough to see the ground.

"Toast face."

Altair chuckled and asked,

"Did you get scolded?"

Ririka opened her eyes wide and shook her head.

"Really."

Altair rubbed his chin thoughtfully and put Ririka down.

Ririka said cautiously,

"Sorry?"

"For what?"

"For going to see him without permission..."

"Didn't you want to see him?"

Nodding, Ririka wondered how to justify it, but Altair pressed her head down and said,

"If you wanted to see him, you could have. This time, you brought Brin and Raub properly, and even dragged Barat along, so I'll give you 7 out of 10."

He tousled her hair and let go. Ririka, fixing her hair, looked up.

"Is it okay to see him?"

The sudden question seemed rude, but it slipped out.

Was it okay to go see him?

"I don't know."

Ririka frowned at Altair's response. Altair poked her cheek, amused.

"Your face is a mess from crying, so it doesn't seem like it was okay, does it?"

"That's, that's, well..."

"Ririka Nara