Chapter 10

I looked at him with a flustered expression.

'How did Father come back?'

Of course, I had tried to get Father to come back by subtly suggesting to Conrad to poke Grandfather.

But I didn't think Father would return so soon.

'I thought it would take a lot of time.'

Father slowly approached Uncle Decon.

Uncle Decon shouted.

"What are you doing on Father's birthday!"

He looked quite intimidating, but I could see him taking steps backward.

To me, the uncle who had been so fierce was like a mouse in front of a cat when he was in front of Father.

Father's lips curled up.

'Wow, he looks so much like Grandfather.'

When he sneered like that, he was almost a carbon copy.

"Decon. I told you to stop shouting without considering the situation."

"......"

"It shortens your lifespan."

"What did I do! Don't act so casually in front of your brother and Father— hic!"

As Uncle Decon rambled on, he gasped when Father placed his hand on his shoulder.

Father slapped Uncle Decon's cheek with his blood-soaked hand.

His expression was expressionless, but his aura was terrifyingly ominous.

Uncle Decon, trembling, collapsed.

'If we're talking about individual strength, Uncle Decon is no match for Father.'

No, there was no one in this castle who could match Father in strength.

The reason Grandfather didn't deal with his estranged son was that 'there was no one who could deal with him.'

"Enough."

It was Grandfather's voice.

Grandfather, fixing a dry gaze on Father, said.

"Even after all that time on the battlefield, you haven't changed your unruly ways."

"A dog can't give birth to anything but a puppy."

A puppy is a dog's offspring.

Father is Grandfather's offspring.

Then, Grandfather is……

'Oh no!'

Father's and Grandfather's gazes fiercely clashed in the air.

As the atmosphere sharpened, Viscount Debussy began to tidy up.

"It's getting late. Shall we end the banquet, Duke?"

Grandfather, still locking eyes with Father, replied.

"Sure."

Immediately, the maids hurried over.

"Miss, shall we go?"

"Um……"

I glanced at Father and left the banquet hall.

* * *

The next day.

I jumped out of bed as soon as the sun came up.

I hurriedly asked the maid to change my clothes.

"Yes, Miss. I'll get you ready right away."

The maids, who knew why I was in a hurry, chuckled.

Hilda, unbuttoning my nightgown, said.

"Sir Diamond is in the castle today, isn't he? You must be happy he's here."

I nodded obediently.

'Of course. He's my lifeline.'

Although Grandfather now acknowledges me a little, I don't know what will happen later.

Grandfather has many talented grandchildren, and he might shift his attention to them.

Then I'll be back to being a duck egg in the Nakdong River.

'Especially if Grandfather were to pass away……'

A duck egg in the Nakdong River. I might end up being a boiled duck egg, chewed slowly by my relatives.

To prepare for that, I needed Father's help.

'I need to make a good impression.'

Yesterday, he had just returned and had various things to handle, so I couldn't greet him.

I washed my face and changed into clean clothes.

"Are you going to see Sir Diamond? Then we should prepare to accompany you……"

"No!"

"Excuse me?"

"I need to go alone."

The maids exclaimed, "Oh!" and looked at each other, then burst into laughter.

They thought I was shy about meeting Father.

But it's not that. Hilda and Greta are people of the Duke's castle.

Father doesn't trust the Duke's castle staff.

For some reason, he wouldn't have a deep conversation if they were around.

The maids handed me an umbrella.

"Sir Diamond is almost always at the barracks. You need to go outside the castle, and it's supposed to rain today."

I thought it was warm, so spring must be coming soon.

"Right."

After putting on a raincoat, I waved to the maids and went outside.

'Just because he's my father doesn't mean he'll dote on me.'

If he did, he would have sent me a letter during my time in the 12th Tower.

'Also……'

I recalled the content of "The Black Hand."

A dark night. Erylot was listening to the sounds coming from his uncle's room.

"Are you saying that Erylot might not be the late Sir Diamond's daughter?"

"Yes. Diamond was on the battlefield long before Erylot was born. How could he have a child on the battlefield?"

"But why did Grandfather accept Erylot?"

"There's a rumor that she was born from an experiment."

"Born from an experiment? A homunculus? That's absurd! Human creation has never succeeded. Moreover, it's strictly prohibited by law!"

"That's why Father had no choice but to announce her as Diamond's daughter."