Chapter 23

“Kyle Blake…?”

At my urgent shout, the people approaching me stopped in their tracks.

“That genius inventor?”

“The devil who left us with nothing but despair…”

“Wow! You know him?”

Well, if they’re researchers, there’s no way they wouldn’t know my dad.

‘Though it feels like his infamy is even greater than his fame.’

My face brightened and I quickly continued.

“He’s my dad.”

“Your dad…?”

“I learned this from him too. So it’s completely, completely safe. I’m really okay.”

Besides, even if you brush me off, you won’t get a single speck of dust.

The Sneeze Powder gets absorbed into the body the moment it touches someone.

So don’t brush me off!

And don’t wash me either!

“Ah… Ah!”

The researchers finally let out sounds of realization.

“Then it should be fine.”

“If Kyle Blake is her father… that certainly explains things.”

“Wait, though. He uses talent like that to make something called Sparkle Powder? With these materials?”

“He probably invented it to entertain his kid.”

Mm-hmm, exactly.

As long as everyone keeps accepting things like this, we’re good.

“…No, wait. Hold on.”

And right then.

“Doesn’t something seem strange?”

One of them suddenly spoke with a serious expression.

“His Majesty clearly said ‘granddaughter’ earlier.”

“That’s true.”

“But His Majesty only has sons.”

“…That’s true.”

“…?”

“…?”

At once, all the researchers turned to look at me again.

I smiled awkwardly.

These people really must spend their entire lives doing research.

‘They don’t know anything about Mom and Dad.’

Then again, if they weren’t this obsessed with research, they probably wouldn’t be palace researchers.

“Could she be an illegitimate child…?”

The tragic deduction skills of people who knew nothing except research were about to shine when…

“Cece.”

An incredibly familiar voice slipped into my ears.

I poked my head out from behind the researchers and broke into a huge smile.

“Daddy!”

My savior!

I immediately squeezed through the researchers and threw myself into Daddy Harzen’s arms.

I didn’t even need to look behind me.

I could tell from the stares boring into the back of my head.

Those people had become even more confused because of what I’d just said…

“What have you been doing here?”

Daddy Harzen naturally picked me up and asked.

The researchers’ expressions didn’t seem to register in his eyes at all.

“Grandpa gave me a laboratory as a present, so I was playing!”

“A laboratory…?”

Only then did Daddy Harzen look toward the researchers.

I quickly added,

“It was fun playing Daddy Kyle again!”

Please think of it as the same game where I occasionally grind leaves with rocks outside the house.

It’s… kind of similar?

Probably?

“Ah.”

Fortunately, Daddy Harzen simply nodded without questioning it further.

I seized the opportunity and completely changed the subject.

“But you’re here early today.”

Usually he didn’t come pick me up until it was nearly nighttime.

“Things have been improving little by little.”

He tapped my cheek with his fingertip as he spoke.

“Which reminds me, Cece.”

Almost hesitantly.

“Your grandmother… I suppose she’d be your grandma.”

In a careful voice.

“Would you like to go meet her?”

“Really? I can?”

The moment I heard that, my eyes widened.

I thought I absolutely wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near that place for a while.

What suddenly changed?

“…I’ve wanted to show you to her at least once.”

Then he left the researchers behind and slowly began walking away.

Dangling in his arms, I swung my feet.

He wanted to show me to her.

“Daddy, don’t you hate Grandma?”

Honestly, I’ve always been curious.

‘In the main story, the Empress was always kind to Mom.’

Even when everyone else avoided Mom, she was the one person who opened her heart to her.

Someone like that probably would’ve been kind to young Harzen too.

But if he’d received love from his mother, he wouldn’t have believed he’d grown up without any parental love.

And yet Daddy always said he’d spent his childhood alone in the imperial palace.

“I wouldn’t say I hated her… but I resented her.”

After a brief silence, Daddy finally spoke.

“Because in the end, she couldn’t go against that man’s wishes.”

“…”

“But, well.”

A large hand slowly stroked the back of my head.

“When I was very young, around your age.”

His voice drifted through the quiet corridor as though searching through distant memories.

“One day, Mother secretly called for me.”

“…”

“She held my hand, told me she was sorry, and gave me a piece of candy.”

His voice was sweet, as though he were rolling that tiny candy around his mouth again.

“Because of that one memory, I could never truly hate her.”

I buried my cheek against his shoulder.

The person who looked the coldest, yet had the softest heart of all.

“Daddy, when we get home, I’ll give you a hundred of my candies.”

So don’t stay trapped in the past and cry.

“Haha.”

A dry laugh escaped him at my words.

Then he patted my back and spoke again.

“But I’m alright now.”

“Why?”

“Because I know she treated Yuria with all the warmth she wished she’d been able to give me.”

I straightened up slightly and stared at Daddy Harzen.

Why did Daddy want to bring me to see the Empress?

Looking into his blue eyes, I felt like I finally understood a little.

‘Is he still waiting?’

Even though he thinks it’s too late.

Even though he’s angry and wondering why it’s only happening now.

The truth is…

“We’ve arrived.”

At that moment, Daddy stopped walking and whispered.

Following his gaze, I looked toward the slightly open bedroom door.

At the same time, someone’s clear and beautiful singing tickled my ears.

It was Mom’s voice.

Still in Daddy’s arms, I looked into the room.

Perhaps everyone had been deliberately dismissed.

Only two people remained inside the bedroom.

The Empress lying in bed.

And Mom sitting beside her.

Those were the only people I could see.

‘It’s like a scene from a fairy tale.’

The clear singing that echoed beneath the sunset-lit window.

The energy swaying in rhythm with Mom’s humming.

It looked like waves dancing across the sea.

Or flowers swaying gently in the breeze.

‘Mom’s power…’

Captivated by the sight, I stared with my mouth hanging open.

Of course, this wasn’t the first time I’d heard Mom sing.

She regularly volunteered at nursing homes, playing instruments and singing for the residents.

And she’d always sung lullabies for me too.

But this was completely different.

This scene where pale pink mana danced to the rhythm of her voice.

This sight that felt as though this one small corner had been separated from the rest of the world.

It was something I’d never seen before.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

As if Daddy Harzen understood exactly how I felt, he murmured softly.

I forgot even to blink as I became completely absorbed in the sight before me.

No, Daddy.

Beautiful isn’t enough.

‘So this is what they mean by believable storytelling.’

Could anyone see this and not fall in love?

Who could witness this sight and not have their heart stolen?

Who could help but stand in awe?

Even I, just a child, had already been captivated.

“It’s amazing.”

The words slipped out in a dazed voice.

I think I finally understand a little why Grandpa suddenly declared, “She’s my granddaughter.”

If my mom were this incredible, I’d want to brag too.

“…That’s right.”

After that, both Daddy and I stayed completely silent and watched Mom.

How much time passed?

Gradually, Mom’s singing faded away.

The flow of mana swirling around her slowly settled as well.

Mom wiped the sweat from her face and turned around.

“Oh my?”

The moment she spotted us, her eyes widened.

“Ce—!”

She started to call my name, then quickly lowered her voice and smiled brightly.

“Cece.”