Chapter 10

“H-hello…”

Was this a mistake?

From the second floor it hadn’t looked this big, but now that I was here, the scale of the main mansion was overwhelming.

I swallowed hard, my eyes darting nervously.

Valux had said it was fine for me to come. Was that a lie?

I’d planned to hang out with Valux first, then “coincidentally” run into Grandpa later. But for some reason, the moment I arrived I was invited straight into the reception room.

Why had he called me here in the first place?

Was this even an invitation?

My head spun. I had never imagined such a formal summons.

I’d only hoped not to be ignored.

“Last time…”

“Yes, hic! Hiccup!”

Before I could even sit down, I answered so stiffly that I hiccuped.

“I-I’m sorry, hic!”

Oh no, why now…

I slapped my small hand over my mouth, trying to hold it back.

But my body kept jolting from the suppressed hiccups.

Grandpa looked like he wanted to say something, his lips parting slightly, but then he let out a long sigh.

The butler nearby quickly brought me a glass of water. I gulped it down, trembling.

“I-I’m sorry…”

“It’s fine.”

I gripped the hem of my clothes tightly, trying to look as if I was ready to listen.

“You’ve grown a lot. I think the last time I saw you was when you were a baby.”

Grown a lot?

Was that supposed to be a jab, like “How dare a child like you grow up under my roof”?

Dad always said I was small… was that just his biased love talking?

“I-I’m sorry for growing too much…”

“…What?”

“I-I’ll get smaller…”

Maybe if I eat less, I’ll shrink.

Did I eat too much?

Why does his face look so scary? Maybe meeting Grandpa was too soon after all.

My thoughts were spinning in panic.

‘Valux tricked me, didn’t he?’

All that smiling before was just part of some big setup for this day, wasn’t it?

I turned my head slightly and saw Valux grinning quietly at me.

I knew it!

Ugh, I fell for it!

“Hah, you’re already so tiny. What use would it be if you got any smaller?”

“Ah… um…”

No. I had to prove my worth.

According to Dad, Grandpa liked children with strong abilities.

I squeezed my eyes shut and opened my mouth.

“G-Grandp… I mean, D-Duke Sir! I-I can heal…!”

Ack, I bit my tongue out of sheer nervousness.

And my sentence came out all mangled. My face heated up until it was bright red.

“I mean, I have an ability. A healing ability…!”

“Heh…”

Flustered, I stammered and shuffled my feet. Grandpa let out a low chuckle, then burst out laughing.

“Wahahahaha!”

I blinked blankly at his sudden laughter.

Why was he laughing?

“To think that something like you came from someone like my youngest.”

“R-right. Dad’s really smart, a genius even… I’m the one who’s kind of lacking.”

“The one who’s lacking is your father. Never warm, never affectionate.”

He clicked his tongue and gestured to the sofa.

“Sit.”

“Yes.”

“See, Grandpa? Isn’t Ledi cute?”

Wait, he wasn’t betraying me?

I glanced at Valux, who beamed and plopped down next to me. He handed me a cookie.

“Relax. I only called you because I wanted to see your face.”

“Yes. Anyway… I can heal, so I’m useful! I read in a book that healing abilities are rare. Is that true?”

Magnum looked slightly surprised but nodded slowly.

“Yes, it’s a very rare ability.”

“Then am I useful now?”

I asked brightly. Grandpa gave me a strange look.

After a short silence, he finally spoke.

“Why do you keep talking about being useful?”

“Because Dad said you like kids with abilities who are useful.”

His eyes widened.

“Well, I suppose it’s a relief that you’re useful.”

If Grandpa acknowledged me, then maybe I could work on mending his relationship with Dad.

But when I looked up, his face was stiff as stone.

‘…Or maybe not?’

Hehe… I want to run away.

I stared at the window where the clear sky shone through.

“…Did your father say that?”

“Uh… yes.”

I’d messed up.

I shouldn’t have said what Dad told me.

I could have said something better, like wanting to help Grandpa, or wanting to contribute to the family.

“A-and I want to help you too, Grandpa. And help the family as well. You let us stay here as guests, after all!!”

“…”

The atmosphere got heavier. Something was definitely off.

“And also…”

What else could I say?

“Ah. I can heal injuries. Even if the young masters get hurt, I can treat them!”

I kept blurting out my selling points, forcing a laugh.

“A-amazing, right?!”

Ugh, I blew it.

I pressed my hands to my face and sighed.

This wasn’t the plan.

Every time I got nervous, my words tumbled out like this. I should’ve just stayed quiet like Dad.

“I-I can treat most injuries…”

Well, maybe not people on the brink of death. That might kill me instead.

“The c-cookies are tasty…”

I crunched on a cookie, forcing a smile, but the atmosphere didn’t budge.

“If only I had Dad’s cocoa, it’d be perfect.”

I tried spouting nonsense too, but that didn’t help either.

I glanced at the butler, whose eyes were misty, then back at Grandpa’s still-stiff face.

It was over.

I should just shut up and eat cookies.

I quickly accepted reality.

“…I don’t only like children who are useful.”

His firm tone made me freeze.

Oh. So even if I was useful, if I didn’t meet his standards, I’d still be rejected.

“Ah, oh! Don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying I’m trying to join the ducal family.”

I smiled politely.

“It’s just that Dad is really smart. A genius, actually. He’s always working hard on developing healing medicine. So…”

Hmm. Should I ask him to forgive Dad?

“If you’re angry at Dad about something, I hope you can forgive him. That’s… what I wanted to say. I’ll do my best to help too!”

I clenched my fists.

How could I make Dad happy?

That was what I’d been thinking about ever since I came back.

‘How can Dad finally live for himself…’

Ah, right.

I widened my eyes and waved my arms.

Dad’s wounded eyes flashed through my mind.

And that bitter line he’d said, about Grandpa not knowing how to love.

“Can’t you love Dad too…?”

“…What?”

Grandpa stared at me in disbelief.

Well, yeah. If a forgotten granddaughter suddenly appeared and asked him to love his son, it would be baffling.

“O-of course, Dad’s ability is a bit, um, you know…! But he can nurture plants! Forestry! Orchards! Herb cultivation! And more!”

Dad’s research was honestly incredible, even from my perspective.

If he’d received proper support and published his work, he could have lived a much better life.

“Dad’s really brilliant! His research notes are amazing!”

If Grandpa could just look at them once.

If he acknowledged Dad, things would change.

Before I died, Dad had always been alone. He’d buried himself underground in his lab, without anyone.

He must have been lonely.

If someone had been by his side then… someone to encourage him, comfort him, tell him it was okay, tend to him when he was sick.

“If it’s because of me… the truth is, I haven’t told Dad yet, but I plan to be independent. Around fifteen…”

Grandpa’s eyebrow twitched.

“T-thirteen, actually! I’m not as smart as Dad, but I’m still clever!”

His expression didn’t soften one bit.

Well, they probably wouldn’t hire anyone that young anyway.

“T-ten…?”

I squeezed my eyes shut and threw my last bargaining chip.

“…”

A chilly silence fell.