“I’m sorry, I was wrong, but my stomach hurt a little. My throat also hurt a bit. I’m okay now.”

Edan, who listened to his daughter crying like a young child and speaking in a broken voice, handed her a handkerchief and then went to fetch various things.

Whether she had seen a doctor, why she had injuries, and if she was really okay—these were things Edan, as a father, not to mention as someone who was genuinely concerned, wanted to know. It was also information that would come out if he asked the steward in charge of the mansion, who was responsible for the Empress and Dragon Lord.

“The young lady must rest thoroughly. His Majesty has already issued a decree, Duke Genesis. It seems she sustained injuries due to the excessive use of magic, and she must rest without doing anything for it to heal naturally.”

Madam Freya, the steward, had already informed everyone—Imperial guards, maids, and servants—that the young lady should not move a muscle.

“It’s not the young lady of the palace but Her Majesty and the Dragon Lord who are taking care of her.”

“Because of using magic, I presume.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Edan sat on the sofa, looking at his daughter wiping her face with a handkerchief. He already knew about the terrible curse on his daughter.

In a situation where she couldn’t use magic, why did she use magic forcefully? Something was strange about this.

He returned to his daughter’s side. Since the Emperor had already summoned him,

“Did you cry a lot?”

“Yeah.”

“If your throat hurts, what will you do by crying again?”

Ru shook her head and drank the water brought by the steward.

“I’m fine now.”

“You didn’t want Dad to ask? Is that why you cried?”

Being a father to three daughters was not easy. The eldest, who had separated for various reasons, looked precarious in many ways. The second and third would call for Dad anytime, climb onto his back, and sit on his knees whenever they wanted something.

It was better to let them have this or that, rather than crying with a tantrum if the eldest daughter was in pain. Perhaps, the daughter who had lived alone might not like Dad’s intervention. Milene repeatedly said, ‘Ru is grown up, she’s an adult, we should respect that.’ Edan agreed with that statement.

“It’s not that…”

She shook her head while hesitating. The emerald green eyes moved around, rolling this way and that. All three sisters had the same habit. No, even Milene had this habit, a characteristic shared by all the women of the Genesis family. Before speaking, they would ponder, and it took some time to come out.

Edan knew how to wait patiently. And regardless of the answer he would hear, he was prepared to respond casually, saying, ‘So what?’ Even the Emperor couldn’t stop him. Dad waited calmly.

“It’s just that… Dad and Mom worried about me, so… um, thanks.”
While talking, Ru suddenly burst into tears again and quickly covered her eyes with a handkerchief. Edan, observing the pressing hands, turned his head for a moment. He composed his choked voice without making a sound. Afterward, he paused for a moment and spoke gently.

“It’s only natural for parents to worry about their children; what’s the big deal.”

He now understood why Ru had cried. The daughter who had grown up alone, without her parents’ touch at the most crucial times, endured the harsh winds alone and would have many more occasions to cry in the future.

Realizing anew that there were parents and experiencing the pouring love—it was a happy event that brought tears to her eyes.

“Did you have breakfast?”

Ru nodded vigorously with her face buried in Dad’s handkerchief. Then, hesitatingly, she held up three fingers.

“Three plates…”

“Oh, you ate three plates? Well done.”

Impressive. Edan gently stroked Ru’s hair with his large hand. Ru pressed the handkerchief harder. Edan patted her shoulder and waited for Ru to calm down a bit, but Ru couldn’t easily calm herself. Silence filled the reception room in the Aeseloth Palace for a while.

“…Well, Ru.”

“Yeah.”

A wet voice from the thoroughly wet handkerchief responded.

“Dad came to see you, but he has to go back to work.”

“Uh-huh.”

A tone of understanding.

“Since Her Majesty told you not to do anything, can you just do nothing?”

“Uh-huh?”

‘Isn’t that right?’ meaning. How could her actions be the same as her younger sisters?

“Still, you have to stay still. If you used excessive magic, you definitely need stability.”

“Uh-huh…”

She seemed to hate that, Ru groaned.

“You have to stay still until Dad comes back. Take a nap, rest a bit.”

“I don’t know how to do that…”

“Then you can learn from now on.”

Edan said gruffly as he stood up.

“Oh, betrayal, Dad.”

“Betrayal is not contacting me after getting hurt, you punk.”

The slightly sulky Ru extended her eyes, red from crying, beyond the handkerchief.

“Take care.”

“I will. You rest.”

Edan, as if emphasizing once more, said goodbye and left the reception room. He brought several trunks today instead of a sword. The trunks had already been moved by the servants.

“Which way?”

“This way.”

“Thank you.”