I Think My Daughter Has Regressed - Chapter 29

Eriel, who entered the study, immediately checked the bookshelf.

After confirming the location of the Eastern Continent history book among numerous books, Eriel stretched out her hand to gauge the height.

Since it was Damian’s study, there were no chairs nearby to use as a step like in a library.

Moreover, there was only one chair around, which was too heavy for a child to lift.

Then how did Lucy manage to take the book that was barely within Eriel’s reach?

There was only one answer. Someone helped her.

If it had been the butler, he would have informed Eriel right after helping, so it wasn’t him.

“I don’t think Damian would have stepped in to help either. Lizzy left after asking for a tutor, so it wasn’t Lizzy either…”

The only one left was Bella.

If so, it was best to assume that Bella had already been won over by Lucy.

Following Lucy herself, not the Duke of Genoa. A maid listening to a mere 7-year-old child. Both Lizzy and Bella.

Eriel furrowed her brow.

The child might be more exceptional than expected. It wasn’t just about being intelligent.

She was also somewhat skilled at manipulating people.

But for a 7-year-old child… how?

The only assumption was that being a genius allowed her to accurately pinpoint others’ thoughts and desires, but…

Well.

Eriel shook her head.

Damian was also an unparalleled genius.

Although he was recognized as an outstanding knight in terms of martial prowess due to the war, before that, he was considered a genius from a young age for his exceptional intelligence, one of the most talented among the talented.

Even Damian, who was like that, had awkward aspects when it came to handling people, so could 7-year-old Lucy do it just by being smart?

Since she resembled Damian, she could be a genius if she inherited his intelligence.

She might even be a genius surpassing her father. But…

“Even if she resembles me, it doesn’t make sense. No matter how much she resembles me, she can’t inherit that experience.”

Eriel, who had passed by the bookshelf where the Eastern Continent history book was placed, suddenly turned her body.

She wondered if Lucy could really see the books here from her perspective.

The Eastern Continent history book that she said she looked for because she was worried her father couldn’t go on a family trip.

Of course, judging from the child’s words, it was clear that she came to look for a history book in the first place.

But why did she take a history book of all things? Eriel moved, tracing the books lining the wall with her hand.

There were certainly many books related to the Eastern Continent, even if not history books.

Wouldn’t it have been better to learn about the Alento territory they were planning to visit for the family trip?

What kind of information could be obtained from a history book?

Eriel, who had come back to where the Eastern Continent history book was shelved, took out the book on her tiptoes.

Opening the rather thick book, Eriel looked around to see if there were any notes inside. However, the book was clean.

As Eriel was about to close the book without thinking, she suddenly had a thought.

“The book… is clean…”

Although Lucy might have scribbled in the book with colored pencils, she had never done so while growing up.

She only played in designated places, and sometimes even seemed bored with that.

I had always thought it was because she was so precocious, but…

She learned to read and write much earlier than her peers.

Eriel’s eyes narrowed.

“She seems to be a genius, but she probably won’t tell me properly if I ask.”

Recalling the green eyes that resembled her own, Eriel closed the Eastern Continent history book.

As she was putting the book down on the table, her eyes fell on an empty shelf that had just been vacated.

The Introduction to Political Science that should have been there. The space where that book should have been was still empty.

“It seems like just yesterday when the previous Duchess said Damian read Introduction to Political Science at 8 years old. She was so proud…”

So, did they give a 7-year-old child Introduction to Political Science to read?

It was the book that made Lucy ask for a tutor.

Although it was hidden away in the child’s room, it wasn’t difficult to find the book.

Lucy, who said a certain book was too difficult right after reading the Eastern Continent history book.

Curious about what was so difficult that she asked for a tutor, I had searched her room without Lucy knowing.

She must have received Introduction to Political Science from Damian.

Damian definitely wouldn’t have called Lucy first to give her the book, Lucy must have gone to Damian.

She might have asked him to teach her, or said something else entirely, and Damian, liking what she said, gave her the book.

The thought that it might be okay to expect something from Lucy.

The fact that Lucy made Damian think that way…

I had only thought it was a parent’s heart naturally wanting their daughter to be a genius, but… looking back carefully, there were too many questionable aspects.

It wasn’t in Damian’s nature to think that way.

The important thing is that it was Lucy who elicited such behavior from Damian.

Something…

“There is.”

Eriel sighed. Just as she was about to leave the study, she saw a glittering box.

Slowly opening her eyes, Eriel reached for that box.

Although it bothered her that she was doing the very thing she had taught Lucy not to do – opening other people’s belongings without permission – she still wanted to check.

Click−.

Inside the opened box, a neatly folded handkerchief lay without a speck of dust.

She had given him the handkerchief in front of the ship heading off to war, so he must have put it back after returning from the war.

“Like father, like daughter.”

Eriel bit her lower lip and closed the box again.

*

“Your Grace!”

The butler, surprised by Damian’s earlier than expected return to the mansion, rushed out to the door.

“Where are Eriel and Lucy?”

“…Well, ah… Fortunately, the young lady has woken up. She was examined by a physician, who said there were no problems. But the madam…”

Just as the butler was about to mention Eriel, Lucy, who had peeked her head out from the top of the second floor, urgently mouthed words upon seeing Damian.

The mouthing, which she usually used for threats, this time contained quite different content.

“Dad. We’re in big trouble.”

Damian raised one eyebrow as he read the small mouthed words.

“Big trouble, you say?”

Hearing Damian’s voice, Lucy shook her head with a panicked expression.

After making an X sign over her mouth, she then raised her fingers one by one above her head as if to suggest horns.

“Mom is really angry.”

Her mouthing lips moved cutely, contrary to the seriousness of the situation.

Damian was about to burst into laughter at the sight, but regained his composure when he saw Eriel’s face appear right after.

There was no warmth to be found in Eriel’s face, which was flowing with coldness.

Despite her expressionlessness, the temperature difference that could be felt explained how angry Eriel was.

“Damian?”

Eriel, who had come out from behind Lucy, tilted her head upon seeing Damian.

Lucy, who had been making horns above her forehead with her fingers in front, flinched and quietly lowered her hands.

Then, swallowing hard, she began to come down the stairs with an awkward smile.

“D-Dad! You’re b-back?”

Lucy, who came running down, mouthed different words on her lips.

‘Ask Mom to have dinner.’

Damian naturally picked up Lucy and nodded, then examined the child’s body.

“The physician said you were fine…”

At Damian’s words, Lucy raised both arms high.

“Ah, right! Yes, yes! I’m not hurt at all! Not at all!! The physician said I’m super healthy! And I’m so happy to see you, Dad! Right? Aren’t you glad you came home early too?”

Lucy smiled brightly. And as if to show it off, she turned her head to show her smiling face to Eriel as well.

“Mom, aren’t you glad Dad came home early? Right?”

It was probably a statement meant to elicit a response from Eriel, but it didn’t seem to work at all on Eriel, who was coming down the stairs with a faint smile.

Rather, it seemed to make the cold air even chillier.

“Dad must be tired, come down. Lucy.”

Eriel, who gently spread her arms towards Lucy, approached Damian.

The child, who had rarely wanted to come to her from her mother’s arms before, this time moved to Eriel’s arms while shooting an anxious look at Damian.

Her eyes quickly filled with a threat to bring up the dinner talk.

“Eriel, are you alright?”

“…I’m fine. You must be tired, rest. Damian.”

Eriel, patting the child’s back, slowly turned her body towards the stairs.

Lucy, tightly hugging Eriel’s neck, widened her eyes and mouthed big words.

‘Dinner! Dinner!!’

It was a silent outcry.

“I’d like to have dinner together to discuss the rebellion as well. Eriel?”

At Damian’s call, Eriel turned her head back smoothly.

“I’m too tired today. Let’s talk tomorrow.”

Lucy, reacting even faster than Damian to Eriel’s refusal, whipped her head around.

“Mom?”

“…Yes?”

“Aren’t you… having dinner… with Dad?”

“Mom is too tired today.”

“B-but…”

As Lucy’s eyes shook violently, Eriel tilted her head.

“Do you want to eat with Dad, Lucy? Then do you want to eat with just Dad?”

Eriel asked instead.

“Ah, that’s…”

Unable to answer easily, Lucy’s head moved from Eriel to Damian.

The green eyes staring intently fixed on Damian’s face.

“Let’s do that. I’ll eat with the child today, so you go in and rest a bit.”

Damian, approaching Eriel, reached out his arms towards Lucy. Lucy, who had been naturally reading the atmosphere, also nodded.

“O-okay, I’ll eat with Dad today. But… Mom will eat with us next time, right?”

Lucy, moving into Damian’s arms, urgently grabbed Eriel’s sleeve.

“Of course, certainly.”

Eriel, calmly pulling up the corners of her mouth, gave an affirmative answer to the child’s words.

However, from Eriel’s retreating figure climbing the stairs without lingering, it was impossible to predict when that next time would be.