I shook my head.

I didn’t know how Dad was going to solve this, but the situation didn’t seem to be turning in our favor.

‘The atmosphere is not good.’

This was the square located in the very center of the vast Mirmod mansion.

It was a place where countless knights, servants, and even maids sent on errands from other mansions passed by.

In other words, even if we publicly drove them out today, it meant there could be household members who would be filled with distrust towards me, believing the words of that imperial princess.

Even if Dad steeled his soft heart and drove out that ‘real daughter’, those people would still gossip.

They would keep talking about my bloodline and lineage.

So we had to do a paternity test somehow.

Of course, there was something to do before that.

“No, Dad. I’ll do it.”

…I definitely needed to root out the problem.

I’ll be the one to determine whether that daughter is real or not.

Not with Dad’s weak muscle-packed hands, but with my strong marshmallow-soft hands!

I put strength into my eyes.

Very fiercely.

Then I put strength into my chubby belly and let out a lion’s roar.

“Baby, come here!”

Perhaps it was too powerful, as everyone turned to look this way.

It was right then, as I was pushing my chubby belly hard.

Dad smiled gently and lifted me by the nape of my neck, hugging me to his chest.

“Sien.”

Flailing.

I tried moving my arms and legs vigorously, but I was trapped in Dad’s firm muscles.

I lowered my eyebrows and questioned Dad.

“Hm?”

“It’s dangerous.”

I looked at Dad with sparkling eyes.

I was going to say, ‘Because it’s dangerous, the strong daughter should do it instead of the weak Dad! I’ll protect you!’

Dad’s eyes became aloof. When he’s like this, he’s very stubborn. I can’t dissuade him separately.

Moreover…

“Sien, do you trust Dad?”

“Mm!”

“Then you should let Dad talk with the Imperial Princess and Count Yoter, right?”

“Uh… No, that won’t do!”

I stamped my short legs while in Dad’s arms.

Then Dad stroked my head with a bleak smile.

“It’ll only take a moment. Ten minutes.”

“…Ten minutes?”

Dad rarely spoke this firmly.

Maybe when he was taking me to the etiquette academy, but that’s about it.

Besides… I looked around.

‘Dad has his reputation too. If he shows that he’s being pushed around by me, the duke’s authority won’t be maintained. This is a villainous family, after all, and it’s a place ruled by the logic of power…’

There were even carriages with the seals of other families lined up.

Although he had the weakness of being soft-hearted, Dad was now the person ruling this entire family. If he appeared to be refuted by a tiny tot like me, it was clear that Dad’s authority would be damaged.

‘Should I… trust Dad?’

…I was a bit worried.

I fixed my trembling eyes on Dad.

Although he was pretending to be cold now, I knew Dad’s soft heart very well.

‘Sien, doesn’t that homeless person on the street look too pitiful?’

‘Dad. That uncle is wearing a gold necklace.’

‘Uh…?’

‘That’s expensive! Dad knew but got soft-hearted again!’

…The incident from the countryside village flashed through my mind.

As soon as I remembered all the good deeds my kind Dad had done until now, I became anxious.

‘Can Dad handle those vicious and snake-like people?’

But… this time, Dad’s lips were firmly pressed together. As if saying to leave it to him just this once.

My heart felt as unstable as a rootless flower floating on the water’s surface.

But, nevertheless…

…He was our Dad.

I decided to trust Dad just this once.

If Dad couldn’t breakthrough the situation, I could just try a little harder.

Because that’s what family is all about.

“Dad.”

“Yes?”

“If anyone says anything, call me right away. I’ll be over there. And…”

Of course, I decided to take out one insurance because I was worried.

“I’ll take that baby with me!”

Adults with adults.

Babies with babies.

Even if Dad fails, it’s fine as long as I discover a weakness in the baby.

“Ah.”

It was unlike Dad.

Dad stroked my hair with a bleak expression.

“If you want that, you can have it.”

I stared at the trembling child.

“Mm!”

Adults with adults, children with children.

It’s not a bad arrangement.

I only got half of what I wanted, but nevertheless, I felt at ease.

Deciding to trust Dad just this once… strangely, it felt like my shoulders became a little less heavy.

Sien entered the small reception mansion prepared next to the central square.

Beside her was the child who claimed to be the ‘real daughter of Matthias Mirmod’.

Sien Mirmod was the only being who could control Matthias.

Therefore, there was no one left who could control Matthias in this vast family’s central outdoor square.

He walked slowly and leisurely to stand right in front of the Imperial Princess and Count Yoter.

It was an elegant movement, like a hunter hunting wild beasts.

“I have a bit of a bad temper.”

“…That’s.”

Matthias stepped even closer to the Imperial Princess.

The Imperial Princess quietly held her breath.

Matthias Mirmod’s piercing gaze looked down at her.

A cold, icy gaze.

The gaze of a top predator that could tear her to death at any moment, but doesn’t…

The gentle appearance he had shown in front of Sien was nowhere to be seen. He looked down at her as if a ferocious beast eyeing its prey.

There was no emotion in that expression.

Just the desire to pass judgment.

The Imperial Princess, who had finally realized what she had done, trembled her hands slightly.

She sensed that she had touched someone who shouldn’t have been touched.

Matthias Mirmod… has no intention of taking a wife. Especially not an Imperial Princess.

And Matthias’s reverse scale is Sien.

But she had touched Sien Mirmod. Without knowing that fact.

Her whole body trembled.

However, Matthias showed little mercy.

“Either crawl out of here on all fours.”

“…”

“Or die and become my hunting trophy. Decide.”

At those words, the members of the Mirmod family trembled.

Matthias was serious, and he had the power to kill the Imperial Princess.

Other families might have worried about Matthias’s remarks.

However, the Mirmod, being a villainous family, was an entity that worshipped power. In other words, the thick killing intent emanating from Matthias Mirmod appeared to them as something worthy of worship.

Matthias was relaxed, unbound by the gazes of others.

He drew the sword at his waist and pointed it at the Imperial Princess’s neck.

“The, the sword…”

“Put it away?”

“…That’s, what, I said.”

There were many spectators, and many outsiders.

But he had no interest in the lip movements of such people.

“If you don’t want your head cut off, you should proclaim it here and now.”

His mocking voice echoed coldly across the square.

A situation where no one, except Matthias, could continue speaking.

“Sien Mirmod is my daughter. Right?”

Those words meant that even if Sien Mirmod wasn’t his daughter, Sien was his only daughter.

From the start, Count Yoter’s paternity test was meaningless.

‘That man, his attachment to that Sien girl is excessively strong.’

It was then that the Imperial Princess, still unable to bend her pride, bit her lip tightly.

Matthias’s gaze tilted slightly. And at the end of that gaze was Count Yoter, who had come to assist the Imperial Princess. Pitifully, he was trembling like an aspen leaf.

“Answer.”

Count Yoter, who had been watching the sword tip pointed at the Imperial Princess, looked as if he might wet himself.

The sharpened blade touched the Imperial Princess’s nape. Blood was flowing faintly from the slightly cut nape.

A faint aura flowed from Matthias’s sword.

But the Imperial Princess didn’t panic and instead raised the corners of her mouth.

That was because aura doesn’t work on the sacred imperial family.

However, Matthias’s aura didn’t reach the Imperial Princess.

Where his sword’s aura was directed was…

Towards Count Yoter, who was gasping to the point of losing his breath.

His aura might not work on the imperial family, but it was more than enough to subjugate someone as weak as Count Yoter.

Soon, the black aura enveloped the count’s body.

“The reason I intend to keep someone like you alive for now is simple.”

“Kuhuk!”

Count Yoter twisted his body and collapsed to the floor.

He looked down emotionlessly at Count Yoter, who had dared to claim he had found his real child.

Not wanting to be suspected as a ‘bad dad’ by Sien.

And having no intention of easily killing those who dared to try to hurt Sien.

Because predators don’t hunt just for food.

At that moment, a red light lit up in Count Yoter’s mind.

This man could really kill him. He had to save face, at least in this place.

The panicked Count Yoter finally prostrated himself and pleaded.

“You, you’re right! Sien is undoubtedly your daughter.”

The sword tip was not withdrawn.

Instead, the corners of Matthias’s mouth lifted.

“If you came here saying you’d do a paternity test, you must have prepared something.”

“Th-that…”

His cold gaze fixed on the Imperial Princess.

“Imperial Princess.”

“…Are you… sparing me?”

She was unexpectedly calm.

It was obvious that if she just survived, she would create new schemes beyond this situation.

However, Matthias didn’t say he would spare her.

But he intended to play with her for now.

Matthias saw his precious daughter’s eyes waver.

Even the unsettling atmosphere that seemed to say, ‘You are a fake daughter’ to that fragile child.

Sien’s small scratch and other people’s lives.

If Matthias had to weigh these two, it would definitely be the former.

Therefore…

He couldn’t easily kill those who dared to hurt Sien’s heart.

Of course, he intended to properly root out the source.

“Well. Count Yoter said he would do the paternity test.”

“…That, that’s…”

The paternity test and all sorts of tests were the money line for Count Yoter, and by extension, the Crown Prince.

What if the credibility of the tests they conduct hits rock bottom?

Their money line would dry up first.

And then it would be the turn of the Crown Prince and Imperial Princess who colluded with Count Yoter.

The corners of Matthias’s mouth lifted wickedly.

Pure joy boiled up at the thought of drying up the enemies’ blood first.

It wasn’t just Sien who knew how to turn crisis into opportunity.

Where else would that blood go?

“I was already displeased with your rampaging… This works out well.”

“…What do you mean?”

“I’ll participate, in the paternity test.”

Clearly, things were going according to their intentions.

But why suddenly agree to do a paternity test?

When Count Yoter and the Imperial Princess’s complexions turned pale simultaneously at those incomprehensible words.

He smiled leisurely while taking out the pocket watch from his bosom.

As if plotting something.

The sword was withdrawn, but the Imperial Princess and Count Yoter fell to their knees with a thud.

Exactly ten minutes had passed.

Having spent time with the child claiming to be his daughter and his hunting dogs, Sien would probably be comfortable and safe.

And at that time, Sien was indeed ‘comfortable and safe’.

Because she was thinking exactly the same as Matthias.