“Are you waiting for the Duke again today?”

“Yeah, my dad is coming today, I think.”

“Yes, I hope so.”

It’s been two weeks since my dad left for the capital.

Since then, I counted the days, waiting for my dad every day.

‘Even if it’s been two weeks, there’s plenty of time left.’

My dad went on horseback instead of a carriage. He said that since horses move much faster than carriages, even if he takes it easy, it would be enough to come in ten days.
“But it’s already been three days since half a month has passed.”

Even by morning, there was still no sign of my dad. When a growling sound came from my stomach, a servant ordered by Clemens brought two cups of cocoa and two cups of black tea.

Just to note, the two cups of cocoa were for me and Mikael who liked sweet drinks, and the black tea was for Clemens and Deivan who disliked sweet drinks.

“Drink only this and let’s go inside. It’s time for lunch now.”

“Yeah, and little miss, you might not know, but Hesera and the capital are incredibly far. If your father runs without stopping, it would take a week to get here. If he’s coming leisurely, it could easily take more than half a month.”

“Yeah…….”

The answer came out weakly. So he won’t be able to come today either.

He used to be an evil duke before becoming my dad, and I know that he can handle things until he arrives, but I was still worried and uneasy.

‘Maybe it’s not taking a long time but something suddenly happened in the middle?’

That was a thought I had been pretending not to notice for the past few days. However, once the thought crossed my mind, the shadow in my heart grew uncontrollably.

There are many enemies to the duke. There were many who aimed for his life when he left the mansion.

‘It’s okay; nothing bad will happen.’

Pretending not to know, I tried to suppress the accumulating shadows and bravely got up.

“Lord Duke has arrived!”

The main gate opened wide. Among the simple entourage, a man standing at the forefront caught my eye first.

Impressively, an intimidating presence, rather than noticeable handsome features, was what I first noticed about him.

He was just as rigid and had a dark complexion as when he first came to the duke’s mansion. His expression was also not something that could be called good.

However, I paid no attention and ran towards him.

“Dad—!”

From the moment the main gate opened, it seemed like my dad had been looking at me from the beginning. Our eyes met right away.

I thought he would smile, but he didn’t. I thought he would hug me right away, but instead, he took a step back.

“Diane, go up to the room.”

At the low and quiet voice, my outstretched hand hesitated. Only then did I see that my dad’s clothes were covered in dust all over.

There were also dried red stains here and there, like crimson marks stuck to him.

The duke hid his left hand behind his back. At a glance, the movement of his left hand seemed sluggish.

“Dad, are you hurt?”

When I asked with a trembling voice, Filen, who followed behind the duke, trembled.

“Hurt? Who is it? Is it the lord? Is it possible?”

Filen, who poured out the words hastily, disappeared into the mansion in an instant.

Their appearance was the same as the guards and Filen. They all looked like they had been turned upside down in a battlefield, covered in dust and completely disheveled.

‘Or not.’

“Don’t come; it’s dirty.”

Before my dad could finish speaking, I was already running towards him. Then, before his words ended, I had already embraced him, who was retreating.
It’s okay if the clothes are dirty or covered in dust. I swallowed those words. Because there was something I wanted to say more than those things.

“I missed you.”

Dad, bending one knee, gently patted my back. I could feel that every touch, every gesture, was very cautious.

“Diane.”

“Yeah.”

“…Did you wait a lot?”

“No, not really.”

Actually, I waited every day in that rocking chair. But saying that would make him worry.

Even though I shook my head, Dad’s face seemed to know everything.

“I tried to come sooner, but there was some work, so I was delayed.”

“Yeah.”

“I told you not to come because my clothes are dirty.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

During the journey between the capital and the mansion, attacks on the duke were not uncommon in the original work.

I pretended not to know, acted like it didn’t happen.

I deliberately tried not to recall those memories, but those scenes kept appearing in my dreams every night.

So, I must have been anxious during that time. Not that there was any reason for it, but just in case Dad got hurt.

“Are you really not injured, Dad?”

“That’s right.”

“Not even a little pain?”

“None at all.”

Relieved, I finally hugged Dad tightly. In his embrace, as we entered the mansion, I thought,

‘Dad is not an evil villain. At least, not yet.’

Since coming to the duke’s mansion until now, Dad and my brothers, the twins, were the same.

‘That will continue in the future.’

Now that I’ll protect them. I’ll make them righteous, not villains.

‘You won’t run away now.’

A new goal has emerged.

It’s reviving our precious family, this villainous family, not meeting the end of the villain.

So, it will end with “We all lived happily ever after.”

‘I’m sure it will be like that.’

There won’t be any more waiting like this. I firmly resolved.

‘I will make it happen.’

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

The weather in Hesera changes drastically once a year.

One is the warm season known as the season of the earth goddess Kikuita, and the other is the cool season known as the season of the wind goddess Izukui.

Peaceful days piled up endlessly. The turning point of the season passed once.

There was no big worry until the third time and even when passing the same season for the fourth time.

However, after the third time, after the fourth, and finally after today’s fifth turning point, I realized that something was seriously wrong.