Who Did You Say My Father Is? - Chapter 12

Discussing a personal matter, especially marriage, at a meeting about the Emperor’s decree? Although the question was likely prompted by Valery’s presence, to those unaware of the child, it might seem like a ploy to fulfill personal motives under the guise of official duty.

Regardless, Carl’s attention was focused on my lips, as if waiting to hear my answer.

“Ababuwa.”

The knights’ attention, which had been drawn to me by Carl’s gaze, scattered in an instant.

“Bababu?”

The unexpected, cute noise was the cause.

“Miss Valery!”

Hannah hurriedly stood up and rushed somewhere, followed by a horde of eyes.

“Babayaba. Baba.”

A tiny baby, barely reaching an adult’s knee, clung to the door frame, looking confused.

Valery, who had been laid down on a mat in the first-floor guest room instead of the second-floor bedroom, had woken up.

Unaware of the situation, he had gotten up and toddled towards the sound.

Then, with a creak, the door swung open, revealing Valery. At that moment, someone, probably one of Carl’s knights, gasped in surprise.

“Oh dear, when did you wake up? Didn’t even cry, such a good child.”

Hannah ran to the guest room, picked up the child in her arms, and returned to the table. The knights maintained their silence, but the air around them had changed noticeably, with hints of confusion in their eyes, swiftly moving between Valery and me.

Right. Anyone could see we were mother and child.

Our violet hair left no room for alternative theories. This purple was a hallmark of the Louisette family.

The knights’ faces now displayed even deeper bewilderment and curiosity.

“Baba, Papa, Papa.”

Valery reached out his hands, giggling. His gesture was directed diagonally across from Hannah, towards where Carl was sitting.
In a place where they had come to arrest a suspect, the child of the suspect, known to be unmarried, appeared. It was truly unexpected.

Moreover, the baby was calling someone ‘daddy’ – someone they would never have thought of, someone who shared the exact same features as the baby. Their own superior. The knights exchanged confused glances.

During a brief, awkward, and chaotic silence.

Bang bang bang.

“Is anyone there? Madame!”

Someone had arrived.

“Madame!”

It was the detective. Of all times, now.

With the sound of knocking, Carl’s movements froze momentarily. He seemed torn between whether to open the door or to sit quietly and ignore it. As he pondered, a grim shadow fell across his face.

Of course, I could only guess why Carl looked so angry, assuming it was probably just a natural wariness towards a stranger.

“It’s me, Madame!”

While I was gauging Carl’s reaction and considering my next move, the detective kept knocking. Pretending not to be there seemed futile. It seemed better to open the door and tell him to come back later.

As if reading my thoughts, Hannah nodded and stood up. I reached out and took Valery from her.

“Is the child… his father?”

“What?”

Carl muttered something.

It was so soft that I couldn’t quite catch it and asked again, but Carl remained silent, closing his mouth.