A Secretly Capable Child Is Seeking For Her Dad - Chapter 182

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

A Powerful Child Searches for Dad Episode 182

 

“Are you uncomfortable?”

 

At Ardiana’s question, Tie nodded her head from inside the blanket.

 

“Yes! It’s really nice!”

 

A small smile spread across Ardiana’s lips.

 

‘So this confirms it.’

 

She had been suspicious of the Sorcerer King’s identity since their first meeting.

 

So after getting close to Tesetan, she had asked him about the Sorcerer King several times.

 

But Tesetan rarely gave her answers.

 

‘Wouldn’t it be better to hear such things from the person himself?’

 

‘…Really? I didn’t know you were such a tight-lipped person.’

 

‘How disappointing. I’ve always been very heavy and serious.’

 

If only he didn’t slip out of situations like a snake every time.

 

Looking at Tesetan shaking his head beyond Astie, Ardiana reflected on the past ten days.

 

‘You handle a sword well. Have you learned before?’

 

‘Briefly when I was young.’

 

‘To be that good after learning briefly. How attractive.’

 

‘…What’s the reason for acting like this for the past few days? Are you determined to make me angry at you again today?’

 

‘Not really? Oh, but I do like seeing you angry too. It’s been my ideal for a long time to live completely controlled by a woman I can revere.’

 

‘Ha, what unique tastes you have.’

 

‘Does that mean you’ll see me as special? Thank you.’

 

Even though he clearly covered his face with a mask.

 

Tesetan always acted as if he could see right through Ardiana’s heart.

 

What was amusing was that Ardiana was also drawn to such a Tesetan.

 

Her gaze kept going to him, and her ears turned red at his mischievous jokes.

 

How long had they continued such a tense tug-of-war?

 

A few days ago, when they had briefly hidden together in an abandoned annex due to increased monsters.

 

Something happened that would change their relationship.

 

“…Hey, Regent. Are you okay?”

 

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”

 

That day, they had no choice but to do so.

 

The crack had suddenly grown larger and the number of monsters had become unmanageably large.

 

Tesetan’s complexion had been poor from the moment they hid in the stone crevices of the annex.

 

Contrary to his words that he was fine, cold sweat was beading all over his forehead.

 

Ardiana listened to his increasingly labored breathing and thought.

 

‘Could it be…’

 

She knew about Tesetan’s past of being dragged to the Order at age four and having a gold restraint placed on his heart.

 

Moreover, since she had personally visited the Central Continent’s Grand Temple in her youth, she knew very well.

 

‘Poor soul…’

 

In the basement of the Grand Temple’s center was a place called the ‘Purification Chamber.’

 

That place, which the High Priest had shown her as if it were an honor, was very dark in Ardiana’s memory.

 

There were shackles everywhere to bind people, and chains and strange equipment were scattered on the floor.

 

Most terrible of all was the fact that the place was so cramped you couldn’t breathe properly.

 

Just like here now, inside the debris of the collapsed annex.

 

“…Regent. Look at me.”

 

Ardiana cupped Tesetan’s cheeks, who had begun trembling, to make him look at her.

 

But the fear that had consumed his pupils was only growing larger.

 

To make matters worse, his sweat-soaked body was as cold as ice.

 

“…Tesetan!”

 

Even at Ardiana’s call, Tesetan couldn’t respond.

 

His eyes kept losing focus.

 

Growing anxious, Ardiana rubbed and massaged his palms.

 

Then at some point, she ended up doing something even she couldn’t understand.

 

Without realizing it, she pressed her own lips to his pale lips.

 

“…”

 

With the mask between them, warmth was slowly transmitted.

 

It was around then that focus began returning to Tesetan’s eyes.

 

Ardiana was so flustered that she stammered.

 

“…I, I. I am.”

 

Then Tesetan’s finger brushed the tip of her ear.

 

Why didn’t she stop him after that?

 

Even when his finger hovering around her ear touched the mask’s string.

 

Even when the mask finally fell to her knees, Ardiana couldn’t do anything.

 

“I’ve seen you before.”

 

At the low murmured voice, time seemed to stop.

 

The roaring sounds of monsters from outside also gradually grew distant.

 

Tesetan’s gaze slowly swept over her.

 

“I’ve seen you before. At the Imperial Palace.”

 

Tesetan had a face as if lost in deep thought.

 

“It was you that day too.”

 

Another memory flashed behind his voice.

 

Pides’s coming-of-age ceremony.

 

That gathering where only a small number of nobles and royals mingled comfortably.

 

There, Ardiana had been wearing a bright green plain dress.

 

‘Bright green was a color worn by clowns, wanderers, or women caught having extramarital affairs, but…’

 

Since she couldn’t refuse to wear the dress bestowed by the Empress, Ardiana had reluctantly attended the banquet in that outfit.

 

Naturally, throughout the entire night, she never once stepped under the lights.

 

That day, Ardiana thought of herself as stagnant, rotting water.

 

If there was the darkest place in this vast Imperial Capital, it would surely be where she resided.

 

But then, for the first time, someone approached her and spoke.

 

‘It’s a foolish custom.’

 

Theseus, the youngest prince of Luminen, who was fourteen at the time.

 

‘That there are colors only royalty can wear. That there are colors one must not wear carelessly.’

 

Ardiana still remembered Tesetan standing beside her, maintaining silence for a while.

 

And for good reason, since he had stayed like that for a while, then

 

‘Theseus? Your clothes are…’

 

Suddenly turned his formal jacket inside out and went over to the Duke and Duchess of Luminen.

 

The lining of the clothes with clearly visible stitching marks was ash-colored.

 

A color worn only at funerals.

 

Pides and Lavania’s expressions hardened.

 

But Tesetan didn’t care at all and stubbornly maintained that attire until the banquet ended.

 

Was that all?

 

He casually met and conversed with various people as if nothing was wrong.

 

It was amusing.

 

Watching that sight somehow gave Ardiana courage too.

 

Whether the Empress would punish her later or not.

 

Whether she would hear harsh words from Father or not.

 

The courage to leave the banquet hall and return to her own palace.

 

“Why.”

 

Tesetan’s face overlapped with the boy’s face she had seen that day.

 

“…I hoped my premonition would be wrong.”

 

Tesetan was looking at her with wavering eyes.

 

As if the fact that she was her was heartbreaking.

 

As if he had finally come to understand Ardiana’s situation.

 

What happened after that wasn’t clearly remembered.

 

What was certain was that the second kiss lasted much longer.

 

And Tesetan was just as careful.

 

His touch caressing her was as if he were touching glass that would break at the slightest contact.

 

That night.

 

Tesetan and Ardiana joined the Allied Forces belatedly.

 

Aleric and Livia scolded them for being late, but Tesetan only silently ran his hand through his hair.

 

In the carriage on the way back, he had held her hand under his robe.

 

‘…I should push him away.’

 

In the end, Ardiana couldn’t push him away.

 

Now she had no choice but to admit it.

 

The truth she had been denying since they met again in the square was that she too desperately wanted Tesetan.

 

Ardiana gazed quietly at Tesetan beyond Astie.

 

A little while ago.

 

Tesetan had come to visit her barracks late at night where she was alone.

 

Because he now knew that the assassins Pides had sent were targeting her.

 

‘I sleep well even sitting up, Association Leader.’

 

‘Really?’

 

‘…Fine, I’ll tell the truth. I’m worried about you. Wouldn’t it be better if I were here rather than you being alone?’

 

But.

 

‘…Ardiana.’

 

‘You came in first.’

 

As soon as the tent closed, Ardiana had no choice but to pull Tesetan to her.

 

He seemed flustered but didn’t reject her.

 

The lamp went out.

 

The two clumsily embraced each other and headed toward the bed.

 

But just as Ardiana finally had her back against the bed.

 

‘Vice Leader! Association Leader!’

 

Astie burst in and everything came to a halt.

 

“Hehehe. It’s nice sleeping together!”

 

Watching Astie giggle, Ardiana eventually found herself smiling too.

 

‘He really must be a child after all.’

 

Children originally sleep alone.

 

Two people might be scary so he’d sleep with them.

 

No matter how she thought about it, these were words no ordinary adult could ever say.

 

Especially while bursting into the bedroom of a man and woman who were about to share a bed.

 

‘The Sorcerer King has no malice whatsoever.’

 

Suddenly remembering Adelin’s words, Ardiana chuckled softly.

 

Then she happened to meet eyes with Tesetan who was looking at her.

 

“Mmm…”

 

Whether he had fallen asleep in the meantime, Astie’s sleep talking could be heard faintly.

 

“Ha.”

 

Finally, a deflated laugh escaped from Tesetan’s mouth.

 

As if that were a signal, a ‘pfft’ sound burst from Ardiana’s mouth too.

 

She hurriedly brought one hand to her mouth.

 

That night, in the darkness, the two looked at each other for a long time.

 

Both with bright smiles on their faces.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————