I Will Try to Save My Dad - Chapter 13

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 13

Theon had left the Red Eagle Knights. That meant, starting from today, I could no longer use the Knight Order Barracks.
“Among the remaining rooms, this is the only one with a bed.”
Sherry hurriedly found a suitable room for the unexpected guest.
Theon said a sleeping bag would suffice, but Father would never allow him to sleep on bare ground.
It wasn’t just because Father was Theon’s guardian and mentor, or because Theon was a nobleman’s son.

“Sleeping on the floor during your growth years stunts your height.”

Right. The growth years are crucial.
The future Theon Phil Igselona would grow quite tall, but Father didn’t know that.
“…May I use this room alone?”
Theon hesitated at the wide-open doorway, reluctant to step inside.
I passed by him, led Father into the room.
“It’s right across from mine!”
It was smaller than my own room, but reasonably spacious and clean.
“Not bad.”
Father’s reaction was positive. When Sherry gestured for him to come in, Theon shifted his feet hesitantly. His expression seemed awkward, but he didn’t appear displeased.
“Theon! Come visit anytime you’re bored!”
“Anytime?”
Father placed his hand on my head.
Then, with a stern expression, he spoke to both Theon and me.
“From morning until 3 PM. After that, no entering each other’s rooms. If you want to spend time together, the door must stay open.”
The kind of thing a father with a daughter would say. But wasn’t 3 PM too early?
“No, Father, that’s so outdated….”
“Berry’s allowance depends on it.”
“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”
But when my only source of income becomes a hostage, I have no choice but to live by outdated rules. I relayed this unfortunate news to Theon as well.
“You heard that, right? Our allowance depends on it, so I’m asking for your cooperation.”
“Our allowance?”
But Theon reacted as if he’d heard something strange.
“Master, do I receive an allowance too?”
“Of course you do. How much were you getting before?”
“I’ve never received one.”
It was customary for noblemen’s children to receive an allowance once they turned seven. Even non-nobles—all my commoner friends around me received allowances.
Theon’s statement that he’d never received an allowance meant Baron Voltman’s financial situation was too strained to even provide his grandson with spending money.
Sensing something was amiss with Theon’s answer, Sherry’s expression grew troubled as she glanced around nervously.
‘Sister grew up in Trabel too, so it’s common sense that nobles have less money than commoners.’
But for my father, poverty was nothing at all. He responded as if it were trivial.
“Is that so? It seems Baron Voltman was planning to give you pocket money later.”
Who was my father? A man who had succeeded in building his own home in Bonwell Village starting from nothing.
One of my father’s philosophies was that money comes and goes, so we shouldn’t dwell on it.
And whenever guests visited the two-story cottage where Father and I lived, there was always a story he would tell.
I removed my father’s hand from atop my head and spoke.
“When you come to Quartz House, you have to follow Quartz Law!”
“…There’s a Quartz Law?”
“Pocket money starts at seven years old, and you have to wash your face thoroughly with plenty of soap! The first weekend of every month is the day for excessive spending-.”
“Thank you for the kind explanation, Berry Berry.”
As my explanation grew longer, Father cut me off. Then he raised his index finger toward Theon.
“Did you hear Berry? Under Quartz Law, children seven years old and above must receive pocket money. The day for receiving pocket money is the first of every month.”
….
Theon didn’t answer Father’s words readily.
He seemed to hesitate, unsure whether to say yes or no, unable to find the right words.
“In situations like this, you should say ‘thank you.'”
So I provided the answer for him, and Theon looked at me, seemed to fall into thought for a moment, then nodded.
“I’ll watch carefully.”
“Hmm. Something’s wrong with my ears. I think I misheard the thanks.”
As I was touching my ears, Sister Sherry chuckled and asked me.
“You’re going outside the city walls tomorrow, I hear?”
“Outside the city walls? I’m hearing this for the first time.”
“Young Master Reytan said so? He said you, Berry, and Theon would go together.”
Both Theon’s and my head turned toward Father.
“It’s a trip to the market. We’ll buy summer clothes for Berry and clothes for Theon too.”
“Master, I don’t really need-.”
Theon hurriedly waved his hand. But then his folded sleeve slipped down, covering the back of his hand and fluttering.
“You do.”
Father pointed out Theon’s attire with a sharp eye.
“The shirt is loose, and the pants are too long.”
I’m sorry. Reytan must be sensitive about how clothes fit….
Father’s fashion philosophy was that even if clothes weren’t expensive, they should fit the body properly and be worn neatly and tidily.
From the moment I first saw Theon, I’d been itching to buy him clothes.
“…Yes.”
Theon nodded with a dejected expression.
After that, we made plans for tomorrow.
The plan was to eat breakfast, then Father would have his first lesson with Theon, and after that we’d go out to buy clothes.
Throughout all this, Theon’s expression was like that of someone indebted. Perhaps he thought it was fine to receive Father’s support to stay in Trabel, but receiving clothes was too much.
I should lighten the burden on his heart.
“Theon.”
Before leaving the room, I grasped his arm and whispered.
“Our father is innocent.”

***

From today onward, I would sleep alone.
Which meant that from now until morning, no one would enter my chamber.
Creeeeak.
“There’s no risk of being discovered even in a secret space, you see.”
Humming softly to myself, I stepped into the hidden chamber beside the fireplace. When I pressed the brick beside the door, it swung shut of its own accord.
It resembled an antiquated study—walnut desks and bookshelves adorned the space, while deep emerald wallpaper embellished with golden floral patterns covered the walls. Soft yellow light from bulbs mounted throughout cast a warm glow across the room.
It seemed fitting to give it a name, so I decided to call it the Room of Contemplation.
“There’s no better place to conceal information known only to me.”
In fact, my other self had gathered information about Father’s death here.
I set down a tray with cookies that Sherry had baked and a glass of water I’d brought, then settled beside it on the floor.
The reason I sat on the floor despite a perfectly good desk being available was simple—the chair was too high for me to climb into.
“Hmm.”
I had said I would remain at the lowest rank, but that didn’t mean I would stay idle.
Collective responsibility for a father who had done nothing wrong?
I smiled wickedly and picked up my pen.
On the first page of a pristine notebook, I wrote a single name.

Mariane Cornelian Trabel

In polite terms, it was a list of interests; in blunt terms, it was a revenge target list.
Aunt Mariane had poked the sleeping lion’s nose hairs, so to speak.
“If Serber the butler wrote it in his journal, the accomplishments must have been extraordinary, right?”
I reconstructed the incident based on the information written in the butler’s journal.
The pearl earrings were a precious item from beyond the continent, destined to be the main auction piece at the charity auction hosted by Countess Trabel. And Aunt Mariane would receive credit for recovering the pearl earrings, accumulating a considerable amount of achievements—.
“Hmm.”
I hit a wall.
I couldn’t understand why Aunt Mariane was pinning Anne as the culprit in the pearl earring incident.
‘Since Serber the butler wrote the journal more like a diary than a report, the information is sparse….’
I needed to know this part to formulate a revenge plan.
A plan to ruin Aunt Mariane’s achievements while hiding my identity!
“Sigh. What was I even doing when I was seven years old without knowing things like this.”
My brain was overloaded, so I craved something sweet. I picked up a cookie with my hand and took a bite.
The crispy cookie melted smoothly in my mouth. They said it was made with plenty of butter and sugar, but expensive ingredients really are different.
My eyes lit up in admiration. It was the kind of taste that made my body tremble slightly.
“When your mouth becomes sweet, if you drink water, you can keep eating cookies as if you’re tasting them for the first time, you know.”
It was a tip Sherry had taught me. The fact that I brought water was all part of the plan.
I picked up the water glass with my right hand. It was a mistake to underestimate the large glass and grab it with one hand.
The water from the tilted glass spilled directly onto my clothes.
“Oh no!”
I quickly got up from my seat, but my cotton nightgown had already soaked up the water. The hem of my skirt and the bottom of my top were damp.
This wasn’t part of the plan.
“I made a mess.”
Maybe it would dry overnight. For now, I should change clothes.
I was pressing the brick to quickly exit the secret space and waiting for the door to open.
[…tz.]
A hissing sound rang in my ears.
“….”
Did the door make this sound when it opened? Hearing it alone made me nervous for some reason.
“Maybe it’s because my skirt is wet. It’s cold and eerie.”
[…tz….]
“The door needs to open faster. I need to dry my clothes—.”
[…Quartz!]
Eek. I bolted out through the opening door, still in the motion of stamping my feet.

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