I Will Try to Save My Dad - Chapter 40

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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 40

“If Reytan doesn’t want to go to the Neighboring Village, then he should listen well to what Berry says.”
Ah. So there was some sort of bargain at play.
I nodded at Jeffrey, a gesture meant to remind him not to forget the spirit of that agreement.
“But sister, you know what you said earlier? If I hear anything about the Wild Dog Tribe, I should tell you right away, right?”
At Jeffrey’s whispered words, I started in surprise and quickened my pace, moving ahead.
“Yes! Let’s hurry!”
Fortunately, Jeffrey and I were similar in height, so our voices didn’t seem to carry loudly enough for anyone to overhear.
“Berry, you shouldn’t run either. And don’t walk alone. You’ll fall.”
Father, who had been standing at the village entrance, began walking and called out to me. Falling while walking alone was something that happened only until age six, yet Father still thought my legs were weak like a small child’s.
Theon approached my side and extended his hand.
“Want to hold it?”
“Yes.”
I grasped Theon’s hand without hesitation.
“Theon, which way should we go? Should we just keep going straight?”
“It’s the left path.”
Giving directions was Theon’s responsibility. We walked at the front, with Jeffrey matching his pace to mine on my right.
Father was behind us, and Anne followed slightly behind him.
‘With this many people, it shouldn’t be a burden on Baron Voltman’s household, right?’
Leaf Village had many people who made their living through farming.
As I looked at the densely planted cornfield, I spoke to Theon.
“That’s corn, isn’t it?”
“Right. How did you know?”
“The adults in Bonwell Village farmed too! This kind of thing is easy~”
“Me too, me too! Teach me!”
Jeffrey, disliking that he was the only one who didn’t know, asked me to identify the crops.
“That one’s potatoes!”
“Oh! They’re delicious steamed!”
“That one’s bell pepper!”
“Ugh. That one tastes bad.”
Then I noticed something strange.
Though it was dinner time, there wasn’t a single person visible in the fields.
Not just in the fields. On the road either.
“Why isn’t there anyone outside?”
At my words, Jeffrey giggled.
“They’re all hiding.”
“Hiding?”
I pressed for clarification, and Theon’s head snapped toward me. Sensing the movement, I looked up at him. Our eyes met. His gaze betrayed confusion.
‘Has a Wild Dog Tribe member descended from the forest?’
It varied by species, but carnivorous hybrid races were far stronger than robust adult men.
Beastkin were known to be at least five times more powerful than hybrid races.
‘If that’s the case, it makes sense that everyone in the village is hiding…!’
The moment that thought reached me, tension coiled through my body.
What if I encountered a beastkin lurking about the village?
With Father’s skill, no one here would be harmed—
‘Trouble before the plan goes into motion would be problematic.’
Jeffrey had clearly overheard the villagers’ conversation from the nearby homes. I’d instructed him to tell me if he heard anyone mention the Wild Dog Tribe.
I whispered to Jeffrey and asked.
“Jeffrey, why did people hide? Is it because of ‘that’?”
“Oh, no—”
Jeffrey paused for a moment, then spoke with cheerful brightness as if sharing something amusing.
“Reytan’s expression is scary!”
“Ha.”
At Jeffrey’s innocent words, Father let out a hollow laugh, and Anne burst into uncontrollable laughter.
“Oh no. I’m sorry! Reytan! That’s not what I meant—”
“Never mind.”
A flat response escaped Father’s lips. I turned back to look at him and spoke.
“Father, don’t take it to heart. They’re just acting out of ignorance. Right? Theon?”
“Yeah.”
Theon nodded in agreement with my words. At our childish consolation, Anne’s laughter erupted again, while Father shook his head, telling us to do as we pleased.
After passing three or so sparsely scattered houses, it happened.
“That’s our house.”
Theon pointed to a log cabin with smoke rising from its chimney. In the distance, before a low gate, stood a kindly elderly couple.
“My grandfather and grandmother.”
“Really? Grandmother is waving! Hello—!”
Baroness Voltman waved her hand more vigorously at my greeting and said something. The distance was too great for Jeffrey to hear her words.
“What is she saying?”
“Who knows.”
Wouldn’t they be delighted to see family after so long?
I tried to release Theon’s hand, gesturing for him to run ahead, but he held firm.
We continued at our original pace. Finally, as we reached the Voltman couple, Theon introduced us.
“This is my teacher. She’s Berry, my friend. This is Jeffrey. And Anne, Jeffrey’s older sister.”
Oh.
After greeting the couple, I gazed curiously at Theon’s animated face.
Until now, Theon had seemed taciturn, showing emotion only on matters related to swords. But in front of his family, he looked like a ten-year-old child.
‘How adorable~’
I turned my gaze forward.
The first thing my eyes caught were Count Trabel’s hands.
They were weathered and sun-darkened—the hands of someone who had farmed for many years. Yet despite this, they remained large and powerful, bearing the unmistakable mark of a swordsman’s grip.
I’d heard he was a skilled knight who served during the reign of the previous emperor.
‘Oh.’
I shifted my gaze to the side and felt a small jolt of surprise.
The Baroness Voltman’s hands, folded before her, were also roughened and sun-darkened like a farmer’s—nothing like the smooth, carefully maintained hands of Priscilla, who used expensive cosmetics daily.
Nothing like Priscilla’s hands at all.
“Hello?”
A warm voice reached my ears.
When I looked up, my eyes met Theon’s grandmother’s. She must have been a beauty in her youth—her sun-bronzed skin and the wrinkles couldn’t hide that radiance.
“Hello!”
Theon’s grandmother laughed at my spirited greeting.
“This is the first time I’ve seen Theon holding hands with a girl.”
Understood.
Theon’s hand, which hadn’t relaxed until then, suddenly opened wide at her teasing remark.

***

Dinner was a stew that Baron Voltman had prepared himself.
Father received a bowl of stew larger than his own face, and for some reason, without a word of complaint, he emptied the entire bowl.
The Baroness Voltman chuckled softly and spoke to Father.
“Did it suit your taste?”
“Yes. It was so delicious that I can’t even remember the taste of any stew I’ve had before.”
“I’m glad. The Baron started preparing it this morning.”
“Why mention such things?”
Baron Voltman cleared his throat awkwardly.
Once dinner ended, Anne said she’d handle the cleanup and headed to the kitchen, with the Baroness following beside her.
Jeffrey had collapsed asleep in the guest room. His illness hadn’t fully healed, and after being awake all day, he had every reason to be exhausted.
Father went to the Study with Baron Voltman, and Theon and I sat together on the living room sofa.
….
The problem was that Theon’s house had nothing for a child to play with.
From the kitchen came the sound of Anne and the Baroness chatting away.
‘I’m bored.’
I glanced sideways at Theon. He sat in silence, lost in thought.
If this were my house, I would have started fooling around first.

“This is your grandparents’ home. Behave yourself.”
“Yes.”

Since Father had said so, I had to behave myself. I buried my body into the back of the sofa and wiggled both feet suspended in the air.
I wanted to ask Jeffrey if he’d heard anything about the Wild Dog Tribe. Would he sleep until tomorrow morning?
Then I’d have to sweet-talk Father this evening to stay a few more days in Leaf Village. Tomorrow I’d convince Theon to show me around the village—.
“Berry.”
“Hmm?”
Theon called me. I lifted my head toward him while hugging the cushion.
“Grandmother likes jokes.”
“She seems to~”
Baroness Voltman appeared to enjoy teasing. I understood. With a grandson like Theon, I’d want to tease and find him adorable too.
Theon continued.
“That’s why she said something like that earlier.”
“Earlier?”
What did she say?
The way she spoke like this when we were alone—it seemed like Theon’s moment to clarify.
If it was a joke that needed secret explanation—.
Was it that?
I giggled and took Theon’s hand.
“Holding hands with a girl?”
Knock knock.
….
That’s when it happened. The sound of someone knocking on the front door came from outside. We remained frozen with our hands clasped in the air, our eyes wide with surprise as we faced each other.
My equally startled face was reflected in Theon’s astonished black eyes.
“Yes—. I’m coming.”
At the arrival of a guest, Baroness Voltman emerged from the kitchen. Since one had to pass through the living room to reach the front door, she witnessed our hand-holding directly from the front.
“Oh my.”
“G-Grandmother.”
Theon’s profile, as he turned his head, flushed bright red.
Normally, Theon would have acted unbothered.
Perhaps because he thought the Baroness would tease him again this time. He seemed so flustered he couldn’t even think of letting go.
With my greater experience, I had to help him out.
I lifted our clasped hands high and showed them to Baroness Voltman.
Innocent hand-holding! We emphasized that we were just friends.
“We were just holding hands! Theon and I are friends!”
“So Berry is Theon’s girlfriend?”
Wait. That’s not it.
Baroness Voltman’s kind smile carried a subtle hint of mischief, and Theon’s blush crept all the way up to his neck.
“Yes. Go ahead and continue what you were doing. Grandmother saw nothing.”

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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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