I’m The Male Lead’s Biological Daughter, But I Want To Live With The Second Male Lead! - Chapter 20

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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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Episode 20
Mabel lingered in the streets far longer than she’d intended, and by the time lunch had come and gone, she finally made her way back to the castle.
‘That Potato Potage with all that lamb in it—really delicious.’
Her stomach was pleasantly round as she reminisced about the meal she’d eaten outside.
But if she mentioned this fact to Jacques, he’d be hurt, so Mabel kept the thought to herself.
While eating the Potato Potage, she’d learned that Jacques, who looked to be in his forties, was actually only in his early thirties.
Even more surprising was that Jacques had only been cooking for ten years.
Normally it took thirty or forty years of experience to become a Noble Household Chef, so it was said to be quite exceptional.
With such talent, what had Jacques been doing ten years ago?
A mercenary.
Jacques had been the captain of the Mercenary Company that Ella had incorporated into the Knight Order after knocking him senseless!
The mustache he cultivated was also to hide the scars from his collapsed facial structure caused by Ella back then.
‘At this point, aren’t they all just good people because they’re good at fighting?’
After all, wasn’t there a saying that if your body was strong, your mind didn’t have to work so hard?
Something along those lines, anyway.
‘And Sir Hishin really is a good person too.’
He seemed a bit taciturn and not to favor her over others, but he had protected her from the heat of the Glass Workshop.
He’d even fanned her Potato Potage with his hand to cool it for her.
‘Really, they’re all just such wonderful people!’
Mabel laughed to herself as she headed alone toward the Activity Room.
* * *
Meanwhile, Ella, having sent Mabel on alone to the Activity Room, was with Hishin.
“So? Why did you call me out here separately?”
Dropping the musical lilt from her voice, Ella spoke curtly.
She resented being separated from Mabel, even for a moment.
But Hishin, seemingly more at ease this way, didn’t appear bothered as he began unfastening the Armor on his shoulders.
“Don’t ask me to serve as an escort again next time.”
“What?”
Ella was flabbergasted.
Here she’d graciously entrusted him with protecting their precious young lady, and this insolent fool had the nerve to—?
The least he could do was prostrate himself in gratitude, yet here he was, late on top of everything!
Thoroughly offended, Ella draped her coat over her arm as she replied.
“Fine, someone like you who doesn’t understand how precious she is doesn’t deserve a second chance. That all you wanted to say? I’m leaving.”
Ella turned to go, speaking quickly, but this time Hishin caught her by the sleeve.
“That’s not it!”
The hand gripping her sleeve was trembling slightly.
Ella’s gaze lifted to meet his.
Hishin’s darkly tanned face had flushed noticeably.
“I wasn’t upset about being asked to protect her.”
“Huh? Then what?”
“That’s… I don’t know.”
Aaaargh.
Hishin let out an internal scream as he scrubbed his short hair in frustration.
Ella, for her part, looked utterly exasperated.
“What do you mean you don’t know? I thought you’d like it. You like cute things, don’t you?”
“I do!”
Hishin loudly agreed with Ella’s words.
“I love cute things!”
So which rhythm was she supposed to follow?
As Ella’s expression turned sour, Hishin cried out in frustration.
“But that’s exactly why I don’t understand! So small! So cute! So soft! And that milky scent—I’ve never met a baby like that before!”
“…What?”
“And her voice—like a baby bird chirping. What about the way her mouth moves, all quivering and delicate? Is that how babies normally talk? Her teeth are just like grains of rice! I was so scared I thought I’d die! And she held my hand! Her hand was so incredibly tiny! I was afraid I’d crush it, so I was probably too gentle, but the way she walks—why is that so impossibly cute? Those little feet of hers actually touching the ground like they’re doing something momentous, and I just felt so proud!”
A flood of affection that he’d been holding back in Mabel’s presence came pouring out all at once.
A knight who towered a full two heads taller than Ella and easily weighed over a hundred kilograms was now crying out in earnest, and people began casting concerned glances their way.
“Say, is something wrong over there?”
“Are they fighting?”
“Ah~ don’t worry~ it’s just that Miss Mabel was incredibly adorable~ that’s all~”
At Ella’s gesture, the onlookers nodded knowingly and dispersed.

‘So she really was nervous.’
Ella finally understood why Hishin had been so stiff and formal in front of Mabel.
“What a cute one.”
Ella laughed softly and reached to ruffle Hishin’s hair, but he bristled at once.
“Anyway! Don’t put me on escort duty next time.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m afraid I’ll end up a kidnapper! Watching that adorable lady prancing ahead, I was honestly tempted to steal her away!”
…….
Hishin had just said something dangerous.
But knowing Hishin, he might actually do it.
When he first joined the Knight Order, he’d smuggle out small animals whenever he got the chance and raise them in his quarters.
‘Next time, the young lady might end up discovered in his room…….’
Ella was nodding in agreement with the troubling logic when it happened.
“Shriek!”
A scream tore through the air from somewhere deeper in the castle.
And it wasn’t just one voice.
“Ahhhhh!”
“S-someone help!”
Multiple cries erupted, and then—crash! Bang!
The sound of something shattering shattered the peace of the Grand Duke’s Castle.
Ella and Hishin rushed toward the screams.
People were fleeing down the corridor in panic, and the direction they were running from was none other than the Activity Room.
And in the Activity Room right now…….
“Young lady!”
The two of them pushed against the crowd and hurried into the Activity Room.
When they arrived, the room looked as though a hurricane had torn through it.
And standing alone in the center of it all was Aselt.
“What is he doing here…….”
But Ella’s words died before she could finish them.
Mabel was crouched in front of Aselt.
“Shriek, young lady!”
Worse, dangerous shards of glass lay scattered all around her.
Ella moved to rush forward, but Hishin grabbed her shoulder and held her back.
“Let go! The young lady is—!”
“Look, Ella!”
Hishin urged her to focus.
And what he pointed to was Aselt.
Ella’s eyes went wide.
“His, his legs……!”
Aselt’s legs had turned to stone.
What on earth had happened in those brief moments?
* * *
The incident began about five minutes earlier.
“I hear the young lady has returned from her outing in the Inner City?”
“I do hope it became a pleasant memory for her!”
The voices of maids drifted through a half-open door.
Aselt looked up from his book and caught sight of Ella and Hishin through the window outside.
‘What are those two doing over there?’
Both of them were raising their voices, and their expressions were not pleasant.
But knowing that Hishin was no match for Ella, Aselt felt little cause for concern.
So when he was about to lower his gaze back to the book.
‘Wait—if Ella is out there, that means the girl is alone right now?’
Just then, the maids’ voices drifted in from outside again.
“You know, young lady Mabel went to the Activity Room by herself.”
“Has she already memorized the layout of the Grand Duke’s Castle? How impressive!”
“Right? She went off on her own, trotting along—it was adorable!”
Aselt closed the book he held and rose from his seat.
With Mabel alone now, this was the perfect opportunity to strip away her mask.
‘What? Apologies? Am I showing consideration for the Grand Duke’s household?’
All the way to the Activity Room, Aselt kept turning over his conversation with Mabel and Ella in his mind.
Aselt’s jaw clenched, teeth grinding together.
‘How dare she presume to know me—Sophia’s daughter no less, from Achilonia of all places, acting as though she understands anything about me.’
His pride stung so sharply that fury threatened to spill over.
He resented it bitterly—that this girl had been the first to notice his loneliness, the solitude no amount of shouting could breach.
He despised himself for finding comfort in her recognition, even knowing exactly whose daughter she was.
‘Let’s see. How long can you keep up this pretense?’
So before entering the Activity Room, Aselt removed the Eye Covering.
Everyone trembled in terror at the sight of the Basilisk Eye.
There was no reason Mabel should be any different.
The moment he settled on that thought, a sharp pang needled through his chest, but he ignored it and forced his voice into a gentle tone.
“Mabel.”

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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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