I’m The Male Lead’s Biological Daughter, But I Want To Live With The Second Male Lead! - Chapter 28

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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 28
Kellic wondered when Mabel would ask him to bear the Mark of Subordination.
At first, he thought she’d simply forgotten.
But now, a week had passed—a day, two days, and then a week—and Mabel still hadn’t said a word.
Why? Why wouldn’t she say anything?
In the Greenhurst Empire, Beastkin were commodities bought and sold.
After all, both of them had been rescued from the Black Market.
Could it be she didn’t know about the Mark of Subordination?
The thought troubled his small head enough that he even considered whether he ought to tell her.
But looking at her now, it seemed she knew and simply chose not to speak of it.
“That’s absurd! Why would I ever do something like that to you?”
“Oh, no—I just meant that you’re my sister now, Mabel. If we did that, maybe I could protect you even better—”
“Never. Not a chance.”
Mabel cut him off sharply.
“I hate it. I really do. So no matter what happens, neither of you is to bear such a mark. Live your own lives.”
Mabel spoke with absolute resolve, her gaze flickering between the two of them.
In truth, both Aselt and Kellic had long assumed that Siegmund would one day imprint the Mark of Subordination upon them.
Of course, they weren’t ignoring the Esclidé Grand Duchy’s claim that Beastkin were unnecessary for alchemy.
But the only way to prevent others from marking them was to bear the mark first themselves.
True, Siegmund had crafted a Nullification Artifact for them to use, but even that didn’t guarantee perfect safety.
The Nullification Artifact had a limited number of uses.
What if they were marked repeatedly while unable to resist?
Then the Mark of Subordination would take hold irrevocably.
Moreover, weren’t the basilisk, a Legendary-Tier, and the red fox, a Beast-Tier, among the highest grades of alchemical materials?
Yet Mabel was telling these two not to surrender themselves, not ever.
It was a refutation of everything Aselt and Kellic had come to accept—that they would one day belong to someone else.
“You can’t let your life, your very self, be taken from you. You have to live. Do you understand?”
Mabel planted her hands on her hips and spoke through a huff of breath.
With the fluffy Cotton Candy clenched in her grip, she looked like a rabbit with its tail standing on end.
“Y-yes! We will!”
“Our little sister really is something. Look at her, speaking such difficult truths.”
Aselt chuckled softly and ruffled Mabel’s hair.
Mabel felt a bit embarrassed, realizing she’d gotten carried away, yet she didn’t regret it.
She cleared her throat awkwardly and took a bite of the Cotton Candy before speaking again.
“When the Master returns, let’s study whether there’s a way to strengthen the Artifact.”
“Ugh, I don’t like studying!”
“Well, we have to. Mabel is doing all this for us, after all.”
When Kellic tried to protest, Aselt gave him a gentle but firm tap on the head.
“Tch, you only ever pick on me….”
Kellic shielded his head with the hand holding his Chicken Skewer and shot Aselt a glare.
But Aselt paid him no mind, instead wiping away the Cotton Candy stuck to the corner of Mabel’s mouth.
“Come to think of it, the Master is running a bit late. Usually, we’d have heard word by now that he was about to depart.”
“I hope nothing’s wrong.”
When Mabel asked with concern, Kellic let out a snort.
“Ha! No need to worry! Our Master is incredibly strong!”
“That’s right—he’s the youngest Grand Master. I’m sure he’s just been debating furiously over that Summoning Circle of the Horn Spirit you discovered, Mabel, and lost track of time.”
Then again, if Siegmund was an alchemy fanatic, it was entirely plausible.
Satisfied with the explanation, Mabel nodded, and Kellic swiftly finished his Chicken Skewer.
“And honestly, if anyone should be worried right now, it’s us.”
“Us?”
“Yeah, by now everyone in the castle probably knows we’re missing.”
Right—they had snuck out.
“And they’ve probably found and filled in the hole I dug.”
“So how did you usually get back before?”
“How did we get back? Well, that’s—”
Kellic was about to answer as though it were obvious when—
“Like this, that’s how!”
“Eek!”
Zak appeared suddenly from behind and grabbed Kellic by the scruff of the neck, hoisting him clean into the air.
“Z-Zak?!”
Mabel started in surprise, her head snapping up suddenly.
The hood she’d been wearing tumbled back, and the purple hair she’d carefully tucked inside came spilling out.
The Grand Duke’s Castle staff scattered throughout the marketplace converged all at once.
“Ow! Let go, Zak!”
Kellic thrashed as Zak grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, but the former mercenary captain was far too strong for him to resist.
“Please hold still, Young Master! Where is Young Master Aselt?”
“I don’t know! He’s gone!”
“Hmm? Are you certain of that, Miss?”
Zak turned to look at Mabel sharply while shaking out Kellic like a dusty rug.
Gulp.
Mabel caught her breath in alarm.
‘They swore nothing would get found out!’
Mabel squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again, silently blaming the two of them for their bold promises.
In that moment, her gaze locked directly with Aselt’s among the crowd.
‘When did he even manage to get over there? And alone, no less—coward!’
When Mabel glared at him, Aselt lowered his head apologetically and smiled.
Then he tapped a finger against his back and pressed a finger to his lips.
His wounds hadn’t fully healed—if anyone discovered he’d snuck out, he’d face far worse punishment, and he was asking for her help.
Although Mabel had known Aselt was injured and had come out for the marketplace anyway, lost in her own curiosity, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse his plea.
“Miss?”
When Mabel didn’t answer right away, Zak twitched his impressive mustache impatiently.
“I, um…”
After long hesitation, Mabel finally spoke, squeezing her eyes shut.
“I’m not quite sure either…”
She silently vowed never to sneak away like this again.
* * *
“Honestly!”
The moment they returned to the Grand Duke’s Castle, Kellic and Mabel were soundly scolded by Ella.
“I collected and hid all the Disguise Artifacts, so when did you two take them? And where did you even get Magic Stones?”
“Um, well… we sort of borrowed them from Siegmund’s study…”
“Gah! I knew it!”
Ella, who had been making something like a hissing sound at Kellic, now shot a look of pure reproach at Mabel.
“You too, Miss! As they say, you get stabbed in the foot by the axe you trust—how could you of all people do this?”
Ella was genuinely frightening when she was truly angry.
Her usually half-closed eyes opened wide, and her melodious way of speaking transformed into sharp, ringing commands.
Yet Mabel understood it meant Ella cared deeply, and her remorse only deepened.
Mabel clasped her hands together, bowed her head low, and spoke in a small voice.
“I’m sorry… I won’t do it again…”
“There, see? Mabel’s already reflecting on it.”
Just then, Aselt suddenly appeared and took Mabel’s side.
With his disguise lifted, he wore his usual clothes and had on the Sunglasses Mabel had made for him.
“Oh! When did you get back! And you snuck away without me again!”
Kellic pointed an accusing finger at Aselt, but Aselt played innocent.
“I don’t know what you mean. I’ve been in the castle the whole time. I was missing Siegmund, so I was reading in his bedroom and happened to fall asleep. Since everyone knows they can’t enter Siegmund’s chambers without permission, I suppose they never found me.”
Aselt told the lie without so much as a blink.
It seemed every time, Kellic was the one caught while Aselt slipped away unscathed.
When Mabel stared at him with a look of betrayal, her mouth hanging open, Aselt chuckled and continued to defend her.
“Ella, let it go and forgive Mabel. It’s a good thing she’s become more curious.”
Ella didn’t quite seem to believe his words, but she had no proof.
In the end, Ella closed her eyes again as usual and accepted the apology.
“Phew… Alright~ I suppose as long as you understand not to do it again~”
“I’m very sorry…”
When Mabel apologized again, Ella squatted down to meet her at eye level.
“Miss~ Kellic can use Artifacts to disguise himself because he’s Beastkin~ but you’re not~ I was so worried someone might recognize you and harbor ill intentions~”
Ella told Mabel that if she wanted to see the marketplace, she should tell her first, and then held her close, patting her gently.
Mabel nestled into Ella’s embrace and promised, linking her pinky finger with Ella’s, that she would speak to her from now on.
So it seemed to be wrapping up warmly…
“And Kellic, you’ll be making up for the lessons you missed today~”
“What?!”
Ella showed no mercy.

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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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