The Duke Dad I Chose Can’t (Really) See Well - Chapter 4

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 4

* * *

After receiving Lisa’s treatment that wasn’t quite treatment.

She had gone out briefly to assess the situation and returned.

And she came back with food in her hands.

It was food prepared with such care that it couldn’t even be compared to what I usually ate.

“The street children who gathered to commemorate the Day of Mercy are eating the same food. They say Count Agnito gave direct orders for this.”

“Really? That’s such a relief.”

I laughed innocently, pretending to know nothing.

It seemed the Temple’s ledgers, which they had collected for donation purposes, had been thoroughly shaken down.

‘Since the number of sponsored children is enormous, at least the first digit of the funding amount must have changed.’

I had achieved one of my intended goals. I happily spooned up the soup.

But for some reason, Lisa’s expression wasn’t good.

When I tilted my head, she opened her mouth with a heavy expression.

“I’m sorry, Miss.”

“Hm? What are you sorry for?”

“I should have stepped forward first as an adult before you had to step up…”

She seemed to be recalling when I had rambled on about my circumstances in front of the clerics.

If even the nobles couldn’t hide their discomfort, how much worse must it have been for Lisa?

“No, Lisa. Don’t do that.”

“…Yes?”

I answered firmly to Lisa, who was blinking at me.

“You don’t need to step forward for me.”

There was one thing I realized after Lisa died.

Nothing is sadder than losing someone precious.

And I never wanted to experience that sadness again. Once was enough for that heart-tearing experience.

Of course, I couldn’t say this, so I spoke in a deliberately bright voice.

“But Count Agnito punished them, didn’t he? Bert also got severely scolded by the Count, so he won’t be able to bully me anymore. Right?”

Of course, it was a ridiculous story.

Not only had they lost money, but they had also been humiliated in front of the nobles, so the harassment toward me would only get worse, not weaker.

Lisa knew this too, but.

“…Yes. That’s right.”

She said with a forced smile.

She was playing along so I wouldn’t get hurt.

Lisa was truly a kind person.

‘But Lisa, that’s how it will be.’

Because I’ll make it so.

Clenching my fist, I lightly bit the bread like a victorious athlete biting their medal. It was the same bread I had used to teach Bert about justice.

“Ow!”

“Oh, Miss! Are you alright?”

Of course, it was so hard that I nearly broke my teeth, but that was a secret only Lisa and I knew.

* * *

That night.

Taking advantage of everyone being asleep, I secretly slipped out of my room.

The place I headed to was Agnito’s Library.

There was something I needed to check.

Perhaps because the servants had left early for the Day of Mercy, the library door opened easily.

‘It should be somewhere around here… Heave!’

What I was looking for was placed just within reach of my height.

It was a history book of the four ducal families, containing records from Agnito’s successive heads to their direct family members.

The current empire is protected by four ducal families, each with their own abilities, centered around the imperial family.

East, Spring’s Agnito, who can hear the voice of God.

South, Summer’s Helaira, who can use wind abilities.

West, Autumn’s Rustig, who can use earth abilities.

These three families possessed ‘abilities’ given by God.

On the other hand, there was a family that possessed the power of darkness rather than abilities, and that was North, Winter’s Stukkyia.

Here, darkness meant magical power, which was a different force from abilities.

If abilities were power given by God, then magical power was some kind of energy that arose from the earth, from evil forces. If one wasn’t careful, they could be consumed by magical power and lose their reason.

It was that evil and powerful a force. It was natural that the Stukkyia family, which controlled it, once held power comparable to the imperial family.

‘Of course, that’s all in the past now.’

I closed the book. No matter how much I searched, I couldn’t find any ability related to regression.

Actually, it was an expected result.

If someone possessed the ability of regression, that would be powerful enough to surpass not just ducal families, but perhaps even covet the imperial throne.

‘By the way, it really is just like that child said.’

I recalled fragments of the past that had now disappeared.

* * *

It was when I had just turned thirteen.

Count Agnito’s estate was constantly busy in preparation for the Day of Mercy.

Since they needed to make a good impression on the Temple and the imperial family, they were even opening their private coffers to prepare more grandly.

Today was a day when even the street orphans could eat their fill and freely call the clerics and nobles their parents.

But not me. Since my existence wasn’t known, I couldn’t get delicious food like the other orphans, nor could I call anyone my parents.

Actually, it wasn’t strange. It was just another day, no different from usual.

But.

“Wow! Thank you!”

“Linda, did you say thank you to Count Agnito?”

“Thank you, Count!”

The laughter of the other children sounded so loud.

I was so envious of it.

It was so heartbreaking that even Lisa, who had been my only ally, was dead and gone…

“Sob, sniff…”

It was when I was crying alone, sniffling in the deep of night when everyone was fast asleep.

Thud.

Something fell into the room.

What came through the broken window was a small bundle of paper.

I crawled over and unfolded it.

[You’re noisy.]

Really light content that got straight to the point. Neat handwriting.

I got up and looked around.

However, no one was visible outside the dark window.

I stared at it quietly, then picked up my pen.

Under the pretext that I might manifest holy power later, I had at least learned to write.

[Sorry for being noisy.]

After writing a reply while sniffling to hold back tears, I opened the window and threw the note outside.

However, there was no movement from outside.

Having hoped I might meet someone else, I had to suppress my feelings again.

After standing there for a moment, I was about to return to my seat when.

Thud.

Something fell again.

Below my handwriting, different writing was written.

[You look really ugly when you cry.]

They saw me!

I quickly got up from my seat, threw the window wide open, and stuck my head out.

However, no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t even see a small shadow.

I quickly wrote a reply.

[Can you see me?]

And worried that a reply might not come, I quickly moved away from the window.

After a while.

Thud.

A reply arrived.

[I can see you.]

I also eagerly wrote back.

[Then why don’t you show yourself?]

Thud.

[Because you look ugly when you cry.]

My heart sank.

[I won’t cry anymore. Can’t you show yourself?]

After hastily writing a reply, I stuck my face out the window and wiped my face vigorously.

However, no matter how much time passed, no reply came.

Waiting for a reply, I returned to bed and dozed off.

Still, for several days I had no time to think about that note.

On the night I received the note, someone had completely destroyed Count Agnito’s Armory.

After the saint’s power disappeared, Count Agnito had tried to expand his influence through the weapons business.

But since the damage occurred just before the Day of Mercy, he couldn’t conduct a major investigation. Therefore, the people in Paterre Castle had to live quietly, watching Count Agnito’s mood.

Several days passed like that, and late one night.

Thud.

Something arrived through the window.

[It’s quiet today.]

“…!”

A reply had come.

I wrote back with a happy heart.

[I didn’t cry today.]

[That’s normal.]

[I won’t cry anymore.]

[Good.]

That’s how our correspondence began.

[My name is Hanisha. What’s yours?]

[I don’t have a name.]

[Then how old are you? I’m 13.]

[Older than you.]

I told them everything, but they wouldn’t tell me anything. Name, age, appearance. Nothing at all.

The only thing I could figure out was that we were roughly the same age.

[Thank you for coming today too. I’m so happy I can see you often.]

[I can’t come often.]

[I know. But thank you anyway. Actually… it was my wish to make a female friend my age.]

Those were words I wrote with sincere feelings.

I thought it was going well unlike the first day, but…

The conversation ended that day with those words.

I learned later that when something didn’t sit right with Esther or the situation was unavoidable, she wouldn’t reply.

‘So prickly…’

I felt sulky, but anyway, after that day I didn’t ask her anything.

She was my first friend of the same age. That alone was enough.

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