The Duke Dad I Chose Can’t (Really) See Well - Chapter 56

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

Chapter 56

 

“That’s right.”

 

The Duke answered obediently, making my worry seem pointless.

 

“Then why didn’t you pursue that first love?”

 

“Because I can’t remember.”

 

Ah.

 

“If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. I apologize for being rude.”

 

“No, it’s not that.”

 

As I tried to step back, the Duke firmly shook his head.

 

“That person…”

 

The Duke slowly began to speak.

 

“No, that person had various abilities. They used their abilities to make my magic power go berserk, and even damaged my memories.”

 

“Memory… damage?”

 

I was surprised, but finally understood what the Duke meant.

 

“Have you ever seen a ghost, Your Grace?”

 

When I had asked if he’d ever seen a ghost, the Duke had said this:

 

“Well. When was that?”

 

“I’m not sure. When it was.”

 

At the time, I thought he was just saying something random to deflect the situation.

 

‘But it was real. Because he couldn’t remember.’

 

That’s why he couldn’t find that person either. Because he couldn’t let them know that the Duke’s memory wasn’t intact.

 

‘But an ability that damages other people’s memories. I’ve never heard of such an ability before.’

 

As I was wracking my brain over this story I was hearing for the first time.

 

“Well, now it’s my turn.”

 

The Duke interrupted with a mischievous smile. But only briefly, as his expression slowly hardened again.

 

“…Your mother.”

 

“…”

 

“Is it true that she’s really dead?”

 

At the unexpected question, I drew in a sharp breath.

 

Because I understood the intent behind that question.

 

I had no special abilities or divine power.

 

The fact that someone like me survived the Duke’s rampage might mean I was connected to the person tormenting the Duke. Since parent and child abilities were often of the same type.

 

But my mother was indeed the Saintess. Even if everything else was a lie, that alone was the truth.

 

So I said, trying to suppress my trembling voice:

 

“Yes. She definitely passed away.”

 

“…”

 

“And Father is…”

 

“…”

 

“Father… I’m not sure. I’ve never seen him.”

 

Even as I spoke, I carefully watched the Duke.

 

Thinking he might consider me that person’s daughter. And that he might… become greatly enraged.

 

“I see.”

 

However, the Duke’s reaction was quieter than expected.

 

“So it’s not that after all…”

 

Rather than anger… it felt a bit more sad and longing. I could sense an inexplicable desperation.

 

So I carefully asked:

 

“If you were to meet that person again… what would you do?”

 

It was a similar question to before, but this time it was different.

 

Because it was a question about ‘that person,’ not his first love.

 

As if sensing that meaning, the Duke chuckled.

 

“Seeing how they haven’t appeared all this time, I probably won’t catch them in my lifetime.”

 

“…Still, what if?”

 

“First I’d ask. Why they made me into this state.”

 

“…”

 

“And then after that.”

 

The Duke said in a resolute voice:

 

“I’d capture them.”

 

“…”

 

“I’d capture them and make them stay trapped in this place for life. Just like I have been.”

 

A quiet tone without laughter.

 

But because I could see deep resentment within it, I couldn’t say anything.

 

“…Is that why you don’t heal your eyes and keep waiting?”

 

“They were cruel to me, but they were still a soft-hearted person. They pitied the people who died by my weapons and resented me, but later when they learned that the supplies used in war weren’t ours, they apologized.”

 

“…”

 

“So I thought they’d come looking for me if they knew I’d become like this. Since I was openly declaring I’d engage in the weapon sales they so despised.”

 

I finally understood.

 

The Duke, who had remained silent throughout my previous life, opened his doors late because it was to catch that person.

 

And that he never managed to catch them in the end.

 

Because Paterre Stukkyia never came out into the world until my wedding, only sending representatives.

 

“But the person I was looking for didn’t come, and someone else did. My daughter, no less.”

 

At the unexpected words, I quickly raised my head.

 

Even though it must be a past he didn’t want to talk about, the Duke was smiling faintly.

 

‘And that word ‘daughter,’ surely not.’

 

“Since things turned out this way, I’d like to start fresh by raising even a troublemaker child.”

 

“…”

 

“Want to be my daughter?”

 

The Duke was always someone who deflected situations with jokes.

 

But why did those words feel sincere?

 

I asked in a trembling voice:

 

“Really? Can I really become Your Grace’s daughter?”

 

“What. Now that I’m telling you to do it, you don’t want to? You said you’d heal my eyes.”

 

“That’s not it, but…”

 

“And it’s not like you don’t have an ability.”

 

“What?”

 

An ability? What was he talking about?

 

To me, who only widened my eyes, the Duke said:

 

“After you collapsed, I called someone to investigate.”

 

“…!”

 

“It seems you have a purification ability.”

 

Purification ability was similar to divine power, but was an ability of far lower value than divine power.

 

Compared to divine power with its wide range of uses, it only purified the area around the ability holder. So most people with purification abilities didn’t even know they possessed an ability.

 

‘Unlike divine power, abilities could only be confirmed when the ability holder cast them.’

 

Moreover, the few people who had it all died during the religious war.

 

That meant my biological father had possessed a purification ability and had died during the war.

 

I had found a clue about the father I both resented and longed for. But my heart was racing for a different reason.

 

‘Me too.’

 

I too could be of help to someone.

 

To none other than Paterre Stukkyia himself.

 

That thought made my heart tremble greatly.

 

“…Yes. I’ll be your daughter.”

 

I said, firmly suppressing my overwhelming emotions.

 

“I may not know about other things, but I’ll definitely cure your rampage. So that you’ll think raising me was truly the right choice!”

 

Those words contained my own resolve.

 

But the Duke somehow looked complicated.

 

“I tried to hide it because I thought you’d say something like this.”

 

“…?”

 

“Well, I suppose I’ll say I understand. That seems more comfortable for you too.”

 

It was before I could even understand what he meant.

 

“Shall we greet each other again?”

 

The Duke extended his hand to me.

 

“This time as father and daughter.”

 

“…!”

 

My eyes widened as I slowly took his outstretched hand.

 

But I froze there without being able to grip it tightly.

 

Because this moment felt like a dream.

 

So it seemed like it would shatter the moment I applied even a little force.

 

As if reading my thoughts, the Duke gently clasped my hand.

 

As if to let me know it wasn’t a dream.

 

“Please take care of me, daughter.”

 

“Me too. …Dad.”

 

I had only finished saying “Me too,” when I felt gentle pressure and quietly added the title. Only then did the Duke smile softly. I was also following him and slightly raising the corners of my mouth when it happened.

 

That’s when it happened. The Duke, who had paused during our handshake, glanced back.

 

“I should rest more, but they seem quite desperate over there.”

 

Over there?

 

It was the moment I tilted my head in confusion.

 

Black mist began rising from the Duke’s feet. It was the Duke’s magic power.

 

‘He can control magic power so freely!’

 

My surprise was brief as the risen magic power firmly grasped the door handle.

 

And the moment the door opened.

 

“Kyaak!”

 

“Uaak!”

 

“Uhik…!”

 

“Myang!”

 

As if they had been waiting, people came tumbling inside.

 

Anna, Hati, the Chef and Paterre Stukkyia’s servants, Max and Ashirion, and even the gatekeeper Marsu…. They were all people from Paterre Castle.

 

“Oh my.”

 

Behind the fallen people, Caron stood upright holding a gatekeeper Marsu in his arms, placing his hand on his chest as if apologetic.

 

“Dear everyone, I definitely advised you. That His Grace would notice.”

 

“Kyaung!”

 

“We were just worried about the young miss…!”

 

“We couldn’t hear anything anyway…!”

 

The people who were speaking as if making excuses trembled when they spotted the Duke.

 

Then the Duke spoke in a calm tone.

 

“I’m telling you in advance, I won’t forgive anyone who bothers my daughter.”

 

“Yes…?”

 

“Daughter…?”

 

“And Hanisha.”

 

Leaving behind the people who were asking blankly while still fallen, the Duke said “Oh right” and looked at me again.

 

“Since it’s before the official adoption, you’re still Caron’s successor, right?”

 

“That… timing-wise, probably…?”

 

“Then I’ll give you one last task.”

 

The Duke who had gotten up bluntly said.

 

“For the next week, lie down all day long.”

 

“…Yes? That means.”

 

“My daughter takes after me and really loves lying down.”

 

The Duke tilted his head as if asking, you know what I mean, right? and disappeared just like that.

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