The Duke Dad I Chose Can’t (Really) See Well - Chapter 57

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

Chapter 57

 

I could only blink my eyes in bewilderment, but even that was a luxury.

 

“Miss…! Are you alright? Your body, how is your body? Are you hurt anywhere?”

 

“Hanisha! Do you know how worried I was? Here, I made some food that’s good for your health. Hurry and eat!”

 

“My little snowflake. I came running as soon as I heard the news. Are you okay? I was going to come with the other thugs, but when they heard you collapsed, so many of them hit their own hands with hammers that I had no choice but to come alone…”

 

“Younger Boy, here are my socks. Smell them, they’re jasmine scented…”

 

“Hanisha, I brought some calming scented candles. They’re for animals, but you’re as cute as a dog so maybe they’ll work…”

 

“Kyawoong! Kkeeing!”

 

‘Aaaah…!’

 

It was because another storm had swept in as if it had been waiting.

 

* * *

 

A week passed like that.

 

During that time, I had to lie down for the entire week as Paterre Stukkyia ordered.

 

Of course, I didn’t just lie there doing nothing.

 

I asked Esther’s Maids to select non-dangerous herbs and brew them into tea. I wanted to try using the purification ability that Paterre Stukkyia had mentioned.

 

However, perhaps because the toxicity was weak.

 

No matter how much tea I drank, I didn’t feel like I was using any ability.

 

‘Esther said that abilities are like life itself, so you can instinctively feel when you use them. She said it feels like becoming one with your ability.’

 

But far from becoming one, the more I tried to use my power, the more it felt like something was draining out of my body.

 

So much so that I wondered if stopping Paterre Stukkyia’s rampage had been a mistake.

 

Because of this, I thought every day about wanting to get stronger poisonous herbs, but each time, Paterre Stukkyia would invariably come to visit.

 

“Wh-why did you come here?”

 

“To inspect whether my soon-to-be-former employee is working properly.”

 

“…Why would you personally conduct such an inspection?”

 

“My dream is to be an exploitative boss. I’m monitoring to make sure my servant doesn’t think about other things.”

 

It was nonsense.

 

So much so that Stukkyia’s only physician gathered the courage to say, ‘This doesn’t seem to be for the miss’s recovery.’

 

“The water level has dropped a lot. Are you thirsty?”

 

“Is there any food you’re craving?”

 

“Get ready to run out and play when you recover. Because of you, the Marsu gatekeeper who used to quietly do his work keeps pestering me to play. What on earth did you do to him?”

 

Even while asking playfully, Paterre Stukkyia kept talking about tomorrow.

 

Because it resembled the kind of care I had imagined, I didn’t refuse Paterre Stukkyia’s visits.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

I looked up at the sound of knocking.

 

I thought it would obviously be Paterre Stukkyia.

 

‘Huh?’

 

There stood someone I had never expected to see.

 

“Palren… sir?”

 

At my call, he spoke with an awkward expression.

 

“Good morning.”

 

“What brings you here?”

 

“It’s not like I came somewhere I shouldn’t be… Ahem.”

 

Even as he said that, he too seemed embarrassed and cleared his throat awkwardly.

 

“The reason I came to see you is…”

 

“Did you come to oppose me becoming your daughter?”

 

“What?”

 

“If that’s the case, I’m sorry. I have absolutely no intention of backing down. You should just go back…”

 

“No! I came to apologize!”

 

Palren interrupted me and shouted loudly.

 

Though he did close his mouth after belatedly realizing he had revealed his true feelings.

 

‘Oh ho. So that’s what it was.’

 

Paterre Stukkyia wasn’t the only one who had visited me during the week.

 

Count Agnito’s people who had talked with me back then had also come.

 

“Hasn’t Palren come yet?”

 

They naturally asked me about Palren’s visit.

 

“Instead of worrying, it would be faster to just come visit. Tsk tsk.”

 

“That’s just how Palren is, isn’t it? He’s not an honest person.”

 

Hearing those words, I realized.

 

That Palren was very worried about my condition.

 

“…I’ve noticed before, but you’re quite perceptive.”

 

“Thank you for the ‘compliment.’ It’s an honor.”

 

“Even this aspect is exactly like the duke…”

 

Even though he spoke like this, since he’d been caught, it seemed difficult to pretend otherwise, so Palren reluctantly opened his mouth.

 

“First of all… I’m sorry.”

 

“Yes? For what?”

 

“No matter how worried I was about the duke, didn’t I act too childishly toward you, who is still young?”

 

“Well… not a lot, just a little?”

 

“No. It was excessive.”

 

Palren shook his head seriously.

 

“Moreover, I said it was for the duke’s sake, but when the duke actually went into a rampage, my feet froze and I couldn’t do anything.”

 

“…”

 

“But you actually ran to the duke, putting aside everything else.”

 

Palren who said this had the face of someone who had realized something.

 

‘Hmm, is he trying to acknowledge me?’

 

If that was the case, it wasn’t bad. With the support of someone like Palren who lacked refinement but had plenty of money, the other retainers wouldn’t be able to say much either.

 

Most importantly, hadn’t I gotten a clue about Paterre Stukkyia’s first love thanks to Palren’s hint?

 

So I was planning to gratefully accept his apology.

 

“So… I just stepped down from my retainer position on my way here.”

 

“Thank you for saying that… what?”

 

What did he step down from?

 

“I thought the duke was the strongest and most amazing person in this world. But that was my mistake.”

 

“…”

 

“The strongest person in the world was someone else.”

 

I had an ominous feeling.

 

A very troublesome feeling at that…

 

Soon, thud.

 

“Hanisha.”

 

Palren knelt on one knee in front of me.

 

“I want to serve under you.”</Human: Continue with CHUNK 2 of 2 from Chapter 57.

And that anxiety became reality.

 

I was silently horrified.

 

‘Palren being my retainer! Just thinking about it makes me feel like troublesome things will happen!’

 

“Though I may have a hot temper and only have money, and lack refinement.”

 

“Having a lot of money is good for starters, isn’t it? More importantly, please get up first…”

 

“Once I’ve taken someone into my heart, I’ll serve them to the end with my life.”

 

“For someone like that, didn’t you step down from your position as the Duke’s retainer?”

 

“Give me anything to do. Those who’ve been in the underworld can do whatever they’re told.”

 

“But you don’t seem to be listening to me asking you to get up…”

 

No matter how much I tried to persuade him, Palren’s will seemed firm.

 

‘But how can I have such an older adult as my retainer! I don’t even have anything to make him do…’

 

That’s when it happened.

 

A thought flashed through my mind.

 

I quickly straightened my posture and grabbed Palren’s hands.

 

“Really? That you can do anything.”

 

“Huh? Uh… Yes. That’s what I said.”

 

“That underworld people’s loyalty is very strong. That if they betray this, they’d immediately jump out the window and gladly become food for the gatekeeper Marsu.”

 

“…? I never said it went that far-”

 

“Then, Palren.”

 

I spoke in a cheerful voice.

 

“Will you grant my first request as your master?”

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, in the Duke’s office.

 

“Here it is.”

 

Caron handed the Duke some documents.

 

It was still a blank adoption application.

 

“Here’s the name, and here’s the surname.”

 

Paterre moved his pen to where Caron pointed.

 

The child’s name: Hanisha.

 

Surname: Stukkyia.

 

“And below that…”

 

Caron, who was about to naturally sign the document, hesitated and continued.

 

“…I took the liberty of writing ‘Purification.’ Should I correct it?”

 

Caron glanced around cautiously.

 

“Why?”

 

However, Paterre was calmer than expected.

 

“Purification is a good ability, isn’t it? It can purify the air and bring peace of mind. It’s a good ability, so why hide it?”

 

Though he was speaking playfully, Caron, who was nearby, had definitely seen it.

 

The moment Hanisha’s ability manifested.

 

It was too vast to be called purification and too weak to be called divine power.

 

He investigated whether there was anyone with abilities similar to Hanisha’s, but couldn’t find any related records anywhere.

 

An ability never seen before.

 

No, an ability Paterre had already experienced before. However, a power whose true nature he didn’t know had been discovered in Hanisha.

 

“…Do you still think she’s that person’s daughter?”

 

Caron cautiously broached the subject, unlike himself.

 

If Hanisha knew that her ability’s potential was hidden under the name of purification, she would be greatly shocked.

 

“…At first, yes.”

 

He thought that by keeping the child, he might find clues about that person. That’s why he didn’t forcibly stop the child who kept hovering around him.

 

“But not now.”

 

The child who thought only of him even while fainting.

 

He just didn’t want that child to be lonely anymore.

 

That’s why he made her his daughter. If they were bound by the name of family, he could more freely care for the child’s loneliness.

 

Writing ‘Purification’ in the ability section was also for that reason.

 

A child who was declared dead just for being born illegitimately was still alive. Since that child miraculously came back to life and was even adopted, the whole world needed to know she had definite abilities.

 

“What if Lady Hanisha gets attacked?”

 

“Attacked?”

 

Paterre chuckled as if he was hearing an amusing story.

 

“When I’m here?”

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