The Duke Dad I Chose Can’t (Really) See Well - Chapter 80
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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 80
“What kind of nonsense is that…!”
He wanted to burst into anger, but there were too many watching eyes.
Count Agnito first stepped away from his position.
Only after moving to a quiet place where information wouldn’t leak did he urgently press his loyal servant.
“Explain properly. Don’t leave out a single detail!”
“I heard that no more relief aid is needed… They said they would handle things themselves.”
“And you just listened to that? You should have forced your way in!”
“We tried to! But strangely, whenever we tried to enter, the ground would shake like ghosts were there, making it impossible to go in.”
It was truly strange.
The snow rabbits that had been quiet when the Biroche Territory people moved would go crazy and rampage only when Count Agnito’s people tried to move.
As if they could recognize Count Agnito’s side.
“You know how terrifying the snow rabbits are when they’re angry. If we had forced our way through, we would have lost all the existing workers too…”
The loyal servant’s voice became submissive.
Sparks flew in Count Agnito’s eyes.
There wasn’t much time left until the promised date. If they couldn’t enter Biroche Territory like this, they wouldn’t be able to make the coat.
They could enter secretly, but that land strictly belonged to Stukkyia Territory. If they encountered Paterre Stukkyia’s people during the subjugation, not only he but even the Temple that purchased the coat would suffer damage together.
‘We should have eliminated all the snow rabbits and Biroche Territory people when things were quiet!’
No, it wasn’t too late even now.
There had been countless avalanches caused by the snow rabbits so far. So the deaths of the Biroche Territory people could also be blamed on the snow rabbits.
Count Agnito was calculating the manpower needed to sweep away one small territory.
“Moreover… they said they’ll only receive help from Paterre Stukkyia now…”
He snapped to attention at his loyal servant’s words.
“Paterre Stukkyia? What do you mean by that?”
“Paterre Stukkyia seemed to be earnestly providing relief for the recent avalanches in Stukkyia. We saw quite a few knights from Stukkyia Territory within the estate too.”
“…They even mobilized the knight order?”
“Yes. That mad dog who suddenly became a butler, Caron, was with them too.”
Count Agnito’s face hardened.
He knew that Paterre Stukkyia was helping the Biroche Territory people from a moral standpoint.
But Caron?
His movement was equivalent to Paterre Stukkyia himself moving.
‘Is he really trying to open Paterre Castle again? But I heard he ultimately didn’t place that child called Ashirion in the successor position?’
Given Paterre Stukkyia’s personality, he thought it wasn’t surprising that he wouldn’t obediently appoint a successor.
But opening Paterre Castle was different.
Opening the castle gates meant dealing with the ‘abandoned trash.’
And Hanisha, whom he had abandoned… no one had confirmed her corpse.
It was unlikely, but if that child was still alive…
“…Your Grace?”
“Send people right now to find Hanisha. Even if it’s a corpse, no, even if it’s just a piece of clothing she wore then. And send people to the Temple too.”
Count Agnito spoke in an ominous voice.
“If anyone tries to adopt Hanisha, stop them by any means necessary.”
Anyway, from the moment they processed her death based solely on his word, the Temple was in the same boat as them.
No one could adopt Hanisha. How could they adopt a child who had been processed as dead in the first place?
Everything had to go according to his plan.
As if it never happened.
Muttering this, Count Agnito calmed his anxiety.
* * *
A week passed from then.
Ashirion and Max remained in Biroche Territory to monitor the snow rabbits’ progress.
Since the avalanche hadn’t been completely resolved yet and Paterre Stukkyia’s knights were residing there, no one found it strange that Ashirion and Max were staying.
Of course, if things went well, it would eventually be revealed, but they spoke honestly to Paterre Stukkyia first.
Excluding the story about meeting the Rebel Leader, they said that Ashirion and Max were working together to heal the snow rabbits’ legs.
The first response that came back was:
“Nose.”
“Pardon?”
“Daughter. Which side is your nose on?”
“Ah, it’s on this side.”
“Hmm, I see.”
“But why is that… Eek!”
Paterre Stukkyia suddenly pinched my nose hard.
He seemed to grab it gently, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt at all. I was also startled by the suddenness.
“Ah, it hurts…!”
“Then should I say it hurts or doesn’t hurt? I only ended it at this level because you spoke honestly.”
Paterre Stukkyia shook his head as if it was out of the question.
“I told you. Don’t do dangerous things. That’s not just for you. It applies to everyone in my castle.”
“…”
“You were the catalyst for my decision to rise up, but if you get hurt before I even step forward.”
“…”
“I’ll never be able to rise again.”
Unlike before, it was a voice without playfulness, utterly serious. I could feel Paterre Stukkyia’s sincerity, so I whispered an apology in a quiet voice.
Then Paterre Stukkyia chuckled.
“I’ll let it slide. In a way, those children might have a different future opening up for them.”
“Thank you…”
“Instead, as punishment, one more week of morning meals~”
With those words, Paterre Stukkyia’s scolding ended.
After finishing a week’s worth of punishment, Paterre Stukkyia and I took a carriage from early morning.
Today was the day I had been waiting for so long – the day to submit the adoption application.
A carriage engraved with Stukkyia’s emblem emerged from the carriage depot.
“To see the carriage going out into the world again…! This is all thanks to you, Miss…!”
Perhaps moved that the carriage he thought would only be stored forever was coming outside, the coachman mister choked back tears while sniffling. Even I felt my nose tingling for no reason.
Anyway, welcoming such a moving moment, we proudly exited through Paterre Castle’s gates by carriage.
Looking at the northern scenery visible beyond the window, I felt renewed emotions.
When I first came to this place, I came to be abandoned, but now I was moving again to become Paterre Stukkyia’s daughter.
“Living long enough, even things like this happen, Rene. Isn’t it really amazing?”
Originally, other knights should have come along too, but since Paterre Stukkyia was moving with us, there was no need to bring knights as well.
So to keep up appearances, they attached Rene, who was still an apprentice, as an escort.
“…”
Rene didn’t answer my question. He just gave me a glance and then turned away again.
“It’s amazing! Amazing!”
Then the baby bird on my shoulder flapped its wings and answered.
“Amazing… ah, the outside is amazing?”
It was certainly the first time in its bird life leaving the Northern Region, so it was understandable that it would find it amazing.
Then the bird flapped its wings.
“-You! You’re amazing!”
“Huh? Me?”
“-You! White hair! Dog! Weird kid! You!”
And it began spouting strange words.
White hair… must be referring to me, but the dog and weird kid weren’t me.
‘It must have mixed up words other people said.’
Is this why Rene is slow to learn speech?
I should probably teach language more clearly. Just as I was thinking that and sniffling loudly, suddenly a white handkerchief appeared.
“If you keep getting wind like that, you’ll catch a cold.”
Paterre Stukkyia sitting in front of me offered me the handkerchief.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s not mine anyway. It’s Caron’s.”
“Yes. I knew that.”
“Oh, how?”
“Well.”
I answered honestly.
“Because you’re wearing butler clothes.”
Literally, Paterre Stukkyia was wearing Caron’s clothes.
A three-piece suit. A white handkerchief tucked in the chest pocket and a small watch hanging from his wrist. The perfect appearance of a butler.
“Still, it’s my first time out in the world in 10 years, so just a Temple outing would be too boring. I’m a duke, after all.”
Paterre Stukkyia shrugged lightly as if asking if I didn’t agree.
I understand. If he was going to make up his mind to come out into the world, it would be better to appear more officially and more magnificently.
“But…”
“What now.”
“Only your clothes are butler attire while your face remains the same, so I think pretending to be a butler is already wrong…?”
Eyes still covered with cloth. An aura and overwhelming presence that couldn’t be erased despite covering part of his face.
So much so that even strangers would immediately think ‘Ah, that person is Paterre Stukkyia.’
“It’s because I’m handsome. It would be revealed anyway even if I hid it.”
“That’s true, but…”
“Right, kitty?”
Kitty was an affectionate nickname for Rene.
Paterre Stukkyia started calling Rene that after learning that Rene had lived with the jaguars.
And even animals that can’t speak understand their own nicknames.
Rene, who turned his gaze to Paterre Stukkyia, still said nothing.
“…”
If there was a difference, it seemed his gaze was a bit colder than when he listened to my words?
“-Weird! Weird! Too much exposure!”
“…”
“-Weird! Like father, like daughter!”
Then, as if it had been waiting, the baby bird flapped its wings and answered.
Then, as if it had been waiting, the baby bird flapped its wings and responded.
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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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