The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 122

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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 122】

“Um, but…”

Wilbrin, having somewhat composed her emotions, gripped the wet handkerchief tightly to prevent it from unfolding. Then, as if suddenly coming to her senses, she quickly raised her head.

“Didn’t my father visit the Imperial Palace?”

Wilbrin’s father Oren was an indifferent father to his daughter, but he was someone who would come running faster than anyone else if something happened to his son.

Not only had he specially cared for his son since childhood, but the son was also his source of income to support his old and frail retirement.

“There is a fact that Oren Airax protested against Kairen’s wanted order.”

“A wanted order was issued for my brother?”

“He’s a prime suspect.”

Not just anyone gets designated as a wanted person, but Kairen had hidden his whereabouts for several days and failed to respond to the investigation authority’s summons.

Moreover, evidence was found that made him appear to be a likely accomplice in this case, so a wanted order was issued.

Oren protested that his son’s charges hadn’t been proven yet, but the investigators just brushed it off appropriately.

Wilbrin, who had absolutely no interest in family matters, widened her eyes.

“Then father might have gone to the Imperial Palace to visit the detained Kairen.”

“Yes, there’s sufficient possibility that he learned of the detention news in the vicinity.”

Asil affirmed.

Though the Imperial Knights were tight-lipped, this time they had moved based on witness reports, and since the arrested person was such a famous figure, rumors couldn’t help but leak.

“Then I should go.”

“Is there something you wish to accomplish by meeting your father?”

What reason could there be for going to meet her father right after declaring she would cut ties with her family?

Wilbrin answered with a bright smile.

“I thought I’d try being filial for once.”

True filial piety begins with gift tax collection, after all.

Taxes had created another fire attribute dutiful daughter.

‘Oh my.’

Though he knew this wasn’t his master’s fault, it probably wasn’t just his imagination that he could see Rianel’s shadow in Wilbrin’s behavior.

Whether Asil clicked his tongue while watching Wilbrin disappear or not.

Rianel moved her steps to a nearby hiking trail that overlooked Wilbrin’s house.

When asked for the reason, the answer that came back was this:

“Because we must consider the possibility that her speculation is wrong.”

The probability was fifty-fifty.

Wilbrin’s father might have headed to the Imperial Palace, but the possibility that he had sought out his daughter’s residence couldn’t be ruled out either.

“True, no one can predict how someone who’s lost their retirement funds might emotionally explode when they witness a relatively stable residence.”

Wilbrin hadn’t bought her house because she was wealthy either. Since it was a house purchased with a loan, Wilbrin was paying interest and principal with her monthly salary.

“You even worry about other people’s financial situations. How caring of you.”

It would have been better if you were only caring toward me.

“This is merely for tracking the debtor’s movements, not out of personal feelings.”

“Yes, well. Let’s say that’s the case.”

Right now I should be grateful just for the fact that your excuses come out to maintain our relationship.

“Then let’s walk a bit.”

As you wish.

Asil pulled Rianel’s hand and interlaced their fingers.

In the cool night air, their firmly joined body heat seeped into each other.

‘This might not be so bad either.’

Even moments like this would be with you.

The two didn’t bother to speak.

Just strolling through the same space and sharing the same time was enough to feel fulfilled.

‘You are someone who makes this moment special just by existing.’

The stars scattered across the night sky, the humid air. The texture of grass being pressed underfoot and the sounds of unknown insects.

Asil, who had been walking through all that scenery as it was, holding the warmth transmitted through fingertips like a certainty, looked to the side.

“…”

Who was it that said walking has the power to organize one’s thoughts?

“Come to think of it, do you plan to keep that fact from the Duke?”

Perhaps that’s why the question that had been weighing on his mind slipped out.

“Yes. I don’t feel obligated to report it. I judged it to be unrelated to me.”

What does that even mean?

‘But aren’t you Ensilen?’

Asil looked around just in case.

He knew that Rianel wasn’t obsessed with normal family relationships, but.

‘Still, wouldn’t a person want to check at least once upon hearing that parents they never knew existed had been searching for them for decades?’

Especially since those parents were people with wealth and power, and from the perspective of a realistic person like Rianel who valued money, it would be natural to want to meet her parents.

“Because it’s unclear what should be defined as the Duke’s ‘biological child.'”

Her explanation was as follows:

“If only the being formed by the combination of Rianel’s body and soul is defined as the Duke’s biological child, then I am merely a soul that happened to acquire that body, and cannot be called the Duke’s biological child.”

“But the one the Duke has been searching for so long is ‘Ensilen.’ Then wouldn’t the Duke’s biological child be you?”

“There’s a problem in that case too. This body isn’t mine, is it? Perhaps the ‘biological child Ensilen’ the Duke seeks is already in the ground, and only my memories remain, connected to this body.”

“Hmm.”

Asil let out a subtle laugh.

This was a paradox about personal identity.

It was a problem rooted in the same foundation as the Ship of Theseus paradox, which asks whether a ship can be considered the same entity as the previous ship even though all its components have been replaced.

He knew that Rianel liked discussing such topics, but.

‘Isn’t this not the right topic to bring up in this situation?’

Asil took a moment to catch his breath before speaking.

“In my opinion.”

Since Rianel was someone with her own established thoughts and values, Asil was cautious about offering advice. He was concerned this might become unnecessary meddling.

“Going to the Duke and telling him the truth would be-.”

That was the moment.

Rustle.

Along with the sound of grass swaying, a man revealed himself.

With his gaze wandering aimlessly as he looked around searching for something, he stopped his gaze at one point and drew in a breath.

The moment his blurry gaze became clear as if by magic.

Duke Vincenheim pushed through the thicket and strode out before Rianel could even react.

Without even brushing off the grass clinging to his shoulders, he reached out his hand as if facing a mirage that would disappear immediately if he let it slip away.

“My, my daughter.”

His voice trembled and his breath came in short gasps.

His hand, unable to suppress his longing and wish, groped through the air.

Rianel took a step back in front of all unfamiliar things.

“I am not your daugh-“

“…Ensilen.”

Her body froze at the name called after so long.

The distance thus narrowed.

He embraced her.

There was no time to resist, no time to think.

The flood of another’s emotions had the power to instantly neutralize plans and judgments built up methodically with reason.

“I’m sorry. My daughter.”

At that apology uttered as if collapsing at the end of emotion.

Rianel silently bit her lower lip.

* * *

Callen hesitated, not knowing what to say in front of Rianel, or rather, the being who had once been Ensilen.

Since Rianel was also a precious existence, reason barely moved his lips, telling him he shouldn’t simply rejoice at Ensilen’s presence.

“Ri, Rianel is….”

“I don’t know the exact cause, but she was already dead before I regained consciousness in this body.”

Rianel vividly remembered the moment when her flesh drew its last breath.

However, since no corpse remained after she came back to life, the exact cause of death was unknown.

“…I see.”

Callen, who had been smiling bitterly, grasped the situation and hastily added.

“I didn’t bring this up to blame you.”

The more he reflected on Ensilen’s life, the more sorry he felt.

He knew how hard a life she had lived.

Not only had she achieved academic accomplishments at a much younger age than Callen, but after becoming Empress, she had led reform politics only to meet a lonely death—this person was his daughter.

While he was grateful that she had grown up so admirably even without him, the fact that he hadn’t been by her side when she desperately needed others’ support pierced deep into his heart, making him unable to lift his head.

Countless emotions tangled and clumped together chaotically inside him.

Callen’s Adam’s apple bobbed several times following his emotions.

However, the words he could barely manage to say after several minutes were.

“Have you been well all this time?”

“Yes.”

Such obvious and mundane greetings were all he could manage.

“I’m sorry. It must have been very difficult for you all this time.”

“It’s fine.”

A tone that seemed to calmly comfort the other person at first glance.

However, Asil felt an ominous foreboding and hunched his shoulders.

Sure enough, a verbal bombardment followed.

“Since I was aware that I had been abandoned, I quickly adapted to an environment without parental assistance and have maintained my livelihood independently while living my life. I experienced no difficulties whatsoever in this regard, so you need not worry.”

It was as if she had grown up well without experiencing even a grain of loneliness.

“….”

His unnecessarily independent daughter’s response left the father speechless.

“I, I see.”

‘Right. She must have had such a hard time that she tried not to think about family affection and such.’

Callen suppressed his bewilderment and interpreted Rianel’s words conveniently.

“Though it’s very late, I want to give back what you should have rightfully enjoyed. Won’t you come back home? Rupert is waiting too.”

The Duke wanted to be not just her formal biological father, but a real father.

Someone who would be her shelter and let her feel human warmth.

Such a family.

But Rianel was still Rianel.

“There is something I need to inform you regarding that matter. I intend to marry Bureau Director Novantium and form a household.”

“What?!”

Callen’s head whipped around.

‘…Come to think of it, that bastard.’

When Callen recalled that Asil had always been infatuated with Ensilen, his face darkened.

Asil stepped forward and bowed his head respectfully.

“That’s how it turned out, Father-in-law.”

“What do you mean ‘that’s how it turned out’!”

Callen was indignant at his son-in-law’s attitude of trying to gloss over the situation.

Callen barely managed to collect himself and returned to his residence.

He thought that his daughter must have been confused that day and said whatever came to mind, so he planned to have another conversation on an appropriate day.

“M-Master. A marriage proposal letter has arrived from House Novantium.”

“She wasn’t just talking nonsense?!”

Seeing the marriage proposal letter that arrived the very next day, he roared loudly.

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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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