“Juan?”
It was Namiya's voice.
Something seemed fishy about him.
'If Juan...'
'Namiya's twin brother that I read about in the report?'
Just then, Kiaros heard footsteps and a commotion about their parents getting into trouble.
Kiaros frowned, and the assistant next to him tilted his head and expressed his fleeting thought.
“I wonder what kind of trouble happened to that sharp young lady’s family, for the twin brother to come along.”
Hearing the assistant's words, Qiaros immediately raised his head.
“Oh?
Then bring me more reports on Baron Rawabi.”
"…Yes?"
The assistant, who was somewhat oblivious, looked blank.
Kiaros said solemnly.
“If you are nosy, work efficiency will decrease.”
“Well, I'm not that curious...”
“If you keep worrying about it, you will get distracted and won’t be able to follow my instructions well.”
“Well, I don't think this will bother me too much...”
“This has to be done for the mental health and well-being of my assistants.”
“This seems to be too much for my humble curiosity...”
“Investigating a noble in the capital, it’s not something exaggerated.”
Kiaros issued the order as he placed his hand on his assistant's shoulder.
“Not just a superficial report as it was at the time, but in more detail.
Request this from the Crows.” “
The Crows were an intelligence group directly subordinate to the Crown Prince.
In other words, he wanted to know everything about Baron Rawabi.
“Yes, Your Highness.
Okay.”
The assistant's eyes were filled with tears because of Kiaros's concern for him.
✧✧✧✧✧✧
“Dad.”
My first memories were of the nights my father held me and I would whimper in my sleep.
“Is it because of me that my father ended up like this?”
My father, who had the same silver hair and blue eyes, was the kindest man in the world.
My father is the second son of Baron Rawabi.
Baron Rawabi was already a fallen noble, and the title was to pass to the eldest son, so my father was no different from commoners.
“I'm really sorry...that I gave birth...I'm sorry.”
Originally, my father was an ethics teacher in a rural school.
He was a simple young man who loved riding his bike to work, teaching the children, lying in the grass and reading books.
He met a woman arranged by his parents and they got married.
[I thought you were noble!
What kind of nobleman doesn't have money?
I thought you lived like this because you are simple!]
However, that woman changed completely after marriage.
It was because we didn't have money.
After she gave birth to me, she abandoned my father and ran away.
That woman, my mother, had no choice but to flee.
It had huge debts.
The lenders came directly to my father
[It's unfortunate that you were tricked into marriage, but it's none of my business.
If you file for divorce, you will not have to pay.
But give me that daughter.
That daughter has to pay the debt.
There is already a debt commitment document for that daughter.]
Even though I was just a child, my father said he would never hand me over.
[What?
Can't you give me your daughter?
If you don't give me your daughter, you have to pay this debt.
Right?]
It was expected what they would do, as they were famous for their wickedness.
Eventually, my father said he would pay off the debt himself and leave his low-paying job at the school.
He did everything from manual labor to mercenary work.
“Daughter, don’t say that.
My daughter is your father’s most precious treasure.
Your father would do anything for Mia.”
But no matter how many days and nights my father worked, the debt only increased.
However, my father did not give up.
I only met my father at night, after I had been left in different places all day.
With each passing day, the wounds on his body increased, and whenever I felt sad for his thin body, my father hugged me tightly and told me all kinds of beautiful stories.
“Daughter, let's go look at the stars when everything is over.”
"The stars?
I can see them from here too."
“No, there is an observatory far away.
Your father really wants to go there with you when you grow up.”
I also told my father everything.
Things that happened to me while I was there all day.
"Really?
But can I see the stars better with this?"
“…What is this, my daughter?”
“It's a magic scroll, and I made it by looking at a book in the library and applying it.”
“This…alone?
Magic scroll?
Did you do it alone?”
If there was no suitable place for me, my father would take me to the library.
I wore a hat to hide my hair and a mask that covered half my face, in case someone kidnapped me.
The outfit was uncomfortable, but I stuck to it and never took it off.
Then, I found a magic scroll book and it was so interesting that I started creating scrolls myself.
"…amazing."
Dad murmured in surprise as I activated the crookedly drawn scroll.
“Really… does it work?”
“Yes.
It really works.”
I was eight years old at the time.
Normally, only an academy student could make the pass, so my father was naturally surprised.
"Namiya, this...is this the first time you've done this?
Have you tried making it before?"
"Yes."
I said proudly.
“You saved a child today with this.”
“…What do you mean by rescue?”
"A boy was thrown at a knife in the backyard of the library.
I saw him through the window and made a save with a wrap."
“…Huh?”
"He was dressed nicely and spoke arrogantly.
He didn't even say thank you properly."
My father frowned at my endless words and asked urgently.
"Did you say your name?
You didn't say your name, did you?"
"Of course I didn't tell him!
My father told me never to talk to strangers.
And I was wearing a hat and a mask!"
“Good job, my smart girl.”
My father let out a sigh of relief.
She continued to chatter.
“Ah, but he asked me to go to Count Calto’s house.”
“Is that true?
Count Kalto has no sons, so he must be the son of a high-ranking servant.”
“Won’t they give me some money if I go?
I was thinking whether to go or not, but I wanted to ask my father first.”
When I put my thumb and index finger together to make the money gesture, my father slowly shook his head.
“Don't go.
Don't go to that library anymore.
You'll have to reveal your identity, and what if you get into trouble?
Anyway, even if we get a few pennies, the situation won't change.”
“Okay, but Dad.”
"Yes."
“…If things stay like this, will things change?”
In fact, we both vaguely knew that we couldn't continue to live this way.
The ever-increasing debt will eventually swallow us up.
“Dad, but… I don’t mind if I get caught.”
I said as I threw myself into my father's arms.
“So I think it would be great for Dad to be free.”
“Namiya.”
My father spoke sternly in those words.
“Don't think like that again.
Your father's heart hurts.”
“…Yes.
So I’m already thinking of other plans.”
“Another plan?”
I clenched my fists and told my father about the ambitious plan I had been thinking about these days.
"I'm going to marry a very rich man.
Since my father is in debt because of the marriage, can I pay off the debt by getting married?
I'm going to marry a man who has a lot, a lot of money."
In my opinion, it was a very reasonable strategy.
“The so-called Cinderella operation!
Cinderella is not really for me, but if I can pay off the debt!”
“Don't say that.
Namiya, you should marry the person you love.”
“But...”
"From now on, don't even talk about debt.
It's not something a child should worry about."
But since that night, my father has not been able to sleep well.
When I opened my eyes at dawn, I saw my father staring at the scroll I had written.
My father stared at the scrolls, sighing and muttering, looking sadder than ever.
“Ah... my daughter is so smart... really, I shouldn't raise her this way...”
Then one day.
My father didn't leave for work early in the morning.
Instead, he bought me a lot of nice clothes and had delicious food with me.
I had a bad feeling, but I did my best to smile.
I felt like I might not see my father for a very long time.
Even if he sent me to the lenders, I wanted to assure him that it would be okay.
But the place my father went to while holding my hand was a completely unexpected place.