I’Ll Protect My Tyrant Dad! [EN]: Chapter 80

80. Sienne’s Mother, Yuela

Sienne Mirmode was the reason Riena earned Martin’s animosity.

Originally, she disliked her because she was a Mirmode, and she was annoyed that she was trying to enter the academy arbitrarily with that name.

But now it was different. Intense anger consumed Riena’s entire body.

She gritted her teeth, watching the corner of the hallway where Martin had disappeared.

***

I skipped along, holding my report card. Since a separate spectator seat was prepared and the process of selecting spectators was necessary, the next exam would be held again tomorrow.

“I’m going to brag to Dad!”

“…Are you happy, Sienne?”

“Yes! Because I got first place!”

Leonhardt smiled gently. He was so moved by the fact that I got first place in the ancient language exam that he broke a few benches on the way out.

“As expected, Night Chestnut, you’re a genius!”

“Hey! You did well too!”

“But I’m not the first perfect scorer in the academy.”

After complimenting each other for a while, I suddenly realized that the audio was empty. I hurriedly looked to my side.

Acid was calmly looking out the window, not saying anything in particular.

‘Is he disappointed?’

Acid didn’t fail, but his ancient language skills were terrible compared to Leonhardt and me. I poked Acid in the side and laughed.

“Our healer!”

“…Yes?”

“Acid can read ancient languages well too, right? Is it different for people with divine power? Even though you didn’t learn at all.”

“Ah……”

Pink water stained Acid’s face. I giggled and poked Acid’s red cheeks.

“Your face turned cherry blossom color!”

“I-It’s because I’m embarrassed. I’ll try harder in the future……”

Acid lowered his dense eyelashes as if he was really shy. His hesitant appearance was so cute that I smiled, revealing my rabbit-like front teeth.

“Cute!”

When I said that, Acid’s cheeks turned even redder. It was so fascinating that I kept teasing him.

At that moment, a crooked voice was heard from the side.

“Oh, look at this. These little things.”

“Huh?”

Leonhardt pouted and grumbled.

“These little pebbles, where are you two flirting!”

“It’s not flirting!”

I’m only ten years old, what flirting, I was about to retort, but I heard a teacher walking from afar.

I looked at the teacher with a puzzled expression.

“I have something to say about this exam question.”

“……?”

“The headmaster is calling for you.”

Why is the headmaster calling for me? I was wondering, but I blinked and nodded.

If I’m called, I have to go. Because the boss here is the headmaster.

‘I need to find out what kind of person she is.’

I slipped out of the carriage and said.

“Yes. I’ll go see the headmaster!”

***

“Sienne.”

The academy headmaster’s gentle expression was visible. I stared at her intently.

Her white hair was fluffy like a white poodle, and I wanted to touch it.

“Sienne?”

At the voice that refreshed the situation as if she was wondering, I hurriedly came to my senses and looked at the headmaster. She said with a kind smile on her lips.

“My name is Hepsiba. I am the headmaster of this academy.”

I bowed politely and said.

“Hello! Headmaster!”

Everyone loves a polite child!

A soft smile appeared on Hepsiba’s lips.

“Mrs. Rukella asked me to make sure.”

‘If it’s Mrs. Rukella, it’s my grandmother!’

I opened my eyes wide and asked back.

“Do you know my Hammoni [a term of endearment for grandmother]?”

Even though I don’t use short words anymore, when the story of my beloved grandmother comes up, I automatically use the word ‘Hammoni’ like a nickname. Is it because the nuance of the word Hammoni is warmer than the word grandmother?

Still, I didn’t want to act like a child in front of the headmaster I was meeting for the first time.

I blinked and smiled at Hepsiba.

“Yes, I do.”

“Ah……”

“But that’s not why I called you. I heard about Sienne’s exam results. You’re really smart.”

I made the smile on my lips even thicker and stared at her.

“Yes, I’m a little smart!”

When I showed the confident appearance of a child, Hepsiba smiled softly and stroked my hair.

“You did a really good job. But you have proven your qualifications enough, so let’s not take the magic test.”

“……Yes? Why?”

As the end of my words trailed off in disappointment, Hepsiba swallowed a sigh as if she was sorry.

“You can listen to magic formulas and theories, but magic practice classes will be difficult. You know that Sienne’s body lacks mana, right? Mrs. Rukella said so.”

I nodded.

“Yes… She said I don’t have any.”

It had been a long time since I heard from Duchess Rukella when I was five years old that I had no mana [magical energy or power].

“But is it bad to have no mana?”

Hepsiba laughed and shook her head.

“No. You just can’t use magic, it’s a rare and special body. Especially for such a lovely and smart little lady, shouldn’t there be at least one thing you can’t do?”

After seeing Hepsiba’s warm smile, I thought it was okay to have no mana. I nodded vigorously, feeling my strength surge.

“Yes! Because I’m special. I can make friends who are born with magical talent!”

I came to this children’s academy to build connections. So even if I don’t have any magical talent, it’s enough to make friends with magical talent.

But was there something wrong with what I said?

In an instant, sadness began to fill Hepsiba’s gentle expression. When I looked closely, her eyes were even red.

What word in what I said caused her depression?

Hepsiba soon solved the question.

“Our brave child… You really look like Yuela.”

I stiffened at the word Yuela. I couldn’t not know that name.

She is……

“…My mother?”

“Yes.”

“…She often comes to visit. I’ll tell you about my mother.”

“Yes.”

I nodded, stretching out the end of my words, then stopped.

‘Everyone said she was bad, so I don’t have much expectation… But should I ask about Mom anyway? I’m curious.’

As if reading my thoughts, the grandmother headmaster said with a small smile on her lips.

“She was a good person. She was the smartest student I ever taught, probably?”

“…Really? People……”

People say my mom was a bad person.

The words could not be uttered outside the mouth and crumbled like grains of sand in the mouth.

The headmaster added with an expression that could not be described.

“At least I think so.”

She handed me a small chocolate and said kindly.

“So Sienne will be able to grow up to be a good person too.”

I took the chocolate and nodded quietly.

Dad seems to have tried to keep it a secret, but so far I have heard a lot of bad rumors surrounding my mother, who I don’t even remember the face of, the demon trial of the old order, the daughter of a witch.

‘It’s the first time someone has spoken well of my mom.’

I smiled shyly, thinking for a moment that my mom might be a good person.

“…Yes, teacher!”

In the future, I would be too busy to survive, so I would hardly ever think about my mom. But at least today, I could think about my mom.

My heart became warm like fluffy baby potatoes.

“Thank you!”

I thought it was a good idea to come to the headmaster’s office and listen to Hepsiba’s story.

***

After Sienne returned, the headmaster recalled Sienne’s green eyes asking, ‘Is it bad to have no mana?’ and muttered to herself like a sigh.

“Your child really looks like you, Yuela.”

The headmaster remembered each and every one of the past graduates.

Among them, Yuela was special. She was the first to enter as a special student and took the top spot in the academy every time, beating out many nobles.

That sparkling look in her eyes still remained in her memory. She spread her wrinkled hands and washed her dry face.

“Someday, the day will come when I can tell that child your story……”

The demon trial of the old order that raised Matthias Mirmode’s notoriety.

Sienne’s mother, Yuela, left a small note to the headmaster she believed in before being executed.

[I want to meet Moira, the god of time, teacher. When I come back, fate will be changed.]

To her urgent question of how to go change fate with the god of time, Yuela just gave a faint smile.

But was fate not changed?

For some reason, Yuela summoned a demon instead of Moira, the god of time.

And the conclusion was clear.

Yuela was executed as a witch for daring to summon a demon.

‘If I think about that day……’

A dangerous name that cannot be easily uttered now.

The fact that she wrote a petition for Yuela at the time was remembered as the headmaster’s only shame in the world. Enough to still have whispering voices clinging to her back.

But the headmaster liked her and did not regret what she had done.

‘I’m like this, but Matthias Mirmode would be even worse.’

Recalling him going berserk after Sienne’s mother died, her mouth tasted bitter.

‘I don’t know why he sent Sienne to the academy……’

Was there also a sentimental meaning to have her attend the academy her mother attended?

At least here, Sienne’s mother, Yuela, was happy.

……At least as far as the headmaster herself knew.

“Yuela was quite lovely, but her daughter is even more so.”

A long time ago, a golden age when everyone was happy came to mind.

But the era that was as beautiful as a dream faded like the sunset.

Now an old woman with white hair, she lifted her teacup with a bitter expression. The tea water we brewed as usual felt strangely more bitter.

***

On the way home after finishing the meeting with Headmaster Hepsiba, I said to Leonhardt and Acid, who were asking what I had talked about with the headmaster.

“No matter how I think about it, it’s strange.”

“What’s strange?”

“Headmaster Hepsiba seemed to like my mom a lot.”

“……Ah.”

As soon as I talked about my mom, the atmosphere suddenly sank.

That’s because my mom, Yuela, was executed in the demon trial of the old order case.

‘Everyone treats my mom like a bad person, but Headmaster Hepsiba seemed to be evaluating my mom well.’

Just that alone made me feel like the stones filling my heart whenever I thought of my mom were falling to the floor.

‘Maybe… my mom might be a good person.’

Blood is thicker than water, so there was no way that someone who summoned a demon could be a good person.

But just like all the main characters in the original are bad people, and just like there are good people in the Mirmode family, who are villains in the original……

“Sienne, what are you thinking about?”

I was deeply lost in thought about my mom and suddenly woke up.

“Good thoughts.”

The muscular maid unnies [older sisters], who had been sitting silently like dead mice, were opening the door of the carriage.

We had already arrived at the Mirmode mansion!

But……

“It looks like someone came?”

The atmosphere of the mansion was quite eerie and bustling.

I tilted my head.

“What’s going on?”