I’Ll Protect My Tyrant Dad! [EN]: Chapter 82

82. Similar Faces

“How is it, Sienne?”

At Grand Duke Selbastian’s words, I whispered in a trembling voice,

“The, the best!”

Because inside this warehouse…!

There was a furnace ready for the best whole pig barbecue, and a pig!

I stared at the slightly bloody pig, my mouth wide open.

“D, did Dad butcher the pig?”

It seemed Dad, who couldn’t even stand the sight of blood, had tried to butcher the pig for me. Startled, I turned to look at Dad. Then, Dad burst into a hearty laugh.

“I was going to secretly throw a whole pig barbecue party for you.”

“I didn’t know that, Dad! You should have kept it a secret until the end!”

“Isn’t a surprise party great?”

“Uh-huh…”

I shrugged my shoulders and sighed.

But I also felt a little strange. The moment I opened the warehouse door, it seemed like Grand Duke Selbastian made a clicking sound with his hand.

I tilted my head.

‘What is it? Something’s strange…’

But the naive thought that there was no need to doubt my dad any further suddenly surged.

‘There’s no way Dad is hiding something from me. And even if he is, it must be something good.’

Dad always valued having no secrets within the family and getting along well. So, if he was hiding something, it definitely wouldn’t be something bad.

Having diligently rationalized Dad’s actions, I looked at him and smiled brightly.

“Then let’s have a barbecue party later when everyone wakes up, Dad! Uncle!”

Only then did Dad’s expression brighten a little.

“Okay, Sienne. Then you should go in and sleep now.”

“Uh-huh!”

I scurried out.

I decided to forget about Dad’s overly flustered appearance.

***

After Sienne left, Grand Duke Selbastian shrugged his shoulders as he looked at his friend.

“I heard she was acting coy, so I helped a little. How is it?”

“…I didn’t need any help.”

As soon as Sienne left, Matthias’s expression turned cold.

Seeing him make such a cold face even to his long-time friend, it was just like Matthias Mirmode. Selbastian burst into a hearty laugh and said,

“Well, okay. Let’s just say that.”

“It’s been a while.”

“I felt like this was my home. You’re the only one who welcomes me, Matthias.”

As he closed the warehouse door and went up to the drawing-room, Matthias said in a low voice.

“…Don’t particularly think of it as your home.”

Nevertheless, I knew that those words contained affection for his old friend. Selbastian chuckled.

‘Warmer than my father.’

He had returned to the Imperial Palace unofficially a few hours ago. There were no fancy bouquets or congratulatory processions.

Arriving in the Imperial City before dinner, he first paid a brief greeting to the Emperor.

The Emperor glanced at his son, Grand Duke Selbastian, with a blank face and said briefly.

He had summoned him, but he would not support him in the succession battle. So, he told him not to covet the position of heir.

Then he headed to the bedroom as if he was tired. It was truly a heartless father-son relationship.

So, the Imperial Palace was not a home to him. It was just an uncomfortable shackle.

He strode forward, following Matthias, who opened the door to the drawing-room, and said nonchalantly.

“This isn’t my home. But you’re here.”

They put a bottle of strong liquor on the table and talked to each other.

“It’s been a while.”

“The scars on your eyes have increased.”

“It’s like a medal for someone who fought fiercely on the front lines.”

Matthias raised his glass and pretended to toast.

“Are you thinking of taking the Emperor’s seat?”

“I’m going to think about it a bit. It seems my father doesn’t like me very much.”

“That’s good.”

A bitter smile appeared on Matthias’s lips.

“I wanted to strike the Imperial Palace anyway. Along with the temple.”

Selbastian frowned. His long-time friend was even more insane than before. And it suited him quite well.

“Tell me the detailed plan later. I’ll get rid of my fatigue first.”

He chuckled and swept back his hair. The time of exchanging strong liquor that burned down the esophagus continued endlessly.

It was like old friends meeting after a long time.

***

The next morning, breakfast time.

The three of us, me, Grand Duke Selbastian, and Dad, sat facing each other.

I was sleepy because I had only rinsed my face like a cat before coming to breakfast, but I was able to learn a surprising fact.

‘He looks so much like Acid!’

I only widened my eyes in surprise, but Grand Duke Selbastian smiled as if he was used to it.

“I wonder if the scars on my face are scary.”

I shook my head.

“No, the scars are cool like a pirate captain!”

And I diligently ate the appetizer that came out right away.

Grand Duke Selbastian paused for a moment and opened his mouth.

“Thank you, young lady.”

I giggled and realized anew that his voice was also similar to Acid’s. It was really amazing.

That people who have never met each other can look so alike.

Maybe if Grand Duke Selbastian removed his eye patch, he would look even more like Acid.

But right then, someone said in a choked voice.

“…Sienne.”

It was Dad.

Without thinking, I turned my head to look at him.

A shocking sight unfolded before me.

‘Dad, even timid Dad, has those worried eyebrows?!’

Those eyebrows only appear when Dad is incredibly hurt. It was, in a word, an emergency.

“Ah, Dad. Why that face?”

Whenever Dad made that face, I had to pat him and soothe his delicate heart for minutes, no, for more than tens of minutes.

The longest ‘pat-pat time’ was a whopping two hours. I had to soothe his feelings before he got even more hurt and sulky.

“Then, what about Dad?”

“…Huh?”

“Isn’t Dad cool?”

‘I should have told Dad he was cool too!’

Now that I think about it, since coming to this villainous Mirmord family, I don’t think I’ve praised Dad as much as before.

I smiled gently and firmly grabbed Dad’s arm. It was to save face for him.

“Our Dad is cool too!”

A faint smile spread across Dad’s lips. It was a happy smile, as if he had everything in the world.

“Really? How cool am I?”

“The coolest in the world!”

Dad beamed.

That is, until Grand Duke Selbastian, who had been quietly watching us, burst into insane laughter.

***

As breakfast was ending, Matthias and Selbastian had to leave Sienne in the dining hall due to an unexpectedly arrived imperial edict [a formal order from the emperor].

Sienne cheerfully replied that she would diligently drink her milk and leave right away, and Matthias gently and affectionately stroked Sienne’s hair before leaving.

But as soon as he left the dining hall and turned the corner of the hallway, he saw a familiar boy in front of him.

“What’s going on?”

It was Acid.

“I, I wanted to show Lady Sienne something…”

Acid bit his lip, looking dismayed.

He had just been looking for her out of habit because Sienne wasn’t there. He felt strangely uneasy.

Matthias stared intently at Acid, meeting his eyes. When their gazes met, Acid realized that he was truly just a small boy.

Soon after, Matthias spoke as if he had thoroughly considered his words.

“I told you to protect Sienne, not to like her.”

“Pardon?”

Matthias chuckled and passed him.

“If you don’t know yet, stay ignorant.”

Acid bit his lip tightly, watching Matthias’s retreating figure.

Matthias Mirmord seemed to know the name of this unknown emotion he had for Sienne.

He stood quietly in the hallway and nodded slightly.

‘I want to know what this emotion is.’

But Matthias left.

Grand Duke Selbastian stood in that place. He had been about to follow Matthias right away, but he paused when he saw the small boy in front of the door.

“Oh?”

“Ah, hello. I’m Acid.”

Was it because they had the same hair color and eye color as him?

They looked even more alike than Ted. To be clear, Grand Duke Selbastian looked like an adult Acid.

“So you’re the healer friend I’ve heard about. I’ve heard the story. The capital is buzzing with rumors.”

Grand Duke Selbastian stroked Acid’s hair with a friendly smile. Acid nodded stiffly.

“…That’s right.”

“Uh…”

“Then, goodbye.”

Acid bowed stiffly and passed Selbastian, entering the dining hall.

A boy and a man passed each other like that.

Without promising when they might meet again.

***

The next day, lunchtime, inside the cafeteria of the Imperial Children’s Academy.

Having entered the Imperial Children’s Academy, I put down the bread I was eating and clenched my fist, thinking it was time to achieve the purpose of being here.

‘I have to build connections to protect the Mirmords. Specifically, connections to protect Sienne and Matthias Mirmord.’

Dad may have become a duke, but he had been living in seclusion, so he absolutely lacked connections.

‘Above all, you can’t deal with the temple with ordinary connections.’

Melodia and the Pope had left for the ‘Path of Light,’ but they would definitely return someday. And if my hunch is correct, they would find something important on the ‘Path of Light’ and return even stronger.

‘I need someone who can properly deal with and handle those two.’

And right here in this Imperial Children’s Academy, there was a talent that Melodia coveted in [the name of the novel].

Strong divine power, powerful swordsmanship, and above all, tremendous willpower!

I know they are the same age as me, but I only know their name and brief personal details, so I had no idea how to find them, and even if I did find them, how to become friends.

I took a bite of bread and said to Leonhardt, who was next to me.

“Hey, Leonhardt.”

“Yeah, why?”

“I’m curious. How do you make friends?”

Leonhardt said with a bright, silly smile.

“Huh? We can’t make friends.”

“Why?”

“Because we’re Mirmords. Look now. This cafeteria is so crowded, but there’s no one near us!”

“…Are you happy about that?!”

I felt Leonhardt’s wickedness anew.

‘How can you smile so happily when a child like my younger brother is upset because he has no friends right now?’

This was a clear moral hazard.