Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 150

I was at a loss, fidgeting nervously.

I had caused too many incidents at the Ascentrium Grand Hall, and I didn’t know what to say.

My family thought I was just going to introduce the physical therapy device, and then they were completely surprised [struck by the unexpected nature of the events].

I had vehemently dissuaded them from coming to the Grand Hall, so my conscience pricked me even more.

“Umm, D-Dad…”

Should I apologize first?

Or should I try to lighten the mood with some flattery?

As I was carefully assessing the situation, Dad strode towards the carriage I was in.

“Eep?!”

Dad scooped me up through the open window, held me in his arms, and patted my back.

Tap, tap.

‘Huh?’

I looked up at Dad in surprise, and he was looking at me with very tender eyes.

His face was expressionless, making him look cold at first glance, but I knew how warm his gaze was right now.

Even my brothers, who would normally bicker with Dad and cause a ruckus, quietly stroked my hair and caressed my cheeks.

“My most lovable, beautiful, cute, and precious little sister in the world.”

“No matter what anyone says, you are Ixion’s only sister.”

“Shall I stroke your hair?”

“……!”

I was truly shocked.

Zeon wasn’t asking me to stroke his hair, but asking ‘Shall I stroke your hair?’!

I stared at Zeon with trembling pupils as he calmly stroked my hair.

“The wind is chilly. Let’s go inside quickly. I’ve prepared warm cocoa with plenty of marshmallows.”

I nodded at Grandpa’s words.

‘What’s going on?’

My family was treating me like I was fragile glass that would break with the slightest touch.

* * *

The Paeraton ducal family and the Tarenka Marquis were anxiously watching the youngest member of their family.

Hugging the mug with both hands, the child in the Duke’s arms was carefully blowing on the cocoa before taking a sip.

The sweet and warm drink seemed to ease her tension a little, and the child’s face softened.

The Paeraton Duke pressed down on his daughter’s head.

“Don’t pay attention to what others say.”

“Yes.”

“You are my daughter, the only Duchess of Paeraton, and the only direct descendant of Tarenka.”

“Yes.”

Luatisha nodded obediently, looking like she was about to cry.

‘Did she cause an accident without consulting the adults, even though she holds such a weighty position?’

It seemed like she was being scolded.

Luatisha glanced at the Paeraton Duke.

‘Should I apologize now?’

Seeing that, the Paeraton men and the Tarenka Marquis felt like their hearts were breaking.

Our baby! Just this morning, she was so excited about the presentation and went outside!

Now she’s so dispirited and just watching everyone’s reactions!

‘Dare they make my daughter cry with their talk about her mother?’

A cold aura flowed from the Paeraton Duke’s eyes.

However, he suppressed his emotions as much as possible.

He could get revenge for the tears later.

Right now, comforting his wounded daughter came first.

Even though he had learned tenderness thanks to his daughter, this was a first for him.

The Paeraton Duke was at a loss and hesitated for a moment before serving his daughter her favorite cake.

Carefully selecting a piece with a large strawberry on top.

Seeing her cautiously eating it while watching everyone’s reactions, instead of gobbling it up as usual, made his heart burn.

How much must she have shrunk back!

Of course, Luatisha wasn’t the type to be discouraged by such things.

The problem was that none of the people in this room knew that.

The Tarenka Marquis shook his head.

Considering the previous Paeraton Duke, this was a great development, like humanity being able to use fire, but it was still not enough.

“Luatisha.”

“Yes, Grandpa.”

“No words can diminish you. So, you don’t need to diminish yourself. People are not beings that can be diminished in that way.”

At this point, Luatisha also felt something was strange.

“……Aren’t you angry?”

“Why would I be angry with my daughter?”

“Um……”

Luatisha hesitated.

‘Because I caused an accident?’

Her family must have already heard everything, from using the video stone as a surveillance camera to expose Sophia and Mrs. Huen.

They probably guessed where she got the recording of the outrageous remarks she heard at Mrs. Sheruin’s tea party.

‘Then they must have realized that today’s events weren’t a coincidence, but my plan.’

They knew why Luatisha had vehemently dissuaded her family from attending.

It ended well, but that didn’t erase the fact that she had used the presentation to cause an accident.

If something had gone wrong in the middle, it would have become a problem for Paeraton, not just Luatisha’s personal matter.

“I’m not angry with you.”

“Yes……”

“And一.”

The Paeraton Duke paused and gazed at his daughter.

“No matter what happens, there is nothing you could do that would make me angry.”

“……”

“Even if you stabbed me in the heart with a knife and took it out.”

Luatisha opened her mouth but couldn’t find the words and closed it again.

Not being angry even if she betrayed and killed him.

What kind of heart was that?

“……Um, wouldn’t it be better to get angry in that case?”

That was all she could say.

“I’ll never get angry either!”

“Since my sister is weak, I’ll hold the knife and guide her to stab the heart accurately, avoiding the ribs.”

“There’s no need to dirty our youngest’s hands. I’ll take care of my own life.”

“This grandpa has lived long enough too.”

‘No, these people……’

Luatisha put her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows.

“Don’t talk about dying so easily! If you mention dying in front of me one more time, I’ll never forgive you and I’ll hate you forever!”

At those words, her family stared at their youngest with wide eyes.

“You have to survive even if I try to kill you, and then scold me!”

The Paeraton men and the Tarenka Marquis lowered their heads.

“Saying you’ll die so carelessly, was that wrong or not wrong!”

“Wrong.”

“Sorry.”

“I was wrong.”

“I won’t do it again.”

“This grandpa will set a new record for longevity.”

“Good.”

Luatisha nodded, puffing out her cheeks.

Sandra, who was hiding in the shadows, watched with trembling eyes.

She had been assigned to the WBD [likely an acronym for a guard unit] escort and had seen all sorts of things, but……

‘To think I’d see the Duke’s family being scolded by the youngest Princess.’

They looked like they would kneel, raise their hands, and do whatever they were told if the youngest didn’t forgive them.

She couldn’t believe it even after seeing it with her own eyes.

Luatisha straightened her stern expression and fidgeted in the Paeraton Duke’s arms.

The family’s words were a little embarrassing, awkward, and ticklish, but一.

‘Still, it feels good.’

Whenever she realized how loved she was, her heart felt as secure as leaning against a broad back.

Luatisha giggled and leaned into the Paeraton Duke’s arms.

‘But why is my family acting like this?’

“Lulu.”

“Yes, Dad.”

“Your mother leaving early…… It’s not your fault.”

“Pardon?”

“I know it’s hard to shake off the words you heard every day when you were young. But it’s really not your fault.”

Luatisha blankly looked at the Paeraton Duke’s face before turning her gaze away.

Zeon, Ares, Ixion, and Grandpa were all looking at her with similar eyes.

‘Ah, so that’s why they came all the way to the front gate?’

Not to scold her for causing an accident, but because they heard she was called an orphan?

‘Ah, right. I cried.’

Luatisha belatedly realized.

She had stood on the stage and cried openly, so she now realized how surprised her family must have been to hear that news.

‘I was so shocked that I blew my nose into the microphone that I forgot about it……’

It would have been nice if I had kept forgetting.

“I’m really okay! I’m fine!”

Luatisha shook her fists vigorously.

But the more she did, the deeper her family’s gazes sank.

‘To think that a child who cried in front of so many people is trying so hard to act bright.’

‘I must protect my sister.’

‘I must cleanse those who dared to defile my youngest’s ears.’

‘Such a tiny fluffball, foolishly pretending to be okay. I can comfort her this time.’

They had filleted Sophia and Mrs. Huen alive and returned, but in the eyes of her family, the youngest was just a helpless and pitiful angel.

‘Incredible Lulu filter……!’

Fris clicked his tongue as he watched the scene.

The problem was that his own life was in danger because of that Lulu filter.

He gave Luatisha a desperate look.

‘Please save me, young lady!’

* * *

After putting his daughter to bed, the Paeraton Duke returned to his office.

The office was quiet and half-melted into the darkness.

The Paeraton Duke leaned against the window, gazing down at the winter garden and lost in thought.

Luatisha had honestly told her family about what had happened today.

“I’m sorry. I thought you would stop me if I told you in advance……”

“We wouldn’t have stopped you.”

“……I thought it would disrupt the plan.”

Her family couldn’t refute that.

To be honest, the moment they heard that Luatisha had been called ‘an orphan,’ they wanted to make Mrs. Huen and her daughter kneel immediately.

“Hoo……”

“I’m sorry for acting on my own. It could have harmed the family. But I thought I would succeed.”

“Lulu.”

“Yes.”

“You can cause trouble and harm the family. No, you can squander all the family’s wealth and even destroy the family.”

“Pardon?!”

“That power exists for your happiness.”

His daughter’s wide eyes couldn’t have been more lovely.

“That’s right. Why do you think you have to cater to those other nobles, even while holding back from doing what you want to do?”

“I feel like I should just sweep them all away…… Ahem.”

“I mean clean them up.”

“……Were you holding back now? I thought you were doing everything you wanted to do.”

“I’m disappointed. If I had done what this grandpa wanted, I would have already made Tarenka’s heir一 Ahem!”

The Tarenka Marquis shut his mouth at the gazes of the four men.

The Paeraton Duke paused as he recalled that time.

He realized that he was in a slightly pleasant and joyful state.

Paeraton doesn’t need family affection.

Emotional exchange, feelings between people.

Such things are cumbersome and incomprehensible.

“No. You just haven’t realized it yet.”

He remembered what Inais had said with a gleam in her eyes, as if she found it amusing.

“And someday you will realize it, for sure.”

Inais was right.

That little child had secretly entered his heart and was causing a ruckus while crying her eyes out.

With that commotion, he couldn’t help but realize that the child had already entered deep into his heart and was lying down.

His sons were the same.

They were related by blood but didn’t care about each other, but now they were sitting together and talking.

He was now joking with the Tarenka Marquis, whom he thought he would never see again.

They had become a family before he knew it.

It was all thanks to that little child.

An child who didn’t have great power or oppressive magic, but was stronger than anyone else, had done it.

‘It would have been nice if you were alive too.’

It was the first thought that had become a sentence.

And that sentence left a deeper mark than any other thought.

“Why are you saying it like it’s so fun? Usually, people say it with sadness.”

“Because you already love me, right? Why would I be sad when I’m watching you realize that and waiting? It’s fun.”

The smiling face was just like Luatisha’s.

“I think I’m going too fast. I wanted to wait a little longer. But……”

Even while vomiting blood, Inais didn’t stop talking.

She smiled as she stroked her husband’s cheek with a trembling hand.

It was a playful smile even at this moment.

Like someone proposing a sure-win bet.

“My daughter will wait for you. So you can realize it.”

Inais was right until the moment she died.

The Paeraton Duke raised his head and looked at the building across the way.

It was where Luatisha’s bedroom was located.

Then, without warning, the door opened.

The Paeraton Duke didn’t react, as if he had expected it.

The Tarenka Marquis, who had entered the office, sat on the sofa and crossed his long legs.

Only then did the Paeraton Duke turn around.

“So.”

At that low voice, two shadows appeared from the darkness.

It was Fris, the deputy commander of Tarenka’s information organization, Black Wind, and Sandra, the head of Paeraton’s WBD [likely an acronym for a guard unit] guard.

“What do you want to say to me?”

At that question, the two bowed sharply.

“We deserve to die for daring to disobey our lord’s orders!”

The two shouted in unison.

The Paeraton Duke raised one eyebrow with a cold face.

“Is that all you have to say?”

“……We are sorry. It is all our fault. If you demand anything other than death, we will comply accordingly. After all, this body and life belong solely to our lord.”

“No, no.”

The Tarenka Marquis shook his head.

“You are the ones who move according to the orders of me and the Paeraton Duke. Your loyalty and ability are unmatched by others.”

At those words, the two lowered their heads without even raising their faces.

They had been given so much trust, yet they had betrayed their lord’s faith……

But somehow, the Paeraton Duke’s next words were strange.

“So, you’re saying that my daughter captured such people in an instant……”

“My granddaughter’s skills are truly amazing.”

“My daughter is indeed a prodigy among prodigies. She takes after me.”

“Huh?”