The Villain’S Daughter-In-Law Is Inherently Powerful [EN]: Chapter 99

As if throwing a fit, the front door burst open with a bang, and a strange current of air whooshed out from within.

Hwa-iran made an ‘oops’ sound and scratched the back of his head.

“Oh dear, I’m going to get scolded. Now that it’s come to this, I’ll pray that you’re really his daughter. That’s the only way I’ll survive.”

“Scolded? Why?”

“His Majesty has always been, well, a little intimidated by the Queen because of their age difference. Whenever they argued, he would timidly retreat, saying that the Queen deserved a younger man. Ah, this is a secret, okay?”

Hwa-iran winked.

‘Well, it sounded like he wanted me to hear it anyway…’

I imagined a timid, old grandfather. It was hard to picture, but I figured I should act cute if I were his daughter.

“I should treat him with respect.”

Yuri smiled, her eyes crinkling as she took my hand.

I was so drained that I just nodded.

Right, I should treat him with respect.

‘But even so—’

I hope the person inside is my real dad.

‘No more hesitation.’

I clenched my fist tightly, turned around, and hugged Father tightly.

“Thank you for bringing me here.”

“……It was nothing.”

“But if I have to go back, you’ll pick me up, right?”

You can’t just leave me here.

I added playfully, and Father chuckled, stroking my hair.

“Isn’t your place with the Dribblyane? You’ve already married into the family.”

“Yes!”

That’s right. I have a place to belong. So, no matter what happens inside, I’m not afraid.

I mustered courage like a sable [a small, fierce weasel-like animal, symbolizing bravery].

I may be small, but I’m a predator. A carnivorous beastman who can face anything with confidence.

“Let’s go.”

At Father’s word, I took a big step forward.

We all crossed the threshold together, and as soon as we did, I realized that the surrounding air had drastically changed. At the same time… I noticed that no one was beside me.

“Father? Yuri?”

They were clearly right next to me, but they had vanished without a trace.

Startled, I looked around and belatedly realized that this space was covered in ‘clouds’ on all sides.

‘Ah, could what Hwa-iran said earlier have been a hint?’

The King is timid and hides in the clouds, he said.

‘Then this is a place the King created to protect himself. Or perhaps it’s a space within his mind.’

Hwa-iran must have known that only I would be transported here.

‘This is a disaster. Father must have realized I’m gone by now, and he won’t stand still.’

I could easily imagine Father turning the palace and sacred grounds of another country upside down, threatening them to release me. I clutched my head and groaned.

‘Oh, no. I need to get the paternity test done and go back quickly.’

But where is the King?

“You.”

In an instant, I froze, startled by the low voice behind me.

“You’re the child who used alchemy on the ground, aren’t you.”

Huh?

Unlike what I’d heard about him being an old man, his voice was very young. And even pleasant to listen to.

Father’s voice was, if I had to say, a cavalier baritone [a rich, deep singing voice]. Powerful, low bass. With a touch of huskiness.

But this person’s voice wasn’t that low. If I had to classify it, it was a tenor, like the softest silk in the world.

I hesitated and nodded.

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Show me.”

“I need a medium……”

There’s nothing here, so I don’t know what to use for alchemy.

My eyes darted around at the sudden order, and I touched the cloud wall. Clouds are a medium, so I hoped it would work somehow.

‘Hyah!’

I squeezed my eyes shut and unleashed my alchemy, then cautiously opened one eye.

“!”

The space that had been filled with only oatmeal-colored and white clouds until just now!

Unlike what I had intended—to create just a few flowers—a flower garden had spread from where I touched all the way to the ceiling.

“This space is called the Training Chamber. Any alchemy can be performed more easily here. And its power is multiplied.”

Could this be an excuse for Hwa-iran’s words about the King being ‘timid and hiding in the clouds’? That he wasn’t just here for training……?

Thinking that, I found it a little funny and chuckled.

He really is timid, isn’t he? How cute!

“Is that why you won’t show your face?”

“?”

“I want to see your face. You might be my real dad. Or maybe not.”

Everyone around me is brave, so this kind of adult is very refreshing.

“Or… let’s do a blood test first. Will you show me then? But you have to show me even if I’m not your daughter. I came all the way here, after all.”

“……Alright.”

Hmm, he’s a lot gentler than Hwa-iran made him out to be?

The King carefully hugged me.

He trapped me in his arms, but he couldn’t bring himself to touch me, just making a circle with his arms. I stared blankly at his arms.

Judging by the long sleeves, he’s wearing the same style of clothing as the person named Mokhee. The clothes here are very different from those on the ground… What does the King look like wearing this?

“Um, wouldn’t we have to make a wound to do a blood test?”

I put aside my soon-to-be-resolved curiosity for a moment and poked the back of the King’s hand. But the King was so startled that I was embarrassed.

‘And the fact that his arm is in this position means he’s kneeling, right?’

He’s really timid. I guess I, the 2990-year-old, have no choice but to approach him.

“Do you draw blood from a fingertip? I want to find out quickly.”

“Alright…… I will. It will sting.”

The hand that started to tremble slightly grasped my hand. It wasn’t a big, strong hand like Father’s, but a very white and delicate, slender hand.

‘Ouch.’

While I was distracted by admiring his hand, my fingertip stung, and a drop of blood floated into the air. The strange thing was that the wound on my fingertip disappeared cleanly right away.

Then, without hesitation, the King slashed his index finger.

“Wait a minute! No, I mean, I just poked the tip of my finger, but why are you cutting your hand so brutally???!”

The blood from the King’s hand floated into the air like mine had. Of course, the King’s wound healed quickly, but I was so dumbfounded that I was speechless.

“I have eternal life. I won’t die from a wound like this, nor will I feel pain.”

“No, didn’t you think about how I would feel seeing that?”

I shouted, feeling absurd at his tone, which seemed to be trying to soothe me, and I felt a big flinch behind me. It seemed he hadn’t expected me to be shocked at all.

“I’ll…… be careful next time.”

“Haa.”

I thought he was timid, but he’s bold in this way. Is that what happens when you live a long time?

Anyway, our blood droplets collided and orbited each other in the air. Just when I was about to give up, thinking it wasn’t going to work.

Hugging. The blood droplets began to merge.

“Huh?”

Why is it doing that……?

What’s more, the blood, which had been just a liquid, turned into a round ball at some point, and the surface gradually hardened until it became solid. As if… as if to confirm that we are family.

“Kkeuat!”

I was blankly looking up at it when the King hugged me from behind. It was a weak force, but this time it was a proper hug.

‘But instead of his hands, now his whole body is trembling.’

I could tell without him saying anything. That I, that I am his daughter.

He rested his head on my back and sobbed….

“…D…ad?”

“!”

Slowly.

The arms that had been holding me lost all their strength at the faint call.

I hesitated, then turned around very, very slowly.

If he’s my dad, I have to see his face.

I wonder what he looks like.

‘I want to know how much I resemble Dad.’

As I turned around… I could see an adult with his face covered in tears.

His long hair is the same color as mine. The characteristic of starting with silver and turning red towards the end must have been like Dad’s….

The eye color was a little different, mine was a bit more saturated than Dad’s.

‘But the shape of his eyebrows is similar.’

His eyes and nose are shaped differently. Did I get that from Mom?

“Ah ah…….”

Dad squeezed out a sound that was neither a sigh nor an exclamation, but something in between. Transparent tears kept welling up and wetting his entire face, but he didn’t seem to want to stop.

Dad, who had just been staring at me blankly, started hitting his chest at some point.

“You’ve grown up so well. So well… I became a father but couldn’t find you, and just thought you were dead. In the meantime, you’ve grown up so strong….”

Regret and pain.

Joy and sorrow.

And again, joy.

Emotions too deep for my young self to understand swirled around.

Swept away by them, my nose also tingled and tears welled up in my eyes.

“D, ad.”

Can I hug him? Because he’s my dad.

He’s my dad, right? He’s my dad!

My whole body trembled like Dad’s. So this is what happens when you’re really surprised and moved.

I bit my lip tightly, then hugged the dad who had frozen like a statue. Then, as if blood started flowing through his stiff body, Dad creaked and hugged me. Not tightly, just carefully.

After that, there was only silent sobbing.