This Three-Year-Old Is A Villainess - Chapter 28
With a bewildered expression, I glanced at him.
‘How did Father come back?’
Of course, I had tried to nudge Grandfather through Conrad, with the hope of Father returning.
However, I didn’t really believe that Father would return so soon.
‘I thought it would take much longer.’
Father walked slowly towards Uncle Deacons.
Uncle Deacons exclaimed with surprise,
“What exactly are you doing on Father’s birthday?!”
He appeared quite assertive, but his trembling was evident.
From my perspective, Uncle Deacons, who had seemed so fierce, looked like a mouse in front of Father.
Father’s lips curled up wryly.
‘Uwahh, he looks so much like Grandfather.’
When he smirked like that, he was almost mischievous.
“Deacons, didn’t I already warn you about shouting indiscriminately and regardless of the situation?”
“…”
“My patience is wearing thin.”
“What, what did I do? Just because you and Father are here, don’t act recklessly in front of me—”
Uncle Deacons was babbling, but as soon as Father put his hand on his shoulder, he fell silent.
Then, Father patted Uncle Deacons’ cheek with a hand stained with blood.
His face was emotionless, but his presence itself was intimidating.
Uncle Deacons, who had been shaking, slumped in his chair.
‘If we’re talking about personal strength, Uncle Deacons wouldn’t stand a chance against Father.’
No, in this whole castle, no one could oppose Father by force.
Grandfather didn’t deal with the wayward son because there was ‘no one capable of dealing with him.’
“Enough.”
It was Grandfather’s voice.
Grandfather, who had kept his dry gaze fixed on Father, spoke.
“Even if you were thrust into the battlefield ages ago, you haven’t changed a bit.”
“A mongrel’s pup can’t become more than a mongrel’s pup.”
And a mongrel’s pup is the child of a mongrel.
Father was Grandfather’s son.
Then Grandfather…
‘Yikes!’
Father’s and Grandfather’s gazes collided fiercely in midair.
As the tension escalated, Viscount Debussy began to tidy up the scene.
“It’s getting late, so how about we conclude the dinner party here, Your Grace?”
Grandfather replied while still locking eyes with Father.
“Very well.”
As soon as Grandfather agreed, the maids approached.
“Miss, are you ready to leave?”
“Owkayy….”
I cast a fleeting glance at Father and left the dining hall.
***
The next day.
I woke up with a start as the sun rose.
I urged the maids to quickly bring me a change of clothes.
“Yes, Miss. We’ll get you ready right away.”
The maids who understood why I was so restless chuckled to themselves.
Hilda, while undoing the buttons on my nightgown, said,
“I heard Lord Daymond will be at the castle again today. You must be delighted that he’s here, right, Miss?”
I nodded quietly.
‘Of course. I’m his kid.’
Grandfather might have somewhat acknowledged me now, but who knows what will happen in the future. He has many talented grandchildren, and his attention could shift.
In that case, I might end up as the bottom of the pecking order again.
‘More importantly, if Grandfather were to… you know…’
What kind of life would that be—regarded as nothing more than gum stuck on your shoe, chewed up and spat out by those relatives.
For that time, I needed Father’s help.
‘I should make a good impression.’
Yesterday, with all the tasks of a recent return, there was no time to greet him properly.
I washed my face thoroughly and put on a nice outfit.
“Will you be going to see Lord Daymond? Then, we should prepare to welcome him…”
“No!”
“Huh?”
“I gow awone.”
The maids exchanged surprised looks and burst into laughter. It seemed like they thought I was bashful about seeing Father.
But the truth was, it was more about Hilda and Greta being residents of the ducal residence.
Father didn’t trust the household’s staff for some reason.
I didn’t know the exact reason, but in any case, it meant that I couldn’t have deep conversations if anyone from the duke’s castle was present.
The maids handed me an umbrella.
“Lord Daymond has been stationed at the barracks for a long time. He needs to leave the castle, and it’s going to rain today.”
The weather had been getting warmer lately, and it seemed like spring was finally on its way.
“Owkayy.”
Wearing my raincoat, I waved my hand at the maids and stepped outside.
‘Just because he’s my father doesn’t mean he’ll treat me all nicely.’
If that were the case, wouldn’t he have sent at least one letter during my time in the Twelfth Tower?
‘That aside…’
I recalled the contents of ‘Grandvill’.
On a dark night, Erylotte was listening to the sound coming from her uncle’s room.
“Is it possible that Erylotte isn’t Lord Daymond’s daughter?”
“That’s right. Daymond was on the battlefield long before Erylotte was born. How could he have fathered a child on the battlefield?”
“But then, why did His Grace accept Erylotte?”
“Some say she’s an experiment.”
“An experiment? Like a ‘homunculus’? That’s absurd! Human creation has never succeeded even once. Besides, experimentation is strictly forbidden by law.”
“That’s why His Grace had no choice but to publicly acknowledge her as Daymond’s daughter.”
