A Secretly Capable Child Is Seeking For Her Dad (Novel) - Chapter 130

Chapter 130

Tie stopped short in the middle of removing the paper stuck to her cheek.

On the front of the paper, two picture-like things were clipped with a thin clip.

“……Uh, huh?”

A bewildered sound leaked from Tie’s mouth when she checked the pictures.

The butler came closer and examined Tie’s complexion.

“Are you all right?”

But Tie only kept her gaze fixed straight ahead.

Only after a long while did the child open her mouth in a bewildered voice.

“What is this?”

But the butler answered with a troubled face.

“That I cannot tell you. Since it is a document internal to the family……”

At that moment Valentis raised one hand.

“It is fine. That is what is called a magic portrait, which has recently begun replacing paintings.”

As she helped Tie to her feet, the magic portrait clutched tightly in the child’s hand, she continued speaking.

“It is a device that, when used under light with a certain tool, reproduces things more perfectly than a portrait.”

But Tie gave no answer.

He only kept staring at the magic portrait as if bewitched.

Before long, Tie hesitantly raised her head.

And pointing at the magic portrait with his index finger, he asked,

“Then wh-who is this person……?”

Valentis closed his mouth.

The person in the magic portrait Tie was looking at was Theseos.

His son, whose safety he had with difficulty been confirming from afar by sending people.

But Valentis answered in a composed manner.

“One called Tesetan Veronio. He is the little commander of the mercenary company that currently holds the highest rank.”

In effect, keeping an eye on the movements of mercenaries was, as Grand Commander of the religious order, something he properly ought to do.

Meanwhile, in Tie’s ears, the name ‘Tesetan’ was echoing like a heavy reverberation.

“Tesetan……”

At first, it had been a suspicion as tiny and small as a chickpea.

But when Mister Basto said that no matter what happened he would never become a Holy Knight.

Tie made up her mind inwardly.

‘I’m going to look just one more time.’

Maybe Daddy had been a mercenary, not a Holy Knight.

So this would be the last time.

He thought that when they returned to the base, this time he would have to check the faces of mercenaries one by one instead of Holy Knights.

But, but!

‘Daddy really was a mercenary……?’

When he saw Daddy’s clear face in the magic portrait, his tears stopped with a plunk instead.

The hand holding the paper did not move, and even his lips did not open well.

Only then did Tie realize that she had been holding her breath.

The child consciously began taking quick breaths.

Seeing that, Veil at once came closer and asked with a serious face.

“Kid! Are you okay?”

But Tie, after swallowing hard, reflexively looked over the document behind the picture.

Difficult words flew into his trembling field of vision and struck him in a jumble.

Mercenary company of Talochium.

Activities in the North Continent.

Price increase. Expansion of influence.

Unusual course. Excellent.

Standing, atmosphere, rank, return, budget, results, magic stones, response…….

His breathing became quicker and quicker.

Tie blinked very slowly once.

Then, after taking one final breath, he fainted right into Veil’s arms.

* * *

“There is no other abnormality. It is only that he lost consciousness because the balance of his breathing was momentarily disturbed.”

At Alexander’s words, Valentis at last let out the breath he had been holding in.

Cold sweat, the sort that had not easily come even while he was going around battlefields, was standing on his forehead.

Raul, standing on the opposite side of the bed, muttered,

“……How great must the sense of loss be for him to lose consciousness?”

With a troubled expression, she looked down at Tie’s sleeping face.

“Just how shocked must he have been……”

“Damn it! Even I feel at a loss now.”

Veil, roughly sweeping back his hair, muttered.

“I thought we would be able to find him. Why the hell doesn’t he show up even after searching every Holy Knight in the whole continent. At this point, shouldn’t he read the room and show up already?!”

The day before they came to the Luminen mansion.

Veil and Basto received a telegram from Marquis Waveril that flew to Agabert’s base.

Its contents were that the marquis had continued investigating, but still had not found anyone suspected of being Astie’s father.

“Perhaps it is only natural.”

Nordix muttered.

“Is there a single thing that is exact, name or age or anything else. Astie at least remembers her appearance, but……”

Even that was nothing more than the clues of black hair, a height ‘this much’ as Tie put it, and green-brown eyes.

“In truth, we can continue looking for Astie’s father as much as we want. Even if there is no result at all.”

Basto said in a cracked voice.

“But because Tie suffers in the process, because it is hard to watch her like that……”

Basto’s eyes were bloodshot.

Without a word, Lucarion took sleeping Tie’s hand.

Ppuppu too drooped her nose and curled her body by Tie’s bedside.

Leaving Valentis and the three young masters, who said nothing, behind.

For a long while, silence drifted through the room.

Tie opened her eyes only after the sun had gone down.

But the child, about to get up from her place, froze right where she was.

Raul and Enzo were snoring with their upper bodies hunched over on both sides of the bed.

On the sofa opposite, Basto and Veil were sleeping with their heads leaned against each other,

and beside them Nordix too could be seen, sitting crouched on the floor.

It was then.

“You’re awake?”

Lucarion’s voice came from the side.

Startled, Tie turned her head, and Lucarion briefly flicked her finger.

At once a transparent film formed around Tie, Ppuppu, and Lucarion, blocking out the sound outside.

“You can speak comfortably.”

Tie bit her lips tightly, then said in a dispirited voice,

“Kkamang, Tie…… found Daddy.”

Lucarion frowned.

That was because she had not expected Tie’s words at all.

But Tie only continued speaking in a sullen way.

“Our Daddy’s real name is Tesetan, they say. They say he’s the little commander of that super strong number 1 mercenary company. But……”

“……”

“Everyone says Daddy’s personality is rotten. They say he’s someone who hates people, a nasty monster who’s only strong. They said so in Pearl City.”

Lucarion blinked blankly.

‘That man’s identity was the commander of Trevaga?’

It was a little bewildering, but if that were true, what Tie said was correct.

Because there were generally many negative evaluations of Tesetan, commander of Trevaga.

“And in the weapons district, the master blacksmith misters said so too. They said Daddy has neither blood nor tears. They said if there’s something he wants, he charges in like a wild boar, and obstacles…… he sweeps them all away.”

Tie lowered her head deeply.

A little later, the eyes of Astie and Lucarion met in the air as Astie raised her gaze.

For some reason, Tie said in a tearful voice,

“Kkamang. Remember when we became friends for the first time?”

“I remember.”

“Back then you said, Tie has to leave everything behind here. So Tie really did leave all the memories with Daddy behind, right?”

“Yes.”

“But now that I found Daddy, we have to become family again from the beginning, but……”

Tears welled at the corners of Tie’s eyes.

“No matter what, this Daddy probably won’t like Tie very much, right?”

Lucarion did not answer.

Because Tie’s prediction was probably correct.

Perhaps knowing that too, Tie continued speaking by herself.

“Tie thinks if one day some mister Tie doesn’t know came and said she was Tie’s dad, that would be scary and I’d hate it.”

“……”

“So Daddy is the same. If Tie goes to Daddy and suddenly says I’m your daughter…… Daddy too will be scared and hate it.”

The child’s gaze turned toward the members sleeping around them.

“And also, I think the members don’t like it when Tie feels hurt.”

Lucarion’s lips parted slightly.

He had thought they were asleep.

It seemed Tie had heard every word of the conversation the members shared while half asleep.

“Veil hyung too, Grandpa Nordix too, Raul hyung and Enzo hyung too, when Tie feels hurt, I think their hearts hurt together.”

Tie remembered the day she received Daddy’s box of belongings.

When Tie did not know what to do, Grandma in Unit 107 and the lady in Unit 203 had been sadder than Tie was.

Tie raised her head.

And, forcing a smile with tear-filled eyes, he said,

“Kkamang. Tie doesn’t have flounder, but I have another favor again.”

Without realizing it, Lucarion clenched his fist tightly.

Then, embracing the child whose shoulders had drooped, she answered.

“Say it. I will do whatever you want me to do.”