Chapter 42
When I turned my head, Dad was staring at me.
“Ma— I mean, what do you mean by ‘it’s okay’?”
I almost called him “Master” without thinking and hurriedly changed my words. For now, I was the daughter who got along well with her father. And a daughter who was head over heels for him, right?
“Everything you are thinking.”
“…….”
……He talks as if he knows exactly what’s on my mind.
Dad tilted his head loosely while crossing his arms.
“And there is no need to force yourself to speak formally.”
It was a small voice, audible only to me.
“Since you aren’t even used to it.”
“Ugh.”
I flinched.
‘……Does this mean I should quit if I’m going to force the polite speech?’
I nodded brightly.
It’s not me, but the old man who wants this, so I’m just humoring him.
“Fine.”
Anyway, since the servant had said so, we had no choice but to move.
However, the “moving” part…… involved being carried in Dad’s arms.
Why on earth?
Agenor was walking beside Dad, while the gang including Bayan followed in front, and the Chairperson followed behind.
‘Wow, the blatant stares.’
I could feel it even while just being carried. Everyone was either glancing at Dad while pretending not to or staring openly.
‘He’s a total celebrity.’
I gently hugged Dad’s neck, clinging to his chest, and whispered.
“Ma— I mean, Dad. Can’t I just walk on my own feet?”
“With those legs of yours, when do you plan on arriving?”
“What’s wrong with my legs?”
“If you plan on arriving after the meeting is over, I’ll put you down.”
“…….”
He really leaves me speechless.
Moreover, the low voice he whispered so only I could hear was just indifferent and prickly. It would be so nice if he said it kindly. This is a talent, truly.
‘Fine. It’s good for me if rumors spread like this.’
Let’s take the wins where I can. I tilted my head up slightly. I saw his sharp, blade-like jawline that looked a bit thin.
‘But what about Dad?’
What does he gain from doing this?
It was a question I couldn’t ask in this spot. Short dialogue was one thing, but there were too many eyes gathered to have a long, sincere conversation.
“Agenor.”
“Yeah?”
Agenor, who was walking, turned his head as if he had been waiting.
“Have you ever been to the Hall of Waves where we’re going now?”
Rather than Dad, whose inner thoughts I couldn’t read, the third brother who displayed an almost burdensome obsession was better. I had already been to the Hall of Waves before, but I played innocent. In this life, it was my first time.
“Yes. Because it’s held there every time.”
Agenor explained.
Usually, family meetings rotated between the three largest halls in this mansion, but he said they generally used the Hall of Waves.
“Everyone’s seat is fixed. A servant will guide you once you enter. Well, I’m not sure since Ma— I mean, Father is with you.”
Agenor looked at Pierre once and rolled his eyes.
Right. You’re also confused trying to switch from “Master” to “Father,” aren’t you?
The story that followed was also a fact I knew well, but I nodded as if hearing it for the first time.
‘Come to think of it…… after I became the Head, I didn’t use the Hall of Waves at all, did I?’
There was no other reason; I just hated it because it was Grandma’s favorite hall. Until I became the Head in my previous life, I was filled with loathing and hatred toward Grandma. Because of that, I was entering a building I hadn’t visited much myself.
Before long, we arrived at the Hall of Waves together.
As they reached the door, Bayan and his gang, who were leading the way, naturally stepped aside to make a path so Dad could enter first.
I frowned in Dad’s arms.
‘What is that guy doing?’
Dad nonchalantly passed them and stood before the door. I also stared at the door, ignoring them.
‘I’ve arrived again.’
The Hall of Waves had two meanings.
One was that, like its name, the doors were deep blue, and inside was a hall carved with marble that looked like billowing waves.
And the other meaning was the Hall of “Turmoil.”
It literally meant a place where turmoil occurs.
‘A name given because every incident of turmoil throughout the history of the Killer Whales occurred here.’
The moment the doors opened and we entered the massive hall.
I felt a gaze on a completely different dimension from what I felt at the Disciplinary Committee.
‘I’m seeing this again.’
The numbers were staggering.
While being carried in Dad’s arms, I was busy diligently scanning the assembly hall.
The seats were truly packed tight. The hair colors were also colorful and diverse. Well, the vassals and branch families must have all gathered.
‘The view the Head sees every time.’
This place was shaped like a fan, much like a National Assembly conference room, but composed of tiers. The higher you went, the further you were from the center; naturally, that was where those with weaker influence sat.
In the center of the fan, there was a Chairperson’s seat, just like in the Disciplinary Committee room.
It was the seat of the Head.
I saw the majestic figure of the Head sitting on the throne.
It was my grandmother, Ocula Aquasiadel.
“Heh, look who it is.”
Grandmother, who had been wearing a bored expression, narrowed one eye at our appearance. At the same time, she slightly raised the corners of her mouth.
“Is this not the son I thought was dead?”
Dad stopped his feet for a moment at the shrill voice. Then, while holding me, he slowly bowed his waist.
In a way, it was polite, but in another way, it was a mysterious attitude—as if he was only going to show the bare minimum of etiquette.
“I greet the Family Head.”
“Seeing as you speak, it seems you are not a ghost.”
“…….”
“Are you not dead yet? You should have just gone off and died somewhere.”
Even though it was just a casual remark, it was filled with an energy that couldn’t be ignored.
‘The relationship between mother and son is quite chilling.’
Then again, I knew well enough that Grandma didn’t like Dad being tucked away in the west.
“Phew, just thinking about it now makes me dizzy. Whenever Pierre and the former Head met, it was just……”
“Mhm, mhm. I remember.”
Even after Dad and Grandma died, the subordinates used to chatter about it whenever they were bored.
While I was worrying about what to do, I made eye contact with Grandma. During that moment of tension, Grandma’s gaze passed right over me and headed toward the people entering behind us.
“I greet the Family Head.”
Bayan, who received her gaze, offered a polite greeting.
Ha, seeing his upright appearance—so different from when he picked a fight with me—made a laugh escape me.
‘I wondered why that guy suddenly acted like he was yielding the entry order at the door. It’s because he didn’t want to be the first one to hear a word from Grandma?’
Since you lack guts even in a place like this, that’s why you couldn’t become the Head.
I was chewing him out mentally, but for some reason…
Instead of giving Bayan any attention, Grandma turned her blade-like gaze back to stare at me.
“Heh, you’re a familiar face too. Was that little dumpling-like thing still alive?”
I accepted it nonchalantly.
‘You must have heard all the news about me already. What are you talking about?’
There’s no way I’d die easily. I’m leaving this house only after I see you die of a stomachache from jealousy.
I hid my inner thoughts and beamed a bright smile.
“Grandmother!”
“…….”
“Hello.”
While being held by Dad, I placed my hands over my navel and bowed. Then, I gave Grandma a wide grin.
“You’ve become even younger since I last saw you, Grandmother!”
Grandmother let out a short laugh while looking at me. Only her eyes remained piercing.
“The clever thing learned flattery first.”
I didn’t let the smile fade from my face.
Was she being angry? No, the grandmother I know…
“You are better than your father, who is stiff as a board.”
…likes those who are cheeky.
I crinkled my eyes. Then, pretending to snuggle into Dad, I quickly whispered.
“Dad, did you see? Grandma loves flattery to death, so learn a bit from me.”
“…….”
* * *
Pierre looked at his daughter with somewhat dumbfounded eyes. Calypso did not lose her smile even while whispering like rapid-fire.
“It’s okay, if you don’t know, just learn it through practice……!!”
His gaze was almost close to “What on earth is this creature?”
There was no way she didn’t know this, yet it was felt that Calypso was subtly feigning ignorance.
What was she even saying? If it was about seeing the Head Ocula Aquasiadel, wouldn’t Pierre have seen and known her much more?
“……Ha.”
Calypso was a bit surprised. When she raised her head at the sound of a breath, Pierre was laughing softly. It’s not like I haven’t seen him smile until now, but I couldn’t help but feel surprised at such a defenseless smile.
*Dad, do you even know how to laugh like that?*
And there were those watching Pierre’s small laugh from nearby. The surrounding branch members and vassals held their breath, and some were even startled.
“Did you see? Lord Pierre laughed……”
“I didn’t see it wrong, right? Right?”
The Family Head Ocula, who was watching leisurely, also witnessed this, and her snow-white eyebrows shot up slightly toward the sky.
As people secretly focused on the father and daughter in this manner, sounds that the current Calypso could not yet hear were caught sharply by Pierre’s sensitive senses.
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