Episode 125

Even after that, Yurian’s efforts to catch a glimpse of Princess Yvonne continued.

“Your Grace.”

“Yeah.”

“Are you seriously considering marriage?”

Yurian silently stared at his aide. Avoiding his gaze, the aide continued speaking, knowing full well that if he looked into Yurian’s eyes, he’d be too frightened to get a word out.

“No, seriously now. You’ve never cared about engagements or anything like that before, but suddenly you’re all over the social scene.”

“….”

“Is platinum hair really your type?”

“…So the rumors have gotten twisted again.”

Yurian didn’t think it was simply Yvonne’s silver hair that drew him to her. The sweet scent that lingered around her was pleasant, yes—but that wasn’t it either.

It was her expression. The stark difference between the way she smiled at the Emperor and how she looked when he wasn’t watching—that disparity lingered in his mind.

“What exactly are people saying about me?”

“Do you have any idea how many love letters you’ve received, Your Grace?”

“No.”

If it wasn’t from the imperial palace, Yurian had his aide read all correspondence first. As a result, no letters ever reached him directly.

“Your Grace, if you really have your eye on someone, please just tell me.”

“…Why?”

“It’d be better if I did the digging instead of you charging in yourself. Do you even know how many events you’ve attended this week?”

“How many?”

“Ten. In just one week!”

“Really.”

Yurian had a habit of slipping out quickly if it seemed Yvonne wouldn’t attend or jumping to another event entirely—so he had no idea how many he’d actually been to.

“So just tell me, please!”

The aide suddenly stepped forward, blocking Yurian’s path. Yurian glanced down at the slightly smaller man standing in his way.

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

“Because I can’t.”

“Oh no. Don’t tell me…”

“….”

“You’re interested in a man?!”

“You’ve lost your mind.”

Despite that outburst, the aide had no choice but to keep watching Yurian weave in and out of social circles.

It took a long time before Yurian gave up hope that the ever-elusive Princess Yvonne might appear at least once at a social gathering.

* * *

Surprisingly, Yurian didn’t first see Princess Yvonne at a ball. For nearly a year, he hadn’t even caught a glimpse of her hair. Aside from the New Year’s Ceremony, she was entirely hidden behind curtains at every other event.

“Dad!”

Her voice, as she ran and clung to the Emperor, was subtly unstable.

“My daughter. You came to see me?”

“Yes!”

Yvonne threw herself into Hildebrandt’s arms. The Emperor, in a good mood after crushing and humiliating his ministers during the council meeting, embraced her in return.

“Eek!”

The Emperor lifted her up, smiling with a dangerous glint in his eyes. Yvonne, meeting his gaze, struggled to suppress her trembling, forcing a bright smile as she clung to him.

“I always want to see you, Dad.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Truly.”

Something about the scene felt off to Yurian. Though their words were affectionate, Hildebrandt’s body seemed to seethe with hidden anger, and Yvonne was clearly trying to mask her fear.

“You’re my favorite person in the world, Dad.”

“I see.”

Strangely, the more she spoke, the more Hildebrandt’s fury seemed to rise.

Yurian had heard countless times about how dearly the Emperor adored the princess. But the truth, as Yurian had observed using his ability, was something else entirely.

He looked at them again, confused. On the surface, they appeared to be a perfect father and daughter.

Except for the trembling in Yvonne’s hands.

“Dad, hold me tighter.”

“Why?”

“I’m afraid you’ll leave me again…”

“Hah.”

Hildebrandt released her with a mocking laugh.

“You’re too heavy to hold anymore.”

“Thank you for holding me just now. That’s enough for me.”

“….”

“I’m so happy to see you. I must be lucky today.”

She met his eyes with a radiant smile, yet she was shaking. Yurian could see it clearly.

“If you want your luck to last, awaken, daughter. I can’t keep entertaining your little games.”

“I’m sorry.”

“If you’re sorry, then do better.”

“Yes. Still, I really love you, Dad.”

Once again, she clung to him without hesitation, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. As if she were truly terrified.

But Hildebrandt’s hands never returned the embrace—they simply dropped to his sides.

It was a strange sight, to say the least.

After that, Yurian didn’t see her at all.

The next time he did—

“Those damned seers told me something. That Leonhardt bastard is why our daughter can’t awaken. So I brought him.”

“…Ah.”

“They said he must kneel before her, beneath her feet. Then she’ll awaken.”

Though everything was hazy, Yurian would never forget that voice—even if he died.

“My daughter, after all I’ve done, surely you won’t disappoint me by failing to awaken?”

“Haha… O-Of course not.”

But that irritating voice… it suited the face he had seen once before.

When he lost consciousness and then awoke again, the figure he saw was still faint—but so beautiful, it felt unreal.

“Ah, hello?”

She seemed, rather sloppily, to be on guard against him—but strangely, Yurian was glad to see her.

Glad enough to forget that he had spent nearly his entire life imprisoned and treated like a criminal.

Yurian didn’t want to kill Princess Yvonne. The one he wanted to kill was the Emperor—for not only dragging him here, but locking him away as well.

To treat a duke, who had brought glory to the empire, like this… it was beyond outrageous.

“You smell… nice.”

He hadn’t meant to say that. But without the sedative, he felt like he was dying. The scent she gave off made him believe, falsely, that he might recover just by being near her.

“For the sake of trust, I should tell you—this restraint device. It doesn’t block vision if I use my powers.”

“…Pardon?”

“Princess Yvonne Ferrite Bricesys.”

It wasn’t really about trust. He just wanted to see her flustered—unlike the false face she showed her father.

Seeing her surprised expression, her pretty lips parting in shock—that alone made the words worth saying. Honestly, Yurian felt that once he recovered, he could escape this place.

Restraints on a top-tier ability user? It was only a matter of time before they failed.

Besides, he was a body-enhancement type. Unlike other types, he could exert physical force. And she hadn’t given him the suppressant drugs meant to subdue people like him.

Could it mean she truly trusted him?

“Your Highness, may I have the medicine?”

“Unfortunately, I don’t have any today.”

“…I see.”

Yurian felt that after she visited, he could endure without any medicine—just from the breath she left behind.

“Ah!”

“Ugh!”

Without realizing it, driven by his need for the sedative, Yurian buried his nose in Yvonne’s neck. Whether it was her strength or his own weakened state from the restraints, her blow hurt more than expected.

“Y-You’re the one who acted weird first!”

“Apologies. You smelled too good. Feel free to hit me again.”

He should’ve stopped there.

“You can slap me too. As hard as you’d like, preferably.”

“Are you insane?”

“I think so. When you touch me, the pain from my mana eases.”

“You’re insane.”

“Yes.”

His true feelings spilled out. The moment she struck him, the pain had vanished.

Now Yurian waited for her visits. When she didn’t come, the mana pain felt like knives stabbing him. But when she did, he felt better—and if she hit him again, life felt bearable.

“There’s a condition if you want to leave here.”

“What is it?”

“You have to take me with you.”

“…What?”

Yurian was stunned. What was she thinking, saying something like that to him?

If he hadn’t known she was Princess Yvonne, he might’ve killed her without looking at her face. His mana was out of control—he couldn’t regulate it.

And the Emperor’s obsession with her—whether his affection was fake or not—his attachment was real. The look in those blue eyes was proof.

“What do you think I’ll do to you if I get out of here?”

“We part ways. You reclaim your dukedom, and I live my life.”

That answer irritated him deeply. It made it feel like she was confirming that he had no place in her future, even though he already knew that.

“Why do you want to be slapped? Are you some kind of pervert?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“I want to touch you, Your Highness.”

He had worked up the courage to say it.

“If you dislike that, at least hold my hand.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Touching you calms my mana.”

“You’re imagining it.”

“My side effects vanish too.”

“That’s also your imagination.”

She was an incredibly firm person. So much so that even talking to her was… oddly enjoyable.

TL/N: Again with the cringy Dad/ daddy plot shit