“Did you have a change of heart? It feels like just yesterday you said you’d never see those kids again.”
“Aah.”
Cherrya answered with a wide grin.
“After thinking about it, I realized I don’t have a reason to avoid them. Plus, I kind of know how to handle them now.”
“They seemed to listen to you so well.”
“People usually become a bit more gentle and considerate towards someone who has saved their life.”
Cherrya laughed, saying that since she was injured, a bit of whining would get her anything she wanted.
However, Benedict noticed that the blush on the cheeks of the three children wasn’t just from guilt. It reminded him of the way people would blush when looking at Melsia.
“Anyway, Cherrya, you don’t want to go to the award ceremony?”
Benedict sat on the edge of Cherrya’s bed, gently stroking her hair.
Cherrya, as always, enjoyed his touch with her eyes closed, but her words were far from lovely.
“Nope, I’m not going.”
Her casual reply hid a stubbornness that Benedict immediately recognized. Convincing her wouldn’t be easy.
“Why you don’t want to?”
“You’ve heard it. It’s a party for Enoch, by Enoch, to glorify Enoch. Why should I help to make him shine?”
“Everyone knows that you stopped the monster’s movement, Cherrya. Didn’t Enoch publicly say that he can caught the monster thanks to you? Both of you are the stars of the event.”
Despite of Benedict’s persuasion, Cherrya shook her head vigorously.
“Look at me. I look like I fought not one but all the monsters in the forest. But the one who actually killed it was Enoch, who looks perfectly fine. Those people will think about how weak I am?”
“Where did you learn to talk like that, Cherrya?”
“Anyway, it’s embarrassing, so I’m not going!”
While Benedict was shocked by Cherrya’s choice of words, Cherrya turned her back and pulled the blanket over her head.
“Haaa, Cherrya. Do you think this father doesn’t know your true feelings?”
Benedict understood why Cherrya was acting out.
It seemed like she was being stubborn about not going to the ceremony, but that wasn’t the real reason. The way her ears peeked out from under the blanket and twitched gave it away.
“Tell me what you want, Cherrya.”
Cherrya was, in a sense, trying to negotiate.
“…..….”
She pulled the blanket down and sat up, her eyes shining with determination as she faced Benedict.
“Swordsmanship training.”
Cherrya answered firmly, her face set with resolve. She seemed prepared for any argument Benedict might make.
“Even if I allow it, the head of the family prohibited your swordsmanship training.”
“I know. But there is someone in the Emblem who can persuade Grandfather.”
“Who do you mean?”
“Don’t pretend that you don’t know, dad.”
Cherrya curled one side of her lips upward and spoke with a serious tone, devoid of any humor.
“It’s you, Dad.”
“………”
“The true power behind Emblem.”
Benedict remained silent for a moment. Under the unwavering gaze of his daughter, he finally let out a soft, leaking laugh and replied.
“I didn’t know my daughter was so perceptive.”
“It would be strange if I didn’t know. Even if Mom or Grandpa oppose something, if you want it, you find a way to get it.”
“You’re quite smart.”
Benedict smiled warmly at Cherrya, who reminded him so much of himself. The trait of using any means to get what one wants definitely ran in their blood. Every time he saw this aspect of his daughter, a reflection of himself, he felt an overwhelming affection.
“Come here, my lovely daughter.”
“Yes, Dad.”
Cherrya obediently nestled into Benedict’s arms. He knew that one day her small frame would grow too big to hold like this. Thinking about that, Benedict cherished this moment even more.
Although time inevitably passes, ever since Cherrya was born, he desperately wanted to hold on to it.
His daughter seemed to grow up too quickly. Seeing her take steps forward filled him with both pride and a touch of fear.
“Sometimes, Dad gets scared. That you’ll grow up too fast and leave.”
“Where would I go? I’ll stay right by you and Mom.”
“That’s what scares parents.”
He continued to gently stroke Cherrya’s soft hair.
“Even as your dad, I can’t just convince your Grandpa and Mom without the right cards and timing.”
“So?”
Cherrya looked up from his arms, her lovely amber eyes shining with expectation.
It was Benedict’s favorite sight. He kissed her on the corner of her eye and said,
“Tell me your plan.”
Cherrya had been discouraged from practicing swordsmanship by the threats from Seffield and Melsia that she might never hold a sword again.
It wasn’t like when she was driven solely by the desire to defeat Enoch; she had now genuinely fallen in love with swordsmanship itself.
The threat had worked well at first, but it seemed she had been plotting something else while she was resting quietly.
“Well, first…”
Benedict smiled softly, watching Cherrya lay out her plans. It was a secret that from the moment he saw her sparkling eyes, his heart had already melted entirely.
***
“Congratulations, Lady Emblem.”
Osric Balmore handed me a glass of juice and offered his congratulations. I took it with an indifferent expression and replied,
“What’s there to congratulate for?”
I suppressed the urge to rip off the heavy medal pinned to my chest as I sipped the juice.
I had succeeded in my deal with my Dad, and in return, I was attending this after-party for the award ceremony I absolutely didn’t want to come to.
It was Enoch’s party, after all. I hadn’t even seen the main character’s face since the emperor pinned the medal on him because he was surrounded by a human doughnut of people.
“You should be congratulating him.”
The crowd moved with Enoch, forming a ring wherever he went.
Watching from a distance, it was almost creepy. I turned to Osric Balmore, who was standing beside me with a grin, and asked bluntly,
“Why aren’t you go over there?”
In this party, the only ones not part of that human doughnut were the knights of Emblem and a few others who had been pushed out of the crowd.
“Well, I’m not sure I could even get close enough to say hello.”
Osric Balmore shook his head with a slightly overwhelmed look, indicating he shared my sentiments. Feeling a bit of camaraderie, I spoke to him with a bit more warmth.
“I heard you joined the Emblem Knights. Congratulations.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Osric Balmore scratched the back of his neck awkwardly and bowed his head, seemingly embarrassed.
