I Picked Up My Father Who Left Home

 

 

 

 

 

I Picked Up My Father Who Left Home 04

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although it was an unintentional remark, at the same time, it was a heartfelt comment from the man.

 

The girl who came looking for him appeared lovely even in the man’s eyes, so much so that she was incredibly beautiful.

 

Her chubby cheeks, which had not yet lost their baby fat, looked tempting enough to poke with a finger, and her wide, innocent eyes were as harmless and clear as a rabbit’s.

 

Especially since she was only about eight or ten years old, her petite stature made onlookers instinctively feel the need to protect her.

 

So, the man had a momentary impulse to carry the child in his pocket and carry her around.

 

Of course, it was just a fleeting impulse, and after realizing the absurdity of his thoughts later, he chuckled.

 

“Uh, hello.”

 

Although she had come looking for the man with a hint of doubt, Lia, who was flustered because she didn’t expect this to actually happen, greeted him with an awkward expression.

 

“… Since you’re able to talk, you’re definitely not a doll, but rather a angel, aren’t you.”

 

The man made an expression of amazement, as if he had obtained an astonishing realization from such a comment.

 

Upon hearing the man’s words, Lia became flustered once again.

 

Of course, she objectively knew that she was quite cute and pretty.

 

Her grandfather often used to call her a angel baby when he saw her.

 

However, the way the man said it was so serious that it made her feel a bit embarrassed.

 

“How are you feeling?”

 

“… Well, at least seeing an angel in front of me makes me wonder if this place is heaven.”

 

The man seemed to accept that notion, but at the same time, he tilted his head as if finding it strange.

 

He thought that he hadn’t lived virtuously enough to end up in heaven after death.

 

But oh well, what does it matter.

 

Thanks to that, He’s encountered such a cute and lovely angel, so the fact itself isn’t so bad.

 

“… This isn’t heaven.”

 

“It’s not heaven?”

 

“No.”

 

“It seems like the world has finally gone mad if a place other than heaven sent away such a lovely angel.”

 

The man’s expression as he said this was extremely serious and solemn.

 

Lia found herself in a moment of contemplation.

 

At first, she thought the comment about being an angel was merely a compliment directed at her.

 

But seeing the man’s response, it appeared as though he genuinely believed her to be an angel.

 

Is he badly injured and experiencing some sort of confusion.

 

If that was the case, it was understandable.

 

Given the severity of the man’s injuries, he might have been on the verge of death if she had discovered him a little later.

 

However, thinking about that made her feel embarrassed.

 

Originally, she had intended to send the man away from the mansion once he regained his senses. But if he continued to experience such severe headaches, it was inevitable that she would hesitate to send him away.

 

However, that thought was short-lived.

 

Realizing that the man hadn’t fully grasped the situation, Lia decided to kindly explain.

 

“I am Shulia of the Duchy of Sithran, and I happened to find you lying in an alley… And brought you to the duchy.”

 

The man seemed to react with shock upon hearing Lia’s words.

 

Not only was it surprising to find an angel in a place other than heaven, but to realize that the girl in front of him was not an angel but a human?

 

A fellow human?

 

That’s a hard fact to accept.

 

“This world must truly be on the brink of destruction if they’ve sent a being like you down to us humans.”

 

“Um, well, I appreciate you thinking of me as an angel, but I’m just a human.”

 

If she were an angel in human form, that might be understandable, but she was definitely not an angel.

 

Lia said this with a troubled expression.

 

She was quite puzzled as to why she even needed to explain this.

 

She briefly wondered if the man might be teasing her intentionally, but his expression appeared extremely earnest, devoid of any hint of mischief.

 

“Then I suppose that’s how it is. But you’re the Duke Sithran’s daughter? Such a cute child born to that old man. Truly, God’s work…”

 

“I’m his granddaughter.”

 

“Ah, I see. So that’s it. Well, a cute daughter like this wouldn’t really suit an old man like him.”

 

The man appeared to accept this with a nod.

 

Lia was left pondering how to respond.

 

Should she be upset that her grandfather wasn’t capable of having a daughter like her, or should she appreciate the fact that he held such a high opinion of her.

 

The man’s response left her feeling a bit puzzled, and she found it somewhat challenging to interact with him, sensing a subtle twist in his reactions.

 

“Do you happen to know our grandfather well?”

 

If the man in front of her was a noble, it wasn’t particularly surprising.

 

There wasn’t anyone within the empire who didn’t know her grandfather, Duke Sithran.

 

“That’s… Do I… know… your grandfather?”

 

In response to Lia’s question, the man hesitated, a bewildered expression on his face.

 

He had seemed to know about her grandfather, Duke Sithran, from his previous statements, but he was now feeling somewhat confused.

 

It was like scattered fragments of memories in his mind.

 

‘Come to think of it…’

 

Who am I?

 

And why am I here?

 

Oh, right. That girl found me in the alley and brought me here.

 

But why had I collapsed?

 

And why do I feel so claustrophobic?

 

The man furrowed his brow trying to recall memories that couldn’t seem to cross his mind.

 

It felt like there was a lot of fi fog inside the man’s head, everything was blurry.

 

Then, he groaned as he felt pain as if something was stabbing his head.

 

“Ugh.”

 

The pain is so painful that even people who are not sensitive to pain cannot bear it.

 

The man was so distressed that his body naturally became tense and trembled.

 

“Hey, are you okay?”

 

Startled by the man’s sudden groaning and painful appearance, Lia hurriedly approached him.

 

“Your hand.”

 

“Yes?”

 

As the man, with his lips trembling, struggled to speak, Lia looked at him with a puzzled expression, wondering what he meant.

 

Instead of answering, the man weakly reached out his hand toward her.

 

A trembling hand, and pale, sickly skin.

 

Just by looking at this, it was evident that the man was not in a good condition.

 

Lia, with a worried expression, instinctively extended her hand, not entirely sure why, and held the man’s outstretched hand.

 

The man seemed to cherish her hand as if it were a precious treasure, then gently pressed the soft palm of her hand with his long and sturdy fingers.

 

‘What’s going on now?’

 

Lia, not understanding the man’s actions, wore a bewildered expression.

 

Something about the current situation made her feel like a cat being toyed with by a mischievous butler, although she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

 

In her confusion, the man, with an expression of utmost devotion, continued to press his fingers onto Lia’s palm, enduring the surging pain with care.

 

“Hey, how long are you going to hold onto my hand?”

 

“Taking it away after giving it is a bad thing.”

 

Lia, who was trying to escape his grasp, looked at the man with a hint of annoyance.

 

“Well, originally, you kind of took it away from me…”

 

“Just a bit more.”

 

In reality, when the man mentioned “hand” to Lia, it was because he felt that by touching her hand, he might find some solace.

 

Somehow, as he held her hand, the excruciating pain seemed to gradually subside.

 

Simultaneously, the intense pounding of his heart and the violent energy that had been surging throughout his body as if something was terribly wrong were calming down.

 

However, because he wanted to feel her hand a little longer, the man refused to release Lia’s hand.

 

So, Lia found herself holding the man’s hand for a few more minutes, caught off guard by the situation.

 

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I’m feeling better now.”

 

The man released Lia’s hand with a somewhat regretful expression, then expressed his gratitude. Lia, on the other hand, wore an expression of confusion.

 

She couldn’t understand his words.

 

It sounded like her hand had helped alleviate his pain, but she didn’t comprehend how her hand could have such an effect.

 

After all, her hand wasn’t some kind of magical remedy, and the abrupt change from his previous agonizing state was perplexing.

 

All wounds have healed, so there shouldn’t be any pain left.

 

‘Ah, perhaps it’s because of that.’

 

Just before the man’s face contorted in pain, he was trying to recall his own memories. He wondered if that might be the cause.

 

“By the way, earlier, did you ask if I knew Duke Sithran?”

 

“Yes, I did.”

 

Lia responded, taking note of the man’s improved condition.

 

While he claimed to be feeling better and appeared healthier, there was still an air of caution in the room due to the previous events.

 

“I don’t know… I’m not entirely sure if I know the Duke or not.”

 

Despite having some knowledge that suggested he knew about the Duke, the man remained uncertain about its accuracy.

 

The memory retrieval process was a painful and distressing experience for him, making him hesitant to delve further into his past.

 

The excruciating sensations that came with attempting to remember his memories were too traumatic to willingly repeat.

 

The man, despite his apparent tolerance for pain, had shaken to the point where he couldn’t ignore it.

 

“Then… Over there, you… Ah no,did you know who you are, sir?”

 

Not knowing his name and having to refer to him ‘that person’ was uncomfortable for Lia, especially considering that he was undoubtedly a noble and appeared much older than her. She decided to address him differently.

 

“Sir.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Since angel baby called me ‘Sir,’ so I assume that’s what who am I.”

 

Lia fell silent for a moment.

 

It was baffling to Lia that they were both clearly human, engaged in conversation, yet the communication was so challenging.

 

Was it possible that the man, who had mistaken her for an angel while suffering from a headache, now couldn’t understand her words?

 

It genuinely crossed her mind.