I Picked Up My Father Who Left Home 105
Jeshuan carefully chose his words with a serious expression.
Cassian’s question carried a lot of weight.
How he answered that question would determine his relationship with Cassian.
It would affect Cassian’s attitude toward him.
Thus, he had to think long and hard.
To give an answer that truly reflected his genuine feelings.
So that he could gain Cassian’s trust.
After deliberating, Jeshuan slowly began to speak.
“It doesn’t matter what happens to me. Even if I have to continue suffering alone like before, I can endure it. All I want now is… Lia’s safety. That’s the only thing I choose and act upon.”
Lia’s safety was his top priority.
For Jeshuan, Lia was the most important.
So even if it brought harm to himself, if it benefited Lia and was a better choice for her, he was willing to do it without hesitation.
That was why…
Despite his extreme aversion to meeting people, Jeshuan went to the library on his own to research Lia’s abilities.
The more he learned that her abilities were far beyond his expectations, the more cautious he became.
He needed to understand her.
To ensure she wouldn’t end up in a dangerous situation due to her powers.
“That’s why I need your help, Grand Duke.”
Someone needed to protect Lia, whether it was him or anyone else.
And no one was more suitable for that role than Cassian.
No one could be more perfect.
“You need me to help…”
Cassian murmured softly, staring intently at Jeshuan.
He scrutinized the sincerity in Jeshuan’s eyes.
Just because Jeshuan was reserved didn’t mean he was incapable or foolish.
Having lived under people’s wary and sharp gazes, he had become extremely perceptive and quick-witted.
So Jeshuan must have realized it too—that exposing Lia’s abilities to the outside world wasn’t ideal.
That her powers might inadvertently drag her into unexpected situations.
Perhaps the reason Jeshuan was revealing his true feelings to Cassian for the first time was Lia.
Even Cassian himself had been acting out of character for Lia’s sake.
In the midst of Cassian’s silence, Jeshuan slowly began to speak, as if to say his concerns weren’t solely about Lia’s powers.
“There was something strange about the demon attack yesterday.”
Although he wasn’t entirely certain, since it involved Lia, he had to share it with Cassian.
Cassian was currently the person closest to Lia. While Jeshuan only met her once a week, Cassian was different.
He could protect her right by her side.
So the only one Jeshuan could rely on—the only one he could entrust Lia to—was Cassian.
Of course, what happened yesterday might have just been his imagination.
He excessive worries about Lia might have made him overreact, his thoughts consumed by her.
However, it weighed heavily on his mind to simply dismiss it.
The events from yesterday continued to fill Jeshuan’s thoughts.
At his words, Cassian’s gaze grew cold and calm.
Cassian was also deeply concerned about it.
With demons appearing even within the imperial palace, there was no safe place left for Lia.
There were other matters to attend to, but the immediate concern was the demon attack.
“…It may just be my imagination, but I feel as if the demons were targeting Lia. When we tried to escape together, the demons… they precisely aimed at her.”
“…I see.”
Cassian reacted indifferently, as if he had already suspected it.
Hearing it confirmed from someone else only intensified his worries for Lia.
“Why the demons targeted Lia is not important. If this isn’t a one-time event, if they came here specifically for her from the start… then Lia needs someone to protect her.”
“I will protect Lia.”
From anything and everything, without fail.
Cassian’s voice was resolute, unwavering.
“I feel the same way. I want to protect Lia. I cannot let anything harm her.”
Cassian and him shared the same goal.
To both of them, Lia was precious, and they both wanted to protect her.
Instead of being wary of each other, wouldn’t it be better to cooperate and help one another?
Two protecting her would surely be more advantageous than one.
“Your Highness is also a factor that endangers my angel baby in my eyes.”
Even though Cassian knew the intention behind Jeshuan’s words, he still spoke that way.
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Jeshuan.
He trusted his intentions.
However, the danger he carried—the state of being on the verge of losing control—was an unavoidable concern.
Even if Lia had the ability to subdue his outbreaks, such danger couldn’t be kept close to her.
“…I understand. But I cannot reject the hand that Lia extended to me. I simply cannot… I will do everything I can to protect her.”
Whether it was himself or anything else, he wouldn’t let Lia get hurt.
“Are you prepared to endure anything?”
At Jeshuan’s determined voice, Cassian posed the question.
“Nothing is more painful than losing Lia. Nothing is more agonizing than that.”
That was why he was willing to dive into the fires of hell once more.
Rather than letting her get hurt by his own hand, enduring that infernal time again seemed like the lesser suffering.
If he could protect her with his own hands, if he could prevent her from getting hurt by his actions, he would do anything.
Even if it meant tearing his own heart out with his own hands.
“…Though I cannot fully prevent the outbreaks, I could at least provide some help.”
Having experienced a similar situation as Jeshuan, he knew ways to suppress the condition to some extent, even if he couldn’t fully heal it.
However, it wasn’t easy. The process could potentially be even harder than enduring the hellish days he had been living in.
“I have no reason to refuse.”
Jeshuan’s answer came without a moment’s hesitation, and for once, Cassian showed a satisfied expression.
His determination to protect Lia with all his might remained steadfast. Yet… that alone might not be enough.
Given his complicated circumstances, there might be times when he would have no choice but to leave Lia’s side.
Therefore, he needed someone else to protect her—someone to prepare for those moments when he couldn’t be there or when something unexpected happened.
In that regard, Jeshuan wasn’t a bad choice. As long as the risks associated with him could be mitigated.
That was why he now extended a helping hand to someone he had previously ignored.
“Keep this in mind. The kindness I’m offering you is solely… for Lia’s sake.”
Thus, Jeshuan had to prioritize Lia over his own life.
In any situation, he must think of Lia first and foremost.
That was why Cassian was willing to extend kindness and mercy to Jeshuan.
“I feel the same way,”
Jeshuan accepted Cassian’s offer of kindness for the same reason.
Because Lia was more important than his pride or his wounded past.
“In that case… I might be able to help with what Your Highness wants to know. After all, that’s why I came here as well.”
Although Jeshuan was given the chance to protect Lia, he had no intention of revealing everything to him.
This wasn’t a matter of trust but of efficiency. The fewer people who knew a secret, the easier it was to keep it.
However, for the sake of their future relationship, not everything could remain hidden.
At the very least, Jeshuan needed to know enough to prepare for any emergencies.
Thus, Cassian decided to share selective information with Jeshuan.
Hiding the most critical details.
***
At that moment, Lia had returned to her office and resumed the tasks she had left unfinished.
Although she wanted to check the contents of the diary immediately, her work took priority.
To be honest… she was a bit nervous about what might be written in the diary.
After finishing her afternoon tasks, Lia finally retrieved the diary she had taken from her grandfather’s room.
The diary was a simple, ordinary notebook with a common design.
However, Lia instinctively felt that this diary might contain very important information.
“…Grandfather, I’m sorry.”
Feeling slightly guilty for looking through her late grandfather’s diary without permission, Lia whispered an apology before opening it.
Though her words couldn’t reach her grandfather anymore.
Taking a deep breath, Lia opened the first page of the diary.
Then, she began reading through its contents carefully.
The diary was, as its name suggested, a record of daily life.
Each day of her grandfather’s life had been documented.
The entries were extremely concise and business-like.
As Lia read on, she suddenly paused at one section.
The format was different from the previous entries.
While the format had changed, the content seemed no different.
It appeared to be a casual journal entry, describing the day’s events.
But as Lia read further, she realized there was something hidden within.
It was a code.
A code that only her grandfather and she could understand.
