I Picked Up My Father Who Left Home 115
Jeshuan took a moment to gather his words, unsure of what to say or how to say it.
Lia’s decision to accept the Emperor’s request was undoubtedly a good thing for him. However, just because it was good for him didn’t necessarily mean it was the same for her.
And so, he struggled with whether to rejoice and accept her decision or… persuade her to reconsider.
Because of this, he couldn’t immediately welcome her decision.
“…Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
Jeshuan hesitated before finally speaking in a cautious voice.
“You don’t need to worry so much. I made this decision after a lot of thought. I accepted His Majesty’s request because I believe it’s something I can handle. And as a friend, this is the least I can do for you.”
“…You don’t have to go to such lengths to think about me. What you’ve done for me so far is already more than enough. Lia, even if we are friends, there’s no need to keep burdening yourself for my sake.”
Jeshuan truly didn’t want that.
Lia was already carrying a heavy burden. At the young age of 12, she had lost her only family and was suddenly responsible for an entire household.
That alone was overwhelming and exhausting enough. So why did she insist on sharing his burden as well?
Just the fact that she had become his friend and stayed by his side was enough for him.
He was already experiencing happiness beyond anything he had imagined.
It was more than enough for him to feel this kind of overwhelming joy.
So he didn’t want Lia to take on a difficult path because of him.
He didn’t want his existence to become a burden for her anymore.
“Do you dislike staying with me, Jeshuan?”
Lia asked with a serious expression, noticing how uncomfortable Jeshuan seemed with the idea of staying at the Duke’s residence.
Of course, she didn’t truly believe that he disliked being with her.
It was just… a way to build her case to persuade him.
Simply telling him not to worry so much and that it was fine wouldn’t be enough to ease his feelings of burden and discomfort.
“That could never happen!”
Jeshuan raised his voice, something he rarely did.
That suggestion was so ridiculous that it made no sense.
How could he possibly dislike being with her?
Every week of waiting for her felt longer than a year.
Every day, every moment, he thought of her and longed for her.
Even though she didn’t actually believe he disliked her, he couldn’t let even the smallest doubt remain unaddressed.
“I enjoy being with you, Jeshuan, and if you don’t dislike it either, then we have our answer.”
“But Lia… this isn’t the best choice for you.”
Even if she could stop his rampages, even if she never found herself in danger because of them again, there was no way to predict how things would turn out.
He didn’t want her to endure the hellish time he had gone through. Even the smallest possibility was something he couldn’t ignore.
“That’s something no one can know for sure. I understand what you’re worried about, Jeshuan-nim. But I’m truly fine. And… it’s not like I’m alone in the Duke’s residence. Khal is there too.”
No matter what Jeshuan was worried about, if something did happen… Cassian would surely step in to help.
Lia trusted Cassian, and she also trusted Jeshuan.
Jeshuan, however, remained silent in response to Lia’s words.
Deep down, he was happy about her decision to accept his father’s request.
Not just because she could stop his rampages or because her presence brought him peace.
He was simply happy that he could live with her, that he would now be able to see her whenever he wanted.
The time without Lia was a constant trial and hardship for Jeshuan.
And so, even though she assured him that it was fine, he still felt uncomfortable.
He hesitated, wondering if it was right to accept her kindness once again in this way.
“You don’t have the right to refuse, Jeshuan. If you do refuse, I’ll take it as you not wanting to live with me.”
“…That’s… fine.”
Jeshuan nodded with a slightly conflicted expression.
How could he continue to refuse her while claiming it was for her own good?
He couldn’t let her think he disliked her.
That was something that could never happen.
“Oh, and… the fact that Khal is staying at the Duke’s residence is a secret. As is the fact that he’s my guardian.”
Now that Jeshuan had also decided to stay at the Duke’s residence, there was no point in keeping Cassian’s existence hidden from him any longer.
It had already been revealed during the incident a few days ago.
So this matter needed to be properly addressed.
Even if it couldn’t be helped that he found out, they had to make sure that this fact didn’t reach anyone else’s ears.
The circle of people who knew the secret might have grown, but the secret itself had to remain protected.
“I’ll keep it to myself.”
Jeshuan didn’t know why Cassian had ended up staying at Lia’s residence. Nor did he understand why Cassian was keeping his presence a secret.
No one had ever clearly explained it to him. He only knew bits and pieces through scattered hints.
However, if it was what Lia wanted, Jeshuan was more than willing to comply.
After all, Cassian’s circumstances didn’t matter to him in the slightest.
What mattered to Jeshuan was Lia, not Cassian.
‘Was that why…?’
He thought back to the time he met Cassian in the Imperial Library and the words Cassian had said to him back then.
It must have been because Cassian already knew that Lia would accept the Emperor’s request and end up living with Jeshuan.
At that time, Cassian had offered to help him avoid losing control, while also revealing part of the truth about Lia.
The part Jeshuan had been curious about.
Of course, it wasn’t the whole truth. Jeshuan had sensed that Cassian was hiding something else.
But whatever the reason, it was clearly for Lia’s sake.
So Jeshuan saw no need to probe further.
Just like Cassian, Jeshuan also prioritized Lia above all else.
That was why they were able to join forces.
Regardless of their feelings for each other, their shared care and concern for Lia were the same.
“Then, I’ll be counting on you from now on.”
Lia smiled with satisfaction at Jeshuan’s response.
“…I’ll be counting on you too.”
Jeshuan’s voice carried a trace of excitement and nervousness as he spoke.
After all, the thought of living in the same house as Lia filled him with anticipation.
After a brief moment, Jeshuan looked at Lia with a slightly serious expression, as if he had something to say.
“…It’s already too late, but there’s something I need to tell you, Lia. It’s something I should have said a long time ago.”
Jeshuan’s expression carried a hint of bitterness as he spoke.
Yes, it was something he should have revealed earlier.
Instead of trying to hide it, he should have been honest about everything and continued his relationship with her.
Even though he trusted her, he was still scared, and so he kept hiding.
He had justified it to himself, thinking he could take his time revealing the truth.
Now, she probably had some idea about what he had been hiding, but Jeshuan still wanted to tell her the truth himself.
Because he couldn’t hide it any longer.
“Please, speak freely.”
Sensing the cautious tone in Jeshuan’s words, Lia gave him a small smile to reassure him.
“…I’m not weak… and I’m not sick.”
“That doesn’t seem entirely accurate….”
If someone is coughing up blood and constantly in pain, isn’t that being weak? And being sick is an obvious conclusion.
Lia quietly countered his words, her tone laced with skepticism.
“No, that’s not it. It’s just… my innate ability is so strong that my body can’t handle it properly.”
“So, in the end, you are weak. Your body can’t keep up with your abilities, so you’re unwell, aren’t you?”
Jeshuan blinked in slight disbelief at Lia’s rebuttal.
He hadn’t expected her to think about it that way.
However… unfortunately, it wasn’t that his body was weak.
Objectively, his body was actually incredibly strong—especially when compared to others.
It was just that his ability was so overwhelmingly powerful that even his strong body struggled to contain it.
The only reason he had managed to endure this far was because of his own resilience. If it had been any other ability user, their body would have likely exploded, killing them instantly, or they would have lost control and gone mad, only to be put down by someone else.
“…My innate ability as an ability user is… incredibly strong. In terms of potential alone, I’m probably stronger than His Grace, the Grand Duke.”
“Well, that is… quite surprising.”
Cassian himself was known as the strongest ability user in the Empire, with skills so exceptional that he was revered among his peers.
But to hear that Jeshuan’s abilities surpassed even Cassian’s was difficult for Lia, who was not an ability user, to fully comprehend.
“The problem is that my body can’t handle it. Most ability users are born with the ability to naturally regulate their powers, but I’m not like that.”
And that was the reason.
Why Jeshuan suffered every day, feeling as if his body was being torn apart.
His uncontrollable energy wreaked havoc within his body, raging wildly.
“That also means I have a far greater risk of losing control than other ability users. Losing control… happens when an ability user’s energy escapes their will.”
In that sense, Jeshuan was living every moment teetering on the brink of losing control.
At any moment, even the slightest misstep could lead to catastrophic consequences caused by his energy.
