I Picked Up My Father Who Left Home 128
Jeshuan’s words weighed heavily on Lia’s heart.
Lia had never given much thought to her own efforts before.
She simply did her best in everything she could.
She focused on avoiding even the smallest mistake, staying alert, and working hard in every situation.
She thought it was only natural.
Because she was a Duke.
She, in other words, was part of the Sithran Ducal Family.
Her flaws would reflect poorly on the family, and her mistakes would become their mistakes.
So, she had no choice but to be cautious.
To protect the Sithran Ducal Family, which her grandfather had poured all his heart into,
To maintain its reputation—these were all she could do for her grandfather.
And beyond that, it became the sole reason Lia could sustain herself.
Without anyone to lean on, without any family by her side, left to face a harsh world all alone, Lia needed a purpose—a reason to live.
And that purpose naturally became the Sithran Ducal Family.
It was so natural and obvious that she had never really given it much thought.
It wasn’t that she never struggled.
It wasn’t that the burden she bore wasn’t heavy.
But no matter how much she complained, her circumstances wouldn’t change. Since she couldn’t avoid it, she faced it head-on, focusing all her energy and attention on fulfilling her role.
But when she heard Jeshuan’s words, a strange emotion arose.
Somehow, it felt as though all her efforts were finally being acknowledged.
It was as if the emotions she had tightly suppressed and locked away were now revealing themselves for the first time.
She felt happy.
Purely and simply happy.
Just knowing that someone recognized her. It brought her great comfort and relief.
With just that one remark, all her weariness seemed to vanish. A heart she hadn’t even realized was tired melted away in an instant.
“I really feel like I’m a lucky person,”
Lia said, pouring her indescribable emotions into those words.
Yes, where could one find happiness as great as this?
To meet people who noticed her state, even when she herself was unaware, and to have them stay by her side, offering care and encouragement.
No longer was the Sithran Ducal Family the sole reason for her life.
Lia now had precious, cherished relationships that were just as meaningful.
There were people who cared for her and valued her more than anyone else.
Because of them, she could endure.
Because of them, she could live her difficult days happily.
What would have happened if she had never met Jeshuan or Cassian?
How would she have lived back then?
Now, she couldn’t even imagine.
Those two had such a profound impact on her life.
They carried immense meaning in her existence.
Jeshuan had said that she was his salvation, but it was the same for her. The time she spent with him became a small respite in the midst of her hectic life.
It wasn’t only Jeshuan who needed a friend.
The same applied to her.
And now, Jeshuan had become the most perfect friend for her.
She could confide in him about worries she couldn’t easily share with others, and they could discuss them together.
“I feel the same way. After all, I met you, Lia.”
To Jeshuan, Lia was an irreplaceable presence.
To him, Lia held a meaning so profound that it was beyond explanation.
The hellish times of his past seemed so small and insignificant in the face of their meeting.
And even the hellish times yet to come—he felt he could endure them because of her.
“I will stay by your side for the rest of my life, Jeshuan.”
She would never let go of his hand first.
She wanted to spend more time with him than they already had.
She hoped he would be there in the time she had left in her life.
“So will I.”
Jeshuan replied with utmost sincerity, his voice warm and gentle.
Even if the meaning behind her words and his were different, the fact remained that they were precious to each other and wanted to stay together.
For now, that was enough.
It was enough to know that he had a place in her future.
The heartwarming atmosphere lasted for a moment before Lia spoke with a bright smile.
“Thank you so much for today.”
Today, the time spent with him felt more special than ever.
All his words resonated with her heart and brought her comfort.
No matter how much time passed, she would never forget their conversation today and the affection he had shown her.
“Lia, you’re already an amazing and wonderful person, just as you are. Everything you’ve achieved so far is a result of your own strength. The kindness and affection directed toward you are because you shine brightly and deserve it.”
“I’ll return those words to you, Jeshuan. You’re already a bright and wonderful person, too. That’s why I became your friend. That’s why I was drawn to you.”
Whether as a friend or something else—it didn’t matter.
Exchanging warm words once again, Lia bid farewell to Jeshuan.
It was now time… to return to the ducal residence.
Jeshuan reluctantly sent her off.
After all, he would see her again soon, after just one night.
***
The next day, Lia sought out Cassian with a rather serious expression.
Later that afternoon, Jeshuan was scheduled to arrive at the ducal residence.
Before that, there was something she needed to finish discussing with Cassian.
After Jeshuan arrived, opportunities to speak privately with Cassian would become rarer than before.
Even aside from that, since she had already made her decision, Lia wanted to deal with it quickly.
Delaying it wouldn’t reduce her worries or change the situation.
It would only make her hesitate even more.
As always, Cassian warmly welcomed Lia when she visited.
By now, it had become a habit for Cassian to greet her with a gentle smile every time they met.
And that made her realize even more.
To Cassian, she was a special existence.
Just from that smile alone, she could feel the difference in the way Cassian treated her compared to others.
“Have you come to show off some cuteness?”
Cassian asked with a twinkle of anticipation in his eyes.
“Cuteness, all of a sudden?”
“Because today, more than ever, I feel like seeing Angel Baby’s charm.”
In truth, Cassian wasn’t in the best mood.
Yesterday, he had heard the contents of the meeting from Lia.
As a result, Cassian was unintentionally kept busy.
As someone in charge of overseeing those with special abilities, he had many tasks to address to resolve the situation.
On top of that, the emperor had delivered the message to him through Lia, so Cassian couldn’t even complain or make a fuss about it.
After all, how could he refuse when his Angel Baby looked at him with her bright eyes and asked, “You’ll take care of it, won’t you? You’ll listen to the emperor, right?”
Because of that, he had spent the late hours of the previous night reviewing the demon subjugation reports and progress updates submitted by the leaders of the special ability users.
But reviewing those reports wasn’t the end of it.
He also had to issue directives to the leaders regarding their responses to the situation and further subjugation efforts.
All of this was to handle the sudden abnormal situation.
And this incident… it was connected to Lia.
The frequency of attacks was increasing, and their numbers were growing.
On top of that, the enemies were expanding their bases and steadily moving.
Unfortunately, their destination was the capital—the heart of the empire, where Lia resided.
If Cassian hadn’t known Lia’s true identity, it would have been difficult for him to guess the cause.
But Cassian knew.
He knew that this matter might be intricately tied to Lia.
Even the timing aligned perfectly with when Lia’s abilities had grown stronger.
It also coincided with the time when Lia had participated in the demon subjugation.
For this reason, Cassian couldn’t help but be on edge.
He needed to be even more thorough.
To ensure that Lia wouldn’t encounter any danger because of this situation.
To prevent anyone else from discovering or suspecting Lia’s true identity.
To do so, the situation had to be resolved as quickly as possible.
Even while busy dealing with all of this, there was another reason Cassian’s mood was soured.
It was because that damn brat was coming to the ducal residence today.
Just thinking about it made Cassian’s mood take a nosedive.
When he thought about Lia’s safety and the strange phenomena caused by the demons, he knew it was better this way.
Even so, he couldn’t shake off his displeasure.
That’s why Cassian needed Lia’s charm to lighten his mood.
He felt that her adorable antics might be the only thing to help him feel better before his patience ran out.
“How about we save that for later? Before that, I have something I need to tell you, Cassian.”
Seeing his on-edge state, it might have been better to indulge him, but Lia also had something important to say.
And showing her charm first might leave her without the time she needed to discuss the issue.
Cassian squinted at Lia’s serious expression.
Her slightly wavering eyes and her tense demeanor made it clear.
She had something very important to tell him.
If that was the case, he had no choice.
While her charm was urgent, he would have to yield for now.
And… Lia hadn’t refused outright; she had merely postponed it to ‘later.’
That much was enough for Cassian to accept.
“Go ahead and tell me”
Cassian said, granting her permission.
Lia took a deep breath, steeling herself.
Although she had made her decision, she hesitated and felt nervous now that the moment had come.
Finally, she began to speak slowly.
“It’s about my father…”
“Wait, I must have been working too hard. I think I’m hearing strange things. How could my Angel Baby possibly have a father for me to hear the word ‘father’ come out of her mouth?”
“Cassian, just this once, please…”
“Angel Baby, I need to tell you something. These days, just hearing the word ‘father’ makes it impossible for me to control my anger.”
Cassian replied with a subtle warning.
Lia’s face showed her frustration.
She had mustered up all her courage to tell the truth, only to be met with this reaction.
But she couldn’t delay this any longer, not even because of Cassian’s response.
His attitude wouldn’t change just by waiting.
So, no matter how he reacted, now was the time to say it.
Judging by Cassian’s patience, it seemed best to dive straight to the point and then continue the conversation afterward.
With that in mind, Lia decided to just blurt it out.
“Cassian, you’re my father!”
