I Picked Up My Father Who Left Home 50
A meal with Cassian.
Lia continued her meal like a child undergoing homework inspection.
It seemed like Cassian was monitoring her eating as if ensuring she ate well. He had put aside his own meal to watch her eat.
Was that the only reason?
If Lia’s eating pace slowed even a bit, Cassian promptly brought food to her plate, as if to ensure she didn’t fall behind.
As a result, Lia ended up eating a bit more than usual whenever her utensil movements lagged.
Of course, it wasn’t to the point of being excessive.
Cassian had gauged her meal size reasonably, having observed her eating habits during their shared meals.
After the meal, the two headed to the guest reception room side by side.
It was to continue the conversation they couldn’t finish yesterday.
Shortly after Cassian and Lia took their seats, a servant brought in a simple dessert and prepared tea.
“Eat plenty.”
“We just had a meal.”
“Someone said that. Stomachs for meals and desserts are separate, they claimed.”
Yes, someone had indeed said that to him. He looked at her with a fascinated expression.
Hearing those words, he looked at her with a curious expression.
It’s as if it’s amazing that so many things can fit into that small body.
A subtle, soft smile adorned Cassian’s lips as he unknowingly traced the fleeting traces of that brief memory.
Though he remained unaware, to him, just the act of recalling brought forth a happy memory.
“I’m not, really.”
“No, neither do you, angel baby.”
Cassian spoke more decisively.
“How would Khal know that?”
“…Because it’s adorable.”
There was a bittersweet undertone in Cassian’s voice as he spoke.
Yes, truly, the memory didn’t resurface.
Who the person was that made him feel such emotions, or how they looked—none of it came to mind.
But one thing was certain; that person was just as lovely and charming as Lia.
“Isn’t that explanation enough?”
Despite sensing a different side of Cassian, Lia nonchalantly responded as if nothing had changed.
Seeing him yearn for past memories made her uneasy, and it seemed imprudent to pretend to know more than she should.
“Alright, then.”
Cassian feigned not hearing Lia’s words and handed her a dessert.
“In a bit… Ugh.”
As Lia tried to voice her refusal, Cassian promptly pushed the dessert into her mouth. In the blink of an eye, Lia ate the dessert.
Surprisingly, it tasted good.
Even though moments ago, she felt too full to eat, now she felt like she could manage a few more bites.
Lia pretended to be nonchalant, eating a bit more with a feigned indifferent expression.
Then, she casually wiped her mouth, pretending as if she hadn’t eaten anything at all.
Despite claiming to be full and unable to eat, it seemed like she had eaten so well that her conscience was pricked for no reason.
Cassian looked at her with an expression full of affection.
It was fascinating to see her eating so eagerly with that small mouth, and pretending not to eat with a coy expression on such a topic was also charming.
Just looking at her makes him feel good; is this what they mean by saying such things?
Just gazing at Lia was enough to fill Cassian’s heart to the brim.
For her, it felt like he could give his all.
For a moment, such thoughts, Cassian recalled his original business and slowly opened his mouth.
“Do you know about the duties of a noble?”
“I know to some extent.”
Although not perfect as she hadn’t completed the successor education properly, she knew the basics.
Anyway, Lia was not only the sole bloodline inheriting the Duke’s blood but also the successor.
“Then among those duties, you must also know about subduing demons.”
“…Yes, I know that if you become the Duke, you must accompany the demon subjugation at least once.”
“Yes, precisely, within two months after becoming the Duke. After that, it’s possible if you wish.”
Usually, a non-ability user Duke rarely accompanied demon subjugation beyond the designated duties.
Perhaps the only precedent was the former Sithran Duke.
Despite being a non-ability user, he had a keen interest in the rights and duties of ability users.
The current improved treatment and respect for ability users owed much to the efforts of the former Sithran Duke.
So among many admirers of the former Sithran Duke, the ratio of ability users was particularly high.
“So, the angel baby will have to join a demon subjugation soon.”
The time, unnoticed, flowed swiftly, and it had been nearly a month since she became the heir.
So, within the next month, she would have to accompany a demon subjugation.
“Right…”
Lia, who had been preoccupied with numerous tasks, belatedly recalled this fact and displayed a complex expression.
Another duty as the heir.
Avoiding it was not an option.
Nevertheless, worry was inevitable.
She had never seen a demon before, so how could she remain nonchalant?
Of course, she wasn’t required to actively engage or do anything.
Initially, it was more about accompanying than participating directly.
Yet, for someone who had never encountered demons, witnessing the situation during a demon subjugation was far from easy.
Moreover, until she witnessed it firsthand, she couldn’t know what might happen there.
Fortunately, the heirs who had accompanied demon subjugations until now had not lost their lives or suffered severe injuries.
However, it didn’t mean she could be completely at ease, as there were occasional reports of injuries.
“If the angel baby wishes, I can accompany on behalf of the guardian status.”
“No, I wouldn’t want to pass my responsibilities onto someone else.”
It was frightening, worrisome, and unsettling.
Yet, even with those feelings, she couldn’t abandon her duties.
If she couldn’t fulfill even the most basic obligations, how could she claim to have the qualities of a noble heir?
“Angel baby is still young. So, as the guardian, I can take on that responsibility without any objections.”
No, even if there were any objections, it wouldn’t matter.
It was a matter of simply cutting off that useless tongue so it wouldn’t ridicule anyone again.
It just had to be kept from reaching Lia’s ears.
“Being young is not a problem. Besides, it was my choice to take on the role of the heir in the first place.”
Lia hadn’t foreseen every eventuality or made such decisions.
She wasn’t a deity and couldn’t predict everything that would happen after becoming the heir.
Nevertheless, she had committed to becoming the heir.
To protect her grandfather’s precious lineage.
She would do her best for him.
So, whatever it took to uphold the position of the heir, Lia was prepared to face it.
No matter how difficult or challenging.
The most challenging thing for Lia was not being able to protect the lineage her grandfather loved more than anything.
“I know angel baby’s sense of responsibility well. You’re working harder than anyone to become an excellent heir. But there’s no need to try to shoulder too much on your own.”
He didn’t know everything about Lia’s feelings. Although he didn’t fully understand what she was going through, he knew what she was striving for.
However, as her guardian, as someone who cherished her more than anyone else, every time he saw Lia like this, a part of his heart felt heavy.
At an age when she should be playing and receiving love, she was taking on too much responsibility.
It had been just under a month.
The grief of losing a loved one was still fresh, an indescribable pain.
Yet, in that time, Lia had achieved a lot and experienced much.
He didn’t want to see her pushing herself too hard.
“I am not just a child, I am the Lord. I am the Duke of Sithran.”
Lia was resolute.
She had no intention of remaining a child. She simply wanted to be recognized as a confident heir, a noble of House Sithran.
For him, she could sacrifice the things an ordinary child might enjoy and forfeit the life she should be living as a child.
“While you may not directly participate in demon extermination, it can still be dangerous. The knights will try to protect angel baby, but unforeseen events can happen anywhere.”
“I understand, but it’s part of the duty as the heir.”
So she would do it. There was no choice of not doing it.
In response to Lia’s firm answer, Cassian let out a small sigh, seeming frustrated.
He had expected this reaction.
Perhaps he wasn’t skeptical even when he knew that, as her guardian, he could accompany her in the demon extermination.
But with this attitude… convincing her seemed impossible.
If it were anyone but Lia, he might have completely ignored her opinion and moved according to his will.
He might have restricted her or done something to prevent her from accompanying in the demon extermination.
No, he probably wouldn’t have worried about it at all.
Even if she got injured during the demon extermination, or even if the worst happened and she lost her life, he might have dismissed it as her fate.
But because the person in question was Lia, Cassian couldn’t do that.
He couldn’t simply send her on the demon extermination, nor could he ignore her wishes.
So, Cassian proposed an alternative.
“How about postponing the time for demon extermination? At least until you’re an adult and can fulfill that duty.”
While it might not alleviate the worries, it would be better than sending a twelve-year-old on such a task.
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