Episode 2: Meeting Tiger-like Grandma
My dad’s affectionate voice and his strong arms supporting me felt warm and peaceful, but this couldn’t continue like this.
I hesitated and spoke, swaying my head. “I’ll protect you.”
I thought it was strange when I heard my dad’s voice.
My pure and kind dad, who I had to protect, was such an intriguing person. Even though he’s not a swordsman, he had blue veins on his hands.
Maybe it’s because he’s been farming for a long time? Or perhaps the Mirmod family’s physical abilities are so great that he inherited those traits.
I smiled and gently pressed the veins on my dad’s hand.
At that moment, my dad, who had been silent until then, spoke again, emphasizing his words.
“My daughter. You can’t even speak properly.”
The reason I can’t speak properly is that my physical abilities are lower than my peers.
But I couldn’t say that to my dad. I sighed deeply and tilted my head.
It was then.
“Huh, Sien? Isn’t that right?”?”
There was a hint of laughter in my dad’s voice. He seemed to find this situation enjoyable.
It was frustrating. I clenched my fist tightly against my chest and shouted.
“That, that’s normal. Other kids are like that too. Anyway, I’ll protect you!”
I answered, shaking my cheeks that felt like bumpy potatoes every time I tilted my head.
Squishy.
My dad, who was standing behind me, pressed my cheeks firmly and said.
“My daughter should live happily like any ordinary child.”
I leaned my head against my dad’s reliable chest and let out another deep sigh. It felt as if I could see a sad and pitiful future for both of us.
No, that won’t do. This is an antagonist family, and kind dads can’t protect their daughters here.
Innocent as our dad is, how will he survive in this harsh world? I looked up at my dad with a worried gaze. But he still seemed serious.
“Understand?”
“Phew.”
I could only accept my dad’s passionate voice.
If I don’t act like a child, my dad won’t openly show it, but he would be a bit gloomy. Maybe, it was difficult for him to see me losing my childlike innocence.
For example, there was a time when I refused to eat carrots and was a picky eater. My dad was very sad and named each carrot as if they were friends. He even told me to say goodbye to the carrots that were thrown away. He did that with a choked, almost crying voice.
“Hello, carrots. Ha!”
“Do I really have to?”
“Yes. If you don’t say hello to the carrots, the carrots will be sad.”
“Ugh… It’s tough. Hello, carrots.”
I reluctantly opened my mouth, recalling the embarrassing history of greeting carrots to protect my dad’s childlike innocence.
“Ugh.”
“Beautiful, my daughter.”
It was the exact moment when the two of us were having a conversation.
The door, which had been shut like a pitch-dark curtain, slowly opened, and a faint light seeped in. I blinked my eyes and looked towards the door on the opposite side.
“Who’s there?”
The person who opened the door and came in was a beautiful middle-aged woman with a sculpted appearance, as if carved by a master. Her sparse white hair was even beautiful, like snow falling from the heavens.
She sat down across from me with a stern expression, saying nothing.
Then, she spoke in a perpetually cold voice.
“You came.”
“It’s been a while, mother.”
Dad answered succinctly. I rolled my eyes. Dad called her mother, but is she really his real mother?
As I was wondering that, the woman who might be my grandmother opened her mouth.
“You still think of me as your mother.”
“Should I address you as Duchess Lucella, then?”
For some reason, my small body trembled slightly, but only for a moment. With the conversation flowing back and forth between them like a ping-pong game, I widened my eyes.
From the context, she seemed like a biological mother, possibly my grandmother. But if she’s the Duchess Lucella…!
I shivered uncontrollably.
‘According to the original storyline, she is being treated like a backroom elder. But still, she used to be the leader of the villainous Duke’s household, so… If she’s my dad’s mother, it would be better to make a good impression as family, and maybe get some help…’
Lost in my thoughts, the conversation continued.
“Now that you’ve returned to the family, you must know that you can’t leave on your own.”
“Huh?!”
“Sien.”
I let out a loud sound. Fortunately, my dad gently comforted me, but my mind was in disarray.
I had planned to make a good impression on this tiger-like grandmother and leave this castle. But…
“I know. Either become the heir, be exiled and live as a fugitive, or die. It’s one of the three.” My dad nodded casually.
My shattered plan shocked me to the point of almost fainting, but I managed to regain my senses.
‘It’s said that even if you’re captured by a tiger’s den, if you keep your wits, you’ll survive.’
I clenched my small, pointed teeth, trying to appear strong.
The cold voice of Duchess Lucella reached my ears.
“It’s good that you know.”
Even in a simple exchange, my dad just lowered his gaze. He held my hand with a firm grip.
‘So cold…’
The conversation with dad’s mother, whom dad met after a long time, was too distant to be called warm. Even the atmosphere felt as cold as ice.
When my dad warmly wrapped his arm around my shoulder, I could finally look ahead.
The icy blue eyes of Lady Lucella met my round glass-like eyes in mid-air.
“What’s that?”
“Huh?”
As our eyes met, she frowned sternly and spoke.
With a disgusted look on her face, she opened her mouth.
“I’m asking about that raggy-looking thing that looks like a honey jar wrapped in a rag.”
A honey jar wrapped in a rag…
“I’m not a rag, and it’s not a honey jar. My dad made this for me.”
I calmly recalled memories with my dad.
“Dad skillfully sewed pretty clothes for me, how do they look?”
“Amazing!”
“Next time, I’ll also learn about sewing machines. Isabella Lady promised to teach me.”
“Yes! please!”
As memories of the warm and fuzzy moments with my dad came flooding back, I opened my eyes a bit wider, feeling a bit indignant. At that moment, Duchess Lucella gave me a cold glare.
“This is not a rag. Dad made it for me.”
As I earnestly appealed, the Duchess, who had been looking at me coldly, turned her gaze towards my dad.
I wondered if Dad was intimidated by her fierce tiger-like eyes. His hand seemed to tremble slightly. However, despite his trembling hand, he spoke with composure and courage.
“She’s my daughter. Say hello, Sien.”
At least I should be polite in greetings! I blinked and politely bowed my head without saying anything.
“Hello!”
But in my head, information about Duchess Lucella was racing.
Time for thinking, three seconds.
I bit my lip tightly.
It was despairing that I couldn’t leave on my own, but there was one fortunate thing.
The first person we met in the villainous duke family was Duchess Lucella. She’s my dad’s mother and my grandmother…
“I’ve read about the strategy to capture Duchess Lucella in the original novel ‘Life of Melodia’!”
If I make a good impression on her, it might make living in the Duke’s household a bit easier.
Duchess Lucella, a woman who once bore the title of the Queen of Darkness in this dark and dangerous antagonist family, had one weakness.
‘That is…’
As I concentrated on my thoughts…
Lady Lucella stared at me with a cold expression. It was an overwhelming presence that would silence an ordinary person with just one glance.
Feeling anxious, I absentmindedly swung my legs back and forth.
In response to my nervousness, she spoke without hesitation.
“Why did you bring that with you?”
“I wanted to show it to you, Mother.”
My dad’s voice was as clear as a bead.
“Send it out and talk. There’s something to discuss about the heir’s situation. First, the trial of the devil case you committed…”
“…Let’s discuss that later.”
At the mention of the devil case, my ears perked up.
But my curiosity was left unsatisfied as Dad swiftly cut off the Duchess’s words. It’s natural that her expression turned quite menacing.
Throughout the conversation, she had been expressionless, but now she looked visibly angry.
Since Duchess Lucella was the first person Dad encountered in the castle, it was just my conjecture, but it seemed like she had lifted the exile order and allowed Dad to return to the family.
But her words were interrupted. Even if she is the Duchess, she must be furious.’
‘Dad cut off grandmother’s words in the middle. Even if he’s trying to make a good impression, he’s going to fall short!’
In the moment of anxiety, as I fidgeted with my feet, Duchess Lucella lowered her gaze and muttered something.
“Arrogant as ever.”
I felt like I heard a voice saying, “I want to kill you.”
I tightly clenched my small hands.
Dangerous.
It seems like a death flag has already been raised!
Duchess Lucella, although reliable to those on her side, was known to ruthlessly kill those she disliked. To defy her temperament and survive would be an unimaginable feat.
‘At this rate, Dad and I will die as soon as we enter the Duke’s household.’
But Dad remained calm as ever.
He gently stroked my head and said affectionately, “Sien, should we go see the maids?”
I nodded, but I felt that special measures were necessary.
Even if she’s our grandmother, it’s obvious that both Dad and I can’t stand her.
From her gaze, which could freeze warm water in an instant, it was evident that liking her would be hard.
I made up my mind.
Alright, I’ll use the strategy to capture Duchess Lucella!
“Wait, Dad. Just a moment!”
As I watched my dad and grandmother talking, I grabbed the two braided pigtails my dad had painstakingly made for me and gathered my determination.
‘Of course, Dad is so innocent that he surely doesn’t know anything. That’s why I have to step up.’
I jumped off Dad’s lap.
“I’ll call for a maid to escort you out.”
Grandmother said arrogantly, scanning me with her gaze. At that moment, I went next to her with my small, determined steps..
“Si-en?”
“What are you doing?”
Though Dad and the Duchess’ voices resounded in my ears, I ignored them and stood right next to the Duchess’ chair.
Since I was slightly shorter than the desk, Dad and the Duchess could probably only see the top of my round head.
‘I have to exploit Duchess Lucella’s weakness!’
I stood before the antagonist grandmother, to protect my only family, Dad.
It was a little, no, a lot frightening, but there was no other way. I narrowed my round eyes, placed my chubby arms on my hips, and glared at her.
Duchess Lucella looked down at me with an air of annoyance and asked, “What is it?”
“Grandma!”
I fired a sparkling eye beam!
Looking at my grandmother with eyes that radiated the intention of unveiling my special move, I brought my hands together, which had become tangled like dumplings, as a bonus.
Grandmother frowned as she spoke.
“What did you say?”
Her gaze turned cold.
Nonetheless, I widened my eyes even more and beamed a sparkling eye beam as I spoke.
“Are you my Grandma? I really missed you!”
I deliberately elongated my words, trying to sound cute and innocent like a child!
I had my reasons for acting this way.
In the novel, during the Thieves Guild massacre, Duchess Lucella took the risk and spared all the children involved. Surprisingly, she didn’t hate children; she actually liked cute things.
Of course, all the children were scared of Duchess Lucella. Even the children of villainous families ran away from her, calling her a wicked sorceress.
Even in her current state as a backroom elder, Duchess Lucella’s perception of children remained similar to when she was in power.
‘But her image as the tiger queen who once ruled the world is still there.’
That’s why I’m aiming for the black market! I bet Duchess Lucella has never seen a cute child acting adorable! I widened my eyes and scrutinized Duchess Lucella’s expression in succession.
“Grandma, don’t you want to see me?”
I deliberately elongated the end of my sentence. I smiled cutely, blowing air into my chubby cheeks like a freshly peeled shrimp.
Please, don’t kill my innocent Dad. I pleaded with my expression.
As she met my sparkling eyes, the Duchess’ face showed an inexplicable expression.
Note: I will try to post once a day. I can’t gurantee daily update. But I will surely post at least 5 chapter a week from now on.
