I'm Searching for the Villainous Dad's Memories!

Episode 1

Prologue

At the beginning of a fresh summer.

A garden party was held in the Imperial Garden of the Etherion Empire.

“What a splendid party. Maybe it’s because children are also attending, but the atmosphere is lively.”

“Indeed.”

The green garden was fragrant with the ripening of sweet grapes.

High-ranking nobles were gathered there in small groups.

Even as they conversed, they kept glancing toward the entrance.

“But did you hear? They say the Duke of Wintervald is attending this party. That must be why there are so many people.”

“Yes, I heard. I was surprised since he usually hates such events!”

“Look, here he comes!”

At that moment, heavy footsteps were heard.

Beyond the white archway, a man with the imposing demeanor typical of someone in power appeared.

Even though he was merely walking, his presence was so overwhelming that it made those watching feel a chill down their spines.

His features were sharp and strong, perfectly defined. His silver hair was meticulously combed back.

What was unique, however, was the subtle pink hue interwoven through his hair.

There was a time when this man had been missing for five years. They said that pink hue was a side effect of that period.

‘Whatever he did during those five missing years… no one really knows.’

People glanced at him, recalling the rumors circulating in social circles.

“…….”

His icy gaze slowly swept the surroundings.

A man who commanded both respect and fear from everyone.

The head of the ruthless Northern Wintervald Ducal House.

The arrogant and beautiful troublemaker of Etherion, Kalec Wintervald.

“Hm? But…”

Someone tilted their head curiously.

“Who’s that child next to him…?”

Kalec was such a captivating figure that it took a moment for people to notice the child trailing closely behind him.

“Now that I think about it, I did hear that the Wintervalds have been sponsoring a child recently. But did he really bring the child to this party?”

…The same Kalec Wintervald who wouldn’t even regard children as anything more than dust?

“Ho-o-o-o…”

At that moment, the child, with lips pursed into a circle, let out a brief exclamation. The child’s pink bobbed hair was tied desperately into two pigtails.

The child seemed to be about eight years old.

She was slightly out of breath, trying to keep up with Kalec’s pace. Her rosy cheeks were as red as apples.

“Ho-o-o-o! There are so many people!”

Kalec looked down at the child indifferently.

Then, with a sudden frown, he spoke.

“Stop fiddling with that magnifying glass. And why are you carrying that backpack?”

His voice was low and cold.

But the child paid no mind.

“It’s a bag with collecting tools and a plant dictionary! You said… I mean, Your Grace said you’d show me the Imperial Garden!”

“And I’m asking why you need that for a party. Wasn’t it enough to play in the Duke’s vegetable garden all day? Now you’re going on about plants here too?”

“Aw, don’t be so mean…”

The child pouted, muttering under her breath, and Kalec, as if waiting for this, smirked.

“Of course. My goal is to be so cruel that you’ll leave on your own.”

“That’s a shame. My goal is to be so kind that I’ll stay by your side forever.”

The child smiled, her eyes curving into a crescent shape.

Then she boldly hugged Kalec’s leg tightly.

“Like this!”

‘I’ll help you recover your memories, and I won’t let the future unfold as it’s supposed to… So that you don’t die!’

Of course, no one knew of the child’s true intentions.

“Ha.”

Meanwhile, Kalec merely looked down at the child’s round head as if it were a familiar sight.

His sharp, piercing gaze swept over the little one’s body. His mind was also tangled with thoughts.

But not for any significant reason.

‘Did she have her afternoon snack?’

That was the general line of thought. Although it was an unconscious thought, not one made with intent.

After all, he had no reason to worry about this child.

The Duke of Wintervald was, after all, self-proclaimed and widely recognized as the Empire’s coldest-hearted man.

“You.”

“….?”

“Go and bring me a cracker topped with bright red salmon and some horribly blended green grape juice. Right now. The reason is…”

The man arrogantly lifted his chin.

“Because I’m hungry.”

“Yes, sir!”

The child snapped her short arms together like a toy soldier and answered cheerfully. At this, Kalec’s well-shaped eyebrows wrinkled sharply.

“What’s with the ‘sir’ nonsense?”

“Why? Didn’t you just promote me from maid to secretary yesterday… And you said you’re bringing me to today’s party as your chief secretary…”

Ah, that’s right.

Kalec relaxed his eyebrows and clicked his tongue internally.

‘I told her to make herself useful by becoming a maid since she kept whining to stay at the estate.’

He promoted her to secretary since she kept trying to wipe down the desk with a rag.

‘Come to think of it, wasn’t that extremely cruel?’

Telling an 8-year-old child to become a maid!

‘I acted like that, yet I don’t understand why she still won’t leave me.’

The child appeared at the Duke’s estate one day several months ago.

Claiming that Kalec was her father.

She even had the heir’s ring engraved with the crest of Winterwald.

‘…Did I really raise that child in a mountain valley for five years?’

He couldn’t remember.

Because a few months ago, Kalec had an unexpected accident and lost all his memories of the past five years.

Therefore.

“Daddy! I’m back!”

The child who came rolling into his arms saying that… Of course, he had no idea who she was.

‘I was definitely planning to kick her out.’

How did things end up like this?

‘For some reason, I just couldn’t bring myself to give the order to throw her out.’

I’m the Northern Duke. A cold-blooded man.

Kalec gave up on thinking any further.

These days, he was just hoping that by acting distant, the child would leave on her own.

…Though he wasn’t sure if it was working.

“Here you go!”

Just as he finished his thoughts, the child came flying over with a plate and a glass of green grape juice.

Kalec commanded in the most dignified and unpleasant voice he could muster.

“Alright. First, eat it all. Let me make this clear: this is to check if there’s any poison. I’m not looking out for you.”

In fact, he had already seen the staff check for poison earlier.

“Yes, sir!”

The child happily ate the cracker and gulped down the juice. Admirably so.

“Ah, I’m full! Thankfully, there was no poison! Can I go look around now? And this garden is amazing! It’s a hundred times better than the Duke’s estate, so I really want to explore it!”

“Ha! You think you can do whatever you want?”

“…”

“Right. Just sit quietly with that sulking face next to me.”

Kalec brushed the cracker crumbs off the child’s chubby cheeks with his large hand and then smiled coldly.

“Well, do you hate me a little more now? Judging by how your plump cheeks are twitching, it seems you find me incredibly annoying. So, pack your things and go to the Winterwald Orphanage immediately. The one that receives so much funding every month that it’s a perfect place for children to live without any lack. It’s even notorious for being newly built, with every facility as fresh as if it could bring tears to your eyes.”

I have to get rid of her. I absolutely must get rid of her.

An 8-year-old child that I don’t even remember suddenly shows up claiming to be my daughter. How absurd is that?

“No-oo!”

“Ugh. This little sugar ball… If you keep acting up, I’ll roll you up and stick you in my mouth.”

“Don’t say you want to kiss me in that scary tone!”

“I don’t.”

Really, I don’t.

Feeling a sense of crisis, Kalec decided to threaten her as menacingly as possible. The most effective method for intimidation was to say, ‘I’ll bury you where no one will ever find you.’

Let’s use that.

“I swear, Lirin Wintervald. By this afternoon, I’ll definitely plant you in the Duke’s vegetable garden. Right alongside that 3-year-old pea that’s been rolling around the house.”

“Oh no, you’re saying you’ll raise me with utmost care… why do you say it like that…”

Ha. Why isn’t she scared?

“Ah! Look, there are bunches of green grapes! Sir, I need to go check them out!”

Apparently tired of the conversation, the child, who was holding a magnifying glass, started fidgeting toward the grapevine, ready to jump out at any moment. Kalec unconsciously grabbed her drooping backpack urgently.

“Why- again?”

“…The bag.”

“…?”

Actually, this bag had been bothering him a lot since earlier.

And he couldn’t stand anything that bothered him, even in the slightest. Because he had a terrible temper.

So, it’s definitely not because he’s worried about the kid or thinks the bag looks heavy and wants to carry it for her. Absolutely not.

“I’m going to kidnap your bag.”

“Wow, it was getting a bit heavy anyway. How did you know? You’re so kind, Sir! Please carry it well!”

The green turtle-shaped backpack dangled from the large black man’s hand…

“This is really not right?”

What am I doing wrong?

Can I even manage to get rid of her at this rate?

‘At this rate, am I going to end up raising a daughter I don’t even remember all the way to adulthood?’

Cold sweat dripped down his spine.

Meanwhile, the people who were watching all of this were whispering.

“What is this?”

“They look like… a close father and daughter?”

Murmur. Whisper.

The child, running through the garden, overheard the whispers. A sigh naturally escaped her.

“Hah.”

They don’t know anything.

‘It was so hard to get to this point!’

Training an evil father who lost his memories!