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

Episode 19

Oh, come to think of it, it was dinner time with my dad right now.

“I sent you out to buy clothes, and you swept through the toy store instead.”

Oh no, how embarrassing.

I discreetly stroked the wooden doll tightly gripped in my left hand.

This doll, with a ‘B’ engraved on its edge, was part of a wooden toy series I bought today at B’s Secret Toy Shop.

Honestly, I hadn’t been interested in such toys since I was six (really), and nowadays, I found them even more boring (seriously). But B’s wooden doll series had some collectible value.

I liked that they were made from recycled wood. But more than anything, it was cute how the arms and legs wiggled when you pulled the string in the back!

“Right? The first princess of the Tomato Kingdom, who will soon be caught in the whirlpool of destiny, my Ultveria Sistina…”

“You’re really having fun with this, aren’t you?”

At my dad’s reproach, I blushed and put the doll down.

Then I noticed Theo, who was also fiddling with a toy while eating, just like me.

Seeing that snapped me back to reality.

“Theooo! You spat out the tomato again! What are you going to do if you keep being picky about tomatoes?”

While I had been lost in thought, Theo had tried to load a tomato onto the toy carriage, and his shoulder jumped in surprise.

Theo didn’t really like tomatoes. He would eat the ones I picked from the garden, but he refused to touch any other kind.

For the record, I ate everything, but if I had to choose, I preferred tomatoes over potatoes.

“Theo. Hmm, if you finish the rest, I’ll show you how your mini carriage’s roof moves. How about that?”

“Oooh?”

Not willing to let Theo’s picky eating continue, I pulled out my secret weapon. Theo’s eyes widened.

I began to tinker with the toy carriage he had been playing with.

“Huh? Did the roof really move?”

Kate, who had been moving dishes nearby, tilted her head in confusion.

“Oh my, you didn’t know?”

“Know what?”

“B’s wooden dolls are famous for having lots of hidden mechanisms! Dad bought me several, so I know them well…”

I trailed off, sneaking a glance at my dad.

Last night, it rained again in the capital. Trembling at the sound of thunder, I couldn’t take it anymore and watched a video crystal.

In it was my dad.

“Sweetheart! Why are your cheeks all puffed up? Who is it? Who’s been bullying you?”

“It’s nothing… Jamie from downstairs was bragging about having seven of B’s wooden dolls… and it made me a little sad. When I said I only had two, he teased me.”

“That little brat.”

“Wait, you didn’t just curse, did you?”

“…! Of course not.”

Dad had pulled me into a tight hug, then sat me on his knee and gently soothed me.

“Sorry, Lirin. I didn’t realize there was such a competitive world for kids’ toys. Next time, I’ll go to the neighboring village and make sure I get the toy shop’s grand opening sale.”

“Really? But they’re a bit expensive.”

“Don’t worry! Daddy will make enough money to buy the whole toy shop if needed! Even if it’s one of those greedy businesses that suck the life out of parents, I’ll gladly do it for you. Just wait a little, okay? If worse comes to worst, I’ll even raid the Ruska vaults.”

“Dad? Why did your voice sound a little weird at the end?”

“…! You’re imagining things. Mwah, mwah, my adorable daughter.”

In the end, I ended up with five wooden dolls.

Though Dad worked hard to gather them for me, he would constantly grumble about the ‘B’ in the toy shop’s name.

‘The identity of B was never revealed, was it?’

Despite the fame, nothing was known about the creator of the toys, ‘B.’

Whoever they were, they must be incredibly rich. Their children and grandchildren would live in luxury for generations, no doubt.

Anyway.

“Ahem. Watch this.”

After finishing my recollection, I felt everyone’s eyes on me as I pulled a handle under the mini carriage’s roof.

“Whoosh!”

A small umbrella popped up from the roof, revealing a hidden mechanism.

“Wow!”

The maids clapped. I puffed out my chest with pride.

Even in Lepi Village, not many kids had figured out all the hidden features of B’s toys.

Since the mechanisms were truly secret, you had to play with the wooden dolls a lot to discover them like a gift.

“How is it? Isn’t it fun…?”

And then it happened.

Boom!

A tremendous sound echoed from the entrance of the dining room.

I jumped in shock.

‘What was that?!’

Turning around quickly, I saw not a huge wall, but a towering man glaring at me with wide eyes.

A large bundle lay scattered on the floor, probably the source of the noise when it dropped.

“…”

“…”

The man, with his jaw clenched so tightly it looked like he was cracking walnuts, resembled a grumpy bear.

I locked eyes with the bear-like figure.

Seeing his neatly combed ash-gray hair and his deep, dark eyes, a chill ran down my spine.

“I told you, didn’t I? He would like it.”

Though I could hear a familiar noblewoman’s voice, it sounded distant, like a blur.

I clutched Theo’s sleeve tightly.

“Theo… Don’t cry. If you cry, you lose.”

It felt like I had just encountered a wild beast.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The man approached me with heavy steps. Up close, he was even more intimidating.

A massive shadow loomed over me, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t even hiccup.

“It’s you, isn’t it?”

It was an overwhelming voice.

A deep, resonant tone that sounded like the compressed voices of about ten adult men packed tightly together.

“Strawberry.”

…Excuse me?

“I misspoke. Daughter.”

He briefly glanced at the wooden doll in my hand, and his gaze sharpened even more.

“So, you can recognize that mechanism… Come here, little one…”

The bear mumbled something, but his voice was so low that I couldn’t make out the words clearly.

I got off the chair and took a hesitant step back.

But the enormous black shadow looming over me was so large that escaping completely seemed impossible.

Panicking slightly, I instinctively looked towards my dad, seated at the head of the table.

However, seeing him just staring at me with an indifferent expression made my heart sink.

I nervously grabbed Theo’s hand.

“Theo… Don’t show your back recklessly. If you run blindly, you’ll be eaten… Slowly, carefully… hic.”

What do I do?

It felt like a wild beast had descended from the mountains.

“Hey, little one?”

Sensing that something was going wrong, the man tentatively reached his hand towards me.

I gasped, trying to hold my breath, but in the end, I burst out in panic.

“I-I’m not worth eating! I don’t even have any belly fat, and I don’t have any wealth yet either! All I have is a full head of hair! Please, spare me!”

And then, I bolted.

“…Huh?”

Using every ounce of strength I had, I fled as fast as I could.

The dining room after Lirin’s escape.

The towering elderly man, Blaine Wintervalt, stood there with a dazed expression and slowly spoke.

“I…”

His voice, if it had density, was so thick it left no space for even the slightest gap.

“Made… a child… cry.”

Though the words coming out of that voice were somewhat cute.

He was an imposing man. Particularly, the muscles on his arms, straining against his tightly stretched clothing, were impressive. Lirin’s small face could probably fit into one of those biceps five times over.

“Oh dear. Our gentle giant.”

Eliza, biting her lip, patted Blaine’s shoulder as he stood there, stunned.

He hunched his large frame over and leaned into Eliza.

“Eliza, what have I done? I…”

“It’s alright, it’s alright.”

“I think… she hates me.”

Blaine spent most of the year guarding a divine mountain in the harsh northern lands, all for Elisa’s sake.

During his free time, he began whittling wood and making various things, and over time, unintentionally became something of a craftsman.

He was very skilled with his hands, and his sincere and steady nature contributed as well.

Especially the wooden dolls with the initial “B” engraved on them, which were well-received across the country.

‘It had to be kept a strict secret from the family, as it wouldn’t do for anyone to find out that the Wintervalt family was involved in the toy business.’

Kalec had more or less figured it out, and Eliza was his reliable accomplice.

“I’ve ruined everything…”

Eliza, accustomed to the situation, gently patted the large man.