TISND Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Helena knew her father very well.

So well, in fact, that it was a problem.

“What a worthless thing you are!”

That was how her father, Count Eskel, used to refer to her.

To him, she had no protection from her maternal family, no value, and not even her bloodline mattered. She was always a thorn in his side.

Objectively speaking, she was hardly a noble lady of any worth.

“At the very least, could you tell me what my mother was like?”

“She was nothing more than a worthless maid—nothing more, nothing less.”

What kind of person had her mother been? Helena had no way of knowing.

“That’s why someone like you was born! Just as your mother was insignificant, so are you.”

For the longest time, she truly believed she was a worthless person.

But now? Perhaps she had gained some value after all.

“It’s been a while, Father,” Helena said.

“Helena! It really has been a long time.”

She could still remember the words and expressions her father had during her wedding.

“The Duke of Frantor must have poorer judgment than I thought! To choose a girl like you instead of someone like Raviel or Rosalich!”

Of course, Helena couldn’t understand why Caligo had chosen her over her siblings either.

But she hadn’t expected to hear her father say it out loud.

“It’s so good to see you after so long! Didn’t you miss your father?”

“Did you miss me, Father?”

“Of course! After spending my whole life with you by my side, imagining you gone left me feeling empty and longing for you.”

Her father was still an expert liar.

And so was Helena.

She had inherited the ability to speak without showing the slightest change in her expression.

No matter how much she despised him, blood was blood. She had inherited her most hated trait from him.

“What brings you all the way out here?”

Deep down, she wanted him out of her life as quickly as possible.

Her time was limited. There was no longer any space for her father in it.

But Helena swallowed her anger. Finding out his purpose here came first.

“Helena! My beloved daughter,” Count Eskel said as he approached and grabbed her hand.

“Please help your father.”

“What kind of help do you need? Be specific,” she replied calmly.

In the past, she might have faltered at being called his beloved daughter.

She had pretended to be indifferent but secretly craved familial love.

But not anymore.

‘You’re far too late.’

“Ahem, yes, well.”

Caught off guard by her detached tone, the Count’s eyes widened.

“Helena, my dear, Eskel is in danger.”

“What’s putting you in danger?”

“Your husband! The Duke of Frantor. That whelp.”

The grinding of his teeth betrayed his fury.

“When he married you, he willingly handed over stakes in the coal fields—clearly, he had ulterior motives. Now, the man dares to move against me.”

“And?”

“What do you mean, ‘and’?”

Her indifferent response shattered the mask the Count had been wearing.

The mask was destined to shatter soon enough.

“You mean to tell me, even with me in danger, you’re going to respond like that?”

The situation was urgent, and the Count quickly cut to the chase.

“Listen to me, child.”

With his veins bulging and voice cold, he spoke to his daughter unfeelingly.

“You should be grateful. I’m your father, and I raised you—you owe me.”

To hear words like these from her father after barely a year was painful.

“How do you want me to do that?”

“Bring me information on the Duke of Frantor.”

Helena didn’t have the strength to cry anymore.

The only sound escaping her lips was a hollow, bitter laugh.

—

“This is really delicious!”

Jeremy exclaimed as he enthusiastically devoured a cookie.

Watching his younger brother, Joshua chuckled softly and gently wiped the crumbs off Jeremy’s cheek.

The boy who used to show little interest in food now had an appetite.

Even with all the consoling, the sadness in his face couldn’t be fully erased. Yet, the chubby cheeks and liveliness had returned.

“Finish it all.”

“Where did you get this from?”

“It wasn’t bought. Mother made them.”

Joshua glanced at Caligo, checking his expression before continuing.

“There doesn’t seem to be anything special added, but why is it so tasty?”

Jeremy mumbled to himself again, his curiosity lingering.

“Where is she, though?”

“I don’t know.”

“She said she’d be back! I should go find her! She might be waiting!”

With renewed energy, Jeremy rushed out the door, full of excitement.

The council chamber was silent after the meeting ended.

Joshua leaned against the wall, his brows furrowed, watching his father’s troubled expression.

Ever since Jeremy enjoyed the cookies that Helena made, a rare smile broke through the boy’s sullen demeanor. Even when Jeremy excitedly rushed off to find her, his father’s expression was uneasy.

The boy idolized Caligo.

He aspired to be like him—strong, fearless, revered by all knights, and a commander who led with unwavering confidence.

Yet, lately, his father seemed preoccupied.

Joshua knew why—it was the same reason he himself felt uneasy.

“Jeremy likes Helena.”

“How do you feel about it? You don’t mind, do you?”

Having grown up wanting to be like his father, Joshua understood his thoughts better than anyone else.

The anger and thirst for revenge his father harbored towards Eskel.

The plan to undermine his enemies, including bringing Helena into the family to dismantle their influence.

“There’s something wrong, Father. I feel strange.”

Joshua hesitated, revealing his feelings for the first time in front of his father.

“Part of me dislikes her, yet another part is grateful.”

Mentioning the daughter of his enemy made him uneasy.

He feared his father’s wrath, yet another part of him hoped he would listen.

“Harboring feelings for the daughter of an enemy is unacceptable. Ridiculous.”

“Joshua.”

“Yes?”

‘I have no intention of burdening you with my affairs. Live your own life.’

Her words echoed in his mind—her promises to keep his secrets and respect his choices.

“I just wanted to say, Father…”

“Yes.”

“I lied to you.”

Joshua mustered the courage to share his true feelings with his father.

Of course, he respected and loved Caligo deeply, but there was still an awkwardness that lingered.

Did he truly consider him as his child, or was it merely a duty to raise him? That lingering doubt gnawed at him, fueling a sense of insecurity.

“The Academy? That’s a lie.”

“I knew.”

“Really?”

Joshua muttered in surprise, recalling Helena’s words.

He had thought everything was going according to his own plans, but from an adult’s perspective, it seemed different.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I mean, you knew everything but kept it a secret.”

There was an odd sense of embarrassment and discomfort.

Joshua realized how difficult it was to reveal secrets, a lesson he had never truly considered.

Yet, at the same time, a part of him felt lighter.

“Thank you.”

Recalling Helena’s words, Joshua finally opened up to his father.

Caligo smiled warmly and gently ruffled his hair.

“You’ve grown.”

“So, can I go to war with you next time?”

“No.”

“Okay.”

It was strange. Caligo sighed quietly, his smile turning bitter.

“The fact that you’re not the only one feeling those ridiculous emotions toward her is what’s most absurd.”

—

Leaving Count Eskel behind, Caligo and Joshua headed toward the council chamber.

Suddenly, they spotted Jeremy sprinting toward Helena, breathless.

“Sorry! Did you wait long?”

“Huh? Are you really Jeremy?”

“Yeah? What do you mean?”

“There’s no way you’re the real Jeremy. You’re actually apologizing to me?”

“Tch, do you think I don’t know how to apologize?”

Helena giggled, gripping Jeremy’s flustered hand.

“It’s a joke. You don’t need to apologize. I wasn’t really waiting.”

“What? What happened?”

“Nothing big.”

Helena thought back to the conversation with Count Eskel earlier.

‘Report everything—what the Duke of Frantor eats, drinks, and does, from start to finish.’

What could she have possibly said to such a cold father?

“I’ll do it.”

Of course, she had no intention of following her father’s wishes so submissively.

“You see, Father…”

Just because you gave birth to me, just because you raised me, doesn’t mean we’re a family, doesn’t mean you’re truly my father.

“What is it? What happened?”

“It’s just that I was with strangers and felt lonely.”

“Hmph, from now on, you’ll stay stuck to me like glue.”

“Oh, thank you, father.”

For the past twenty years, being near him had never felt as happy as the past month here.

Helena decided—she would dismantle the Eskel family with her own hands.

Before she died, she would make sure of it.