Chapter 78
“What do you mean, it has something to do with me?”
“…It’s better if you see for yourself.”
With that cryptic answer, Grace opened the door.
Better if I see for myself?
It was an uncharacteristic response from Grace.
The Queen Consort was a person of absolute clarity. As someone who researched magic and drew complex formulas, she detested vague expressions more than anything in the world.
What could be so difficult that a person like her can’t just say it?
Dozens of possibilities flashed through Calips’s mind the moment he stepped into the treatment room.
Then, one thought took hold.
Don’t tell me… if Pose dies, Aisha dies too?
He imagined the worst-case scenario.
If black magic was involved, such a curse was well within the realm of possibility.
And then, a subsequent question followed.
If that were the case, could he accept the death sentence King Argen had handed down?
“…….”
Although several suspicious circumstances had been uncovered, Argen had stepped back, pinning all the blame on Duke Pose, and remained the ruler of the Frozen Kingdom.
The moment Calips defied his order, he would become a traitor.
Even so.
I’ll refuse as many times as it takes. If it’s to save Aisha.
Calips’s red eyes sank into a cold chill.
No matter what kind of black magic was cast upon Aisha, he was prepared to face it.
It was then.
“Your Majesty?”
A young voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
It was Aisha.
The child was sitting on the bed, swinging her legs—when had she woken up?
She looked as cheerful as usual, but there was one strange thing: her eyes were tightly shut.
Did she lose her sight as a side effect of the black magic?
Thump.
Among all his assumptions, Calips felt his heart drop at this unexpected turn.
“Aisha. Why don’t you try opening your eyes?”
Grace leaned down to match the child’s eye level, and—
“Right now?” Aisha asked brightly.
Her eyelids fluttered open slowly.
The moment their eyes met.
“…….”
Calips’s entire body froze.
“Ack! Daddy, you’re here? Are you okay?!”
Blink, blink.
He heard her worried question, but Calips couldn’t answer. He simply stared at the child in a daze.
Her eyes, which had always been a deep blue reminiscent of the sky and sea, had turned red.
Just like Calips’s own.
“It seems this is Lady Aisha’s original appearance. It looks like it was being hidden by black magic until now…”
Grace, mid-explanation, suddenly let out a small chuckle.
“You look like you have a lot on your mind.”
Just as she said, Dad was just staring at me without a word.
Wh-why is he acting like that?
My head whipped left and right as I tried to grasp the situation.
I had collapsed in Dad’s arms, and when I regained consciousness, Queen Grace was in front of me.
From what I heard, she had been treating me to break Duke Pose’s black magic.
Is Dad okay? He must have been in much more pain than me.
I was worried about my own condition, but once I regained some energy, I just wanted to see Dad.
To think a man that strong would collapse from my attack. What a dummy.
Why did he believe my words? Why did he let his guard down? Even right before he lost consciousness, I held back the resentful words that wanted to spill out.
I was so relieved things ended well, but I was planning to give him a piece of my mind so he’d never do it again.
But Grace was staring intently into my eyes as I thought that.
When I asked why, she told me to close my eyes and wait, so I did—and now this was happening.
“…Dad?”
Calips looked much more composed than I expected.
He probably had bandages around his abdomen where he was stabbed, but otherwise, he seemed unhurt.
What a relief.
But regardless, I had to nag him. I was about to open my mouth when something felt off.
Calips looked like he’d been struck by lightning.
Ah, well. He must be just as shocked as I am.
He survived a brush with death and reunited with his daughter—how happy must he be?
“Hmm.”
…Or maybe not?
The thought made me lose my confidence, and a cold sweat broke out.
Now that I think about it, Calips found out who Ariena really was right before he collapsed. He even found out I’m Ariena’s daughter.
His beloved wife was a spy, and his beloved adopted daughter was actually his biological daughter—and a being created specifically to destroy him.
It was a shock to me, but for Calips, it must be even harder to accept.
Now that he knew the terrible truth, maybe he had hoped I wouldn’t wake up.
“…Aisha.”
His voice was stiff, making my heart sink.
I lifted my trembling eyes and barely managed to look at him.
“Are you okay?”
An unexpected question came out.
“…Yes.”
“That’s a relief.”
When I nodded slowly, he answered like a sigh.
Even so, his expression didn’t soften, keeping me on edge.
“…I’m so glad.”
Suddenly, his large frame enveloped me in a hug as if he were swallowing me whole.
I stood there blankly in his cave-like embrace, one I thought I’d never feel again.
Then, I felt his large palm rest on the back of my head.
“Never,”
His voice was choked with emotion.
“Never say those strange things again—about being a mockery to me or anything like that.”
“…….”
My eyes widened in surprise.
“If you ever say that again, you’re really going to get it from Dad.”
I didn’t expect him to say something like this.
“…Whether you’re my blood or not… no matter who your mother was or what the reason for your existence is, it doesn’t matter. You are my daughter.”
Calips cared for me far more than I had imagined.
He must have felt an immense sense of betrayal and anger, yet he loved me enough to overcome all of it.
“I-I’m sorry.”
He really was a softie for his family.
He literally almost died. He felt enough rage to want to kill, and he had the person deserving of that death right in front of him.
And yet, he still called me his daughter.
I was the one getting scolded with the exact opposite of the words I was going to use to scold him, and it felt strange.
It felt like bubbles were rising up and swelling in my heart until they were about to burst.
It was ticklish, and I was grateful, and… I felt a surge of sorrow.
“I’m sorry.”
Only then did I stretch out my short arms and bury myself in his chest.
I bit my lip hard to keep from crying. I tightened my grip around his neck, terrified he might let go.
“Since you know you’re sorry, you won’t do it again, right?”
Chuckling at me, Dad picked me up and stood.
Then, looking at my face, he asked, “Why are you crying? Are you a little snot-nose?”
A snot-nose? Father, where are your manners?
“I’m not crying!”
I sniffled and quickly rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand. The heavy atmosphere lightened instantly.
I followed Calips’s gaze as he turned his head.
Come to think of it, we weren’t the only two in the treatment room.
Grace was standing in the corner with a face that said she didn’t know what to do with herself.
I heard her MBTI was definitely a ‘T’.
When our eyes met, she gave an awkward smile. Calips looked at her and then asked me.
“My daughter. I’m glad the black magic is gone and you’re safe. Did you thank Her Majesty Grace?”
“Yep! Of course! I even did a grand bow!”
“…A grand bow?”
As Calips asked in confusion, Grace nodded and spoke up.
“Was that meant to be a thank you? I wasn’t sure why you were showing me your underwear, though.”
“What? Aisha?”
Hieee. As Calips looked horrified, I frantically waved my hands to explain.
“It wasn’t that! I just bowed so deep that I ended up doing a headstand!”
“Ah, so that’s what it was! But Lady Aisha, please don’t do that in front of others while wearing a dress. It’s fine since it was me, but if anyone else had seen…”
“Y-Your Majesty! I-I understand!”
I thought I was wearing a hospital gown.
Usually, when you wake up in a clinic, you’ve been changed into a gown!
I pouted, feeling wronged, but that wasn’t the problem right now.
No matter what we were saying, a pair of terrifying, hawk-like eyes was glaring at me.