Chapter 318.3

Papas [Part 3]

Francesca’s Father, Isaac Delacour’s POV

“J-J-J-Just what is it?! What’s with that lineup of members?!”

“Well, like I’ve told you. They are Lady Francesca’s close friends in the academy, alright? The three siblings of my family are inside that circle too…”

“Please listen carefully. This is about your own beloved daughter, you know?” said Count Stuart, looking discontented, but this wasn’t the time to be thinking about that.

The siblings from the Four Great Duke Houses, who every faction wished to pull to their side, and the twins of House Simmons, the owner of the largest port who everyone waited eagerly to choose a side, the wealthy merchant, the prince… and the richest Count in the Kingdom?!

Aren’t these members several times more dazzling than the group my daughter joined last year, who established themselves in high society because of that [baptism]?!

What is going on?! What happened?! Francesca?!

End of Isaac Delacour’s POV

After hearing this, Isaac, who was usually called expressionless, couldn’t hide his agitation.

“I understand how you feel, Sir Delacour…”

Leonard’s face suddenly turned sorrowful as he grabbed Isaac’s hands for the second time.

“The possibility of couples forming in a co-ed group is abnormally high, after all.”

“………what?”

“Especially because Emma is just really, really cute, I’m so, so worried…”

“………what?”

“Well, I have no intention of marrying her off whatsoever, though.”

“………eek!”

Leonard laughed with a scary face. He already looked fierce in the first place, so that smile was terrifyingly scary.

Isaac didn’t know what he should retort at first. But what he could say for sure now was that the Count’s love for his daughter was so… overwhelming.

“Uh-oh, I almost forgot about my business here. Today is not the gathering of dad friends, after all, huh. Feel free to ask anything. I will cooperate as best as I can.”

Leonard switched to work mode neatly, but all the bureau staff present trembled while thinking they should never make an enemy of him. And those with sons engraved in mind that they must warn their sons to not lay their hands on Lady Emma, whatever they do.

Melsa’s dream to hug her grandchildren was obstructed by Leonard in places unknown to her.

♠♠♠

Isaac’s POV

Let’s go home early today.

Who cares about those piles of work.

I will just leave it to those bunch who are idle enough to harass others so frivolously.

I thought after sending off the Count.

Let’s buy the black tea the bureau staff clamored about some time ago for being fragrant and my wife’s favorite sweets and go home quickly.

Let’s talk to my daughter… to Francesca.

Although I feel a little shy because I haven’t done so in years…

I just really, really want to know.

…I’m so, so curious about what happened to make things turn out that way that I can’t help myself.

Not being able to suppress the excitement in my heart, I ended up breaking into a run.

“And then, Arthur-sama

and Marion-sama were so angry at Robert-sama‘s harassment that they even challenged him to a duel.”

With flushed cheeks, Francesca engrossed herself in talking about the things in the academy to me and my wife.

Sometimes she would add body and hand gestures and change the tone of her voice.

Although I knew saying this about my own daughter would make me seem biased, the sight of her trying her best to tell us stories looked so endearing and adorable.

At this moment, I think I can understand Count Stuart’s feelings a little.

“That’s upsetting! But a duel is too dangerous…”

“Now, here’s a question. What do Father and Mother think is going to happen next?”

“A question out of a sudden?! Hmm, let’s see… Did you call the teacher?”

“Naturally, the waiters in the courtyard would intervene, no?”

Francesca smiled mischievously and shook her head at our answers.

“Fufufu, the answer is…! Emma-sama ate the monster jelly with relish!”

“What? She ate the jelly modeled exactly after a monster?!”

“Oh dear, moreover… with relish?”

“Oh, how much I wanted to show Father and Mother the look on Robert-sama‘s face at that time. And you know? There’s still a continuation to this story.”

Needless to say, the number of conversations among our Delacour family had exceptionally increased starting this day.

I lessened my stay overs at the Royal Castle for work as much as possible and started going home daily after buying black tea and sweets that I thought my wife and daughter would like as small gifts.

The stories about the academy I heard from my daughter almost every day were so interesting that they caught me off guard at times.

Looking at the happy smiles of my wife and daughter, I realized that my heart had been filled with warmth and satisfaction without me noticing.

Is this simple time we have… what you call happiness? I thanked the Count in my heart.