Chapter 22

It was unfamiliar for him to have the desire to hug and pet someone. The child was small. She was small when they had first met, and she was small even right now. She was so young and weak that he felt he would break her if he put any strength into his hand. How was this little existence breathing the same air and speaking the same language as him?

‘She looks so fragile.’ Miltiades felt that he would kill her if he touched her. It made him a bit nervous. ‘Will she be able to grow up safely?’ Rahel was a cold and unrelenting land. It wasn’t suited for someone like her, who needed sunlight, warm wind, and affection.

Mitlitades sensed an unfamiliar emotion along with this newfound sensation.

“Daddy.”

Her small and weak hand grabbed onto his. He wasn’t dumb enough to fail to understand the emotions behind her eyes. Her unconditional trust in him was evident in those eyes.

“Ah!” He realized something. This new emotion was affection. It was adoration. As Miltiades recognized these unexpected feelings, a new world opened up for him. And everything had started from this small and soft existence.

Feeling a sudden wave of responsibility, he clenched his big, sturdy hand. Marxen’s words weren’t all lies. Miltiades indeed was unsuitable for the role of a ‘father.’

“Amelia.” It was difficult for him to say her name. Nothing was easy. It was his first time for everything. He suddenly felt curious about something he had never questioned. “Why did you choose me as your father?”

Amelia’s eyes widened. It seemed that she had never thought he would ask something like this. “Because it’s you!” she answered without hesitation.

“Because it’s me?”

“Yep!” Amelia laughed and nodded. “Because you’re you!”

Miltiades couldn’t believe her words. It would’ve made more sense if she had avoided him because of who he was.

Amelia seemed to have realized he was unsatisfied with her answer. She carefully held his hand while smiling. “Daddy, do you remember the first day we met?”

There was no way he could forget. “The day you were stupidly hanging out the window?”

He didn’t know what was so funny but Amelia nodded between her peals of laughter. “As soon as I was in your arms, I got a feeling. This is the person!”

“…” It wasn’t an answer that could convince him, but it made him feel better. Amelia proudly looked at him as if she were a mother who had successfully consoled her child.

“And this is a bit off-topic, but…” Amelia fiddled with her fingers. “I don’t have anything. I’m an orphan, I don’t know who my parents are, and I was lucky enough to be the saintess.”

As she blinked and forced herself to smile, Miltiades felt his heart tear.

“I was an ordinary child, but after I was sent to the Vatican, everyone started looking at and treating me with respect.” She then lowered her voice and continued, “The only person who treated me like a child”—she looked at Miltiades with her clear eyes—”was you.”

Amelia’s tiny voice rang deeply in Miltiades’s heart. “That’s why I chose you.”

A wave of an unknown emotion engulfed Miltiades, and he took a deep breath. With every sensation and every emotion, he felt like he was stepping into a strange world. All he could do was look at her and listen.

Amelia became embarrassed. She giggled a bit and curled into herself. “I thought that you would look at me just the way I am.” She put some strength into her hand after her small confession.

Miltiades’s throat burned with the countless emotions he was feeling. “I will…”

“Hm?”

“I will protect you.” He made a promise to himself. It was the only commitment he would make toward this child. He would properly raise her until she could stand on her own feet. He would give up his own life to protect hers.

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“I’ll protect you from any harm that comes your way.” And when that day came… “I’ll protect you, Amelia.” When that day came, he would send her away so that she wouldn’t have to suffer for his sins.

* * *

Sanctus and hallelujahs echoed in my head. I got drunk off happiness as I heard an orchestra and choir inside me. “This is heaven.” I was content; I needed nothing else from this world. It was a happy life. “I’m sleeping here.”

“… You can’t sleep here!” When I tried to lay down with a pillow between my arms, Luciana shrieked and took away my pillow.

“Luci, I’m happy. I’m over the moon!” Luciana confusedly looked at me as I cried out. I was so happy that I wanted to break the world and the universe to show my happiness.

“What in the world made you so happy?”

“I can’t tell you. It’s a secret between me and Daddy.”

“Ah, I see.” Luciana nodded.

“Do you want to know?”

“Well, yes.”

“To be honest…” As I said that, Luciana leaned toward me. “Ah, I can’t tell you! I’ll lose the magic.”

“…” Luciana moved away from me. I didn’t even care as I couldn’t contain my happiness. She then said, “Elder Marxen just left. He wanted to send you his regards.”

“Ah!” I bolted up when I heard her words. It suddenly pulled me back to reality. “Why are you talking about that guy?”

Luciana shrugged. “But was it okay to send the divine healer with him?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m already healthy.” I could feel myself getting better.

“Elder Marxen was adamant about going with Sir Ludwig, so he left as part of the guard.”

“What? My Ludwig?” That damned Marxen kept doing things I hated until the end.

“Hooo.” I blew the bangs out of my hair and sat down. I had realized something after dealing with Elder Marxen. I couldn’t look down on anyone! The self-reflection was needed. I had been so excited about my dad opening up that I had forgotten I was still a child in a novel.

“What’s with this crazy difficulty?” I felt that I needed to reorganize the goals in my life. The first goal was to survive. The first, second, third, and fourth goals were to keep me safe and have a peaceful life.

“I changed my family and avoided danger because Dad loves me.” My next goal was my dad’s happiness! I had a plan for his happiness: overthrowing the Holy Empire. “I’ll finish them off, no matter what.” ‘They’re trying to mess with my dad? Huh? I can’t forgive anyone who touches my favorite character.’

“But I can’t do this right away. What can I do right now…” It was good to set small goals to achieve a bigger goal, such as making two million dollars or seducing the male lead. If the male lead was on my and my dad’s side, our futures would be safer.

I had decided on my goal, and all I had to do was execute it. ‘Great, let’s seduce him!’

* * *

Elder Marxen, who was on his way back to the Holy Vios Empire, was found dead.

* * *

“I investigated what happened to Elder Marxen but couldn’t find anything on who killed him,” the beautiful man in the device, Achillios, spoke with regret. “But it seems like Elder Marxen tried to attack Sir Ludwig.”

“The elder tried to kill the paladin?” Both Miltiades and Callian were confused by the situation.

“There seems to be an internal division,” Achillios replied.

“Look into it.”

“Yes. I’ll send more people.” Achillios then reported on a different issue. ” Regarding your order the other day, I haven’t found anything about new magic or a magician’s lab. To find out more, I think we’ll have to go north to the magician’s tower.”

Miltiades’s face fell. His relationship with the northern tower was the worst. He tapped his finger on the desk and asked, “Do you think Yurigen’s Lord, Lepolius, has anything to do with this?”

“Hm, who knows. He’s a bit stupid, so I’m not sure…” Achillios tilted his head and smiled. “But I hope he gets caught up in this. I don’t like him.”

“…”

“I’ll investigate everything.”

“Don’t go overboard,” Miltiades warned Achillios, who seemed excited to dig up dirt.

“I’m always reasonable. You know me, Your Majesty.”

Miltiades was about to say how he didn’t, but he didn’t feel like it in the end.

Achillios ignored him as if he were used to it. “Your Majesty, when will you return?”

“We’ll leave soon.” Miltiades was planning on moving as soon as Amelia was healthy enough.

Achillios clicked his tongue, “Why aren’t you here yet? I heard that Duke Ravenhook will arrive this week.”

“Already?”

“That’s what I’m saying. You left before him.” Achillios frowned. “Your Majesty, it was a dream when you said that you were adopting the saintess, right? You’re both lying to me, right? Is that why you’re taking this long?”

Miltiades narrowed his eyes. He wondered why Achillios was acting like this, but he had evil intentions.

Achillios continued, “I heard from Callian that she’s adorable. She’s so cute and lovely. I can’t wait to meet—”

Click!

Miltiades turned off the device and asked, “How’s Amelia?”

Callian smiled and immediately replied, “She’s in the western annex again.” Miltiades frowned, and Callian’s smile turned wider. “She used resurrection magic, so she’s worried about the child. She’s so kind…”

Miltiades glared at Callian to be quiet, but Callian was so emotional that he missed it. “She’s definitely the saintess!”

“…” Miltiades thought that Callian had become weird. ‘I’m unhappy but why?’ Miltiades got out of his seat.

“Your Majesty?”

Miltiades wordlessly left the room to see Amelia..