Hush Now, Saintess! - Chapter 114

Chapter 114
Translator: Yonnee

—

Seeing that unfamiliar expression on his face filled me with confusion.

It was more bewildering than when he silently stared at me.

With a voice as weak as his sorrowful expression, he asked,

“Do you think I am acting like this because of that?”

“So, you’re not angry about that?”

“…No. This is my fault.”

What came back was a bitter self-reproach.

“I must not have explained myself clearly last time, and you misunderstood.”

“Misunderstood? What do you mean…”

“I was worried about you. Both last time and this time.”

“……”

“It’s good that you are doing your best with the prophecies from God, but the most important thing is you. You mustn’t forget that.”

I was at a loss for words at his continued statements.

‘What is this reaction…’

I had not expected this at all.

Such honest and clear concern.

‘He wasn’t on good terms with Roella in the first place, was he?’

Of course, I had been trying to resolve some pent-up emotions lately, but I hadn’t anticipated this kind of reaction.

This is really…

‘Weird…’

Someone’s genuine concern.

Especially receiving concern from family was very unfamiliar to me.

Is it the first time since my grandmother was alive?

No. It’s not.

Even when my grandmother was alive, I never received this kind of concern.

My grandmother had to take care of me because she had no choice.

What my grandmother loved was not me but my unknown father.

She took care of me because she loved her son, not her granddaughter.

Just as my grandmother took on my father’s debt.

I was just another debt.

So I always…

‘Was grateful and scared.’

Scared that even my grandmother might abandon me.

After my grandmother passed away, I worked hard to repay my father’s debt because of that fear.

I wanted to repay everything and be free.

From everything that was binding me.

…I felt like I was about to cry.

The past emotions, once they started leaking, burst like a dam.

Meanwhile.

“Anyway. I just wanted to tell you to be careful. Receiving prophecies is a good thing, but take better care of yourself from now on. Your safety is the most important.”

With a forlorn reminder, he stood up from his seat.

I sat there blankly, watching him walk away. My heart pounded harder with every step he took.

When he was about to reach the door.

“Father.”

I hastily called out to him.

I just felt like I needed to.

* * *

‘Haha. Why did I do that?’

Inside the rattling carriage, I regretted what happened a few days ago.

—Father, would you like to go on an outing with me?

—An outing?

—Yes. I’ve finally decided on a site for the fountain. Would you like to go see it with me…?

I had held onto him as he was about to leave but had nothing to say, so I brought up going out.

Luckily, the fountain came to mind, so I suggested we go see it.

Contrary to my expectation that he might refuse, he readily agreed.

So today.

An awkward outing with my father was arranged.

There’s a saying for this kind of thing.

‘Digging my own grave, right?’

Haha.

I laughed, but it wasn’t really a laugh.

“Ahem. Roella.”

“Yes, Father.”

In the awkward air, it was the Duke who spoke first.

“Though it’s a bit late, I’ve heard the news.”

News? What news?

‘Judging by his expression, it doesn’t seem like bad news.’

Oh, maybe it’s that.

“That I made a contract with the Crown Prince?”

“You gave up on Young Duke Killian?”

“……?”

We both spoke different things at the same time and looked at each other silently.

“What do you mean, a contract with the Crown Prince?”

“Why are you talking about the Young Duke…?”

“What contract?”

I felt like the conversation was going in circles.

It seemed the Duke’s interest had shifted to the contract with Hildeon.

In that case, I should just go along with it.

“The site we’re going to is part of the development project initiated by His Highness the Crown Prince. It’s to restore the commercial area that was destroyed because of Bastion. I decided to install the fountain there as a symbolic gesture.”

“So you made a contract with the Crown Prince?”

Wait, I don’t think we’ve signed a formal document yet.

‘Come to think of it, we haven’t signed the official contract yet.’

When we visited Vention together, I only mentioned that I would build a fountain there, but we didn’t sign any contract.

We were supposed to sign it the next time we met…

‘Our next meeting was at that cornfield.’

Feeling awkward, I scratched my nose and shook my head.