It’s Not Night - Chapter 209.1

After a while, Dustin stepped back with a slight sigh.

“I want to do more, but I’ll stop here for now. Rest.”

Leaving a kiss on her forehead, Dustin left the room, leaving Andra behind.

Finding Anna wasn’t difficult. Whenever she was upset or wanted to be alone, their daughter would always hide in a specific spot.

“There you are.”

Dustin found Anna sitting alone in the attic, her cheeks puffed out, pouting just like her mother. She was, of course, as adorable as Andra. Dustin carefully approached Anna.

“What can I do to make my daughter feel better? How about a pie with raspberry jam?”

“Hmph!”

“Is that not it? Hmm, how about I give you a piggyback ride? You begged Dad for one last time.”

At the mention of a piggyback ride, Anna flinched slightly. Dustin couldn’t help but smile and raise the corner of his mouth.

“Now’s the perfect time to play without getting scolded by Mom. Hmm, if Anna doesn’t want it…”

“No! I want it!”

“Then how about you forgive Mom?”

At Dustin’s suggestion, Anna’s eyes, which had been narrowed in frustration, quickly shot up again. Looking up at him, she sulked as if she had been wrong.

“Why? It’s Dad giving me the piggyback ride, why do I have to forgive Mom?”

“Because Mom and Dad are one.”

“Hmph! You always say that! Dad is stupid!”

Anna turned her head away in frustration, and Dustin couldn’t help but chuckle softly. The way she expressed her displeasure so openly was too cute, especially because she looked so much like Andra.

“So, does that mean you don’t like it when Dad’s stupid? Should I leave?”

When Dustin pretended to walk away, Anna immediately turned back around. She cried out with a pout.

“…I don’t hate you! Don’t go, Dad! Why do you always say you’ll leave?”

“Okay, I get it. I won’t go.”

“Tch, I hate you, Dad!”

Though she said that, Anna immediately ran to him for a hug, and Dustin couldn’t help but laugh.

As Dustin had wished, Anna had become a perfect mix of him and Andra in every way. Thanks to this, even Albert and Andra’s brothers, who had been displeased when they first heard the pregnancy news, couldn’t help but soften their hearts when they saw how much Anna resembled Andra.

“Anna, can you forgive Mom just this once? She must have been too busy.”

“Hmph! Mom is always busy! Dad is the only one who plays with me!”

“Not true. Mom reads you bedtime stories every night.”

“That, that! I don’t know! I hate Mom! I won’t play with Mom!”

“Dad is sad if you don’t play with Mom.”

At Dustin’s words, Anna’s eyes began to soften.

“Why does Dad always side with Mom?”

“Well, maybe because I feel sorry for her?”

“Why are you always feeling sorry?”

Dustin paused for a moment at his daughter’s question. Then, noticing her blue eyes still looking up at him, he quietly spoke.

“Dad has made a lot of mistakes with Mom.”

“What? No way! It’s Mom who makes all the mistakes! Dad is a liar!”

“No, really.”

Dustin gently stroked his daughter’s hair. She still looked confused, unable to fully understand his answer.

“Anna… you don’t like Mom?”

“…No, that’s not it…”

“Do you like her or not?”

“…I do. But! That’s…. different!”

Stretching the end of her words, Anna turned her gaze away from Dustin. Then, flopping down into Dustin’s arms, she said,

“Mom’s always busy. I want to play with Mom too… but…”

“Dad will play with you even more. Is that okay?”

“……”

“Huh?”

Anna suddenly said to Dustin, who was looking at her sweetly,

“…I’m going to marry someone like Dad.”

Dustin was caught off guard by his daughter’s words.

“…Huh? That’s…”

“Why? I like Dad the most! But you always say Dad is Mom’s. So, I’ll marry someone like Dad.”

Dustin couldn’t just laugh off his daughter’s words. Her tone was serious, and the thought that she might end up in a situation where she would suffer was clear to him.