Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Build Muscles Instead of a Baby!
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“Gwood mowrning!”
Maybe because I was pretty tired from the fight with Mark yesterday, I fell asleep the moment I got back to the annex.
Thanks to turning in early, I woke up feeling refreshed from the very start of the day. My mood was the best it had been in ages.
Until the moment Dad and Dietrich jumped to their feet the second they spotted me entering the dining room, waving my arms along with Nurse.
The two of them were practically shooting sparks from their eyes.
Dietrich came rushing over to me first, and Dad followed right behind, scooping me up and plopping me on his lap to check me over from every angle.
“Mark hit you, huh?”
“No injuries anywhere? If anything hurts, you have to tell Daddy right away, Ella—don’t hide it from me.”
“He hit you with a wooden sword? I’ll go chase that punk down today and—!”
“Don’t worry. Daddy’ll go after him today and make sure Dominic doesn’t get off easy. A kid’s misdeeds are the parent’s fault for raising him wrong.”
This was bad. If things went south, neither Uncle nor Mark might make it out in one piece today.
Dad and Dietrich’s auras were downright murderous.
They looked ready to bolt out the door and kill one each on the spot.
If I hadn’t gone to bed early yesterday, I probably wouldn’t have gotten a wink of sleep.
I’d already been grilled nonstop by the maids and Nurse after hearing Laura’s report.
If Dad and Dietrich had come chasing after me too…
I let out a massive sigh, and Dad and Dietrich clenched their teeth.
They must’ve thought I was upset about yesterday and sighing because of it.
“Hold on, baby. I’ll go after Mark and…”
“Find out where Dominic is right this instant and…”
“Nooo.”
I looked back and forth between Dad and Dietrich before heaving another huge sigh.
“I hate people who keep fighting.”
The two wore expressions like the sky was falling, but I had to say it.
“Mawk was mean to weak kids yestewday. So I punished him.”
“Our girl’s such a kind soul, too.”
I felt a little bad for Dad, who looked so proud during that brief pause, but I pressed on doggedly.
“I don’t wike people who bully weak ones wike Mawk. Hate it.”
First hate, now don’t like—Dad’s face hardened. Standing Dietrich looked shocked too.
Of course, Dad and Dietrich were nothing like Mark.
Mark was a bad guy who’d bullied weak Joachim and me, but my family was stepping up as my protectors.
But right now wasn’t the time to rile up Grandfather’s temper.
Yesterday, he definitely said he was handing Dad the cleanup duties for the aftermath.
Uncle had been so desperate not to lose that authority, so it had to be something big and important.
If Dad poked at yesterday’s incident now and upset Grandfather, the only one who’d benefit was Uncle.
I couldn’t do anything nice for Uncle.
Dad and Dietrich, frozen in shock for a moment, tried desperately to convince me.
“Hah, but baby Ella, that punk Mark picked a fight with you— we can’t just let it slide!”
“Gwandpa punished him, so it’s fine!”
“That old geezer… no.”
Dad habitually gritted his teeth at the mention of Grandfather but stopped short when he noticed me and Dietrich staring at him, clamping his mouth shut.
Dietrich was about to turn eight, and I was four.
Maybe realizing we’d soak up every adult word like sponges, Dad squeezed his eyes shut and forced the words out with visible effort.
His face looked like he was chewing on a larva, though.
“His Excellency… stood up for you like that, so it’s okay? Doesn’t it still hurt your feelings?”
I didn’t know why Dad hated Grandfather so much.
But I did know he despised him intensely.
Even so, Dad was trying so hard to set a good example for us, carefully choosing his words. I stared up at him blankly.
Not annoyed at my extreme measures like hate or don’t like, his eyes held only worry as he looked at me.
Sorry and grateful all at once, I threw my arms around him tight.
“It’s okay.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Secwet, but I beat Mawk up a wot. He cwy woud.”
Dad burst out laughing at my whisper in his ear.
He patted my back, laughing for ages before poking my chubby cheek.
“That’s my girl.”
Only then did Dad set me down.
I returned to my seat and grabbed my spoon first.
The servants attending us placed appetizers in front of me.
As I reached for my fork to poke at the food, a slight sting in my palm made me quietly set it down.
The scab from yesterday must’ve peeled off a bit.
It happened when I flexed my hand. Pinkish flesh peeked from under the scab.
But this was nothing.
My palm stung a little, but not enough to make eating inconvenient…
“What’s that?”
Dietrich dragged his chair right up to me like he’d been waiting.
Dad pulled his chair over too, as if refusing to lose.
And then they both stabbed forks into the food on my plate at the same time.
Dad won the fork duel.
Gloating at Dietrich, he held the fork out to me.
“Hurt your palm, huh? Daddy’ll feed you. Ahh.”
“I-I’ll just…”
Dietrich ground his teeth in frustration but didn’t back down.
He tore off a soft, white dinner roll into a perfect bite and thrust it toward me.
“You like bread more, right, baby? I’ll feed you. Ahh.”
Dad’s appetizer on my left, Dietrich’s bread on my right.
Whoever I picked first, the other would sulk for sure.
What do I do?
Cold sweat trickling down my back—or so it felt—Florian came to my rescue.
Ignoring our commotion, he’d been eating calmly across from us. When I shot him a pleading look, he slid my glass of water over.
“Drink water first before eating, baby.”
Saved!
I snatched the glass.
Dad and Dietrich glared daggers at Florian, but he just smiled coolly.
…What was with him? Couldn’t tell if he had a good personality or a bad one.
I thought I might choke from the morning ordeal.
Somehow finishing my meal amid Dad and Dietrich’s battle of nerves, I wobbled over and clung to Nurse’s leg.
“Nuuurse.”
“What’s wrong, miss?”
I’m tired. Just a little cut on my palm, and now I’m set for a week of being hand-fed.
Dad and Dietrich were so childish.
Their competitive feeding frenzy had me eating half a bowl more than usual.
I rubbed my bloated belly.
My stomach felt ready to burst, but Grandfather probably hadn’t gotten the competitive treatment like me, so he’d have room for a snack.
“Pack a snack. Gonna see Gwandpa.”
“Oh my.”
Since Grandfather had taken our side in yesterday’s fight with Mark, no one would block my entry to his office anymore.
“Cocoa? Or warm milk?”
“No. Mint tea good.”
“Mint tea? It might be a bit strong for you, miss.”
“It’s fine. Gwandpa wikes it.”
“Understood. Anything else?”
“Pancakes!”
Nurse covered her face and let out a giggling sob at my lispy cry.
The kitchen staff listening in beside her did the same.
Yeah, laugh it up…
While I stood there pouting as they fawned over how cute I was, preparations finished smoothly.
With a maid pulling the wagon, I arrived at Grandfather’s office.
Chairman Grandpa happened to be standing right outside the door.
With a secretary loaded down with documents, he must’ve had a busy morning.
“Chaiwman Gwandpa!”
I called out and ran over; he paused and turned to me.
“Mariella.”
His eyes lit up with warm affection the instant he recalled my name.
Joachim must’ve passed on my story well.
“Here to see His Excellency the Duke, I take it.”
“Yeah.”
“Perfect timing—I was on my way to see him myself. Follow me.”
Sweet! Score for me.
I tagged along behind Chairman Grandpa and slipped quietly into Grandfather’s office.