Father and Daughter (1)
"Can you inject it yourself? Or do you need some help?"
"......"
"Hmm, it looks like it'll be too hard on your own."
Seeing Beatrice hesitate at my question, I pulled back the vial of Blood Flow Catalyst and the syringe I'd offered her.
It was a drug she had to administer every day to stave off the pain, but according to the instructions, she needed to inject it into a vein near her neck. It was bound to be awkward doing it alone—especially for a fifteen-year-old girl.
I inserted the syringe into the vial, just as the alchemist had explained when I procured it.
Come to think of it, I should go see him again soon.
It had been a stroke of luck meeting that alchemist while staying in the Imperial Capital. Thanks to him, I'd been able to obtain the Blood Flow Catalyst relatively easily. Still, excluding the one vial I'd used to coax Beatrice, I didn't have much left. At the very least, before the effects wore off—within a month—I'd have to head back to him.
That was why I'd been saving up money in the first place.
About twenty-five platinum coins...
"It might sting a little."
"......Hic."
Pfsh!
I brushed aside Beatrice's hair, exposing her pale white nape, and plunged the syringe in. As I did, I started calculating inwardly.
Until this girl became an adult—until she turned twenty—there were still five years left. The Blood Death Disease would reach its peak around then, too.
Typically, ninety-nine out of a hundred patients with the Blood Death Disease died before that age, or if they barely survived, they fell into madness and became vegetables.
Of course, Beatrice—or rather, the original story's "Blood Witch Beatrice Edenberg"—neither died nor became a vegetable. Instead, she awakened as a disaster with immense power.
But regardless, like any Blood Death Disease sufferer, she'd endure excruciating agony for those remaining five years.
The Blood Flow Catalyst was the tool to prevent that. Over the next five years—sixty months total—it would suppress her heart pains.
Most of the money I'd saved was earmarked for procuring that drug.
Even with a connection to a top alchemist, the Blood Flow Catalyst wasn't something you could just get on a whim. It required the alchemist's exceptional skill combined with priceless ingredients. Friendship could only shave off the labor costs; everything else had to be paid for strictly.
"Hm."
Lost in those thoughts, I slowly pushed the syringe's plunger for about two minutes. Not a drop of the clear solution inside was left; the injection was complete.
I pressed lightly on Beatrice's nape and withdrew the needle. She flinched for an instant, but it probably didn't hurt too much.
I set the used syringe back in the wooden case and asked gently about her condition.
"How do you feel? Any discomfort?"
"......Mm, uhmm."
"If you feel any heart pain later, tell me right away. Though if the injection went properly, that shouldn't happen."
I carefully applied a small square bandage to the injection site. When I rubbed her nape once to smooth it down, she shivered, ticklish.
She roughly tidied her mussed hair—tousled from clinging to me—and murmured.
"No discomfort....... At least not now, I can't really tell, um. Anyway, it's fine. Aside from feeling a bit feverish......"
"Don't worry about the fever. I heard the blood flows faster, so your body heats up."
"......Yeah, got it."
With that, Beatrice hopped down from the kitchen chair. Under the soft lighting, the white negligee she'd changed into gleamed faintly. It was one of the many outfits we'd bought that day from the clothing shop in town, on the owner's recommendation.
She really had good taste. They all suited Beatrice perfectly, and I liked that.
I nodded lightly in approval, then closed the wooden case fully and stood from my seat.
"Well then, time for bed. It's late."
"......Ah."
"Your room is where I showed you yesterday. Think you can find it?"
Beatrice glanced at the stairs to the second floor, hesitating before answering.
That reaction was answer enough.
This mansion wasn't small, after all.
"I'll go with you. This time, remember it properly."
"......Okay......"
As I had during the day, I gently took her slender wrist and led the way.
This mansion in Handel, the city in the northern Empire, had been prepared with future events in mind. It was two stories tall, spacious enough to comfortably house four or five people...
With just the two of us now, it felt a bit empty.
There were five rooms on the second floor alone; no wonder Beatrice got confused.
She'd get used to it soon enough.
Creeeak—
"Here we are. This is your room."
I crossed the second-floor hallway with Beatrice and opened the door to the second-to-last room at the end.
The place where she'd slept the night before. Naturally, it was a private room.
Out of caution for any mishaps, it was right next to mine, but this space was entirely hers.
Even as father and daughter—no, especially because we were father and daughter—there were lines that had to be respected.
I'd position myself as her guardian later...
But I had no intention of going beyond that.
Surface-level father figure, or more precisely, just her sponsor. That was the role I'd stick to.
Beatrice would probably prefer it that way, too. Though she'd agreed to be adopted as my daughter, it would be hard for her to truly see me as her father.
The room had a plush-looking rug, but it felt a bit stark for a girl's bedroom. No helping it.
I wasn't skilled at decorating, and this wasn't the modern world where interior goods were easy to find.
I'd just prepared a bright-colored bedspread based on some prejudiced notions.
"Ahem."
...Even that looked like a single pink flower stuck in the middle of a desert, isolated in the empty room. In simple terms, it clashed.
Feeling awkwardly embarrassed, I cleared my throat.
"Ah, I forgot to give you this."
"?"
It was sad to be seen as an uncouth father by my daughter, but oh well. Duties were duties.
Remembering a gift I'd prepared long ago, I approached the wardrobe and pulled out an item I'd stashed away when acquiring the mansion.
"Here, a gift."
"......A doll?"
Beatrice blinked in surprise, completely caught off guard, and took it.
A massive bear doll, big enough to cover her petite frame entirely. Her posture was awkward as she hugged it with both arms.
I couldn't help but chuckle softly and guided her to set it on the bed.
"Our relationship is ultimately a transaction...... But as your 'father,' I'll do my best. Even if it's just as an adoptive one."
"......"
"You don't have to believe me. I won't force you to. Just know that's how it is. Think of this doll as a welcome gift."
A loving father somewhere in the world might kiss his daughter's forehead tenderly before bed.
But that didn't suit our relationship.
I turned away crisply.
"Well then, good night. If anything happens, I'm right next door."
Maintaining appropriate distance was crucial in relationships—especially one just beginning as father and daughter.
I had no plans to force closeness with Beatrice.
Not that I had room to talk, having half-forced her to come to this city.
If she opened up on her own, great. If not, I wouldn't mind.
I'd just fulfill my role as her protector, providing shelter and medicine.
That was when it happened.
"......Kyle."
Perhaps for the first time—
Beatrice called out to me as I left, using my name.
I paused and turned back.
Come to think of it, I hadn't told her my name...... She must have glimpsed it on the adoption papers during the day.
I regarded her calmly, and she met my gaze before asking.
"Why did you make me your daughter? Why...... did you bring me from that city all the way here?"
"......"
"......Why show kindness to someone like me, who can't possibly help you in any way."
Her trembling eyes and unsteady voice betrayed her facade. Why had I brought her here and even offered the precious Blood Flow Catalyst to make her my daughter?
Her gaze screamed genuine bewilderment, doubt, suspicion.
And perhaps at the same time...... she was searching for a reason to trust me.
I looked steadily at such a Beatrice and let a meaningful smile play on my lips.
"Who knows......?"
"......"
"Sorry, it's a secret. For now."
Beatrice's expression darkened further, but I gave her one last glance and grasped the doorknob.
I hoped she had a good night.
Creeeak—
Thud!
"......"