Chapter 19: I’ve Chosen You to Be My New Dad (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 19: I’ve Chosen You to Be My New Dad (1)
[Master!]
‘Huh?’
Suddenly, Desmond’s voice echoed in my head. For some reason, he sounded utterly exhausted.
Sure enough, Desmond began to plead in a whimpering tone.
[I really can’t do this anymore. I think a Sword Master is going to catch me.]
‘Hmm, well… I guess it can’t be helped.’
[Actually, I think I might have already been caught—]
‘What?’
[Ah, it’s—it’s nothing.]
‘….’
Desmond’s voice cut off abruptly after he hurriedly glossed over his words. Then, a swirl of black energy seeped back into the teddy bear. Desmond had returned.
“You were caught? Are you serious?”
[Ugh, I’m not entirely sure.]
“Tell me exactly what happened.”
[The Duke’s Sword Master didn’t notice me. But that… that other Sword Master was a bit….]
“….”
I had a feeling I knew who he was talking about. Did Dantalion catch him?
“So, were you caught or not?”
[I don’t know! That human’s aura is terrifying. He stared right at the spot where I was!]
“Hmm.”
Desmond, completely spooked, was trembling. Seeing him like that in the form of a teddy bear made me feel a little sorry for him.
The terrifying figure Desmond witnessed was likely the Dantalion I knew from the original story. That would explain why Desmond was so frightened.
Even though he acted like a completely different person when he was with Veronica.
“Whatever, it’s fine. He won’t know I’m your master anyway.”
[Don’t worry about that! The Archdemon’s contract isn’t that flimsy!]
“Hmph.”
Desmond shouted with a fair bit of confidence.
Thanks to the Archdemon’s contract, those who carry the blood of the First Duke of Winston can become masters of demons. It was said that not even a Sword Master or the Master of the Magic Tower could see through that contract.
It just went to show how incredible the Archdemon was. Since he was the ruler of the Demon Realm, I figured he was probably a being as great as a god.
I nodded and gave Desmond’s head a little pat.
“Then don’t worry about it too much.”
[…Why are you letting this go so easily? You’re not going to scold me for almost getting caught?]
“No, what on earth do you think of me…?”
[Master, have a conscience.]
“Ahem.”
I wanted to argue, but thinking back, I realized I hadn’t exactly been kind to Desmond. Even if I considered Bibi a pervert, Desmond had been quite obedient to my orders so far.
I suppose my nerves had been on edge because I’d been dropped into an unfamiliar world and knew the tragic fate awaiting Veronica, who had become my mother.
Realizing I really had been too hard on Desmond, I gave a small nod.
“Fine, I’m sorry.”
[Wh-what?]
“You did a good job today. Thank you.”
[Wh-why are you acting like this all of a sudden? Master? I heard that when humans do things they don’t usually do, it means they’re about to die.]
“….”
I try to be nice for once, and this is the thanks I get?
I narrowed my eyes and glared at Desmond. Beside me, Bibi snickered and mocked him.
[Anyway, Master. What are you going to do now?]
“About what?”
[That scary Sword Master. Are you just going to leave him be?]
“Hmm.”
I fell into thought at Desmond’s question.
However, my concerns were of a different nature than Desmond’s. I was thinking about Dantalion’s utility.
Initially, I planned to use Dantalion to get that jerk Cedric and Veronica divorced, and then drive out the Empress Dowager quickly to bring about the downfall of the original protagonists…
But I wondered if it might be okay to shift my direction slightly.
‘A marriage alliance.’
When all is said and done, the strongest and most binding alliance between noble families is through marriage.
It goes without saying when it involves the Imperial Family. If Dantalion, the Crown Prince, could drive out the Empress Dowager—who currently has a firm grip on the Imperial Family and the nobility—it would be a good thing for both me and House Winston.
In such a situation, if Dantalion and Veronica were to marry, it would be an even greater source of power. Perhaps we could get rid of the protagonists even faster than in the original story.
‘But it’s all useless if Veronica doesn’t want it.’
Veronica had already been deeply scarred by her marriage to Cedric.
So, the idea of remarriage might be a burden to her. And I, for one, wanted to live here with Veronica and the people of House Winston for as long as possible.
But….
“Whew.”
I closed my eyes, and the events of the original novel flashed through my mind again. The Duke of Winston, who couldn't bear to watch and squeezed his eyes shut as Veronica was executed, and her brothers.
To prevent the original story from repeating itself, I needed a plot twist of that magnitude.
‘I want you to be happy, Veronica.’
Dantalion’s gentle voice came to mind. It was a voice far too warm to be directed at just a childhood friend.
‘I should go see him for myself.’
Who knows?
Maybe, just maybe, Dantalion is a philanthropist who is kind to Veronica because he hasn't turned dark yet.
That’s why I need to meet Dantalion in person and test him.
‘I’ll choose the pushover… no, the new dad myself!’
I almost let my true feelings slip for a moment, but I quickly corrected myself.
Then, I flashed a wide grin.
*
“Mommy, I want to meet His Highness the Crown Prince too.”
“Oh my.”
Veronica looked surprised by my words.
But at the same time, her cheeks flushed pink the moment I mentioned the Crown Prince. I stared intently at her reaction.
“Where did you hear about that?”
“Uncle Brandon told me.”
“Oh, Brandon, really….”
Of course, Brandon wasn't the first person I heard about the Crown Prince's arrival from, but I used him as an alibi while acting as innocent as possible.
Sorry, Brandon. If you’re going to resent anyone, blame your own pushover nature that makes you so easy to use.
Muttering an apology in my head, I beamed and shouted.
“The Crown Prince! He’s cool!”
“Hmm, but His Highness is a very busy person.”
“Does His Highness not want to see Dia?”
“Uh….”
“Dia wants to see His Highness!”
“…!”
Take this, my ultimate move: Aegyo!
I poured all my effort into acting cute with a high-pitched voice.
Hit by my decisive strike, Veronica flinched as if her heart had momentarily stopped.
Good, just a little more.
With newfound confidence, I wiggled my body.
“Dia even has a present for His Highness.”
“A present? You prepared a gift for the Crown Prince?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Mommy wants a gift from Dia too…. No, ahem.”
“….”
Veronica, who had accidentally let her inner thoughts slip, quickly shut her mouth.
But I heard her loud and clear. I’ll have to do something for Veronica soon, too. The gift for Dantalion was merely an excuse to meet him.
I grinned, thinking of the clumsy bouquet of flowers I had haphazardly picked from somewhere in the garden.
Then, I looked up at Veronica with wide, round eyes.
It just so happened that Veronica had recently read me a childish fairy tale about a prince, so my reason for wanting to meet the Crown Prince, Dantalion, was perfectly plausible.
“Alright. Mommy will ask His Highness.”
“Yay! I’m going to see the Prince!”
“Not a Prince, the Crown Prince. You have to be on your best behavior in front of His Highness, okay?”
“Okay!”
Veronica repeatedly cautioned me, looking worried.
She was probably concerned that because the frail Claudia had lived a secluded life inside the mansion, I might do something to offend Dantalion.
But there was no need to worry. I wasn't the fragile, naive Claudia who knew nothing of the world.
I just giggled, pretending to be oblivious.
*
The meeting with Dantalion happened sooner than expected.
Since he had to return to the Western Front in a hurry, he didn't have much time.
I met Dantalion together with Veronica. Dantalion, who had been staying in the annex to avoid the eyes of the servants, stood up from his seat as the two of us entered the drawing room.
“I greet His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“I gweet His Highness the Crown Pwince!”
I clumsily mimicked Veronica as she greeted him with noble etiquette.
I could have done it much better if I put my mind to it, but a five-year-old child shouldn't be able to perform such difficult greetings perfectly, right?
As I held onto my skirt somewhat awkwardly and bowed my head low, a clear, laughing voice rang out above me.
“Haha, yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Claudia.”
“….”
Lifting my head, I stared intently at Dantalion.
I had only read about him in the original work and heard his voice when he spoke with Veronica. This was my first time seeing Dantalion in person.
Dantalion was much more handsome and striking than I had imagined.
If Cedric was a sharp-featured beauty who was exceptionally pretty for a man, Dantalion’s role as a villain meant he had a more prominent masculinity to contrast him.
Yet, a gentle smile never left his face as he looked at me and Veronica. Staring at him, I intentionally shouted in a loud voice.