DKVM Ch 32

Chapter 32

“…!”

“That is the scenario His Majesty wishes for… so now I have a question for you.”

Marguerite’s surprised eyes met the inspector’s.

He posed the question to her with an expectant smile.

“What does a traitor harboring a traitor’s son have to do to survive in this scenario?”

The answer he wanted with that almost mechanical grin was obvious.

* * *

The festival was just a few days away.

Unlike other shops, which were busy preparing for the biggest event of the summer, our bakery had a bold sign on the door that read “Closed”.

Once a season, Dad goes to the neighboring village to visit his friend, Uncle Max.

I’d heard that he’d taken care of my dad a lot when my mom died.

‘But I’ve never met him.’

No, I guess it’s more accurate to say I don’t remember meeting him.

I was too young to remember.

So one time, I asked Dad to take me along…

He said, “It’s hard because the road is rough, it’s dangerous because they have a bear(?) in the house, and who would protect our village if he disappeared…and so on.

He gave me a lot of reasons to stay away.

‘Well, Dad needs a break from parenting sometimes to just hang out with his friends.’

As a grown-up nine-year-old who understands a little bit about the mindset of a single dad who is overwhelmed with childcare, I was understanding up until that point.

‘But why! Why would you want to go at this time?’

It’s only a few times a year!

And this is a time of year when we should be able to rake in lots of money!

But…

“My friend’s father’s cousin’s wife passed away, and I think I should go because he’s been there for me through thick and thin.”

…isn’t that a complete stranger

I wanted to ask him, but before I could do anything, my dad’s preparations were over.

‘But he promised to be back the last day of the festival.’

It was a shame to miss out on the opportunity to make a bunch of sales, but it was worth it to spend the last night of the festival with my dad.

“Princess, I’ll be right back.”

As he walked with me by the general store, he locked eyes with me and scolded me.

“Don’t skip meals just because it bothers you, and make sure to wash your hands first when you come back from playing. Don’t forget to brush your teeth before going to bed.”

I didn’t give in and put my hands on my waist and scolded him too.

“Don’t drink too much, don’t play too much, and don’t go near scary-looking men. Do you understand?”

Dad had come back before with a small scratch on his face.

He said he’d been drinking and scratched himself on a tree branch…

‘I don’t know when he’ll get hurt, but he could get in a fight with some bad men!’

I’m not sure since I didn’t have kids or proper parents in my past life.

Maybe this is what it feels like to leave your child at the water’s edge.

I couldn’t help but feel anxious whenever my dad left the house.

My worried nagging made him laugh in disbelief.

“So, who is the daughter, and who is the father?”

“Oh ho, you’re talking back to me.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll be careful not to be naughty, and in the meantime, I’ll listen to you.”

“Phew.”

Dad said goodbye with a kiss on my soft cheek and then gave an apologetic look to Mrs. Lauren, who was looking after me while he was gone.

“I’m sorry to burden you when you’re so busy, Lauren.”

“Oh, come on. It’s times like this that neighbors help neighbors. Don’t worry, have a good trip.”

“Then I’ll be shameless and rely on you this time.”

Finally, Dad waved goodbye to Mrs. Lauren and me and headed off.

But while he was looking back at me, he tripped on a stone and stumbled.

‘Ehhh. Will everything be okay?’

He can’t fight and he’s clumsy, but…his body is strong, right?

I looked at him with worry in my eyes and waved at him.

Until I couldn’t see him anymore.

That’s when I lowered my waving hand.

ʧʤɓɡɤɦɨɫɯʉ…

I felt like something was humming towards me and paused.

‘It’s that vibration I’ve heard recently.’

I looked in the direction the vibration was coming from, which was the western woods as I expected.

‘Why do I keep sensing this?’

It was Mrs. Lauren who pulled me back to reality as I squeezed my eyes shut as if to shake off the gloom.

“Vivian, I thought you said today was the day we were going to the villa?”

“Oh… I still have a little time, and I’ll help you organize your stuff in the meantime!”

Oh, no, you don’t have to. Peter and I can do it by ourselves.”

“Well, it’ll go faster with the three of us, and what’s there to do in the meantime?”

“Oh gosh. It’s definitely better to have a daughter than a son. Peter! Why don’t you get up too?”

While she went upstairs to wake Peter, I began to organize the general store.

So that I would not feel the aura of the forest calling to me.

* * *

“So, you’re staying at the general store for the time being?”

Rahel asked that day after finding out about my temporary living situation with a frown on her face.

‘Why are you suddenly in such a bad mood, my dear princess?’

But she seemed fine when we talked about the festival a few minutes ago.

I shook my head, and Rahel spoke up again, her voice nervous.

“So, are you saying that guy’s staying with you this whole time?”

“That guy?”

“I’m talking about that guy we saw at the general store the other day.”

“Oh, Peter?”

As Peter’s name came out of my mouth, a chill seemed to creep into Rahel’s blue eyes.

Not knowing why, I chewed on the cookie I was eating and answered idly.

“I guess so since the general store is Peter’s house.”

“You can’t.”

I blinked at Rahel’s unexpected opposition.

“Huh? Why?”

“That…”

He hadn’t thought about a reason, but after a few moments, Rahel came up with an excuse.

“…it’s said that men and women shouldn’t sleep together after they are older than eight.”

“But we’re not sleeping together, ” Peter’s sleeping in Peter’s room and I’m sleeping in the guest room.

“But you can’t do it with that guy.”

Puzzled as to why Rahel was so opposed, I remembered a time when we were in a general store and smiled wickedly.

“I see! You’re jealous that I’m getting closer to Peter?”

Rahel’s eyes widened at the realization.

‘She’s so cute when she does that.’

It was the way Rahel, who didn’t show her feelings, would suddenly slip up and reveal herself.

I chuckled, unable to stop the corners of my mouth from twitching upward.

“Don’t worry, Rahel. I still like you best, hehe.”

Rahel looked dazed at my words.

Her blue eyes fluttered slightly behind slowly blinking eyelids, and then she averted her gaze.

Then, as if remembering something, she came back to the point.

“Maybe you should stay here.”

“Here? At the villa?”

“Yeah. We have plenty of guest rooms.”

…Oh, come to think of it.

No carriage rides back and forth, relatively safer, and best of all, my friend.

It was the perfect place to stay.

“Hmm, do you think so?”

Rahel’s lips twitched into a faint smile as I responded positively.

* * *

That evening, back at the general store, I told Lauren that I wanted to stay at the duke’s villa.

She was uncomfortable at first, saying that she was tossing her responsibilities onto the duke.

After some persuasion, including from the butler who accompanied me, she agreed to let me go to the duke’s villa.

Thus, I stayed at the duke’s villa while my father was away.

But…

Rahel, who had just finished a game of chess with me, saw me yawning heavily and rose from her seat.

“I’m going to my room now.”

I cocked my head at her.

“Huh? You’re not sleeping here?”

“This is your room.”

“Can’t we sleep together? We’re supposed to sleep together when you come to a friend’s house.”

“It’s against the rule of law to sleep together before you get married-”

“Married?”

Why was she suddenly talking about marriage?