Chapter : 135

Cecilia's first memory of feeling shame was the sight of her father callously throwing away her rabbit doll.

The way he frowned and coldly said, 'A knight has no need for such things.'

Finally, the scene where he turned his head away as if in disgust, all of it was etched into Cecilia's memory like a brand.

It was a sad backstory that after that, Cecilia stopped looking for cute things.

"What kind of backstory is this, you sons of bitches at the game company!!"

Cecilia's backstory, revealed in an event called 'The Secret of the Rabbit and the Knight?!', made the users' blood pressure rise.

Cecilia hides her preferences because of that one comment from her father?

What kind of user would exclaim, 'Oh, I see!'?

It's normal for the community to be in an uproar, asking why they would release something like this as a backstory.

"Cecilia is hiding her preferences because of me?

No, more than that, Cecilia has a similar taste to me?"

"Tastes can be influenced by the environment, but they are also influenced by genetics."

"Cecilia is Ophelia's daughter."

Did he think she might have taken after his wife instead of him?

If so, that was a misjudgment.

Unfortunately, the Viscountess had no interest in cute things at all.

"No, but why on earth do you know that?"

"Then is there a reason I shouldn't know?"

Viscount Loren was at a loss for words, his mouth gaping for a long time.

"Why on earth is that child hiding her preference from me?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

Even if I knew Cecilia-sunbae's preferences, my last name is Lisitoel, not Loren.

He would probably be flustered if the guy who had been going on and on about tastes and what not suddenly played innocent as if nothing had happened.

However, I couldn't exactly say, 'I know because I saw it in the game.'

"Don't you have a mouth, Viscount Loren?"

At the words spoken with a bright smile, Viscount Loren covered his face with his hands and muttered.

"Like father, like son."

"Viscount, I heard everything~"

He's not even bothering to speak softly anymore.

"Should I really go and tattle?"

Don't forget that my father comes to visit every night.

At the threat spoken with a cheerful smile, Viscount Loren quickly covered his mouth.

My heart doesn't feel good about threatening a man my father's age... but it was actually a little fun.

* * *

Like father, like son. It was a statement blurted out in a fit of pique, but it was completely sincere.

In less than a week since his arrival, the way he was turning the viscount's castle upside down was just like Evan Lisitoel.

If he had known this would happen, he wouldn't have allowed the internship.

Just as the professors at the Academy didn't refuse 'Fief Management and Understanding' internships, the lords who sent their children to the Academy didn't usually refuse the request either.

In any case, weren't they parents who had entrusted their children to them?

If he were to refuse an intern, the reason couldn't be 'because he's Evan Lisitoel's son.'

He had genuinely thought that... but he took it all back.

The father and son duo had thoroughly rattled his nerves.

"Butler."

"Is there something you require?"

"Please call for Cecilia."

As the butler bowed and left, the Viscount's face revealed his complicated feelings.

If his daughter had truly been hiding her feelings all this time because of him, what a great wrong had he committed against her?

"Hah..."

The Viscount swallowed his anxiousness and waited for his daughter.

Soon, Cecilia entered with an indifferent expression.

"I was told you called."

It was a disaster brought on by misunderstanding and misconception.

After hesitating for a long time, the Viscount finally asked the worst possible question.

"How is life at the Academy?"

It was a question he had already asked when she returned to the fief.

"Well..."

It was a complete failure.

Come to think of it, when was the last time he had a proper conversation with his daughter?

Was I too indifferent?

While the Viscount was in a state of chaos, Cecilia tilted her head and looked at her strangely acting father with bewilderment.

"Is there something you wish to say to me?"

"I'm proud of you."

Thump, a strange word popped out, and the Viscount immediately wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

To suddenly call his daughter and say something like this, if his wife found out, it would be a source of ridicule for the rest of his life.

"Pardon? Thank you?"

His daughter was so flustered that her answer came out strangely too!

"If there is nothing more you wish to say, I will take my leave."

Clank, every time Cecilia, who had bowed her head again, moved, the characteristic clanking of her armor rang out.

Listening to it quietly, the Viscount opened and closed his mouth before finally managing to speak.

"I heard you like cute things."

Was that a look of surprise? The Viscount caught the faint emotion tinged in Cecilia's expression.

One must always approach things slowly, not too hastily.

As he was slowly choosing his words, trying to say something kind, Cecilia, her expression terrifyingly cold, said firmly.

"I will conduct myself well so as not to bring any harm to the Loren family."

No, that's not what I was trying to say.

Before Viscount Loren could correct Cecilia's thoughts, Cecilia practically fled the room.

Uh, huh? Why did things turn out this way?

* * *

The fundamental reason for the problem between the father and daughter was a lack of communication.

In the game, their relationship was successfully reconciled through the efforts of Lucian and several other characters.

After all, once the floodgates of conversation are opened, all conversations tend to flow naturally like water.

That's why I baited the Viscount without much thought. Besides, the Viscount in the game is a good person.

That was the source of my confidence...

"Yuno, is Theo here?"

Why on earth was Cecilia looking for me, her voice sounding as if she were ready to cut someone down?

My mind went blank for a moment.

I desperately searched for an escape route. Escape route, escape route...!

At that moment, the window behind Yuno caught my eye.

"There!"

There was no time to hesitate.

I immediately created a stone with the Circle of Earth and threw it at the window.

Crash!

At the sound of the glass shattering, I left Yuno's horrified face behind and threw myself out the window.

With the sound of the door bursting open, I looked back to see Cecilia, a real sword in hand, standing there with her eyes glaring in search of me.

Viscount Loren! What on earth did you say to her?!

I wanted to demand an answer, but right now, running away was the priority.

The cold air hit my face.

I enveloped my body with the Circle of Wind.

The wind, moving according to my will, immediately slowed my fall.

I surveyed the area while suspended in mid-air.

"Stop!"

I heard Cecilia's voice from beyond the window on the upper floor.

And soon, she too jumped out the window.

This is crazy! I immediately kicked off the wall and threw myself forward.

The wind pushed my back hard, and I moved as if sprinting along the wall.

I used the narrow window sills, decorative stones, and rain gutters as footholds to climb onto the roof.

However, Cecilia, who had been born and raised here her whole life, had an overwhelming advantage in what I could do.

Light footsteps approached from behind.

I created wind to increase my speed, but the sound grew closer.

What is this, a horror movie?!

"I'll kill you if I catch you!"

With the threat, a shadow fell over me.

I twisted my body to the side and barely dodged.

As Cecilia landed precisely on the roof, the roof beneath her feet cracked.

"Wow."

She wouldn't make me pay for the damages, would she?

Calming my pounding heart, I jumped down into the garden.

I took a short breath and descended with the wind.

The grass cushioned my body softly, allowing me to land safely.

"I won't let you go if I catch you!"

It's because of warnings like that that I'm running away even harder, you know?

My destination was the Viscount's office, the person I suspected to be the source of this whole mess.

As if Cecilia had realized my destination, a branch brushed past my cheek.

The sound it made as it cut through the air like an arrow, and the way it plunged into the ground, thud!, it was like something out of a horror movie.

Engaging in another chase in the garden, I gauged the position of the window.

There it is! The moment I stepped onto the Circle of Wind, my body lifted.

As soon as my fingertips touched the windowsill, I pulled myself up.

"You!"

However, heading to the Viscount's office turned out to be a bad choice.

It had given him the conviction that I was the culprit who had told Sunbae about his preferences.

As the thought that I was screwed crossed my mind, a sword came flying at me.

I immediately ducked, and the sword grazed over my head.

Our eyes met, and his gaze flickered with murderous intent.

"Crazy..."

"Did you just curse?"

What do you expect me to do, not curse! Be glad I didn't let out a string of curses!

I rolled my body once to dodge the follow-up attack—a kick.

I have to live, I have to survive!! At that moment, last night's teachings flashed through my mind.

First, calculate the 3D position coordinates.

Recall the flow of the spatial curtain interference magic that was forcibly crammed into my brain. Recall the flow that forcibly tears space!

I had experienced tearing space once before.

When I forcibly pulled out the mirror that was hidden inside the wall in the Trial of the Mirror!

It's a similar feeling to that!

I split the space with my hand as if tearing space itself.

I'm going in there! I pushed my body into the space I had forcibly torn open.

"*Bleeegh.*"

As soon as my body was halfway on the floor, I emptied my stomach.

I really didn't want to know what I had for breakfast this way...!

"Ugh, I'm gonna die."

I'm really making myself suffer, damn it.

Regardless of whether the Viscount was bewildered or not, I stuck to the office floor and swallowed tears of sorrow.

From now on, I'm never being nosy again.