It seemed Dad was trying to evade the question at first.

“…What do you mean?”

“Is there really nothing?”

I knew he was hiding the fact that the Duke of Perdia was visiting me every day.

Since I had asked twice, Dad must have realized that I knew.

But I didn’t explicitly say it and waited.

As I stared at Dad, he soon sighed and admitted it willingly.

“I wanted to do better for you, to make up for the time I couldn’t be there.”

“…..”

“I might have been jealous of the fact that he spent more time with Elodie while I was absent. No, it was indeed petty jealousy.”

“Jealousy?”

“Yes. Perhaps I’m also afraid you might leave for Perdia.”

I was dumbfounded by Dad’s sincerity, which I was hearing for the first time.

Afraid that I might leave for Perdia? Why would he think that when I’m his biological daughter, no matter what anyone says?

Dad smiled bitterly and let out a self-deprecating laugh before speaking.

“I’ve shown you an unsightly side of myself.”

It felt strange to see this vulnerable side of Dad. After all, a father had always been a difficult figure for me to approach.

But I also liked this Dad who honestly revealed his weaknesses.

However, it wasn’t right to conceal information and treat me like someone who knows nothing.

“You know, we can’t continue this kind of relationship forever.”

“I’ll talk to the Duke of Perdia soon.”

A solemn voice. A face full of trustworthiness. But I didn’t trust Dad.

More precisely, I didn’t trust the relationship between Dad and the Duke of Perdia.

I doubted whether this “talk” could proceed peacefully.

It would be fortunate if they didn’t end up in another physical confrontation.

It was clearly foolish to leave everything entirely to these two immature fathers.

I declared firmly.

“No. I’ll resolve this myself.”

“Elodie.”

“Please trust me, Dad.”

Having already made my decision, I had no intention of backing down.

It was time to properly settle things with Perdia, who opposed my independence.

By myself, not anyone else.

Perhaps he read my determination. I saw Dad’s eyes waver for a moment as he was about to stubbornly object.

“I was mistaken.”

Dad ran his large hand over his face.

“…I thought Arcelia was the only one who could make a mess of me.”

Dad muttered self-deprecatingly, barely audible, then nodded as if he had no choice.

“Do as you wish, Elodie.”

“Thank you, Dad.”

“It’s only natural.”

I wonder if Dad knows.

With those words of infinite trust, what felt like a cliff’s edge beneath my feet became a flower garden.

A flower garden where even if I stumble or fall by mistake, I won’t get hurt.

***

What I proposed was a three-way meeting.

Reflecting both the Duke of Perdia’s message that he didn’t want to set foot in Severes territory, and Dad’s opinion that he didn’t want to invite him into the Severes mansion!

The meeting place was right inside the carriage parked at the back gate of the Severes mansion.

“……”

“……”

The two fathers just glared at each other without saying a word.

It seemed to be because of my declaration that “I won’t see the face of the person who attacks first again.”

‘But I didn’t mean for them to just glare at each other like this.’

In this tense atmosphere, I was the only one smiling.

“I respected both of your opinions, but don’t you like the location?”

Dad, sitting next to me, answered hastily.

“No, that’s not it, Elodie.”

But the Duke of Perdia still maintained a stern expression and didn’t respond.

I could easily guess the reason.

He probably didn’t like this situation. The Duke of Perdia wasn’t one to mince words.

The Duke, who had been glaring fiercely at Dad with his arms crossed and head tilted, turned his gaze to me.

Then he abruptly asked.

“Have you decided to come back?”

Even after a few days, the Duke of Perdia’s stance remained unchanged.

He still wanted me to return to Perdia.

I looked straight at the Duke.

“Father.”

“……”

“I’m not going back.”

For the first time, I clearly stated my intention. That I wouldn’t return to Perdia.

The reason I still called the Duke ‘Father’ even after leaving Perdia was that we had agreed to do so.

Of course, if the Duke of Perdia told me to call him Your Grace, I would have to do so, but…

I felt burdened by the gazes of both men looking at me.

Especially, the Duke of Perdia’s gaze, looking at me with hurt eyes, bothered me the most.

It caught my attention even more because I didn’t know the Duke, who was stingy with expressing emotions, could make such an expression.

My heart was equally heavy, having to let someone down.

“As I wrote in the letter, I’m deeply grateful.”

“……”

“Mom would want me to return to Dad too.”

The Duke ran his hand over his face and chuckled.

“…How cruel.”

Ah, I’ve hurt him again.

But no matter what I said, it was impossible not to hurt his feelings.

However, that wasn’t what I wanted to say. I hurriedly began to clear up the misunderstanding.

“I’ve been thinking seriously for days.”

“About what?”

“That you are also my father.”

The Duke of Perdia’s eyes, which had been looking at me indifferently, slowly widened.

As if he couldn’t believe it.

“I’ve lived for 20 years believing you were my father, how could you not be?”

After regaining my past life’s memories, I tried to distance myself emotionally, but it was all in vain.

I couldn’t think of the person I had known as my father since birth as a stranger. At least, it was impossible for me.

‘It’s not like you have to have only one father, right?’

The more dads, the better.

But this was just my one-sided thought. So I couldn’t leave out the opinions of the two men.

I looked at Dad sitting next to me and our eyes met. He smiled kindly at me, but his eyes seemed disheartened.

I was about to weaken, remembering Dad’s voice when he was afraid I might leave, but I pulled myself together again.

“I consider both of you as my fathers.”

“……”

“So please respect me too.”

That was the conclusion I had reached while staying at Severes. The people of Perdia were also my family.

Of course, this would only hold true if they didn’t turn their backs on me.

Growing up neglected in Perdia was truly a lonely experience. It would be a lie to say I never resented them, always desperate to be inside their circle.

But at the core, there was definitely affection.

‘Maybe it’s love-hate.’

Recently, while I found their attention annoying and bothersome, a part of me was actually pleased.

Because I had always wanted to be loved.

Though late, it felt good to finally be acknowledged.

Come to think of it, my surroundings have been so bustling lately that I haven’t had a chance to feel lonely.

So, I couldn’t just cut off relationships simply because I was no longer in Perdia.

After some silence, Dad was the first to speak.

“I didn’t know Elodie was thinking like that. I’ve been too careless.”

“No, that’s not true. You’ve been busy handling family matters as soon as you wake up.”

Even so, Dad had made time to come see me whenever he could.

From the moment we first met, Dad showed me an indescribable affection. How could I blame him?

“No, it’s true. I didn’t respect Elodie’s thoughts. It’s my fault.”

“But it’s not…”

As I kept responding that it wasn’t his fault to Dad, who kept saying it was his mistake, the Duke of Perdia suddenly interjected into the conversation.

“Themis wants to see you.”

“…The Duchess?”

“Yes. Jansi and Carlot too.”

I wondered why he suddenly mentioned these three people, but I soon realized the reason.

‘Does it mean… everyone in Perdia still considers me family?’

Wondering if I was mistaken, I looked at the Duke of Perdia.

“I’ll say it again, you are still my daughter.”

The Duke stated firmly as if to say don’t even think otherwise.

Since both of them said they would respect my opinion, the relationship issue was settled.

As the major cause of my anguish was resolved, I felt much lighter.

‘The next thing to settle is the matter of my residence…’

I was planning to continue staying with the Severes family and occasionally visit Perdia, but the Duke’s words about the Duchess wanting to see me changed my mind.

“Then, how about I go to Perdia every weekend?”

I was going to suggest staying at Severes on weekdays and Perdia on weekends, but unexpectedly, Dad objected.

“Wait, Elodie. That’s unreasonable.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m always working during the weekdays, aren’t I?”

But still, the time spent during weekdays is more than the time spent over the weekend…

“Then should we change it to weekends?”

“…No, that’s.”

Dad, who was about to say something, closed his mouth. It seemed he didn’t like changing it to weekends either.

I looked at the Duke of Perdia, but he didn’t seem to have any objections.

“So, you’re both my fathers, right?”

At my question, the two looked at each other, then frowned as if displeased and turned their heads away simultaneously.

Both of them are my fathers then!

‘I can’t do anything about the bad relationship between the two of you.’

That was beyond my realm of intervention.

“Ahem.”

When I cleared my throat, both of them looked at me again. I brought up another reason why I had specifically requested this three-way meeting.

“I need help from both of you.”

I had brilliantly achieved my first goal of ‘waking up Dad’. The next thing I needed to do was to find my missing mom.

When asked where Mom was, Ishtar answered like this:

[She’s in a deep place that can’t be reached.]

I had been thinking deeply about the meaning of this.

Mom is in a place where even Ishtar, a god, can’t do anything. In other words, doesn’t it mean that Mom is in a place that’s not Ishtar’s domain?

There was only one such realm.

‘The underworld.’

It was Irkala’s domain.

Given that Mom tried to protect the world from Irkala, who was trying to seize the surface, the possibility of her being captured by Irkala was the highest.

‘To face a god. I’m just a human. Is this even possible?’

It was truly daunting.

I had no intention of giving up.

However, it didn’t seem like I could solve this by struggling alone anymore.

I needed power and strength. A strength so strong that I wouldn’t be afraid even when confronting a god.

Fortunately, two people with such power were right beside me.

I asked my two fathers.

“Please help me find Mom.”

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