“Well then, I’ll be going.”
As Liria quickly disappeared, Ibnis finally called the maid that Belita had assigned to her.
Even though tormenting a child wasn’t her preference.
But since the child was getting on her nerves, she couldn’t leave her alone.
The item given by Lady Belita was perfume.
A perfume combining Snow Rose and Black Lavender with a deep, profound scent that would make anyone fall fast asleep after just a small whiff.
‘I’ll spray this on Liria and when she falls asleep, I’ll lock her in a carriage for about a day. She’ll probably cry and beg to be let out, but no one will come.’
‘Sleep well, Liria.’
Ibnis smiled pleasantly at the thought.

***

“Young Master Eugene is waiting for you in the carriage, Miss Liria.”
A maid approached Liria and said.
“Eugene? But why does he want to meet in the carriage? We could talk in a room or the garden?”
Could it be that he had read the letter she had delivered earlier and had something to say? If so, she might have fulfilled all the required interactions.
“He seemed to want to speak with you alone.”
There might be a reason for Eugene to want to meet privately…
Liria rolled her eyes around.
But this maid, though she seemed kind, had an unfamiliar face.
It was suspicious, but curiosity about who might be behind this also arose.
So she decided to follow along just to the vicinity of the carriage for now. After all, they were still within Roberg, and there would be guards around.
Still, she was determined not to get into a carriage recommended by a stranger.
Liria deliberately dropped her bag to create distance from the maid.
Then, while rubbing Kiki’s face that had emerged from the bag, she whispered into his ear.
“Teww Fathew abowt thish! (Tell Father about this!)”
Thanks to her muffled pronunciation, she wasn’t sure if Kiki understood properly, but in any case, he scurried off somewhere in a hurry.
‘I should also prepare to run away if necessary!’
With that firm resolution, she followed the maid outside the building.
A large carriage was stopped there.
If Eugene had really called for her, the coachman would have been Jose, Ralph’s colleague.
But it wasn’t Jose.
Liria said cautiously.
“This isn’t the coachman who usually serves Eugene.”
“Ah, I heard he’s off duty today. Well then, I’ll open the carriage door for you, would you like to get in?”
Her tone was still gentle, but the content was not.
She was basically telling her to get into the carriage without explanation.
Liria frowned deeply and said quietly.
“You, who sent you?”
The maid smiled and denied it.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
But soon she revealed her true colors.
The maid covered her own nose and sprayed something she had been holding in her hand toward Liria.
Tssss!
A pungent, deep purple smoke spread everywhere.
Liria turned her head and covered her nose and mouth with her sleeve, but the scent spread faster.
‘Ugh! What did she spray? It’s not just perfume…’
Liria tried to leave the spot but collapsed after just a few steps.
The maid, her face covered with a cloth, looked down at the limp Liria and murmured.
“What a troublesome child.”
Just as she approached the carriage and opened the door.
Crackle!
Boom!
A lightning bolt struck from somewhere with a bursting sound and completely exploded the carriage.
The woman was thrown by the explosion and lost consciousness.
As carriage fragments scattered, only the startled horse ran excitedly, causing the coachman to fall from the horse and lose consciousness.
When the thunderous noise stopped, red glowing eyes emitting a fierce aura appeared through the whitish dust.
However, feeling pain as if his mana heart was being squeezed, he frowned.
To think that this was the extent of the damage, even with the assistance of a lightning orb, the bitterness left a bad taste in his mouth.
‘I seem to be truly in tatters now.’
“…cough!”
Despite the pain, he didn’t groan once but let out a small cough.
Classid wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth.
He momentarily forgot the doctor’s warning to absolutely avoid powerful magic that consumed a lot of mana.
Because his rationality was paralyzed the moment he saw his daughter.
Classid approached Liria, who was lying collapsed, with a trembling body.
Kiki also followed behind him, crying mournfully.
“Peep peep!”
After removing the protective magic he had cast on Liria before the explosion, Classid lifted her small body and shouted.
“…Liria!”
When Liria showed no response, Classid brought his trembling hand to her nose.
Fortunately, she was still breathing.
He checked for any injuries, but there were no visible wounds.
Classid, who had been rubbing the cheek of his young daughter as she breathed softly, sat down, unable to continue speaking due to shock and sadness.
“Who on earth would…!”
Who would do this to you?
His voice, choked with emotion, didn’t finish and scattered into the air. At that moment, Classid’s eyes caught sight of a glass bottle rolling nearby.
‘Perfume…?’
There’s no way a commercially available perfume would be dangerous enough to instantly put a child to sleep.
This was something manufactured with malicious intent.
Suddenly, the memory of Belita’s strong perfume scent came to mind.
His sister, Belita, ran a boutique dealing in luxury items.
Her magic was also about blooming roses.
Belita would be quite capable of creating perfume.
He could endure any hostility directed at himself, but if that arrow reached his daughter, he had no intention of forgiving it.
A life already destined to end, he would sacrifice it to protect his daughter.
If anyone tried to harm this small child, he would tear them to pieces.
Even if it was his own blood sibling.
A tear streamed down from Classid’s blood-red eyes as he firmly resolved.
After wiping away his tears, his face immediately hardened with coldness.

***

When Liria opened her eyes, she was in her room’s bed.
As her distant consciousness returned, she saw a bowed head at her bedside.
The person who was rubbing his face roughly and even tearing at his hair was none other than her father, Classid.
“…Huh? Father?”
She remembered following the unfamiliar maid and smelling that terrible scent.
Classid’s face, as he raised his head, was completely covered in tears.
He hugged Liria tightly.
“Liria, I’m sorry. Your father is so inadequate…!”
“Father? Were you crying…?”
Liria’s lime-green eyes widened.
It didn’t feel real to see her father, who had been as cold as someone devoid of emotions, crying in front of her.
His voice was choked, and he could only make sobbing sounds without continuing his words.
After a few minutes had passed, Classid seemed to calm down and said.
“Liria, from now on, I will never again stand by and watch you fall into danger. Your father will protect you.”
After thinking deeply, Liria looked up at him and said.
“It was you who saved me, wasn’t it, Father?”
Classid placed his large hand on Liria’s pink hair and said.
“Of course.”
“Then you’re not an inadequate father.”
“No, I am. Because I’ve done so many terrible things to you all this time…”
Classid hung his head.
He had deliberately been cruel to Liria to detach himself emotionally.
Because he thought they would part ways soon anyway.
But the moment he saw Liria in crisis right before his eyes, he realized it desperately.
That he couldn’t close his eyes until this small child was completely safe.
Even until the very last moment of his breathing life.
And that the true duty of this father was to protect Liria until the end.
Now, he would protect his daughter with his own hands, not anyone else’s.
Both within Roberg and outside.