It might not be Classid.
But since I have nothing to lose, should I try calling him that?
Liria looked up at him intently and asked in a small voice.
“D…ad?!”
Then, Classid made an expression she had never seen before.
An expression of being incredibly enticed.
His ears perked up.
His red eyes sparkled finely like the sunlight reflecting on the Edel River.
His neat lips drew a pleasant curve, creating a picture-perfect expression.
“…What did you just say?”
Liria tilted her head and emphasized it again.
“Dad.”
“Again.”
“Daaad.”
As Liria called him affectionately, his eyes curved more and more.
“From now on, always call me that.”
‘I’ve finally fulfilled my wish. Oh, I should have recorded this moment with a memory orb…!’
An expression of genuine regret crossed his face.
“Okay. I like calling you Dad better too. It feels like we’re getting closer.”
‘Who knew he would be so happy with a simple change in how I address him. My dad is so cute.’
A smile that seemed about to melt appeared on his lips at Liria’s “Dad.”
To others, it might have looked like the typical expression of a daughter-obsessed father, but to Liria, who knew Classid, it was a very new side of him.
Smiling softly, Liria shook his arm.
“Oh, right. Dad. I have a plan. I can find out when Brother Conrad will be away from the palace. That’s when we rescue Noah, who’s imprisoned there.”
Classid looked surprised.
Liria was only six years old.
He naturally thought she would ask him to gather the information…
‘It’s surprising enough that Liria would gather information herself, but to even make such a meticulous plan…’
He truly doubted whether the child before him was really six years old.
Hearing his inner thoughts, Liria realized her mistake and scratched her cheek slightly as she said.
“The maids in Brother Conrad’s palace find me cute. I’m planning to ask them casually!”
“That’s a good method.”
“And the knight in my storybook said, ‘To rescue the princess, let’s wait for when the evil demon king is away from the castle.'”
Liria explained, waving her plump arms widely while chattering.
Fortunately, Liria’s pretense of being an ordinary child seemed to work.
The corner of Classid’s mouth turned up.
‘Even storybooks have their uses.’
He even played along.
“To rescue Prince Noah, nighttime would be best when there are fewer eyes watching. We’ll only need to evade a minimal number of them. Just trust your captain.”
Liria clapped her hands and playfully replied.
“Yes, Captain!”
Classid lightly pinched Liria’s nose and released it.
“And I hope Brother Conrad finds out about it as late as possible…”
“He’ll naturally find out after the rescue. I promise to protect Noah.”
“Yes, Dad is the best!”
Liria felt both reassured and touched.
‘I’m glad I told Dad.’
Relieved at Liria’s brightened face, Classid left the room.
“Well, I have remaining work to do, so I’ll go now. Rest well.”
‘I need to stop by the city first to take care of a few things.’
Hearing his inner voice, Liria thought.
‘What does he need to handle in the city? Is it something important?’
“Okay, Dad! See you later.”
“Yes, dear.”
Liria waved her hand vigorously at Classid as he left the room.

***

There was a separate reason why Classid was fixated on being called “Dad.”
Liria had been a smart child since she was a baby.
“Pabw!”
Though it was close to baby babble, when she first called him, he was so happy.
That moment was still vividly etched in Classid’s mind.    
Awu, uwu, bya, abu—he had been waiting for her to soon call him “Dad.”
But from age three, Liria started calling him “Fathwer.”
Perhaps appointing an etiquette teacher too early had been a mistake.
It seemed she was also influenced by her cousins.
Afterward, Liria’s pronunciation improved, and as soon as she turned four, she accurately called him “Father.”
As a parent, he was happy with his child’s growth, but on the other hand, he felt regretful.
Time with his daughter, whom he cherished more than anything, passed too quickly.
He should have stayed by her side longer to watch her grow slowly.
When he frequently left the castle for monster subjugation, time flew by even faster.
The child quickly turned five, and now she is six.
Though Liria’s body was still small like a baby’s, her mental age was more mature than her peers.
According to Marit’s reports.
Sometimes when morning service was delayed, she would wash her face, dress herself, and even tidy her bed on her own.
She was a brave child who would dust herself off and stand up even when other children teased her for not having a mother.
He felt it was all his fault for leaving the child alone.
Perhaps Liria resented him.
With such fears, he gradually became unable to express his true feelings to the child.
He had already given up on hearing Liria call him “Dad” in this lifetime.
But then…
“Dad… Don’t die and leave me alone.”
It was undoubtedly his daughter’s voice that woke him up then.
‘Liria saved me.’
If it hadn’t been for that voice.
He would have remained unconscious in the depths for a long time.
In any case, even after hearing the form of address he had given up on long ago, Classid had pushed away Liria, who approached him, out of selfish thoughts.
That might remain a lifelong regret.
When he and his daughter became estranged, his doctor had inadvertently boasted to him.
“My daughter is about Lady Liria’s age and she’s very affectionate. When I return home, she always jumps into my arms, saying Dad is her favorite. That’s the happiest moment of my day! Ha ha!”
“…My daughter also says I’m her favorite.”
“Oh, is that so? You must hear ‘Dad’ a lot after a long time, how wonderful that must be.”
“…Well, yes.”
“Your daughter must be at the age where she’s quite adorable when she’s being clingy. Haha.”
“If the magical pressure measurement is done, I’d like to rest now.”
“Ah, yes. It’s all finished.”
“I have something to ask.”
“Yes.”
“…No, it’s nothing.”
He had been about to ask what it felt like to be called “Dad” instead of “Father,” but he stopped himself.
For Classid, the day he was called “Dad” was a day when he grew closer to his daughter and fulfilled one of his wishes.
To fully protect Liria within Roberg.
The Dragon’s Breath.
That’s what he needed.
His cool red eyes gleamed ominously.

***

A tavern in a remote alley, the only one without a sign in Roberg.
Classid entered and ordered a glass of bootleg liquor.
Then he handed a gold coin and a dragon-shaped token split in half to the man, saying.
“…I’m here to see Mildrain, no, Mil. Tell him his old friend Clan is here, and he’ll understand.”
The man’s eyes widened at the sight of the gold coin. He pocketed it and went down to the basement.
When he returned, he gave back the token along with change and nodded toward the inside.
“Go on in, rich sir. Next time, don’t flash things like this.”
Going down into the basement, a space cozier than expected appeared.
A man lying on what looked like a long bed made by connecting brown carpet and sofas slowly rose when he saw Classid.
“Didn’t we agree not to see each other until death?”
“…I’m on the verge of death.”
Classid said lightly, with a hint of humor in his tone.