Father, I Won’t Do Anything

* * *

Sitting on the bed, Jaina recalled what Hilvenzia had told her.

Everyone thought she would die, but she had survived.

Diamid had made an enormous sacrifice to save her life.

-He’s going to acknowledge you as his daughter now.

Hilvenzia had said it with a bright smile.

But Jaina couldn’t smile.

‘Why now, after all this time…?’

Her mind was filled with that burning question.

As Jaina was lost in thought, there was a knock on the door.

It was the doctor who had come to see her.

The doctor examined her and wore a relieved expression.

“You’ve almost fully recovered. I heard your allergic reaction was extremely severe, so this is really fortunate. From now on, you must never consume Shizmel again, and avoid anyone who has eaten it as well…”

As the doctor listed various precautions for Jaina, Yurika, who was beside her, asked a question.

“The Tower Lord wanted to see the young miss this afternoon. Will that be alright?”

“Moving slowly should be fine… But don’t overexert yourself.”

Hilvenzia, who had been nursing Jaina day and night, had left as soon as Jaina woke up.

She had wanted to stay by Jaina’s side, but as she held an important position in the Magic Tower, she had no choice but to leave Jaina’s care to Yurika. The fact that she had guarded Jaina’s sickbed until now was already remarkable.

That’s why, instead of Hilvenzia, Jaina went to Diamid’s study with Yurika’s support.

Upon entering Diamid’s study, she saw that his hair had been cut short.

“Sit.”

It seemed he had sacrificed his magical power to save her life, just as Hilvenzia had said.

Crossing his legs and resting his hands on his knees, he looked as arrogant as ever, though somewhat weaker.

Jaina, seated before him, respectfully greeted him.

“I heard you saved my life. I’m truly grateful.”

“Yeah.”

“Well then, I’ve given my thanks, so I’ll take my leave now. I’m not feeling well, you see. Goodbye.”

“…?”

Those present – Mikael, Diamid, Hilvenzia, and even Yurika who was standing behind them – all wore dumbfounded expressions.

The only one who seemed unfazed by the situation was Jaina. She looked at Yurika and said:

“If it’s alright, could you help support me?”

“Young miss, what are you saying? The Tower Lord summoned you, it would be improper to leave so abruptly like this.”

Yurika jumped up, flustered.

“Why would it be improper?”

“Well, naturally, as your father, the Tower Lord…”

Yurika’s words trailed off as Jaina let out a chuckle.

“My father…”

“Huh?”

“I should clear this up now.”

Jaina sat back down, looking Diamid straight in the eye.

“The one thing I liked about being born to the dragon clan was that there was no concept of a ‘father’.”

“What…”

Everyone flinched, but Jaina calmly continued.

“Dragons live just fine without fathers. It’s the same for me. Tower Lord. I don’t need a father. I’ll say this first in case you felt guilty about me collapsing from the allergy.”

Even amidst their shocked expressions, Jaina went on composedly.

“So from now on, you don’t need to think of me as your daughter. And I won’t call you father, either.”

Mikael and Hilvenzia were dumbstruck, and Diamid couldn’t say a word.

“…”

“…”

“…”

After a long silence, Jaina tilted her head.

“Tower Lord?”

Even when addressed, Diamid was so stunned he couldn’t utter a word.

It was the first time in his life he had been rendered speechless like this.

“…”

After being dazed for a while, Diamid finally regained his senses.

He was a magician who prioritized reason over emotion, after all.

He decided to think about this rationally.

Jaina must have been overwhelmed by all that had happened and lashed out momentarily. It was like whipping a horse that had already been beaten down.

What was needed now was a carrot, then.

Maybe her attitude would change if she learned what she would gain as his daughter?

“I was planning to grant you Eilvbrande. You’ll become a territorial lord.”

“Why?”

Why, she asks?

The fertile lands, rare gems, and powerful magic-

Wasn’t enjoying the utmost luxury as the daughter of the Tower Lord only natural?

He had expected her to show a bright smile or tears of gratitude when he enlightened her.

But Jaina looked genuinely perplexed.

“You got angry when you thought I was trying to use you. So why are you suddenly giving me such valuable things?”

Yet again, his expectations were wrong.

At this point, it was hard to see her words as mere formalities or embarrassment. But she didn’t seem angry either.

Diamid was bewildered. No, he was a little upset too.

After giving her a new room and saving her life, she should realize he was acknowledging her as his daughter.

So why was she reacting like this?

‘This child doesn’t understand the significance of me cutting my hair.’

“I’ll practice the harpsichord even harder to repay you for saving my life.”

It was a curt, composed response. After saying that, Jaina rose from her seat.

Only then did Diamid realize that Jaina had misunderstood, thinking he saved her because of Bezrice’s song.

‘But that’s not it.’

Diamid parted his lips. He wanted to say something to the girl before him.

That he now considered her his daughter.

That he had belatedly realized her preciousness.

And so he had made a great sacrifice to save her life.

But-

“If you have nothing else to say, I’ll take my leave now. I have things to do.”

Would it even matter if he told Jaina?

“Ah, goodbye.”

Yurika, stunned, followed after Jaina.

After Jaina left, a heavy silence weighed down the room. The prickly tension prevented anyone from speaking.

“…”

“…”

Diamid’s expression was unsettling, unlike his usual impassive, dispassionate self.

As Mikael and Hilvenzia watched him nervously, Diamid called out their names.

“Mikael. Hilvenzia. What do you make of the current situation?”

“Well, that is…”

“Mikael, didn’t you say she would be happy with gems or lands?”

Though he spoke calmly, Mikael could sense an indescribable emotion in his voice.

‘But that’s not it…’

A trickle of cold sweat ran down Mikael’s back.

If he answered wrong now, his life could be forfeit in an instant.

‘I knew she was a peculiar one, but who could have guessed she would be so brazen as to say, ‘Don’t think of me as your daughter. And I won’t call you father’ like that!’

Mikael carefully chose his words in his mind.

“Well, at first you didn’t think of Jaina as your daughter either, did you, Tower Lord?”

“…”

“Maybe she just needs time to accept you as her father?”

But his efforts were in vain, as Diamid frowned, clearly displeased with his answer.

Unintentionally, Mikael’s words had been incisive, prompting Diamid to reflect on his own actions.

“…I see, time.”

Seeing Diamid’s negative reaction, Hilvenzia offered a different perspective.

“Could it be that the gift didn’t appeal to Jaina’s tastes?”

“Eilvbrande, coveted by all, doesn’t appeal to her? It’s the most fertile land in the Empire with diamond mines.”

“Jaina may act mature, but she’s still a child. Perhaps we should approach her from a child’s perspective?”

It made sense when she put it that way. As Diamid pondered, Mikael spoke up.

“Shall we prepare some toys or a stuffed bear…?”

“I’ll choose the gift myself.”

Was this really the Tower Lord they had known all this time?

Mikael and Hilvenzia were bewildered.

Ever since the allergy incident, Diamid had been behaving in completely unexpected ways.

“And tell the maid, if it seems my daughter desires anything, to report it to me immediately.”

* * *

After recovering to some extent, Jaina went to see Mikael and Hilvenzia.

“…You were the first people I thought of when I woke up.”

Jaina looked up at Mikael as she spoke.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t call you brother all this time. I felt too awkward…”

“Eh? Uh?”

The tips of Mikael’s ears turned red. Usually a loud talker, he seemed to have lost his words, only fidgeting with the corner of his mouth.

Jaina continued.

“Well, after facing the threat of death, I realized there were a lot of things I regretted.”

“Then Jaina, why don’t you drop the formalities and just call me by my name?”

Mikael glanced at Hilvenzia.

‘This old hag is really seasoned. She’s quick to seize opportunities.’

“I don’t mind Jaina’s current way of addressing me, but the ‘Lady’ honorific sometimes feels a bit stiff…”

As expected, Jaina nodded.

“Now that I think about it, by being overly polite, I may have been drawing a line instead.”

“What are you saying? I never felt that way at all.”

“Then I’ll keep relying on you both going forward… Hilvenzia.”

Jaina fidgeted with her fingers awkwardly, but only briefly.

Soon she showed a bright, unrestrained smile.

“And when sir Izren returns, I’ll ask him if I can call him by just his name, too.”

The atmosphere among the three remained consistently warm, utterly different from when she had been with Diamid earlier.

Watching the cheerful Jaina, Mikael and Hilvenzia once again wondered:

Does Jaina really need a father?