IHDOE Ch 101

That night, Satina lay awake, her mind in turmoil.

Should I visit Father?

She believed she had long abandoned any lingering expectations for her family, yet a quiet attachment still lingered within her.

I shouldn't have met him in the first place.

She should have ignored him, regardless of whether her reputation suffered for it.

Her mind had been in chaos ever since he apologized, and learning of his injuries made her waver completely.

Satina rose from her bed and opened her bedroom door quietly.

Sleep was out of the question anyway, and remaining in bed invited only dark thoughts. She decided to read a book instead.

Yet the moment the door swung open, the sight of Katan sitting on the floor startled her.

[Satina] "What are you doing here?"

He leaned against the wall, then rose slowly to his feet.

[Katan] "I couldn't sleep."

[Satina] "So you sat outside my room?"

[Katan] "You skipped dinner tonight and remained anxious. I expected you wouldn't sleep properly."

[Satina] "So you stood guard?"

[Katan] "To wake you if you had a nightmare. And look."

He lowered his gaze toward her feet.

[Katan] "You forgot your slippers as well."

[Satina] "Ah."

Her mind had been too chaotic to notice.

Katan retrieved a pair of slippers from inside her room, knelt on one knee before her, and slid them onto her feet.

He offered to brew tea and guided her gently toward the dining hall. Satina followed absentmindedly.

Katan seated Satina at a table, returning shortly with a cup of sweet tea.

[Satina] "It is lemon honey tea."

She had expected a simple tea bag steeped in hot water, but he served her something entirely different. It was a drink she had once prepared with great care to win over Sharlan.

Satina took a slow sip, her eyes widening slightly.

[Satina] "...It is delicious?"

She had never heard that Katan possessed any culinary talent, yet the flavor was exquisite.

[Katan] "Naturally. I prepared it without a millimeter of error, following a recipe selected by the Empire's finest chef."

Satina tilted her head at the familiar phrasing, her curiosity piqued.

Where have I heard those words before?

Yet the troubling thoughts occupying her mind were far too overwhelming to dwell on his words for long.

[Satina] "Where did you learn such a recipe?"

[Katan] "I read it in a book."

[Satina] "I see."

She sipped her tea as he spoke up.

[Katan] "Shall I prepare warm cocoa as well?"

[Satina] "Why cocoa?"

[Katan] "Drinking a cup of warm cocoa is good when sleep eludes you."

[Satina] "From personal experience?"

[Katan] "No. I heard others mention it. They say young children drink it often, though having grown up without parents, I couldn't verify if that was true."

He answered with an unruffled expression.

Indeed, slave traders would hardly brew cocoa for a child suffering from insomnia And she was no different.

[Satina] "Come to think of it, I never drank it during childhood either."

[Katan] "Cocoa?"

[Satina] "Yes."

Her biological parents had never been attentive, nor could her family afford such luxuries back then.

House Bersabet certainly kept stockpiles of it. Yet back when even asking for simple medicine invited chaos, requesting a maid to brew cocoa for a restless night was unthinkable.

Katan paused briefly, then spoke.

[Katan] "Then between us, let us make it lemon honey tea."

[Satina] "Hmm?"

[Katan] "Let us decide to drink lemon honey tea whenever sleep eludes us. Since every household uses different recipes for baking bread, modifying this shouldn't matter."

[Satina] "That is true."

Silence settled over them again, broken only by the soft sound of Satina sipping her tea.

Katan broke the silence first.

[Katan] "Do you wish to meet your father, My Lady?"

[Satina] "...Probably."

A long sigh escaped her lips. If ignoring her father had been possible, she wouldn't be plagued by such anxiety.

[Katan] "Then why not meet him?"

Satina hesitated, wondering if she should share her deepest thoughts with Katan. Swallowing her pain in silence had always been second nature, but opening up to someone like this was entirely unfamiliar.

Yet the quiet dawn hour, her fraying nerves from recent trials, and above all, Katan's unwavering devotion since their first meeting eroded her defenses.

[Satina] "...Because I am scared."

[Katan] "Scared of what?"

She traced the rim of her teacup before finding her voice.

[Satina] "Just... everything."

The wounds her father inflicted had barely healed, and she dreaded the thought of being hurt again. Memories of her father turning his back and abandoning her as a child weighed heavily on her heart.

Katan gently cupped her trembling hands.

[Katan] "Do whatever you desire. Whatever choice you make, My Lady, I shall remain by your side."

He lifted her hand and pressed his lips to the back of it.

[Katan] "Did I not tell you? Even if you marry, My Lady, remaining by your side to watch over you is all that matters to me."

[Satina] "Were you serious about that?"

[Katan] "I don't know how to joke."

[Satina] "..."

[Katan] "So do whatever you wish, My Lady. Wherever you walk shall be my path."

Strengthened by his steadfast support, Satina gathered her courage.

[Satina] "...Alright. I will meet him."

---

Satina headed to the hospital where her father was admitted. Befitting the prosperous earnings of his merchant guild, the clinic was remarkably clean and well-kept.

The man was lying in bed with a bruised face, but he scrambled to sit upright the moment he caught sight of her.

[Father] "S-Satina!"

[Satina] "Hello."

Her father hastily made room beside the bed.

[Father] "Did you happen to open the gift? It is not quite suited for your age, but I couldn't think of anything else..."

He asked with eyes full of anticipation.

When Satina nodded, he smiled brightly, delighted merely that she had not discarded the present.

Satina spoke awkwardly.

[Satina] "...I heard you were injured while investigating The Dark Grasp."

[Father] "Mmm, indeed."

[Satina] "I explicitly told you not to concern yourself. Knowing how violent that syndicate is, why did you intervene?"

[Father] "I never expected them to act so aggressively. Mmm, and..."

He scratched his head awkwardly and continued.

[Father] "As a father, I have done nothing for my daughter until now. I wished to be of help, even in this manner."

[Satina] "You say that even after getting injured?"

[Father] "It is not life-threatening. The doctor said I would recover quickly from this much."

He whispered to Satina.

[Father] "Besides, I uncovered where those fellows stored the promissory note. You have nothing to worry about now."

A strange sensation washed over her.

The father in her memories had always been harsh and hot-tempered, treating her like a nuisance. Yet the man sitting before her now appeared gentle, caring for her with evident sincerity.

A lump rose in her throat, and she clenched her hands tightly in her lap.

---

Verification through Hedzel confirmed that her father's information was accurate.

Thanks to that, pinpointing where The Dark Grasp had relocated the vault containing the promissory note was simple.

[Hedzel] "Great! Now once we figure out the security system there, snatching a single promissory note will be a breeze!"

He boasted triumphantly, telling her to trust him.

After parting ways with Hedzel, Satina met her father and went to a restaurant near the forest.

[Father] "The truffle pasta here is excellent. Noticing you enjoyed mushrooms last time, I wished to bring you here."

[Satina] "I shall have that then."

Satina answered in an awkward tone.

Since that hospital visit, subtle shifts had occurred in their relationship. Though a distance still remained, they exchanged occasional greetings and shared meals like today whenever their schedules aligned.

Petals drifted through the open window on a soft breeze, landing on the tablecloth. With spring in full bloom, flowers blossomed everywhere with ease.

As she remembered the flowers blooming outside her window on her birthday, a soft smile touched her lips.

[Father] "Smiling like that….. did something good happen?"

She composed her expression hastily.

[Satina] "No, it is nothing."

[Father] "At any rate, the weather has grown quite warm. Do you have summer garments?"

[Satina] "Yes."

Her father looked after her attentively, as if making amends for years of neglect.

Is this what family feels like?

Yet smooth sailing was not guaranteed.

[Father] "Come to think of it, do you have no intention of attending the party hosted at our estate this time?"

[Satina] "Yes, I am not quite..."

Her father couldn't conceal his disappointment at her answer.

[Father] "I wished to introduce my daughter to everyone. What a pity."

As expected of a businessman, Baron Galle hosted various gatherings and was eager for Satina to attend. Yet she still held her heart back, consistently declining his invitations.

Just then, a group entered the restaurant. The men were dressed casually, as though returning from an outing, and recognized Baron Galle sitting in the corner.

[Noble] "Ah, Baron Galle! You declined today's invitation. What brings you here?"

[Father] "I came to dine with my daughter."

The nobleman leading the group inquired.

[C. Bron] "A daughter? Does Baron Galle possess a daughter as well?"

Baron Galle stood up immediately and bowed.

[Father] "Ah, Count Bron. It has been a long time. She is the daughter from my previous marriage. We lost contact for years, but we reunited recently."

Count Bron turned to Satina with a look of surprise.

[C. Bron] "I never expected to encounter the ducal daughter of House Bersabet here."

As Satina bowed lightly in polite greeting, he let out a hearty laugh.

[C. Bron] "Is she not the most talked-about lady in social circles lately?! Never could I have imagined you two were father and daughter!"

The surrounding nobles chimed in eagerly.

[Noble] "As everyone knows, Lady Satina is His Highness the Crown Prince's fiancée, is she not? A Saintess candidate as well. Baron Galle is blessed to have such a daughter."

[Noble] "I hear Sharlan Bersabet cares for her more attentively than a biological sister lately."

[Noble] "The Marchioness of Riermont mentioned Lady Satina as a trustworthy friend as well."

Strange.

Satina quietly studied the faces of the people babbling about her. The faces surrounding Count Bron looked distinctly familiar.

Furthermore, several nobles kept eyeing her father, Baron Galle, throughout the conversation, as if seeking confirmation that they were performing well.

Judging by title or power, those men have no reason to act subservient toward Father. So why are they taking such a humble stance?

Satina pondered this as she watched the nobles walk away with Count Bron. Then a sudden realization struck her, sending her leaping from her seat.

[Father] "Is something wrong?"

[Satina] "...I remembered an urgent matter. I must take my leave."

[Father] "Huh? Satina! Satina!"

Satina ignored her father's calls. She brushed past the servers carrying food and climbed into her carriage, rushing straight toward Hedzel's hideout.

---

Hedzel looked up in surprise as she stormed inside.

[Hedzel] "What is up? Did you not have plans today? What brings you here at this hour?"

Yet resolving the suspicion forming in her mind took priority over exchanging pleasantries.

[Satina] "Give me the list you investigated back then."

[Hedzel] "Which list?"

Viscount Line, Count Prowill, Viscount Seilum… The personal profiles of the nobles she had seen today were familiar for a reason.

[Satina] "The investigation regarding the gambling den Grand Duchess Duskel frequented. You mentioned other nobles were present besides the Grand Duchess."

Those nobles shared a single thing in common: every last one of them frequented the gambling den operated by The Dark Grasp.

---

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