IHDOE Ch 99

[Satina] "The day I bought you from the slave trader?"

He shook his head at her question.

[Katan] "No. Much earlier than that."

Satina frowned slightly.

Had she met Katan before? That detail appeared neither in her memories nor in the game.

Is this hidden lore?

Satina searched her memories as Katan took her hand.

[Katan] "It is only natural that you don't remember, My Lady. It happened so long ago, and it likely meant nothing special to you."

[Katan] "As you know, slaves are creatures who merely need to stay alive. No one cares if they suffer wounds or injuries. Do you know why?"

Satina had never been a slave, but she understood the reason all too well.

[Sharlan] "Everyone in the estate serves a purpose. But where is your utility, Sister? Do you possess outstanding talents? Or were you born of noble blood that can be used for a marriage alliance with another family?"

[Satina] "...Because treatment costs money. Because they aren't worth treating."

[Katan] "Correct. I suffered a severe injury back then, yet I couldn't rest from work. Someone had to do the tasks, after all."

[Katan] "Back then, you treated me. Do you know the first thing you asked upon seeing me?"

[Satina] "I don't know."

[Katan] "You asked what my name was. I didn't even know you were a ducal daughter back then, as you were in quite a disheveled state yourself."

She had likely met him during her childhood, back when Rebecca bullied her. In those days, Rebecca would drench Satina in filthy water and throw her out of the house.

As Satina tried to recall those days, the memory of shivering in the bitter cold outside overshadowed everything else.

[Katan] "You were the first person ever to ask me such a thing. When I mentioned I had no name because I was a slave, you told me you would give me one."

[Satina] "I did?"

[Katan] "Yes."

[Satina] "What name did I give you?"

[Katan] "It was the same name back then. Katan."

He spoke the name cautiously, as if offering a precious gem.

[Katan] "Why hide anything now? Honestly, I was astonished when you bestowed that name upon me once again."

A gentle smile touched his lips for the first time. That alone revealed how deeply he treasured those memories with her.

[Katan] "It was an absurdly brief encounter, one you might find laughable, yet that was when my heart began turning toward you."

[Satina] "...No, I understand."

She, too, had spent sleepless nights over someone's trivial kindness.

[Katan] "When we met again later, and I became your slave, I was surprised, yet even then I held no intention of caring for you to this extent."

He paused briefly. He gathered his thoughts, took a deep breath, and met her gaze as if steeling himself.

[Katan] "Since you desire honesty, to put it more blatantly, I intended only to use you to unfasten the collar around my neck and flee. Yet spending time beside you proved strange."

He placed a hand against her cheek.

[Katan] "You are clearly a ducal daughter, a noble whom a slave like me can't even look up to, a Saintess candidate. So why did you appear so lonely?"

[Katan] "Why couldn't you speak honestly when in pain? Why did you have to swallow and hide your sorrow? Why did our struggles at the very bottom seem so alike...?"

His gaze deepened.

[Katan] "I wished to celebrate your birthday beside you every year. That was all."

Satina silently met his gaze. He didn't seem to be lying. Despite their vastly different stations, she felt a quiet kinship in their shared struggles.

[Katan] "You don't need to love me. I wish to stay by your side."

Her mind remained in turmoil, but she understood his motives. Yet one truth remained undeniable.

[Sharlan] "She was merely lucky to enter the estate. So she should be treated according to her worth."

[Duchess] "I want to be Rebecca's mother more than yours."

[Father] "I'm not your father anymore, so don't call me that."

[Rebecca] "Do you think His Highness would care for a woman like you just because you act like that?"

[Lexion] "Satina, didn't you know well that I harbor no feelings for you?"

She had been far too lonely to ignore someone who looked at her with such desperate devotion.

Thus, Satina wrapped her arms around Katan.

---

Shaken by her biological father's sudden appearance, Satina had no choice but to abandon her infiltration plan for the day and return home.

Furthermore, security at the Dark Grasp's stronghold tightened from that day on, rendering Hedzel's layout useless. Infiltration would be difficult now, even for Katan.

I should have pushed forward with the plan, whether Father appeared or not.

Satina burned with frustration at her own weakness. She bit her lip in regret, but she couldn't turn back time.

I have no choice. I must wait for the next opportunity.

Though still unsettled, she forced herself to regain composure.

For now, securing a recommendation letter from the Grand Duchess was the priority. The Foundation Festival was drawing near. Sitting idly would lead straight to a tragic ending, so she had to ensure her survival no matter what.

Above all, if I die, what will happen to this guy?

Satina turned to look at Katan, who stood beside her.

He grew distressed whenever she suffered even a minor injury. How much worse would it be if she lost her life or met a gruesome fate?

He had already witnessed enough horrors as a slave. She refused to saddle him with more dreadful memories.

Before anything else, one matter needed clarification.

Satina took the documents from Hedzel and flipped through them. A strange prickle warned her that someone was staring.

She looked up to find Hedzel watching her intently.

He was unusually silent, carefully gauging her mood instead of chattering about business details.

[Satina] "Don't walk on eggshells. Act like you usually do. I'm fine."

[Hedzel] "Still, he's family."

[Satina] "Calling him family is a stretch when we haven't seen each other in over ten years."

Satina set aside the resurfacing trauma and drew a firm line, her voice cold. Relieved at last, Hedzel adopted his usual cheerful tone.

[Hedzel] "At any rate, the bottom line is that he really is your father."

Though she had clung to a sliver of hope that she was mistaken, nothing changed.

[Hedzel] "After divorcing your mother, he lived alone for a while before setting up a household with another woman two years ago. Seems that woman's family has quite a bit of money."

[Satina] "Ah, no wonder his attire looked quite respectable."

Given his slicked-back hair and the fine fabric of his garments, his household hardly lacked wealth.

[Satina] "What does her family do?"

[Hedzel] "I investigated that too. They hold no title, but they operate a merchant guild that seems quite prosperous."

[Satina] "A merchant guild?"

[Hedzel] "Yeah. They make money mainly by reselling imported goods in the capital, like high-end dress fabrics and rare foreign materials."

[Satina] "Hmm."

[Hedzel] "They originally lacked titles, but when the guild master remarried your father two years ago, he obtained a barony. They even changed the guild's name to Galle Merchant Guild, following your father's surname."

[Satina] "I've never heard that name before, yet they earn that much money?"

[Hedzel] "They seem quite seasoned in that trade."

[Satina] "You don't have the guild account books, do you?"

[Hedzel] "Those are tough to get, so it'll take some time. Want me to tell my crew?"

[Satina] "No, forget it. He's not someone I'll get entangled with anyway. We can keep living as strangers, just as we have until now."

[Hedzel] "Ah, about that..."

He shifted uncomfortably.

[Hedzel] "That might be a bit difficult...? Well, you could ignore him if you really want to, but... it might be better to meet him at least once..."

[Satina] "What do you mean? Speak clearly."

Only then did Hedzel bring up the topic, carefully reading her expression.

[Hedzel] "...Your father is searching for you."

[Satina] "What?"

[Hedzel] "He seems to be waiting at the spot where he ran into you, hoping to meet you again. But that's become quite a hot topic among people. Rumors are spreading quietly about who the daughter could be that the desperate father waits for, rain or shine."

Satina scowled.

[Hedzel] "At this rate, people will discover you're his daughter soon. You know how it is. One wrong move, and social circles will brand you an unfilial daughter who severed ties with her biological father the moment she became a ducal daughter."

Hedzel continued, watching her reaction.

[Hedzel] "So I understand your reluctance, but considering your reputation, meeting him once to settle matters might be best..."

Honestly, she held no desire to meet her father. She had nothing to say after all these years, and seeing him would only dredge up memories she preferred to forget.

If a scandal breaks right before the Foundation Festival and ruins my reputation, fixing it will be a nightmare.

Why couldn't he just keep living as a stranger? Why now, of all times?

His unexpected appearance threw all her plans into disarray.

[Hedzel] "Since figuring out the tightened security system will take time anyway, why not meet your father in the meantime?"

She let out a long sigh at his suggestion.

[Satina] "...Fine. I'll meet him. Set up a meeting."

---

Satina met her father at a restaurant on the outskirts of the capital. There were no emotional reunions or tearful embraces. She arrived precisely on time, took her seat, and cut straight to the point.

[Satina] "Why did you want to see me?"

She looked at the man across from her with cold, indifferent eyes.

He likely wanted money or business favors. Since he sold luxury fabrics, he probably planned to leverage her connections with noblewomen. Yet his opening words caught her entirely off guard.

[Father] "...I wanted to apologize to you."

---

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