Confession (4)
Rize was crying.
There was no reason not to run away right now.
Forgetting all the things he was worried about until now, he quickly jumped into Rize’s room.
Rize, who was half-lying on the bed, was crying bitterly.
“Dad! aaa!”
I went straight to the side of the bed and held Rize’s hand.
“Dad is here. Lisa, huh? don’t cry because it’s okay Daddy will be by your side.”
“Huh, uh uh uh!”
Rize cried even louder and came to me as if collapsing. Since both of them were in awkward postures, they became more unstable, and in the end I had no choice but to climb onto the bed with Rize in my arms.
As if Rize had no intention of letting go of me, her hands holding her clothes were holding tight.
I tried to calm her down by gently rubbing Rize’s back, but she didn’t stop crying.
“dad… … ! it hurts… … !”
Rize constantly called me with her mouth and dug into her arms more and more.
I wish I could say something, but my heart ached as I kept crying like this.
How much did you have to soothe?
Finally, other words began to mix with Rize’s voice, which had been calling me with tears pouring out continuously.
“Sorry. Dad, I’m sorry… … !”
“… … .”
For a moment, my mind went blank, not knowing what it meant.
Why all of a sudden?
Did you say something wrong yesterday?
Desperately recalling the memories before she passed out, I decided to calm down from Rize, who kept apologizing.
“are you okay. You don’t have to apologize. Rize, I don’t know why, but there’s no reason to apologize.”
“Ugh, ugh… … ! me to dad… … ! Heck, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Dad… … !”
It was the first time I had seen Rize so disheveled.
What could have been the cause?
No matter how much I looked back, I couldn’t guess anything. Every time I thought of all the words I had said, I remembered the things I had forgotten about and only tightened my heart even more.
After calming her down for a while, Rize finally stopped crying little by little.
Then he cried so hard that he made eye contact with me somehow with eyes that he couldn’t see well.
“dad… … .”
Rize removed her white hand from my clothes, and this time wrapped it around my neck and pressed my body closer.
“You can’t go, black.”
“… … .”
Now, I thought I knew why.
The reason why Rize was so shocked was because I fainted right in front of Rize.
He must have been shocked because he had never collapsed in front of Rize.
Moreover, my mother’s… … Wasn’t it right after the thought of death?
Reprimanding myself for not understanding that feeling, I hugged Rize a little tighter and said.
“Dad is here. Where does Dad leave Rize? Dad, do you see everything okay? Can you hear the heartbeat? You know how strong your father is.”
“Yep… … .”
While nodding her head at my words, Rize rubbed her face against my chest as if she was still uneasy.
Really, how did this happen?
Regarding Rize’s memories, there was absolutely no atmosphere to talk about.
… … Rather fortunately, I suddenly felt that I was really petty.
It was a past that could never be erased, and it was my sin.
so… … It was supposed to be me, not Rize, who apologized. No, why did Rize apologize?
“Lizee, what were you so sorry for Dad?”
“… … .”
“Is it something you can’t even tell your dad about? Or is it something Dad shouldn’t know about?”
Rize shook her head at my words, seemed to think for a moment, then lifted her head from my arms and met our eyes again.
“I… … I did something bad, so my father was punished instead… … ?”
“… … uh?”
What else does this mean?
Rize continued crying as if she was sad just thinking about it.
“Aren’t you trying to take Dad because I’m not nice? The one who did bad things… … Because you can’t be happy So I’ll be better. I’ll make it so that Dad doesn’t have to be punished, huh.”
Really, how could this child be so consistent?
If someone else had heard it, they would have looked at it with really admirable and cute eyes, but I just couldn’t see it with those eyes.
It could be seen as the words of a child who is only good.
However, there were stories I told when Rize was still unable to speak properly.
I couldn’t get rid of the thought that I might have been influenced by such a story that forced only the hero’s path.
no.
It wasn’t like that.
I knew the truth.
That Rize wasn’t a child who wouldn’t be swayed by such stories or wouldn’t tell her true feelings about me.
So I shouldn’t be shaken anymore.
“No, Rize.”
I held Rize firmly with both arms and pulled her back into my arms and embraced her.
“Rize did nothing wrong. Because she is the best daughter in the world. So don’t talk like that. It’s all thanks to Rize that Dad can be like this.”
After seeing their father fall, which child would blame themselves first?
so… … In the past, I will not mention the irresponsible words I casually said.
“It’s because my father is weak. If Rize was strong enough not to worry, this wouldn’t have happened. daddy will be stronger never let this happen So don’t worry any more. huh? Lizzy. got it?”
If I mentioned those words and apologized, it was clear that Rize would suffer even more.
From noble mtl dot com
I will blame myself for saying that because I was the cause.
It wasn’t clear that Rize would even remember the words she heard back then.
but… … Rize now needs me.
I was able to realize once again how heartbreaking and warm it was, and what I had to prioritize.
I was Rize’s father.
No matter what anyone says, as long as I love Rize, until the end of the world, no, even if it ends, I will be Rize’s father.
So don’t worry any more.
Without doubting Rize’s love, I will also love and accept Rize.
Someday… … I should also tell you the truth about my life.
Rize was still too young to accept that. No, even if I say it now, Rize will take it seriously and think about it together.
However, if that happened, it might give a special sense of mission to defeat the Dark Lord.
As far as Rize goes… … I wanted to live my life happily.
“Dad will always be by Rize’s side. Until Rize gets stronger… … Dad will protect you. So, don’t worry anymore, please.”
Even if I say this, Rize will continue to worry about me from now on.
It all happened because I was weak. It was very funny that even after living so long, you couldn’t give a child a single trust.
That’s why I pressed the promise in my heart.
That said, Rize wouldn’t let her cry any more.
* * *
Rize didn’t wake up after falling asleep again, probably because she had been crying and exhausting herself since last night.
After slowly stroking Rize’s hair once, she came out into the living room.
“Are you finally ready to hear the story?”
Irina, who had been waiting for me on the sofa beforehand, said that, and I smiled and sat down in front of her.
“What great story are you trying to tell? Let me tell you, you won’t surprise me with anything now.”
Yesterday and today, due to repeated shock therapy over a short period of time, my mental strength was more firmly armed.
Even if he heard that Rize was a hidden descendant of the imperial family, he wouldn’t be too surprised.
Irina raised the corners of her mouth once, then opened her mouth again.
“Then I will tell you. The lady’s blood relative father… … .”
Well, why would you wait and do that?
“This is Archduke Wilheim von Leischwaldz.”
“… … .”
Why is that man’s name here?!
I couldn’t help but open my mouth wide at the name that I hadn’t thought of at all, and Irina laughed as if she liked that reaction.
“why? Didn’t you expect this?”
“Who would have predicted that?”
“Since you always talk like you know everything, I wondered if you even knew this.”
“I’m going crazy.”
I felt a headache and touched my forehead.
No, honestly, no matter how much I was, Vilheim was a person who could not find a connection with Rize.
Wilheim von Leischwaldz.
One of the two grand dukes within the empire and the ruler of the Reichswald region in the north was Bilheim.
Despite having overwhelming power, he did not step out of the North, and the Empire also maintained an almost equal relationship without interfering with the North.
However, rumors about the Grand Duke of the North were widespread within the Empire.
overwhelming force.
Outstanding charisma.
In the northern part, he was even more popular than the emperor.
I don’t know if it’s more because I’m sticking to mysticism.
I’ve been to the North many times, but I’ve never seen Bilheim.
He was such a secretive person, and I knew that he hardly did any outside activities.
Are you a daughter to him?
“No, wait.”
Even so, I don’t know anything about Bilheim.
age now… … He must have been in his late 30s, but I knew that he had no spouse yet.
There was no way he could have children like that.
As if aware of my question, Irina nodded and answered before I asked.
“Of course, it is not officially known. He was even engaged to Angelina. Angelina-sama really loved her, but… … Wilheim did not.”
“… … It’s an obvious story.”
I clicked my tongue briefly at the words about Bilheim that didn’t even include honorifics.
It was because I could roughly see the picture just by hearing those words, and Irina continued the story exactly as I thought.
“Bilheim just wanted a child who could give birth to an heir who would succeed him, or who could succeed him. Angelina-sama noticed that and asked to break off the engagement, and in the end… … You have been kicked out of the house.”
“But I didn’t know about Vilheim or Angelina’s house or that Angelina was pregnant, you mean?”
In response, Irina nodded and added words.
“Angelina-sama didn’t know that either. And I didn’t even try to tell the truth. That’s why he gave birth to Lady Rize with such difficulty alone. only with me… … I only knew one child who served the young lady all his life.”
“Who is that child?”
“I was with you until the end.”
In the end, it is clear that only Irina knows this fact.
But still hiding it… … .
“Couldn’t Bilheim not let Rize get caught?”
“Yes, I will try to take you by any means.”
“Hey, who’s taking who? No, wouldn’t it be okay if you and I kept our mouths shut in the first place?”
“If you see her, you will definitely notice.”
Come to think of it, Angelina and Rize were surprisingly similar. In addition, there might be something that only Bilheim knew that I did not know.
He seemed to know why Irina desperately wanted to hide Rize’s existence.
“Rize can be relieved only after she has built up enough strength, is this it?”
“That’s right. but yet… … You must be prepared to get involved with Bilheim.”
“Do whatever you want. A nobleman who is stuck in the north anyway… … . Damn, then maybe the family name of Rize’s mother… … Count Michelan?”
Irina nodded silently, unsurprisingly, and I couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
He had inherited the lineage of wizards from generation to generation, and even held the position of a court wizard several times.
That’s right, it’s enough for a family to be engaged to the Grand Duke of the North.
As Irina continued to worry, it was a story that as Rize became more famous, it was only a matter of time until her existence became known.
I wondered why he had told me now, but it wasn’t too late.
No, maybe I was thinking a little complacently.
Since Irina came to Rize, she should have prepared for these cases.
Life with Rize was just happy, so he only thought about the threat of the continent, but he hadn’t even imagined about the nobles.
so… … I couldn’t help it.
There is no choice but to prepare a lot for that.