Chapter Text
━━━━━━ " ONE DAY, I WANT TO BE LIKE YOU, FATHER! "
The dark-haired male stopped swinging his sword. He wiped out his sweat using the towel that was placed on his neck as he looked at his daughter. He raised an eyebrow, "Like me? Are you sure about that?" He asked.
Giggling, the seven-year-old little girl energetically nodded her head. "Yes!" She answered, swinging her feet. "After all, father is the strongest! Because if you're not the strongest, then the leader won't choose you as the next head of our village! Then, if I become strong like you, I will be able to take care of Ms. Dragon Lord's children!"
The soft smile on the man's face disappeared upon hearing his daughter's statement. His daughter was too innocent and too pure for this world. Hearing from her that she wanted to be like him one day made him happy and sad at the same time. If she only knew what her dear father was planning, will she be able to look at her with those eyes full of admiration?
"You know what, (first name)?"
"Hmm?"
"You wanted to be strong like me, right?" The man asked while his daughter nodded with a bright smile plastered on her face. He gave her a close-eyed smile, petting (first name)'s head. "Then you should eat your veggies first."
"..." The child froze and stare at her father with wide eyes. Seeing that expression on his daughter's face, the man smirked. "What? Are you surprised?"
"Ms. Reina betrayed me!" The child exclaimed, letting out a sound of disapproval. And the man internally cursed, wishing that he have his recording device with him right now to capture this cute moment of his daughter. "Being strong starts with eating we—"
"Cale-nim." The man and his daughter stopped on what they were doing after hearing that voice. (First name)'s bright expression changed onto a fearful one after seeing a familiar man standing a few meters away from them. She immediately hid behind her father, Cale.
Meanwhile, the smile on Cale's face completely disappeared after his eyes and the man, the head of the village's son, met. He frowned, noticing (first name)'s hands were shaking. "What is it?"
It was given that (first name) was scared of this guy. Since Cale knew that there were some times that he was hurting (first name) due to his jealousy of Cale. Even though Cale acts as if he doesn't care about his daughter. He made sure to put this guy in his place after hearing that news from one of the villagers.
"The head is looking for you."
"Hmm, okay." Cale hummed before he looked at (first name) who was also looking at him. His eyes soften seeing the worried expression on (first name)'s eyes. He then patted her head, smiling gently. "You should go to Reina, hmm?"
"But... I want to go with you, father." (First name) looked down as her bangs covered her eyes. "What if... That sir hurt you too?"
"Oh? But you witness how this father of yours put him in his place before, right?" (First name) blinked at Cale's statement. "I am the strongest person in this village, aren't I? So I'll be able to handle myself, (nickname)."
Hearing that familiar nickname from her father. The smile on (first name)'s lips came back as it became bigger. She energetically nodded her head, "Hmm! Bye, bye! Papa!" (First name) waved her hand as she quickly get out of the training grounds where her father was.
Seeing his daughter was finally gone. Cale's face became stoic as the man next to him snorted, "I can't believe that you're too gentle to your daughter, Cale." The man said, meanwhile, Cale just rolled his eyes noticing that he finally dropped the formality that he used earlier.
"You know, one day, (first name) will become your greates—" before the man could even finish his statement. The wooden sword that was placed on the ground earlier was now pointed at his neck. His eyes widened as he looked at Cale, the person who was holding the sword looked at him. "Stop spouting bullshits and let's go."
"...F-fine."
No one knows. That after this day, the once peaceful Dragon Slayer village will change. Due to their new leader's greed, the whole village will be sacrificed. And because of her father's greed, (first name) will suffer because of it.
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Let's go back to the present. And now, (first name) was sitting on a sofa with Cale Henituse sitting across her. She's quietly munching the cookies in her hand as she stared at the ceiling with a blank expression. Meanwhile, the red-haired noble quietly observed her.
'Does she like cookies?' he thought, noticing that she already finished the plate full of cookies that the director of the orphanage gave to them earlier. To be honest, Cale was having a hard time with what (first name) was thinking right now. She was different from Raon, On, Hong and the wolf children that Cale sees every day. How will he say this again? (First name) was so similar to him to the point that it scares him.
Unknown to Cale, Hilsman, his knight completely misunderstood what he and (first name) was currently doing. Because, in his eyes, Cale looks like a father whose looking at his daughter with a sad gaze, currently disappointed in himself because he failed his daughter and his 'oh-so-called' lover.
'Young master-nim!!!' Hilsman internally cried as he once promised to himself that he will dedicate his life to his liege and now to his liege's daughte— "Mister."
"What is it?" Cale responded when (first name) nonchalantly called him. His reddish-brown eyes met (first name)'s who looked at him with a blank expression. "Did she send you here?"
'She??' the caretakers who are secretly listening to the red-haired duo's conversation thought. Who is that? Does their hero-nim knows (first name)'s mother? "That's right."
Cale shrugged, "She was quite impatient and she even sent me a letter saying that you were here." (First name) hummed, not even aware of the misunderstanding that they were causing right now.
Oh, by the way. By that 'she' they were pertaining to the Sun Goddess who adored (first name) too much. And knowing her, (first name) sure that she was the one who sent this noble here. Anyways, the Sun Goddess indeed sent Cale a letter through Saint Jack's. And for some reasons... That letter was more annoying than the letter that he received from the God of Death.
The red-heads' sweat dropped as Cale remembered the content of the letter, while (first name) remembers how the said Goddess pinched her cheek whenever she visits her dreams. "So... Mister, since you already saw me, you can go back now."
The younger female calmly uttered as she took a sip on the cup of juice that was placed on the table. Yet, Cale didn't answer. He placed his chin on his hand as he observed (first name). He indeed go because he was curious about who is (first name). Why does the White Star was so obsessed with her? And why do the Sun Goddess and the God of Death adores her?
"Say... Your name is (first name), right?" Cale asked and the said girl nodded her head. He then leaned his back against the sofa as he hummed. "That's a good name."
"Thank you?" (First name) tilted her head in confusion. "Do you want to go home with me?"
And with that nonchalant statement coming from Cale. Hilsman choked his saliva while (first name) along with the people who were secretly listening to them jaw dropped. "Huh?"