Father, I Won’t Do Anything - Chapter 60

Diamide laid on his bed while he took care of himself. His iconic black hair had been shortened up to his shoulders.

The aftereffects for committing a taboo lasted a full week.

The agony experienced was a pain in itself, however the biggest change was that he was no longer a divine being but a mortal who couldn’t escape death.

Though Diamide hadn’t minded, Micheal, who knew how much talent he had honed to become one of the divine, felt restless.

“Although I asked you to… why did you, uh, save her?”

Micheal stood with his back against a window where the sunlight was coming through. His quiet voice echoed through the bedroom.

Looking up at the ceiling with his hand on his forehead, Diamide replied.

“Did you know that her name was Jayna?”

“Pardon? Uh, yes. It was one of the first things she said. Ashrid was a name given to her by the Balaur as it suited their preferences.”

“…….”

“……Hilvenzia must have known her name as well.”

Micheal was her cousin, but Hilvenzia, who was a total outsider, knew about it too.

Diamide moved his hand over his shirt and began unbuttoning from the top. His protruding collarbone was revealed through the loose shirt. But the frustration did not go away.

Hilvenzia was a picky and fickle person, who wouldn’t do anything for someone else.

It was because she had confidence in her research and only thought of herself even though she was a subordinate of the Tower Lord. There was no such thing as loyalty to her.

Yet she, for a special meal, had made a tart for Jayna.

But Diamide said that Jayna couldn’t be his child, while pushing her away.

‘She’s my blood. I am that child’s father.’

Diamide slowly closed his eyes. Guilt washed over him like a wave.

Has he ever been helpful to that child?

Not at all, rather she suffered only because he was her father.

She almost died because of something useless like an allergy.

Hah.

Diamide felt Jayna’s very presence shake him and he laughed at it.

– I told you, Micheal Bellaphanian, don’t let yourself be swayed by emotions.

Even when this little girl, who claimed to be his daughter, had collapsed, Diamide remained cold and closed his heart off.

People said that,

Tower Lord Diamide was the most rational and cold-hearted person to exist.

But he, in fact, was a coward who had always doubted himself.

‘I’m going to break her in the most horrible way if she tries to shake and tear me up.’

So, in fear of getting hurt, Diamide eliminated all of his emotions, hardened his heart, and built a solid wall around himself.

He began to pursue truth and power instead. It was easy for him; his emotions were castrated and he never looked back either. All he had to do was to look forward.

That’s how Diamide got his hands on immortality. He rose to the very top and became a great wizard.

He pursued his own interests and planned to place the world beneath him.

As time went by, the plan began to take shape, and the world seemed to be in his hands.

‘But, why did I do that?’

Why throw away everything you had long wished for, and choose a young dragon instead?

– I just want to die right here.

Why did he hold the hand of a dying child, and threw away what he had gained through bone-breaking effort, just why…

‘How foolish.’

The blood staining his hands couldn’t be washed away even if he washed them for the rest of his life.

Even while counting the lives that were saved by defeating the Demon King.

How did this happen because of this child in front of me…….

‘Is it because she’s special? Or because she’s actually my daughter and not a spy from the dragons?’

He should have closed his eyes and turned away.

The daughter of the woman who left him had now left a scar on him.

‘But she’s the fruit of our love, right?’

At the very least, Berziche loved her while she was pregnant.

‘No, even if she wasn’t born out of love…..’

It didn’t matter. Diamide couldn’t let go of Jayna either way.

Similar to the first time he met Berziche, he held her hand even though he knew there was no going back.

‘It’s all my fault in the first place.’

Jayna almost lost her life.

Though he hadn’t fulfilled his duties as a father, Diamide felt that he should’ve at least told her to be careful of Shezmel before such an incident occured.

No, he should’ve admitted it before that. He should’ve admitted that she was his daughter.

In fact, he had already known for a long time. After it was revealed that she wasn’t a spy, he knew it.

Nevertheless, he ignored it. Diamide erased the very idea from his mind.

He was afraid, afraid that the walls he built around his heart would shatter and the wounds he stitched up would burst open.

But when he saw his past self in front of the dying child, and heard the name, ‘Jayna’.

He understood.

He understood that the longing was stronger than the fear.

Unable to burn Berziche’s belongings, he left them at the entrance of the garden.

Similarly, while Diamide shouted at her, telling her to never show him her face, he himself secretly watched the child.

‘Has the seal been lifted after healing her?’

The barrier of ice built to seal his emotions seemed to, along with his immortality, melt away.

His heart felt stuffy and his mind was complicated.

Sweeping back his messy hair, Diamide spoke to Micheal, who was beside him.

“What do you think Jayna thinks of me?”

“Did you mean to say ‘Jayna’?

“Yes.”

Micheal replied with a bright face when Diamide called out her name.

Even though it was a bit late, she could finally have a guardian.

Micheal spoke cheerfully,

“I think she’ll become very fond because of this incident.”

“Really?”

In response to Micheal’s answer, Diamide smiled with satisfaction.

Yes, he really could catch up.

Although he was later than Micheal and Hilvenzia, Diamide wasn’t someone impatient.

He wasn’t anyone else, but that child’s ‘father’.

One must miss their biological parents after living amongst their relatives while knowing one of them was still alive.

To make up for the feelings he had hurt so far, he would do better in the future.

He had a lot, Diamide could give her things that other fathers couldn’t. So, it would all be okay.

“How about buying a gem in the auction house in a few days? It’s easier to use jewelry as a medium while mastering magic.”

Diamide spoke as if jewelry was an expendable good. Micheal spoke with widened eyes at such words.

“Do you intend to teach her magic yourself?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

He spoke as if nothing special, but it was simply just special treatment.

Learning magic from the tower owner himself. It was a completely different situation from what she was previously in.

‘I can solve everything, all the discomfort I’ve felt so far can be relieved.’

Diamide became relaxed and spoke leisurely.

“I’ll give her my last name and a title. I also have some land and I’ll grant her that too. Ailebrand would be a great place.”

“Then she’ll be Jayna von Ailebrand Bellaphanian.”

Ailebrand was a fertile plain famous on the continent, it had a number of diamond mines.

‘You truly are treating her well now.’

Micheal had told Jayna that Diamide was good to her in his own way, but the ‘him’ now was so different.

It was a little bittersweet to lose some of his time with Jayna to Diamide, but he knew it would be good for her.

““Jayna will soon follow the Tower Lord around, calling him an amazing father.”

Up until this point, Micheal and Diamide did not know.

When they so simply dealt with actions relating to Jayna, they couldn’t have known about its repercussions.

* * *

Jayna sat in bed while she recalled what Hillvenzia had told her.

Everyone thought she was going to die, but she survived.

Diamide had saved her at a great price.

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

Hillvenzia spoke with a bright smile.

But Jayna could neither laugh nor smile.

‘Why now……?’

Because big questions began to fill her head.

While Jayna was lost in thought, a knock on the door was heard.

A doctor had come to see her.

The doctor looked relieved as he examined her.

“You’re far better now, which is a relief considering you had a severe allergic reaction. Never eat Shezmel again, avoid those who do…….”

After he had explained a number of precautions, Yurika arrived and asked him,

“The Tower Lord had asked to see the young lady in the afternoon, if that’s all right?”

“If they’re only gentle movements…… just be sure to not push yourself too much.”

Hillvenzia, who had been nursing Jayna day and night, had been away as soon as Jayna woke up.

She wanted to be with Jayna, however she had no choice but to leave Yurika to nurse her alone because she was in charge of the tower. Thankfully, she was kept bedridden until then, which was good.

Because of that, Jayna headed to Diamide’s study assisted by Yurika, not Hilvenzia.

As Jayna entered, she noticed he had shorter hair.

“Sit down.”

It was just as Hilvenzia had said, it seemed he saved her at the expense of his magic.

He sat crossing his legs while keeping his hands on his knees. Diamide looked arrogant as usual, but he seemed slightly weaker than normal.

Jayna, as she sat in front of him, greeted him politely.

“I heard that you saved me, thank you very much.”

“That’s right.”

“Well, I’ve said hello so I’ll be going now since I’m not feeling well. Goodbye.”

“……?”

Micheal and Diamide, who were seated and Hilvenzia and Yurika who stood behind her, all looked embarrassed.

Jayna was the only one who was calm under this situation. She looked at Yurika and said,

“If it’s all right, could you help me?”

“What are you talking about, my lady? The Tower Lord called you, it’s wrong for you to leave right away.”

Yurika panicked with a bewildered face.

“Why is this the wrong thing to do?”

“That’s, it’s obviously because the Tower Lord is your father…….”

No words followed after that. It was because Jayna had laughed.

“Father…….”

“Yes?”

“I should take this opportunity to clarify things.”

Jayna sat down again and looked Diamide straight in the eyes.

“The only thing I liked about being born as a dragon was that there was no concept of ‘father’.”

“What……?”

Everyone flinched, but Jayna continued to speak calmly.

“All dragons all lived well without their father, and so will I. Diamide, I don’t need a father. I’m telling you this in case you feel guilty because I collapsed due to allergic reactions.”

Jayna continued calmly even amongst the astonished faces.

“So, you don’t have to think of me as your daughter. I won’t call you my father either.”

[T/N: WE FINALLY GOT THE BIT MENTIONED THE SUMARYRYYYY]

Micheal and Hilvenzia felt their souls leave their bodies, and Diamide said nothing.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

After a long silence, Jayna tilted her head.

“Tower Lord?”

Despite her calling out his title, Diamide was so embarrassed that he couldn’t say anything.

It was the first time in his life that he had been left so speechless.

“…….”

He was dazed, but then he finally came to his senses.

It was because he was a wizard who put reason before emotion.

Therefore, he decided to think rationally.

Perhaps Jayna had become emotional after accumulating a lot of emotion because of him. It was similar to being hit by a horse.

What he needed now were carrots.

[T/N: In the idioms above, Jayna is being referred to as a horse, and to ‘tame’ her, carrots (i.e. treats) need to be used]

Wouldn’t her attitude change if Jayna knew what she would get as his daughter?

“I’m going to give you the land of Ailebrand. You’ll be the lord.”

“Why?”

Why? What did she mean by why?

Fertile land, rare gems, and even powerful magic.

As the daughter of the Tower Lord, it was normal to enjoy the best luxuries.

Diamide thought she would shed tears or smile brightly.

But Jayna wore a suspicious expression.

“When you thought I was taking advantage of you, you were furious; yet why are you suddenly giving me such valuable things?”

However, his expectations had gone awry once again.

At this point, it was difficult to see those words as ones out of shame or courtesy. They didn’t even seem to express anger.

Diamide felt dumbfounded, no, angry.

If she looked from his perspective, by saving her life, it obviously meant he had acknowledged that she was his daughter.

But why such a reaction?

‘This kid doesn’t understand what it meant for me to cut my hair.’

“Since you saved me, I’ll be practicing the harpsichord harder.”

It was a polite and neat answer. Jayna stood up after those words.

Only then did Diamide realize that Jayna misunderstood that he had saved her life because of Bezriche’s song.

‘It’s not like that.’

His lips parted. Diamide wanted to say something to the girl in front of him.

He wanted to say that he now thought of her as his daughter.

That he realized how precious she was.

That’s why he saved her at great cost.

But,

“If there isn’t anything else to be said, I’ll be taking my leave. I have something I must do.”

Was there any use telling her such things?

“Ah, goodbye.”

Yurika, stunned, then quietly followed after the girl.

After Jayna disappeared, a heavy silence fell over the whole room. No one could open their mouths with the tension being as sharp as thorns.

“…….”

“…….”

Diamide’s expression was unusual. It showed that he wasn’t always dry and indifferent.

Micheal and Hilvenzia intently stared at each other, then Diamide called out their names.

“Micheal. Hilvenzia. What do you think of this situation?”

“T-that.”

“Micheal, didn’t you say that she’d like jewelry and land?”

Though Diamide spoke calmly, Micheal could feel an unknown emotion present in his voice.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this…”

A cold sweat ran down Micheal’s back.

If he answered incorrectly, he could lose his life in a moment’s notice.

‘I knew that she had an odd side to her, but saying ‘you don’t have to think of me as your daughter. I won’t call you my father either’?! Who knew she could say something like that so boldly!’

Micheal carefully picked the words in his head.

“That, Tower Lord, weren’t you the one who didn’t think of Jayna as your daughter in the beginning?”

“…….”

“Doesn’t she need some time to recognize you as her father?”

Micheal thought his efforts failed. It was because Diamide frowned, making Micheal feel that he didn’t like his answer.

Micheal’s words were unintellinalty hard-hitting, and made Diamide reflect on his actions.

“……I see, so she needs time.”

When Diamide hadn’t shown a good reaction, Hilvenzia, who was now wary of him, gave a different answer.

“Isn’t there a reason she didn’t like the present?”

“She didn’t like Ailebrand, the land which everyone wishes to covet? It’s the most fertile land in the Empire and has a number of diamond mines.”

“Jayna, though mature, is still a child. Shouldn’t we approach this in the eyes of a child, not an adult?”

Now that he heard that, it did make sense. As Diamide thought about it, Micheal, who was beside him, said:

“Should we go get a toy or teddy bear……?”

“I’ll be choosing the present myself.”

Is this the same Tower Lord they’ve known so far?

Micheal and Hilvenzia were confused.

Ever since the allergy incident, Diamide had shown a completely unexpected attitude.

“And tell her maid this, if my daughter sees anything she would like to have, report it to me immediately.”

* * *

After having recovered to some extent, Jayna went to go see Micheal and Hilvenzia.

“……As soon as I opened my eyes, I thought of you two.”

Jayna looking up at Micheal, said,

“I’m sorry I haven’t been able to call you older brother yet. I just feel awkward…….”

“Uh, huh?”

Micheal’s ears turned red. Normally, he was the noisy one, but right now, he was speechless and just covered his mouth.

Jayna continued.

“It’s just that, after almost dying, I end up regretting a lot of things.”

“Then, Jayna, could you call me by my name without adding ‘nim’?”

[T/N: Haha…. awkward moment, basically, Jayna has been referring to almost everyone by 님 (nim, a honorific used when talking formally or to unfamiliar/older people) so far, I just removed them while tling :looksaway:]

Micheal glanced at Hillvenzia.

‘What a skilled old lady. She’s very good at picking up opportunities.’

“I don’t expect anything from Jayna, and I’m fine as things are, but sometimes the title ‘nim’ feels awkward…….”

Unsurprisingly, Jayna nodded.

“I didn’t know that you thought I drew a line because I was being polite.”

“What are you talking about? I didn’t feel like that at all.”

“Then, I look forward to your help in the future as well…… Hilvenzia.”

[T/N: First time Jayna refers to Hilvenzia without adding ‘nim’]

Jayna fidgeted with her fingers awkwardly, but it was only for a moment.

Jayna soon smiled with a happy expression.

“When Izren comes back, I’ll ask him if I could call him by just his name.”

[T/N: Aka, forgo the ‘nim’, which she also used for Izren]

The atmosphere between the three of them was always friendly. It was completely different from when Jayna was previously with Diamide.

Micheal and Hilvenzia stared at her brightly smiling face, reconsidering.

Whether Jayna truly needed a father.

The two thought that Jayna would need a father until now.

It was a pity that such a young child lived alone in the tower, and had almost lost her life.

But it was all their own assumptions. Jayna didn’t need a father.

– So, you don’t have to think of me as your daughter. I won’t call you my father either.

There wasn’t even any resentment against the father who had turned a blind eye to her so far.

Only utter indifference.

The child, who had hoped for nothing from the beginning, remained the same even as time passed.

So, wouldn’t it be better to let it be rather than force the two together?

Having saved his daughter at a great cost, Diamide, her father, would not kick her out or kill her.

Even if the Dragons try to capture her once again, he would protect her as he previously did.

‘Yeah, from Jayna’s point of view, it’s all so absurd. Her father, who had denied that she was his real daughter, suddenly began pretending they were close.’

‘Furthermore, Jayna had never been a gentle child either.’

Micheal and Hilvenzia internally broke out in a cold sweat.

‘I didn’t give Jayna a good first impression either.’

‘I’m glad I quickly changed my mind about her.’

They once again felt sorry for Jayna.

When they almost lost that little girl who now stood in front of them, the two started thinking about the things they didn’t do for her.

“Kid, for all the mean things I’ve said to you so far, I’m s-s-sorry…….”

“What? What do you mean?”

“I’m…… s-s-sorry”

Jayna grinned as she silently held Micheal’s hand.

With her other hand, she held Hilvenzia’s.

It was because she knew the hearts of the two people who loved her, very very well.

* * *

While pulling the reins of a horse, Princess Elia said,

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with her learning to ride.”

Horseback riding has recently emerged as a hobby loved by artistrocarts.

However, it took a lot of effort to manage horses, and most of all, the horse itself was expensive, so it was not a hobby that could be easily enjoyed.

However, it was still something that moved the hearts of all upper nobility.

Most of all……

“My heart races whenever I see Your Majesty riding with her hair tied high!”

“You’re just as, no even cooler and more confident than any man!”

The sight of Elia running on a horse set the hearts of young ladies ablaze.

The fact that the best knight in the Empire is a woman has changed it’s climate by quite a bit.

[T/N: Climate, I reckon, talks about how the actions are different from what was usually accepted in the past. As Elia, a female, is the best knight in the Empire, this completely changes previous set-in-stone stereotypes]

It was now common to see even young ladies wear horse riding clothes while horse riding though they exposed the shape of legs.

“You’re thirteen now; old enough to learn horse-back riding.”

And so, today Jayna had come to the Imperial Palace to learn horse-back riding from Elia.

If there were any horses in the Tower, Elia would’ve simply instructed knights to teach her without letting herself get directly involved. However, there were no horses present in the Tower of Wizards.

‘Though, there is a chimera which is a combination of a lion and horse.’

Jayna stopped imagining a scene where she rode a being with the head of a horse and the body of a lion.

“Usually, the biggest obstacle is being afraid of horses…….”

Elia glanced at her horse and then Jayna.

As she expected, Jayna was calm even when she saw Elia’s ship-sized horse.

“I don’t think you need to worry about that.”

Elia picked a gentle horse suitable for beginners such as Jayna to ride.

“Hello, it’s a pleasure meeting you.”

Jayna liked the horse in front of her, it had a soft looking mane which she stroked with her hand; to which the horse responded by pleasantly neighing.

After the horse picked up Jayna on its back, it didn’t even cry out, let alone go rampant.

It seemed just as gentle and smart as Elia made out to be.

“You follow the instructions well, Jayna.”

At first, it was slow horse-back riding, akin to walking, but it eventually got faster and faster.

After a while, Jayna was able to ride quickly while Elia held onto the reins.

“You’re the only child who could be so calm on horseback.”

“Is that true, aunt?”

At that moment, an unfamiliar voice intervened between the two.

When Jayna and Elia turned their heads, they saw Arnen who was performing tricks while riding a horse.

“I’m only two years older than Jayna, yet I’m already this good at riding.”

“Arnen, you’ve been riding horses since you were young.”

“And what does that have to do with it?”

“You’re becoming more and more like your father as you grow.”

Arnen’s face bore a bitter expression.

“Is that a compliment?”

“I thought it was your father’s responsibility to look after your schooling, so I left it alone. However, looking at you now, it looks like I must intervene.”

“W-what for?”

“After being ‘disciplined’ by me, your father was able to imitate a human being.”

“……I’m sorry. This was a mistake.”

Pierced by Elia’s words, Arnen hurriedly turned his horse’s head and headed in a direction opposite from Elia.

While watching the scene, Jayna became curious and asked Elia a question.

“What was the ‘discipline’ given to Arnen’s father, the Duke?”

“I took him to the north for a beast hunt. After a mantis-type beast cut both his arms off, he blindly started speaking about starting a war.”

It was a place where the fiercest beasts resided, and even mercenaries refused to step foot in it, even if they were offered money to do so.

Elia added with a sigh.

“Even though I reattached his arm with a potion, he kept on crying…… As a member of the imperial family, he lacks courage.”

A glimpse of Elia’s fierce personality was revealed.

“For a member of the imperial family to go to a beast hunting site…… I think it’s reasonable. It would be a good way to boost the morale of the knights.”

“Thank you. My son, Rosian, didn’t understand me. When he was around your age, I told them that if the northern beasts hadn’t gone extinct, I would have forced him to hunt them. His expression twisted horribly.”

Elia’s personality wouldn’t have been understood by Rosian who was subtly delicate.

“I think he’d be the one to ask first now.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing, I was just talking to myself.”

Elia wore a small smile on her face, directed at Jayna who had tilted her head in confusion. Her smile was one not easily seen considering her usual solemn expression.

“There’s still quite a bit of time until Rosian comes back from the academy, so I’d be happy if you would visit me often.”

“If it wouldn’t be a nuisance, I would be honored to. Thank you, Your Highness, Princess Elia.”

Jayna decided to challenge herself by riding the horse on a walk without Elia holding the reins.

She adapted quickly due to her docile nature and Elia’s training method which was spartan-like.

Neighhh-

Although it still felt like a challenge, it was different from how Jayna previously felt.

There was a big difference between keeping the balance while holding it by the side and working with the horse.

“You’re doing great, you know?”

While Jayna rode on horse-riding grounds, she heard a sarcastic voice next to her.

“You’re really riding slowly. When will you be able to run on a horse?”

“…….”

“What a coward, a coward.”

Arnen, who was far-away, approached the girl while trying to anger her.

“Do you want me to help you? I could help you ride faster.”

Elia frowned at this scene, but she didn’t step forward.

She knew Jayna would not fall for Arnen’s provocation.

“Hey, are you looking down on me?”

“You have business with not me, but His Highness Rosian. So why don’t you stop trying to exploit me and compete fairly?”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“If you have nothing more to say, please get out of the way.”

Jayna didn’t care about speed. She wanted to learn horse-riding step by step, starting from the basics.

Unlike those who only care about getting immediate results, she had a cautious attitude.

“This is really…….”

Arnen’s face distorted as he watched Jayna focus on her riding posture once again. Elia, on the other hand, raised the corners of her lips satisfactorily.

‘I don’t think there was any need to get involved.’

Jayna was riding at her own pace, slowly.

‘The more I look at her, the more I like her.’

Elia might have some emotions towards Jayna because she was the daughter of an ex-colleague, but Elia liked the fact she was sincere about everything and thought deeply about things, unlike her peers.

Shouldn’t a member of the imperial family be as calm and collected?

‘Rosian tends to be a bit emotional, so it would be nice if Jayna would focus on him.’

Elia, who was staring at the grol, remembered the message Diamide had sent her a while ago.

– If you look after my daughter, I will actively help the Empire.

Until now, the Tower had maintained its neutrality and did not take sides with any country. It would be extremely helpful if it started actively participating in the affairs of the Empire.

However, Elia still did not immediately respond to Diamide’s message. Even if it weren’t for his request, she still intended on acting as Jayna’s guardian. Elia planned on observing for a while as she did not know of his intentions.

– Are you going to recognize her as your real daughter? But then, why are you entrusting her to me? Is it because I’m a princess?

– That is not the case.

Diamide responded in a seemingly pained voice.

– It’s not?

He was a man who one day began to distance himself from his former colleague and became obsessed with magic.

However, seeing how he suddenly asked a favour in such a pained voice, it was evident that something happened.

Jayna had said that she simply fainted because of an allergic reaction…… however everything didn’t seem so simple.

‘I didn’t further look into it because that would seem presumptuous…….’

Elia wondered whether it would be a good thing for Jayna to stay in the Tower.

‘It doesn’t matter what Diamide is thinking…… I just hope it turns out to be good.’