Chapter 7: The father’s request
“Did you have a good night’s sleep, Estella?” As if! It was already morning by then. After the time we got out of the bath, the maids immediately dressed me up in some fancy nightwear and forced me to sleep with Noelle for the whole night.
As a former guy, I didn’t believe what was in front of me. Sleeping with a girl? Nah… Anyway, the whole time I had a hard time even closing my eyes as Noelle would try to suffocate me with her chest; even though it wasn’t big as those of the maids it is certainly such a size that it’s possible to allure men. It was unbelievable for a 16year old.
“Anyway mister, where did my sword go?” Now that I think about it when I entered the residence my things were carried away by the butler. That thing didn’t have a sheath, so if it's mishandled it could lead to unfathomable disasters.
“ Oh, that ‘thing’ you brought? I remember Christian had a hard time handling that thing, It was surely sharp. Are you sure that you could handle that thing?”
“Mister. I’m the one who made that sword…” Well, of course, anyone would have a hard time handling that sword for god’s sake. It is incredibly sharp that a touch would result in sudden disembodiment.
“I see. Then, Please Christian guide Miss Estella to the site”
“Yes my lord”
Noelle’s father had given orders to the butler and I was guided to the place, 'the site'?
“Lady Estella, I’m not sure how you created that thing alongside Lady Noelle’s sword. But that thing needs a sheath, for now, all I have done is shove it into a boulder” after warning me, he turned around and pointed where my rapier was supposed to be. It was impaled deep into a boulder placed in the back of their mansion.
“It’s an Excalibur”
“Yes, It seems so”
“Why?”
“There was no other choice “
“Doable”
My precious rapier was literally stabbed into a rock, Into a literal boulder meters big. Only the handle was left open as the rest of the blade was shoved into the rock itself. I know that I made an extremely dangerous sword, but to be just casually plunged into a rock…
Well, not much I could do about it can I? This blade is slowly turning into a cursed sword… Always bringing me troubles… After that, I pulled out the sword-like butter and accidentally sliced the boulder cleanly in half.
“Hoh as expected of Lord Grail’s daughter, to able to craft such a magnificent weapon” It’s been a long time since I heard my father's name, how long was it ago? Either way, I have never heard anyone speak of his name other than me, even the customer who came to buy when he was still alive didn’t know his name.
"I have never heard anyone spoke of his name for years"
"Is that so?"
"Yes"
"Then would you like us to speak more of him often?"
"No thanks"
What’s up with this old man? It’s getting more awkward as time passes… So I hurriedly drove back into the mansion and requested an audience with Noelle’s father once again.
“Can I talk to him?”
“Certainly so, you may enter as you wish”
“Thanks “
Of course, the butler still followed me as if I was a child, what am I to you, your granddaughter or something? After I had asked for permission I slowly entered the lord’s office.
“Oh Estella right timing, Come sit down I have something to talk to you about”
“It’s fine, I have something I want to know too”
“That’s good to hear”
Thinking about what he said last time, I think I want to know more about my father. I have never heard of his past. All he did was drill all of his skills into me since childhood. And also the reason how he died, that man was lipped shut you see so it was hard to know what was happening in his mind other than the booze.
“Then can you please listen to my request?”
“Hmm?”
“Noelle is going to graduate in just two months, In that time I’m asking you to look out for her. Of course, I’m not asking this for free, the reward is anything you would like to request. How is it? The accommodation, food, and expenses will all be handled by the household so don’t worry. You can also receive an allowance weekly as payment”
“It seems like a good offer but… “
“I know you wanted to become an adventurer, But after that two months, Noelle is going to be married off to another household you see? I have never seen her this happy before she met you, I’m afraid as her father I wanted to show her some kind of happiness during the time I have left with her”
Say what now? This child is going to be married off after her graduation? And what does he mean by that? Couldn’t he just let her be free or something, like find her love for herself? I’m not much expert, but a sudden proposal from an unknown person seems bad...
“I know what you’re thinking; unfortunately even I couldn’t do that. The opposite side is from a rank below that of the duke’s, so even with my authority, I couldn’t oppose them. The man is along the lines of a womanizer who has a lot of concubines already waiting for him at his bed. “
“Don’t tell me it’s that guy, the one Noelle just kicked in the nuts?”
“hmm? Did that kid really!? I’m so proud of her! … I see then that’s ok. I know that you’re a girl and all, but kicking someone on the nuts is just like losing a part of yourself”
‘you don’t have to tell me that as I also felt like my soul vanished…’ I wanted to tell him, But now that he assumes that I was a girl in the first place I couldn’t just go and exposing my identity.
“Well then that’s my request”
“I’ll think about it”
“I see… Then that’s fine, please reconsider well. Now as for your question?”
“Everything”
“Excuse me? “
“I said everything; can you please tell me everything?”
I have time on my side and Noelle isn’t really a friend at all, I feel bad for the kid but I’ll think about it in the future, or after I hear what I need to know. It was still morning when I started listening to his stories, but when it was done it was already noon.
In some parts of his words, he stopped midway and always changed the topic whenever something crucial was about to happen. All I know is that my father was a figure of the past, which was hard to believe at first but as he went on, it was only a matter of time.
Apparently, Noelle had gone off to attend school earlier this morning so I haven’t seen her around the mansion at all. Other than that, Lunch came in droves as the maids pushed their respective carts and brought the lunch directly at the lord’s office.
“Did you like the food?”
“mm” *nods*
“I see that’s good to hear. So can you please reconsider being with Noelle for a little while? “
“Ok”
“excuse me?”
“I’ll do it”
It’s not like in any rush and the food is good after all, But that was not the main reason why I agreed in the first place.
“Thanks, I’ll do whatever I can to please you”
“I’m not doing this because of Noelle, I’m doing this because I feel like your hiding more from me”
“I see… Then I’m Sorry. “
“It’s fine, We can take our time can't we?”
“I feel like sometimes you’re a malevolent goddess or a cunning man”
“Is that so?”
Well, you’re not wrong at the second one, but what about being a goddess hmm?
