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Chapter 36
He spun to parry and caught a glimpse of familiar faces.
‘I know Daisy will come.’
But what surprised him was that she wasn’t alone.
‘Luciana. River.’
It wasn’t an illusion. Luciana hid behind Daisy, and River was clenching his fist.
Only then did he hear voices he had never heard while wielding a sword in his lifetime.
“Daddy! Daddy will win! He got hurt just like in the fwaiwy tale, so now he’s going to win! Even in the fairy tale Whitey got hurt, cowaapsed, and won!”
Why did his fist tremble while saying that?
“That’s right! My daddy will win! Right, Auntie?”
Why did she look so anxious while uttering words full of conviction?
“Yeah. If you wait a little bit, your daddy will win, just like in the fairy tale. He will defeat the enemy and look at you!”
Why, Why?
“When that happens, you must give your best smile to him.”
Why did she believe in his ability even when she saw him like this?
Daisy’s voice lingered in his mind.
Clang, clang, clang.
Carlyx naturally blocked Xandarvan’s continuous attack and quickly retreated.
Daisy Jean.
The longer they lived together, the stranger she was to him. That was his impression of her until now.
Was there ever anyone who stood by him like this?
“My dear Carlyx, everyone is cheering for you to win!”
“Daaaddy! You must win! Beat the enemy! Use the rooooar like last time!”
“Daddy! Cheer up! We’re watching you!”
His heart was burning. His eyes sank deeply before bursting into flames.
He didn’t want to lose.
Xandarvan’s sword flew by Carlyx’s side, causing him to fall on his backside. Thinking he had the upper hand, Xandarvan wore a crooked smile and swung his sword at Carlyx.
In that moment, his speed slowed significantly.
Using the opening, Carlyx quickly rolled over. With lighting speed, he raised his upper body and aimed his sword on target.
The frightening sword was now pressed on Xandarvan’s neck.
“What the heck? This isn’t like you. This has never happened before!”
Panting, Carlyx looked at him. His lifeless purple eyes were now glistening like precious jewels.
“This is the end. You lost, Xandarvan!”
Carlyx took a few steps forward. His sword was still at Xandarvan’s neck.
“So suddenly, how can you move that fast?”
Xandavan looked at Carlyx with a bewildered expression.
Clang.
Xandarvan’s grip loosened and his sword fell to the floor. Meanwhile, Carlyx spread his chest proudly in front of Xandarvan. A voice mixed with heavy breathing rang out.
“I had always thought I could never beat you.”
Looking back, he wasn’t the only one to blame for that.
“Today I have proven that it’s not true.”
Since he was young, he had been belittled hundreds of times. It was the same in the aristocracy and the order. He was brainwashed and lived his life believing it like an absolute truth.
“I won’t give you another chance to defeat me.”
Daisy was right, and he was wrong.
He lost the bet, but strangely, only a laugh escaped his mouth.
“My wife is right, and you are wrong!”
A loud cheer rose. He turned around and saw his children looked happy. Daisy was smiling next to the children and the wind blew her blonde hair into a cloud about her face.
“The winner is not the Commander of Manefartal Knightly Order, but the Commander of Zistanter Knightly Order. Carlyx Jean!”
Logan held Carlyx’s hand and lifted it high.
The gentle wind blowing through the wide open door.
The sound of rough breathing after a tiring battle.
Cheering voices ringing endlessly in his ears.
So many things to feel at once.
‘I won the bet, Carlyx.”
But most of all, the woman who mouthed those words.
His eyes only contained her.
Xandarvan decided to stay for a day at the marquisate.
It was an unexpected turn of events, but he had to show his adaptability as a knight and a noble.
It would take time to have dinner, and the road back to his mansion would be very dangerous at night.
“Then I’ll be in your care for a day. I look forward to your warm reception.”
Although Xandarvan lost the match, he still refused to lower his pride because of his winning streak in the past.
He had no reason to talk to Carlyx and Daisy before and after dinner. Xandarvan went to the guest room with Tyler and a servant.
After he disappeared, Luciana read the room and stood in front of Carlyx.
“Daddy, come here.”
Luciana timidly beckoned him to come close.
Carlyx was about to ask why, but Daisy pushed his back. Only then did Carlyx lower his body to match Luciana’s height.
“Hoooo.”
Luciana blew a small wind on Carlyx’s wound. She made a small groan with a frown on her face.
It was more heartbreaking to see the wound up close, so she decided to blow on it again.
“Hoooo.”
“You can stop blowing. What are you doing, Luciana?”
“I heard it’ll hurt less if I do this.”
“Who told you that?”
Luciana tilted her head and soon replied with confidence.
“Uncle Logan!”
Carlyx thought Logan told the children useless things again. He was touched by her sincerity, but he didn’t want the children to learn something wrong.
River, who watched Luciana, exclaimed.
“Me too!”
“No, you shouldn’t say that—”
“The wound is not up here, but on this side.”
At that moment, Daisy pushed Carlyx’s back again as he was trying to lift his upper body. She gently pressed his back with her arm, cupped his cheeks, and pushed it sideways.
There were many eyes watching, so Carlyx had to go along with her.
“Yes, it’s on this side.”
In the end, Carlyx bowed more and made eye contact with River. River’s blue eyes scoured the bloodied wound.
Uneasy, Carlyx tried to cover his wound, but River pursed his lips.
“This is Rappi’s magic! Rappi will heal Dadyii’s wound now…”
“Healing my wound?”
Daisy took her hand off Carlyx and bent her knees.
River pursed and pouted his lips several times. He puckered his lips even more as if sucking the air.
Soon, he looked like he wanted to cry. His chubby cheeks drooped pitifully.
“Uaaagh! This is blood! Blood is not tashty!”
River was trying to keep a poker face, but he failed miserably. He wrinkled his nose as if it was unpleasant.
River, who put his hand on his waist, said proudly.
“Daddy, the blood is gone becaws I ate it.”
“Blood doesn’t magically disappear like that. Am I wrong?”
Luciana questioned River’s logic and stared at Daisy. Daisy burst into laughter and shook her head.
‘How lovely. If they ever have their *doljabi, I’m certain they’ll grab my heart.’
(T/N: Doljabi – Korean tradition that celebrates the first birthday of a baby. The baby is urged to pick different objects that symbolize their future.)
She knew it was a bit cruel, but she was grateful that Carlyx was injured. It stabbed her conscience quite a bit, but it wasn’t a big deal because the wound was small anyway.
‘…Wait a minute.’
“Ouch, it hurts.”
Daisy suddenly groaned, wrapping her cheeks with her hands.
“Ugh, it hurts. What to do…”
“Are you hurt? Let me look at it.”
Suddenly, Carlyx wrapped Daisy’s white cheeks with his large hands. Startled by the sudden warmth, she looked at Carlyx.
“…Ouch. It hurts here.”
‘Why are you holding my head?!’
Daisy shot a fierce look at him. The cheek that she secretly pinched was red.
“You’re not a magician, so it won’t work. Only my River and Luciana can do magic!”
Daisy lowered Carlyx’s hand that cupped her cheeks. He backed down even though he furrowed his brows.
“Rappi will go first! Magic!”
“It’s on this side. Sir Magician, please heal me.”
“Yeah! I’ll heal you!”
Her desire to get kissed by River surged up.
River worked so hard to move his tiny lips and shut his eyes tightly. Not only the eyes, he even furrowed his forehead with all of his might.
Touched by his eagerness, Daisy smiled brightly.
“Get better! Get better! Cup, cup.”
‘Oh my god! River kissed me twice!’
Her happiness didn’t end there. Luciana was next. She was busy practicing blowing the air.
“Is it my turn now?”
Luciana approached Daisy. She closed her rabbit-like eyes and pursed her lips.
“Hoooo.”
The weak wind touched Daisy’s skin.
“Does Daddy and Stepmother not hurt anymore now?”
“Are you both okay now?”
“Yes, both of us are fine.”
The faces that looked worried quickly brightened at Daisy’s reassuring answer.
Seeing such children washed away her exhaustion.
Daisy was dressing for dinner.
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