You Think I Won't Talk?-Chapter 63

The hole in our chest felt widely deserted, as if... she had received the worst news she could ever get.

I tried to ignore the discomfort it made me feel and forced myself to look at him. My eyes were Anne’s eyes... and I want her to see for herself what I had told her before.

’Anne... just the other day... I told you that... you wouldn’t believe how blinded you were... that the box you were locked in was not all there was in your life... I bet you didn’t get to see how much this man... your Father, loves you then...

But, how about now? Have you noticed? He smiles this brightly by only having you by his side... we don’t talk... we don’t smile... we have done nothing for him, not even given him a gift... and yet... look at how elated he is only by seeing our dull face...’

Feeling how our heart weakened its heartbeats as more our eyes watched and as more I said to her... in an instant everything changed.

Now, the body felt determined to do something... and I was not going to restrain her freedom to do so in the slightest.

The Duke had been arranging the shawl and the sheets to cover me well while saying little things as I told Marianne my thoughts, and now, he was leaning back to seat straight on his seat, satisfied with how well covered I was now.

Just as she was about to do what her remaining soul wanted to, we locked eyes with her father.

"...Dear?" — Tilting his head, curious at our continuous staring, her Father asked, with a soft countenance.

Our body gulped down the bit of saliva we had and barely parted its lips... I knew that she wanted to say something with our lost voice and I was giving her all my support so that she could accomplish it... However... it did not happen.

Nonetheless of our failure... I deciphered the word she wanted to say. On the same body, I can tell with how our tongue scarcely moved to articulate, what the joint of the letters would sound like.

’... Dad...’

That one word... She desperately wanted to call him by... was clearly modulated by our stiff tongue.

Our voice did not even take form as a sound, yet, our throat was already hurting from the strain it meant for us.

To our failure, she lowered her gaze, dejected. But I wouldn’t let her look away...

because... while she was concentrated on taking that word out of our mouth... I was looking at him.

Those four to six seconds she struggled to make the sound unsuccessfully come out, he was watching us. He observed us with great concentration, how our mouth parted and how it had the intention to let words roll out of it.

Therefore...

’Don’t look away, Marianne. At times like this... you should never look away...’

In a still atmosphere, governed by the sharp silence, he observed us with an expression as emotionless as ours. But, then... slowly, gently and fondly, the expression softened, and the corners of his lips lifted to show his characteristic warmth.

His now extremely familiar hands took ours again.

This man was certainly not ordinary because he understood our... Marianne’s message, without fail.

"...Mhmm... Yes, Dear... Dad is here..."

The grief from the failure faded instantly and was replaced with joy.

We wanted to return his smile with ours... but it was not possible.

I felt frustrated at how aleatory the chances to express ourselves came. But it wasn’t the time to burst into rage at our restricted freedom.

It was the time for Marianne to express herself, however she could, to her Father. To the Father she loves and cares for, and the person who now gives her the path to that desire I told her about.

’So now... You too want to keep on living, huh?’

I inwardly smirked at her, pleased at how strong her soul’s presence felt in our body, confirming my rhetorical question.

But her confirmation didn’t end there.

With her sluggish movements, her hands squeezed the Duke’s and nodded to both of us, recognizing my comment as well as the Duke’s.

It was all very simple.

She wants to live since her dad is here.

He was always here but she missed to see it.

That is all there is to it.

I am proud of my girl. I feel like Marianne has grown so much in these past two weeks... it is good that her soul has started to recover.

This only makes me want to try harder.

So that she can see even more things that will make her want to live for herself too, the time for us to go further outside her box has come.

’Since you’ve already taken a peek outside, why not get out of it entirely? Because... there is still more out there. You just gotta find those hints, sweatheart~’

And I will definitely help. You won’t get rid of me, my naive girl. ’Cause this... this is more interesting than any novel I’ve ever read.

"Hmm~... my sun is shining brightly today... what a happy occasion~..."

The Duke singsonged his words with delight, just like I did with mine to Marianne. I giggled at how well it suited him to speak like that, and, also felt amused at how we both had the same intonation. It was like we were on the same wavelength for a moment.

"Dear, did you know?" — He whispered.

’Ohoh~? Is he feeling playful now~?’

"Apparently... this season will be blessed."

’... Hm? How so?’

Tilting our head, Marianne and I were confused at his random comment but, at the same time, very interested to find out why he said so.

"I believe... the flowers will bloom beautifully... since they wouldn’t like to lose to my gorgeous child, would they?"

He chuckled shyly to his own joke. Though I think he meant it in a great part.

It made me smile at how energetic he came off. So, I wanted to reply to his joke with another one.

Asking for the little notes, only releasing one of my hands to make the gesture of writing, he immediately understood and smoothly took them out of the empty drawer on my night table.

"... Here, sweetie."

I went straight to write my brilliant joke. My genius for these things is top-notch if I say so myself.

[But Father... How can they win against me?... Poor little flowers...]

I added a little sad face at the corner of the message and showed him the note as soon as I finished.

Honestly... I’m half-joking... I do kind of believe they will lose to Marianne’s beauty. She’s just too hot. So I can’t help but agree with the flower’s defeat...

When his eyes opened stunned at my message, I knew I succeeded.

He then brought his eyes to me, and, to add a bit of spice to my joke, I posed with one hand on my cheek as I slightly tilted my head to rest it on my palm, feigning worry about the sad future that awaited the flowers.

The Duke was clearly surprised at how I was expressing my message, but he couldn’t hold back his delight and giggled, making his eyes crinkle a bit, pushed by the wide smile that appeared on him.

"Oh, Dear! You are right, poor flowers indeed! Hahaha!"

I shamelessly nodded to it, which made his smile even brighter.

"... So my child knows she’s that pretty, huh? What to do? How will I find flowers that suit my daughter now? Oh my~"

’Ouf! Great! That’s how you react to these kinds of narcissistic jokes!! Splendid! Take notes, Anne! This is how you do it! No more being taken aback! I want this type of response from now on!!’

Watching how he continued to chuckle a bit after that, I felt glad that it was charming enough to make him enjoy it to this extent.

Regardless, there was still something that we ought to tell Marianne’s father. And for now, we will have to make do with just writing it again to convey it.

My hands moved fast as I wrote it down. I didn’t take the time to think carefully about how to express it. But this way is good enough. If I don’t plan it, it’s because I’m expressing it just as I feel it, and in this case, both of us, must convey it without filtering our words to make it reach how we want it to.

[It must have been troubling for you to see me that way the day before yesterday. It also took me by surprise. However, I am grateful that it happened while I was with you.

It was reassuring to have you help me, and I felt thankful knowing that Father did not leave my side while I was ill.

Thank you so much for your care.

When I woke up this morning I was worried I missed your visit.

I am glad that was not the case, since I truly wanted to see you and thank you again, Father.]

Handing it to him without even taking a second glance to revise it, our body felt fidgety since Marianne and I felt the same way about all that happened.

When someone sincerely expresses their appreciation, one can’t help but feel a bit uneasy to say words that come from the heart.

"Hmm? You wrote quite a bit... Let’s see..."

The Duke took the notes and said at first with a light mood. However, his mood was placated as he read it, and when he finished, he placed the notes in my hands and looked at me. Fondly as always, he said, with a soft-spoken voice.

"Marianne... don’t ever thank me for caring for you. Because it is my blessing to be able to do so."