You Think I Won't Talk?-Chapter 91 — Preparing for the Coming Storm.

"..."

’You are right, Sir..... But...’

Her soul was crashed because of her kindness...

’..... Anne... You look so cute... Such fluffy cheeks you have there~’ — I said, hiding my real thoughts with other ones.

The idea popped in my head, but I knew I shouldn’t let it become one that Anne could hear. Changing the direction of my thoughts, I tilted my head as I leaned over to look at the picture closely.

Our Marianne was so pretty... It’s no surprise to see how hot she became as she aged...

’Hing~~ Whut a prwretty gurl~ Ouf! If only I had a phone to take pucture~...’

I would make this my wallpaper for sure, hehe.

"You might not remember those days... You were so little back then..."

"..."

Why does he look so sad?... Is it what they said about parents not wanting their children to grow kind of nostalgia acting up on him right now??

’Sir~ that’s just how life is~... Look, at the very least, I can assure you that from the three children you have, Marianne won’t be the one making you say: "Breed ravens and they’ll gouge out your eyes" for sure~’

Although I said this jokingly on the inside, I made sure to point out a fact there. Anne didn’t like it, but also couldn’t deny it.

Knock knock

"Your Grace, I have brought the refreshments you have ordered."

’Oh~ nice~’

"Come in." — Said the Duke halting his fixation on the portraits, and, turning to look at me again, he added in a softer voice. — "Shall we continue after a cup of tea?"

Nodding to his suggestion, I placed the still resting on my lap portable canvas on the ground, supporting it right by the side of the couch we were seating on to ensure it did not hinder the path. While doing so, I was reminded of what I had yet to tell Marianne’s Father.

’...! Right! He asked the name of it...!.. Hehe... Let’s make him laugh a bit while we’re at it~’

I like seeing him laugh~ and it’s just the right time since he seemed down just now.

With this great idea in my head, I reached for the notes that were still lying on the other side of the centre table from when I handed the gift to him.

Extending my hand to get it, I immediately began to write the answer to placate his curiosity in a comic way.

Though... It might seem more of a drolly way to him, Heheh.

’I wonder how he’ll react~ it’s something a child would do after all~ hihihi...’

In the meantime I wrote the deed, Grampa Thomas entered and started to arrange everything he brought with him meanwhile the Duke went to get my drawing and place it somewhere safe.

At some point, I was already done with my note and just stared at Marianne’s Father with impatience to show him my message.

When he was finally done, ensuring the drawing was safe on his desk after revising that the ink bottle was far and nothing was hindering the paper’s form, he surrounded his desk making his way back to the centre table.

It was then that I noticed he had the intention to seat across from me again.

’Oh no! Why there?!’

As impulsive as I am... I guess our body was compliant with my selfishness today; because it reacted to my thoughts standing up from my seat in an eager jump.

"...? What’s wrong?" — Seeing me get up from my seat, the Duke stopped his steps.

"...!.."

I was surprised at how fast we stood. Although it evidently wasn’t enough to surprise the others in the room, the rapid motion made me freeze out of shock.

My petrified state didn’t last long though. I’m one who overcomes the unexpected quite well, and right now, this much shock is easy to surpass for someone like me.

Moving like a penguin with short steps and like a crab to one side, I surrounded the centre table and closed the distance between us.

Taking him by the arm, very politely, I guided him back through the same path I just walked.

’...hmm? Why do I feel like I’m having a déjà Vu again????.... Meh~ Whatever, I’m busy.’

Seating him on the couch, I took my previous place, ultimately coming back to the earlier way we were seated, and without letting him say anything in his obvious confusion, I shoved the post-it notes in front of him.

’Here! You wanted to know Sir~’

Looking at him with all the expectation I could muster to show in my gaze — since my face won’t help in that matter — I waited in nervous excitement to hear him laugh at my silly idea.

*******

[Father, I have yet to tell you the name of this object.

I call it, Pockachin.]

"..."

[Pockachin]

’Am... Am I reading this right?’

[Pockachin]

’...’

Orland had to read repeatedly the name of the object she had previously designed out of incredulity.

’Pockachin...?..... Pockachin, Pockachin... Hup! Why does this name sound funny???’

The Duke was unsure if it was wise to laugh at the name, his eyes fluttered in an attempt to clear his sight from anything that could be hindering his view, yet, the unique word was read the same every time.

He glanced up at his daughter, cautious to not make it obvious he felt conflicted by the confusion the word invoked in his head.

Once his eyes lifted enough to see his daughter’s face, they immediately met her honest gaze. Her expression was, as usual, empty of everything, but..... the door to her soul... her beautiful eyes said all he needed to know.

’...! Mischievous child! This is a jest she’s trying to make!! I almost fell for it!’

"Hahahahaha! Oh dear, what a unique name... Could you tell me where it comes from? It sounds quite peculiar..."

There wasn’t much of a reaction like the one he saw that morning. Nonetheless, it was not necessary to see a change in her expression for him to notice that his response had made her happy.

After all... The flicker in her slate pupils was as lovely as the beaming smile she had revealed that morning.

’I love how vibrant her soul has become... To think she felt so far away some time ago... My baby is no longer concealing herself somewhere I cannot reach...’

Exhilarated by the scene and the progress in closing the abysmal distance between him and the beloved daughter he had longed to see for what appeared to be a tormenting eternity, Orland kept the wide smile provoked by his laughter unchanged.

The realisation he had failed to register this morning on his head because of the overwhelming happiness, the one that was suddenly given to him by his daughter’s disclosure of her real lovely self, was of such significance that his heart fluttered as if a thousand butterflies had found shelter inside his wide chest.

The Duke of Sylfinnier had observed that in the period she took to recover, no progress was made when it came to her soul’s healing.

Although she continued to welcome him, sharing every meal with him, and from time to time accept his small talk, there was no apparent improvement in their relationship.

Orland was aware that the repercussions of her illness would provoke her soul to dry up to some extent. She had avoided death miraculously. The tired body left behind after battling the claws of extinction was fated to struggle for a long time, thus, he could imagine... How crushed her kind soul would feel for a while.

He was relieved to see that in her eyes there was still a light lited. As long as that recently acquired brisk did not fade, he could rest assured that she was well enough to not drift away again.

Regardless of this certainty his heart felt, the days kept passing, the weeks, the month... and yet, she continued to show no change in those pupils.

’... It was as if her time... Had stopped...’

It could be said that his daily interactions with Marianne had even become monotonous at some point. However, that never meant for them to be worthless.

Those days were marvellous just by being able to be by her side. Saying good morning, eating with her, sometimes caressing her cheeks and hair... carefully, always very carefully as to not make her uncomfortable... Those tiny aspects of their daily meetings made every single minute more valuable than all the Gods’ blessings.

Therefore, nothing foreshadowed the developments he found on the day commemorating his worthless birth. The whole day felt like a dream to him. A wonderful dream.

Orland was only focused on enjoying the vision. He unconsciously deprived himself of analysing what all these new behaviours meant. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Thanks to the time he spent detached from his daughter’s presence during the afternoon, the Duke had managed to regain a bit of notion of reality.

Consequently, now, his mind was clearer.

Although it was about to fly back to the clouds with the marvellous present she created, he managed to keep his head in its rightful place, letting all the transpiring events lived today settle down on his shaken body.

’I suppose..... The pause is over..... She’s moving forward again..... Ah... My strong child... You don’t know how proud you make me.’

As she composed new letters for him in response... The warmth, that merely watching her this closely, this lively, brought to his moved heart, made him act impulsively.

Having her lovely figure seating next to him, only enhanced the desire to show his affection.

Hence, lifting his hand, he removed the hair obstructing the view of her cute visage, placing the long silky reddish-brown hair over her shoulder to then stroke her rosy cheeks with the back of his fingers.

Fondly giggling at how she did not mind at all his selfish act of caressing her fluffy complexion, his next words rolled out of his mouth. Devoid of the continuous restraints he self-imposed on his words, an honest, simple and heartfelt sentence, flowed out from his lips almost effortlessly.

"... You are... such a precious existence, my child..."