I was shaking my head, and Caitel looked up his eyes. In his sharp gaze, Ferdel raised his hands right away. It meant surrender.

  “I heard that…… babies forget people once they don’t see that person for a long time.”


  “That’s why you’re not going to war?!”


  ‘Don’t tell me that was your reason all along!’


  Caitel’s answer was a little unexpected to me too. Who’s that? That’s not my dad. My dad was not that kind man!

  “You?!”


  Ferdel asked him, but Caitel ended up just glancing at him. He then placed the finished papers on the table and came straight to me.

  ‘Thank you for not forgetting me, but I feel a little subtle. You’re not even going to the battlefield that you love because you’re afraid I’ll forget you?!’


  “Wow, I can’t believe this. You are really grown up now.”


  Yeah, that’s what I wanted to say.

  Caitel, who hugged me in his arms, grimaced his face.

  “Do you have a deathwish?”


  Caitel’s gaze was quite fierce, bur Ferdel just smiled.

  Oh, it’s his talent.

  A talent of earning a punishment.

  “Well, anyway. Just sign this for me.”


  “Permission to use the Verita Palace?”


  He held me in one hand and signed the document he got in the other. Ferdel took the document as soon as he got the signature.

  “Who needs to use the palace for a week?”


  Caitel asked handing him a pen, but Ferdel just smileed. No matter how much I pondered on it, I thought he’s the first one to laugh so annoyingly.

  Oh, so irritating!

  “That’s a Secret.”


  Caitel didn’t hold on to him this time. He picked up my toy right next to him and threw it at Ferdel.

  Ugh.

  I had to see my toy hit Ferdel on the shoulder and fell to the floor and broke out loud just in front of me.

  My toys! My toys were broken!

  “But how come now you’re acting quite like a father?”


  When Ferdel smiled, Caitel frowned.

  “Shut up.”


  I cried alone when I saw Ferdel, who was like a wounded lamb, bowing his head after Caitel’s stern reply.

  ‘Oh, my toys. Why are you throwing your daughter’s toys like that?! Frankly, I’m afraid that growing up under you will ruin my personality. Aren’t you worried?’


  “I thought your wedding was in December. Why are you suddenly getting married in January?”


  “What? It’s all because of you, you bastard!”


  Caitel put me on the floor as it was.

  Hmm? You want me to practice walking with you?

  He took my hands, and he watched me stand with his hands. Oh, my leg was still weak.

  “Silvia is mad at me, and she won’t talk to me.”


  “Then don’t.”


  “She wanted to break off the engagement, so I begged for a week. Then she told me she would marry me if I find a honeymoon spot that nobody else has ever been to.”


  I prefer walking with Serira…


  I didn’t really feel like it, but since daddy wanted to, I would play along. Oh, Dad, last time you were too fast, now it’s too slow.

  Did he thought I was a turtle?!

  “So, did you find it?”


  “Yeah! That’s why we’re getting married!”


  Ferdel laughed so happily.

  That dirty, dirty couple! Did they feel the fury of the two singles here!

  “I really love Silvia so much!”


  When he saw Ferdel fall into the sofa with a cushion in his arms, Caitel picked up my rattle and threw it at him.

  Oh, seriously! Stop throwing my toys!

  “Hey, why did you hit me!”


  This time, Ferdel got angry as if he was really hurt, Caitel answered. The answer was better than I thought.

  “You just annoyed me.”


  “…”


  Everyone felt that, including me. Dad…you shared the same fury as me. I knew it, my daddy was single even though he had so many women. Dad, I didn’t think I had ever loved you as much as I did now.

  “But you don’t have to look at me so coldly!”


  Hey, back off, couple.

  Obviously, I wanted to leave the couple out, but Ferdel was sneaking up to me.

  ‘Hey, fanatic, why don’t you stop loving me now? Your love is just too much for me.’


  “Looks like our daughter is still as cute as ever. Come here~”


  “Heer!”


  I wanted to speak, so I was saying something that sounded like words I remembered when I learned English. Whenever that happened, Ferdel just loved it so much he would almost die.

  ‘Just die. Do you like me that much?’


  “Who are you calling your daughter?”


  As soon as Ferdel approached me, Caitel hid me behind him. The act of covering me, made Ferdel’s mouth pout.

  “Who cares! I’ll have a daughter soon too!”


  That’s what he thought.

  My father thought the same. He didn’t let Ferdel see me. I snuck in his arms. My dad still treated me like he owns me, sob sob.

  ‘Dad, I’m a baby. You have to treat me carefully!’


  “Oh, she’s so cute. She’s just like a rabbit!”


  “A Rabbit!”


  ‘Do I look like a grumbling rabbit to you? Do you want a taste of a rabbit’s kick?’


  Dad! Why wouldn’t he just tell Ferdel himself?

  “No, she’s like a dog.”
……

  am I alive to him now?

  Did he think it would be better if I died as soon as I was born? I could talk now, and I could even walk and eat like a proper person. So! Why! Was! I! Still! Being! Treated! Like! A! Dog! Would he shut that mouth once I bit him like a dog? Huh?!

  “Is that an insult?”


  “I’m just saying.”


  “…”


  Ferdel’s expression was subtly distorted.

  ‘I know, I know. I’m thinking what you are thinking.’


  What the hell should I do with this father? Ha.

  “Caitel.”


  For some reason, Ferdel seriously called Caitel. He crosses his arms in a serious look and spoke.

  “I think you need to learn how to speak more gently.”


  “For what? There’s no reason for it.”


  No, there was a lot of reasons, Papa. First, conversations with me, then you can have a conversation with me, after that you need to have a conversation with me, then another reason is for having a conversation with me, and finally, conversation with me. There’s a lot of reasons, right?

  “She’s a baby. Babies are fragile, and they can be hurt even by small remarks like that.”


  “She won’t understand anyway.”


  Oh, come on! I was listening. He should at least try to be nicer!