Mary Hyde’s father.
Raymond Hyde.
He is the current head of the prestigious Hyde family and a renowned magician in the Kingdom of Lilias.
However, when Mary talked about her father, she didn’t seem affectionate, even if it was just out of politeness.
Instead, she shuddered, recalling some fearful memory.
“I received a letter saying my father is in critical condition.”
That was the final conclusion.
After spilling all about her father, Mary broke the news that he was ill.
“There’s not much time left for him.”
“So you want me to go with you?”
“…Yes.”
Mary grasped my hand tightly and looked at me.
“I think I can be brave in front of my father if Ken is with me.”
I had heard all about her family.
About her strict father.
About what he did to make Mary, who was once timid and fearful, into an elite.
As a result, she created a new persona that could protect others without showing her feelings.
I learned that her fear of getting wet in the rain was due to her father as well.
“If it were me, I wouldn’t want to see his face.”
He was a father who created bad childhood traumas.
A classic tale.
Children who were tormented by their parents since childhood become independent and abandon them.
Afterwards, whether the parent lives or dies, it’s left to each person to figure out.
But Mary decided to return to her family home upon hearing of her father’s condition.
“I have a lot I want to say to him.”
Her expression didn’t resemble that of a daughter wanting to see her long-missed father.
Mary’s face showed determination, and I hugged her shoulder tightly.
Then, the once fearful Mary turned her flushed face back to me bashfully.
“Will you come with me?”
With round eyes, she looked at me anxiously.
“Of course. I’ll go anywhere with you.”
I smiled and replied to Mary.
Her eyes also gently curved as she smiled faintly.
“Well, there’s a problem to solve.”
Mary’s family home was quite a distance from the Dedris Academy.
Even if we rode a carriage and dashed quickly, it would take a day to get there.
Even if we spent a day at the family home, it would be a three-day journey.
So, I dropped Mary off at the dormitory and swiftly moved on.
To a familiar place.
Raphne’s Tower.
“Ken…! I thought you said you couldn’t come today! What’s up?”
Once I entered the top room of the tower, Raphne greeted me with her bright smile.
I embraced Raphne as she approached.
“Did you miss me?”
“Umm… that’s part of it but…”
“Hehe.”
Since the past had changed, Raphne could finally endure her time alone in the tower much better.
Probably because her memories of being trapped for a year overlapped with the new memories created after her past changed.
Of course, a good thing was that she no longer rampaged when alone in the tower.
But her obsession with me remained.
“Are you staying over tonight? … I really hope you do.”
Raphne pulled her face back and asked shyly, her cheeks reddening.
“Yeah, I’ll stay overnight today.”
“…Huh?”
At my cheerful reply, Raphne’s eyes widened in surprise.
“R-Really? You’re really going to stay? I might… I might pounce on you!”
“Staying is real, but… let’s skip the pouncing.”
Whether she heard me or not, Raphne just smiled happily and hugged my neck.
“Better than a birthday present!”
Since I hadn’t stayed at the tower recently, she seemed really happy about this.
She nuzzled her hair against my neck and showered me with affection.
‘If they’re this happy… maybe this is fine?’
Honestly, I hadn’t planned to stay overnight, but I needed to make her happy to get a positive response.
Sure, I was fine with Raphne being happy, so it wasn’t only for that reason.
Anyway.
“Raphne, but I need to talk about something.”
“Hmm? What is it? I’ll listen to anything!”
Raphne wore a bright smile and looked like she would hear anything.
I felt relieved by her gaze and proceeded to tell her about my three-day journey.
“NO━! No no no━!”
Raphne immediately hugged me again and started to get teary.
‘Well, of course.’
There’s no way she’d allow this so easily.
“You’re saying I’ll be gone for three days?! No way! Just don’t go today!”
In the end, she started whining at me with teary eyes.
“I-I really have something important to attend to, Raphne. Can you bear with it for three days? After that, I’ll stay with you for three days straight without going to the Academy!”
“……Whaat.”
At my final proposal, Raphne’s shoulders flinched.
She disliked the idea of me being gone for three days, but the condition of having me by her side for three days when I returned seemed appealing to her.
“B-But…”
Yet, she clung tightly to my shoulders, looking at me anxiously, as if she still didn’t want me to leave.
It seemed like I needed a decisive move to convince her.
Then.
“And Raphne…”
“……Hmm?”
I cautiously opened my mouth.
“After I return… I have something important I absolutely must tell you…”
“Something important?”
Raphne tilted her head at my words.
She seemed unable to recall what important matter was between us.
So, despite feeling shy, I averted my gaze and replied.
“It’s about our future relationship.”
“…O-Oh?”
Of course, that wasn’t a lie.
I had settled on a serious relationship with Emily and Mary.
But with Raphne, I hadn’t properly given her an answer due to missing the timing.
I planned to give her that answer after returning from this trip.
“Ken….”
Raphne looked at me, her eyes sparkling as if she had tears of joy.
Her cheeks reddened, and her expression was a mix of shyness and happiness.
It seemed she realized what my words meant.
“Oh, I see…! I just need to endure for three days, right?”
“Yeah… and, I might take a day or two longer…”
“Either way, you absolutely have to come back quickly!”
Now, it appeared that what I’d hear after coming back was more important than the fact I was leaving.
Raphne nestled into my arms, smiling with delight.
“And you’re definitely staying over tonight!”
“Got it.”
Fortunately, I got her permission.
Thus, I was ready for the three-day journey to Mary’s family home.
Though tonight, I had to resist Raphne’s temptations.
‘…It’ll probably just end with a kiss, right?’
I thought I shouldn’t cross any lines with the other two involved.
Even if I crossed a line, it should be after we all agreed.
‘And then the remaining issue is about the three of us’ future….’
After I returned from Mary’s family, that was when I really had to brace myself for the moment.
Unbeknownst to Raphne, she buried her head in my embrace and wrapped her arms around my waist, her hair gently swaying.
The very next day, after convincing Raphne, Mary and I boarded the prepared carriage in front of the Academy.
It seemed Mary had sent a letter to her family home through the carriage horses after hearing my answer.
And it looked like they arranged a carriage near the Academy for her.
Clatter, clatter.
During our travel in the carriage, Mary leaned her head on me and held my hand tightly.
I carefully hugged her shoulder and asked gently.
“Are you very nervous?”
“…It’s been a while since I’ve been to my family home.”
Mary looked up at me, smiling softly as if to assure me not to worry.
As long as she was in my arms, she seemed to feel safe, not wanting to let go of me.
Yet her shoulders trembled slightly.
‘What could her father possibly be like?’
Seeing her reaction, even if it was something I couldn’t pry into, a slight anger rose within me.
I heard her father poured water on her in the name of education, giving her traumas.
‘No matter how much he wanted his daughter to be successful….’
That was just wrong.
That’s not what a father should do.
In my view, parents should embrace their children’s shortcomings and create happy memories together.
Not traumatizing their childhood for their own selfish desires.
‘I wonder what his face looks like.’
Despite being the one creating such painful memories, he calls her to see him when he might be dying.
How shameless can one be?
I wanted to give him a piece of my mind if I met him.
Of course, that was beyond my place, so I wouldn’t think about it recklessly.
“Mary, don’t worry. I’m right here beside you.”
“……Yes.”
All I could do was be Mary’s umbrella while standing beside her.
Mary blushed at my hold and smiled.
As we relied on each other’s warmth, the carriage arrived at the Hyde territory the next afternoon.
“Welcome, young lady! We’ve been waiting for you.”
“Yes, it’s been a while, Albus.”
Once we arrived and stepped out of the carriage, a huge mansion came into view.
‘I heard it was a prestigious family, but….’
Just by the size of the mansion, one could tell how wealthy the Hyde family was.
An enormous mansion.
Moreover, the surrounding garden and yard were impressively vast.
And there were several servants waiting in front of the carriage we stepped out from.
At the moment, there were just a few maids and an old man who looked like the head butler.
But with a mansion this size, there would probably be many other servants inside.
Mary casually greeted them and entrusted her luggage.
‘…Can I really handle this?’
Seeing Mary’s awkwardness made me feel more anxious rather than excited.
After all, in a way, I had proposed to Mary.
If all went smoothly, I would be marrying her.
In such a situation.
Knowing that the girl’s family was of this magnitude made me feel uneasy.
‘Somehow, I’m starting to feel anxious….’
I involuntarily shrank back.
“Ken, shall we go?”
But Mary, unaware of my worries, looked at me with affectionate eyes and smiled.
I nodded, heart racing, and walked beside her into the mansion.
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