She Is a Daughter Raised As the Son of a Duke

“….”

I didn’t say anything. And my silence was an affirmative response.

Diego nodded as if understanding.

“Right, I suppose if my father had tried to raise me as a woman, I would have left home too.”

“But… now that I’m out, I feel empty somewhere. It feels hollow.”

I thought everything would be fine once I left. I believed I could forget everything and live life as I pleased.

For some reason, I felt at ease with him and started pouring my heart out. I must have truly forgiven him.

“I don’t plan to go back home, but my heart feels empty. I wonder if this was the right decision… I’m worried that I’ll be empty like this for the rest of my life.”

“If feeling empty because of the lack of family is the problem, come to Nine. I’ll drive out all the other kids, and only you and Isabella will be allowed in and out. If you think of me and Isabella as your family, you won’t feel empty.”

“It’s okay. Nine doesn’t seem like the place for me to live.”

“How about dating me then?”

His conclusion sounded absurd, and I blinked in surprise. When I furrowed my brows, he came closer.

“…Is that even a valid suggestion?”

“You said you felt empty. So, let’s date. By dating, I can fill your empty heart.”

He confidently made what was essentially nonsense. I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.

“Is this some kind of joke?”

“Even if I love drinking, I don’t drink at the military base.”

“Then, are you trying to make me laugh?”

Upon hearing that, Diego playfully raised the corner of his eyebrow.

“Why do you find my words so hurtful? Everything I said is genuine. Don’t think my words are insincere. I don’t take well to that, especially from someone I care about.”

He stared at me as if I were someone he cared about and made it awkward for me to meet his gaze. He softened his expression and offered advice.

“It seems like there might be other reasons besides feeling empty. Think carefully about your feelings and try to resolve them. If going back to Flotina will solve them, then do that.”

“…I can’t go back.”

I had come all this way making a fuss, but returning was not an option. It was partly because it was impossible to return, but also because I didn’t want to break my resolve built up over the years.

“In that case, there’s only one answer.”

“What is it?”

Curious, I faced him again, and he smiled mischievously as he drew closer. His hands were wrapped around my waist, not exactly holding me in place, but making it difficult for me to escape.

“Find a lover who can fill your empty heart. And why not make it me?”

It felt as if his body would touch mine any moment now. The water droplets already rolling down his face were soaking into my pants.

“It feels too close-“

Diego gazed up at me, seducing me with a captivating voice.

“I’ll take good care of you.”

He was like a mermaid, luring people in and leading them into the sea to devour them.

Blinded by his graceful figure, one could easily fall into his trap and be devoured without a chance to escape.

By the way, you’re good at it, aren’t you? What are you good at that makes you speak so confidently without a subject?

I swallowed my saliva with a gulp.

“What is it?”

My face was already flushed red as I asked.

“Anything.”

His smile exuded confidence.

“Really… Your Highness, you’re violent and even arrogant.”

“That’s my charm.”

“That charm doesn’t appeal to me.”

Unfortunately, he had a long way to go before completely luring me in.

I removed my feet from the hot spring and stood up.

“Since it seems like everyone’s gone, I’ll leave too. Thank you for your help today.”

“May.”

As I tried to leave, Diego stepped out of the hot spring and grabbed onto the hem of my clothes.

Although there were many places he could have held, like my hand, wrist, arm, or shoulder, it seemed like he was trying to be considerate and not touch me directly.

“No matter who you are or who you are as a person, it doesn’t matter. I will never give up.”

He tightened his grip on the hem of my clothes.

“So come to me willingly. I easily get hurt when rejected, and it feels like my heart is being torn apart.”

His voice was as arrogant as always, but I no longer retorted.

“I’ll consider it.”

I left the hot spring, leaving him behind.

* * *

I woke up to the chirping of early-morning sparrows and found myself struggling with my tired body as I prepared for training. My arms felt a bit heavy, but they didn’t hinder my movements.

“Yawn…”

Because of Diego’s strange confession last night, I kept tossing and turning in my sleep, constantly yawning.

After sharing my concerns, he suddenly suggested we start dating. Moreover, he even asked me to make him my boyfriend. If I wanted to feel like family, he suggested we get married.

He clung to me, appealing that he excels at anything.

Come to think of it, it’s the first time someone has confessed to me.

Although in my past life, I might have confessed to someone before, I have never been confessed to.

Of course, Jed did something similar, but it wasn’t sincere, so I’ll exclude that.

So how should I reject his confession in a way that he can give up on me…

My intention was to make him give up on me.

Firstly, I didn’t particularly like him in a romantic way, and besides, it’s preposterous for a commoner to become the lover of a prince.

“This is ridiculous…”

Why is he saying that it doesn’t matter what status I have, and proposing marriage so easily? Just what is it about me that he likes so much…

The more I think about it, the more peculiar he seems. He has always been someone I couldn’t quite understand.

As memories of last night’s events continued to haunt me, my movements gradually slowed down.

“Take a 10-minute break!”

Just as the training instructor announced the break, I released the silver energy I had been emitting from my hands.

It was my first training using magic, but since I’ve been using magic for quite some time now, I was fairly proficient in handling it, so thankfully, the training wasn’t difficult or hard to follow.

Feeling thirsty, I drank from the water bottle and looked around, when I spotted someone.

A man sitting on a bench, looking in my direction.

He had a large scratch over his left eye, making it impossible for him to open it; he was a man with a lazy eye.

‘Why does he not look unfamiliar…? Do I know him?’

As I pondered, I suddenly remembered where I had seen him before.

‘Ah! He’s the man I saw during the train trip with Floa!’

His unforgettable mask made it easy to recall.

With such a handsome appearance and a lazy eye, it’s not something you’d see every day.

As I glanced down, I noticed a badge pinned to his top. It was purple, indicating the affiliation with the 3rd Knight Division.

Looking at the badge and then back at his face, I remembered seeing him somewhere else.

‘Could it be…?’

The man got up from the bench and approached me. As he came closer, his features became clearer, and the memories became vivid.

The man I saw at the Lake of Dreams. The one who said he was my biological father, Materosin Kissel.

And now, the man standing in front of me was undoubtedly him.

He was the one who spoke first, and he was the man in front of me.

“Viche Yuriette…”

My deceased mother’s name. This precious name came from his mouth.

“So, you’re Viche’s daughter.”

Meeting my biological father was nerve-wracking and overwhelming, but I nodded my head in response.

We moved to a bench. Maybe because I was meeting my biological father, my heart was racing, but my expression wasn’t particularly bright. After all, I had never expected to meet my biological father.

He kindly told me about himself, his age, and where he lives. He also mentioned that Mirocagon had informed Hestia about me being Viche’s daughter and about him being Hestia’s spy.

To me, it was unwelcome information. I would have been better off not knowing.

However, he was kind and gentle, and didn’t seem like a bad person.

“I never imagined Viche had a child. I knew she had left this world a long time ago, but I didn’t know the details.”

“My mother… passed away while giving birth to me.”

“Still, meeting your new father, you’ve grown up so well. It’s a relief.”

New father… I see. Because I have a biological father, Persis becomes my new father.

That fact made me feel gloomy.

“After learning about your existence, I was initially taken aback, but I felt so moved that I couldn’t control myself. I’ve missed Viche all this time. To think that Viche gave birth to a daughter like you, it felt like the heavens were giving me a gift.”

I cautiously opened my mouth, fidgeting my fingers.

“Just, I…”

“I know. It’s probably difficult to accept me as your father right away. So, I’ll take it slowly. I’m prepared to cherish you as my daughter as much as I haven’t raised you until now.”

Materosin looked at me and drove home his words.

“I won’t abandon you.”

His words reminded me of Persis, who once said he would send me to an orphanage, and it made me feel emotional.

“No matter what anyone says, you have my blood.”