Owen blinked his eyes. Although Akkard was very young, his origin and status were far higher than the aristocrats he interacted with.
He did not know why Akkard, famous for his vanity and arrogance, was so kind to him. While Owen felt fortunate, he also quietly opened his mouth, feeling the burden of being in debt.
“Do you like to drink? I have several bottles of precious alcohol that I brought from other countries the other day, and in return… … .”
“It’s okay. Your gratitude is enough.”
“Then how about a good sword or some armor?”
But no matter what he suggested, Akkard just smiled and shook his head.
Just when Owen felt he was at his wits end and about to feel very uncomfortable, Akkard, deep in thought, slowed his steps, hesitated, and figured he should try his luck.
“If you want to do something for me… … .”
Yes— tell me! What in the world do you want? Owen held his breath and listened.
“Could you tell me a little bit about your daughter’s childhood?”
“What?”
At the unexpected request, Owen doubted his ears. He wondered if the man was sane, so he looked down at the back of his head with a puzzled look.
And he found that the sweaty nape of his neck was burning red.
“Nevermind, it’s too much to ask … .”
Owen’s jaw dropped. He recalled vague memories of hushed whispers of rumors about Damia and him.
‘I knew it was a rumor and didn’t care. But….Could it have been true?’
It was clear that Akkard was interested in his daughter. And quite a lot at that.
‘I’ll never let that happen— What kind of bastard is this guy!!’
Owen’s eyes glared arrows at the back of Akkard’s head; he clearly recalled the gossip about the playboy who was notorious throughout the kingdom. He was grateful that he carried him, but his appreciation could never be greater than his love for his daughter.
“I’m going down. From now on, I will walk on my own feet.”
“Hold on a little longer. Only then will your body recover.”
Owen was speechless, but Akkard didn’t care about his sudden, blunt tone. At his unwillingness to let him down, Owen straightened his back and pushed Akkard’s shoulder with both hands.
“I’m fine, put me down! Hurry!!”
But there’s one thing Owen didn’t know about: Akkard had recently been seriously injured with a blade piercing one of his legs.
Although the broken tendons were connected with divine power and potions, it would take more time for him to recover fully. Plus, Owen, who was on top of him, disturbed Akkard’s center of gravity and whose heart was even heavier than his external exhaustion, made him stumble.
“It’s dangerous, uh… … !!”
The muscles in his thighs, which were already at their limits, began to cramp. Akkard couldn’t take it any longer and fell over the dirty water.
Fortunately, it was only a slight fall, but he got his head wet in the messy, muddy water. However, while remaining virtually untouched, Owen was still on top of Akkard and crushing him.
Terribly embarrassed by this, Owen hurriedly lifted him up and apologized.
“I— I’m sorry. I just… … .”
But Akkard, who he thought would be angry, unexpectedly smiled gently in response. He asked as he rubbed his red scratched chin from the fall,
“I’m alright. Are you hurt anywhere?”
Owen felt very guilty about the question of genuine concern. He couldn’t even make eye contact and mumbled in reply,
“I’m fine, so I’ll walk by myself. Come on, let’s go.”
“All right.”
Akkard nodded, got up, and took the lead. Since time was running out, his pace was the same as before.
But his gait, which had been straight, now had a slight limp. Owen, walking while looking at this, reluctantly opened his mouth.
“… … Damia was a very mature and kind child. Being alone can be lonely, but she never complained. Sometimes when she visited someone else’s house, she would end up taking care of all of the kids, even if she was younger than them and they would all follow her.”
Damia was a sore spot for him. A child who had to grow up too early was bound to break the hearts of affectionate and discerning parents.
“Really?”
Akkard, who seemed exhausted, immediately showed interest in his words. Feeling his probing gaze on his profile, Owen continued:
“Most ordinary people are weak to the strong and strong to the weak, aren’t they? But Damia was always kinder to the weak and vulnerable. When she saw a hungry child, she gladly gave up the sweets she wanted to eat.”
“Did Damia say she had no particular appetite for the food, isn’t she an angel?”
“She probably did say that. But she was never good at telling tales. Once before she went out and came back without her new scarf, saying she must have lost it. I thought it was strange but she was still a child but when I asked, she said that she had found an orphan who was shivering in the cold.”
“Her beautiful conduct is the same.”
It was difficult to walk through the dirty current that reached his knees. He huffed, almost unable to speak more, but Owen continued.
It was only because his listener was so focused.
“Not only that, but what a pretty child she was! Of course, she’s pretty now, but when she was young, there wasn’t even a doll that could compare. At one time, there was a time when bisque dolls were popular with the children of oriental high officials, and merchants designing the dolls used my daughter as their model.”
“Do you have any of these dolls?”
Akkard asked in a serious tone. He was very curious to catch a glimpse of what Damia looked like as a child, which he had never seen before.
Owen blinked his eyes. Although Akkard was very young, his origin and status were far higher than the aristocrats he interacted with.
He did not know why Akkard, famous for his vanity and arrogance, was so kind to him. While Owen felt fortunate, he also quietly opened his mouth, feeling the burden of being in debt.
“Do you like to drink? I have several bottles of precious alcohol that I brought from other countries the other day, and in return… … .”
“It’s okay. Your gratitude is enough.”
“Then how about a good sword or some armor?”
But no matter what he suggested, Akkard just smiled and shook his head.
Just when Owen felt he was at his wits end and about to feel very uncomfortable, Akkard, deep in thought, slowed his steps, hesitated, and figured he should try his luck.
“If you want to do something for me… … .”
Yes— tell me! What in the world do you want? Owen held his breath and listened.
“Could you tell me a little bit about your daughter’s childhood?”
“What?”
At the unexpected request, Owen doubted his ears. He wondered if the man was sane, so he looked down at the back of his head with a puzzled look.
And he found that the sweaty nape of his neck was burning red.
“Nevermind, it’s too much to ask … .”
Owen’s jaw dropped. He recalled vague memories of hushed whispers of rumors about Damia and him.
‘I knew it was a rumor and didn’t care. But….Could it have been true?’
It was clear that Akkard was interested in his daughter. And quite a lot at that.
‘I’ll never let that happen— What kind of bastard is this guy!!’
Owen’s eyes glared arrows at the back of Akkard’s head; he clearly recalled the gossip about the playboy who was notorious throughout the kingdom. He was grateful that he carried him, but his appreciation could never be greater than his love for his daughter.
“I’m going down. From now on, I will walk on my own feet.”
“Hold on a little longer. Only then will your body recover.”
Owen was speechless, but Akkard didn’t care about his sudden, blunt tone. At his unwillingness to let him down, Owen straightened his back and pushed Akkard’s shoulder with both hands.
“I’m fine, put me down! Hurry!!”
But there’s one thing Owen didn’t know about: Akkard had recently been seriously injured with a blade piercing one of his legs.
Although the broken tendons were connected with divine power and potions, it would take more time for him to recover fully. Plus, Owen, who was on top of him, disturbed Akkard’s center of gravity and whose heart was even heavier than his external exhaustion, made him stumble.
“It’s dangerous, uh… … !!”
The muscles in his thighs, which were already at their limits, began to cramp. Akkard couldn’t take it any longer and fell over the dirty water.
Fortunately, it was only a slight fall, but he got his head wet in the messy, muddy water. However, while remaining virtually untouched, Owen was still on top of Akkard and crushing him.
Terribly embarrassed by this, Owen hurriedly lifted him up and apologized.
“I— I’m sorry. I just… … .”
But Akkard, who he thought would be angry, unexpectedly smiled gently in response. He asked as he rubbed his red scratched chin from the fall,
“I’m alright. Are you hurt anywhere?”
Owen felt very guilty about the question of genuine concern. He couldn’t even make eye contact and mumbled in reply,
“I’m fine, so I’ll walk by myself. Come on, let’s go.”
“All right.”
Akkard nodded, got up, and took the lead. Since time was running out, his pace was the same as before.
But his gait, which had been straight, now had a slight limp. Owen, walking while looking at this, reluctantly opened his mouth.
“… … Damia was a very mature and kind child. Being alone can be lonely, but she never complained. Sometimes when she visited someone else’s house, she would end up taking care of all of the kids, even if she was younger than them and they would all follow her.”
Damia was a sore spot for him. A child who had to grow up too early was bound to break the hearts of affectionate and discerning parents.
“Really?”
Akkard, who seemed exhausted, immediately showed interest in his words. Feeling his probing gaze on his profile, Owen continued:
“Most ordinary people are weak to the strong and strong to the weak, aren’t they? But Damia was always kinder to the weak and vulnerable. When she saw a hungry child, she gladly gave up the sweets she wanted to eat.”
“Did Damia say she had no particular appetite for the food, isn’t she an angel?”
“She probably did say that. But she was never good at telling tales. Once before she went out and came back without her new scarf, saying she must have lost it. I thought it was strange but she was still a child but when I asked, she said that she had found an orphan who was shivering in the cold.”
“Her beautiful conduct is the same.”
It was difficult to walk through the dirty current that reached his knees. He huffed, almost unable to speak more, but Owen continued.
It was only because his listener was so focused.
“Not only that, but what a pretty child she was! Of course, she’s pretty now, but when she was young, there wasn’t even a doll that could compare. At one time, there was a time when bisque dolls were popular with the children of oriental high officials, and merchants designing the dolls used my daughter as their model.”
“Do you have any of these dolls?”
Akkard asked in a serious tone. He was very curious to catch a glimpse of what Damia looked like as a child, which he had never seen before.
