Chapter 101: Just a little bit

“I see…” she murmured.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she lifted her head abruptly—her eyes filled with confusion and struggle.

“Father, I don’t understand. Humans and witches have been enemies for centuries. The hatred between them runs unimaginably deep. So why did Pereti save me? She was so badly injured… and I never truly trusted her. I even treated her as an enemy the entire time…”

Everi folded his arms across his chest. Watching his daughter lower her head, her shoulders trembling slightly, he let out a long sigh.

“Pereti… from what I’ve heard, she seems like someone excessively gentle. Perhaps someone like that is truly worthy of the favor of the God of Light.”

He paused, his tone softening.

“Hatred belongs to the past. You—and Miss Pereti—are people living in the present. There was never any real barrier between you. She was the one who let go of the so-called distinction between ‘good and evil’ first. But you… you were trapped by baseless hatred, doubting the sincerity of her kindness.”

“But she’s a witch…” Ailbana still couldn’t let go, her voice barely audible.

Everi’s gaze sharpened—but there was no reproach in it, only guidance.

“‘All witches are evil’—that’s what books tell you. But Pereti is your friend. She’s someone you’ve seen with your own eyes, someone you’ve understood with your own heart. Can what you witnessed firsthand really be less reliable than those cold doctrines? No matter what, you should trust your own judgment.”

“Trust… myself?” Ailbana repeated, her eyes filled with uncertainty.

“Or perhaps,” Everi continued meaningfully, “you’ve always believed that nobles and the Church are the righteous side of a story. But that’s nothing more than an illusion shaped by your own assumptions.”

He looked at her steadily.

“Think carefully—what is the truth you’ve personally witnessed?”

What she had seen with her own eyes—

Was Pereti ignoring danger and her own childhood trauma, rushing into the flames to save her…

“But Father,” Ailbana raised her head again, confusion still lingering in her eyes, “haven’t you always told me about the glory of the Aisakson family?”

“Haha, silly child.” Everi chuckled, amused by her earnest expression, and gently ruffled her pink hair.

“Glory needs recognition. But before that, it has another name—duty. Protecting others quietly without expecting anything in return—that is duty. Only when it is seen and praised by others does it become glory—what people call the spirit of knighthood.”

Looking at Ailbana’s dejected expression, something about it felt familiar to him. As if recalling something, he suddenly changed the subject.

“Seeing how you’ve been refusing food and sleep… I have a guess.”

“A guess?” Ailbana asked instinctively.

A teasing smile appeared at the corner of Everi’s lips, his eyes glinting with curiosity.

“You… don’t happen to like that witch, do you?”

To Everi, his daughter’s current state looked exactly like heartbreak.

Even if it wasn’t true, bringing it up might make Ailbana—who loved reading romance novels—draw parallels herself, eventually convincing herself.

His words were so blunt that Ailbana’s face instantly flushed bright red, like a ripe cherry.

She grabbed the blanket and buried her head inside, her muffled voice coming from beneath it:

“I-I don’t like her! Father, don’t talk nonsense! We’re both girls—how could that even be possible…”

Even so—

Her heartbeat thundered like a drum.

Over the past few days, Pereti’s smile, the way she endured pain while injured, the sight of her standing protectively in front of her—all replayed over and over in her mind, impossible to erase.

Maybe…

She did care, just a little?

Just a tiny bit…

Everi patted the bundle of blankets fondly and teased,

“Are you really sure? Those romance novels you always read… I still remember how the protagonists act when they’re shy.”

Although Pereti was a witch, Everi found himself quite satisfied with her in every regard.

After all, he had no intention of marrying his daughter off—no way he’d let some random boy steal away his precious little girl.

Two girls… didn’t sound bad either.

Perhaps he was getting old—thinking about too many things. But Everi was no rigid relic of the past. When it came to his children, he was surprisingly open-minded.

“Ugh! Stop talking!” Ailbana wriggled under the blanket, her voice full of embarrassment.

“I really don’t…”

But by the end of her sentence, even she wasn’t sure anymore.

For the past few days, her mind had been filled entirely with Pereti—everything she said, everything she did—lingering no matter how hard she tried to forget.

Maybe…

Just a little. Only a little…

“Seems like you already have your answer,” Everi said with a knowing smile.

“Uuugh, stop it…” Ailbana buried herself even deeper.

“Alright, alright. I won’t tease you about that anymore.” Everi’s expression turned serious again.

“Oh right, there’s something else. You remember those Regulation Squad members, don’t you?”

At the mention of Yilian and the others, Ailbana’s mood immediately darkened.

She poked her head out from the blanket, guilt filling her eyes.

“I remember… I was the one who gathered them. I was the one who let them fight Pereti…”

She had assumed that with Feiye’s strength, Yilian and the others would have already lost their lives.

“Duni told me about it afterward. It was indeed a serious matter,” Everi said calmly.

Ailbana’s heart sank instantly. She lowered her head.

“Please don’t say more, Father. This was all my fault. I’m willing to accept any punishment.”

“No,” Everi said. “What I want to tell you is—none of the Regulation Squad members died. Not a single one was even injured.”

“What?!” Ailbana shot up, her eyes filled with disbelief. “How is that possible?”

“According to the priests, they had suffered fatal injuries—almost to the point of death. But at that exact moment, they were enveloped by an incredibly powerful Holy Heal, and their wounds were instantly restored. That’s why there were no casualties.”

He paused, then added,

“The only unfortunate part is that more than half of Falisa has now been occupied by the Gluttony Church. Even now, the situation between both sides remains tense.”

Ailbana sat there in a daze.

Morning light streamed through the window, warming her slightly.

In her mind, Pereti’s gentle smile surfaced once more. The darkness in her heart seemed to crack open, just a little, under the light of dawn.

“Oh, right. Miss Josuna sent a letter—she said she has something important to discuss with you. When you have time, send her a reply. I’ll go prepare some food for you.”

Everi gave her space to think, quietly closing the door as he left.

“Your Grace…” the maid bowed respectfully.

Everi looked at her and nodded in approval.

“What is your name?”

“My name is Celia, Your Grace. Miss Carol… did not return from Falisa.” She phrased it gently, conveying Carol’s death.

Everi nodded heavily and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“From now on, you will take care of Ailbana. For the time being… I’ll have to trouble you to use the name Carol. Take good care of her.”