The Softest And Cutest Of The Dukes - Chapter 69

CHAPTER 69

This is the grandfather’s fault. In Korea, when greeting, there have been cases where the father of the girl excessively offered alcohol to the prospective son-in-law, fearing that he might drink and act rudely toward his daughter. 

As a result, the precious son of another household lost his mind, and I remember hearing that the girl broke off the engagement the next day.

“Not only did he court our daughter, but he also dares to say he’ll marry our sweet dumpling….”

In short, the grandfather is jealous of the father right now. As a result, the father is currently greeting while facing the delicious meal prepared by the grandmother.

“Is that the reason you’re acting like this now? Honey, you didn’t usually act like this.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Honey, if you keep acting like this, what will you do if the son-in-law doesn’t like our sweet dumpling?”

“That… I’m sorry. Tomorrow, when the son-in-law wakes up, I’ll apologize in person.”

In this world too, it’s clear that the grandmother is the most important. When the grandmother opened her eyes a bit wider with a bit of force, the grandfather reluctantly answered.

“Uncle, are you okay?”

Daniel, who was next to him, asked carefully, shaking father’s shoulder. Father, who seemed to nod off as if asking when he had bowed, said he was okay.

“The food mother made, it’s okay until I finish eating.”

Although his voice seemed to lack strength a bit, Father started putting the food that grandmother made back into his mouth. At this rate, he might end up vomiting tomorrow when he wakes up.

“Harold, ask the doctor to make a hangover remedy.”

“Yes, understood.”

Grandmother, who spoke to Harold waiting behind, immediately filled my empty stomach with food.

“Our Rafi, you’re eating so well and looking so pretty. If only you had come a little earlier, this grandma would have made you even prettier.”

Even now, my stomach was growing, both upward and outward. Still, Grandma continued to feed me, treating me like a skinny child, and kept putting food in my mouth despite saying that my stomach was full.

Chewing and sipping juice hesitantly, I held Grandma’s hand over my bloated belly. Grandma, caressing my swollen belly, finally smiled in satisfaction.

Stroking the round belly, I watched the family eat when Harold brought the hangover remedy. Father, who was nodding off momentarily while eating, gulped down the hangover drink Harold provided. Then he grinned.

When a handsome man smiles, it brightens up the surroundings. The only problem is that the good-looking, well-built man is my father.

It’s a pity. If he wasn’t my father, I could have tried to hit on him. While lamenting, Grandma put an orange in my mouth. The firm pulp burst and the rich juice flooded my mouth.

While eating the orange, Father suddenly stood up. Even if he drank the hangover remedy, he’s still in a drunken state, so having tea time would be difficult.

“You should go rest now. Harold, please show the son-in-law to a resting room.” 

With a flushed face that looked good even when drunk, Father smiled and came over here without following Harold’s guidance. Then he swiftly lifted me, seated beside Grandma.

“Our lovely daughter, will you sleep with father tonight? Hm? My adorable daughter.”

Lifting me high, Father kissed my forehead, nose, and cheeks repeatedly, making smooching sounds. 

Amid these affectionate kisses, I glanced at Grandma. I used to always sleep with Grandma whenever I came here.

“Okay, you can sleep with father tonight.”

“Father, I’ll put you to bed.”

Father who embraced me with a warm heart greeted my grandparents and went straight along with Harold. He staggered a little, but his balance wasn’t completely lost.

“Please rest comfortably here.”

When Harold opened the door, Ciel, who had appeared out of nowhere, rushed in like an arrow. My father frowned at the sight. In response, I turned my gaze straight to my father’s cheek, kissing him.

“Father, wear your warm clothes.”

“Yeah, I should.”

As soon as my father put me on the bed, the servants of the Tigris Ducal Estate rushed in. We didn’t bring spare clothes, but my father’s and my pajamas were prepared. My father and I changed into our pajamas, and as the servants left, we immediately lay down on the bed.

Seeing my father, who had his eyes half-open due to the alcohol, I patted his chest gently with my small hand and said in a soft voice.

“Father, sleep well.”

“Yeah, sweet dreams, too, Rafi.”

Reaching out, my father embraced me and fell asleep soundly. Then Ciel hopped onto the bed and slept by my side.

“Phew.”

It was an uneventful day, but I was so tired. I snuggled against my father’s chest, my cheek pressed against it and fell asleep right there.

After finishing the long day early, I woke up earlier the next day. 

Seeing my father’s disheveled head, fast asleep and unaware of me being awake, I couldn’t bring myself to leave it like that.

I’m a good daughter.

Unable to show his tousled hair to others, I untied the ribbon loosely tied in my hair and roughly tied up my father’s hair.

“This should do the trick.”

Admiring my father’s hair with satisfaction, I finally climbed down from the bed. Leaving my sleeping father and Ciel behind, I blinked my eyes and ventured out of the room. Maria was waiting there.

“Uwo, Maria!”

“Oh, dear, our young lady is awake. You’re barefoot, though. But what happened to the ribbon in your hair? It’s only on one side.”

“I gave it to father.”

Still half-asleep, Maria hugged me and then went into another room. There, I got washed up and asked Helena about the outfit she brought.

“Helena! What’s this outfit?”

“Oh, our young lady! What do you mean? It’s the Angel’s dress. I thought it would suit our young lady perfectly, so I had it custom-made. Hohoho.”

With a strange laugh, Helena dressed me up in a custom-made outfit. The material of the dress felt like it would flutter like an angel’s wings at the slightest breeze.

As soon as I was dressed, I was handed over to Grandfather and we went outside.

“Shall we try some magic practice today? Since our little puppy is supposed to specialize in wind magic, let’s start with the basics – the Fly spell.”

In Grandfather’s arms, who had been showering me with kisses since morning, I began to slowly ascend.

“Wow, wow! I’m flying!”

“Okay. Grandpa will help you this time, but next time our Rafi can do it herself.”

“Yes.”

Having breathed the air from the upper floors early in the morning, I looked at Grandfather. The Fly spell was a bit challenging since I hadn’t gathered enough mana yet. So, I thought Grandfather was casting the Fly spell for me to feel the wind.

However, I soon realized that it was a colossal misunderstanding.

“Alright! Now try to fly on your own. Concentrate on gathering mana and imagine yourself soaring through the sky.”

“Huh, huh-buzz! Whooaah!”

Roaring, I fell from Grandfather’s hands and flapped my arms hurriedly. But I remembered, there were no wings for falling. As soon as I let go of Grandfather’s hand, I began plummeting downward.

Wasn’t it said that a lion rolls down a cliff when giving birth to its cub? I was rolling down from the sky.

Trading my life for it.

“Soft bean sprouts land softly!”

That morning, I had to flutter and flap desperately to the point of being reduced to a pulp.

* * *

Duke Panteur who had consumed an immense amount of alcohol and lost consciousness in the Tigris Ducal Estate, managed to wake up.

“Ugh… Rafi?”

Though he felt like he was still holding someone, when his outstretched hand found nothing where Rafi should have been, he snapped to attention. 

In Rafi’s place, a black cat was toasting bread. The Duke, abruptly sitting up, looked around the now-empty area and pulled the bell cord.

It was the in-laws’ place, and if Rafi were to roam around, it wouldn’t go unnoticed by them. They always wanted to have Rafi to themselves and wouldn’t let her out of their sight.

“Did you cough? I’ll fetch warm water.”

The servant, who had been waiting, hurriedly entered with warm water and a towel. Seeing the hairstyle of Duke Panteur, the head of a family and the ruler of the eastern lands, the servant unintentionally closed his eyes tightly. 

His shoulders were trembling, and the effort to restrain himself was like enduring torture.

“Where is Rafi?”

The servant responded through gritted teeth in a low voice that sounded like it echoed in a cave from a hangover.

“Ahem, she woke up early and went outside. Maria took her to wash up, and then Lady Tigris dressed her in new clothes. Right now, she has become an angel.”

Duke Panteur, who had washed his face, furrowed his brow, not quite understanding. 

“My daughter has become an angel?”

“Yes, she wore specially ordered clothes and was embraced by the Duke, ascending to the sky. Ahem, you should be able to see her even from here.”

Not fully comprehending the somewhat restrained words that occasionally seemed to whisper through the servant’s lips, Duke Panteur furrowed his brow slightly. After wiping his face roughly with a dry towel and not changing his clothes, he moved to the terrace.

As his bare feet touched the cold floor, he felt his mind gradually clearing. Standing on the terrace, Duke Panteur welcomed the refreshing breeze and witnessed a real angel flying in the sky.

“Am I still not completely sober from the alcohol? I’m sure I had the hangover remedy yesterday… Why is the angel falling… R-Rafi!”

Seeing Rafi frantically flapping her arms and falling, Duke Panteur furrowed his brow without a second thought. Without changing into new clothes, he rushed to the terrace.

Jumping straight down from the second floor, Duke Panteur rolled once on the floor to cushion the impact and then ran straight towards where Rafi was falling. Ciel also jumped down immediately and landed on Duke Panteur’s shoulder.

“Rafi! Rafiiii!”

He had tragically lost his beloved wife. Yet, the child she had saved was about to die. Seeing Rafi falling as if she would die, Duke Panteur called out to her with all his might.

“Ahhh!”

“Rafi, father will be there soon. Father…”

Summoning all the strength he had, Duke Panteur jumped straight to where Rafi was falling. His well-trained thighs tensed up, but he couldn’t stop his steps. Even if he were to be crushed, he had to catch the child.

“Baby, my daughter… honey, please, no!”

Even if his wife wanted to see the child, she couldn’t take her now. He silently shouted inwardly, begging to take him instead. Duke Panther, with a desperate expression, had his arms outstretched and managed to catch the falling child against all odds.

She had fallen from the sky, but instead of being squished, she smiled broadly, revealing her teeth.

“Rafi… are you… Right, Rafi, our daughter, Rafi…”

Clutching Rafi tightly, Duke Panteur, breathing heavily, let out a deep sigh of relief. He held his daughter close, who was smiling with teeth bared.

“Rafi… Are you okay?”

Holding Rafi tightly in his arms, Duke Panteur breathed a ragged sigh of relief, grabbed Ciel by the scruff of the neck as he nuzzled his daughter, and tossed him around, then looked up in disbelief when he heard the sound of hammering from the other side.

“Honey!”

“S-Sophia…”

Startled by his wife’s sharp cry, the elderly Duke Tigris flinched. He then immediately had to offer his broad back for her to grab firmly.

“I saw everything! What did you just throw our child to the sky like that!”

“H-Honey.. I just wanted our granddaughter to learn magic quickly… I was controlling it, so she wouldn’t have fallen to the ground… Besides, Rafi will enjoy flying in the sky later, won’t she?”

“Even so, to throw my child to the sky?! Have you lost your mind?” 

Smack.

That day, for the first time in his seventy years, Duke Tigris realized that the hands of his wife of fifty-four years could be quite firm.